Raider of the Scottish Coast

The bar was set incredibly high for Age of Sail books when Patrick O’Brian created Jack Aubrey and wrote his incomplete twenty-book series that began with Master and Commander, and ended with the author’s unfortunate passing; much as J. R. R. Tolkien set the standard and foundation for the epic fantasy genre, so O’Brian did the same for the Age of Sail genre. There are few authors that take on the challenge to pen an Age of Sail novel and series: you’ve got to get the history right (depending on the time period your series is set in), as well as the many details of these great ships and how the crews do their job, and then have interesting characters and a compelling story. It’s a tall order to be sure, but Marc Liebman does that job and does it very well in this first book of the Jaco Jacinto series, Raiders of the Scottish Coast.

O’Brian’s long series took on the Napoleonic war, while Liebman dives into another familiar and eventful time period: the American revolution; the year is 1775. What makes this story so fun is that we have two main characters on opposite sides, both teenagers: Jaco Jacinto and Darren Smythe. Both are young and relatively new to ships on the high seas. Jacinto is from Charleston, South Carolina, serving as a midshipman in the American navy, looking to forge a new nation. Smythe, from Gosport, England, is also a midshipman, is looking to succeed in the British navy, as the empire is taking on rebellious colonials in the west, as well their old enemy in the east, the French. We get to see both sides of this growing war, as these two climb the ranks and experience naval battle in its many forms. The reader is taken for the far north, frigid coasts of Nova Scotia and Scotland, to the much warmer, balmier climes of Nassau and the Bahamas.

It’s not easy to balance providing details on sailing and the operation of a square-rigger while pushing your plot along, and making sure to provide the historical context; nevertheless, Liebman does a wonderful job with it. The reader comes across a new term or action being carried out, and before they can ask what the word means or what’s going on, the author is there explaining it in as much detail as is necessary to understand, and then the scene continues with the reader now fully understanding what is going on. But it never feels awkward or forced; it all reads in a natural flow that keeps the story going and doesn’t lose the reader. Liebman shows he clearly knows what he’s talking about, and also has a captivating story to tell. Readers will be hooked to the end and eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.


Raider of the Scottish Coast

I really enjoyed reading Raiders of the Scottish Coast by Marc Liebman. The story is of the coming of age of two young men: one in the Royal Navy of England, and one in the fledgling Navy of the United States. It takes place during the early days of the Revolutionary War, in the sailing ships of the time. Jaco is a southerner who begins by sailing on his father’s merchant ships, and then becomes an officer in the Continental Navy. Darren has always loved the sea and sailing; and joins as a Midshipmen in the Royal Navy. Both love to learn, love to improvise, and want to excel at seamanship. Both rise through the ranks, becoming a captain in Jaco’s case and a second-in-command in Darren’s case. Both have good mentors and bad captains to deal with. Each survives by a combination of honesty, courage, leadership, and luck.

The author’s writing style, especially in the battle scenes between ships, made me feel like I was aboard, shifting sails for the least bit of advantage, bringing my cannons to bear, training my crews to fire faster and more accurately at the enemy, and thinking, always learning, and plotting how to make the most of my ship.

There are many references to sails, rigging, masts, cannon, shot, powder, arms, watches, sails, lumber, and a myriad of other items important to the age of sail. The author details just the right amount of information without bogging down the story with minutiae. The references keep the story informative, and helped to move the story along exceeding fast at the correct time.

What makes this book so delightful is the balance the author manages with the several factors of this genre. These are young men, growing into manhood, and though there is a bit of romance, it is not a focus of their young lives. There is death and destruction; his protagonists accept that fact and move on, as it is part of the life they have chosen. There are bad commanders and injustice from men and circumstances; they deal with it and move on. There are mercies and friendships; they enjoy them and move on. Never does the author let his protagonists stall or wallow in any of it. This is a story of extraordinary boys becoming iron men on wooden ships.

Finally, it is a delight to read of men not burdened with doubt, who dedicate themselves to that which they believe in and strive to excel at the tasks they have set themselves.


A Story of Karma

In 2012, Michael Schauch and his wife Chantal, along with a team of guides, porters, and a musician, artist, and photographer, set out to discover Nepal's lost valley area, near the border with Tibet. Initially, Michael had plans to climb a pyramid-shaped mountain he had seen in photos back in his home town of Vancouver, Canada. He also wanted to explore and document the local culture and customs of the highland people who live in the area.

Once he arrived and found the mountain as alluring as it had been in the photographs, he had a change of heart about climbing it. This decision changed his life because it gave him more time to spend in the mountain village of Nar, far off the beaten track. In this village, he met a seven-year-old girl named Karma, who was teaching her schoolmates in a makeshift school. Michael and Chantal, with the permission of Karma's parents, decided to help her further her education outside the small mountain village where she would hopefully be able to one day return and help others.

A Story of Karma is a heartwarming and touching tale about fate and what happens when you let go and follow your heart into the unknown. By doing this, the author found something special, a connection to a new family and a new culture, both of which meant the world to him. Impressed by the generosity and spiritual nature of the people he met in Nepal, he, in turn, answered with a generosity of his own through the gift of education.

Reading this book, I was struck by the fact that what made it so fascinating was the care and attention to detail. I loved that Schauch shared his views about traveling and his interest in indigenous people. I, too, have often wondered what kind of wisdom and knowledge the world is losing when these people, along with their cultures and traditions, vanish. It's refreshing to know that there are those ready to document these traditions and share them with others. I'm also thankful that he included numerous photos from his journey. It made me feel so much more connected to the people, the area, and the story as a whole.

I'm sure anyone who reads this book will feel as moved as I did. Frankly, this well-written tale of adventure and discovery comes at the perfect time. As most of us are prevented from traveling, this book made me feel like I had been almost to the ends of the Earth. I enjoyed ever bit of the journey, and I hope that Karma and her sister Pemba will continue to thrive and succeed in the future.


The AFib Cure: Get Off Your Medications, Take Control of Your Health, and Add Years to Your Life

John D. Day, MD and T. Jared Bunch, MD with Matthew LaPlante

The AFib Cure is an excellent book that everyone should read. With so many people experiencing the irregular rhythm in the heart known as atrial fibrillation, it is important to know the options one has when dealing with it. No one wants to be dependent on a bunch of pharmaceuticals, and in this book Doctors Day and Bunch show that there are ways to get off the drugs and lead a healthy life again.

Tracking several markers is crucial to know what your body is doing. There is a list of nine things that everyone should track: EKG using a smartwatch, sleep, exercise, stress, weight, food, meds, blood pressure, and certain biomarkers that are talked about in the book. The book gives several examples of people who have been able to successfully come off of their meds.

The AFib Cure also addresses the procedure of ablation and the risks involved as well as the questions you should ask your doctor before having the procedure done. This book is chock full of information ranging from drugs and supplements to various procedures related to atrial fibrillation.


Faithful in Love (Cliff Walk Cousins)

The love story of Faith Davenport, the wealthy daughter of a New England charity family, and Nico d’Amici, a child of Italian immigrants, isn’t just a story of star-crossed lovers. It isn’t just a mystery. It isn’t just a Christian romance. It’s all of these things and a little more, one of those rare books that become more than the sum of its parts.

And I loved it.

I have to confess that Christian romances aren’t usually my cup of tea, but this one hit the balance between the two genres perfectly. There wasn’t so much focus on Faith and Nico’s love for one another that God was all but forgotten, but neither did the story become little more than an attempt to moralize to the readers. Instead, the faith of all the characters gave them depth and maturity often lost in other books. Even innocent Faith was clearly a woman rather than just a hapless girl in the grip of her first affection.

My one complaint is that I wish the secondary characters could have had a little more depth. As it was, they felt like caricatures rather than people in their own right.


The Lovely Haze of Baby Days

The Lovely Haze of Baby Days” is a sweet celebration of new motherhood- sweet but not saccharine. It's told from the perspective of a mother narrating her thoughts to her young baby. While there is plenty of adoration, there is also the acknowledgment of blowouts, sleepless nights, and frustration in the rhyming couplets. I also appreciated the diversity of mothers portrayed. The bright and cheery illustrations had me reminiscing of the first days after my babies were born and how everything seemed to be surrounded in a glow, the lows were low but right now I only remember the good. This would make a perfect gift for a new mom. The curving nature of the text and illustrations were a treat for the eye to follow, conveying the rhythm of days with a young baby. The illustrations appear to be done in watercolor, acrylic, gouache and have a vivid richness, almost jewel tone. The mothers are featured in the center of the story with long hair spiraled all around, resembling a nautilus shell. I also appreciate that this story centered on the perspective of the mother, and that her musings were wonderous and pedestrian, and that they allowed the full range of emotion. Not many stories about mothers do that.


Double Deceit

Jennifer and her family are on vacation when her husband, Oliver, dies. As shocking as that is, while Jennifer is grieving, she discovers that Oliver had many secrets. She tries to put her life back together, but can’t stop thinking about the woman he was having an affair with. She decides to contact her, and in a weird twist of fate, they discover that their husbands worked for the same law firm and that there were some shady things going on there. They both decide to investigate further, but are met with threatening notes. It’s clear their lives are in danger and that Oliver’s death might not have been an accident.

I wish I could say this was a good book, but I cannot. The characters were disjointed and unrelatable. The storytelling was of the most basic kind, with incredibly short chapters and almost no descriptions. The idea itself was not very original and the storytelling did nothing to make it worthwhile. I hate giving bad reviews because I do understand how much work goes into writing a novel and that the author cares about their story. However, I cannot recommend this book as it is right now. It feels like a first draft, not a finished story.


Peter, the Paranoid Pumpkin

There is a pumpkin named Peter who is scared of Halloween. He is scared that the kids dressed up in costumes aren't actually kids but the monsters they are dressed up as. He is afraid that the black cat that walks by him will turn into a witch! He feels anxious about everything. He wishes the other pumpkins around him would smile, and then he might feel better. He is scared of the candy because he might get fat. At the end of the story, he realized that it was all just his imagination. He took some deep breaths and calmed down.

I liked looking at the pictures because they are so pretty; I liked seeing the pages with the black cat on them. I didn't know what anxious or paranoid meant, but after reading this book, I do now. I don't feel anxious very often, but I learned from Peter what to do when I do feel anxious next time. I think that this is a good book to read on Halloween because it has scary pumpkins and monsters. I also think this is a good book to read any other time because it teaches you that you don't have to be scared.


My Monsterpiece

My Monsterpiece is the story about a kid who likes to draw monsters. The kid wants to draw scary monsters, but when he shows his family and his friend the pictures, they were not scared! The kid showed his mom the picture, but mom thought it was a fat cat. The kid showed dad another monster picture, and he guessed an owl. The kid showed his sister and friend different monster pictures, but they were not scared either. He was starting to get upset that he couldn't make a scary monster! He realized that maybe monsters don't have to be scary; maybe they can be fun. He started to wonder how monsters might think of kids if they were drawing them. That helped him to come up with the best monster drawing.

I liked this book because it's about drawing and monsters! The pictures were colorful because they had lots of different colors of paint on them. There were other things on the pictures, like fruit loops and yarn. This book was fun to see how monsters think of us kids, and it makes me want to draw some monsters soon!


Fans of both Neil Gaiman and at-home exercise will be thrilled with the new release of The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction, which contains fifty-two short stories, novellas, and excerpts written over the course of the author’s career and weighs enough to keep a reader’s arms in shape while they enjoy its contents. The stories, most of which have been previously published in the previous collections “Smoke and Mirrors,” “Fragile Things,” and “Trigger Warning,” will be a delight to returning fans and a joy to new readers.

Gaiman’s way of taking the ordinary and shifting it just a little to the left, setting it just a bit askew, makes his works very interesting to read. One of my old favorites, “Chivalry,” was voted by readers online for inclusion in this compendium, which made me smile. The way the story treats the fantastical as mundane until one shining, breathless moment that passes all too soon feels just right for the coziness of Mrs. Whitaker’s life. It’s a marvelous contrast to Enn of “How to Talk to Girls at Parties,” who cannot, for the life of him, see the oddness surrounding him at the party he and his friend have gone to, so determined is he to finally hook up with a girl.

Gaiman's approach to horror is slow and quiet, less jump scares and blood and more just a creeping, gnawing sense that the reader is missing something. That something isn’t quite right. In “Click-Clack the Rattlebag,” reading the story again feels almost necessary with the trick that’s been played, not just on the main character, but on the reader. And in “We Can Get Them for You Wholesale,” the banality of Mr. Pinter’s interactions with the pest control company always feels just a little off, until the delightfully eerie end.

Lovecraft and Sherlock Holmes both make multiple appearances in the stories here, Lovecraft in four and Sherlock Holmes in two. In one marvelous case, they share the stage in “A Study in Emerald,” set in a world where the Elder Gods conquered Earth seven hundred years before and Queen Victoria numbers among them. In a parallel to “A Study in Scarlet,” the unnamed narrator and his consulting detective friend investigate a death marked only by the bloody word “Rache,” but the strange backdrop and the unusual twists revealed to careful readers along the way make it a gripping new take.

This is a collection to devour or to linger over as your reading habits dictate. Read one a week, and stretch out the pleasure for a year, if you like. But no fan of Gaiman’s short stories will want to miss this one. It feels as though it’s being presented as a “definitive edition” – though at only sixty years of age, one can only hope that there are several more definitive editions to come.


Fleur Pierets, Illustrated by Fatinha Ramos

I really like the colors in Love is Love: The Journey Continues (Love Around the World, 2). That kept making me flip that pages. The information in this book caused me to ask a lot of questions. My mom was able to help me understand what I did not. I thought this would be a fun book but it was more full of information. My older sisters liked the fun facts it had throughout but I wasn't as interested. I think this book should be kept for older kids. I think it is really neat that they are traveling the world and seeing cool places. I want to do that when I grow up. I also like that the pictures show different things from different countries.


It is hard to read anything Rick Bragg writes without hearing a slow, deep Southern accent rolling out each word. Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South is no exception.

Comprised of essays and articles written over the last decade for Southern Living and Garden and Gun magazines, the pieces run the gamut from a love of Tupperware, a hatred of the trend of Hot Chicken in Nashville, and the heartbreaking reality of what it means to watch an old way of life die. Bragg, an Alabaman by birth, writes of old men and women who wake at four in the morning for a jubilee—a phenomenon in which sea creatures beach themselves for an hour or so during hurricane weather. He notes the power of the perfect tomato sandwich, the faulty permanence of an at-home perm, and the moment a child becomes—in theory—their parent’s caretaker.

With every essay and every topic, Bragg makes it clear that the stories he tells from the deep South are, at their heart, the stories of the people who have touched him and created the world he loves so much. Where I Come From has something for everyone, and if you don’t cry at least once while reading it, I do not know if we can be friends.


The Popularity Pact: School Squad: Book Two (The Popularity Pact, 2)

Ex-best friends Bea and Maisy have a deal: to help one another become popular. When Bea is accepted into the popular club, she feels that trying to keep her position is a full- time job. But it’s totally worth it if she can stay popular, right? Maisy used to think being popular was the only thing she wanted. But when things start to change at home for Maisy, and she feels that being popular isn’t everything, she decides to convince Bea this whole thing was a mistake. After all, they were better off together. Can Bea and Maisy fight their way through the web of drama and lies and rekindle their friendship again?

I thought this was a better book about middle school friendships than most. Throughout the entire book, I was rooting for Bea and Maisy to find their way back to each other and for Bea to realize that she was better off with Maisy than with all her fake friends. I also liked that the book had well-developed, relatable characters. I would recommend this book to any middle-schoolers wading through these types of social dynamics.


Loved and Wanted: A Memoir of Choice, Children, and Womanhood reads quickly-  as if the author is conveying her story through a coffee date conversation. The chapters are the breaks where Parravani stops to offer her children a snack, wipe someone’s face or answer a question.

This memoir should be celebrated for two reasons: it shares the complexity of motherhood in a very accessible and empathetic way, and explains how women’s reproductive choices are thwarted every day in ways that cannot be ignored.

Parravani is forty years old with two children and one steady source of income when she gets a positive pregnancy test. She is an adjunct professor at a West Virginia college and her husband is financially and emotionally unreliable. This unplanned pregnancy is a nudge to a precarious drop-off. The author and her family are barely scraping by monthly as it is. The tragedy is, Parravani wants to want this baby.

As required by law, she seeks abortion as early as possible but due to administrative bureaucracy and sabotage from healthcare systems, she is unable to. Parravani carries her son to term and he is loved and cherished. But her memoir closes with this “Love is a word not strong enough to describe what I feel. But it’s a word anti-choice laws and activists use to trap mothers… Choice is complex. I can both want to have had reasonable access to abortion and love and want my son.”


Talent: A Novel

High school sophomore Sandee Mason has been living in the shadow of her big brother, Brian, for several months, ever since he disappeared while serving in Afghanistan. Instead of obsessing over when Bri will return (or if he’ll ever return), Sandee decides to step out of the shadows and audition for her school’s spring production of Oklahoma!. She wants everyone to stop looking at her like she’s the girl whose brother went missing, even if she still hears Bri talking to her sometimes.

Talent by B. Lynn Goodwin is a novel about family and identity. With strong, well-written characters, Goodwin takes readers backstage into the life of a fifteen-year-old who struggles to find her place in the world while navigating an overwhelming loss. The behind the scenes making of Oklahoma! is well rendered and a fun dive into a high school production. There are some portions of the plot with scenes that feel incomplete and choppy, but the emotional journey of the main character and her strong voice are a direct through line that makes the book hard to put down.


Americans who identify as Latino/x are diverse and dynamic, coming from multiple streams of geographic, linguistic, sociocultural, and faith traditions to create an emerging movement that cannot –and will not – be contained in traditional racial and ethnic conceptualizations. In her quest to uplift the often untold and unfamiliar stories of Latinx people from all backgrounds through Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity, journalist Paola Ramos embarked on a cross-country trip to tackle invisibility among new and established Americans who shared their struggles and aspirations.

Narratives of survival and adaptation are interspersed with resistance and resilience amid acts of ostracism, exclusion and violence. Latino/x communities are at once adapting to and changing both the socioeconomic and political dynamics of cities and towns in the West, Midwest, and Southern United States. Ramos challenges the stereotypes about Latinx identity, profiling Muslim Puerto Ricans; Mexican American struggling to overcome addiction in California’s Central Valley; undocumented Afro-Latinx; Mayans who profess their faith in Q’anjob’al; and young people in the Twin Cities asserting pride in Latinidad in English, Spanish, and Spanglish.

Ramos’ prose is both straightforward and heartfelt as she guides us through her own journey of embracing her identity as a queer Latinx. The stories evoke a Whitmanesque feel, unveiling the complex textures of indigenous, Latinx, Hispanic identities as multifaceted, and always rooted in love, pride, and the constant struggle for recognition, respect, and belonging.


Girl: A Novel

The difficult landscape and the harrowing terror of the abduction of young girls in Nigeria by Boko Haram serve as the foundation for Edna O’Brien’s latest book, Girl: A Novel. Not for the faint of heart, the book chronicles in vivid and sickening detail the tragedies suffered by one character, Maryam, whose first line reads “I was a girl once, but not anymore.”

While Maryam’s story is not universal—the novel makes it clear that her fate is not as bad as the fates of others—it is singular. At different turns, O’Brien offers small glimpses into the lives of other women, but it is Maryam’s story that ties the book together. When she is abducted from her school alongside other girls, Maryam hopes and prays to be returned to her family. These prayers, and so many others, are conflicted and confused as she escapes her tormenters only to be returned to a world that views her as tainted.

In equal measure, the book questions how we can support those who survive if we do not condemn those responsible for the cruelty the survivors suffered. Maryam’s story, so specific to Nigeria and Boko Haram, is analogous to victim blaming and the oppression of women worldwide. While Girl is a brilliant and unflinching novel, it may be difficult for some readers given the graphic depictions of violence within it.


Basketful of Heads (Hill House Comics)

Looking for something cheerfully depraved? Or something hyper-cute and grotesque? Look no further than these killer comics which feature a range of delightfully dark stories that span the absurd, the post-apocalyptic, and the disturbing. Take an adventure with four robots bound together through a kill lock then explore the origins of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, and then follow June Branch as she tries to rescue her boyfriend and escape an island with the help of a cursed Viking axe.

Hell Was Full – Branson Reese

Branson Reese delivers a work that features alt text and has new material that's delightful and absurd while also being called bitingly satirical, depraved yet cheerful, and eye-scractchingly humorous. This collection features moments that are insane, including God's fallen head being chewed on by a raccoon, a man having driven a Transformer out of a funeral, and a toaster that turns against its owner. /Hell Was Full/ stems from the webcomic which has been commented on for its bleak style that weaves into the absurdity and creates dadaist cocktails. Everything you love about the webcomic can be found in this collection with a variety of comics that range from a man using his wish to wish the genie dead to absurd characters that include M&Ms and hornets.

Post-Apocalypto – Tenacious D.

/Post-Apocalypto/ was a film, an album, and a tour. Now the graphic novel has arrived with audio included. Tenacious D (the musical styling of Jack Black and Kyle Gass) have branched out their universe with this new graphic novel. This humorous and genre mash-up stems from the minds of Black as an illustrator and Gass as a writer. The movie is available on YouTube. An atomic bomb drops and now Tenacious D is cast into a world of chaos after they survive the apocalypse in true cinematic style by hiding inside of a 1950s refrigerator. The Tenacious duo quickly learns that a new kind of evil has developed as a side effect of the bomb which can only mean one thing. In order for humanity to survive the brewing evil, this duo will have to save the world. In this crazy tale of post-apocalypse, you'll follow this duo as they venture to the White House, use a time machine, and even take an adventure into space while working through daddy issues. /Post-Apocalypto/ is described as being hilarious yet political while also being brilliant and multi-faceted with colorful illustrations.

The Kill Lock – Livio Ramondelli

This science-fiction adventure finds these four robots cast away from their homes after committing horrible crimes and are now facing a big problem. They're bound together through a kill lock that will activate if one of them dies and kill the other three. Their only choice is to rely on each other. The journey bands a soldier, a murderer, an addict, and a child together in a search for a cure that will ensure all of their survival. Only one clue steers them in their search. A bot called the Axial is supposedly the creator of the Lock and the only one that has the answers they need.

Usagi Yojimbo Origins Vol 1 Samurai – Stan Sakai

This colorful edition delves back into the beginnings of rabbit ronin Miyamoto's journey. Usagi started as a student where he trained under the guidance of a mountain hermit called Katsuichi-Sensei. This journey takes place in a time well before he was a samurai without a master. His training under the hermit provides him with the first steps toward becoming a warrior and closer to the battle of Adachigahara. This serves as a catalyst for the incredible tales he is set to venture upon. Discover the origins of Stan Sakai's fan-favorite character in a story set long before the decades-long epic that fans love. This stunning collection follows the /Samurai/ storyline in an edition that includes full color for the first time since it was released in 1987. This volume includes /Blind Swords-Pig/, /A Quiet Meal/, /Kappa/, and /Lone Rabbit and Child/.

Junko Mizuno's Hell Ladies – Junko Mizuno

This stunning collection is a compilation of Junko Mizuno's works from the beginning of her career which highlighted powerful female characters which had a transgressive twist. These characters come to life through this colorful fantasy world that has been a fascination of Japan since she created them. Mizuno's art has been described as delicious, distinctive, and disturbing. The works in /Hell Ladies/ range from 1998 to 2001 which introduce a variety of manga-inspired girls that wear rattlesnakes and play with butcher knives as well as razor blades. Known for her psychedelic flair, Mizuno's style mixes sweet and horror with female sexuality which creates a juxtaposition between tones of hyper-cute and grotesque. This is a collection for mature readers.

Basketful of Heads – Joe Hill

What other choice does June Branch have when she's trapped on Brody Island, but try to find a way out, no matter the risk. To make matters worse, her boyfriend was kidnapped and she has escaped convicts out for her blood. The only thing June has in her defense is a mysterious Viking axe that comes with the power to behead people while allowing them to continue talking. June's only option to save herself and rescue her boyfriend is to use the axe's power while trying to keep herself calm and perhaps even seek help from a basketful of heads. This collection is spine-tingling and features artwork by Leomacs from /Lucifer/. The entire seven-issue miniseries is featured within /Basketful of Heads/ with special features that include character designs and sketches from behind-the-scenes.


Happiness In Quantum Leaps: De-Stressing WITHOUT DRUGS!

Aura D. McClain used to be fixated on all that was wrong with her life. Then McClain spent time learning about the power of positive thinking, harnessing the pure energy of her thoughts and her connection to God to turn her life around. And she believes you can, too!

Happiness in Quantum Leaps: De-Stressing Without Drugs is divided into three sections: God/Universe, Mind, and Body. In the first section, McClain jumps right into one of the most prominent ideas in the entire book, which is the presence of God in everyone and everything. McClain claims that, based on the laws of physics, our thoughts must be a (scientifically unrecognized) form of energy, which makes them quite powerful.

The second section of the book discusses how getting stuck in negative thinking patterns leads to unhappiness, as well as topics like gratitude, and unconditional love. The third section of the book deals with creating happiness in your life and tapping into the spiritual energy of the universe.

Happiness in Quantum Leaps sounds great in theory, but it's hard to not be critical of some of the author's ideas. McClain eschews modern medicine and firmly believes that we are capable of healing our minds and bodies by tapping into "God's spiritual energy." While everyone is entitled to their own personal beliefs about pharmaceutical products in medicine, it's hard to recommend a book that tells readers they can heal cancer simply by believing in God.

McClain also believes that simply embracing positive thinking will lead to lower rates of mental illness, suicide, and divorce. According to her, if you learn to think differently, you can be healed of mental illness. This, quite frankly, is a dangerous assertion. People who are struggling with mental illness often need professional help. McClain's words serve only to contribute to the stigma far too many people already face regarding mental health treatments.

While McClain claims her words are for everyone, non-Christians may struggle with this book. Aside from her assertion that all gods are one God, and that God is in everyone and everything (concepts she pushes forcefully, sometimes even angrily: "If you want to keep believing and living a lie that you are not part of God’s invisible universal energy and you want to keep being stuck with all your mental craziness in your brain... just keep doing what you're doing"), she backs up many of her ideas with biblical verses. Some readers will find this encouraging, but others may find it off-putting.

Finally, it's worth noting that this book could benefit from a copyeditor. Grammar and punctuation errors detract from the reading experience, and the book's structure is confusing at times. Additionally, the author's use of images pulled from the internet, including screenshots of articles, is troubling, as it's hard to discern whether she has obtained permission to reprint them.

I wanted to like Happiness in Quantum Leaps, and there were many ideas that McClain discusses that resonate with me on one level or another, but the book's troubling parts outweigh any good, and I can't recommend this book to anyone in good conscience.


Happiness in Quantum Leaps seeks to help readers bring together their mind, body, and spirit in order to find peace and happiness. There are some concrete exercises suggested to help achieve this. For example, I liked the commitment chart the author notes on page 260, which seems to be a good way to determine if you are doing things that will bring forth positive energy in all areas. Plus, I think the idea of turning off the news, especially when it is negative, is also a good idea. Simply finding something to do that makes you laugh or relax is a better idea. As this book points out, getting rid of negative energy will help you increase your flow of positive energy and allow you to become one with God or the universe.

This book is probably best suited to those who consider themselves Christians. The author does mention that anyone can follow her path to happiness, but she mostly relies on numerous Bible verses from the King James edition to illustrate her beliefs and views. I liked her overall message that more people should concentrate on finding happiness by focusing on their inner world rather than on the external world. I enjoyed the chapter entitled "Purpose," which gave some helpful tips about writing down goals and making short- and long-term plans to change your life. I also appreciate the useful reading list she included at the end of the book.

However, I was bothered by the numerous grammatical errors throughout the book, and I found a lot of repetition and long, rambling sentences that affected the flow of reading for me. A good editor would have been an asset to this work and would have helped make it sound much more polished and professional. Also, at times the author seemed angry at scientists, doctors, and schools. I didn't think the emotional tone helped get across the positive tone and energy she was aiming for in those parts of the book. This is another area where an editor could be useful.

I did enjoy getting to know about the author and her reasons for wanting to write this book. All in all, the message to practice unconditional love and positively focus on the moment to bring mind, body, and spirit into alignment is a message that I find essential. Moreover, it could help readers to find more peace in their day-to-day lives.


Happiness In Quantum Leaps has some wonderful information on how to lead a happy life without the use of pharmaceuticals or other outside material sources. In the book, author Aura McClain breaks the chapters down into three parts including God and Universe, Mind, and Body. In the beginning portion of the book, McClain talks mostly about God and the importance of spirituality. This seems to be the major foundation of the book, even though the author claims that one does not necessarily need to believe in God for the book to help you find happiness. There is also a lot of science in this book. She describes how mental thoughts are not included as a form of energy according to science even though "everything in the universe is made out of invisible energy." She goes on to explain that scientists have not yet discovered that thoughts are a form of energy, which is why it is not being taught in schools today. The book delves into the mind, body, spirit connection and gives the reader different ways in which to maintain a positive attitude towards everything in life.

Although I really enjoyed the anecdotal stories the author presents in the book, I felt as though she kept repeating herself over and over again with the same stories. For example, the story about how praying and having positive thoughts seemed to have made cancer go away in people she knew. Although I think it definitely would give someone hope, for the author to tell people that by only changing one's mindset their cancer or other ailments would disappear is a bit misleading and farfetched. The book also has so many Bible verses in it and quotes from other people that I would definitely label it as a religious read. There is nothing wrong with that, of course, I just feel that the book should be labeled for people of faith so they can know what to expect.

Overall, Happiness in Quantum Leaps has many great ideas in it that people can use to lead happier, healthier lives both mentally and physically. I would recommend to the author that the book would be reorganized due to parts of it being redundant and the author rambling on and going off-topic at times. There are also several grammatical errors that need to be corrected. This book could easily be condensed into half the size with the same effect--to help people become happier through self-realization and making positive changes while understanding God, spiritually, and how science fits into the big picture.


One Way or Another

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Paige cannot make a decision lest she be riddled with anxiety and nerves, contemplating the things that could happen from even the most mundane choices. When she has to make a choice between accompanying her mom to New York or visiting with her best-friend-but-long-time-crush Fitz at his family’s cabin for the Christmas holidays, she is as indecisive as ever. Her other best friend, Clover, suggests an app that works like a Magic Eight Ball to help. Does she go with Fitz and hope for a chance at love with the boy she’s loved forever, or follow her dream to travel and visit New York? A poorly-timed fall on a slick floor gives Paige a chance to experience both possibilities, but which one leads to forever with Fitz?

The idea is similar to Kasie West’s Pivot Point except Paige does not realize both universes are simultaneously occurring and the story leans more toward rom-com than serious sci-fi. A worthy winter read, readers get a bonus story, as though the author could not choose how to spin Paige’s romantic woes so instead explores both scenarios. While Paige suffers from such anxiety that panic attacks derail her efforts at romance, her suffering makes her more real as a character.


Nothing in Common

Kate Hoefler, Illustrated by Corinna Luyken

A man and a woman live across from each other. They have little in common, although they both love watching the old man who walks by their houses with his marvelous dog. They notice one day he’s crying and calling out for the dog. The two neighbors now have a common goal. After searching far and wide, they discover the white ball of fluff inside a hot air balloon, a place only they would think to look. They set out to rescue him and begin to notice their commonalities.

Children often notice the differences between them before they acknowledge the similarities that exist. Their disparate ways seem more salient, just as they do to the neighbors before they share a common experience. At first, they don’t want to believe in their alikeness, butl circumstances force them to view things through another lens. Youngsters will find familiarity in this as well as in the loss the elderly man experiences when his dog disappears. They’ll admire the gorgeous watercolor illustrations that are subtle yet so descriptive. They seem to whisper a thousand words. This is unquestionably a unique and touching tale likely to warm the hearts of children aged five to nine.


The Suitcase

There was a strange animal with a big suitcase. The other animals wanted to know what was in it. The strange animal told them a teacup, a chair, table, and kitchen. The other animals thought it was impossible and did not believe him. When the strange animal fell asleep, they broke into his suitcase. They found a picture.

The strange animal was missing his home, and it made me happy that he found new friends, who made the best gift for him (just so you know...I do not want to give it away).

The Suitcase has a good lesson about trusting and being kind to people even though they look different.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a sweet book and the illustrations were great. I loved the colors they used and how they changed when talking about the past.

I think kids 3 - 7 years old would like this book.


Becoming a Good Creature

Sy Montgomery, pictures by Rebecca Green

Sy Montgomery, author of Becoming a Good Creature, describes the lessons she’s learned over the course of her life from creatures both large and small. Looking back, her first teacher is a puppy who patiently teaches her how to pay attention. As she grows older and her passion for animals grows, Sy travels to Australia to live among the emus in the wild. There, she observes their ways and discovers a bit about her own as well. The gorillas in Africa bless her with a lesson on respect. From others, she learns not to be afraid and to seek truth, value family, and allow for forgiveness. These amazing wonders offer her hope and change her vision of the world.

This is a true story based on the author’s authentic experiences across the course of her lifetime. Her journey is unique in that she lives among some of the beautiful creatures she studies. Her ingenuity seeps through the pages of this thoughtful picture book that’s filled with eye-catching watercolor illustrations that highlight her expeditions. Children will find them precious and alluring. The target audience is children aged five to nine and the reading level is approximately third grade. In addition to being interesting, this autobiographical account encourages readers to behave with a sense of humanity and acceptance.


Curious George Votes

Curious George Votes is another adventure where George does some silly things because he is curious. In this book, George and his friend go to school. The man goes to talk to someone and leaves George sitting by himself. George sees some kids walk by and thinks it would be fun to walk in their line. He gets up and follows them to the cafeteria where the kids are voting on a new school mascot. The options are to be the tigers or the owls. George gets excited about these two animals. The kids give him stickers, he gets to paint and draw, and he gets to help the kids until an adult comes in. The adult is not very happy with George, but then a little girl explains what he did and everyone is happy again. I have not read any books about voting, so this one was fun to read. I have voted before at school, but I learned something new about voting in this book, thanks to George. This story is about as long as his other stories, and like his other stories, all kids will like it.


Audra McClain’s Happiness in Quantum Leaps offers insights and advice to achieving love, joy, peace, and happiness by aligning physical, mental, and emotional healing, guided by faith and spirituality. The author draws upon her personal journey toward defining her own approach to wellness in order to overcome adversity through the most challenging times. It is a book that is relevant for Christians of all persuasions, an invitation to further explore one’s relationship with God by doing the necessary work to achieve mental and emotional peace. For the faithful, it is a guidebook to tapping into one’s personal trove of strengths, guided by one’s faith in the benevolence and forgiving nature of God.

McClain emphasizes her background in engineering, as a woman who has embraced science and technology as her profession. Perhaps this perspective offers her a vantage point to critique the insufficiencies of science—particularly pharmacology—to adequately heal the wounds of the mind, heart, and soul. There are passages in the book that can come off as being anti-science, including rightful indignation against the excessive influence of the pharmaceutical industry in addressing behavioral health issues. The author cautions against wholesale rejection of the wisdom shared in the book due to opinions shared about prevailing scientific knowledge. Science and religion can and should continue to co-exist because humanity derives benefits from both.

McClain shares anecdotes of personal disappointments that are relatable and authentic. Personal narratives bounce from one part of the author’s life to another, and in the end, the reader gets a full picture of McClain’s journey toward redemption. Some lessons focus on everyday coping strategies, while other lessons address significant, life-changing challenges. The author reveals early experiences of isolation from her community of Filipinos following a family tragedy. The sense of exclusion is palpable, and understandably, it has shaped how the author has nourished independence and individuality, while also cultivating a strong reliance on her faith in God to withstand adversity.

The narrative is strongest when the author shares personal reflections on the power of controlling one’s mind, merging her devout Christian orientation with lifelong exposure to science. While McClain draws from the wisdom of other religious traditions, readers who are grounded in Christian-centered values will find the teachings most applicable and relevant. When the author is not quoting Bible verses, the book reads much like other secular self-help volumes that advocate for a holistic approach to health and well-being, one that does not compartmentalize body, mind, and spirit.


The Beast and the Bethany

Jack Meggitt-Phillips, Illustrated by Isabelle Follath

The Beast and the Bethany is a great book about a man recognizing his flaws. Ebenezer Tweezer is a very rich man, all thanks to the beast. The beast lives on the fifteenth floor of his house. It asks him to bring it different foods, and in return, it gives him whatever he wants. When the beast tells him that it wants to eat a child, Ebenezer is horrified. Eventually, he decides to find a bad child and feed it to the beast. He chooses Bethany, but then decides she isn't so bad and attempts to delay the beast.

This was a pretty good book. It wasn't my favorite, but I still enjoyed reading it. It was a lot different than most of the books I've read before. The book had many illustrations, and they helped me get an idea of what the beast looked like. This book was very well written, and it kept my attention. It was also an easy read, although it was still a good book. I would recommend this book to kids aged ten to twelve.


Odessa (1)

This graphic novel has a good story. A family lives somewhere north of San Francisco after the 'end of the world.' The world didn't really end, there was a huge earthquake and everything got broken. That might seem pretty far-fetched, but after the year of COVID with no school and empty stores, the end of the world doesn't seem impossible.

Virginia gets a package in the mail from her mother, who left eight years ago. When she asks her dad about why Mom left, he won't talk to her. Virginia gets mad and sets out on the journey to San Francisco. It's not like a journey on a plane or on a highway - everything is broken. It's wilderness, and there are thugs who rob and kill people on the way. But what's worse, is that Virginia's little brothers sneak after her! She has to take care of them, but they are still a family, after all.

At the end of the book are examples of how the artist's drawings evolved. I thought that was really cool because drawing comics interests me too. It's a good story, and I think anybody can relate to it, although some of it is scary. It's about the end of the world, after all!


Kisses and Croissants

There’s something about reading books set in Paris that make falling in love so fun! I’ve never actually been to Paris but I can imagine how romantic and magical it can be. Mia is a dedicated ballet dancer who lands a spot in an elite ballet summer program in France! It’s there she meets the gorgeous and charming French boy, Louis. He goes on to show her that there’s more to life than just ballet. I adored Kisses and Croissants from the very beginning. Mia is down to earth and easy to identify with. I loved the art, the story surrounding Mia’s ancestors, and loved watching Mia and Louis fall in love. The story is so sweet and romantic! I couldn’t put it down. I’m no ballet dancer and I don’t keep up with the latest when it comes to it, but even I know that they work extremely hard to get where they are. It’s such a beautiful form of art; I loved being able to see it from a dancer’s POV. The best part of the whole entire book though is the female relationship. A female character starts off as a sort of nemesis but ends up being so much more in the end. We need that! We need more positive girl friendships in YA. Overall, I’m in love. I need more books set and Paris. Not to mention I need to take an actual trip there!


The Cook of the Halcyon

Inspector Montalbano of the Vigata police station in Sicily has been called to a small factory making ship hulls due to a dispute with laid-off workers. He finds one worker has hung himself after being laid off. The owner Mr. Trincanato isn't particularly sympathetic to the workers, but he's known as a gambler and womanizer. Later, Montalbano notices a large sailing vessel, the Halcyon, in port, and it appears that Trincanato is responsible for some of the ship's supplies. Montalbano suspects this boat is either a casino or a brothel, but he's sent on mandatory vacation before he has time to investigate. If that weren't enough, while he's away, he's fired, and his team of loyal officers disbanded. Montalbano is blindsided but determined to find out what's going on at headquarters and on the Halcyon.

Camilleri has again crafted a fun and memorable mystery that showcases Montalbano in a way we haven't seen him before. It also highlights Sicilian politics and bureaucracy. And of course, wherever we find Montalbano, there is sure to be a profusion of Sicilian culinary delights. With wonderful scenes and descriptions, I think fans of this series will be pleased with the complex, multilayered case of The Cook of the Halcyon.


Everywhere

The parents are tucking the children into bed. The children don’t want Mom and Dad to leave so the parents explain to them that even though they aren’t in the room they are still with them. Comforting them before they go to sleep.

The illustrations are fantastic. I loved the paintings giving the book a very calming effect. It’s a great style for a bedtime story. I loved the close-ups of the people and landscape.

The text had good rhythm and rhyme. I enjoyed the comforting words. In some places, the words seemed forced just to make the rhythm work.

 The message of the book is wonderful. Kids are scared at night from noises or the dark. There is a timeless idea that will be something children will always relate to. My favorite part was the parents talking about the dog coming into check on the children. I thought that was just spot on.

Parents will love this book too! I know my daughter has been scared of things lately and this is just the thing to help her feel safer.


The Children of D'Hara

Picking up almost exactly where Warheart, the last novel in the main series, left off, The Children of D’Hara continues the story of Richard and Kahlan and their children. Yes, Richard FINALLY gets to be alone with Kahlan, at least long enough for there to be children, but the peace they’ve found will be short-lived if they fail to defeat their latest terrifying enemy.

Originally released in five installments between 2019 and 2020, The Children of D’Hara compiles the story into one surprisingly quick read. The late Terry Goodkind’s unique style and incredible worldbuilding are delivered with his usual skill, and he plumbs the human psyche for incredible and complex tales. He was not afraid to pit his characters against their greatest fears, and this book is no exception. Yet, even as the characters suffer, they rise above it and find greatness, offering a grand display of the triumph of the human spirit.

Filled with Mord-Sith, magic, and monsters, The Children of D’Hara will be the final Richard and Kahlan book released, as Terry Goodkind sadly passed away in 2020.


A Boob's Life: How America's Obsession Shaped Me―and You

Follow woman’s fashion, check out the entertainment field, look at the ads… and you’ll find that the media uses female cleavage to catch the eye. In this timely droll memoir focusing on the author’s boobs from budding adolescence, to suckling motherhood, through self-admiring augmentations and finally surviving grievous breast cancer, Leslie Lehr depicts the irrational preoccupation that American culture emphasizes the bosom. The seductive glandular fertile figure draws the male eye, and while this regard may massage the female ego; unfortunately the lust aroused in the male obscures whatever other talent the female possesses. The writer cleverly stitches a memoir along with a historical recount of the female battle to be recognized as individuals with innate talents and not as subservient underlings or sex toys. The dichotomy between women wanting to appear busty-sexy while at the same time demanding to be treated as professional equals appears to be a constant dilemma. This talented lady writes about this conflict with affectionate banter while showing that it takes guts, tenacity, endurance, self-confidence, family support, and a wicked sense of humor to survive in a man’s world. Just open the first pages, and the reader will be drawn into this embracing tale.


Robot Artists and Black Swans: The Italian Fantascienza Stories

Robot Artists and Black Swans  is the latest publication by international best-selling author, Bruce Sterling. Originally published in Italy by his alter ego Bruce Argento, Sterling brings his Italian-themed science fiction to his American fans.

Known as the “Godfather of Cyberpunk” Sterling delivers seven thrilling “fantascienza” short stories.  In ”Killing Moon”, the Italians‘ contribution to moon landings comes in the form of a billionaire and his celebrity girlfriend.  But unlike the current billionaire space race, the Italian vessel is “the prettiest manned lunar rocket ever built.” In “Esoteric City”, a venture capitalist and necromancer must face Satan at a garden party. The “Black Swan” is a computer hacker who creates alternate universes for himself. And in “Elephant on Table” the shadow house of an elderly statesman keeps him safe from surveying AI, his thousands of enemies, and his four ex-wives, until it doesn’t.

Cyberpunk fans will enjoy Sterling’s seriously flawed characters combined with the world of high tech. Combined with original artwork by John Coultthart, Robot Artists and Black Swans is an enjoyable book for anyone’s inner nerd.


Dragon on the Far Side of the Moon

In the near future, the United States finds itself losing the space race to China. The Chinese rocket Dragon, with her crew of eight taikonauts, makes a successful landing on the far side of the moon. Not wanting to lose in space, the U.S. employs private, profit-driven actors to place boots on the moon. With all that is happening with space exploration right now, I had high hopes for this novel because Wood’s technical aspects are spot on.

It’s evident that Wood did his research on space travel and the plausibility of establishing a human colony on the moon. The downside is that only a third of the novel takes place in space or on the moon. Wood’s approach may be a bit wonky for die-hard sci-fi fans. In quite a departure from action-oriented narratives, much of the novel takes place in meetings, with characters discussing and debating decisions. There’s also quite a bit of anti-Chinese rhetoric, as well as other political commentary. Some of the dialog can be uninspired and, at times, downright awkward.

If you are a fan of space travel novels, particularly moon-based novels, you’ll appreciate Wood’s detailed descriptions of space travel and life on the moon. With our current knowledge about advances in space flight and exploration, readers may recognize possible future scenarios for a moon colony.


The Iconic American House: Architectural Masterworks Since 1990

Dominic Bradbury, Photography by Richard Powers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modern Architecture: A Critical History – Kenneth Frampton

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

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

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

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

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


Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors

Alexander the Great is considered to be one of the greatest, and most egotistical, conquerors of the ancient world. He took what was a fairly minor Greek state on the northern edge of modern Greece and turned it into a powerhouse, albeit for a very short period of time. Like all bright stars, his burned bright and brief.

This work is a dual biography of Alexander and his father Philip. The first half covers how Philip laid the groundwork, condensing power in Macedonia, going after Greek city-states that threatened him, and living long enough to be able to allow his son the untold power he would soon enjoy. The story of Alexander is one that has often been told. He disrupted centuries of power relationships in a matter of years and set off events that would reverberate for centuries to come in what we now call the Middle East.

The first part of the book I found to be the most interesting, as the stories about Philip are generally condensed. The author's discussion of Alexander really covers the same well-trodden ground as every other biography of Alexander.


Three Women Disappear: With bonus novel Come and Get Us

Mobster Anthony Costello has been murdered. Three women had motive and opportunity, his wife, his chef, and his maid. The day of the murder, all three women disappear. It’s up to Detective Sean Walsh to find out what really happened, but the odds are not in his favor. Sean may or may not be in bed with these mobsters and, unfortunately, his wife was Anthony’s chef. So, Sean has a very vested interest in clearing both his wife’s name and his own before Anthony’s uncle, the mob boss, makes short work of them both. But he’ll have to find these women first.

James Patterson books are usually good for a quick read. There isn’t an overly complicated plot, and the characters aren’t very deep. These are the kind of books you bring on a vacation or when you get tired of reading books that make you think too hard to solve the case. The fact that he was able to fit another novel in this book should tell you how short and to the point these stories are. The lack of character depth made it hard to get to know them or really care what happens, but sometimes you just need that. Sometimes it’s nice to not get stressed out about whether the characters are going to have happy endings or not. This is a great book if that’s what you are looking for.


Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWork

What happens when a creator’s ambitions overshadow his company & its success? WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann forms the crux of this query as he oversaw the rise and fall of his creation over a decade. Adam and his friend Miguel McKelvey believed in the idea of a freed up business space, an office composed of various businesses, resembling the spirit and harmony of a kibbutz or commune, which both men had spent time in their youth. Adam possessed an entrepreneurial spirit that couldn't be tamed. After sputtering in early ventures, Adam met Miguel and they prospered with Green Desk. Green Desk was a precursor to WeWork in real estate speculation followed by leasing to businesses. The pair felt they were onto something, their youthful employees toiled hard in making WeWork appear viable. The future was on the horizon, but nothing is ever definite.

Billion Dollar Loser may appear to be a common tale about rags to riches, but the personality of Adam Neumann dispels that instantly. Author Reeves Wiedeman captures a spirited individual who thought big, spent even bigger and was humbled when his company was taken from him. The narrative offers the best & worst of capitalism and unchecked ambition. A riveting cautionary tale.


Plain Bad Heroines: A Novel

Emily M. Danforth, Illustrated by Sara Lautman

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth follows several young women whose characters are woven in layers of stories from the early 1900s to the present day. The story begins at Brookhants, a Rhode Island school for girls, where strange things are happening, involving apples, yellow jackets, flowers, a mysterious red-covered book… and some dead girls. Libbie, owner and principal of the school, must figure out what is happening.

When we reach the 2020s, we find that the story of Brookhants has been made into a book, which is now being turned into a horror movie. The book’s author and the movie stars (Merritt, Harper, and Ashley) have to navigate working with an eccentric director, dealing with their own relationships, and coping with the strange things that keep happening on set. Are they imagining things? Are they being set up? Or is Brookhants really haunted?

The characters are cleverly written, the narrator makes me laugh, and I love the representation of LGBTQ+ themes throughout the book. Plain Bad Heroines was a quick, fun read, even though it is over 600 pages long.


We Got the Beat

Song Lyrics by Charlotte Caffey, Illustrations by Kaitlyn Shea O'Connor

You know the song, and now that song is a picture book. From the Go-Go’s, this original song is a fantastic one to get up and move. Follow along as the characters get the beat as they dance through the pages for some rock n’ roll fun.

Text: I mean, who does not love this famous song from the eighties? It’s a great choice of song to put in a picture book. I liked they made the text colorful and fun.

Illustrations: I got some technicolor vibes. I loved the fun, bright colors and fun usage of the book panels. I love how they thought outside the box when designing each page. The characters are awesome. I love to see them dance through the book. It is a great interactive book for kids and adults alike. The dancing flamingos were perfect, and I loved the vibrant hair pony.

Extras: I loved the QR code on the back so you can find the song on your phone and have it playing while looking at the book. Awesome addition.

Age Range: 3 to 8 years. I have a feeling adults will love this one too.


One Girl

One night, a lonely girl is sitting on her porch when she finds a book. When she reads the book, all of the knowledge grows in her head. She reads her book to all of her classmates in school, so they can all learn too. The girl starts writing her own book, and by reading her book to all her classmates they know the knowledge as well! Now all of her classmates read and write and share what they have learned together. Now everyone around the world is reading too! Just because of one girl. One spark. Changed the world. I think the drawings are very realistic and pretty. I like this book and how the girl ends up sharing her knowledge all across the whole wide world. Even the smallest spark can start a fire. I recommend this book to lonely girls and people who like learning knowledge. What I think is that everybody should be able to learn and do art too.


The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design


In a Holidaze

Holiday-themed books are my favorite, especially when they have the “Groundhog Day” trope. For those who may not know what that means (how could you not?!), it’s a movie where the same day happens over and over again.

In Holidaze we have the very spunky and very relatable Maelyn as our heroine. One minute she’s in a car crash and the next she wakes up and she’s on a plane headed to the Utah cabin she and her family go to every year. This has everything you could want in a Christina Lauren book. It’s funny, sweet, addictive, and highly romantic. I can’t tell you all the times I swooned.

Maelyn has secretly been in love with their family friend, Andrew, for years. Andrew is everything a hero should be! He made this book fun and sexy. I loved the relationship he had with Maelyn. I loved watching them realize there could be more. I also adore the fact that every single character endeared themselves to me. If you read one holiday book this season, let it be this one!


Make It Scream, Make It Burn: Essays

Leslie Jamison, author of essay collection The Empathy Exams, wields the essay form successfully once again in Make It Scream, Make It Burn. In this newer collection, Jamison’s attention turns toward themes of longing, looking, and dwelling, and the subjects of her essays are varied, from users of the virtual world Second Life to Jamison’s own relationships and her grappling with step-motherhood. Jamison’s attention to the details of everyday life and the depths of human emotion drive each essay forward and thread the collection’s fourteen essays into a cohesive whole.

Jamison’s mastery is clear throughout the collection; her essays and sentences have a structure and a rhythm, and she never misses a beat. This is a strength of the collection to be sure, but at times it also verges on becoming a weakness. Well-chosen transition sentences sometimes feel so calculated as to be inorganic, and emotional observations ring less true when the words feel more carefully premeditated than naturally expressed. The more autobiographical later essays escape this problem to a greater extent than do the earlier essays. Jamison also sometimes falls short of truly digging deeper into some of the collection’s ideas, like the limits of human understanding and the relationship between White artists and the non-White subjects of their art. The essays in Make It Scream, Make It Burn are thoughtful and well crafted, but at times they left me wishing for something messier and more complex.


Find Me in Havana: A Novel

Estelita Rodriguez rose from singing in nightclubs in Cuba to becoming one of the Latina stars of 1950s Hollywood. She lived a glamorous and dramatic life, going through four husbands before her death aged thirty-seven. Throughout all this, she only had one child, Nina, who years after her mother’s death would speak with Serena Burdick about their complicated relationship. Out of that conversation would come Find Me in Havana, a novel that weaves together the voices of mother and daughter into a tender narrative, painting a picture of how one woman’s fight to live the American dream cannot be just about that woman but must involve all those around her.

Even though it is a story full of high drama, Find Me in Havana is always tinged by the fact that it’s a remembrance. It is occasionally slow but always beautiful, feeling elegiac even during the first chapters. I was fascinated by both women and found myself sinking into their voices, falling into their lives, and trying to see their relationship from both sides. Serena Burdick did a wonderful job of capturing a time long past and telling a story that at once embraces a whole time and pinpoints one particular relationship.


Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, 3)

Morrigan Crow thought she was safe. Surrounded by her friends at the Hotel Deucalion, life is great. She and her friends have completed their first year at the Wundrous Society, and Morrigan has finally gotten to train in the mysterious Wundrous Arts to help her become the Wundersmith she was meant to be. But peace cannot last forever.

After several shocking events, a deadly disease is revealed. It’s known as the Hollowpox, and it causes its victims to attack mindlessly, then fall into a coma with no hope of ever waking up again. Morrigan hopes to help with her newfound skills, but every time there is even a glimmer of hope, it is squashed quickly by the dark waves of despair. When someone close to Morrigan is infected, she knows that she must find a cure, no matter the consequences. Morrigan thinks she knows her friends and foes, but the real danger could be lurking just beneath the surface.

I liked this book because it was entertaining and suspenseful with plenty of action and relatable characters. It was nicely paced with lots of twists and turns, and I also really loved the ending!


Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote (The Questioneers)

Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote is about a class voting for the new class pet. Some students had some crazy ideas for pets, like hyenas, sharks, and yetis.

I really liked how they were voting in an election, just like how we vote for a president!

My favorite character is Iggy, who is a kid architect. I like him because his idea for a class pet was really funny. I also liked the main character, Sofia, and her Abuelo (grandfather). I like Abuelo because he makes yummy cookies like Orejas, and I like Sofia because she teaches me about elections, and she is super smart.

The drawings had so many great details, and I like how in every chapter, they have a picture of what will happen in that chapter.

If you liked The Questioneers: Picture Book Series, you would definitely like this book! I would love to share this book with you!


"Do you know about drones? They are good for hunting, finding, and destroying."

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel is the best book ever! It really drags you in the story and has realistic characters. I really want this to become a movie someday.
The book is about this group of friends who has to save two of their other friends. The two friends mysteriously and suddenly disappear in the middle of nowhere. Mars and his friends have to save them and find out what happened. But Mars finds out something too that really shocked him.

Each character definitely has their own personality and part in the friend group: which makes them even more realistic. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel is a super interesting story, with twists in every chapter that make your mind explode from realization.

Some pages had pictures of chat messages from the friend group, and a podcast that Mars listens to. They are really fun to look at and read.

This book is for middle school readers, or ages nine to thirteen. I would recommend this book to people that like tons of mystery, and a little bit of fantasy and realistic fiction. It did end on a cliff-hanger, so hopefully, there is a sequel.


Dreams of El Dorado: A History of the American West

Many survey histories of the western United States all seem to suffer from the same issues such as when to start them, but more importantly where to make the cut-off. This book is no different as it starts really early, but then struggles on when to stop and often struggles with geographic boundaries as well; though most historians often stick to around the Rockies and west in terms of geographic dispersal. This is an all-encompassing book and because of that H. W. Brands only has time to hit the hit points, focusing on the major issues and events and often just at a cursory level before moving on. He does not spend much time in one place and as a reader, you are constantly moving around from one locale to another, with really no rhyme or reason beyond a major event happened. There is little to connect the dots between events, or if they have any true coloration with each other. It is said that history writing about the western United States has struggled in recent years, and this book is further proof that it continues to struggle to this day.


Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky)

Award-winning author Rebecca Roanhorse showed she knows how to tell a great story with her debut novel, Trail of Lightning, and her Sixth World Series, and now she’s back a great new epic series, Between Earth and Sky, with the first book, Black Sun.

The book begins with a prophecy and a barbaric ritual, as the reader is introduced to this unique world. Then we cut to the present day as the winter solstice is approaching and this year coincides with a rare celestial event, a solar eclipse, which the Sun Priest calls an “unbalancing of the world.” What will happen?

Our character from the beginning of the book, Serapio, who has been blind for over a decade now is traveling on a ship captained by the brilliant Xiala, a Teek, who is part human and part something else with magical abilities. The ship has a deadline and with an untrustworthy crew, they must do what is said can’t be done to make it to the city of Tova in time for the eclipse.

Inspired by Pre-Columbian civilizations, Black Sun is a bold and entrancing first book in what looks to be a truly great series.


Lives of the Saints

Lives of the Saints took me on a roller-coaster. The writing is well-done, but the content wasn't always my style. I went between not being able to get enough, to skimming pages. Lives of the Saints is the award-winning book set in Italy in the 1960s. It is about a seven-year-old boy named Vittorio Innocente and his mother, Cristina. One day Vittorio sees a snake slithering away from his mother. After a stay in the hospital, she is shunned by the village people and grandfather. In their culture, superstition reigns strong, so Vittorio must live with a depressed and angry mother, a grandfather who is never around anymore, and schoolmates who bully him for unknown reasons. Vittorio endures many hardships throughout the story, yet leaves readers wondering what is to become of him later in his life.

I had trouble following the context of the story; it sounded like they lived in times before the 1960s. The situations that Vittorio found himself involved in were astonishing and difficult to imagine. Overall, I enjoyed the book and believe that having been written in the 1990s, it is still relevant today.


The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America

The Eagles of Heart Mountain tells the story of one of the darkest times in American history. In the spring of 1942, 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced from their homes and their lives and relocated into concentration camps. By August of the same year, 14,000 found themselves in northwest Wyoming at the base of Heart Mountain.  In their new homes, the “incarcerees” faced harsh winters and an even harsher racist and xenophobic political climate, all while trying to recreate any sense of comfort. In the fall of 1943, the camp’s high school fielded its first football team, the Eagles. For the next two seasons, the Eagles crush the competition against the predominantly white nearby high schools.

Bradford Pearson doesn’t skim over the events and controversies leading up to EO 9066, which was grounded in anti-Asian racist hysteria. The Eagles of Heart Mountain is a great read because it centers on the Japanese American story and illustrates the texture of everyday life in and out of the camps. Against the backdrop of ostracism and hatred, Japanese American families made the best out of a tragic situation. Pearson highlights inspiring stories of triumph and resilience in this well-researched book. Young Japanese American boys found camaraderie and healthy competition in sports to help them survive the pain of exclusion that treats Asians as perpetual foreigners.


Music Is . . .

Music Is… is written by Stephen T. Johnson. It not only talks about music, but also about the sounds of music, which are put into words. It describes not only music theory, but also the different styles of music.

Take jazz, for example. Johnson describes jazz as “sophisticated rhythms that go up and go down, move left and move right, then jump high and swing low.” Then he writes, “Flip-flop, be-bop, dunk-fizz, plunk-quiz.” You can hear the jazzy sounds beneath the words! It even says it right there on the cover! “Words, sounds, and pictures by Caldecott Honor recipient Stephen T. Johnson.” But at the end comes what I think is the best part. Johnson writes, “Music is… YOU! What is your sound? It’s sure to be magical, for you’ve got style and rhythm that’s all your own. Music is free and music is YOU! Oh yeah!”

The illustrations are very abstract, like music moving all over the place. In fact, this book itself is like a piece of music! I love how the book unfolds into a second type of book that gives the names of songs for all the different styles of music. It is an excellent resource for older kids who are studying music (like me) or younger kids who enjoy reading fun books about music (like my little brother).


In the Half Room

Everyone is searching for their other half. The last piece of a tea set, another shoe, or even a person that you fit with. This book takes a literal perspective of what it really means to find the perfect half.

In this short picture book, Carson Ellis describes a room as being filled with only “half” things. Such as a “half chair” or a “half rug”. This repetitive adventure comes to a close when the “half girl” and “half cat” meet their other halves for the first time.  Some kids may find the pictures of half a cat disturbing, but it will raise some good scientific questions about what you can cut apart!

Younger kids will enjoy listening to the playful rhyming and will soon catch on the natural flow of the story. I can see this book on a four to eight-year-old reading list. Perhaps read out loud in a classroom or for a bedtime story. If you are searching for something to complete you, then this is the book to read.


Donut Feed the Squirrels (Norma and Belly)

This book is SO funny! My little sister and I giggled as I read it out loud to her! This seems like something we would try  to do if we were squirrels and wanted donuts. I wish the colors were more vibrant though. I loved that it was a comic book - those are my favorite kinds of books. I think this will be a book I read over and over (and my sisters will too!) I thought it was funny when grandpa said he was retired - my grandpa says that to us! When the girls got wet and looked like dandelions HA! This was an easy and fun read that I think I will laugh out loud to a lot!


Undaunted: My Fight Against America's Enemies, At Home and Abroad

This might be called Brennan's Book of Regrets from the dozen or so times he confesses the sins of his misjudgments and mistakes in this revelatory autobiography. He calls it a memoir: however, it contains substantial details of Brennan's formative years, growing up in New Jersey, and the intimate details of his family including the stresses of his career.

Among Donald Trump's most outspoken critics, Brennan offers a defense for his position in some of the most controversial topics and explanations for his decisions while serving in the White House or as Director of the CIA under the Obama Administration. In total, Brennan served the government through six administrations, more than three and a half decades in the intelligence arena. Regardless of party affiliation or preference, the country owes a debt of gratitude to those who have dedicated their entire lives to public service. Now, although a private citizen, Brennan is a human vault of secrets, a prolific fountain of knowledge about foreign governments, particularly in the Middle East.

What to put in and what to leave out? Therein lies the rub. As with all material submitted for publication by anyone who has worked at the CIA, the Agency has the final say about content. In this case, Brennan was denied access to his own notes taken while serving as CIA Director, a handicap that may account for the fact he gives the tragedy at Benghazi only three paragraphs before shifting to the Syrian civil war. As opposed to spending more than twenty-five pages in the quagmire of how a CIA Classified document-The Panetta File- ended up in the possession of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Among the most captivating portions of this book give a play-by-play insider's perspective on the successful hunt for Osama Bin Laden. On the lighter side, Brennan makes himself an easy target to his critics by laying bare his own vulnerabilities. It would be interesting to read more from Brennan now that the 2020 Presidential Election is over.


When Life Gives You Mangos

When Life Gives You Mangoes is a captivating and wonderfully enthralling read. It is perfectly written for the middle school age reader and comes with a most wonderful plot twist at the end. You really feel all that Clara is struggling with by losing her memory after a hurricane and her experiencing her best friend, Gaynah, acting a bit strange. You feel her frustration as bits and pieces start to come back to her...all with a backdrop of the beautiful Caribbean, the island is a beacon to those who want an exotic vacation. It is only at the end that everything becomes clear and you receive clarity into what happened during the hurricane. I decided to go back and read the book a second time armed with the knowledge of what the plot twist at the end was...and the book was just as enjoyable. This book was a lot of fun to read and I would very much recommend it to my friends.


The Emperor's Wolves (The Wolves of Elantra Book 1)

More than two decades have passed since the murders of the Tha'alani, a feared race of people with the ability to read minds. The case is cold, abandoned. Until, that is, Severn Handred is recruited into the Imperial Wolves, the emperor's executioners. Or, as the people call them, assassins. Severn is teamed with another Wolf to hunt, no matter where the investigation takes them. No matter how dangerous it gets.

Despite having not read the other books in this series, I had only a little trouble understanding the world and characters. The "mystery" element isn't the main focus, it’s more about the invention. The book is dialogue heavy, with paragraphs of info dumps at times, and quite often I got confused as to who was talking. I had to read slowly and reread frequently, but once I got into the story, I really enjoyed it. Although many characters lacked depth, they all had different backstories and personalities, and I found that I loved most of them.


Invader ZIM Best of World Domination

Invader Zim is a gloriously insane franchise. Detailing the adventures of a tiny megalomaniac alien named Zim and his insane, dimwitted robot assistant GIR, these stories feature hilariously grotesque and peculiar attempts to conquer the Earth. Whether it's invading parasitic pants, a godlike space donkey, a burrito-fueled hostile takeover, or the evil plans that happen while you're too busy binge-watching your new favorite show, you have truly never read world-domination plots like these. Basically, these are the plans that came AFTER Plan 9 From Outer Space.

The art style is suitably unhinged, detailing wide-eyed spindly-armed humans affected by Zim's manic attempts at ruling the Earth. Often gross, always weird, and wildly creative, the dark reds, purples, and grays that represent the Invader Zim color palette perfectly complement the mix of childish and sinister tones that Invader Zim stories ricochet between so effortlessly.

This is the perfect introduction to anyone who has never seen Invader Zim or read Jhonen Vasquez's work before. If they enjoy it, it's an honest launchpad from which to explore even weirder adventures. And if they don't, it's the ideal sampling to show them what Zim is all about.


Wild Rain: Women Who Dare

The weather out in the Wyoming mountains can be brutal. Garrett McCray learns this the hard way when, after his horse throws him, he winds up caught in a blizzard. Luckily, he’s found by Spring Lee, a strong-willed rancher determined to make it on her own in the small town of Paradise. Though he came to meet her brother, Dr. Colton Lee, Garrett finds himself far more interested in Spring, while Spring gradually finds herself softening to the stranger and wondering whether sharing her life with another might not be so bad after all.

It’s a trope romance fans know well and yet still can’t get enough of, and I’m no exception. I loved Spring’s pride, and Beverly Jenkins carefully toes the line between softening her enough to accept the possibility of love without making her lose the strength that makes her so compelling. When she’s inside her protagonists’ heads, Jenkins makes the prose sing. It’s loving and luscious, and you can’t help but see how these two could fall for one another. (How could anyone not?) The story feels a bit flatter when other characters start to come into focus, and those scenes often feel more like snippets. It’s a shame, because those shallow scenes are the one thing keeping a great novel from becoming truly wonderful.


How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons): Poetry

Barbara Kingsolver is well-known to her legions of fans for her gorgeously-written, complex, and rich novels as well as her finely-crafted essays. Her poetry, though, is not as well-known, but it is sure to become so. First, the poems are simply beautiful. It is apparent that every word is carefully chosen to bring to life special moments in her life. “Love is not granite boulder, praised/for its size. It’s the water that parts/around it, moving mountains.” She reminds us of the importance of family in her poems about marriage, death, divorce, traveling with family through a foreign country, and the importance of self with poems of being a child, of being untethered, and of being stuck. The writing is, as one might expect from Kingsolver: stunning, raw, moving, lyrical, and real. “This might be the moment to step one last time/from the bedside to mention that while we spoke kindly,/ mostly, my mother and I did not love one another.” There are no punches pulled, no curtains closed, no secrets hidden. This collection is perfect for quiet reflection on those times, people, happenings, and places in our lives that have meant much to us.


Snow: A Novel

Detective Inspector Strafford has been called to investigate a murder at Ballyglass House, the family seat of the Osborne family. It’s 1957 Ireland, with tensions still high between Catholics and Protestants, so when Father Tom, a Catholic priest, is found murdered at the home of a Protestant family, Strafford hits walls at every turn. The Catholic Church is trying to stop the news from spreading, the Osbornes keep pretending Father Tom just fell down the stairs, and even the winter weather is preventing Strafford from doing his job. As Strafford investigates, he comes to discover there were many people who wanted Father Tom dead. Strafford will need to determine who the murderer is and what should be done, because the more he discovers, the more he begins to realize that maybe justice has been done.

I am not sure how much a Catholic would enjoy reading this particular story, as while it is fiction, it covers quite a few historical and still relevant issues. It is well written, but I found it incredibly sad. The interlude section was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to read. This story definitely causes you to stop and think, considering what you would do if you were investigating this case. I would recommend this book, but warn of some difficult sections to read that could cause some harm to anyone who has gone through such things themselves.


The Girl in the Mirror: A Novel

When Iris looks at The Girl in the Mirror, she sees, not herself, but her twin sister Summer. They are identical twins but mirror images of each other with their differences reversed, inside and out. Summer asks Iris to help her sail their family yacht home and while on that journey, Summer falls overboard. In a moment of panic, Iris decides to assume her sister’s identity and be wife to Summer’s husband and mother to her stepson. When Iris gets pregnant, she starts to have second thoughts about her new life. Things start to happen around her that make her question how much she really knew about her sister and how long she can really keep this pretense going?

I’ve never been so happy to be an only child. I always thought it would be cool to be a twin, but now I’m kind of rethinking that. The idea of mirror-image twins is fascinating and I have no idea if it’s actually possible or not. The plot was interesting, if not totally original. The book was very short, so there wasn’t a lot of time to get to know many of the characters. I would have definitely liked to hear from Ben more, as he was probably the only likable character in the book. I wouldn’t recommend this if you like happy endings, but if you enjoy family drama and evil sibling thrillers, then you will really enjoy this.


Adventures of a Pangopup

The first thing you notice about this book is the beautiful illustrations. Warm and inviting, Ivan Sulima’s art creates friendly, accessible images to introduce youngsters to the interesting world of pangolins. His use of light is especially compelling. Each image is a joy to examine and packs in lots of fun details to spur conversations with young readers. (Such as, what other animals do you recognize in the picture? What are the animals eating? What kind of environment does this animal live in?) Of course, pangolins are pretty cute as they are, but the illustrations are adorable without being unrealistic. Coupled with the text, this book really is a pleasure to read.

Terri Tatchell has crafted the best kind of rhyming verse story about a young pangolin pup named Pangopup. The rhymes aren't far-fetched or unnatural. The text has a very strong rhythm, which makes it an excellent choice to read aloud.

Although anthropomorphic, the story subtly imparts facts about pangolins, such as that they are nocturnal creatures that live in burrows, and the amusing ways they protect themselves from predators.

Pangopup is befriended by a dik-dik and they explore their world together, making new friends and having a great time. But the new friends run into trouble too.

The story touches on the danger pangolins face at the hands of humans. Nothing is too graphic for young children, but it provides an excellent springboard for conversation about endangered animals and the way some are hunted by humans.

At the end of Pangopup’s exciting story, end matter provides fun opportunities to learn more. There is a brief explanation of what it means to be endangered and why pangolins are in this category. There is also a list of 10 pangolin facts and 5 dik-dik facts. Finally, the back pages of information conclude with a graphic for kids to draw their own pangolin or dik-dik, and five easy ways to help increase awareness of pangolins and help their plight.

Overall, this is a story with exceptional illustrations that will introduce children to a fascinating animal they may have never heard of before. Interested kids may want to dig further into the lives of pangolins and seek out more informational texts and websites to learn more, but this book provides a nice introduction. Also, there’s a wonderful bonus. As stated on the title page, all proceeds from the sale of this book go to pangolin conservation. Giving this book to a child is another easy way to help endangered pangolins. All in all, you can’t go wrong with Adventures of a Pangopup.