Brainhacker: Master Memory, Focus, Emotions, and More to Unleash the Genius Within

Written by Dave Farrow, two-time Guinness World Record holder for greatest memory, Brainhacker is the book for anyone who wants to learn a few tips and tricks for improving brain function. Readers will learn all types of hacks including visualization for memorization and goal-reaching, how to focus on something so you don't feel pain, how to stop craving a food you love that is not healthy, and how to forget something intentionally.

As Farrow explains in his book, the brain is plastic so we can intentionally make changes to our thinking and it will manifest in our physical world. The brain is more powerful than most people can comprehend. Farrow's Activate Brain Plasticity Hack can be summed up in three steps: be aware of what you want to change, take on a challenge and learn new things, and make a routine and keep going (habit-building).

This book is perfect for getting rid of brain fog, learning how to grow one's mindset, and of course, how to memorize large (or small) quantities of things. Brainhacker has tips and tricks for everyone to try!


Wildlife for Idiots: And Other Animal Cartoons

Cartoonist and author Adrian Reside has assembled over 300 colorfully illustrated cartoons describing many human foibles through animal eyes. The pictured animals take on human emotions as they respond to a people-dominated world; the rodent inquires about the safety of a cosmetic, to learn that the substance passed muster after being tested on humans first.  Wildlife dominates the core of the cartoons as the colored sections look at the thoughts of prehistoric meek monsters, insects and bugs who mistake head hair for rug tufts, hungry snakes, eagles and vultures, bears, wolves, rodents, sea creatures, and even the eco-touting human as he destroys a terrain. This is a page-turner that will delight the young at the sardonic comments that the animal makes, that is if they had human minds.  There is a certain pathos to be seen in the slaughter and display of animals and their products to mark the skill of the hunter, but some animals are also able to mount a smirking human head.  These cartoons display human hubris through animal mouths, but in reality, they follow their own survival patterns.  the collection provides an amusing if ironic way of viewing our self-absorbed world.


The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship (The Proudest Blue, 2)

As two young siblings head off to school for Picture Day, Mama’s empowering message follows them: “My kind, beautiful girls. Remember, you are strong and smart. You can do and be anything!” Once she arrives, Faizah’s teacher asks what kind of world her students would like to live in. They respond creatively: an “ice cream world,” a “candy world,” and a “fair world.” Faizah’s wish is for a world in which kindness resonates, one in which friends reach out to each other with a helping hand. At recess time the children use superpowers to create this dreamy existence, and what they experience is amazingly wonderful.

In The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali, award-winning authors of The Proudest Blue, offer readers a compelling story of friendship, family, and inspiration. Her words are heartwarming and powerful and may even motivate some youth to spread their own wings of goodness across the world.

Children ages five to nine will most treasure this book. They’ll embrace the vibrant, playful illustrations that illuminate the pages with gorgeous hues and sweet images. Additionally, they’ll find the authors’ aspirational sentiments refreshingly positive and influential.


Mole and Tell (Celebrating Science)

Catherine Payne, John Payne, Elisa Rocchi

Mole and Tell: the title makes you think it is going to be show and tell but with a mole. However, in this interesting book we learned that mole has many homophones. There are many homophones for mole such as the animal, the skin lesion, and finally, the one this book talks about, which is a scientific measurement. I will tell you that before reading this book I had no idea that a mole was a scientific measurement. The very diverse classroom is about to learn why the day October 23 is so important to scientists all over the world as well as create their own experiments as to replicate measuring moles.

While the idea of the book was a good one, I found the text to be very dry and drawn out. It was incredibly repetitive and hard to read. The characters were very diverse and hopefully this is a book many readers can relate too. I did think it was cool I learned about a new scientific measurement, but the book was just very hard to keep interested in to keep reading.


Oolichan Moon (Sisters Learn Foods of the Elders)

As two sisters grow up, their family realizes it’s time to teach them all about their traditions and why they are so important. One thing their family values is the how their food is sacred. One of their most sacred food is the oolichan fish. This is no ordinary fish; not only can it be used for food, there are also many uses for its oil. The sisters seem to enjoy the time with their elders as they learn all about their heritage.

The illustrations in this book are so unique and truly incredible. The text has a nice rhythm. I enjoyed reading this book and learning about the traditions of others. I really liked learning about why the oolichan fish is so important to them.


Optimizing Strategy For Results: A Structured Approach to Make Your Business Come Alive

Timothy Mwololo Waema, PhD, Ron Price, and Evans Baiya, PhD

Optimizing Strategy for Results is a concise and action-packed guide for leaders, management consultants, and facilitators intent on developing and executing strategies that support operational and business goals. Drs. Timothy Mwololo Waema, Evans Baiya, and Ron Price have leveraged their deep experience and insights in entrepreneurship and international business to offer a sequence of practical steps for envisioning, gathering support, and communicating the advancement of mission-critical goals and objectives.

Anchored by a focus on anticipating unexpected challenges, the authors emphasize the importance of aligning purpose and vision to ensure preparedness and resilience to face volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). They discuss the elements of a company culture that is responsive to change, including an orientation toward continuous learning, people-centric values, and an unrelenting focus on the needs of the customer. Each chapter highlights critical skills to succeed in an ever-competitive landscape, outlining tools, accountabilities, and key takeaways. The list of crucial questions for each stage of the strategy development and implementation process was highly invaluable.

With my academic background in business and twenty+ year career in communications and diversity management, I have read many business books focused on strategy, including classics like Execution by Ram Charan and Good to Great by Jim Collins. Optimizing Strategy for Results takes the best qualities of management volumes, offering case studies and practical applications of critical concepts. This book offers the bedrock of strategy development, with useful lessons for founders and entrepreneurs of early-stage companies.

For leaders who have been through iterative strategy sessions, some tools may seem familiar. They are presented with a different spin without much context or explanation for the validity or necessity of a new approach. For example, the authors discuss using the SLOC analysis, which stands for strengths, limitations, opportunities, and challenges, for internal and external assessments. SLOC is an iteration of the SWOT framework that focuses on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. At first glance, there isn’t much difference between the two approaches, and the authors failed to address the distinction. Other tools – like the company scorecard – appear to be a revision of the balanced scorecard model, which has been widely used for the last few decades.

For busy executive leaders, the best aspect of Optimizing Strategy for Results is its brevity. It gets to the point immediately, without much of the buildup of explaining the research and evidence supporting the frameworks. I appreciated the different tools designed to enable teams to understand constraints, prioritize needs, and make sound strategic decisions. From the lens of a people manager, it was essential to know how emotional intelligence may be applied to an organizational context. Strategic intelligence drives change by understanding company culture and adapting to external challenges.


Sprout Branches Out

Sprout is a curious little houseplant that believes there has got to be more than just life on the front porch. Finally, when she decides to explore the world around her, it is nothing like she thought. In fact, it's a much scarier place than she imagined. So maybe life on the porch wasn't so bad. Read this book to see if Sprout gets back to her safe place on the porch.

This book was really cute and it was fun to read because we have several of the houseplants that were in the book. It kind of makes one wonder if the houseplants do ever want to venture outside. This was a really cute story of a funny little plant just looking to live her best life.


City of Dreams: A Novel (The Danny Ryan Trilogy, 2)

The fallout from the mob war that bloodied the streets of Providence was still being felt. Danny Ryan and his crew were exiles heading for the west coast. The rival Moretti family was victorious, but their future was clouded by uncertainty. Danny’s actions in the wake of a heroin theft reverberate through his mind as his caravan moves west, the possibility of retribution from the mob or federal agents guiding his flight.

Peter Moretti is running his crime family, but financial concerns related to the heroin theft/sting are monopolizing his thoughts. Moretti’s preoccupation with the missing drugs blinds him to the ambitions of rivals within his own organization. As Danny plans to settle down, he needs to protect his family and his crew. A deal with an unlikely ally promises freedom but its consequences could be dire.

City of Dreams continues the transfixing story of knock-around guy turned shot-caller Danny Ryan and the dangerous world he inhabits. The paranoid and betrayal-heavy world of organized crime and its denizens is portrayed in stark detail by Don Winslow. In the second and penultimate book in his swan song trilogy, Winslow doesn’t pull any punches in this memorable and often somber tale.


Cassandra in Reverse: A Reese's Book Club Pick

I loved reading the fun novel The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, which was labeled as a smart love story. So it was with great anticipation that I learned the cover blurb for Cassandra in Reverse was written by Simsion. I assumed the new book could not miss. Never make assumptions.

Oh, the new novel started out just fine, and it also happened to be a story about a uniquely quirky individual looking for love. In this instance, the protagonist happens to find it hard to relate to most other humans but is aided by a special talent: the ability to time travel. Need I mention that I’m usually drawn to time-travel stories?

The tone of Cassandra is initially light and fun. But once I approached the halfway point of the read, I realized the story was bogging down. Especially because Cassandra is never satisfied with going back in time once to correct an earlier error in interacting with her boyfriend. No, she repeatedly returns back to the past.

I dreadingly trudged along to the end, page 360. The Rosie Project was completed in 295 pages. Let’s hope that Smale’s next work draws a strong editor.


Poor Tom

Poor Tom by Martin Drapkin tells the story of its main character, Julius, a forty-year-old man who I would describe as pretty lost in the world. Julius is a Jewish photographer and painter, although I would not say he shows enthusiasm toward either of his professions. He also lives with his long-term girlfriend Naomi, a social service worker, and mother to Benji and Elise. Although he loves Naomi, the two definitely have their differences, something that is beginning to be a problem at the beginning of this novel. In addition to the above, Julius is the son of Herbert Dickman, a well-known classical-trained actor. He and his father have an interesting relationship; after having lost his mother to suicide, Julius and his father spend much quality time together but seem to ignore all the important questions surrounding his family affairs.

This novel really explores Julius’s relationship with his father and with Naomi. His dad, Hebert, has just retired from his long theater career after playing the lead role in “King Lear,” something that was to be the climax of his profession. However, after this play, Herbert begins to act strangely. Julius finds himself faced with the task of taking care of his father both physically and mentally after this sudden decline, something quite difficult, while also handling his relationship problems with Naomi.

As I was reading this novel, I could tell Drapkin was an experienced author. He writes exceptional character dialogues, thoughts, and feelings.  I would describe the majority of the content as Julius’s daydreams about a life that he is not living. In his case, this usually involves fantasizing about beautiful women in the early hours of the evening and then spiraling into uncontrollable thoughts about basically everything else going on in his day-to-day. Although Julius is written as a sort of awkward, and unsure character (with which his daydreams very much coincide), I found the story did not particularly move forwards or backward. Even at the end of this novel, I struggled to find a real conclusion, more of just a series of events that happened to Julius which he then pondered on. Although Julius’s character is pretty wishy-washy, I do think some sort of novel climax or major event is necessary, which I simply did not get out of this novel.

As a whole, even though I was not particularly fond of Poor Tom, it was not a bad read. I believe it would be a story enjoyable for those who enjoy slow-moving fiction or who may be feeling pretty lost themselves.


The Wildest Hunt: True Stories of Game Wardens and Poachers

Former Canadian fishery officer, Randy Nelson has collected a bookful of short stories describing game wardens' encounters with animal and plant poachers across the United States and Canada.  The array of descriptions displays the rampant disregard of rules and regulations by illegal collectors and hunters along with the inherent peril that wildlife managers are exposed to. Hunting regulations are imposed to maintain the sustainability of plant and animal populations and yet there are groups of individuals who either for profit or ego will kill or over-collect endangered species. In over one hundred narratives collected from a range of diverse game wardens, the spotlight and the gun or bow and arrow are illegally used to shoot deer and elk primarily for their antlered heads to be used as wall decoration. Hunting for many of these poachers seems almost like an addiction. Read about overfishing, polar bear slaughter, turkey thugs, gator napping, bird collecting, plant uprooting, ginseng stealing and so many more infamous acts.  All these droll, yet distressing, stories told with dry humor sarcastically emphasize the brainlessness of the poachers while emphasizing the dangerous responsibility assigned to an inadequately staffed wildlife control bureau.


Five First Chances

Five New Romances for April

Spring head first into some new romantic fiction this April and experience all the thrill, spills, and chills that accompany a fantastic love story. The five novels featured in this roundup are all forthcoming releases packed with fun, frolics, and plenty of humor, and they’re all certain to put you in the mood for romance.

Five First Chances by Sarah Jost

Have you ever felt like you missed the chance for something great? Something that could have changed your life for the better? Such worries plague Lou as she muses on the currently unsatisfactory status of her life: single, unfulfilled, stuck in a city far from home, and watching those around her celebrate their happiness. Not all is lost, however, as Lou is given the chance to travel back in time to two days in the past, to the point where one small decision had a major impact on everything. Although this allows her to correct her mistakes, Lou’s new decisions and actions send her in unexpected directions, ultimately trapping her in some kind of time loop. Interestingly, during each attempt to change the past for the better, she finds herself interacting with the same friend of a friend. Could it be the sign of something? Five First Chances by Sarah Jost explores how the greatest love stories are often the most unexpected love stories, with serendipity playing a significant role in the search for happiness.

Sizzle Reel by Carlyn Greenwald

Carlyn Greenwald’s Sizzle Reel follows would-be cinematographer Luna Roth as she navigates the surprising complexities associated with coming out as bisexual at the age of twenty-four. She may have the support of her best friend, but she has no intention of coming out to her right-wing parents, nor does she have any idea how to actually flirt with women. Plus, the excessive demands of her boss mean that she has little time for romantic matters anyway. When Luna meets A-list Hollywood actress Valeria Sullivan and senses that there might be an attraction between them, she puts together a plan intended to overcome both her professional and her personal difficulties. But things are never that simply and Luna soon finds herself in danger of losing her career, her best friend, and any chance she had at romance. Can she figure out a way to fulfill all her dreams without hurting those she cares the most about? It all makes for a hilarious rom-com and a surprisingly insight account of life behind the camera in Hollywood.

King of Wrath by Ana Huang

Billionaire CEO Dante Russo thrives on being in control in both business and life, and he’s so keen on living an ordered life that he has no intention of ever opening himself up to the chaos associated with married life. However, when faced with a blackmail plot, Dante agrees to get engaged to Vivian Lau, a woman he barely knows who just happens to be the daughter of his greatest enemy. Although he initially intends to do everything in his power to avoid the blackmail and break off the engagement without leaving any evidence that it ever took place, as Dante gets to know Vivian better he finds himself strangely reluctant to let her go. For her part, Vivian knows that it is her job to be the perfect daughter and pave the way for her family to enter high society. Marrying Dante would do just that, which is why she agrees to the engagement despite thoroughly disliking him. Yet, against all her instincts, she finds herself falling in love with her future husband. Will love manage to keep this disparate pair together? The second book in Ana Huang’s steamy Kings of Sin series, King of Wrath can be read as a standalone romance novel centered on the idea that opposites can attract in powerful ways.

Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon

HelenKay Dimon’s Moorewood Family Rules is an unusual tale of romantic misadventure that is also part crime novel and part family saga. Jillian Moorewood is the oldest and most steady child of the union between a conman and an heiress. She’s the one tasked with keeping the family together and out of trouble, and she’s also the one who had to go to prison to save the bunch of them. After spending over three years behind bars, Jillian has finally been released, and she’s still feeling pretty sore about the whole ordeal. When finally reunited with her family, she’s disappointed to find that they have continued with their criminal ways while she has been away, despite many promises to the contrary. Although none of them want to go legit, Jillian believes that she finally has the leverage to force them to do so. There’s just one problem, how can she convince her relatives to change their lives when her own life is in shambles? Fortunately, with the help of a great aunt and a few new acquaintances (not all of whom are working undercover), she is able to stand on her own two feet and figure out who she really is, including what she wants by way of romance.

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

Sonya Lalli uses the fabulous setting of an Alaskan cruise as the perfect background for an enemies-to-lovers romance in Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat, which is packed with charm, humor, and meddling aunties! Jasmine Randhawa is commonly thought to have it all—a prefect boyfriend, a great job, and an apartment that makes people green with envy—but she’s really nowhere near as confident or contented as she seems. What’s more, her perfect romance is quickly coming apart at the seams. With her life in near tatters, Jasmine finds herself tagging along on her parents’ vacation, which does nothing for her self-esteem or mood, nor does the fact that the only other person under fifty on the cruise is the big- and pig-headed Jake Dhillon. The pair of them become enemies at first sight: Jasmine hates how Jake is placed on a pedestal for being the perfect son, while Jake dislikes Jasmine’s reputation as a troublemaker. Still, they can’t really stay out of each other’s way on a cruise ship, and after a while they begin to find some common ground, including the fact that they are both keeping secrets from their families. Romance seems to be blossoming, but will it survive the move back to dry land?


White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and His Inner Female

For millennia, letters have been a powerful medium through which to express deepest sentiments and feelings about well-kept secrets. Educator and speaker Ronnie Gladden leverages the power of the missive to share complicated and sensitive emotions and unvarnished truths about the confluence of race and gender in their memoir White Girl Within.

In the compilation of letters, the first set is written to Ronnie—a Black man—by their inner White Girl, a persona who claims to live deep within Gladden’s psyche. White Girl tells of pivotal moments in Gladden’s life. By demonstrating how dueling transgender and transracial tendencies interact, Gladden challenges the reader to consider the complexity of racialized and gendered identities.

From my perspective as a diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner, this book is wholehearted and brilliant. Gladden embodies the struggle to overcome internalized racism in writings that are both cerebral and visceral at the same time, offering different layers of meaning. In centering the voice of Whiteness, the author offers a piercing critique of the current discourse about anti-Black racism. Letters question and challenge traditional notions of Black masculinity and their link to what Gladden calls the “plantation industrial complex.”

The power of the book is that every reader will take away something different, depending on their social identities and orientation toward issues of racial identity and equity.


Hollywood in the Klondike: Dawson City’s Great Film Find

When new technology takes over, it’s worthwhile hanging onto anything that may later tell a wholly unexpected story. Historian Michael Gates’ chronicle of Hollywood in the Klondike reveals a startling find: the recovery in Dawson City of several tons of silent movie reels from the Family Theatre, hauled to the waterfront in 1933 by proprietor Fred Elliott and then trashed and burned.

Gold Rush prospectors, entertained in saloons, gambling halls, and theater live-shows, welcomed the first moving pictures in the town’s theaters, wooden buildings that frequently fell victim to fires and were then hastily rebuilt. The silent movies enjoyed only a few years of novelty and thrills before the “talkies” came in. Yukon Territory, far from Hollywood, was eager always to watch movies even two or three years after release.

The Klondike Gold Rush is a familiar story, captured in books and movies by many authors and actors. Discovering hundreds of silent movies, many undamaged, is virtually unknown. Gates develops parallel stories of the prospecting and the film discovery. They send a shiver of excitement even today, no less many characters in the story like “Diamond Tooth” Gertie and Beatrice Lorne, the “Klondike Nightingale,” whose later lives took a dignified turn.


Women, Leadership, and Saving the World: Why Everything Gets Better When Women Lead

Belinda Clemmensen has issued a bold call to action among women to take their rightful place in the corporate leadership ranks through Women, Leadership, and Saving the World. The management coaching guru focuses on the ways that women change organizations for the better when they lean forward into their inclination to lead differently, with a feminist approach.

culture toward greater employee productivity and engagement. She focuses on the myriad challenges women experience in workplaces and ensuring diversity and inclusion strategies take gender into full account. Throughout the book, she shares personal stories of overcoming work-life challenges. The author incorporates the latest research to support arguments about pervasive gender disparities in pay, promotion, and leadership opportunities.

Workplaces continue to enhance their collective understanding of developing equity and inclusiveness. This book would make a great addition to an organization’s learning library or book club because it is punchy and a quick read for busy professionals. It is full of actionable advice for women who experience the push-and-pull of domestic and professional demands in the midst of ascending the leadership ladder. The ideas offered in the book are useful for decision-makers who are looking for tangible ways to improve workplace experiences for women.


Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter

While I absolutely adore stories set in fantastical realms, the ones I find myself traipsing through always seem to be Dungeons & Dragons adjacent rather than fully immersed in the intricacies and lore of the D&D-verse. But after watching Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on the big screen last month I knew I had to read this prequel, and I was not disappointed!

The story is told from Edgin’s point of view as he relates the tale of his crew’s formation to his daughter Kira as a bedtime story. Starting with his wife’s demise and ending with a hint of the beginning of the heist that lands Edgin and Holga in Revel’s End prison where we find them at the beginning of the movie, this book does a fantastic job of providing essential backstory that deepens the context of the characters’ relationships and gives the reader insight into some of the motivations that play a massive part in the plot of the movie.

Basically, if you enjoyed the flashback scenes of the rag-tag found-family crew of misfits pulling off successful heists at the beginning of the film, you’re going to love this book.


I Eat Men Like Air

I Eat Men Like Air is a line from a Sylvia Plath poem called Lady Lazareth which is about multiple suicide attempts and the art of dying. And it is a fitting title for this book because all of the characters in the book suffer from some form of angst. The story occurs in 2017 and first introduces readers to a crime and murder podcaster named Tyler who is tagging along with his friend, Detective Sean Strickland in the investigation of a wealthy young man named Alex Sable who was found dead in a bathtub. Although it looks like a suicide, Tyler thinks otherwise and sets about interviewing the deceased's friends.

What I really enjoyed about this book were the characters. The story should really be about Will and Jessica's wedding, but instead, Alex, the obnoxious, always-under-the-influence-of-something-or-another friend steals the show. The book's chapters toggle back and forth between each time the group visits the mansion where Will and Jessica are to be married. The visits are full of drugs and alcohol, discussions about a guy who Alex got convicted of rape, and the various problems of young, rich people. Lulu, the Instagram Influencer, is getting over a relationship and gets bitchy when Victoria complains that her own breakup was much worse than Lulu's because she invested more time in it. Rob, Will's best friend, has a hard time falling into the character of being a rich person. He still wears J. Crew, after all, and the guys never let him live that down. Alex is the volatile addict who will tilt a woman's head back and pour absinthe into her mouth before she can consent. The doctor of the group, and the one character who actually has any standards, Yael, learns this the hard way. But she is not without her faults. Sleeping with a soon-to-be-married man does not exactly show a good moral compass. Then there is Maxie. Maxie is married but never sees her husband, Freddie. Then there are the bride and groom, Jessica and Will. From the start, it is clear that these two don't really go together. They are just two people stepping into their roles.

I have to say, a lot of the dialogue was quite entertaining and downright comical. The author does a fantastic job of creating the voice behind each character. The reader will be wondering if Alex really did commit suicide or if this group of immoral, unethical, rich kids were behind something a lot more sinister. This book is dark, yet has a lot of nonchalant humor thrown in. There are several side storylines and plot twists that will keep the reader's attention stuck to the page.


I Eat Men Like Air

I’m usually not a huge fan of mysteries, especially murder mysteries. It’s always obvious to me “whodunnit” pretty early on and I find that makes the characters involved seem very one-dimensional and not that fun to stick with to the end. Of course, who hasn’t read an Agatha Christie or two, but besides that I’m more of a fantasy or romance type of gal. However, I Eat Men Like Air has irrevocably changed my perspective on the genre.

From the very beginning of the novel, there’s an undeniable undercurrent of tension between every character as they’re introduced. You might think this would make for a tense read, but on the contrary, Berman masterfully weaves threads of unease and suspicion between the cast and plays each scene like a finely tuned instrument all the way through to a thrilling twist and immensely satisfying conclusion.

I finished this novel in two days, not only because the story was wholly engrossing, but also because the depth of character development and care with which each person’s part to play was fully realized was written in such a believable and clever way that I didn’t want to put it down.

The book starts out with the apparent suicide of wealthy East New Yorker Alex Sable the night before his best friend’s wedding. One of the investigating detectives is a popular true crime podcaster, and the opening of the novel follows him as he arrives at the scene and is introduced to the bride and groom and the remainder of their wedding party. The bulk of the story takes place the year preceding Alex’s death, starting with a raucous weekend in a New Hampshire mansion to celebrate the upcoming nuptials.

At first glance, most of the wedding party reads as shallow and vapid one-percenter types with “rich people problems”. Lulu, Maxi, and Jessica (the bride-to-be) are so preoccupied with how their lives look that they’re almost missing the point of being fully realized human beings, and the same can be said of Will (the groom-to-be) and Rob (the poor tag-along trying to fit in where he’s not welcome). But as the weekend continues and the true nature of their personalities and the tangled knots of their interwoven relationships become apparent, it’s obvious that there are some things money and influence can’t repair.

This novel humanizes otherwise inhumane people while at the same time questioning the moral limits of wealth and power, and what lengths both those who are wronged and those who have witnessed wrongdoing will go to for retribution and redemption. I’ll definitely be re-reading this one later this year.


Delaware Before the Railroads: A Diamond Among the States

Delaware Before the Railroads documents the history of the State of Delaware from 1638-1832. Before 1832, business owners had to ship goods to Philadelphia via water since the roads were narrow and wagons could not carry nearly as much as ships. This book takes readers through an eye-opening excursion through these years with the use of brilliant color photographs to create an encapsulating experience.

From the earliest Swede settlers to the building of log cabins and the freeing of slaves to the many trades that have developed over the years, Delaware has a rich history that will have many readers surprised. I didn't know very much about Delaware when I picked up this book, but the wonderful pictures and descriptions soon had me interested.

Author Dave Tabler gives just enough information in the captions of the photos to allow the reader to understand what he/she is seeing without bombarding the reader with too much reading. I enjoyed learning about the architecture and design of the buildings both inside and out. The Swedish plank house was a simple wood structure built in the late 1700s. And the Dutch architectural influence continued deep into the colonial era with houses built with features close to the ground and details such as leather door hinges. Brick patterns were also introduced as they became popular in Philadelphia. Over time, more and more details were added to the buildings. The furniture and pottery are also wonderfully represented in this book.

I also enjoyed learning about the different trades in Delaware. From milling to hunting, fishing, and trapping, to colonial medicine and blacksmithing, it is so interesting to compare how things were done back in colonial times versus now. I was intrigued by what could be found in a dispensary—saffron and peppercorns are items that can be found in present-day kitchens after all! Procedures such as bloodletting and scary instruments such as "English keys" for pulling teeth are things we don't hear about anymore because of how humans have evolved in the medical field. I found the tools and procedures to be fascinating.

Overall, I feel that this is a book that covers the history of Delaware during the time before the railroads very nicely. It should be a welcome addition to any school curriculum as it presents the history in such a way that is captivating and engaging. Although most of the book is photos and captions, it should also be noted that Tabler does an exceptional job with his "Notes on Photographs" section in the back of the book which gives a little more in-depth description of each photo if the reader would like to know more.


Ignite Culture: Empowering and Leading a Healthy, High-Performance Organization from the Inside Out

I am not an executive or team leader, and I doubt I will ever work in an office. All the same, corporate culture is now deeply settled into American culture. I first picked up this book out of sheer curiosity, but the further I read, the more I realized the upper levels of my own workplace do have many corporate aspects. Some of the terminology was familiar to me from emails or from mass Zoom meetings.

(At the risk of one of my bosses seeing this, I think they should read this book.)

The above statement is only half a joke. While I doubt any of us would be entirely comfortable with a boss knowing that we’re not a fan of their leadership style, I do think many employers and executives could learn a great deal from Ignite Culture, and from Graziano’s years of experience in helping companies restructure themselves to make a more welcoming working environment for their employees. She takes readers through steps of improvement, building outward from first focusing on the self, then on the immediate team, and finally, on the company as a whole.

What I found most appealing (and what I think will appeal to many others lower in the pecking order) is that Graziano’s focus is not on profits or consumer engagement or public relations. Those things, she says, will follow. Instead, she urges executives to focus on improving their corporate culture, making changes that not only make their employees happier but also make them more engaged in their work. The recent Great Resignation and the supposed epidemic of “quiet quitting” (and the discourse surrounding that term) come from a lack of engagement and even outright discontent, largely caused by toxic workplace cultures that don’t value their employees as anything more than a means to an end.

I can’t say this book will solve every problem a corporation faces. As I said before, I’m no executive, and complex problems will require more complex solutions than can be wrapped up in one book. Still, Ignite Culture makes for an excellent starting place. Not only does it offer advice on communication that anyone can find helpful, it also delves a little into neuroscience and provides many further resources to draw on.

I would, of course, most recommend this book to executives, but I think many other people will find it interesting. I went in for a peek at corporate culture and came out not only with a better understanding of it but also with some handy advice on how to better handle my own communication.


The Swiss Nurse

Historical Fiction for August

Step into the past and journey through time with our Historical Fiction for August roundup. As the summer days wane and autumn's embrace draws near, immerse yourself in the captivating narratives of five recently published works of historical fiction. From tales of love and betrayal in post-World War II Italy to sweeping sagas set against the backdrop of significant historical events, these books offer readers a passport to different eras and a chance to experience the lives, dreams, and challenges of characters from bygone times. Join us as we explore the rich tapestry of history through the eyes of these talented authors and their meticulously crafted stories.

The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar

The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar is a poignant and gripping tale that shines a light on the remarkable bravery and compassion of one woman during some of the most serious crises of the last century. Based on a true story, the novel follows the incredible journey of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss nurse who seeks to aid children orphaned by the Spanish Civil War and later provides refuge for expectant mothers and their unborn children in France. As the story unfolds, readers are also introduced to Isabel Dueñas, a Spanish patriot who flees Franco's Fascist troops and seeks asylum in a French refugee camp. The novel beautifully portrays the resilience and sacrifice of both women in the face of overwhelming adversity, delivering a powerful message of love and strength during times of historical turmoil. The Swiss Nurse is a compelling narrative that sheds light on often overlooked aspects of history and the unsung heroes who made a difference in the lives of countless refugees.

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

Pip Williams’ The Bookbinder transports readers to 1914 and the outset of World War One, where the lives of Peggy and Maude, twin sisters, unfold against a shifting historical landscape. As young men are called away to fight, women such as Peggy and Maude must step into new roles to keep the nation running. While they both work in the bindery at Oxford University Press, their dreams and aspirations diverge: Peggy yearns for knowledge and education, whereas Maude finds contentment in the art of bookbinding. The arrival of refugees from war-torn Belgium disrupts their lives, sparking a series of events that challenge their ambitions and responsibilities. Williams weaves a narrative that delves into the themes of knowledge, access, and the unseen stories of women in history. In so doing, Williams elucidates a lesser-known aspect of the past through the eyes of women, creating a compelling and thought-provoking tale that explores the transformative power of knowledge and the pursuit of dreams amidst the turmoil of war and societal expectations.

Remember Me by Mary Balogh

Remember Me by Mary Balogh is a captivating historical romance novel that explores complex issues such as forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of love. Lady Philippa Ware, once filled with dreams of a glittering debut and a splendid marriage, had her hopes shattered when her family was disgraced. Years later, she finds the courage to make her debut in London, only to be confronted by the Marquess of Roath, who had once cruelly insulted her. The Marquess is tasked with finding a suitable bride by his ailing grandfather, the Duke of Wilby. When he crosses paths with Philippa, the sparks of attraction fly, but a long-buried secret threatens to keep them apart. As the autocratic duke and duchess have their own plans for the union, Lucas and Philippa must confront their pasts and find the strength to embrace love's healing power. Balogh skillfully crafts a tale of second chances and redemption, reminding us that even in the midst of life's challenges, love has the capacity to mend and transform.

Cloak of Scarlet by Melanie Dickerson

Cloak of Scarlet by Melanie Dickerson is a captivating retelling of the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood, albeit one set in a medieval world filled with danger and intrigue. The story revolves around Violet Lambton, a seemingly ordinary young woman who, despite her humble origins, is determined to fight the villainous Baron Dunham and his mistreatment of the townspeople. Sir Merek, a knight in the service of Baron Dunham, becomes an unexpected ally when he recognizes the depths of the baron's treachery. Together, they embark on a perilous quest to expose the baron's deceit to the king, all while facing their own growing feelings for each other. Dickerson’s tale dwells on bravery, trust, and romance as Violet and Merek navigate the treacherous path to save their loved ones and the kingdom itself. As they confront unexpected secrets and challenges, they find themselves drawn together against all odds. Cloak of Scarlet offers readers a thrilling adventure that explores the themes of courage and love in a medieval setting, making it a must-read for fans of historical romance and fairy tale retellings.

Stars in an Italian Sky by Jill Santopolo

Jill Santopolo’s Stars in an Italian Sky whisks readers through time and across generations, exploring the complexities of love, loyalty, and family secrets. Set in Italy following World War Two, the story begins with the passionate love affair between Vincenzo and Giovanna, two young people from different worlds who are irresistibly drawn to each other. However, political shifts force them to make choices that lead to heartbreak and betrayal, tearing them apart. In modern-day New York, Cassandra and Luca, also deeply in love, embark on a journey of their own. Despite differences in their backgrounds, they believe they are a perfect match. Yet, when the past resurfaces through a project involving their grandparents, long-buried family secrets come to light, threatening to change the course of their relationship forever. Stars in an Italian Sky delves into the intricate connections between past and present, family legacies, and the enduring power of love. Readers are invited to explore the lives of these star-crossed lovers and the mysteries that bind their stories across time.


Into the Groove: The Story of Sound From Tin Foil to Vinyl

There is nothing quite like the unique experience of listening to a vinyl record. In 1977, Peter Goldmark, the inventor of the LP record, was honored by President Jimmy Carter. Vinyl was at its peak and was slowly being replaced by cassettes. The long and storied voyage of innovation to the 33⅓ RPM record spanned more than a century. The ability to generate sound from plates was explored by Galileo, which Ernst Chladni studied further and was dubbed “The Father of Acoustics.”

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, which would be both lauded and scorned by artists. Alexander Graham Bell would make some alterations and developed the graphophone. Each step throughout the years was getting closer and closer to perfection until the development of the vinyl record in the 1930s. The 20th century would witness the perfection of the record and its unveiling to the listening public.

Into the Groove is a thorough exploration of the sound revolution that brought music to the masses. The rise, fall, and rebirth of the iconic disc is remarkable in and of itself. Author Jonathan Scott contributes a wealth of valuable information that will engage audiophiles everywhere. A winning book of history mixed with pop culture.


Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom is a good story. It is about an eleven-year-old girl named Juniper. The same nightmare about a girl who turns into ivory has been haunting her every night. Juniper loves drawing her. When, one night, after a school dance, she is drawing the girl, she comes out of the picture. The girl, Galatea, tells Juniper that the kingdom she is princess of is vanishing and she cannot find an object that will help her get back to her kingdom.

At school, Galatea meets Juniper’s friends. Galatea initially pretends she comes from Bulgaria, but their friends see through the lie and agree to help them find the object. Juniper, Galatea, and their friends go searching for it while hindered by rhymes from Dreamtender. Can Juniper save Galatea’s kingdom before it is too late?

Although a good book, Juniper as a character is not well built, and neither is Dreamtender. Nina Varela may be good at plot and story, but not what I look for in a book: good, well-developed characters with strong backstories. I recommend this book for grade schoolers who are six to nine years of age.


A Few Bicycles More

Fortune, Bicycle’s Bike, is acting weird. It’s telling her to go the wrong directions, and is blasting music without warning. It says it is like a magnetic pull, doing something it can’t control. Bicycle and sister Wanda, the person who raises her, go biking, and try to find whatever is happening to Fortune. On her trip, she finds her four identical sisters. She is happy to find her family. She’s never met them before, and is sad to leave Sister Wanda. Her family lives in an apartment and rarely goes outdoors, and none of them bike. Her mom is overprotective of her after they lost her when she was three.
That means Bicycle can’t do her favorite thing: ride a fortune. And Fortune finally finds what the magnetic pull is: it’s family. Will Bicycle be able to convince her family to let her go, or will she have to live locked up forever?

This is a good book and I think a lot of people can enjoy it. I was really interested in what would happen next. I really like the characters, they all had very strong personalities and were realistic. This book is also sad because Bicycle can’t leave her family but she has to save her bike’s, and she has to leave Sister Wanda. But there were some parts like the part where they start practicing in the hallway that were very predictable. The story was believable and I would love to have a bike like Fortune.


The Raven Thief: A Secret Staircase Mystery (Secret Staircase Mysteries, 2)

The Raven Thief is the thrilling second installment in the Secret Staircase Mystery series by the truly talented Gigi Pandian. This plot is as carefully constructed as the classic mystery novel-themed interior it revolves around, with a sparkling cast of characters and enough mystery to keep the whodunnit twist at the end a surprise without dragging the reader through a tangling array of smoke and mirrors to get there.

Readers who missed the first book in the series can easily jump into this story, where they’ll follow magician Tempest Raj as she tries to clear her grandfather from suspicion of murder after a fake seance gone awry leaves an actual corpse on the table. Not only is the main plot cleverly crafted, but the remaining thread of mystery surrounding the Raj family curse and the deaths of Tempest’s mother and aunt are a constant source of underlying tension that plays an integral part in solving the mystery while leaving room for more speculation in future stories.

Fans of locked room and cozy mysteries, magic, and diverse characters look no further, this is your next read!


In the Time of Our History: A Novel of Riveting and Evocative Fiction

With In the Time of Our History, Susanne Pari tells a winding story about an Iranian family falling apart along the lines of traditionalism and assimilation. Mitra, excommunicated for her rebellious independence, is trying to reconnect with her family after the death of her virtuous sister, Anahita. As Mitra journeys through her past, she uncovers devastating truths and faces her own fears and shortcomings in order to forge a new future for her family and herself.

The novel highlights traditionalism and assimilationism and touches on the rigid hierarchy in a traditional family that silences younger generations, subjugates women, and perpetuates generational trauma. Pari is honest about the other side of the coin as well: assimilation into an "American" lifestyle of perceived success and the loneliness and disjointedness that comes with rejecting one's heritage and family.

Pari also explores the ironic conservatism within diaspora communities. Pari portrays the elders in diaspora communities as holding onto their traditional values with an iron grip, not realizing the cultural shifts and changing tides in their home country. Overall, In the Time of Our History is an engrossing novel that explores the complexities of family, tradition, and identity.


Everything She Feared: A Suspense Novel

When Sara’s daughter’s babysitter falls off the edge of a cliff with only her daughter as witness, Everything She Feared seems to be coming true. As the investigation into the death continues, it looks more and more suspicious. Sara realizes that you can never truly bury the past. It will always come back to haunt you in one way or another. If she wants to keep her family safe, she’ll need to figure out who she really is.

I enjoyed the premise of this story and that it took place in areas familiar to me. However, I had a hard time relating to the characters. They felt a bit flat and clinical, as if it was a story just of facts and not about people. It wasn’t really clear if the story was about Sara and her daughter, or about the police investigation, or about Ryan’s story. If you enjoy Rick Mofina’s other books, then you will probably enjoy this one. But, if you enjoy books about single mothers trying to protect their families from their tragic pasts, I would rather recommend Hide Away by Jason Pinter.


My Darkest Prayer

Nate Waymaker knows the line between right and wrong. However, the world he inhabits sees that line get blurred far too often. His parents were the victims of vehicular manslaughter perpetrated by the privileged son of a local bigshot. The sheriff’s department either bungled the investigation or covered for the suspect. Nate served his country in the Marines and served his community in law enforcement. Now, he works in a mortuary where his clients can’t offer any more heartache than the living. The recently departed Reverend Esau Watkins offers Nate more than just a funeral service to help set up. Nate is approached by two of the late Reverend’s parishioners. They believe Watkins met with foul play. Nate decides to approach the sheriff’s department tactfully but knows he may just open up a whole can of worms.

My Darkest Prayer is the latest tantalizing mystery from the gifted scribe S.A. Cosby (Razorblade Tears). Cosby is skilled at hooking the reader from the launch of his story, and the saga of Nate Waymaker is no different. Nate’s rage at injustice and his willingness to fight for the underdog make him an identifiable protagonist worth seeing on every subsequent page.


Silver in the Mist

Dev's world ended when her father died and her mother became the infamous Whisperer of Aris, the head of the spies. Eight years later, her country is slowly dying; the magic fading and the Mist and the monsters in it growing stronger. The chance to not only save her home but also prove herself as a spy to her mother comes in a single mission. A mission different from anything Dev has ever done before: kidnap the most powerful caster from her sister country, Cerena. With danger of discovery around every corner, Dev must choose carefully who she trusts.

Spies, magic, secrets, and an aro/ace lead all wrapped up into one fantastic story? Yes, please! The characters are different from each other and easy to tell apart, but Dev and Alyse, the two main characters, are the only ones with depth. There are some flashbacks that can be confusing, one moment the story is in the present then it's thrown into the past. The descriptions throughout the story are beautiful; I can easily imagine the magic and the world. The magic system isn't super in-depth, so it’s not confusing, but it's enough that it's believable and has rules.


Vampire Weekend: A Novel

Vampire Weekend is one of those books that turns into something you weren’t quite expecting when you picked it up but stays with you long after you’ve put it down. I absolutely love vampires. I’m strongly of the opinion that every genre out there only benefits from the addition of a member of the undead cabal, and Mike Chen certainly delivers a fresh new perspective with this one. Louise Chao is your typical San Francisco punk rocker. Disdainful of authority, night owl in the extreme, pronounced family-induced angst, oh and she’s a vampire. Not in an Interview with the Vampire sort of way, although she did take a picture once on that New Orleans street from the opening of the movie. Being a vampire is actually kind of depressing, according to her best friend whom she lost to a fatal car accident years ago. At least until an estranged family member and their teenage grandson show up at her door unexpectedly one night, turning into an extended weekend of revelations about herself, her community, and what it means to truly be connected to other people. The twist at the end is completely unexpected and very, very punk rock.


All the Pretty Places: A Novel of the Gilded Age

During the economic downturn of 1893, Sadie Fremd sees wealthy friends and neighbors lose all they had left and right. Her main concern, however, is not for her father’s business but for her ability to study plants, bring hope to the poor by providing them with green spaces, and marry the love of her life, who happens to be one of her father’s employees.

Sadie is no doubt meant to be a strong-willed young woman ahead of her time, but often she came across as impetuous and childish. Many of the characters around her were flat and uninteresting, costume drama stereotypes meant to fill out the plot. The first chapters especially were difficult to get through, as Callaway loaded them with with details meant to fill us in on the world rather than allowing for the story to speak for itself.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book. I will say, however, that Callaway does an excellent job of writing descriptively. She knows her settings well and is able to immerse readers in a sense of place and time.


Strangers in the Night: A Novel of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner

A fictional take on the relationship between Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra is supported by just enough research to keep you glued to every page of Heather Webb's Strangers in the Night. Her fiery passion, his dark secrets, and old Hollywood in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s are gorgeous, tortured, and unforgettable.

Told through dual points of view--his and hers--the novel relates Gardner and Sinatra's relationship from their very first meeting when she was married to Mickey Mantle--all the way until her death from cancer in 1990. They were complicated, jealous, extremely talented people who didn't know how to heal the broken places in themselves enough to be any good to each other. But, as Webb renders it, they were devoted to each other all their lives.

Frank left his first wife, a good Italian Catholic girl, for Gardner, and chaos ensued, but the new marriage didn't last long. The truly incredible part of the book lies in the way Gardner and Sinatra kept returning to each other over and over again throughout their lives, even when they were long divorced and married to other people.

Strangers in the Night is a thrilling and dark look into one of Hollywood's most famous scandalous love stories and a kick to read.


The Book of Everlasting Things: A Novel

As someone who collects perfumes, stationery, and all things nostalgic, I was enthralled by Aanchal Malhotra’s The Book of Everlasting Things from the very first descriptions of scent and paper. Following Samir and Firdaus through their childhood in Lahore, Pakistan, in the midst of Partition, this debut novel leaves nothing unturned in its deep characterization of a subcontinent torn apart at the seams.

Malhotra’s background as a historian and textile expert is clear in the vibrant sensory details of her setting—from the dusty historic center of Lahore to the redolent fields of Grasse, France, the reader is enclosed in a world of love, color, and beauty. With a voice full of understanding and nostalgia, the author also introduces the reader to the human experience of Partition, when cities, neighborhoods, and friendships were uprooted suddenly and violently.

The Book of Everlasting Things is devastating but full of hope: a love letter to history, craft, and love itself.


Standing Dead (A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery)

Welcome to the eighth Timber Creek mystery. Unlike many mystery series, this one has wholesome, kind characters and a super special K-9 officer. Like the other books in this series, the bad guys are truly despicable. The main character, Deputy Sheriff Matti Cobb, and her sister, Julia, team up to search for their mother after traveling to Mexico only to learn that she and her husband are missing. Matti and Julia’s father, a border patrol agent, was murdered during the girls’ early childhood, prompting them to consider past villains.

Author Margaret Mizushima takes readers on an informative trip as Matti and Julia travel between Northern Mexico and the mountains of Colorado. The atmosphere, geography, and vegetation become characters as well.

Readers experience the anxiety and physical effort Maddi deals with racing the clock to locate her mother. Cryptic clues she finds lead her to a murder victim. Of course, Robo, her canine officer partner, is the one who does the groundwork. Other jurisdictions participate as more clues surface (Sheriff’s Auxiliary and Federal Park Rangers). Matti’s almost-finance, Cole Walker, DMV, is an Auxiliary member who has more at stake.

A subtitle might be Greed and Longtime Grudges.


A Death in Denmark

Globetrotting Mysteries for Armchair Sleuths

For those with a passion for travel and a taste for thrilling whodunits, there's no better way to explore the world than through the pages of a captivating crime novel. In this roundup, we take you on a literary journey to five distinct foreign locales, each brought to life by the talented pens of crime fiction authors. From the bustling streets of London and Copenhagen to the troubles of Afghanistan and the serenity of Botswanna via a perilous voyage at sea, these recently released crime novels promise to transport readers to far-flung destinations, immersing them in captivating mysteries that unfold against richly drawn backdrops. Whether you're a dedicated armchair sleuth or simply seeking a thrilling escape, these globetrotting mysteries are sure to satisfy your wanderlust and keep you on the edge of your seat.

A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas

A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas is a gripping addition to the Charlotte Holmes series, plunging readers into a heart-pounding maritime adventure. Charlotte Holmes, who was forced to fake her death to escape Moriarty's clutches, is lured back into the world of deduction with an enticing offer from the crown. As she embarks on a perilous mission aboard the RMS Provence, a murder mystery unfolds on the stormy sea, forcing Charlotte to keep her true identity as Sherlock Holmes hidden. Thomas's masterful storytelling provides a suspenseful narrative filled with secrets and danger, making this historical mystery a compelling and unputdownable read that showcases Charlotte's wit and resilience in the face of treacherous waters. It’s a must-read for fans of the series, those looking for a fresh perspective on Sherlock Holmes, and lovers of intricate historical mysteries.

Bryant & May’s Peculiar London by Christopher Fowler

Christopher Fowler’s Bryant & May’s Peculiar London offers an entertaining and unconventional journey through the hidden and enigmatic facets of the British capital. Narrated by the nation's oldest serving detectives, the book offers a unique perspective on London's overlooked history and mysteries. From odd buildings and obscure characters to forgotten disasters and hidden pubs, readers are in for a delightful exploration of the city's quirkiest aspects. Bryant and May, with the assistance of various disreputable friends and experts in their own eccentric fields, weave together a tapestry of tales that blur the line between fact and fiction in terms of London's rich and storied past. With a touch of wit, a dash of bamboozlement, and a generous serving of historical anecdotes, Fowler’s book provides an engaging and offbeat tour of a city where the past and present intertwine in captivating ways, making it a must-read for those with a penchant for London's unique charm and secrets.

The Devil’s Ransom by Brad Taylor

The Devil's Ransom by Brad Taylor is a heart-pounding thriller that catapults readers into the high-stakes world of espionage, cyber warfare, and international intrigue. Taskforce operative Pike Logan takes center stage as he races against time to thwart a nefarious plot orchestrated by an enemy with access to America's most closely guarded secrets. When Afghanistan falls and a ransomware attack cripples the Taskforce, Pike's mission becomes twofold: extract a vital individual from Afghanistan and hunt down those responsible for the cyberattack, which is discovered to have sinister connections to the Taliban. Little does Pike know that this is merely a prelude to a much larger and more dangerous scheme masterminded by a former NSA specialist. The novel skillfully blends elements of modern cyber threats with Cold War-era tensions, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Pike faces off against a cunning adversary. Taylor's narrative prowess shines through, rendering The Devil's Ransom a gripping thriller that explores the ever-evolving landscape of international espionage and the relentless pursuit of those who threaten global stability.

A Death in Denmark by Amulya Malladi

Amulya Malladi’s A Death in Denmark is a sophisticated and enthralling Nordic murder mystery that combines the contemporary allure of Copenhagen with the haunting echoes of Denmark's Nazi-collaborator past. Featuring Gabriel Præst, a charismatic ex-cop turned private detective, the novel masterfully navigates a web of political intrigue, anti-Muslim sentiments, and Russian gangsters. As Gabriel pursues the investigation, the story delves deep into the nation's history, including World War II and its dark secrets, raising thought-provoking questions about nationalism and identity. With a compelling narrative, well-drawn characters, and a cosmopolitan vibe, Malladi's novel delivers a thrilling and intellectually stimulating reading experience that explores Denmark's past and present with panache.

A Song of Comfortable Chairs by Alexander McCall Smith

A Song of Comfortable Chairs by Alexander McCall Smith is another delightful installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. This time, the story revolves around Grace Makutsi's husband, Phuti, who faces stiff competition in the office furniture market from an international firm that tries to undercut his prices and drive him out of business via a glossy marketing campaign. With the assistance of Mma Ramotswe, Phuti embarks on a creative campaign to counter the competition. Simultaneously, Mma Makutsi and Phuti find themselves involved in a difficult case concerning an old friend's troubled son, a situation that requires not only their patience and dedication but also the collective wisdom of Mma Ramotswe and the indomitable Mma Potokwani. McCall Smith once again weaves a heartwarming narrative, filled with humor, empathy, and the charm of Botswana, as his beloved characters tackle both professional and personal challenges, making A Song of Comfortable Chairs a comforting and engaging read for fans of the series.


Exiles: A Novel

Aaron Falk arrives in South Australia to commemorate a bittersweet occasion. He is serving as godfather to his friend Greg Raco’s son at the child’s christening. The christening was delayed due to tragic events that occurred a year prior. The Marralee Valley Food and Wine Festival was a high point for the local community and a boon for tourism. However, the disappearance of Kim Gillespie cast a pall over the event.

Aaron is in Maralee to attend the appeal for information regarding Gillespie’s vanishing and to celebrate his friend’s young son. Kim left behind a husband, a teenage daughter, and an infant. Kim’s older daughter, Zara, is convinced that someone saw something and her mother wouldn’t have abandoned her family. Falk and Raco work with the local police department in delving into any possible leads that may develop. However, the passage of time often clouds memories and mysteries become enigmas.

Exiles is the latest mystery from the inventive mind of author Jane Harper (The Dry). Harper releases the drama in a steady and methodical manner, the endless questions about the disappearance only amplifying the human drama enshrouding those left behind. The plot will keep the reader riveted and guessing until the very end.


The Hunter

Leigh O’Donnell is The Hunter, a detective for the NYPD, or at least she was until she got herself suspended by her captain, who is also her husband. As her life falls apart, Leigh is called home to Copper Falls by her brother for help investigating three suspicious drownings. Leigh discovers similarities to three suspicious drownings years earlier and finds that like every small town, this one has its secrets. She’ll do whatever it takes to find the truth about the town, the deaths and herself.

I picked up this book thinking it was a murder mystery, but it was so much more. This was a story less about the mystery and more about the character. Leigh is deep and complex, still trying to figure out herself and her place in her own world. The mystery really took backseat to Leigh’s character. I wouldn’t recommend this story to those who love high-octane murder mysteries, but I would recommend it to all who love a good character study and themes of how and why we lie to ourselves. A great debut by a new author and I look forward to more.


The Poison Season

Leelo is living on a mysterious island known as Endla, an unreachable place surrounded by a poisonous lake. Leelo knows that the lake is the only thing standing between her people and the outsiders, who will surely destroy Endla if they ever get to it. But when Leelo discovers a drowning outsider, she saves him against her family’s principles. The outsider, Jared, is captivating to her. Leelo is intrigued by him and the experiences that he’s had, even though her family will kill him if he is discovered. As Jared opens Leelo’s eyes to a new world, Leelo must decide what is worth saving - and what is truly real in her society.

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t really like this book. It fell flat for me, and the characters were very forgettable. I had trouble following along with the story, and I feel that the book could have benefited from closer attention to the plot and less focus on the romance. However, I did enjoy the interactions between Leelo and her family, which I thought were interesting to read. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are fans of romantic fantasy.


The Home for Wayward Girls: A Novel

Marcia Bradley's novel The Home for Wayward Girls is as beautiful as it is startling. Protagonist Loretta grows up in a sheltered and abusive house that would be bad enough if only she suffered it, but it is also a home for girls deemed "troubled". As Loretta ages and becomes close with some of the girls, specifically Elsie, she realizes her time at the home must end, and she begins to plot her escape.

The novel is split between Loretta's youth and her current life with her husband Clarke as she prepares to speak at a convention on the work she does with unhoused and unemployed women and girls. She's made her life a model of how to survive, and as the two points of view converge a darker and even more sinister picture of life at the home is revealed.

Bradley expertly renders the fear and will to live beyond the enclosure of the home, and the novel often feels intimate. The author's note at the end of the book explaining why she wrote the novel sheds light on this feeling. In a world that seems more and more hellbent on keeping women in their place, The Home for Wayward Girls is a refreshing read.


Brighter Dawn (Amish Memories)

After her parents’ die in a car crash, Ivy Zimmerman travels across the country to stay with her father’s distant family before an international Mennonite meeting in Germany. On the way, she hears about a trip one of her relatives took to Germany almost a hundred years before: in 1937, as the Third Reich came to power. From the story, Ivy learns not only things about the Mennonites’ history she hadn’t guessed at before, but also gains inspiration and courage.

She will need both in the days to come. The more she thinks about it, the more certain she becomes her parents’ deaths were no accident.

I’ve seen enough Amish romances in bookstores that I thought this would be mainly a romance with some historical detail and mystery tossed in for flavor. Instead, I was swept away into a world I know little about, populated by characters who feel not only real but deeply sympathetic. This is the first of Leslie Gould’s books that I’ve read, and I will certainly be on the lookout for more, especially in this particular series. Ivy’s story is only book one, and I’m very curious to see what will come next.


Angels of the Resistance

When the Nazis first invaded the Netherlands, things were quiet at first. For many people, life could go on almost as it always had. Gradually, however, things began to get worse, for the Jewish population and the general populace alike. A resistance movement sprang up, and perhaps its most famous members were a pair of teenage girls who would seduce and kill Nazi soldiers.

Elif and Lien are not a retelling of the Oversteegens, but they show bravery in their own right, taking up arms and learning how to handle explosives as they attempt to free their homeland. The story is an intriguing one, and readers will be drawn deeper into the story as things grew more dangerous for the young women.

I did not enjoy the book as much as I hoped, but the more I read, the more I realized that was because the book doesn’t feel like it’s written for adults. With its fourteen-year-old protagonist and rather simplistic prose, I would recommend this book more to teens interested in historical fiction than to adults. I know I would have loved it when I was fourteen.


The Personal Assistant: A Novel

Alex became huge on Instagram, seemingly overnight. Her full-time job is now being an influencer, so she hires AC to help manage her day-to-day tasks. After a night of drinking, a post shows up on Alex’s account that goes viral with all her fans now turning to haters. Alex reaches out to AC for help, but The Personal Assistant is nowhere to be found. As Alex’s life implodes, with lies and secrets, as well as dead bodies, she’ll have to figure out a way to spin this if she wants to save her family.

This is another addictive thriller from Kimberly Belle. I wouldn’t say any of her books are going to win a Pulitzer and some of the plot lines are pretty outrageous, but you can’t deny the pull of these books. These are guilty pleasures you read in one sitting that make you feel a little bit better about the mess in your own life. As someone not on social media, and especially after reading this, I found it hard to understand the draw. Overall, I definitely recommend this for Belle fans as well as those looking for a fun, quick read.


With My Little Eye: A Novel

Rather than a flashback or prologue, With My Little Eye begins with a letter to actress Meribel Miller. It’s not a fan letter; it’s more like the threatening ones with graphic violence she has received from someone called Destiny. What does Destiny intend for Meribel? This novel is clearly a suspense/thriller and it’s a bit steamier, kind of a sensory overload, than past works I’ve read by Joshilyn Jackson.
<br<Meribel Mills and her adopted daughter, Honor, who is on the spectrum, make a hasty exit from Los Angeles, Meribel’s lover, Cam, and the letter writer. They relocate to Atlanta, Georgia. Now settled in an apartment, Meribel meets a charming neighbor, Cooper, who is so different than other men she has known. Also, Merible’s ex-husband who is remarried with three children also lives in an Atlanta suburb.

If you’re keeping count, there are four men in Meribel’s life, any one of whom may be the catalyst for terror. The tale unfolds with new, in-depth insights into the men in her life. There’s plenty of bouncing back in time setting up the histories of the characters, including different fragrances and aromas associated with them.

Not for the faint of heart!


Chocolates from Tangier: A Holocaust replacement child’s memoir of art and transformation

How to combine a memoir, a family narrative, and a retrospective of creative art? With grace, diligence, and intense feeling, Jana Zimmer weaves the elements together. Her Holocaust story reminds us that each sequence of recollections is unique. Early pages of Chocolates from Tangier appear to reveal a series of Zimmer’s therapy sessions, a chronicle of her attempts to cope with emotional overload. Then a leap as she shares her realization that her art, mostly photographs and ephemera captured in collages, introduces a visual, complementary account. Turn the pages, pause each time, look then read, over and again.

The cover of this full-color book shows a father walking hand in hand with his daughter. The little girl is taken and assassinated years before the author was born yet remains a profound focus of the book, never obliterated from Zimmer’s own psyche. Both parents were survivors, but her mother’s memories of the captivity, equally traumatic and terrifying, are more detailed and evocative.

Exhibits of her art take Zimmer across Europe, where Berlin is welcoming, Dresden almost hostile. Her Czech heritage supplies unmitigated joy. Chocolates from Tangier is a barely relevant title, but the book haunts.


Focus Pocus 90-Day Guided Journal: Creative Reflections for Intention and Mindfulness

The Focus Pocus 90-Day Guided Journal is a wonderful tool for anyone who wants to become more mindful and gain some clarity in their life. The book starts by giving the reader a New Moon ritual and a Full Moon ritual, both of which can help a person to get centered with the universe through practices such as meditation, dancing, and letting go of things that no longer serve us. This is followed by affirmations that will embrace positivity and love. I really loved the “Daily Focus” pages which the book consists mainly of. These pages have blank spaces to write what you are grateful for, what you are proud of yourself for, what your emotions are, and other questions relating to your personal energy and self-awareness. There is also a place to put a word you want to focus on as an affirmation.

The beautiful watercolor cover and pages in the Focus Pocus 90-Day Guided Journal give the book a calm feeling. This is a wonderful book for everyone from experienced journal writers to people who don’t know how or where to start journaling.


The Witches Almanac: Sorcerers, Witches and Magic from Ancient Rome to the Digital Age

This book delves into the fear and misconceptions that have plagued those accused of having magical abilities throughout history. The different biographies range from ancient times to the present with figures such as the Daughters of Ezekiel, Alister Crowley (and his followers), Arthurian figures Merlin and Morgan le Fay, and Roger Bacon. This is truly an engaging must-read that will give insight to the witchcraft that has been seen in history such as witch trials, popes accused of sorcery, and even Henry VII’s accusations of Anne Boleyn.

The book touches upon the prevalent themes dating back to ancient times that have caused uproars that have led to accusations, trials, and paranoia about witches. The book consists of riveting biographies in a well-organized format with some that date back to Apollonius of Tyana (c. 3 B.C.E-97 C.E.) and going to modern witches such as Starhawk and Zsuzsanna Budapest. There hasn’t been another book like this that contains this vast of an assortment pertaining to witches. An incredible resource that touches upon the history of witches in an almanac that is perfect for readers interested in witches and history, those studying wicca, students, and teachers.


Afro Samurai Vol.2 (Graphic Novel)

Japan’s assassins, warriors, and warlords live in a world steeped in the traditions of the past and the technologies of the future. The one with the No. 1 headband rules this world as a god. This is whom Afro seeks. Afro’s entire existence is to avenge his father’s death at the hands of No. 1. The life Afro chooses is the path of vengeance and chaos. But to get to No. 1, Afro must face Jinno, the foe who wears a teddy bear mask.

Afro Samurai: Vol. 2 by Takashi Okazaki has been re-released in English as part of the 15th anniversary of the anime series starring Samuel L. Jackson. First published in Japan in 2008, Okazaki is the entire creative force behind this saga. As in the first volume, Okazaki’s other character tells most of the story. Afro is a man of action. More of Afro’s backstory is also revealed. The artwork enhances the narrative with its grimdark feel. Okazaki needs only black, white, and the crimson of blood to portray the violence and action in his artwork. Reading this graphic novel is choosing to follow the path of chaos.


Blue Box, Vol. 2

Taiki Inomata has always loved badminton, and he really wants to go to the nationals. Then there’s Chinatsu Kano, a basketball player who shares the same dream as him. When a turn of events brings them closer together, Taiki isn’t sure how to react. Then Taiki gets paired with Kengo Haryu, an upperclassman in badminton who is also good friends with Chinatsu. Taiki is already jealous that Chinatsu is close with another boy, but to make matters worse, Taiki’s next opponent also has a crush on Chinatsu. Will Taiki’s expectations lose?

I think this book is better than the first! It had a little more drama, and that really made me really want to see what happened next. I really like the cute little sketches the author did at the end of each chapter. There was also a large cliffhanger at the end, and I can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended to manga readers who are looking for a cute romance and slice-of-life type book.


Blue Box, Vol. 1

Reaching the nationals is going to be tough for badminton player Taiki Inomata. All he wants is to become better at badminton. Meanwhile, Chinatsu Kano from the girls’ basketball team is working so hard for the nationals. Taiki notices and he starts to fall in love. Then the unexpected happens. Chinatsu’s parents are moving overseas, and since she and Taiki’s families are good friends, she’ll be moving into Taiki’s own house! As the two get closer and closer, he starts to wonder if she’ll ever feel the same about him?

I really like how sweet the story is. The characters have such a variety of personalities, and my favorite character is probably Hina Chono, because it’s funny when she teases Taiki. I also like how hardworking Chinatsu’s character is, and the artwork is very adorable and full of detail. I recommend Blue Box to readers who play sports and who are looking for a relatable story.


Delaware Before the Railroads by Dave Tabler was a very informative and enjoyable read. This book’s title perfectly sums up its contents - Delaware from 1609-1832. It gives a basic introduction to the history of the state of Delaware, taking the reader through colonization, the revolution, and much more.
The format of this book took me by pleasant surprise. The majority of the pages are filled with images of standing monuments, artifacts, and other historical treasures relevant to the history of Delaware. Each picture comes with a descriptive caption, and the reader can reference the back of the book for a more in-depth explanation if they so choose. Again, I loved this composition. When it comes to history, the material can be dense which is why pictures are such a great way to bring the story to life. I also loved how short, sweet, and to the point his captions are. This made the history easy to follow and enjoyable for the average reader, whether they are a history buff or not. Giving someone the option to read more in the back if they so choose will please all parties, something I thought was a great touch. My only critique would be to work a bit more on the interior page formatting between the picture and caption. Depending on the page, sometimes the picture size could feel a little overcrowded with multiple pictures, and captions. Tabler could benefit from rearranging his interior design a bit to make every page cohesive.

As far as book content, I genuinely learned a lot about Delaware. Admittedly, I knew slim before I read this, but afterward, I felt I possessed a good working knowledge of its history. I especially found the story of oyster dredging in Delaware Bay to be interesting. A south Louisiana native, oysters are very much part of our culture and are found in basically every restaurant. I was fascinated to learn that in Delaware, oyster shells were used for lime mortar in brick buildings, ash fertilizer, and road surfacing. I also loved reading about the general shock that early Swedish and Dutch settlers had in this new colony. Sea life was very different from the “Old World” which led to much misinformation; a great example of this was in reference to Thomas Campanius Holm’s writings of “sea spiders” (crabs) which had “tails like edged swords with which they could saw down trees.”

As a whole, I think Delaware Before the Railroads gives great general information to the average reader about Delaware. I also think this would be a great read for middle schoolers, or elementary school, giving them a more fun look into history with pictures.


All the Dangerous Things: A Novel

One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s eighteen-month-old son was kidnapped from his bedroom. She hasn’t slept that entire time. The case has gone cold, but with all her extra time from not sleeping, Isabelle spends it looking for her son. A chance encounter with a true-crime podcaster leads her to give him an interview and into her life. She’s desperate for answers even if they lead her down some dark roads, especially about the people she loves and All the Dangerous Things about them.

This book was amazing! A fantastic look into the dark side of motherhood that we’re always ashamed to talk about, which was really amazing since the author admits she’s not a mother. I could not put it down. While there were definitely some morally wrong choices that were made, it was hard not to feel like people got what they deserved. If you want to know how desperate a mother can get while looking for her child, this book is for you. It’s full of suspense and you don’t know to the end whether she is guilty herself or not. If you want to know, you’ll have to pick up this book!


The Little Book of Manifestation

The Little Book of Manifestation is the perfect beginner's guide to understanding manifestation and the law of attraction. The book starts with a short history of manifestation and what it means. It also gives examples of famous people who have used manifestation. The Little Book of Manifestation is a step-by-step guide to creating your own experiences through manifestation. The easy-to-follow steps make it doable for anyone, and one does not need to have prior experience or purchase expensive equipment to get started. In fact, many of the tools are items that many people probably have already. They include a journal and pen, canf\dles, headphones or speakers, crystals, and sage. Being in a positive mindset and visualizing what it is that you really want is the first step in manifesting.

What I really liked about this book were the different methods of manifestation. From vision boards to affirmations to scripting methods to using frequencies, this book has so many useful methods that can be customized to what your passions are. This is a fabulous little pocketbook with tons of valuable information that could change your life.


Kill Joy: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Novella

Prequeling A Good Girls Guide To Murder, Kill Joy stars Pippa Fitz-Amobi as she attends her friend’s murder mystery party. At first, Pip doesn’t really care for the fanciness of the 1900s party theme, but soon she finds herself invested in the mystery and her own character Celia Bourne. As she becomes increasingly engrossed in the game, Pip is intensely focused on figuring out the identity of the murderer. With more mysteries at every turn, will she be able to unmask the murderer before 3 hours are up?

I liked this book because it was entertaining, fun and easy to read. I would recommend reading the trilogy first so you can better understand and connect with the characters more, since the actual book is pretty short. I enjoyed the murder mysteries from the trilogy more (given this one was just a party, so it was more entertaining than actually murder mystery-esque), but this book was quite entertaining too. Overall it was pretty good, and I would recommend it to teens looking for an easy-to-read, entertaining mystery.


Pebbles and the Biggest Number: A STEM Adventure for Kids - Ages 4-8

What is the biggest number you can think of? Whether it is a million, a billion, a trillion, or even more, you may still be surprised by just how high numbers can go. Pebbles the inquisitive butterfly is certainly surprised by where his quest to find the highest number in the world takes him in Pebbles and the Biggest Number, an engaging and eye-catching picture book written by Joey Benun and illustrated by Laura Watson.

Pebbles generally starts his day off by counting all the things he can see in his garden, although this limits him to such things as two eyes (his own), four wings (again, his own), and forty-two flowers (arrayed attractively throughout the garden). However, one particular day, Pebbles realizes that his customary numbers are all low numbers, and he begins to consider that there might actually be much higher numbers out there somewhere.

Spurred on by the challenge of learning more, Pebbles flies off in search of the surprising new numbers to be found in diverse areas of the planet. Pebbles begins his search in a desert, where he encounters a camel who suggests that the biggest number might be twenty-seven million, the temperature of the Sun. Pebbles agrees that it is certainly both a big number and a very high temperature, just like in the desert!

After drinking nectar from some wildflowers that the camel shows him, Pebbles continues his journey, visiting exotic locations such a tropical rainforest, a beach, and a snowy mountain. In each new location, he meets a host of new animals and the occasional human, who all offer suggestions as to the identity of the biggest number in the world and also help him when he gets in trouble, including when an eagle has to fly Pebbles out of the path of a tsunami.

As his journey progresses and he encounters more and more new friends, Pebbles learns about increasingly large numbers, right up to the fact that there are five nonillion bacteria living on Earth! Ultimately, Pebbles and the Biggest Number takes Pebbles and readers around the world in the search for the highest number possible, before a familiar face introduces an astonishing concept that might just bring Pebbles’ quest to an end: infinity.

In addition to crafting an entertaining and fun-filled story featuring Pebbles and the many engaging characters that he encounters, Joey Benun includes a host of interesting facts and learning points throughout the book. For instance, Pebbles’ visit to the rainforest is accompanied by the fact that some ants can lift up to fifty times their body weight (which is equivalent to a person lifting a car!) and the number note that one quadrillion has fifteen zeroes.

Given its exciting storyline and the interwoven information, Pebbles and the Biggest Number is both enjoyable and educational, meaning that it should appeal to a wider age range of children than the typical picture book (as well as to the adults reading with them!). Moreover, Laura Watson’s bright and lively illustrations really bring the story to life and provide plenty of detail to spot on each page.


Pebbles and the Biggest Number

Pebbles and the Biggest Number is a wonderful picture book for anyone who wants to learn some interesting facts and some big numbers. Author Joey Benun has created the character of Pebbles the Butterfly, a counting butterfly who one day decides that there has to be a number larger than the forty-two flowers he counts each day. Pebbles sets off to ask friends from all over what the biggest number they know is. Along the way, he learns more big numbers and many scientific facts. The numbers seem to get larger and larger the more creatures Pebbles talks to. Numbers such as a quadrillion which has fifteen zeros and even a sextillion with twenty-one zeros.

Each page has a theme and with that theme comes several fun facts. Facts such as the Earth weighs thirteen septillion pounds and a large avalanche can weigh up to two billion pounds!

Each illustration in Pebbles and the Biggest Number covers a two-page spread. The illustrations are beautiful and use happy colors that will catch the eye of children of all ages. Although this book is geared towards six to nine-year-olds, because some of the facts would be harder to grasp for younger children, I think the younger children would still be able to appreciate the cute animal illustrations in the book. School-aged children will also love the illustrations but will also marvel at the fact that there are such large numbers and they all have names to them. Furthermore, the facts are really something to think about as they relate to us and the world around us.

The author also includes some "Dig Deeper" words towards the end of the book. These are words that Pebbles learned along the way such as atom, celsius and Fahrenheit, observatory, and tsunami. This fun integration of new vocabulary words is great for little minds! A "Dig Deeper" numbers infographic is also included and covers numbers from one thousand all the way up to one nonillion. Each number has an example of how many grains of sand would represent the number. For example, a nonillion of sand would be the Earth's core filled with sand, whereas a thumbprint of wet sand would be a thousand grains of sand. What a way to put things in perspective! Even as an adult, I learned many new things from this brilliant children's book. I would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy adorable colorful pictures and some fun facts.


Tropical Scandal

Tropical Scandal is the fifth book in the Pancho McMartin legal thriller series by David Myles Robinson. In this installment, Pancho is introduced to legendary Hawaii trial attorney Isaac Goldblum by his girlfriend Padma, a former medical examiner. Isaac is dying and asks Pancho to take on a case of a young man named Dayton who is accused of killing his grandmother Eleanor via Vicodin overdose. Isaac has represented Dayton in the past but cannot any longer. Pancho reluctantly accepts the case and what he finds is much bigger than a simple case of murder. Dayton, a simpleton who cannot read or write well, has been arrested before for small charges but Isaac has always gotten him off of the charges. As Pancho researches Dayton's own extended family, what he finds is corruption on a higher level than he could have thought imaginable.

I have read several of the books in this series and they are all fantastic. David Myles Robinson's characters are colorful and interesting. Pancho is likable as is his best friend and private investigator, Drew Tulafono. And of course, the beautiful setting of Honolulu, Hawaii is something that most people would not complain about.

Although Pancho knows that Dayton is a drug deliverer, he also knows that he must find out whom Dayton is working for to get down to the bottom of it all. He and Drew must also find a motive for the killing which proves to be more difficult than they think. Dayton has been raised by his grandmother who has always taken care of him, so why would he kill her?

While reading Tropical Scandal I felt the story was very well put together. There was definitely an island feel to the story because everyone knew one another. Pancho's ability to ask the right questions while interviewing all of the players as well as his relationships with people on the island including the bank manager and other attorneys, help him to gather a messy set of clues. Drew goes above and beyond to dig for information as well. In the end, all of the pieces of the puzzle that Pancho and Drew collect fit together seamlessly, and the reader is left with a satisfying conclusion. The Pancho McMartin legal thrillers are entertaining and easy to follow. I would recommend them to anyone who loves reading a great mystery with a bit of action and humor thrown in.


Our Cat's Day

The biggest thing going against this book is the art. It does not feel engaging to the reader and those being read to at all and generally distracts from the larger narrative. We follow a young child who learns all they can about the average day of their cat. While the art of the little cat is not too bad, getting the different poses cats can be in, the art of the little child is distracting and does not help the reader at all. Readers will learn about the different things a cat will do in a day, and they are encouraged to compare what a young cat does to what they do. On one side of the page are the activities of the young cat; on the facing page is a question geared to engage the young reader about a similar activity. This can include food, exercise, grooming, and more. This is designed to be an interactive book with the adult reading this to engage the young child with the different questions and to get them thinking out loud.


Trashed!

Arthur lives above Universal Trash, a used goods store, with his Mom, Dad, and little sister, Ramona. Their grandparents, who started the store, live nearby. Ramona’s pet mouse dies, and suddenly Arthur has a roommate — a mouse ghost named Watson. Grandma is on an extended vacation, and Grandpa is cranky.

Arthur finds an old cup, and his grandfather tells him it was stolen long ago. Then Arthur discovers there have been other thefts, but he doesn’t tell anyone (except Watson) because he really wants to solve the mystery himself. Shortly after Grandma comes home, she discovers her pearl necklace is missing. Veda, Arthur’s best friend, stops coming around after Grandpa makes some racist remarks. Arthur has a lot of things to solve. Is he up to it?

Martha Freeman has written a fun mystery populated with interesting, believable characters and set in and around a junk store, which contributes greatly to the story, being a good place to find mysteries. Arthur is a terrific main character — a little flawed, but learning and showing growth. The writing is excellent. The dialogue is snappy and just right for the various characters. Middle-graders will love this fun mystery.


A House With Good Bones

Sam’s mom has A House with Good Bones. It also has a beautiful rose garden and possibly a ghost. Vultures are watching the house and clearly her mom is on edge. But the house is in the suburbs, not some creepy Gothic mansion. Ghosts don’t live in the suburbs, do they? Even with her scientific mind, Sam might need to come to terms with things beyond explanation if she is going to help her mom and get out of town alive.

I absolutely loved Sam. Her personality made me wish she was real so we could be friends. Her approach to the whole situation was exactly how I expect I would react if I were in this story. While this story is funny and witty, there are definitely some creepy moments. I don’t know if I will ever look at ladybugs the same way. If you enjoy Gothic horror stories, but also enjoy sarcasm and wit, I highly recommend you read this. More creepy than downright scary, but still worthy of the horror genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it.