The New Husband

Nina Garrity has been through a lot. Almost two years ago, her husband disappeared under mysterious circumstances. As the search for him continued, the lies and secrets started spilling out and Nina found out that she didn’t really know him at all. Enter Simon Fitch, who is attempting to be The New Husband. He seems to be perfect; he knows all her favorite foods and her son thinks he’s amazing. He knows just what to say to be comforting. Nina’s wary to trust again, but he’s so great. Are there warning signs that he’s not whom she thinks he is or is she just too traumatized from her first marriage? Nina is going to have to decide whom she can trust to tell the truth before it’s too late.

If you enjoyed B.A. Paris’ book Behind Closed Doors as much as I did, then you will love this book. This book was just long enough to be a slow burn, leading you to know an explosive ending is coming without detracting from its greatness. There were even a few twists in there I didn’t see coming.  A really fantastic story with complicated characters that you couldn’t help but root for. The only part I don’t understand is the title, since Nina and Simon are never even engaged, let alone married. Other than that, it was amazing! I couldn’t put it down. If you are looking for a good thriller, then look no further.


Change Maker: Turn Your Passion for Health and Fitness into a Powerful Purpose and a Wildly Successful Career

I tried going into this with an unbiased opinion but really knew that I couldn’t since John Berardi, Ph.D., is the co-creator of the very program I use with my nutrition clients, Precision Nutrition. To top it off, the Foreward in this book is written by non-other than Jon Goodman, who is one of the top fitness gurus in the world, in my opinion, and whose books I’ve read and courses I have taken and apply every day in my work. Grabbing a copy of this book made me jump up and down and I started reading it as soon as I received it. I would expect no less than the well-organized chapters the book is laid out in. With colorful chapter dividers with words of wisdom and questions for thought, this book is interactive and makes the reader step out of his or her comfort zone. Being in the health and fitness industry for over eight years now, being a successful entrepreneur is a whole other topic. In Change Maker, John gives the reader ways to separate him or her from the pack, to figure out his or her own special abilities (strengths and weaknesses other than the regular personality test would dictate), to understand clients from the client perspective and not the professional’s perspective, and how to build your business and keep it going. Some of the tips I’ve heard of before, which was fine, but the takeaways and the questions I left asking myself were many. This is a book that can be gone back to many times for direction.


Junko Mizuno's Hell Ladies

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

Hell Was Full – Branson Reese

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

Post-Apocalypto – Tenacious D.

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

The Kill Lock – Livio Ramondelli

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

Usagi Yojimbo Origins Vol 1 Samurai – Stan Sakai

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

Junko Mizuno's Hell Ladies – Junko Mizuno

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

Basketful of Heads – Joe Hill

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


52 Random Weekend Projects: For Budding Inventors and Backyard Builders

In a survival situation you would want to know how to start a fire --perhaps with just a sandwich bag, or a gum wrapper and battery – or how to make a water filter so you can stay safely hydrated. Maybe you want to de-stress –  a Ninja stress ball or some Magic sand could be the solution. Or, maybe you just feel the need to have a little mini-arsenal on hand, with Nunchucks, a little RPG launcher and Airsoft Grenade, Crossbow, and a few other things... just in case? All these projects and many, many more are available for you in this clever handbook of weekend projects that will thrill tweens and terrify parents (and younger siblings). Most of them take only a few minutes to create, using easily-found materials, although some are more complex. The book is helpfully divided into sections according to difficulty and complexity, with the later projects requiring additional time, more specialized materials, greater competence and experience, or a combination. The steps are fairly clear, although the simple black and white diagrams lack detail and could use more specificity – some are a little difficult to follow, and it is always good practice to read through the instructions several times before beginning a project. Whatever your skill level or time constraints, you are sure to find something interesting and engaging here.


The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress

There are people agitating that we need to do something about climate change, and other people believe that nothing needs to be done since climate change is just a hoax. Professor Mark Jaccard looks at things that can be done. Dr. Jaccard feels that there is hope and that we can do something before it becomes too late, and it offers ways that making a few key changes then we are on the right track. The other area Professor Jaccard focuses on is electing leaders who are climate-sinecure from those that are insincere.

While it is nice to get a book like this, I feel like it has been written before. People who read magazines on the left, and listen to left-leaning television stations a lot of this information will feel the same. I do not want to say Dr. Jaccard is preaching to the choir, but if the only people who read his book are those that believe in climate change then that is what he is doing. The question becomes now is how to reach those that are climate change deniers and those that live in rural communities who might not have access to this book.


Penric's Progress

Frabjous!! I sought this out for review thinking it was another in the series of entrancing Penric novellas. It is in fact a trilogy of three I had already read and treasured. Disappointment did not ensue. Thinking I would just scan and write, I found myself devouring every word of all three again, in a read that cost me a night’s sleep. Juxtaposition made for enhanced enjoyment and a smooth continuation. I knew Ms. Bujold tries to make even her “series” work effectively as stand-alones. I was happily gob-smacked to realize how neatly they heterodyne.

We are treated to the mental interactions of a multiply-female chaos demon and a still-embarassable young man, the legal and theological implications of the same concatenation (this is the World of Five Gods, after all) an episode of remote arson and one of close combat with a demoness director/assistant.

Daniel Dos Santos has contributed a cover exciting, complex, happily salacious. That complements the author’s notorious humor and gender takes.

Supporting characters are limned with fine detail, admirably developed. Penric himself and his demonic ally also develop most satisfyingly over this fine triune progression.

A gift: a Bujold reading order guide. Invaluable, conversational, and foretelling the upcoming Penric’s Travels.


The Secrets of Love Story Bridge: A Novel

Mitchell is still mourning the loss of his wife while trying his best to raise his daughter, Poppy, and do his job. He used to be an architect, but now he works in city maintenance cutting padlocks left by couples off city bridges. After a hot pop group does a song about the love locks, couples go overboard affixing their own locks to proclaim their love. When Michell witnesses a young woman attach her own lock and then fall off the bridge, he dives after her without a second thought. His split-second decision ends up changing the course of his life.

This book is exceptionally well written. The characters are multi-dimensional, realistic, and vivid. The unique storyline is part mystery as well as heartwarming romantic drama. Every character is interesting and reveals their own surprising secrets along the way. Even Michell’s daughter is a delightful character, written as a realistic young girl.

You’ll go through the range of emotions with this book. Much of it is bittersweet, but the underlying emotion of this story is hope. This is truly a feel-good read with substance.


The Philosophy of Deadpool

Until fairly recently, Deadpool was a hilarious anarchic force roaming the pages of comic books. But after two wildly successful Hollywood movies, the Merc with a Mouth suddenly has a brand-new fanbase to introduce to his insane adventures. Whether he's battling undead presidents, killing off the entire Marvel Universe, or teaming up with Thanos to save Death (who they're both in love with, by the way), a casual Google search or a stroll through the comic shop barely scratches the surface of Deadpool's wholly unique pantheon of stories.

The Philosophy of Deadpool strives to encapsulate all things Deadpool, offering numerous glimpses of him teaming up with famous heroes, tossing out witty observations, and causing havoc in all sorts of inexplicable situations. Although the book doesn't linger long enough on any of these scenes to be truly satisfying (a taste or a hint is all you get, with many important characters not even being named), it does pique the reader's interest, whether they're a die-hard Deadpool fan or a newcomer to the madman's comic book endeavors.

Essentially, this is a scrapbook, a highlight reel of Deadpool's peaks and valleys. It's a good jumping off point, to be sure, but it serves more as a hit-and-run retrospective than as something more substantial.


The Canyon Cuts Both Ways/hidden stories

Sometimes a short story collection is just that: an anthology of simple, vaguely interesting stories that are soon forgotten after reading . . . and sometimes a collection stays with you in the way fond memories do. The Canyon Cuts Both Ways by Dan T. Cox is one of the later collections, with moving tales that remain in your mind.

Welcome to the Canyon, located in Central Oregon, close to the Cascade Mountains, where all the elements make themselves known. “To embrace it best, you have to be somewhere along that stretch of river that flows from the base of Big Cliff Dam toward the rocky narrows of Niagara, where the North Santiam resisted long-ago efforts to dam it with chunks of chiseled stone and Chinese labor.” And it is the people, the residents who breathe life and vitality into the Canyon. In the style of Steinbeck with the sharp rural way of life of Flannery O’Connor, you may sometimes agree with these people, and sometimes you may disagree, but the canyon cut both ways after all.

The opening tale, “King Bean,” tells a story of farming, of the tradition of picking green pole beans in August. The workers come from all over—both young and old—but all needing the small amount of money this hard labor offers. Before long, the bean fields will echo and ricochet with the tin sounds of beans landing in metal buckets. There is the made-up game of King Bean, where the largest beans have grown into a horseshoe shape and are brought together in a fierce tug-of-war, with the strongest bean remaining intact, the weaker breaking. But this time Virgil is sure he’s picked a winner and will finally give Sam a run for the title.

Or there is the story of a family in “The Teachings of Anna” where seven-year-old Charlie is looked after by his aunt and uncle because his mother made some bad choices in her life and continues to do so. Charlie may not be as sharp and bright as other boys his age, but there is a magical personality about that him that makes him truly lovable and unique. In “The Unlit Woods,” a raw hunting tale is told as brawny men linked by family are out looking to take down some deer, yet Paul secretly hates doing this whole thing, but at the same time wants to impress Lyle. And then there is the mythical tale of one Shiner Black that echoes American folklore.

The language is rich and alive in “The Canyon Cuts Both Ways,” with wonderful descriptions of nature and the natural world; the words possessing a lyrical quality that make it seem like they might be accompanied by music. The collection is ideal for either being consumed whole-heartedly in a long sitting, like a many-course delicious meal, or in shorter sittings: a series of tasty snacks to be savored.


With Dark Understandings

"Surrounded by fear and living under the rule of a corrupt militia, two friends risk their lives to create a land of peace. Death, love, and heartbreak: An all-too-realistic scenario in a world of chaos. Readers will find With Dark Understandings disturbing but become deeply involved in the complicated and fascinating lives of these characters." — Manhattan Book Review


A Doll for Grandma: A Story About Alzheimer's Disease

Paulette Bochnig Sharkey, with illustrations by Samantha Woo

When Kiera discovers Grandma’s keys in the refrigerator next to the orange juice, and Grandma starts knitting hats that are much too small for a human head, she becomes perplexed, confounded by the changes she is witnessing. Her mom lovingly explains that Grandma’s brain is having trouble remembering. Soon, Grandma moves to a memory-care home, and as her disease progresses, she loses her ability to walk. The once vibrant, active, and animated woman Kiera loved so deeply as a young child seems to be fading into the background of the person she has become. Through compassion, creativity, and unwavering determination, Kiera is able to connect with the person she has become, and the love between them shines bright.

This heartwarming story is inclusive, yet relatively short and concise—perfect for young children who are emerging readers. It’s likely to ignite an array of emotional responses from its readers, from sadness to joy, from pensiveness to laughter. Though this topic (Alzheimer’s disease), and more broadly, degenerative diseases, may ignite a negative reaction from children, the author’s style of presentation is masterful. She sprinkles her story with moments of hilarity and touches of sweetness that are gripping. Youth whose lives have been impacted by aging loved ones will be transformed by insight and hope after reading this exquisite picture book.


Wild Dog

Wild Dog is a captivating tale about the power of the natural world and its influence on humans. It tells the stories of two sets of people who sought to escape from the world. Franck and Lise rent a secluded house in the hills of France to escape the strains of modern life. Echoes from a dark past can be heard all over the property, where a German lion tamer took shelter with his cats decades ago. As the story unfolds, both sets of people begin to realize how similar they are to the wild that surrounds them.

The plot that Joncour spins is like a winding road, full of unexpected twists and turns. These twists and turns make the story interesting; they are the reason why the reader keeps reading, so the reader can find out what happens next. Not only did Joncour develop the plot well, but he knocked it out of the park with his character development. Each character is crafted carefully and deliberately. Because of this, readers are better able to understand and relate to the characters, which drives the plot. Another interesting thing Joncour does with his characters, is how he shows their growth and change. These changes make the characters real and help to move the story along.

One more thing that Joncour does really well is his use of descriptive language. The way he employs imagery makes possible for the reader to really visualize the scenes. Joncour’s message is the power and influence that the natural world holds. He also wants to make clear the effect nature has on us. He makes this clear by developing Franck’s character in response to the situation he finds himself in.

All in all this is a good book. I would recommend this book for more mature readers who are interested in wildlife and human relations. I am sure many other kids (high school age) will love this book.


The Imperfects: A Novel

The Imperfects is a story filled with mystery, lost diamonds, and the importance of what family means in the grand scheme of things. Whether it be good or bad, the characters in this story all have one thing in common: they aren’t perfect. The Millers are estranged when the story starts up. That is, until Helen, a mother and grandmother, suddenly dies. Therein starts a moving tale of a secret family inheritance that could make or break an already broken family. I enjoyed this one a lot. Meyerson writes wonderfully flawed characters that are relatable in so many ways, although there were times that I felt like they were way too stubborn for their own good. The ending was perfect and not too over the top. Readers looking for a family drama that has mystery and history thrown in, look no further. There are many individuals and different storylines that help bring a better understanding of the way the characters tick, why they do what they do. It was great seeing how everything came together in the end. I look forward to reading more from the author; she writes engaging and interesting books that fill me with wonder.


Servant of the Crown (The Dragonslayer)

This was a great finalé to an amazing series! One character, Boudain, really surprised me. He stepped up and at least tried, instead of acting like a young, spoiled royal. It's clear he has the potential to be a great ruler. Another character I really liked died in this book, too. I understand the necessity, in terms of the storyline, but dang. It really hit me hard. I'm not naming names, as it would be a big spoiler.

I am sad to leave Gil's company. He was definitely a character I fell in love with. Each major character really changed over the course of the series. For Gil, I hope the changes stick, and he doesn't go back to what is familiar and easy. He deserves better. I'd love to see the future of the female dragonling and if other dragons are still out there somewhere. It seems open for another story with some of the same characters, due to the arrival of the ghul/vampire-like creatures. As for this story arc and its characters, things felt pretty well wrapped up. The perfect series for any dragon fan! Highly recommended.


Little Turtle and the Changing Sea

Little Turtle and the Changing Sea is about a little turtle and it starts right after she hatches from her egg on the beach and is heading to the ocean. Once she gets into the ocean, she sees lots of pretty things, like colorful fish, moving seagrass, and other animals, too. Little turtle grows up and is still swimming to her home on the other side of the world. Little turtle makes this trip lots of times, but one time she goes, she notices that things are different in the water- there is trash and she gets caught in a net! Some divers free her and clean up the mess where she is at, and then the ocean is pretty and clean again.

This story is kind of sad that the water had to start out being pretty, but then change to being dark, scary, and sad to swim through for the animals. At the end of the book, it talks about garbage and plastic in the water and on the ground. I want to keep the animals safe, so I will try hard not to leave any trash on the ground or let it fly into water-instead I will use the trash can or recycle.


Rick

Rick is starting middle school, and things are pretty much the same, right? Rick and his best friend Jeff fall into place as always. But Jeff is loud and proud about some things that make Rick very uncomfortable. Jeff seems to think everyone who isn’t just like him is fair game, and he particularly picks on kids in the Rainbow Spectrum club—a safe place for kids in the LGBTQIAP+ community. But Rick is questioning a lot about himself. He doesn’t get excited about girls but doesn’t get excited about boys either. He’s confused. His father talks about girls to him a lot. His mother makes it clear it’s okay for him to like boys. It’s Rick’s grandfather and Rainbow Spectrum who really open doors for him.

Author Alex Gino has done a terrific job writing about an important, difficult subject for middle-graders. The characters are credible and will-rounded, the situations are things to which kids will relate, and the handling of the subject matter is deft. Readers will find themselves cheering for Rick to make good choices and learn to live his life on his terms. This will be a great discussion starter for middle-grade classes.


Curse of the Night Witch (Emblem Island)

In Alex Aster’s first book in the Emblem Island series Curse of the Night Witch, three children embark on a perilous journey in which they must find and defeat the Night Witch to keep her from terrorizing villages and remove their curses. The main character, Tor Luna, dislikes his leadership emblem and wishes for a new one, only to find it replaced by a black eye encircled on his wrist: a curse. Tor, Melda, and Engle use a "storybook" as their guide and map, which leads them to villages that are nothing short of magical, mythical monsters that test them, and people who contribute to them on their adventure.

The reader may think the story is very predictable at some points, while it can be very fickle at others. Conversely, some will find this book very enlightening with many twists and turns that make them want to close the book for a second to process what they just read. Others might feel compelled never to stop reading because they want to know what will happen next (I would be one of the "others"). Either way, anyone who reads this fascinating story will have the urge to finish it no matter what.


He Started It

In order to collect their share of a sizable inheritance their grandfather left, estranged siblings Eddie, Beth, and Portia must embark on THE exact same cross-country road trip they went on when they were children and scatter his ashes at the end of their journey.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Wrong.  While two people are not along for the ride, their grandfather and sister Nikki who mysteriously disappeared years ago but whose presence is felt, two additional characters join the Morgans on this trip from hell: Eddie’s new wife Krista and Beth’s even-tempered, albeit boring husband Felix. Not only do they find themselves being followed by a mysterious truck, but with each mile they travel, secrets, past resentments, and hostility emerge.

Samantha Downing follows up My Lovely Wife with He Started It, a slow-burn family drama told from Beth’s point of view.  None of the characters are likeable, relatable or reliable, but that is what makes this read so much fun.  While the reader knows they are being kept in the dark, Beth, with a no-nonsense, blunt, and at times witty point of view, is upfront about not being the heroine and tells her story in the order that best suits her purpose, leaving one to wonder about her real motives. An added bonus is the wacky places the siblings stop along the way to their destination. The short chapters and pace of the story will keep readers turning the pages as they wonder how this family trip from hell will conclude.


The Hand on the Wall

In her short time at Ellingham Academy, Stevie Bell has experienced a lot: blossoming friendships and a confusing romantic life, the mysterious deaths of two fellow students and her mentor, and the possibility that she may have just solved a decades-old mystery. As misfortunes keep piling up, Stevie can’t shake the feeling that the mysteries of the past and the circumstances of the present might be connected. Stevie juggles anxiety, family challenges, and romantic confusion as she works to uncover what happened decades ago and what’s going on now.

In this final book in the Truly Devious series, Maureen Johnson expertly balances the warmth and coziness of an idyllic, friend-filled Vermont boarding school with the bone-chilling thrill of murder and mystery. The Hand on the Wall has a richness of atmosphere and character that readers will want to savor but a plot that keeps the pages turning—readers will be eager to know the novel’s conclusion but will never want the book to end. Replete with intrigue, thoughtfulness, and depth, The Hand on the Wall is a mystery of the moment and for the ages.


Rita and Ralph's Rotten Day

Rita and Ralph live very near each other, each in a small house on top of a small hill. Every morning they would each come outside and run down their hill and up another small hill in between their houses to meet and play together, dancing, making daisy chains, and more. But one day they added a new game called sticks and stones. Rita got hurt and Ralph knew it was bad. They each ran home to their own house and closed their doors. Ralph felt bad and went to Rita’s house to apologize, but by the time he got there, he was hot and grumpy and yelled his apology, which didn’t sound like an apology. Can they find a way to make up and be friends again?

Author Carmen Agra Deedy has written a very cute story with a very important message that will help youngsters find their way through friendship trouble, something all kids face. Illustrator Pete Oswald’s stylized illustrations using bright colors and lots of fun details will keep little ones interested all the way through. This fun book will teach a good lesson without young readers ever realizing it.


More Miracle Than Bird

Georgie Hyde-Lees, twenty-one years old and more self-assured than she is knowledgeable, develops a relationship with the Irish poet W.B. Yeats in Alice Miller’s debut novel, More Miracle than Bird.

After leaving school to pursue a life of leisure, art, and her passion for translating poetry, Georgie finds herself unable to gallivant around WWI London due to the death of her father. Her mother, a socialite in her own right, wishes Georgie to live at home or return to school, but Georgie strikes out on her own and secures a position as a nurse at a wartime hospital. There she meets a handsome wounded soldier, Lieutenant Pike, who sees more in her than she sees in herself. Georgie struggles against her emerging feelings for him and the darker pull towards the Order, a nearly occult society that seeks to make sense of the world through séance, magic, and secret rituals. Yeats is a part of the Order, so her attraction to it and to him are mulled together.

Part romance novel, part historical fiction, the spell Miller casts with her first novel is mesmerizing, if a bit uneven. There are moments when one storyline seems sacrificed for the sake of another, but the overall effect of the world within More Miracle than Bird makes this book endlessly intriguing.


A Hundred Million Years and a Day

Dreams are what drive us to go after a job, to apply for a promotion, or to set off on a quest, and dreams are what drive the main character in this translated novel. Stan is a failing paleontologist at a university in Paris. His chances of becoming famous and making a new discovery are growing slimmer and slimmer every year. After hearing a story about a dragon in the French Alps, he sets off with his friend from graduate school, who is considered successful, to find it and become what he always thought he would be.

What follows is a trip through dreams, loss, ambition, and trying to prove oneself to ones father. Whether Stan succeeds or not is not the point of the novel. Instead, the journey itself proves that Stan still has what it takes, and as the quest to find the dragon takes over, the risks for Stan become greater and a final sense of epiphany takes hold.

Some people might find this slim novel a little hard to wade through, as some French novels can be. This one does have it moments, and the scenes with the puppet are weird and distracting. However, the author's main ideas concerning dreams and ambition drive the story home.


The Eye of Zeus: Legends Of Olympus, Book One

The Eye of Zeus is a shocking novel about Greek mythology with a wild adventure.

Phoebe Katz is a foster kid from New York City, and weird things happen when she gets mad or emotional. She notices more and more little accidents. For example, one time at her school, a bully trips her and destroys one of her school projects. Phoebe gets mad, and a thunderstorm starts completely out of the blue. A coincidence, right? Not so much! Phoebe Katz is the daughter of Zeus, which makes her a demigod. Together with her mortal friends Damian, Rodina, and Angie Spaciacolli, she will have to brave a dangerous quest. They will have to save Carl, the closest friend Phoebe's ever had to family, and even save Olympus!!  The group will have to face challenges, make new friends, and sadly also lose some.

This book was a great adventure book in which friendships also played an important role! It was fast-paced, and I enjoyed it a lot, like many of the other books about Greek mythology that I have read before!

I recommend this book to kids who like the Percy Jackson series or are nine and up.


It's Not All Downhill From Here: A Novel

Best known for her books, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale, McMillan has a formula for reaching an audience of a certain age. While this reader falls into this demographic, this tale seems a tad trite and uninspired.

The narrator is a highly successful cosmetic tycoon with a loving husband and great life. When her husband unexpectedly dies during her birthday celebration, she is left to contend with her business, her friend group, and her addicted daughter who wants nothing to do with her. There is also a young man who claims to be the son of her late husband. While we are told that the narrator is grieving, only a postponement of friend trips seems to indicate this. The narrator seems to deal with her cast of characters through liberal monetary contributions to them to ease their problems. It should not be surprising to the reader that it all comes together neatly by the end of the story. The author does manage to develop a healthy cast of characters and keep the story moving forward. For her fans, this will be a must-read.


If We Were Giants

Dave Matthews and Clete Barrett Smith, with illustrations by  Antonio Javier Caparo

If We Were Giants is a book about how clever tree folk defeat the enemy. This is a story about a girl who was driven out of her home. She is adopted by tree folk and learns new ways of living. Kirra helps the tree folks fight off their enemy using giants. The story is entertaining, and it made sense. The best part was when they are fighting the takers. I really liked the characters because they seemed real. The story is very slow in the beginning but gets better when you get to the action. It is well written and the language flowed pretty well. There are no pictures in the book. The moral of the story is that you need to let your grief out to move on and be happy. I think eleven and older who are good readers and enjoy medieval themes would like it. The book could make a good series. The book was great, but if you like a lot of action, then probably not. It was sad in the beginning but got better later.


I'm Sorry!

Scribble and Swoop are the best of friends. They meet every day to do their special crafts. Scribble loves to write plays and Swoop has a special toolbox to build things. They like acting out the plays together. The friends decide they like being together so much they should find a place and live together. It was just the right size for two with a little leftover. When both sit on their big new porch each has a plan to make it a place for their work, but trouble ensues when they do communicate, and both try to use the space at the same time. The curtains for the theater get torn and Swoop’s box gets knocked over scattering all of her tools. Both friends are very angry with each other. Scribble tries to write the perfect words, “I’m Sorry”, to make it better, but he comes to find out that without actions, I’m sorry doesn’t work. Will the two friends be able to act and resolve their problems or be angry forever?

The text is excellent. I really appreciated the flow and thoughtfulness. The number of words on the page seemed exactly right, not too much and not too little. I loved the phrase the author used, “There was room enough for two with a little leftover.” I love this book because kids often do not understand that saying, “I’m sorry” requires action not just saying the words. This book teaches an excellent lesson on both the words and the actions together to make things better.

The illustrations are beautifully done. I love the bright pictures and all of the details in each one. Scribble and Swoop are just adorable. I think their personalities really shine through in the pictures. I love their home in the tree and honestly, I wish I had that porch at my house. It would be a great place to read and write.

The scene when the friends get so mad that Scribble breaks his pencil and cries is a powerful moment. I think this book depicted perfectly how saying sorry and doing something are two very different things. I love that Swoop comes up and gives Scribble a hug knowing how much she has hurt him. Then the friends work out a solution that makes everyone be able to use the porch, not causing a mess or fight. I also love that the friends helped repair the things they had damage as well as repairing the damaged relationship.

My three-year-old daughter said this about the book, “I didn’t like the animals getting angry, I liked they were happy. I didn’t like it when they were angry.”  My six-year-old son said, “I didn’t like that the animals got angry. I liked that they were happy in the end.” It opened the conversation that sometimes we are angry, but that’s when we take action and solve the problem.

I would recommend this book for four to eight-year-olds. My three-year-old liked it, but it might be a tad long for three-year-old’s who are not used to reading long books.


Topics of Conversation: A Novel

Miranda Popkey’s debut novel Topics of Conversation is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, for every woman who's ever felt herself an outsider—watching her own life, and the world around her, with little clarity on how to find happiness.

In the vignettes that make up the book, all connected by an unnamed narrator, Popkey creates a life of one woman struggling with desire, self-loathing, and pain. Covering a span of seventeen years, the narrator experiences marriage, loss, motherhood, anger, jealousy, and nearly every other emotion one can name, and her life is rendered with sharp, witty prose that keeps you turning pages even when you aren’t certain you like her. That the narrator doesn’t like herself much may be the genius of Popkey’s novel. She’s a modern woman with no anchor—absolutely certain in her feminism but also craving, at times, to be controlled—what does that make her if not perpetually at war with herself?

The book is small but powerful, and readers should note there are elements of violence and sexuality that pepper nearly every chapter. These moments aren’t gratuitous—they are achingly real—but if you’re looking for an escapist love story, this isn’t your novel. If, however, you are interested in hearing this woman’s story, and perhaps considering the stories you tell yourself and what they mean, this is an absolute must-read.


The Cracked Slipper

I wasn’t expecting to, but I finished The Cracked Slipper in a single day. This fantastical novel, which begins where the Cinderella fairytale ends, can best be described as a child created from the works of Angela Carter and Anne McCaffery. Because I like both of the above authors, I really enjoyed this book.

I thought the author did a nice job of expanding the Cinderella fairytale to the completely magical realm of Cartheigh, which includes dragons, unicorns, and talking birds. The fairytale is also expanded in terms of the complexity of the characters. Eleanor, the Cinderella character of the story quickly realizes that she has married a very flawed prince in a very flawed kingdom. People act politely while plotting her demise. Luckily, she has her loyal teacher and professional witch, Rosemary, her talking bird, Chou, and her devoted lady attendants, which is good because her evil stepmother and stepsister continue to cause her grief, and the royal court’s magician doesn’t like her very much.

There is also the matter of Eleanor’s attraction to one of her husband’s most trusted advisors: Dorian Finely. This plotline is particularly aching because it’s clear from the beginning that this magical society doesn’t tolerate married women having affairs while turning a blind eye to men’s. The romantic tension between Eleanor and Dorian rises throughout the book, but the characters and the reader know that any relationship between the two of them cannot end happily.

/The Cracked Slipper is the first of a trilogy and resolving that story arch will be among the author’s biggest challenges. Alexander has skillfully set up a strong chemistry and an unforgiving society. Whether the romance will satisfy believability and readers’ desire remains to be seen. I appreciated the well-developed, complex, and strong female characters in this novel. Many of them are given difficult situations and make the best of it through a combination of strategy, strong friendships, and sheer determination. Even the more villainous characters, both male and female, are given the opportunity to be seen in a different light.
This novel is dense—every chapter is packed with history of the magical realm, neighboring countries, the building conflict between witches and magicians, and royal court maneuvering and politics. It’s part of what makes the story so fast-paced and believable. But I think the author could have given less detail and the story would have been just as interesting. However, because this book is part of a trilogy, maybe this detail was a set up for a story yet to come.


Beginners Welcome

Annie Lee lost her father three months ago, but she and her mother still smell his aftershave and find his whiskers in the sink every morning, and the phonograph turns itself on playing his favorite music even after they move from their house. Annie Lee’s mother works non-stop trying to make ends meet, and Annie Lee has to go to a new middle school where she knows no one. Annie Lee tries to be invisible, but a girl named Mitch befriends her. After school some days, Annie Lee takes her scooter and goes around town, one day finding a man playing piano in a mall, and the music is so beautiful she can see it. She asks him to teach her to play, which he agrees to. But when he goes missing, Annie Lee has some hard choices to make.

Cindy Baldwin has followed up her brilliant debut novel, Where the Watermelons Grow, with an equally affecting story. The character of Annie Lee will grab readers' hearts and have them rooting for her the whole way. The writing is gorgeous and the voice pitch-perfect for a middle-school girl. This deserves readership far beyond its intended audience.


InvestiGators

InvestiGators by John Patrick Green is a funny story about two alligators in vests. They have two cases they need to investigate. The story is about how they go about it. The plot is very entertaining, and the book is full of puns that help my interest. The characters are very lively and hilarious. I feel like I got to know them even though they are not realistic. I like the characters a lot. The story is very well written and flowed well. Since it is a comic book, it has lots of dialogue and pictures, which are pretty funny. Eight-year-olds and older would enjoy this book if they like a good pun. I absolutely recommend this book because it is one of the funniest books I have ever read. The book is great, I could not stop laughing!


Imagine That!

I liked the story a lot! I liked that his friend helps him learn how to imagine things. The pictures are very colorful and are very detailed. I like that the little girl is blonde because I am too! The words that are bold pop off the page and make me realize I could read the book using different loudness and sounds. I think this book is good for a boy or a girl because there are a boy and a girl in the book. This book helps me know that friends can help other friends learn new things!


Caught in the Maelstrom: The Indian Nations in the Civil War, 1861-1865

The American Civil War was a complicated and multifaceted conflict. While ultimately it was about slavery, individual actors and even larger groups had their own reasons for fighting on one side or the other. For example, the five Native American tribes of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole fought on both Union and Confederate sides of the war; for them, slavery was not always the essential issue.

This book is a fascinating account of a neglected aspect of the war. It is incredibly detailed and well-documented; this also means it is factually dense. In fact, the book is made directly from the author's doctoral thesis, and it is quite academic. New names and players are difficult to sort out and keep straight, made even more challenging as the actors' loyalties sometimes shift. This is definitely a scholarly work, not written for a general audience; however, it is not unaccessible for those who are willing to make the effort. It is worth the effort for those who want to better understand the Civil War in general, as well as better understand the history of these tribes during this time.


I Love Me!

LaRonda Gardner Middlemiss, illustrated by Beth Hughes

This book is about loving yourself. It’s about kids loving who they are, no matter how different you look.  Even if you are in a wheelchair.

I like this book because they talk about loving themselves because that’s who they were meant to be. I Love Me was really easy to read. The pictures also made it easier. People who feel sad about something about themselves should read this; then they know that it’s ok if you're hurt, in a wheelchair, or have different color skin. It reminds of the book Papa, Daddy, and Riley.


Superheroes Don't Babysit

Siblings are always trouble, especially when you’re a superhero.

In Superheroes Don’t Babysit by Amber Hendricks, illustrated by Kyle Reed, the big sister is a superhero. Well, she’s only pretending to be a superhero, and she’s having a lot of fun doing stuff when her dad asks her for a big favor—like watching her little brother. It’s so funny when the little brother spills sprinkles everywhere. I laughed so much at that part. By the end of the story, the siblings get along, but in the middle, they don’t get along very well at all. My sister and I don’t always get along either, so I get it. But, by the end of the book, through diapers and disaster, they realize that every superhero needs a sidekick.

The pictures are funny and good. I really liked the sprinkles going everywhere. The little brother is lots of trouble!

Reading this book with my little sister makes me feel happy. I hope other kids can read this with their brother or sister and feel happy too.


Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Graphic Novel

The Lost Carnival is a great read and the artwork is amazing! Although it is not in full color, the different colors really enhance the drawings and feelings. And the multiple colors in the end really add to the fight scene.

If you're a fan of mystery and magic you should definitely read this book. The characters are well made and easy to relate to. The conflict between some of the characters is interesting to watch unfold and the way they change throughout the book is cool.

This is probably not the type of book you can start reading and then pick up again a couple weeks later if you get distracted.

It is a good book, and the mystery will really suck you in.


The Vanishing Sky

There are some times and places which are difficult to write about with any sort of happiness. Germany in 1945 is one of those. Even for ordinary civilians, life grew hellish at the end of the second world war. The Vanishing Sky follows a family of four as they struggle to survive without falling apart.

The book alternates between following Etta Huber, the mother of the family, and her younger son Georg, who grows disillusioned enough with the Hitler Youth to flee his group and try to run back home. As he makes his way across Germany, Etta has her own struggle to face. Her older son, Max, has come home from the front changed. At first, he seems merely shaken by the war, but as the days go on, it becomes clearer that something is very wrong with his mind. She vows to hold onto him as best she could, though she knows it won’t be easy. Nothing is these days.

The Vanishing Sky reminded me a great deal of All Quiet on the Western Front. It isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s magnificent all the same. The tone of the narration may seem distant at first, but by the end, I couldn’t imagine it any other way.


The Wife Stalker: A Novel

Raising children Evie and Stelli while supporting Leo as he battles depression, Joanna thinks she is finally seeing glimpses of the man she loves. His engaging personality is reemerging and he is joining in family activities. However, Joanna quickly realizes the reason for the change is because of Piper, the beautiful business owner who has recently moved to town. While Joanna is home taking care of the children, Leo and Piper’s relationship is moving at breakneck speed, so fast, in fact, readers may be wondering how it could be happening, especially when Leo is initially described as a caring and compassionate family man. Meanwhile, Joanna is desperate to unearth Piper’s secrets and get Leo and the children back.

If you’re looking for an entertaining binge-read, this book is for you. The Wife Stalker is a domestic thriller that will delight those that are new to the domestic thriller genre. For those readers familiar with the genre, this story begins with elements that are quite common, however the sister authors do a masterful job telling the story from Joanna and Piper’s points of view. Readers will not see the twist coming, and the nuances of the writing will ultimately come together in not one, but two “what just happened?!?” moments.


Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy

In 2018, some of the most devastating fires on record wreaked havoc on Californians. The Carr Fire burned 229,000 acres over a period of thirty-eight days, reached temperatures of more than 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit, and fanned a 17,000 foot tall fire tornado that whirled at 143 miles per hour. The Mendocino Complex Fire burned 717 square miles of the northern portions of the state. The Woolsey Fire torched 97,000 acres through Los Angeles and Ventura counties and parts of the Santa Monica mountains. But by far the deadliest, most destructive in terms of loss of human life and economic devastation was the Camp Fire that began on November 8th and burned for seventeen days, utterly consuming the city of Paradise and surrounding communities, displacing more than 50,000 people and burning alive 85 of them.

This book by Gee and Anguiano, both seasoned journalists, chronicles the frantic evacuation of Pulga, Concow, Magalia, and the city of Paradise as the wall of flames chased them down at unprecedented speeds, consuming the size of more than two hundred football fields a minute. Spliced in three primary sections, this fast paced narrative account documents how a PG&E power line tower number 27/222 sparked the fire when a C-hook broke free amid 70 mile per hour Diablo gusts. Had the fire started on the east side of the North Fork Feather River instead of the inaccessible West Bank, the early arrival of firefighters could have contained it before the canyon winds barreled the flames headlong up the ridge on a sleepy Thursday morning. Gee and Anguiano braid the stories of hundreds of interviews to bring back the heroes that gave their lives helping others get away.

Layered throughout the heated action, Gee and Anguiano tackle the underlying conditions that drive up the frequency of these epic fires, and the the options available to curb the trend. Their reporting quotes directly from the seasoned professionals tasked with fighting these blazes, the corporate leaders facing new safety challenges, and the lawmakers wrestling with regulatory issues.

Paradise is gone, but the lessons remain.


Elysium Girls

One town stands between two sisters, drawing the townsfolk into a game between Life and Death, with the lives of everyone hanging in the balance. Sal Wilkinson has always been an outsider in the town of Elysium, Oklahoma. Little did she know the role she was about to play. Time is running out before the Dust Soldiers to see if the townsfolk are worthy. Sal receives the most unexpected news: she’s to become the new successor to Mother Morevna. An honor no one expected. The townsfolk soon turn on Sal, and she’s banished out into the desert with a mysterious stranger as her only ally. The two are drawn into a group of outsiders who may be the key to stopping the approaching danger and save the town that scorned them all.

The setting is truly unique as Kate Pentecost blends apocalypse, mythology, and western into a world of 1944 with a backdrop of a Dust Bowl and a gritty Oklahoma town. Sal is headstrong and brazen, which makes her the perfect voice to make this world come to life. The battle between Life and Death drags this town into a gritty fight between two sisters which pulls each of the characters in the middle. The Elysium girls are tough, with each being a little hard-edged and each having their own poignant tale of exile. The theme of outsiders bonds these various characters together with each playing a vital role in the ultimate battle. The Elysium girls consist of the strong-willed characters of Olivia, Cassandra, Zo, Judith, and Susanah with each of them providing Sal with allies and confidants that she needs to find her own power. Sal deals with the struggles of a teenager during this era with bullying, identity, and loss set against this backdrop of dust and apocalypse. She struggles with the memory of her mother, which weighs on her throughout her journey to becoming the hero that Elysium needs. Elysium Girls is a thrilling and wild ride that blends a gritty western and an apocalyptic thriller that delivers an epic tale of life verses death that is addicting and entertaining.


More Than Just a Pretty Face

Danyal loves making food that people enjoy. He is learning the delicacies of French dining in the hopes of becoming a chef. However, this is not smart enough for his parents, who still follow the ways of their ancestors, including arranged marriages. His parents have arranged several meetings, and the one with Bisma is just the latest. Though she is honest and friendly, Kaval, his best friend’s sister, is the one. When Danyal is chosen as the Renaissance Man for history class, a coveted spot usually earned by a top student which includes a research paper and presentation, he has a chance to redeem himself to his parents and earn Kaval as his bride. Unfortunately, he’s not one to take the easy way, but it may cost him the life he envisions.

Danyal is the sweetest, kindest kid—his wit and honest gut reactions are stuff that teenage girls’ dreams are made of. Hindi words are thrown in, lending an authenticity to Danyal’s experience. The complexities of Muslim dating customs combined with the history of the Muslim people provide a backdrop for a unique but vaguely familiar story. This story is wonderful, like a favorite teddy bear—snuggly and warm.


Amnesty: A Novel

Danny is a Sri Lankan immigrant who has been living illegally in Sydney, Australia ever since his student visa to attend what turned out to be a fraudulent university expired. He works as a housecleaner throughout the city, and he completes menial tasks in a grocery store in exchange for a place to stay in the storeroom upstairs. But his life under the radar is threatened when one of his clients is murdered. Danny believes he knows who committed the crime: a doctor with whom his client was having an affair with who also happens to know Danny’s secret. Danny is torn between coming forward with incriminating information while risking deportation or turning a blind eye to justice in order to continue his quiet and simple life in Australia.

Taking place in a single day, Aravind Adiga’s latest novel Amnesty exposes the struggles of undocumented immigrants while also spinning an irresistible mystery. The emotional wrestling Danny does in the pages of this book is expertly conveyed, and readers will feel just as conflicted and will understand the fears that haunt many undocumented immigrants around the world today. Danny’s inner thoughts are tediously repetitious at times, which may turn some readers away, but ultimately this adds to the unbearable nature of the moral dilemma. Exquisitely written with incredible insight and compassion, Amnesty is a relevant novel that shouldn’t be overlooked.


Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (1)

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business is a great book, and I enjoyed it. The book was about Mindy Kim and how she wanted friends after moving to America from Korea She did that by trading her seaweed snacks for American snacks, and that escalates into selling a pack for a dollar. I agree with Mindy because Sally actually did give her the idea and made her do it. I think she got in trouble because of Sally, but I also see the story from Sally’s side as well. It wasn’t fair that Mindy and Sally got in trouble but the kids who bought them didn’t. And she had to give the kids their money back but they got to keep the snacks! I liked the pictures and the plot. Mindy is a cute, funny character that probably took a lot of imagination and thought to create.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers


Bedtime for Sweet Creatures

It is bedtime and the child in this story has only one thing to say: NOOOOOOOO! And over and over again NO NO NO NO like the beat of a drum. But Mom persists and the child asks “Who?” like a little owl pretending not to know. But Mom takes Bear and reminds the child Bear will feel lonely. So the child comes along. Once in bed, the child growls like a bear, but coils like a snake beneath the quilt, hissing about monsters. But Mom knows what to do and searches for monsters, declaring the bedroom a safe zone. More animals appear through the child, but Mom keeps on with the bedtime ritual, as does the child with a need for one more drink and one more trip to the bathroom. Will this ever end?

Told from the mother’s point of view, author Nikki Grimes has built a fun going-to-bed story that, unfortunately, ends up with the child in the parents' bed — not the hoped-for outcome. There is also a non-participatory father in the book. Illustrations by Elizabeth Zunon are bright and truly imaginative and are the perfect complement for this story.


The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier, and Fitter--One Month at a Time

We hear it time and again: self-care is important. But if social media are to be believed, self-care consists of bubble baths, spa days, and a no-shame attitude toward wine. Jennifer Ashton thought she understood self-care, until a chance decision (the idea of going “dry” and avoiding alcohol for the month of January, following a holiday season that verged on excess) led to a revelation. Self-care isn’t about indulgence, nor is it about making sweeping lifestyle changes, but instead it is about making small choices that lead to you feeling better and healthier.

The Self-Care Solution chronicles Ashton’s decision to turn that one month into a whole year of small changes for the better, one month at a time, including drinking more water, eating less meat, and walking more. Ashton discusses the science behind why these things are important, gives readers the lowdown on her own experiences, and offers tips for anyone interested in incorporating these self-care ideas into their own lives.

Readers will appreciate her down-to-earth tone along with her insight into exactly how and why being “healthier” truly is self-care. This book is recommended for anyone who wants to feel better but needs ideas for where to start.


Loveboat, Taipei

Everett “Ever” Wong has always loved being a dancer. From the time she was a little girl, she knew it was what she wanted to do. She’s even received an invite to a prestigious dance school, but her parents have other plans for her. As she is first-generation Asian American, her parents are always reminding her of the sacrifice they made for her to have a better life. They expect her to get excellent grades and be a doctor to make the family proud.

She is finding ways to do both until her parents decide she needs to learn about her culture and go do an international program for the summer. She thinks it’s going to be all work and no fun until she finds out about the nightlife and gets a roommate who knows how to make this a summer she will never forget. Will this new sense of freedom ruin her future or make her bolder about talking to her parents about what she really wants?

I really enjoyed the concept of this book. I like that Ever is spreading her wings and gaining confidence. Her learning to stand up for her dream is admirable. I do like that she finds her confidence around boys.

I would recommend this book for eighteen and up. The sneaking out and sensual things Ever does to break every rule her family laid out is interesting, but not for a younger teen reader. It seems the character goes off the deep end a little too much.


Bowls: Vibrant Recipes with Endless Possibilities is the most wonderful book for foodies who love that umami feeling on their tastebuds. Packed with nutrient-dense, flavorful bowls with vibrant colors, there is a bowl in this book for everyone. The first bowl I made was the bibimbap bowl which is a Korean-style bowl with rice, garlic spinach, sautéed mushrooms, egg, and kimchi. I opted out of making the kimchi, but I used the other ingredients as well as the gochujang sauce on top. Needless to say, my family devoured it. The textures and flavors combined so well. I loved giving the rice a little bit of crunchiness by lightly pressing it into the frying pan and letting it crisp. The next bowl I will be trying is a cheesy polenta bowl with broccoli rabe and egg. It too looks like it will become a favorite in our household. Although the recipes may look complicated at first because of the number of ingredients, they are actually pretty simple and can be altered to the taste of the chef or to the individual person. For example, my son is not a fan of mushrooms so for the bibimbap I just gave him extra spinach. This is a book that has endless possibilities. The beautiful color photography is an added plus and will make your mouth water while looking through the book.


Are You Living with a Narcissist?: How Narcissistic Men Impact Your Happiness, How to Identify Them, and How to Avoid Raising One

In this self-help book, author Laurie Hollman, a clinical psychologist who has treated those with narcissist disorder, explores narcissistic disorder in males. Topics addressed are how narcissistic disorder develops and impacts those around the affected individual, especially their families and partners, and how to treat those affected. Special focus is given to the mother-son bond and how, if dysfunctional, it can lead to narcissism. The author uses as support actual cases of patients and their families she has treated.

This is a compelling book, especially for those with an interest in narcissism and other mental health concerns. It is written with concision for the interested layperson, avoiding overly clinical vocabulary. There is an increased incidence in narcissism nationally, according to various expert sources, so the book is also timely. The book focuses on constructive solutions and communication that can support those living with people with narcissistic disorder and also help the affected individual toward positive change. Narcissism occurs on a spectrum, according to the author, with some degree of it even being healthy and responsible for positive outcomes, such as reasonable self-esteem. On the more negative end of the spectrum, when the narcissistic individual becomes manipulative and unempathetic to other’s needs, narcissism turns dysfunctional.

A part of the book I would, however, question is the responsibility given to early upbringing in the development of narcissism, especially the mother-son relationship, and the mother’s failure to meet the child’s psychological needs. Another recent reading I’ve done on the topic addresses narcissism as a neurological disorder, with the affected individual having limited ability to recognize other’s emotions and needs, almost like a learning disability, having little relationship to upbringing in its origin. This latter view does allow for positive outcomes—narcissists raised well become reasonably well-adjusted and able to channel the disorder in less destructive ways than those raised poorly. The author of this book also holds this positive view: that with treatment, narcissistic individuals can change and be productive members of families and society—which is certainly more uplifting than the common view of narcissists as monsters, incapable of change.


Losing You: A Novel

Nina Landry’s day just keeps getting worse. It is her fortieth birthday, and she is happy about leaving her home on Sandling Island, off the coast of England, for a vacation in Florida. She is going with her boyfriend Christian and her two children, teenager Charlie and younger brother Jackson. But things start going downhill fast. First, Nina's car breaks down. Christian appears to be terminally stuck in traffic. Charlie hasn’t come home from a sleepover. No one has packed. Still, there is plenty of time to prepare and get to Heathrow for their flight, which doesn’t leave for hours, so Nina doesn’t worry excessively.

Then the worst complication arises. Charlie has planned a surprise birthday party for her, and friends descend on their house expecting food and drink. And Charlie, the host of the party, has still not returned home and is not responding to her mother’s text messages. As the hours tick by, a frantic Nina cancels her vacation plans and throws her energy into finding her missing daughter, whom she is certain did not just take off over some imagined slight, as the police seem convinced.

This is a satisfying suspense novel, which drew me back to it again and again, eager to find out which clue Nina would follow next. With the intuition of a desperate mother, Nina tracks the evidence of her daughter’s disappearance with a laser focus that sharply contrasts with the police’s nonchalance. In the process, she finds out things about her daughter that she had not known, such as her having two boyfriends. The police begin to take Nina more seriously when her search leads to the body of another missing girl and then to the scarf her daughter had been wearing the night before in her ex-husband’s car.

I did think the way Nina manages to push around veteran police officers in what becomes an official investigation strained credulity at times, and her constant exclamation that “there isn’t time” repetitive, contributing little to the urgency of the plot, which is gripping as it stands. Overall, this story of a mother’s devotion to and search for her child is powerful.


Almost Time

It is breakfast time on a deep winter morning when Ethan comes to the table only to find applesauce instead of maple syrup on his pancakes. If they were out of syrup, it must be almost time for the maple trees to be ready to be tapped for their sugary sap. But morning after morning, there is still no syrup and Dad keeps saying it’s almost time, but not time yet. The nights are still long and the air is still too cold to release the sap. One morning, Ethan bites into a walnut and discovers he has a loose tooth. Now he has two things he has to wait for, and patience is not his strongest quality. But, ultimately, good things come to those who wait, and this lesson is not lost on Ethan or the readers.

Authors Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney have written a sweet text that teaches a good lesson, although the repetition of breakfast scenes gets a little old. Illustrator G. Brian Karas uses soft colors with a fun, cartoonish style with lots of details that complete the story and will keep young readers' eyes on the pages.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers


Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker The Galaxy Needs You

This picture book is based on illustrated scenes from episodes seven through nine of the Star Wars movies. It is an inspirational book about Rey’s journey. Although she thinks she is nobody important, just a scavenger on her home planet, she has important skills inside of her to fight challenges that are ahead and become who she is destined to be.

At the beginning of the book, Rey is alone with no friends, she does not know how to use a lightsaber, and has never been trained in the ways of the Force. But, through circumstance, she meets friends who help her along the path. She is brave in the face of danger and willing to learn the skills she needs to be successful.

Rey is an inspirational character, especially for young girls. She is smart, kind, and persistent.  She helps others when she can, and she never gives up, even when things are very hard or scary. This book encourages other children to follow in Rey’s footsteps, to be brave, kind, and unique. It is a great book, especially for young Star Wars fans like myself!


Self-Confidence: A Philosophy

Translated from the French, author Charles Pepin examines the various aspects of self-confidence. He draws a causal chain on how self-confidence develops. It grows first through connections to others, then connections to oneself, to connections to the environment. Finally, self-confidence moves beyond an individual psychological phenomenon to a philosophic/spiritual one. Confidence in others and oneself, through commitment, becomes confidence in the universe and life itself.

This book is different from the many books and articles I’ve read before on the topic. Self-confidence texts usually focus on the intrapersonal/psychological aspect of the issue, urging the reader to draw self-confidence from within themselves through sheer force of will. It is then imposed on others through demands and limit-setting. These books are often no more than motivational texts in which the line between self-confidence and selfishness is blurred. This book is different in that it focuses on the actual mechanics of how we develop self-confidence, beyond just willing it into existence. Confidence is developed first through trust in our caregivers and teachers through their help then in ourselves through practice of skills. Specific examples are offered, such as a child learning to ride a bicycle. She first trusts her parent to guide her; through practice, she gains confidence in herself. The spiritual aspect of confidence is also addressed. As confidence in oneself develops, confidence in one’s intuition develops, the ability to listen to one’s instincts. An emergency room doctor knows, from practice, on an intuitive level, which patient to treat first. Confidence leads to an ability to quickly choose a course of action in an environment of uncertainty and chaos. Confidence then extends to the natural world, the intuitive ability to see beauty.

This is a well-written and well-translated book, addressing a complex topic with enough explanation and examples for clarity. It is not an easy read, however, due to the abstract concepts, despite the concrete examples offered. The text is laid out with titled chapters that help organize the material and aid in reader comprehension. Subtitles, however,  within the chapters would further assist the reader in understanding the topics and their connections, with less need for rereading for those connections. Overall, however, this is a novel perspective on a well-visited topic.


Boxitects

Meg is a little girl who loves to create with boxes. I can relate to her as I also love to build things using boxes. Meg goes to a special school where everyone has their own special creative skills. But Meg is the only Boxitect that creates with boxes until one day another boxitect joins the class. Meg thinks that she must complete to the be the best boxitect in the school. However, when the Maker Match is held, she learns she must work with her rival, Simone in order to succeed. After a huge accident, Meg and Simone learn that it is better to work with each other rather than compete against each other. This is a great book to illustrate how important teamwork is with friends at home or at school. I like this book as it is full of great S.T.E.A.M. Ideas and I love to build. The illustrations show how students are not only creative with boxes, but spaghetti noodles and other loose parts. This is a fun book to help readers learn to make the best of working with others and how you don't always have to be the best, but to try your best in everything you do.


Just Like Me

Just Like Me is a storybook of poems. The poems are all about girls. Every page is a different poem. It is about girls who can be themselves and who like themselves just the way they are.

My favorite poem was “Sunshine Blues” because it is funny, and I also liked “Explorer” because it reminds me of space. Some poems were long but some were short. Some were really funny.

The illustrations are very nice, and each page is really colorful. I am guessing the illustrations are made with paint and crayon.

I think girls would like this book more than boys.


Normal: One Kid's Extraordinary Journey

Normal is a non-fiction book written by a teenage boy, Nathaniel, and his mom, Magda. Nathaniel was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, which is a craniofacial condition. This book is a memoir of their lives, the ups and downs of having craniofacial differences, the many surgeries that Nathaniel had to have, and how his family got through it. Magda didn’t know that Nathaniel had craniofacial differences until he was born. That's when surgeries started.

Nathaniel is the real-life Auggie Pullman from Wonder. They even say in the book that Wonder changed how people looked at and approached Nathaniel. They met the author, helped her talk to some schools, and Nathaniel even auditioned for the role of Auggie in the movie. The family got to visit the movie set and give the actors some tips on what it is really like to live with a craniofacial condition.

When I heard about Normal, I really wanted to read it because I loved reading Wonder. It is broken into chapters, but it is written in Magda's and Nathaniel’s own words, each with their own font and paragraphs. I think that Nathaniel is funny in how he writes. He once asked a doctor to give him Spider-Man figures while the doctor was working on his nose. This made me laugh. I liked the flashback sections that have Magda’s memories of things when she was younger or a memory of when Nathaniel was younger.

I would recommend Normal to kids aged ten and up. If you liked the fictional story Wonder, then you will love Normal.


The Thief Knot: A Greenglass House Story

The Thief Knot is a great mystery novel about a group of friends trying to solve a kidnapping. This is the fourth book in the Greenglass House series, but it also makes a great standalone adventure. In The Thief Knot, Marzana and her best friend Nialla, attempt to solve a kidnapping that makes very little sense. Along the way, they meet some old friends and make new ones. The characters each have a unique set of skills, which help them in their investigations. There are many unique settings in the book, including a network of underground train tunnels and a school full of secrets. A hidden message, family secrets, and mysterious characters all make this book hard to put down. There were great illustrations at the start of every chapter, and they helped give an idea about what might happen in each chapter. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries. It is a good book for kids in junior high and young adults. If you enjoy a good mystery, then you need to read this book.


In the Dream House: A Memoir

Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir follows her wildly successful first book, Her Body and Other Parties, and could easily have paled in comparison. Her first book was dark, funny, shocking, and imminently readable. Her memoir is even better.

What Machado manages to do with In the Dream House is nothing short of revolutionary. While exploring her own past abusive relationship, she documents and archives lesbian relationships in a way no other book has done. By dismantling stereotypes, illuminating that which is often left in the dark, and unearthing and displaying the darkest moments of her own life, she lays bare a book that is equal parts cautionary tale and revolutionary primer. Written in short chapters that all begin with some variation of “The Dream House as,” Machado works through all the ways her lived experience can be viewed and read. The deep love she feels for her abuser is as real as the terror she experiences at that woman’s hands, and every page offers as many questions as it does explanations.

Machado’s In the Dream House does not attempt to be the loudest voice in the room, but it is the voice most worth listening to. Even when the language whispers, in the smallest moments of revelation and most hideous chronicles of pain, the book is grand and gratifying, and demands to be read.


Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends

Rock bands by nature tend to feature larger-than-life characters as part of the "rock star" experience, so you'd expect the onstage and backstage stories of heavy metal bands to be even more bizarre, outrageous, or notorious than usual. And you would be absolutely right.

The stories featured in Raising Hell, told by the musicians themselves, cover everything from starting out and where they found their inspiration to the rigors of touring, fighting for opportunities, fighting with your bandmates, literally fighting, and of course, the rock star unholy trinity of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. (There's even a chapter or two dedicated to gross-out moments.)

The entire experience from dreams and success to the high points and low are covered in an oral history format that allows for first-hand accounts and personality galore. These are legends in their own words, sharing stories you've probably never read before. (Even as a metal fan, there were entire bands I'd never heard of before.)

It's a no-holds-barred multi-stage extravaganza, hilarious and horrifying in equal measure. Go onstage and behind the scenes with adventures any rock n' roll or heavy metal fan should not miss.


Lumberjanes Vol. 13

Kat Leyh, created by Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooklyn Allen, illustrated by Dozerdraws

In the latest volume of the Lumberjanes series, the Lumberjanes all have been tasked to remain in the mess hall during a storm. The counselor has asked the Lumberjanes to stay indoors and not to venture outdoors. Wanting some more space, Rip, Mal, and April decide to go on a snack run but instead venture down some secret tunnels which lead to a giant bug encounter. Simultaneously, Jo, Barney, Molly and Diane decide to play a board game that was invented by another 'Jane. The invented board game reminded me of Settlers of Catan.
While I haven't read any of the previous graphic novels in the series (maybe I would have enjoyed this better if I had), I figured out the characters pretty quickly. The characters were likable, but I thought the story was just okay. The plot seemed a little dull and rather boring compared to other graphic novels I have read. I wanted to like the book because I liked the illustrations. I may try and read the previous books in the series to see if I would like them more.


The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever (The Bad Guys #10) (10)

Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, and Mr. Shark are in the Good Guys Club together. But also it's been called the Bad Guys Club. Previously, one of the club’s members, Mr. Snake, fell into a mother ship’s cannon while the Bad Guys' super powers got drained. The Bad Guys also teamed up with The International League of Heroes to fight Marmalade, an evil alien who has butts as hands. But when all seems lost, the Bad Guys are in for a big surprise.

This book is very funny, like the other books. My favorite characters are Mr. Piranha, who can eat thirty-seven burritos for a such a tiny piranha, and Agent Fox, who is part of The International League of Heroes. My favorite part is when Mr. Piranha’s Papa and his sons all bite Marmalade. And it’s weird when the Bad Guys say their real names. I’m not used to it at all! I recommend this book to anyone who likes funny superhero books.


Blue Flowers: A Novel

When I read the description for this book I thought it was a really interesting premise. A newly divorced man named Marcos receives letters at his new apartment addressed to who must be the past tenant. These letters aren’t your average advertisement or credit card offer though. These are personal love letters written in poetic prose from a lady who signs the letters with a simple initial “A”. As the book progresses, the letters become more and more graphic; it sounds like the man beats the lady, giving her bruises and treating her meanly and roughly both in and out of the bedroom. It was a bit disturbing, and I was wondering if Marcos would eventually find either the man or the mysterious woman since there was no return address on the envelopes. Marcos himself is quite detached from the world, although he has a three-year-old daughter named Manuela with his ex-wife, and he has started seeing someone new. Nothing seems to interest Marcos like these letters do. He finds himself obsessed with them, and he wants to find the people in the letters. As I said, the storyline was very interesting, but the plot fell apart in the end. It was quite unsatisfying. I don’t know if it is because this was originally written in a foreign language and then translated, or if the ending really was this dry. In either case, this book offers a great storyline that led to nowhere.


A Bookshop in Berlin: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman's Harrowing Escape from the Nazis

“I don’t know exactly when I felt the calling to be a bookseller. As a very young girl, I could spend hours leafing through a picture book or a large illustrated tome.”

From the first line of Françoise Frenkel’s memoir, A Bookshop in Berlin, I was hooked. Being a book lover and collector who haunts local bookstores every chance I get, I felt that immediate connection that all booklovers feel with a kindred spirit. Here is someone who understands, but also someone who clearly was in the wrong place at the very worst time possible.

I was intrigued by the difficulties Frenkel faced in opening a French bookshop and, to be honest, why she would even want to do so knowing the growing negative political climate in Germany towards all things foreign. However, then she describes how in 1921 her shop becomes a literary haven for Berlin: “professors, students, and members of the aristocracy.” Also, there are well-to-do women, poets, philosophers, scholars, and high school teachers. It is a place of solitude and solidarity which crosses all social boundaries. Until, one day, it isn’t, when this story really begins. And perhaps why some think the title seems a little strange. However, consider that it is this feeling of belonging that Frenkel creates in Berlin, in her bookstore, that this entire book continues on in the hopes of finding. Her memoir is a story of that perilous, often heart-stopping, journey, and I feel privileged to have been permitted to travel it with her in spirit.


The Ghosts of Notchey Creek

"Andrews delivers another delightful mystery rich in endearing characters, small-town vibe, and a ghostly eeriness reminiscent of A Christmas Carol. Harley and her friends must face the past to tackle the latest mystery that has come to Notchey Creek which finds their charming town haunted by a mysterious woman and a shocking murder. Ghosts of Notchey Creek has a charming ambiance that breathes new life into the cozy mystery genre with humor, suspense, and surprises." — Elizabeth Konkel, Manhattan Book Review


The Toughest Kid We Knew: The Old New West: A Personal History

Novelist Frank Bergon shifts his attention homeward in this quirky little work of nonfiction to carry us back before flowering hillsides became Silicon Valley. He seems to ramble, as novelists are prone to do, but it is an interesting journey through history--both of the land now largely known for vineyards and almonds, and of Bergon's personal family ties to the old ranches surrounding Madera. Along the way we get to know Bergon's Basque family roots and a host of immigrants from other lands who came to work the land and develop it into what it is today.

The ordinariness of these people Bergon introduces washes away to reveal the toughness of their underlying character. The roots that install their endurance, or what Bergon calls "Indarra," is a word he lifts right out of the Basquean tongue to describe a type of persistent strength that marks the enduring quality of people who make it through tough times. Booming out of the seemingly unrelated vignettes, while wondering if there is a point buried in this rambling, the reader begins to sense a pattern in the characters featured. This brand of toughness cannot be overtly taught academically. It has something to do with bloodlines, but not necessarily pedigree.

Late in the book when the reader has given up searching for a theme, Bergon finally gives us the story about the life and death of Billy Carter, the toughest kid in town. Then in reflection, Bergon takes us to a family style Basque Hotel dinner, as if to incorporate us with everyone else struggling to find their place into the family fold. But the dinner is not really enough. Bergon leaves us wanting more.


Nicola Gardini, translation by Todd Portnowitz

Long Live Latin: The Pleasures of a Useless Language is a love letter to the author’s beloved: the Latin language. The whole book is a meditation on a critical question: what use is Latin?

While Latin might seem to be a dead language, so much of our experience and identity is still filtered through the lens of this originally obscure language once particular to a relatively small population in a particular region. It rose through a myriad of contemporary languages and variations to become as much art as language, as well as the language of law and science, to preserve the prayers and ideas of the church, and bring the ribald and insightful poems and epigrams of Catullus to schoolboys everywhere. The author’s insights into the language are thoughtful, heartfelt, comical in places, and overall uplifting. Even readers without any Latin education can share his passion for this sometimes enigmatic, often difficult, language. If language shapes how we think, then understanding the impact and consequences of Latin grants us a deeper understanding of ourselves.


Lila and Hadley

After her mom goes to jail, Hadley goes to live with her sister; Hadley doesn't think she'll have a good time. On top of moving away from her friends and her school, she is also slowly going blind. Hadley spends her days sulking in her bedroom, refusing to talk to anybody.

But one day, Beth takes Hadley to the shelter where she works. There she meets Lila. Lila is an abandoned pit bull who won’t react to anyone at the shelter who tries to play with her. She comes over to sit by Hadley, which isn’t much, but more than the workers at the shelter could do. When Beth asks her to train Lila, Hadley reluctantly agrees. But training Lila is harder than Hadley thought. Lila is very stubborn and won’t obey orders in front of anyone besides Hadley. Moreover, Hadley must navigate friendships, mobility classes, and what it truly means to forgive.

This book takes a fabulous look at a beautiful friendship between a girl and a dog.


Prairie Lotus

Prairie Lotus is like an Asian American version of Little House on the Prairie. It tells about a motherless Asian-American girl and her struggles with prejudice in her community. The characters are incredibly well developed, so it feels as if you are actually the girl. The plot includes a best friend that helps her overcome her differences with the community. This shows how friendship can be an asset to help you change how your life. The focus on an Asian American gives a different perspective on pioneer times.

The book flows very well and evokes a lot of sympathy for the characters. The language is very descriptive, which helps you get immersed in the book. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it.

I would recommend this book for kids in third to fifth grade who enjoyed Little House on the Prairie. I think it should also be used in schools to give a larger perspective on minorities in pioneer times. It also could be useful for discussing discrimination. I highly recommend this book for both education and a relaxing read.


Red Letter Days

Phoebe Adler wants to be a television writer, but in the 1950s, that job almost exclusively belongs to men. In her latest novel, Red Letter Days, Sarah-Jane Stratfod, author of Radio Girls , brings to light Phoebe's story and the scandal of the Red Scare within the television industry.

When Phoebe leaves New York after being blacklisted as a communist, a false allegation designed to keep her from working, she travels to London to work with one of the most influential producers on TV. Hannah Wolfson has her own production company and is embarking on a re-telling of the classic Robin Hood story. She has the money and the power to make it a true classic, but she needs strong writers. When she meets Phoebe, they form a partnership that will test them both. And, as Phoebe's past and Hannah's penchant for hiring blacklisted writers begins to catch up with them, these smart, independent women have to decide what's really worth fighting for.

If you know nothing about the Red Scare and its effects on the television and film industry, this book is a wonderful primer. Stratford takes this pivotal moment in history and wraps it in a story of women's friendship and women's struggle to have it all. Hannah, a businesswoman, wife, and mother, in particular, faces this challenge; though the book is set more than 50 years ago, its themes are incredibly relevant today.

Whether you're looking for historical fiction or a novel about women working against the stereotypes that have held them back, Red Letter Days is a perfect read.


Eden

Jenn is part of an adventure group that races across the different Virgin Zones. The Zones were created to protect what was left of nature in hopes that it would begin to grow back after all the damage humans have done to the planet. Jenn’s boyfriend and father are also part of the group. Months before, Jenn’s mother went into this particular Zone and was never seen again. The Zone they are attempting to race across is Eden, the oldest and most wild of the thirteen Zones. Although this group has seen a lot and survived some terrible things, nothing will be able to prepare them for what nature has become when left unchecked. This Eden is no paradise.

I thought this was an interesting take on how nature responds to climate change and humanity’s destructiveness. The only negative aspects for me were the language and gore, but being a horror story, this was not unexpected. I also would have been fine with this book being longer and including more explanation about the science of what was happening. It can still be horrifying while being educational. Overall, it’s a fairly quick, easy read that brings the horrors of nature into your home. I would not be surprised if this is turned into a Netflix or Hulu original. So if you don’t want to read it, wait for the movie.


My Wandering Dreaming Mind

My Wandering Dreaming Mind by Merriam Sarcia Saunders is an interesting book about a little girl who has a hard time paying attention. This book is really good and made me think about myself. Sometimes it is hard to pay attention and, just like the main character in the book, rather than be upset and sad, you can be creative about new ways to be organized and pay attention when it's hard rather than focus on mistakes. This is a great story for kids and I would recommend it for my friends to read, too. The illustrations are great and really show what it is like to be thinking of a lot of things at one time--especially things like mermaids and fairies.


Papa, Daddy, and Riley

Seamus Kirst, illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

The book is about Riley, her dad, and her papa trying to figure out who is her real dad because her friend Olivia says you can only have one dad and one mom. That makes Riley feel sad.

But I don’t think that’s true, because families could be different. You can have a step-mom, a step-dad, or you can have two moms and two dads.

Riley feels happy afterward because she realizes every family is different but at least one thing is the same: they all have love. She was happy to have two dads because they love her. Papa, Daddy, and Riley was like my friend who has two moms.

I like the drawings a lot! I think they are made with crayon and watercolor. The book was easy to read.

“Love makes a family.”


We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships

"Tips, tricks, and a sense of comfort are what Vellos grants those who could use a little help in the friend department. She lays out key ingredients for how to stop the excuses and change your life. Vellos is committed to raising the happiness level among the population—the only prescription is more friendship!" —San Francisco Book Review


The Poison Garden: A Novel

Twenty-one-year-old Romy doesn’t remember life before The Ark, a community in North Wales committed to the teachings and leadership of Lucien, a charismatic leader who insists on the community’s preparation for the apocalypse and refers to them as the only real living left, while everyone outside The Ark are “The Dead.” This is the premise of Alex Marwood’s psychologically exquisite novel, The Poison Garden.

As the novel opens, one hundred members of The Ark are discovered dead, all poisoned. Signs of attempted escape, make this not a suicide plot but a mass murder. How these devoted followers of Lucien met this fate is the question at the heart of Marwood’s novel, and none of the explanation isn’t easy. In some ways, it has to do with the guards of The Ark, trained by Uri, Lucien’s biological son with a military background and hunger for his father’s power. In others, it all revolves around Romy’s mother Somer, who brought Romy to The Ark before Romy was five. Somer’s relationship with Lucien and the children she bears at The Ark pave the road leading to the deaths that open the novel. But really, this is Romy’s story: How she manages to live among The Dead after surviving the massacre and how she will make her life now that all she knew before is gone.

The turns in this novel were some of the most surprising I’ve ever read, and the ending left me breathless. If you have an interest in cults, in the dark side of human behavior, or if you are looking for an “un-put-down-able” book, The Poison Garden is for you.


The Manifestations of Sherlock Holmes

A man believes he has accidentally cursed his family. A woman suspects her husband's suicide was faked and that he is still alive. A young housemaid asks for help proving her innocence in the death of her employer. A man accused of his employer's death believes a deadly spirit committed the act, and Holmes ventures behind the veil of spirit mediums to solve the crime.

From the above summations, you might assume that this is a run-of-the-mill collection of Holmes stories, but that's only half the collection. Other tales venture into Holmes' darker side in a Jekyll-and-Hyde-esque misadventure, encounters with the cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft, a Christmas caper for Doctor Watson, and even a story told from the point of view of Toby, the dog who occasionally assists Holmes in his investigations.

Rarely does a collection of Holmes stories cast a net as widely as The Manifestations of Sherlock Holmes, and yet, most of the stories work nicely. While it's true that the majority of them don't feel as if they could have been penned by Doyle, that doesn't disqualify them from due consideration in my book. Quite the contrary in fact, as I thoroughly enjoyed the ambitiousness in some of these tales, even if they all don't stick the landing.

James Lovegrove continues to be one of the most engaging and adventurous authors expanding the Holmes canon on the market today, and this collection proves he has plenty of clever, cunning, and occasionally off-the-wall ideas for the Great Detective.


Woven in Moonlight

Ximena is nothing more than a decoy, a fake condesa. She’ll do anything to keep the real condesa safe, even marry the false king. In the days leading to her wedding, Ximena searches for the deadly relic that forced her people from La Ciudad many years before. With it, they will take their home back. But as she weaves hidden messages into tapestries, she meets a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princesa, and a thoughtful healer who challenge Ximena’s beliefs. What if there’s a way to overthrow the false king without starting another war?

In this carefully woven tale, Ximena has to face who she really is while trying to learn the truth of not only her people but also the people whom she seeks revenge on. Every character is different in their own way, and some aren’t all that they seem. Woven in Moonlight is fast-paced, with several months passing yet seeming like hardly any time has passed at all, but it’s not too fast, with important events sticking out.