Snowflake

Earth is on fire, both literally and metaphorically. Environmental degradation, including air, water, and soil pollution, and extinction of wildlife and habitat destruction is just the tip of the iceberg. Global organizations, NGOs, nations, and citizens have created a global community fighting for the planet’s fate through awareness campaigns, donations, environmental regulations, and laws, but there are those who believe that more drastic measures should be taken.

Enter Ben Wallace or Benji for short, the story’s protagonist. He’s an 18-year-old scholarship student at a fancy private high school who is dealing with his own personal demons. He’s a loner, isolated from others by choice. In the pages of his journal, he finds solace—even if it’s for a short time. While he watches the other students being completely ignorant of what is going on in the world, as far as climate change is concerned, and reading articles and studies that lead him to dark and darker places, he makes a stunning discovery: killing the President of the United States of America will make the world a better place, according to his way of thinking.

So, for the next weeks, he orchestrates a plan to accomplish his purpose. It may seem like an unorthodox and mentally problematic plan but Ben, during his journal entries, analyzes everything—his decision and actions—and he even provides accurate data to support his cause. Some might describe him as an environmental activist, some a terrorist or a threat to national security, some might call him mentally ill. For him, he’s doing the right thing, and nobody can persuade him for anything less.

Snowflake is a fast-paced Environmental Contemporary Thriller. The writing is impeccable, the plot well organized, and the end stays with the reader long after the book is over. Turning the pages one after the other to find out what happens next is a success that author Arthur Jeon takes all the credit. Ben could easily be any 18-year-old living anywhere in the world. He’s so authentic as a character, and that is exactly what makes Snowflake so unique.  It’s a story that speaks of the hard, cold truth. Sometimes we need that in order to see the world more clearly and for what it really is.


Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise

Cary Grant was a Hollywood icon whose debonair manner and matinee good looks made women flock to see him, while men wanted to be him. His career spanned fifty years, in which he flexed his acting talents in multiple genres. He was beloved by audiences and respected by his peers. Yet, did anyone really know Cary Grant? He was born Archibald Leach in 1904 and was raised in Bristol, England. His family life was unsettled at best; the death of an older brother tore his mother and father apart. His mother smothered him with affection early, while his father drank. At eleven years old, his father had his mother committed. Grant’s father lied to him about his mother’s whereabouts. Grant sought escape in the entertainment field, eventually apprenticing with a traveling revue troupe. A trip to the United States in 1920 made his escape permanent. Grant’s talents would emerge with his work on the vaudeville circuit, which evolved into Broadway and then Hollywood. His fame would reach stratospheric heights, but his past loomed over him, always ready to ground him in some aspect.

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise is a triumph of a biography about a truly complex figure. Scott Eyman has crafted a moving look at a much revered star, attempting to penetrate the veneer his subject so carefully put up. Grant is a fascinating subject, enigmatic in many instances, but human throughout. this is a must-read for 2020 and beyond.


The Little Vegan Dessert Cookbook

There is something very comforting about taking an old-fashioned cookbook down from the shelf and paging through to find just the perfect recipe. This sweet little book will satisfy those who like a nice, old-fashioned cookbook and those who need to find a collection of great vintage recipes that are remade for those who are vegans. If you have ever needed to buy a vegan cake or other desserts at a specialty bakery, the prices will make you understand what a gift it would be to be able to create such treats at home. After a quick introduction, there is a section that will help you stock your pantry for vegan baking and a section with baking tips. These are followed by five dessert sections: Cookies, Bars, Cakes, Sweet Breads, and Confections. Don’t miss a chance to try the Lemon Cake Bars. They come out sweet and tangy. The Cranberry Loaf is a perfect sweet bread for crisp autumn days. Mouth-watering photographs accompany excellent instructions. The design of the book will take you on a virtual trip back to the 1950s with a look that replicates ladies' magazines of that time. It’s very cute.


Estelle: A Novel

For a few months in the 1870s, Edgar Degas stayed with family in New Orleans. His visit shook up family dynamics, and he left quite suddenly. In a parallel storyline almost one hundred years later, Anne Gauthier, an intern in a museum, has troubles of her own. Her boyfriend is mysterious -- and not always in an alluring way -- and her attempts to restore an old family home keep her brushing up against New Orleans housing politics and her own half-sister, who is eager to move into the house.

The two stories interweave in curious ways, touching and spinning apart in a plot that stands out from other historical fiction. The characters are engaging, and the mysteries Anne keeps stumbling across, whether related to her boyfriend or to family history, are engrossing and layered, keeping the reader guessing until the last page. At times the narration is clumsy or overstates the obvious, but those are rare moments in an otherwise masterful book. Whenever one of them jarred me from the plot, I soon found myself lost in it again, eagerly awaiting whatever would come next. This is a snippet of art history I had little knowledge of, and the author brought it to life beautifully.


The Radium Girls: Young Readers' Edition

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is ‘The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark'. This book is about a time during the early 1900s when girls and women worked in factories. They painted glow in the dark watches with radium paint! The girls didn’t know that the radium was dangerous until people started getting sick. It was sad and scary to read about how so many people suffered because they were poisoned by radium. The book talks about how the girls fought back to get money for their families and to make sure other girls didn’t get poisoned with the radium. This is a long book but it is exciting to read, even if sometimes it is difficult to think about girls getting poisoned at their jobs. I like that this book includes a timeline and a glossary because that makes it easier to follow along with what happened and when. Also, there are many photographs in the book which bring the story to life. I would recommend this book for readers over age twelve.


Sanctuary

Dan dies at a high school party and the town of Sanctuary is devastated. He was the star quarterback and loved by everyone. Then his best friend comes forward claiming Dan was killed by his ex-girlfriend using witchcraft, and everyone knows Harper is the daughter of a witch. Death by witchcraft is the only one that allows the death penalty in Connecticut. Sarah knows her daughter doesn’t have the gift, but how can she prove it? The whole town is starting to take sides and lines are being drawn. The nation joins in and it doesn’t take long for paranoia and hate crimes to abound. Sarah has to decide how far she’ll go to protect her daughter, even if it costs her everything else she loves.

This book is described as a mix between Big Little Lies and Practical Magic and I cannot think of a more accurate description. The writing style is so similar to Big Little Lies, with the story told from multiple viewpoints and including notes from interviews and newspaper clippings. I don’t think the ending was as surprising as it was meant to be, but it did not detract at all from the suspense. I could not put this book down, which is saying something because it’s over four hundred pages long. I loved the alternate reality that the author created with witchcraft being accepted but still feared. If you enjoyed Big Little Lies, you should definitely read this book. I hope the author continues to write more.


From the first heart transplant to the federal courts of New York City, these four reads take an in-depth look at the death of Bruce Tucker, the transition of America into a one-click society, the groundbreaking work of William Smith, and the callousness of a billion-dollar industry.

The Districts: Stories of American Justice from the Federal Courts – Johnny Dwyer

Delve into this comprehensive look into the court system within Manhattan and Brooklyn. The two federal courts of Southern District Court and Eastern District Court keep order in New York City. Johnny Dwyer provides multiple stories as examples that range from a Mafioso in Queens helping depose of a body to a college student caught at the JFK airport with cocaine to a Manhattan hedge fund manager that lies to investors. Dwyer takes an in-depth exploration of the courtrooms through the lives of the judges, attorneys, prosecutors, and defendants. The crimes mentioned in the book include drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, and white-collar crime. /The Districts/ takes a hard and honest look at intent, deception, justice, and reasonable doubt.

The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South – Chip Jones

Chip Jones recounts the horrific events surrounding the first heart transplant which occurred in 1968 when Bruce Tucker, a black man, went to the top hospital in Virginia after a head injury only to have his heart removed and placed inside a white businessman. This book from Pulitzer Price-nominee journalist delves into Tucker's death and how he became a human guinea pig without his family knowing. These events reflect a long history of the mistreatment African Americans have endeared which began over a century ago with horrific actions including cadaver harvesting. The 1960s saw a race for the first successful heart transplants in a book that balances medical history, legal drama, and the issues of life and death told through the lens of racial injustice that has been around for centuries. Also included is a forward from Ben Jealous who is a social justice activist.

Strata: William Smith's Geological Maps – Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Full-color geological map illustrations, geological cross-sections, strata tables, fossil illustrations, and photographs are included within /Strata: William Smith's Geological Maps/. Also included in /Strata/ is Smith's 1799 geological map of Bath, detailed stratigraphical country maps, and the groundbreaking map of strata. The information is thanks to a variety of sources such as the London Natural History Museum, the Geological Society, and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This includes the first complete presentation of the revolutionary work of William Smith, a geologist, from the nineteenth century. He's considered the father of English geology. This book illustrates the career of William Smith as he went from an apprentice to a surveyor and collector of fossils and even his imprisonment over debt problems. An introduction from Douglas Palmer describes Smith's work as it relates to structure specifically towards geographical mapping and theories of biostratigraphical. The book is divided into four parts and contains sheets from Smith's 1815 hand-colored map, cross-sections, and fossil illustrations. Between each section are essays commenting on Smith's work in areas of hydrology, mining, cartography, and agriculture. This testament to Smith's career includes a forward from Robert Macfarlane and an awe-inspiring collection.

Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America – Alec MacGillis

Upton Sinclair published a novel with the subtitle /A Story of Ford-America/ which called out a billion-dollar company for how it underpaid employees and had dangerous working conditions. Going forward eighty-three years, Amazon.com has well over a trillion dollars while Ford Motor Company is worth around thirty billion dollars. One-click America has intensified under the pandemic of the Coronavirus due to the increase in online shopping. As Amazon grows through deliveries, corporate campuses, and data centers, a separation between winner and loser cities begins to grow. The book focuses on the fabric of society unraveling which is told through stories about those that have succeeded and those that haven't. These examples include high-paid Seattle workers in offices where a black neighborhood once was, Virginia homeowners that work against a data center that could damage their local environment, and an El Paso office supply firm that works against Amazon's governmental procurement. MacGillis also includes in /Fulfillment/ how Amazon become a Washington D.C. force, the growing inequality between the poor and rich, and how every click online is remaking America.


Scritch Scratch

Do you believe in ghosts? Scritch Scratch is a pretty cool book! It’s about twelve-year-old Claire who lives in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Claire’s dad is a ghost researcher who has a ghost tour business. Claire doesn’t believe in ghosts until the night when she has to help her dad on the ghost tour. That night a ghost follows her home! At first, Claire tries to keep everybody else from finding out about the ghost. She is afraid her dad will find out and add their house to his ghost tour. But finally, her brother finds out. At school, the ghost follows her into the bathroom. When her best friend finds her, the ghost turns on all the faucets and flushes all the toilets at the same time. With her friend’s help, Claire starts to solve the mystery of who the ghost is, and what it wants.

So watch out! This book gets scary! But my grandparents live in Chicago, so it is cool to read about places I know. My sister helped me with this book, because it’s pretty long, and it’s really for kids her age (she’s twelve). Scritch Scratch is part ghost story, part self-help for seventh-grade girls. I like Claire and her friends and her older brother Sam, but they are all a lot nicer than real people (I have an older brother, so I know).


Little Blue House Beside the Sea

In Little Blue House Beside the Sea, a young child shares the indelible love she has for a house that rests high up on a hill near the seashore. She describes the lively, yet tranquil environment surrounding it - the flowers that provide nourishing nectar for the bees, the boats that drift slowly by, and the puffins who display their afternoon catch for all to see. She peers at the humpback whales who play out in the distance and the gorgeous glistening of the moon at night. The lighthouse towers shining brightly and the waves rising and falling in tumultuous rhythm both catch her attention, too. There is simply no other place she’d rather be than the little blue house beside the sea.

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book with a welcoming aura of simplicity. The contentment the young girl feels at the special place near the sea is palpable. With the exception of the very first spread, she is alone throughout the story. Nature is her company; in it, she basks. Given she appears to be no older than eight or nine, her solitude adds a mysterious edge, leading readers to question where her parents might be. This text is ideal for lessons involving inquiry as well as those concerning rhyme and other notable literary features. Interestingly, the author shares at the end what inspired her to write this thoughtful story.


Minee Strategy Convincing Courting of the Mind

Minee Strategy: Convincing and "Courting" of the Mind will be understandable for physics, chemistry, and math teachers, but the author also explains that others who have a scientific background from high school classes will be able to understand the ideas and benefit from the knowledge presented in the book. The book separates into five parts that explain the why, what, and how of using Minee. The "Why" section states the importance of Minee, how it came to be, and a compare/contrast graph of the traditional and Minee strategy. The "What" section states its definition, features, and its "mission." The "How" section shows how to use Minee's strategy to solve scientific problems using physical, comparison, chemical, and mathematical examples. Part four is about using Minee for students and teachers, and part five is for leaders and specialists.

The purpose of this book is to provide a secondary technique to utilize when having trouble comprehending information; this is helpful when the learner does not benefit from the traditional way of learning. The author highlights its simplicity and flexibility. While explaining the strategy in part three, or "How," a benefit of Minee is that it's customizable to the individual learner by a variety of marks, drawings, and color-coding changes. The "convincing" and "courting" terms refer to the comprehension of information such as scientific formulas and logical sequence, and examples of them presented phonetically and visually. Keeping the brain stimulated is a vital aspect of this strategy; examples of how to achieve this are in the text.

The author explains how to use the Minee strategy in a user-friendly way; albeit, a learner with a scientific mind will benefit much more than others. The reader should indeed avoid part three when reading through Minee Strategy if you are not familiar with advanced mathematical processes. If the reader is comfortable with such scientific and mathematical procedures, the examples presented show the Minee strategy applied to various types of calculations. This reviewer feels that Minee would be an excellent alternative for students who struggle with the traditional way of learning material in a classroom setting. As the author states, "Minee is a "compressed capsule" of scientific thinking steps in an easy, harmonious, innate style." This reviewer appreciates the time and effort from the author that is evident in his detailed examples, instructions, and illustrations; it is clear that this is his "baby." The author covers every aspect of this strategy that this reviewer could think of; it is worth the read to find a way of learning that will stick with the reader for the long-term and ensure success in future endeavors.


The Last Lumenian

So many changes so fast may just give Lilla whiplash. Lilla recently suffered through her father’s marriage to her former friend and only begrudgingly earned acceptance into the rebellion to help the refugees her father exploits. She cannot believe his callousness toward the people seeking shelter on Uhna, their home, nor his intention to use them as slaves in his mines, which is his main income as King. On one such rebel mission, her claustrophobia ruins her chances to show how useful she can be, repeating an event in her past. After returning disgraced, her place in the rebellion is challenged but meeting the handsome General Callum may help. However, no matter how she feels toward the general, her father’s marriage contract seems perfectly placed to remove her from her home and end her plans, much to her step-mother’s delight. Meanwhile, magic seems to be gathering in her limbs, but without any guidance, her only outlet is damaging and painful. When a visit from the good Arch-goddess reveals the truth about her heritage, Lilla must decide what role she wants to play in the upcoming Era War: maintaining her spoiled princess upbringing, or following in her mother’s exalted footsteps. It will not be an easy choice to make, as one may end her world but the other may end her life.

If that cover doesn’t cause a double-take, then the last line of the author’s dedication just might: To all of you, dear readers, who took a chance without realizing the dangers of how addictive this story will be. Good news: there will be more to come. Such a confident boast brings with it high expectations, and this novel mostly delivers. The action is fast-paced but the timeline can be confusing, as the flashback at the beginning does not seem best served out of chronological order. Some chapters seem unnecessary and irrelevant to the story’s progress, but Lilla is entertaining if young, quipping modern slang and pop culture throughout her escapades. The combination of fairy tale-feel with the darkness of zombies and possession create a story of contrasts, just as Lilla’s roles contrast as she’s forced to grow up. The romance is sweet, the dialogue witty, and the world building fascinating, while the short chapters make it easy to finish just one more. While not award-winning, The Lumenian is definitely entertaining and good for an afternoon or three of escaping reality.


The Last Lumenian

Lilla is a princess whose father has shifted his rule to the one of a tyrant and it only gets worse when he marries, giving Lilla a new stepmother who has her own wicked agenda. The first action her stepmother takes is to convince Lilla's father to sign a marriage contract that will send her far away. But Lilla has a plan of her own. She's not a princess that waits for events to unfold. She's a rebel who's fighting with her people for their freedom. The handsome general Callum arrives with secrets of his own and charms Lilla in a way she never expected. It doesn't help when her life is thrown into the drama between the gods and a war explodes between two archgods that pulls Lilla into the middle, which pushes her into discovering her own magical potential that will have her pushing her abilities to their fullest. To fulfill her destiny she must prepare to come face to face with the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction.

Heralded as a princess with strength and valor, Lilla was given a strong-willed voice and attitude that is woven from SG Blaise delivering a wonderfully dynamic heroine weighed down by her duties as a princess and a rebel. Both sides of her are taken with the same level of detail and with the side given equal precedent as the story progresses. Blaise uncovers various layers of Lilla weaving her between her role as a hero (taking on the Archgod of Chaos)—one as a princess, and one as a rebel. She's fierce and clever with qualities that serve her throughout her journey and guide her into uncovering the different facets of herself. From the first page, you're introduced to Lilla, an established rebel and the crown princess, with the immediate struggle of these two sides driving her. She's torn between the duty she has to her father and her duty to her people, which pulls her to turning against her own crown to become a rebel. Four sides are explored throughout as Lilla is being pulled in these four directions, and each side is an important element for her progression into the hero she's destined to become.

The magic Lilla has within her slowly is revealed with her powers pushing her to a path she never predicted and challenging her to become more than the rebel and the princess. This side of herself is the tug to become a hero that is centered on her destiny to fight against a powerful god. Just as Lilla has various elements to her character, Blaise also weaves in several threads of the genre to breathe life into the world and sets this story apart from others with elements of science fiction, fairytale, and fantasy. Blaise blends these various elements together for a unique and original setting with a vibe of fairytales seen through the actions of a wicked stepmother, with her planet crafted around a science fiction mold, and the magic and mythology akin to a fantasy adventure. Each thread that creates this breathtaking world reflects various aspects of Lilla's own personality.

The story has grand mythology that's rooted within the actions of meddling gods and the war they pull Lilla into, with her destiny fitted to that of a hero of legend. The story weaves in touches of romance though being part of Lilla's story; her romantic options are not the center of her world. Though, the chemistry with Arrov, as two rebels relying on each other, and friction with Callum creates a delightful undertone to the action-packed moments. The Last Lumenian is an exciting read with a complex heroine with a layered and complex story that takes her from princess to rebel to hero through a journey that consists of magic, gods, war, rebellion, betrayal, and romance.


The Last Lumenian

Growing up in the Crystal Palace as the heir of the king, Lilla knows what’s expected of her, but she’s a rebel at heart and is determined to forge her own path. She secretly befriends the refugees in Uhna, her homeland and the richest of the Seven Galaxies. They’re being held against their will by the ruling class, facing both oppression and maltreatment. Lilla lost her mother at age of five and yearns to learn more about the woman she once was. She discovers her mother fought for the refugees as well.<br<>br>When Lilla and her friend Arrov set out to complete her first official mission, their spacecraft collides into an asteroid, causing devastating damage. They’re rescued by the Teryns, whose empire put more refugees in the camps than any other nation. They’re known enemies but wish to join forces with the inhabitants of Uhna in order to form a strong alliance. They believe it’s the only way forward in fighting the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction. He’s on the verge of starting another Era War, the last of which was a millennium ago, and caused widespread death of destruction.

As time progresses, Lilla receives a visit from the Lady, the Archgoddess of Eternal Light and Order, the mother all Lumenians. She informs Lilla her mother was one of her sacred children, a Lumenian. Now that she’s gone, Lilla is the only one that remains. It’s ultimately up to her to save her planet, as Lumenians are the only ones with the power to destroy the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction. Though she’s hesitant to enter the battle, she knows it’s the only way to preserve what is good and pure. With the artful use of the magical powers she possesses, she and the lead Teryns destroy the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction, saving countless others from certain death.

The Last Lumenian is an intriguing and entertaining story that’s sci-fi and fantasy with a sliver of romance trickling through it. Lilla and Callum, the general of the Teryns, are from disparate sides. Lilla’s from the wealthiest of galaxies, in which royalty and power reign; Callum is from a galaxy whose leaders sent more rebels to refugee camps than any other, and in which dominance is the aspiration. When they first meet as a result of a failed mission, contempt and distrust surrounds them. However, as time progresses, they realize they have more in common than they thought and may desperately need each other in the end. As the frequency of their encounters increase, they begin to fall in love and become the central figures in the tale. Their relationship adds depth to the text, humanizing it and captivating readers as the layers of it unfold.

This book is divided into nice, short, concise chapters, and though it spans just over 300 pages, it’s a relatively quick read. The author, S.G. Blaise, is masterful with her transitions, leaving just enough unsaid to keep readers on edge. She’s creative as well with blending a bit of predictability with an array of unexpected surprises. The ending chapter is satisfying and somewhat conclusive, though a sequel may not be out of the question.

The target audience for The Last Lumenian is adults, and females will likely favor it over males. With the exception of a love scene or two and some mild language, it’s appropriate for teens and young adults. It would be an ideal pick for children ages 10-12 if an adapted version were made available. They would likely find it a stimulating and engaging read and would be enthralled by the sci-fi and fantasy elements in it.


The Last Lumenian

Lilla is Ma’hana, a princess, her father being King Uhna. Even while she’s still mourning the death of her mother, her father is marrying Beathag, a young woman about the same age as her. But not only is her father making mistakes in matrimony, but he’s also using the burgeoning numbers of refugees who migrate to the planet hoping for a safe haven as slaves in the crystal mines. Lilla has befriended many of them who serve at the court and when they begin to get arrested and turn up murdered, she seeks answers. Through her investigations, she becomes involved with the rebels who are seeking rights and justice for the refugees. But a mission on behalf of the rebels almost gets her killed only to be saved by Callum a’ruun, second War General of the Teryn Praelium.

The Teryns have come to Uhna to negotiate an alliance with Lilla’s father to stand against the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction who is determined to start an Era War. The Archgod’s victory is assured if only he can find and destroy the last of the Lumenians. He’s narrowed his search down to the planet Uhna, and now, disguised in the body of a mortal, searching for his unwary victim.

Poor Lilla, not only is she falling for Callum, the War General of The Brutes of the Seven Galaxies, she’s also had a visit from the Archgoddess of the Eternal Light and Order who said her mother was a Lumenian, and as her daughter, she is the last of the line. That makes her the missing ingredient in the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction’s recipe for victory. Oh yeah, and she’s got claustrophobia.

The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise is a space fantasy-romcom melange that contains an equal amount of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, seasoned liberally with superheroes, plus a hint of Cinderella. Have I forgotten anything? Yes. It’s garnished with zombies.

With nearly every chapter, the author introduces a new plotline and new characters until it becomes almost impossible to follow. And why bother, since all these characters, with the exception of the protagonist, are one-dimensional and not worth the effort. Neither is the convoluted, though predictable, plot where every conflict is resolved by chance interventions or magic, or both. Merit has to be awarded for Blaise’s penchant for fantastical names and her ability to jam all this into one book. But just as too many ingredients can ruin the dish, so this is the case for The Last Lumenian.


The Girl From Dark Dakota

If there was ever a book meant to be made into an awe-inspiring movie, this would be at the top of the list. The Girl From Dark Dakota is the perfect book as far as paranormal suspense goes.

Rachel is a seventeen-year-old girl who was adopted when she was very young. She and her friends have created a ghost hunting group reminiscent of the team on the television series Ghost Adventures. Complete with EVP equipment and all sorts of cameras, the team seeks the undead. But it is not until Jason, an accountant from Chicago, shows up to do an audit for the local hospital that there is any measurable paranormal activity.

On his first night there, chairs are violently thrust against the walls and he senses a presence. When Rachel's friend Shelley tells her about the activity at the hospital (Shelley's mom works there too), the whole team is ready to bust some ghosts. They believe it is the ghost of Annabel Heller, a young woman who was murdered one year ago on Halloween. Add to the mix Dr. Donovan Graves, a paranormal researcher, and Madam Bovell, a medium who seems to have lost her gift, and you have a team that is sure to find out what the spirit, or spirits, are looking for.

The storyline moved along very quickly but with so much detail for the reader to picture each scene that the book really came to life while I was reading it. One part of the book in which the spirit is warning the kids individually is reminiscent of the movie Final Destination where each person faces death in the face. These parts were extremely creative and exciting. The story was full of action and interesting information about paranormal behavior.

The characters were also all so different yet special in their own way. Where else would you find a team of high schoolers, a medium, a paranormal scientist, and an accountant? But this combination works in The Girl From Dark Dakota.

Overall, this book was exciting and full of action from cover to cover. There was never a dull moment. A testament to how good this book was is the fact that I finished it, although it was close to six-hundred pages, in only two days. I just couldn't put it down. I recommend The Girl From Dark Dakota to lovers of paranormal shows and books who are fans of getting goosebumps while they read. This book will have you looking over your shoulder and sleeping with the lights on.


The Girl From Dark Dakota

What do a teen with burgeoning psychic abilities, a professor of parapsychology, a washed-up medium, a skeptic accountant, and a group of young ghost hunters have in common? You will want to read this book to find out! This epic supernatural thriller follows several characters as they investigate paranormal activity in the small town of Williston, North Dakota. As Halloween approaches, they investigate a local ghost story, unravel hidden secrets, and unwittingly reveal an evil that threatens life as they know it.

The cover of this book has an eerie paranormal feel that fits the story. Even though this is a substantial book, it is an easy read. My heart raced and at times my mouth hung open, which my husband thought was pretty comical. There is humor, suspense, action, and lots of paranormal elements. The story flows well and kept me glued to the pages. The length of the chapters is good, with endings that leave you wanting to read more.

I loved the characters; they were well developed and endearing. I was invested in them from each introduction and rooted for them throughout the story. The dialogue between the characters was believable and did not feel forced. Sometimes, when you have multiple storylines, some details get lost; however, that is not the case with this book at all.

I thought the plot of this novel was well thought out, and even though there are lots of moving parts, the author did a great job of weaving them all together. The intertwining storylines keep the reader guessing to the very end. At first, I was afraid that the momentum of the story would slow halfway through, but it did not. The suspense built, then ebbed, then continued to build to the conclusion. The climax of the story did not disappoint and, although I usually enjoy more follow up and resolution, I was pretty satisfied with the ending. An experienced ghost hunter may be able to pick apart some of the details, but as someone who avidly watches ghost-hunting shows, I could find no fault in the descriptions.

I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book. It’s right up there with other thrillers I’ve read by Dean Koontz and Stephen King. I am definitely interested in reading other novels by this author. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal thrillers, ghost hunting, or generally spooky stuff.


The Girl From Dark Dakota

One year ago, on Halloween, Annabel Heller was murdered. Since then, Rachel has been hearing her ghost. Along with her friends in their ghost-hunting club, she’s been trying to communicate with her and obtain proof of life after death in the place Annabel is most often seen or heard, the hospital where she died. Jason has been called to the same hospital to audit their records. While there late at night, he has seen more of Annabel than anyone else. He can tell she has something she wants him to know, but can’t quite figure out the message. Dr. Graves, who has spent his life debunking ghost hunters and mediums, receives a message from his dead son to reunite with Madam Bovell, who he exposed as a fraud years ago. Madam Bovell, who lost her gift to speak to the dead, has recently been having visions that indicate she needs to find Rachel.

With Halloween fast approaching, all these people are drawing together to right a wrong and uncover the lies surrounding Annabel’s death. But there are bigger forces at work and something evil is lurking in the small town of Williston, North Dakota. Rachel is only seventeen, but she may be the only one who can put Annabel’s spirit to rest and save the rest of the town from this unseen evil.

Creepy hospital wings and abandoned farmhouses, ghost sightings, and unseen forces out to do evil, this book has it all! Something I really appreciated about this book was actually it’s length. It is a fairly long book, almost 600 pages. Normally, I wouldn’t say that’s a good thing, but in this case, it was because it allowed the author to expand on the mystery and characters of the ghosts as well as each of the main characters. The exceptional length gave the reader an opportunity to get more deeply involved in the lives of the characters and to try to understand why Annabel’s spirit lingered on.

This story is less of the shock and awe type of ghost story; it has more depth to it than that. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of scary moments, but there is actually a story involved that stays with you when you’re done. It was very hard to put down, with each chapter bringing you one step closer to solving the puzzle. Overall, it is very well-written with relatable characters who have depth to them and a story that sucks you in. If you enjoy ghost stories that lean more toward the realistic than the scare factor, you will enjoy this book. I know I did.


The Girl From Dark Dakota

Bryan Devore's The Girl from Dark Dakota is a delightfully dark paranormal suspense mystery. We, along with the major characters, are drawn into the story of Annabel and Rubin, victims of a Halloween murder-suicide. Nearly a year has passed and, as the anniversary draws nigh, Rachel, a psychic sensitive, and her group of ghost hunter friends carry out a clandestine stakeout at the hospital where Annabel drew her final breath. Here, they stumble across Jason, an accountant called in to conduct an audit. He doesn't want to believe, but ends up neck deep in the paranormal despite himself. The final players are Dr. Graves, a hopeful skeptic, and Madam Bovell, a disgraced medium. Pulled together, at this time and in this place, each has lessons of faith and trust to learn as they unravel the truth behind Annabel's death.

I was immediately drawn in! I enjoy the paranormal, and I am always up for a good mystery. I liked the argument made toward the end, that Lucifer is how he is because there are things God wants done but doesn't want to be responsible for doing. It made me think of Loki and Odin. Also, the notion that, in terms of the Christian religion, the reason there is evil in the world is because that's what God wants because he wants free will in the world. I've always been of the mind that that's pretty messed up. But then, I'm a pagan, and Rokkatru to boot. I know the true value of the Trickster and of the Destroyer, who is, by virtue of destroying, also a consummate Creator. That's not quite how the message was intended here though, and other parts of the story were a bit heavy on Lucifer as the Corrupter.

One point did kick me out of the story. A character fell asleep for twenty minutes and had a nightmare, but said that was impossible because REM sleep is part of deep sleep, occurring ninety minutes into a sleep cycle. REM sleep is the deepest, or fourth level, of sleep, but it is very different from what is properly called "deep sleep," and while *most* dreaming, including nightmares, occurs during REM, that's not always so, and I've had plenty of vivid dreams/nightmares during fifteen- to thirty-minute catnaps. Myriad factors play into this, and we know relatively little about sleep in truth.

This book is perfect for fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz and shows such as Supernatural, The X-Files, and Dark.


This Little Light: A Novel

In a slightly dystopian vision of a future America, women’s bodies are no longer really theirs: abortion is criminal, pre-marital sex is discouraged in theory (but, unsurprisingly, still rampant in practice), and young girls across the country attend sensationalized “chastity balls” where they dress as virgin brides and promise their daddies they’ll remain chaste until marriage. Rory and Fee never really wanted to attend a chastity ball, but get swept up in the excitement… until the bomb explodes. Now the girls are the prime suspects and they’re on the run. Rory writes a blog during their time in hiding, determined to tell the truth because she’s not sure if they’ll live through the experience, and it’s vital that the secrets they know to be revealed one way or another.

This Little Light is a fast-paced read that pulls readers in quick. This novel has a lot more depth than readers might initially believe, and this alternate/possible future is fascinating and horrifying all at once. Some parts of the story are a little bit predictable, but others will feel like a punch to the gut, so surprising are the twists and turns. This book is highly recommended.


488 Rules for Life: The Thankless Art of Being Correct

Etiquette books are not nearly as popular as they used to be, but that doesn’t mean a person never needs one. The world has changed a lot in the last few years, so older etiquette books are pretty useless. But now Kitty Flanagan, a comedian from down under, has written a very useful book for getting along in today’s world. Feel like telling all the details of a movie or TV show? Rule 98 will remind you that doesn’t make for good conversation. Dining at a buffet? Rule 147 is there to tell you “all you can eat” is a marketing tool, not an order. Thinking about proposing at a hockey game on the Kiss Cam? You might want to read Rules 188 and 189. Are you contemplating getting a tattoo? Check out Rules 256 to 262 before you make any decisions. This is a clever book with a lot of common sense, some serious ideas, and a good helping of tongue in cheek advice. It is the sort of book to take on a road trip to read aloud in the car or keep by one’s chair (or perhaps one’s commode) to read in short chunks. Don’t miss it.


The Future of Nutrition: An Insider's Look at the Science, Why We Keep Getting It Wrong, and How to Start Getting it Right

If we are so scientifically advanced, how can we also be so sick?

T. Colin Campbell tries to answer this question in The Future of Nutrition: An Insider’s Look at the Science, Why We Keep Getting It Wrong, and How to Start Getting It Right. In this book, he addresses the prejudices in science holding us back as well as how cancer and heart disease continue to affect so many. A follow-up to Campbell’s other groundbreaking works, The China Study, which has been described as “the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted,” and Whole, The Future of Nutrition is a deep dive into the field of nutrition and the pitfalls in science.

Insightful when it comes to “disease care over health care,” Campbell’s work exposes the flaws in the system and furthers the cause of a whole food, plant-based diet. While it may sound like an radical option, choosing facts over feelings is rarely the wrong choice. This book helps cut through the conflicting and confusing messaging of the diet industry to give readers information to use in their decision making regarding what actually goes into their mouths. It’s our integration with nature that will ultimately lead us to wisdom.


Weird But True Halloween: 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly

Halloween is a favorite holiday of children, and this book will be a favorite of youngsters in the seven- to ten-year-old range. It’s filled with bright photographs, graphics, and illustrations that are all about Halloween time or spooky (but not really scary) things such as the fact that the gargoyles on Notre Dame Cathedral are an architectural device designed to protect it from bad spirits, or that ghost-faced bats were named that because they have a ghoulish face with tiny eyes that seem to be in their huge ears, or the fact that there is a skeleton museum that uses flesh-eating beetles to clean the bones.

It also has a lot of fun facts about Halloween-related things such as the fact that giant pumpkins can grow as much as 60 pounds in one day, or that in the United States over 600 million pounds of candy are sold each Halloween, or that originally turnips were carved instead of pumpkins. There is nothing challenging or profound about this book, but youngsters will find it very entertaining, and it may be a really good way to invite reluctant readers to read.


Burn You Twice

In Burn You Twice, it’s been ten years since Joan and her college roommate Ann survived a fire set by an arsonist. Right after that, Joan left Montana and went back home to Philadelphia, leaving the memories and her boyfriend, Gideon, behind. Now a detective, Joan spends most of her time trying to solve arson cases. Then she receives a letter from prison, letting her know that Elijah, the classmate convicted of setting the fire all those years ago, has served his time and is returning home to Montana. On suspension anyway, Joan decides to head back and see what his plan is. Another fire breaks out and a woman ends up dead, but Elijah has an alibi. Joan works with Gideon to find out who set the fire and figure out if Elijah was innocent the whole time. She’s already been burned once; she won’t let it happen again.

This was a great story. It’s classified as romance fiction, but I would say it’s more of a suspense story with some romance thrown in. Much more of the story dealt with Joan and Gideon working the case and trying to solve all the arsons, then focusing on their romance. It’s definitely peppered throughout but isn’t the main focus. Overall, it was an entertaining read and if you enjoy suspense stories, then I think this is one you’ll want to add to your marked to-read list.


I Survived The California Wildfires, 2018 (I Survived #20) (20)

Josh was terrified when he saw the police cars at his house, sure that someone was seriously hurt. He was not prepared to find out his father was accused of  a crime. To escape the attention, he and his mom go to California to visit family. His cousin, Holly, shows Josh all around the wilderness by her home and, surprisingly, Josh begins to enjoy himself. When terrible news from home intrudes on his peaceful getaway, he races from the house to try to outrun the storm in his mind. Holly chases after him, but they get caught in a quick-moving forest fire. They must rely on instinct and the fire safety tips they’ve just recently learned if they hope to make it out alive.

This 20th book in the I Survived series does not disappoint. Tarshis has deftly woven a realistic story into a recent disaster of epic proportions. There is terror evident in the characters’ battle for safety, magnified by the fact that these events truly occurred. Facts and research follows the survival story, including an explanation of its conception and an introduction to the people who shared their harrowing personal experiences, giving readers insight into the author’s writing process. Another instant kid favorite.


How to Get Away with Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 2)

Twelve-year-old aspiring detective Myrtle Hardcastle doesn’t want to go to the English seaside on a relaxing vacation with her Aunt Helena. She would prefer to stay at home and keep an eye out for the next mystery to pop up. But alas, Myrtle is forced to leave on a train with her aunt, her cat, and her governess. How will she ever survive?

Myrtle strikes up an unlikely friendship with Ms. Bloom, a detective assigned the job of watching the Northern Lights tiara. When someone is murdered and the tiara is stolen, Myrtle knows that it is up to her to find the murderer and recover the tiara. Every clue leads to a dead end, and Myrtle doesn’t know if she can catch the killer. When Aunt Helena is suspected, Myrtle realizes time is running out.

I liked this book because it was a perfect mystery and featured a spunky heroine in charge. I enjoyed following each clue along with Myrtle, and I eagerly await the next book in this series!


At the Edge of the Haight

Maddy is a young girl who lives on the streets of San Francisco and sleeps in Golden Gate Park. She has forged a small family of youths like herself who gather together at night to sleep until rousted by the morning police rounds. She cares for a stray dog called Root, who is her companion and protector. A secondary protector is her friend Ash, who has ways charming enough to scrounge for subsistence on the mean streets. The book opens as Root finds a young murder victim in the bushes. In pursuit of Root, Maddy sees the dying boy and his assailant. We see how thin her means of protection become as she navigates through having become a witness to this crime.

LIke many on the streets, Maddy had no real home or family; she is unattached to people and protection. Throughout the story, this reader worried about Maddy and longed for her to find her way off the streets. Unlike many novels, the author does not provide easy answers. The resonant title of this book reflects the edge of a hateful life on the streets.


Beauty Tempts the Beast: A Sins for All Season Novel (Sins for All Seasons Book 6)

Benedict Trewlove, often called Beast for his ferocity, can be just as rough around the edges as any of his siblings. Just like them, however, he has a heart of gold, and when he meets Althea Stanwick, a duke’s daughter fallen from grace, he can’t help but offer to help her. He offers her a job, and a sizeable amount of money, if she can teach the women in a brothel he owns to move through respectable circles and gain better lives for themselves. She accepts, but on one condition: while she teaches the prostitutes to be respectable women, Beast must teach her how to become a seductress.

What follows is a fascinating romance, a give-and-take that keeps the two sides perfectly balanced. The desire Beast and Althea feel for one another is palpable from the first few chapters, but mixed in with breathless encounters are tender moments that show the humanity beneath the hard shell each carries. I love finding romances where both parties have reasons to be guarded, and in Lorraine Heath’s latest, half the fun is watching as each gradually lets their guard down. I fell in love—hard—at the start, and stayed that way all the way through.


The Girl with the Cat

Beverley Brenna, Illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan

When Caroline and her brother discover a local art gallery, a bronze statue of a little girl in a rocking chair grabs her attention. Caroline reaches out and touches the girl, Nina, and her cat, Sammy, who rests upon her lap. They remind her of the things she left behind in Toronto: a cat of her own and friends she adores. With each visit, she shares a little more of herself. The hole in her heart begins to mend. Then, one day, she finds a sign beside Nina and Sammy stating they will soon be gone. Devastated, she writes a letter to the director, hoping the small amount of savings she encloses will make a difference. Her efforts go public, and with the help of the community, the statue is purchased and will remain a fixture in the gallery for years to come.

This is a poignant story about a child who feels vulnerable and alone after leaving a place she deeply loves. With no friends to comfort her, she finds solace in the time she spends with Nina and Sammy. Her passion leads others to contribute, and her dream of keeping them near becomes a reality. Caroline’s legacy is real, and the statue she fought so hard to keep remains in the gallery today.

This is undoubtedly a noteworthy book of magnificent quality. It’s full of rich, figurative language and sends a powerful message to young children. They’ll be touched by its sweetness and will favor the detailed, soft-hued illustrations that bring the narrative to life.


My Kind of Earl (The Mating Habits of Scoundrels)

Jane Pickering is the heroine every other romance-novel protagonist needs: she is writing a book intended to teach the young ladies of London how to deal with the opposite sex, from dull men to scoundrels. Her studies, however, are soon to take on a much more hands-on element. During an exploratory trip to a brothel (for research, of course), she encounters Raven: tall, dark, handsome, and not nearly as good at pretending to be a society man as he thinks. Their chance encounter might be the only time they see one another, but for the fact that Raven’s birthmark reminds Jane of something she has seen before. Raven has secrets in his past, things which even he may not know.

The first book in Lorret’s series delighted me with its unconventional heroine and the genuine emotion that blossomed between the two protagonists. The second certainly lives up to the first, and I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series. Lorret has a knack not only for writing scoundrels (and her scoundrels are certainly delicious) but also for women who not only proclaim to be cut from a different cloth than other romantic heroines but read that way as well. Add to that her witty prose, and you have a winning book in the making.


The Other Side

Liam is twelve-years-old and soccer is his whole life. He and his Opa (grandfather) are watching the lead up to the 2014 World Cup soccer games, a bond the two of them share. But Opa is dying. When Liam finds the dead body of a high school girl along the shore near his grandfather’s house, his life is thrown into further turmoil. Was it an accident or was it murder? Liam is overwhelmed and haunted by the sight of a dead body. Opa has also chosen this time to disclose to Liam stories about his experience as a German World War II veteran, fighting on the side of the Nazis. Liam tries to solve what he believes is a murder so he can make sense of his world again.

The Other Side by Heather Camlot is both an intriguing mystery set in contemporary Canada, and a poignant story about a loving family coming to terms with the past. Camlot expertly navigates the themes of death, Jewish identity, and inter-generational relationships. Its dark themes and noir-esque style may skew the readership to upper middle grade.


Because of That Crow

Harris is ten years old and struggling with guilt over being the sole survivor of a terrible car accident that killed both his parents. He and his older sister, Tessa, and his younger sister, Pinky. live with his grandfather. Grampa seems angry a lot of the time, and sometimes Harris’s behavior doesn’t help, like when he doesn’t do his school work. He has a science project to do. It’s really important to his teacher that all the children in the class do well as these projects are for the science fair. Harris has a poster that is overdue, and he is having a tough time coming up with an idea when a crow shows up. He is intelligent and starts to follow Harris around, distracting him from what he should be doing. That crow changes things for Harris, inspiring his science project and helping him understand his own problems and those of other family members.

Author Beverley Brenna has written a rich, complex story that will help youngsters discover important things about themselves and those around them. The writing is beautiful, the story compelling, and the characters fully developed and engaging. It’s short, sweet, and a real winner.


Protectors of the Planet: Environmental Trailblazers from 7 to 97

Popular science writer and biologist Jamie Bastedo has movingly portrayed the lives of a dozen Canadian environmentally enthusiastic participants who range in age from nine to ninety-seven. Through lengthy interviews covering their backgrounds, interests, upbringings, passions, and achievements, the stories of these Canadian environmental trailblazers rise from the pages as modern-day luminaries. Many, influenced from childhood, have followed their passions to study and preserve threatened wildlife, endangered ecosystems, vanishing cultures, and to educate the public about the climate change threat. Read the inspiring stories about the lady who loved giraffes, about others studying and championing threatened sea turtles, bees, and even endangered wolves, while another works to preserve Inuit culture, or about the tree lovers who battle to protect Canadian forests. Then there are the activist children and adults striving to make the public and politicians cognizant of the perils that our activities contribute to climate change. These inspiring vignettes describing the positive activities achieved by ordinary individuals serve as exemplars that all readers can follow and partially identify within efforts to maintain a viable and sustainable environment. Each chapter is supplemented with suggestions for individual involvement in these environmental problems. Altogether this modest paperback packs both an amazing adventure story with an educational awakening.


Black River Lantern

You might not know this, but there's a difference between a circus and a carnival. A circus is a traveling affair, bringing its whimsy and wonders along for a brief respite, then continuing onwards. A carnival, on the other hand, stays in place, sometimes for years, and cultivates a relationship with a town. A carnival takes root. And the Marivicos Carnival has deeper roots than anyone suspects.

Run by the ambitious, maniacal, and ruthless Papa Marivicos, the carnival has been part of Kayjigville for generations. Its current star attraction? Papa's son Eddie, who has the gift (and the curse) of reading minds. As Eddie comes to grips with his unique abilities—and the consequences of a hard choice made years ago—he slowly grows beyond the role Papa has cast him in. There are strange forces at work, within and without, and Eddie and his Papa are destined for a showdown.

You see, Papa's plans for the Marivicos Carnival extend much further than Eddie suspects. A local lady of the evening, a friendly doctor and his troubled wife, a predatory businesswoman with an axe to grind...people large and small will soon find themselves woven into the story of the Marivicos Carnival, for better or for worse.

Black River Lantern is a deliciously sinister story, one steeped in all that rural Americana has to offer. It's a tale of family and dark forces, fates and fortunes, a modern myth born at the crosswords of the old world and the new. It's hard to encapsulate what makes this book so electric. There's something grand and mythic about it, while remaining a relatively simple tale of small-town life and its unexpected twists and turns. It's big and small all at once. There is love and loss and violence and family obligation and it's all spun into a rich goulash, overflowing with anger and heartache and desire. These all feel like real characters. They have flaws and make mistakes, they can be selfless and selfish. Even amidst strange supernatural happenings and twisted back-alley dealings with corrupt officials, you believe deep down that the protagonists are good people trapped in a peculiar web spun by circumstance, malicious interests, and dark entities.

Eddie's life is undoubtedly a tragic one, but Grass manages to make it not just relatable, but desperately compelling. You root for him, you hope for him, you suffer alongside him as you learn about what he's endured, past and present, and what he may endure in times to come. Black River Lantern feels like a tale told under a bridge, or in the open boxcar of a train, or on a porch late at night when everyone else has gone to bed. It's almost Biblical in its presentation, but never feels like it has false aspirations of grandeur. It's reach never exceeds its grasp. And its grasp, make no mistake, will hold you tight to the very last page.


Black River Lantern

When you hear the word “circus,” you think of bright colors, amazing acrobatics, high-tops, and impressive pyrotechnics. But this isn’t your usual circus. Oh, no, this is the Marivicos Carnivalé. And here is Papa Marivicos now leading his performers, such as Abakoum, who can eat the flames as if they were nothing, and the star of the act, his very own son, Eddie, performing the magical feats of the mind reader to wow the crowds with his ability. Take no notice of how Papa Marivicos treats his workers. It is just his stern way. And prepare yourself for an annual event like no other, for we are in Kayjigville, and it is almost time for the 47th Annual Marivicos Summerlong Carnivalé Festival in Alex Grass’s supernatural dark fantasy Black River Lantern.

Eddie Marivicos really does have a special ability: he can read minds. So when he’s brought onto the stage, he asks those in the audience to challenge his ability, and he is never wrong, while they are never disappointed. At least the crowd, as a whole, is not; those audience members having their dark secrets revealed maybe not so much. But the gift is both a blessing and a curse in many ways, as are all things of this sort. It takes Eddie no real effort to use, but he also “hears” it wherever he goes and with whomever he sees or is in close proximity to. Papa Marivicos is, of course, over the moon with this, as there are always those who disbelieve and Eddie always proves them wrong, which has led to the great success of the Marivicos Carnivalé and its growing wealth. It is known that Papa Marivicos is doing very well for himself, as he pays his employees little and treats them like slaves, running things like a labor camp. He also has some very unorthodox and downright illegal ways of adding new members. One might say everything he does is questionable. And there is Eddie, stuck in the middle of all this. But things are coming to a head with the 47th Annual Festival: dark, terrifying things that will change the Carnivalé and Kayjigville forever.

Alex Grass clearly had a lot of fun writing Black River Lantern, and it totally shows in the strong voice, the gripping plot, and the interesting characters. The reader is skillfully brought back and forward in time as we see Eddie’s history and how he came to join the Carnivalé, and we see how things continue to go not so well for him, as he becomes involved with some very unlikeable characters, including the mafia. The book design is also a lot of fun, with sections laid out as “Acts,” and the reader is the sole audience member to one of the strangest shows they’ve ever been introduced to. But just like anything unusual and unexplainable, you can’t turn away, you must keep watching, keep reading, and find out how things play out.


Einstein's Last Message

Einstein’s Last Message by Rod O’Connor is a timely piece that expands on Albert Einstein’s final efforts to encourage a more peaceful and thoughtful society. By discussing how we interpret our world, people, self, and the notion of right and wrong, O’Connor seeks to remind readers how we can elevate our thinking and in the process improve our surroundings. In developing our understanding of the world, we stand to foster new ideas and question accepted doctrine. By advancing our perception of people, we will learn to form our own views independent of gut-feelings and biased perspectives. Through improved study of self, we can face all values and outcomes, regardless of our preferences, and seek the best path for generations. The final piece to the puzzle involves upgrading our sense of right and wrong. By cultivating empathy and dynamically promoting values that treasure and preserve nature we can better care for one another. We have the power and ability to eliminate a number of issues that plague our worlds on micro and macro levels. However, this requires all participants to reject selfishness, greed and apathy to achieve cultural, social, and divine transcendence. O’Connor makes the case that we, individually and collectively, must shift our thinking to avoid continued harm to creatures and beings within our ecosystems. The author ultimately makes the compelling argument that “Currently, we are homocentric. Our view of nature considers only human needs, and largely excludes wild plants and animals…to protect the whole of the living world, we must enlarge our vision.” We can and do need to do more. This begins by raising our moral values and shifting the way we rationalize. In doing so, we become the “Questioning World Thinker,” “Inquiring Mind Reader,” “Thorough Time Traveler,” and “Informed Sage” that our worlds need. O’Connor’s theories are complex but he conveys the information in simple terms that many readers would comprehend and appreciate. He makes the path forward clear and accessible. With that said, an adolescent audience should discuss these concepts with an adult to fully grasp O’Connor’s meaning and intention. Novice and seasoned booklovers should consider reading O’Connor’s book in partnership with group or one-on-one discussions as his work lends itself to continued dialogue and deliberation. Einstein’s Last Message is an eloquent, captivating composition that will expand and challenge the mind of readers. O’Connor has constructed an informative narrative that pushes each of us to reach beyond our boundaries and achieve higher forms of ourselves.


So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience

In this memoir, author Mark Henick tells the story of navigating a dysfunctional homelife and struggle with depression while seeming “normal.”  Many of the “so-called normal” people in his life are skeptical of his illness. During his journey from childhood to young adult years, the reader follows as Mark deals with an abusive stepfather, bullying classmates, and persistent thoughts of suicide. The book details his repeated hospitalizations and treatment (or lack thereof) before eventually achieving stability.

This story is well-crafted, so much so that I had difficulty sometimes remembering that it is a memoir, not fiction. Memoirs are often written in a confessional, journal-like style rather than story-like in structure. Fiction is usually better structured, formed into a narrative. The author has taken that care with this work: introducing characters and conflict, building suspense, and leaving cliffhangers. It is, for this reason, a compelling story and difficult to put down. It is structured in four parts named “Summer,” “Fall,”  “Winter,”  and “Spring” to correspond with Mark’s mental status of decline and then rebirth.

The book is critical of the state of mental health care in Canada, the author’s country. The problems, however, are not unique to Canada. Mark’s story could take place in the United States, for example, as far as mental health treatment goes. There are the same tendencies to medicate rather than listen to patients’ anxieties and provide therapy. There is also the stigma and silence surrounding mental health problems.

After a number of setbacks, including a suicide attempt, Mark begins to take control of, and participate in, his own treatment and life. He learns to recognize his “triggers”—those events that might provoke crises for him. He also writes an article for his high school newspaper detailing his struggle with depression and treatment for it. Rather than being shunned by other students once they knew his “secret,” as he feared, Mark is instead approached by many of his classmates with empathy. Some share their stories with their own struggles with mental health, and Mark begins to see his commonality with other “so-called normal” people.

The article is a life-changing experience, leading to a professional life of speaking and writing on mental health. Meanwhile, Mark’s journey somewhat mirrors his mother’s, who is struggling to gain her own freedom from an abusive relationship. She, like her son, finds a kind of peace at the end, although it is not a storybook happy ending.

This is a strong, well-written book that informs the reader on the topic of mental illness and its treatment.


So-Called Normal is a wonderful yet intense memoir of author Mark Henick's struggle with mental health. Mark gives the reader his story from his point of view starting at a very young age. A young boy growing up in Canada, his parents are divorced and he has two older siblings: a sister and a brother. He tells the reader a little about the history of his parents' families: the Costigans (his mother's side) and the Henicks (his father's side). After Henick's parent's divorce, his mother Brenda, a nurse, strikes up a relationship with a man named Gary. The family dynamic becomes even more complicated as Gary doesn't treat Brenda or her children very well and always puts his children from his first family first. Because Mark is the "baby" of the family, he takes the brunt of the abuse from Gary who often tells him to "be a man." The book delves into the extremely sensitive topics of mental health and suicide. The reader can feel the pain in Mark's voice as he describes the helplessness he feels as he attempts suicide many times.

What I really appreciated about this account of the author’s life is that he does not sugar-coat anything. There is a violent scene in the book where a bully beats Mark up, and it is so graphic I could see it happening as I read the passage. My heart broke over and over again for this poor boy who is trying to find some sort of normalcy in his life in which there really is none. Everyone seems to betray him at a certain point, and he can trust no one. His insecurities grow and, although he has doctors and therapists, it still seems like no one is really listening to him. The stigma he talks about relating to mental health is still a big one in society today.

I found So-Called Normal to evoke so many feelings—feelings of hopelessness, sadness, excitement, and happiness all come together in Mark's life. Going through Mark's journey is both beautiful and heart-wrenching, and if it wasn't self-written I would have been wondering if he had made it out alive. I feel that anyone could learn many lessons from reading this book, and perhaps it could help someone who is having the same feelings as Mark did growing up and even save a life. This book is brilliant, raw, and a must-read.


In So-Called Normal, Mark Henick vividly and emotionally recounts growing up in a small town off the coast of Nova Scotia. In his young childhood, he is surrounded by generations of family and feels secure in the bonds of church, school, and his two grandmothers who ruled “one with fury and the other with grace.” But after his parents’ hostile break up, their poverty increases. And when his mother moves her family in with Gary, her new brain-damaged and volatile boyfriend, Mark descends into anxiety followed by depression. His older siblings flee, but Mark is stuck. As an adolescent, he becomes suicidal and the memoir describes his suicide attempts, several hospitalizations, and the often-inadequate responses to his crises by “the disjointed, inadequate, byzantine mental health system.” Gary is unsympathetic, demanding that Mark “be a man”; he resents when anyone other than himself receives attention. It is obvious that some of Mark’s mental illness is a direct result of his living situation, but no one seems to recognize that.

Although he couldn’t always articulate it then, the adult Mark is spot-on with his descriptions of how his emotions and rationality were challenged: “Not all my worries were entirely irrational. I just couldn’t tell which ones were […] I had no way of knowing if my logic had been skewed by the distorted way in which I had started seeing the world.”

I worked in the field of suicide prevention for many years, and this important memoir is unique in that it focuses as much attention on how he got better as it does on the drama of his depression and suicidality. Taking one’s one life is inherently dramatic, but most books gloss over what makes a real difference. In his case, medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and calming techniques all helped, but so did a stranger who stopped, listened, and rescued him from a bridge.

It is my hope that this memoir will be read by everyone who loves someone who is struggling so that they can better recognize what is often so difficult to put into words, and also by professionals who need to do a much better job of effectively helping their clients learn the necessary skills. Most adults “didn’t notice and so did nothing, or they noticed but didn’t care and so did nothing, or…didn’t know what to do and so did nothing.”

My own quibble was his overuse of platitudes that sound self-evident or trite (“Nothing changes if nothing changes”). But these instances stood out because most of the time his language is nuanced, specific, and genuine, such as when he describes the change in Gary’s moods: “warnings like the first leaves that fall as the days turn darker and colder.” Or when he points out that, when depressed, he would forget the stars and see only the empty black space surrounding them. This much-needed memoir helps us all to recognize the stars and the blackness.


The Elixirist

After helping his father, the healer, treat the high priest, Sall has a dream so strong it can only be called a vision: he finds himself before a tall tower, meeting a man who calls himself an Elixirist. Hoping one of the elixirs will help him catch the eye (and heart) of the high priest’s beautiful daughter, Sall sets out in an attempt to understand his dream and find this Elixirist, leaving behind his home of Edom to search the wider world.

If all that sounds rather sudden, it felt so reading the novel. There is little time to settle into anything before the action starts. Persevering, however, led me into a story that felt almost like a fable. The speed with which the story moves and the simplicity of the characters and their interactions give The Elixirist a unique feel, one which took me some time to grow used to but which I fully enjoyed once I got further in. It fits well with the setting. The book has an air of antiquity about it, one which fully serves the story.

Sall’s journey is a fascinating one to read. His world may seem small compared to the modern world, but the author is able to make it expansive as Sall travels from just south of the Dead Sea to Damascus and back. Along the way, he meets with danger and deception, but also wisdom and wonder. At times, the book seems less like a novel and more like a well-engineered clock. Every piece fits exactly where it is meant to. While there less room for surprise than there is in most literature, there are also no loose ends, no jarring twists so out of place they throw the reader from the story. Every surprise that comes up serves as a sudden moment of excitement that then blends seamlessly back into the tale as it had been before.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading Azrieli’s work before, in earlier books about Deborah. In those, I noticed his close attention to detail and the sense that he had done impeccable research. The same is true in The Elixirist. No detail is too small for Azrieli to get right. Anyone who loves this ancient part of history will surely be drawn to the book just as I was, and those who are new to the era will find a great deal to learn and love.


The Elixirist

The Elixirist by Avraham Azrieli is hard to beat for sheer creativity. Set circa 1150 BCE in the Levant, the author’s meticulous research shines through with every city and town, every encounter, and every memorable character. In a world where the lines between dreams, religion, and magic are not so clearly defined, the touch of magical realism only enhances the protagonist’s journey. And the triumphant ending makes for an excellent conclusion to his character arc.

Sall, the Edomite healer’s son, is pale and scrawny and easily overlooked. But one day, when accompanying his father during his work, the high priest’s beautiful daughter meets his eyes and knocks him flat with her contemptuous gaze. He has the strangest dream while unconscious: a tower reaching up into the heavens, with men of all nations working together to build it. And a dwarf with a golden elixir, who changes form when he drinks his concoction. Possessed by the thought of becoming tall, dark, and handsome enough to win over the priest’s daughter, he sets out to find the dwarf from his dreams. Sall’s journey is fraught with complications, however. From greedy merchants to duplicitous princes to vengeful Hebrews, he struggles to make his way to the elusive Elixirist. But the Levant holds its share of kindness, too, and each person he meets, for good or ill, helps shape him just a bit more. “Imitate until you mutate,” as Ishkadim tells Sall. And by the end of the book, the advice has taken root.

The writing style takes a little time to warm up to, as it’s deliberately old-fashioned to evoke the ancient setting with greater impact. It works to great effect after a few chapters. The style begins to feel evocative and natural, drawing the reader in deeper. Sall, as a character, is wholly believable as a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, caught between childish dreams and practicality. He’s clever but self-doubting, brave and stubborn, oftentimes his own worst enemy. It takes a mirror being held to his face to show him how much he’s changed over his journey—and even then, he still has doubts. As the Elixirist puts it, he’s a Damascus blade: strands of common iron forged together through his trials into something greater. And that Damascus blade goes home to do the impossible.

If you’re interested in stories that blend historical fiction with magical realism, offer a lively cast of characters, and make their heroes earn their happy endings, The Elixirist will likely be a good fit for you.


The Elixirist

The Elixirist is an exceptionally well-written book about a sixteen-year-old boy named Sall from Edom, who is the son of the town healer. Sall finds himself infatuated with the high priest's daughter, An, after she looks at him with contempt; however, she has been promised to her brother. Sall thinks that he must change the way he looks so that she will like him and he seeks out to find an Elixirist who has a magic golden elixir whom he sees in a dream. He embarks on a journey to find this Elixirist and in doing so, encounters many pitfalls.

He meets a Moabite merchant who takes his dog and a handless dream-reader. Sall also becomes enslaved at one point and uses his skills as a healer that he learned from his father to pay back the man he is enslaved by. He meets a brown prince along the way named Li'uli who teaches him to "Imitate until you mutate."

I found that even in today's society, this is a good tip that can be applied to almost anything. As Sall moves forward on his journey to find the Elixirist, he learns many lessons on the way. There are times when he finds himself in trouble and, at one point, has oil poured all over him resulting in the heat of the sweltering sun giving him boils all over his body. The reader is able to see Sall grow mentally and spiritually while on his journey.

I felt this book was written with excellent detail, from the description of the towns Sall visits to the people in those towns and their physical looks, as well as their personalities. The story flowed very well and it was easy to picture Sall moving from town to town and traveling with caravans.

The characters in this book are vivid in their means. Sall learns to not trust everyone after he wakes to find he had been poisoned the night before. After he finds himself in this predicament he starts putting the pieces together in terms of peoples' motives. Sall grows up very quickly in only a few full moons.

The Elixirist is a wonderful story that I would recommend to young adults in high school and adults. It has some very valuable lessons that we can all apply to our lives. The book is interesting and has a fantastic, exciting ending that will have its readers cheering for the main character. Creative, motivating, and full of never-ending action, The Elixirist is a must-read book.


Alone in the Woods

Alex and Joss have been BFFs forever, but the summer between 7th and 8th grades bring changes. Alex has to go to Spanish camp, but straight-A Joss doesn’t. Alex makes a new friend at camp and evolves into Lexie while she is gone. When she returns, she spends more time with her new friend than she does with Joss. Things get more and more tense. By the time their two families leave for their annual end-of-summer trip, the two girls can hardly be in the same room. The families take a tubing trip on the Wolf River, the girls get separated from the group, their tube punctures, and they are lost and on their own in the woods of northern Wisconsin. Can they come together enough to save themselves?

Author Rebecca Behrens has absolutely nailed the feelings and voices of 12-year-old girls. She tells this terrific story from two points of view, so readers are immersed in their issues and steeped in their feelings. The girls face grave danger in the woods and must work together to have a chance. It’s difficult and makes a great survivor story with plenty of tension. Don’t miss this.


Hope, Faith, & a Corpse

Hope Taylor has a new job in a new town, a great opportunity to be the first female pastor of a quaint chapel, which would allow her to share her faith, help people, and be involved in the community. She doesn't start off on the best foot when she finds the body of a church member. It certainly doesn't help her make a good impression when she becomes a suspect in his murder. Searching for suspects gives her a chance to get to know her fellow townsfolk, although the secrets she uncovers will paint the dead man in a not so heavenly light. It turns out everyone in her church had a motive for killing him. To clear her name and win over her parish, Hope must catch a killer before the killer catches her.

This cozy mystery makes for a fun and quirky read. Hope is deeply appreciated as she's the first female preacher at this church and she has a strong personality that is great from the beginning. Laura Jensen Walker explores the mixed reactions and struggles that Hope encounters through her role as a preacher, but never strays from her strength and dedication to her job. The mystery creates a unique way for Hope to get to know the congregation, which creates humorous moments while allowing her to figure out suspects. Hope, Faith, & a Corpse explores the workings of a quaint church from the perspective of its first female pastor, who tackles a murder with faith, humor, and heart.


Street Food: Mouth-watering recipes for quick bites and mobile snacks from around the world

I love the idea of street food. This book is full of fun, flavorful, fulfilling recipes, from countries around the world. Most recipes are made with ingredients that are easily accessible here in the States. The recipes are easy-to-follow, straightforward explanations for how to prepare each meal.  There are no complicated techniques that only a chef would know how to perform.

It was also useful to have a brief description of each meal at the top of the page. Using that tool, it was easy to decide if that recipe was one I would like to try.

As for the taste, every recipe I taste-tested was absolutely delicious. The flavors were unique to the continent from which they originated. I liked the opportunity to cook food from places I have never traveled to. Some of my favorite recipes were jerk chicken, pork tamales, crispy garlic chive chicken wontons, ramen with tempura prawns, and bbq pork-belly skewers. I would highly recommend this cookbook to any food enthusiast who would like to add a little bit of variety to his or her menu.


Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy

Ursula Kuczynski began to bridle at authority in her teenage years. The dysfunction wrought by the loss of World War I had left Germany open to new forms of aggressive, authoritarian government. A spark had been lit inside the seventeen-year-old, having tussled with police at a May Day parade. Her parents urged caution in her actions, yet their own socialist leanings influenced Ursula as well. Ursula visited America in the run up to the Great Depression, viewing the glaring inequalities between rich and poor. She would see the same conditions when she and her Husband Rudolf moved to Shanghai. The class struggle was just part of the war between Nationalists and Communists. Ursula’s fate would be set when she met Richard Sorge, a legend in espionage circles. Sorge and Ursula’s clandestine world intermingled with a romantic relationship. Ursula, soon known as Sonya, would develop her skills in Asia, Poland, Switzerland, and England. Ursula handled operations with global implications, her dedication near fanatical. As her role became prominent, the danger heightened.

Agent Sonya is Ben Macintyre’s latest noteworthy entry in his growing list of works. Ursula Kuczynski redefines fascinating as a subject, her reality as compelling as her facades. The perils she faced non-stop for years feel palpable decades removed. The Cold War may be three decades past, but Macintyre reignites the past with a dedicated flare.


Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America

Many of us have a cause that impacts our life and thoughts. Maria Hinojosa, transposed to Chicago from Mexico with her family as a child, has taken on successive causes in her career as an investigative journalist. She is widely familiar to television audiences for her coverage of news events, with her particular focus on the challenges confronting the rights of women, especially Latinas, immigrants, detained children, and the dispossessed. Over the years, her anger has not abated.

Throughout this extraordinary memoir, Hinojosa, relentless and unforgiving, points the finger at politicians for discriminating policies, leaders who in retrospect did ‘pretty good.’ Readers’ judgment on those they admired may well be swayed by her writing.

In the early chapters of Once I Was You she lays the groundwork as she describes her childhood, education, and a short internship with NPR that determined her future path. The book leaps to life when she reports her assignments to the country’s devastating tragedies and disasters. Each is covered from a distinctively human perspective, professional and personal together vindicating the reasons for the awards and honors she has received. Her special recognition is dedicated to her ten years as anchor of Latino USA, her Mexican roots always to the fore.

Hinojosa’s commitment to her career meshes with striving to keep her family together, her several intense friendships, and launching her own media company to help stem time away on assignment. Despite her success, she is haunted by the memory of her teenage rape, transferring her recollection to awareness of the plight of women whose suffering does not end when reaching Texas, their nirvana.

The memoir leaves a lingering sadness, fueled by an underlying disrespect for all men, seeing them directly or vicariously responsible for those women with whom she empathizes.


Christmas at the Island Hotel: A novel

There is a lot going happening on the small Scottish island of Mure in Jenny Colgan’s fourth installment of the Mure series. A hotel is opening on Christmas day and it has thrown the whole town into a tizzy.  Flora is balancing life as a new mom and it is not the happy, rosy picture she imagined. She busies herself with running her brother, Fintan’s new hotel. The opening is only weeks away and they are without staff or head chef for Christmas dinner.

Isla is taking care of her grumpy mum and finding her stride as the new kitchen manager for the hotel. Newcomer Konstantin is hiding a royal secret and learning what it’s like to put in a full day of hard work. His father banished him to this remote island to shed him of his playboy lifestyle. Slowly but surely Konstantin learns the value of hard work and starts to warm up to the tiny island and its strange inhabitants.

Can they all pull together for a successful Christmas dinner, or will the hotel go down as one of Britain’s worst?  This book is a true delight, full of holiday cheer and heartwarming characters. Colgan successfully transports the reader to the cozy island of Mure and its quirky community, providing much-needed joy during a stressful holiday season.


Heirs Apparent

Malcom Winters has a very complicated past involving an extremely dangerous job and now, decades after putting his life on the line and almost getting himself killed three times, he’s decided to turn a new leaf and live a normal, stable, and boring life. Little did he know that old habits die hard and no one can escape that easily from their past. He accidentally meets a mysterious woman called Fyre who claims to be on a business trip, and their attraction is instant. So, with nowhere he needs to be and the knowledge that Fyre resides in Chicago, Malcom decides to give it a try and move to the Windy City.

There, he creates a whole new identity where he’s the owner of his own apartment, and becomes a quite lovable by his students as a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. But when he finds his new girlfriend murdered in a pool of her own blood, with a series of numbers and the letter “c” written by Fyre moments before her death as his one and only lead, the skills he obtained in the past come in handy, because that’s exactly what can keep him alive.

All of a sudden, he’s found himself trapped in and targeted by a family secret that’s over a century old, as well as a series of unfortunate, natural deaths that don’t look so innocent after all. Malcom will do everything to get to the truth and avenge Fyre’s death, but the murderer will also do everything to keep Malcom away from it, even killing him…

The plot is well-written, well-orchestrated, and engaging, and it unfolds beautifully throughout the book. The characters are the soul of the book; they add exactly what the reader desires in a story and that is a combination of mystery, thriller, romance, and a little bit of humour when necessary. The pace in the beginning is slow as the reader is introduced to the main character and his story, but after the first chapters it quickly picks up and there is a nice flow that doesn’t tire at all. Then, it’s all about following the story with its twists and turns in every page. Thomas J. Thorson manages to deliver a story packed with mystery elements and secrets so deadly that no one is safe. Heirs Apparent is a thrilling ride into mystery, murder, lies, and greed.


101 Rescue Puppies: One Family’s Story of Fostering Dogs, Love, and Trust

The world’s best coffee table book, 101 Rescue Puppies tells tales of sweet and loving fosters, near misses, and practicalities. It is easy to read and stay interested in. Shelters, vets, and rescue groups should keep this book in their waiting rooms, as it provides a real-life image of puppy fostering. I think schools and libraries should have it too, as well as any house or office belonging to or directed toward dog lovers.

The book includes the realities of puppies, including unpleasant things such as poop. It is not a care guide; rather, it tells the short adoption stories of one crazy dog woman. The writing flows well and is causal, meaning that it is not an attention-demanding read. It is very happy, which makes a section of 101 Rescue Puppies a good after-work read. The puppy pictures are adorable and just make you want to smile. It is a book I find good for dog lovers aged eleven and up.

With cute pictures and even cuter stories, 101 Rescue Puppies is a book that all dog lovers should read.


Her Night with the Duke: A Novel

Elliot Townsend, Duke of Huntington, is on his way to spend some time with his intended wife and to make their betrothal official. He may not love her, but she is a good woman, and they will do their best to make one another happy, or at least content. On the way there, he stops in an inn and has a single night of passion with Leela, a woman traveling with only a manservant and a knife. Despite sharing an undeniable connection, they part certain they will never meet again and content to be a happy memory for the other.

Being a romance, such a connection cannot be denied, however, and on Elliot’s arrival to his betrothed’s house, he finds that Leela is not only there but also his future wife’s stepmother.

Her Night with the Duke is equal parts dramatic and light-hearted, sliding easily between the strain of this secret on relationships and the fun inherent to the genre. Leela herself is a delight, with a maturity and self-assurance that are thankfully becoming more and more common in romance heroines. I loved every page of this book and am eager to see more of Diana Quincy’s writing.


Black River Lantern

Eddie is a young man with a burdensome life living as a sideshow spectacle with the ability to read minds. The carnival is a dying breed of business, but his father expects Eddie to be on his game when summer arrives in the town of Kayjigville. Eddie’s Father, Papa Marivicos, is a domineering brute who is the master of ceremonies. Eddie’s gift of second sight is a spectacle to behold by the locals, but no one understands the turmoil inside Eddie’s mind and body. His gift is truly a curse. Papa views Eddie as an imbecile, but a lucrative one with his skill. Eddie had previously left the carnival, relocating down south and starting a family. However, this proved to be short-lived, and Pops moved Heaven and Earth to get Eddie back, no matter who he had to hurt.

Eddie buries his demons under a layer of Bourbon. He has a loyal group of friends who look out for him, including Abakoum, a mirthful chum who wants to ease his friend’s sadness, taking him out for a drink and a shot at companionship. On a fateful trip to a local brothel, Eddie collapses and awakens to an enchanting beauty named Lexi. He is reminded of a previous lost love, as she is also unreadable to him. Lexi and Eddie soon begin a friendship with potential.

Meanwhile, Eddie’s mental and physical health are tested as Papa plans larger shows with Eddie’s mentalist capabilities. Consequences do not come into consideration when money is concerned. Eddie is fortunate as he comes under the care and concern of Dr. Chain. The carnival coming to town has changed the current direction of the good doctor’s life, which has been stuck in a rut. Dr. Chain views Eddie as a surrogate son, his concern for him more than Papa’s.

Papa has a hold on the business in Kayjigville. However, local businesswoman Clara Guadali looks to break Papa’s stranglehold on the town. Clara longs to launch a riverboat gambling business that will grab some of Papa’s customers. She underestimates Papa at her peril, because Papa is dangerous, if not downright nefarious. As Eddie’s skills are more in demand, the rivalry between Clara and Pops reaches its apex. Can Eddie find happiness while living with his onerous skill? “The greatest show on earth” may not be solely behind the big top.

Black River Lantern is a rollicking read from Alex Grass. The story unfolds at a medium pace, but consumes the reader with each chapter. Eddie Marivicos is a supernatural wonder, yet rendered human in his daily struggles. His dual nature, marvel attraction/ordinary Joe, proves transfixing. Eddie is a sympathetic protagonist worth rooting for, while Pops is a villain worthy of unending scorn, yet equally fascinating. Black River Lantern is drama/horror/thriller operating at full speed, one hundred percent enjoyable.


War Lord

Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg is an old man now, and all he’d really like to do is spend his remaining days with his family at his home, but, unfortunately, there are still battles to be fought, and now he finds approaching armies from all sides of his beloved Northumbria. To the south, King Æthelstan arrives with his mighty army, with his three united kingdoms of Wessex, Mercia, and East Anglia. One kingdom remains, and to the north there is King Constantine of Scotland, along with the leader of Ireland, looking to make a play. Uhtred with have to choose his allegiance and see if all kingdoms can be united in one country known as Englaland, the dream of King Alfred.

In this concluding thirteenth book of the Saxon Tales, Cornwell delivers history and battle with these characters we have come to love, and while things seem to get solved a little too easy compared to some of the other books in the series, it is nevertheless a satisfying finale. When I got to interview Cornwell over a decade ago, asking him how long the series would be, he said he didn’t know, and now thirteen books later it comes to a close.


Books rarely surprise me, but this one definitely did. I expected some little hokey story about living in Michigan, but Compassion, Michigan: The Ironwood Stories by Raymond Luczak is surprisingly rich, insightful, and beautifully written, something I’d gladly have read in a college literature class.

The book as a whole is a collection of short stories centered on one region of Michigan in the upper peninsula. The atmosphere in the stories has the gritty feel of a Michigan town and a Midwest mindset, with a sense of itself and understanding of people and place that is truly a joy to read. All the characters and stories have distinct voices and tones, so it’s not just a thinly veiled version of the author’s experiences, but rather a panoply of voices and stories.

As I said, few books surprise me, but this one genuinely did, in its depth, breadth, and quality. I’m far from an expert on Michigan authors, but I would argue for this one to be among the best, easily fitting in with Hemingway's early The Nick Adams Stories, which take place in Michigan.


This book, Black Heroes of the Wild West: Featuring Stagecoach Mary, Bass Reeves, and Bob Lemmons: A TOON Graphic, tells three stories of brave Black people from the late 1800s. Each of these people played an important role in shaping American history as well as popular culture.

These three people were all entirely new to me when I read this graphic novel. They are truly fascinating human beings and I can’t believe I had never heard of them before. One of the most interesting parts of this book was learning that Mary Fields, known as Stagecoach Mary, was such a generous woman that she opened restaurants and bankrupted herself twice giving away her meals. But even that didn’t change how well respected she was!

The stories are amazing, but what really makes this book come alive is the cartoon-style graphics throughout. It makes the hardcover book look like a comic on the inside and the true heroes of the American Wild West are shown as action heroes. The three stories are told separately as different chapters. At the end of the book there are a lot of facts about not only the characters in the book, but also about the Wild West in general.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes action or adventure as well as to anyone who is interested in American history. It is also a good book for people who are not great readers yet, because you can follow the story through the pictures.