Hunted

Hunted
by Meagan Spooner Harper Teen, 2017. 374 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Yeva’s family lives in town when disaster strikes and her family’s fortunes are lost to raiders and bandits, which means her family has to move to the woods and her father has to go back to hunting for their income. One day her father’s hound comes back without him and Yeva has to call on the training she received as a child to go find her father. Toward the end of her quarry she is captured by the Beast that she believes killed her father. Follow this Russian spin on the fairytale Beauty and the Beast.

I love Beauty and the Beast retellings; they are some of my favorite stories to read. I love the elements that the Russian background brings to the story. It also addressed one of the inconsistencies in the Russian fairy tales about Ivan who is often the hero of the story. I love that they mention Stockholm syndrome which is not commonly done in most of the stories. It was also fun to listen to the story, the readers did a beautiful job in their representation of the story and its elements.

MH

The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls & muffins

The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, Waffles, Cinnamon Rolls, and Muffins
by Caleb Warnock and Melissa Richardson
Front Table Books, 2012. 163 pgs. Nonfiction

Baking your own bread has never been more nutritious or delicious! Natural yeast is full of amazing health benefits: it breaks down harmful enzymes in grains, prevents bread from spiking blood sugar, and makes nutrients more readily available for the body to absorb. This book explains the health benefits of naturally yeasted breads in easy to understand terms, and gives detailed instructions for using a yeast start and keeping it healthy.

The thing that really sold me on trying natural yeast is how the yeast is free forever. I had a lot of fun trying to figure out how to bake bread with natural yeast, even though it was a steep learning curve for me (I never made my own bread before trying this method.) Natural yeast is more like a sourdough start than the packets of yeast at the grocery store, so the process is a little different. Once I got it figured out, the results were fantastic! Not to mention all the health benefits discussed by the authors. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in making bread, or who is looking for a yummy and healthy alternative to white bread.

 ER

George Washington's Secret Six: the Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution

George Washington's Secret Six: the Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution
By Brian Kilmeade and Don Yeager
Sentinel, 2013. 235 pgs. Nonfiction

We've all heard of Nathan Hale, who only survived 24 hours as a spy for George Washington, and Benedict Arnold, the American general who secretly conspired to turn the fort at West Point over to the British.  But mostly unknown to history are the American spies in New York who risked everything during the British occupation to send important information to Washington about British troop movements and other essential information  The authors trace the identities and activities of the secret Culper spy ring, demonstrating the vital role they played in helping the colonies to win the American Revolution.  This is an exciting and accessible account of little known events in history. SH

Love and Other Consolation Prizes

Love and Other Consolation Prizes
by Jamie Ford
Ballangine Books, 2017, 307 pgs.  Historical Fiction

Jamie Ford finds little known facts from the Northwest and writes wonderful historical fiction that brings them to life.  In Love and Other Consolation Prizes he used the 1909 Seattle worlds’ fair, the Alaska Yukon Pacific Expo to bring Seattle to life at the turn of the century.  Ernest Young, a half-Chinese orphan, is donated by a wealthy sponsor as a raffle prize at the Expo.  He is “won” by the madam of a notorious brothel who puts him to work cleaning and helping keep the house in order.  This unlikely sequence of events places Ernest in the most stable home he has ever known and he soon befriends the owner’s daughter along with one of the kitchen girls.

While not my favorite of Ford’s works, I enjoyed the obscure Seattle history and glimpses into a very different sort of lifestyle.  So often, the underbelly of society is overlooked making it easy to forget that people are people and we are all just trying to make the most of the situations we are given.  As always, readers of Ford’s books will enjoy the vibrant descriptions of Pacific Northwest and an engaging story.

CG

Before We Were Yours

Before We Were Yours
By Lisa Wingate
Ballantine Books, 2017. 342 pgs. Historical Fiction

Rill Foss’s parents leave her in charge of her four siblings on their family shantyboat when her mother’s labor stops progressing normally.  While they are gone, all five children are pulled from the only home they have ever known and sent to the care of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society.  While in the orphanage, the children will suffer a variety of abuses until some are adopted by wealthy couples unaware that they have loving parents still searching for them.

This story is based on the infamous adoption scam run by Georgia Tann.  Hundreds of children are believed to have died in her care and hundreds more were kidnapped to feed her orphanages that catered to the rich and famous.  Wingate tells the story of the fictional Foss children while alternating from a present day story to one occurring to Rill in 1939.  The history behind this novel makes it a must for historical fiction fans and the wonderful storytelling makes it a must for everyone else.

CG

The Dam Keeper

The Dam Keeper
By Robert Kondo
First Second, 2017. 153 Pages.

Life in Sunrise Valley is tranquil, but beyond its borders lies certain death. A dangerous black fog looms outside the village but its inhabitants are kept safe by an ingenious machine known as the dam. Pig's father built the dam, taught him how to maintain it, and then walked into the fog never to be seen again. Now Pig is the dam keeper, with few aware of his efforts other than Fox, his best friend, and Hippo, the town bully. Now, with a tidal wave of black fog descending on Sunrise Valley, Pig, Fox, and Hippo must face the greatest danger imaginable: the world on the other side of the dam.

This book serves as a sequel to a short film and the first book of a series. As such, it's in an interesting place, with characters having an established background but the story just starting and ending with a cliffhanger. However, don't let that deter you from getting this book. The world and characters are interesting and introduced well enough that I never felt like I was coming in at the middle. Pig is a truly sympathetic character, which made me really want him to find happiness. What's more, this book is worth looking over just for the beautiful artwork. It's definitely a worthwhile book to pick up and read, with a story and dialogue being age appropriate for anyone in the family. 

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal 
By Mary Roach 
W.W. Norton & Company, 2013. 348 pages. 

The human digestive system is probably not on your list of daily contemplations, but it is a necessary and fascinating part of the human body that often gets overlooked. In this engaging journey from beginning to (rear) end, Roach entertains the reader with the elusive world of corporate taste-testers, the amazing stomach-stretching capacity of competitive eaters, the history of flatulence, prison “wallets,” and much more. 


Mary Roach, author of best-seller Stiff, has a knack for turning taboo subjects into best-selling books. Roach gratuitously pokes fun at the uncomfortable ick factor of her topic of research, and never fails to thrill the reader with her detail. Though she may appear to veer off topic at times, Roach always makes up for it with bizarre anecdotes and witty humor (oh, the puns). Her research takes her to eccentric scientists that study the mysteries of saliva, intestinal gas, and fecal implants, thus grounding this wild ride in actual (if weird) science. If your inner child loves Ripley’s Believe it or Not, or any kind of gross-out educational material, Mary Roach has got you covered. 

 ALL

Hit the Ground Running

Hit the Ground Running
By Alison Hughes
Orca Book Publishers, 2017. 205 pgs,  Young Adult

Dee is freaking out! Her dad, an antiques dealer, left and hasn't yet returned. He's been gone for almost six weeks now and Dee doesn't know what to do. Social Services has started coming around and Dee is scared that they are going to take her and Eddie, her seven-year-old brother, to different foster homes.

Dee decides that her only option is to flee their small desert town in Arizona for their aunt's house in Canada. So what if their car is seriously old and the fact that Dee doesn't have a driver's license. This is an emergency! So begins Dee and Eddie's epic road trip from Arizona to Alberta, Canada.

This book was very fast paced. You could feel the tension building as Dee struggles to figure out how to best deal with this situation. I read this book in one sitting because I just had to know how it would turn out!

AMM

Age of Myth

Age of Myth
By Michael Sullivan
Del Rey, 2016. 409 pages. Fantasy

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever.

Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun.

This is the first  book of a pretty traditional high fantasy series. As a fan of the genre, I appreciated the notes that the author hit, though I did feel like it made the book a little more predictable. The characters are enjoyable and interesting, and the plot is fast-paced. The stakes are fairly small in this book, but the battle scenes are well depicted, which makes me look forward to the prospects of a full on war in the next books.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean

Always and Forever, Lara Jean
By Jenny Han
Simon & Schuster, 2017. 325 pages. Young Adult

Jenny Han surprised fans when she revealed that she would be writing a concluding third novel to her duology that follows the life of craft-loving, wistful Korean-American Lara Jean Covey Song. Now in her senior year, life is looking pretty good. She and her boyfriend are in love, her widower dad is finally getting re-married, and college acceptance letters are coming in the next few weeks.

Never comfortable with change, Lara Jean is happy to attend nearby University of Virginia with her boyfriend. But change is looming on the horizon. When she doesn’t get in to UV, Lara Jean is forced to confront difficult life choices and is confused between choosing what her heart is saying or her head. And what does this all mean her relationship with her boyfriend?

It is always delight see the world through Lara Jean’s eyes, so I was excited to pick up this third book after P.S. I Still Love You. Lara Jean is an insightful and authentic character, and I have enjoyed reading about her journey from child to adult. This is a satisfying conclusion, but if you’re like me, it may leave you wishing to know more about what happens to Lara Jean at college and beyond.

AJ

Feral Youth

Feral Youth
By Shaun David Hutchinson
Simon Pulse, 2017. 310 pgs. Young Adult

Ten teens have been sent to a tough summer camp meant to help them get their life back in order before they end up in juvie, or worse. The culminating camp experience is when they are blindfolded and driven out to a remote location in the woods. They have three days to make it back to camp, completely on their own. With their survival skills put to the test, tensions start to run high as their hunger, exhaustion, and general discomfort increases. To pass the time and create a semblance of unity, they have a story telling competition. The stories are varied, but show that perhaps these teens are less “feral” and more deliberate and justified than society believes.

This collection of short stories was inspired by Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, and each story was written by a different author, making the individual voices and storytelling styles that much more distinct. Even with that, it worked extremely well felt like a cohesive whole. The stories touched on a lot of sensitive social issues (bullying, sexuality, assault, etc.), and did so in a way that felt realistic. Youth are too often painted in a negative light, but this collection shows how misleading a label or singular action can be. Overall I quite enjoyed the book and really appreciated the different perspectives.

ACS

Far From the Tree

Far from the Tree
By Robin Benway
Harper Teen, 2017, 374 pages, Young Adult

When Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, ends up having to give up her own daughter to adoption, she begins to wonder about her biological family. Soon she meets her biological siblings, Maya and Joaquin, and Grace discovers that she’s not alone. Together the three help each other through tough trials, and try to find out what happened to their birth mother.

The themes used in Far From the Tree could easily make this book veer into After School Special territory. It discusses tough issues like teen pregnancy, adoption, life in the foster care system, alcoholism, bullying, and divorce. The thing that keeps this book from being a complete downer is that it also covers themes such as the power of love and the strength of family. The story is told from the point of view of three different characters, and while I liked some of them more than others, each character felt fully fleshed-out and well formed. I found myself pretty engrossed in the story, and read with almost perpetually misty eyes. To me, Robin Benway has hit on the same formula that made books like Eleanor and Park and The Fault in Our Stars so powerful. It’s no wonder that this book was just awarded the prestigious National Book Award!

MB

Sourdough: a Novel

Sourdough: a Novel
By Robin Sloan
MCD, 2017. 272 pgs. Fiction

Robin Sloan's new novel, Sourdough, is a delightful blend of magical realism, quirky characters, high tech, and a very special sourdough start.  Lois Clary works at a San Francisco tech company where many of the programmers exist by eating (actually slurping) a nutritive gel named Slurry. She discovers a local restaurant that delivers sourdough bread and delicious spicy food.  When the restaurant closes and the owners leave Lois their sourdough start to tend she begins to bake.  Mastering the magic of mixing flour, water and sourdough starter, she shares the delicious bread with co-workers and then looks for a venue to sell bread through one of San Francisco's many farmers markets. She ends up with a stall at a high-tech food emporium where the vendors are all experimenting with innovative food formulations.  As the new market nears its opening day, complications arise when Lois researches the history of her unique sourdough starter and begins to understand its microbial complexity.

Sloan's novel is both fluffy and fulfilling.  You will want to have a loaf of really good bread on hand when you sit down to read it. SH

Midnight at the Electric

Midnight at the Electric
By Jodi Lynn Anderson
Harper Teen, 2017, 257 pages, Young Adult

Kansas, 2065. Adri has secured a slot as a Colonist--one of the lucky few handpicked to live on Mars. But weeks before launch, she discovers the journal of a girl who lived in her house over a hundred years ago, and is immediately drawn into the mystery surrounding her fate ... Oklahoma, 1934. Amid the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl, Catherine fantasizes about her family's farmhand, and longs for the immortality promised by a professor at a traveling show called the Electric. But as her family's situation becomes more dire, Catherine must finally separate illusion from reality and sacrifice everything she loves in order to save the one person she loves most. England, 1919. Lenore struggles with her grief for her brother, a fallen British soldier, and plans to sail to America in pursuit of a childhood friend. While their stories span thousands of miles and multiple generations, Lenore, Catherine, and Adri's fates are entwined in ways both heart-breaking and hopeful.

This book reminded me a lot of I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith in that it’s beautifully written, mostly in the format of letters and journal entries. Anderson’s settings and characters are written with loving detail, which is a pretty amazing feat given the format. I read this book a few months ago, but I can still conjure up memories of the beautiful way Anderson describes the choking horror of the Dust Bowl, and the utter loss Lenore feels for her brother. While Adri’s storyline isn’t quite as strong as the other two, it helps tie everything together in a unique and hopeful way. Overall, this ends up being a story about love and the power of friendship and family.  Those who read this book are in for a treat!

MB

The Door to January

The Door to January
By Gillian French
Islandport Press, 2017. 193 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Ever since she moved away from her hometown of Bernier, Main, Natalie has been having repetitive nightmares, nightmares that center on an old house in Bernier. When she goes back to visit in the summer, she’s trying to both figure out what the nightmares mean, and face the reason she left Bernier in the first place. With the help of her cousin, Teddy, Natalie makes some startling discoveries about the house, the people who lived there, and some of her repressed memories.

With multiple stories being told, in a book this short every word has to count. Right from the start there’s a lot going on, and it can be hard to keep up. Initially things felt a little clunky and disjointed, but as the setting and backstory were introduced it started feeling more cohesive. Finally it became a decent paranormal-thriller that kept me reading past my bedtime. That being said, some of the dialog felt overly contrived, and while I liked the characters, they didn’t necessarily feel real. I could recommend this for those looking for a shorter book, and who care more about an interesting, suspenseful, paranormal story, rather than rock solid writing.

ACS

American Wolf

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
By Nate Blakeslee
Crown Publishers, 2017. 300 pgs. Nonfiction


Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 and since then, park rangers and conservationists have been watching and tracking individual wolves and wolf packs throughout the Rockies.  Using this data so meticulously collected, Blakeslee has written the dramatic story of O-Six, a large, clever alpha female who reigned the Lamar Valley.  But the story of this beloved wolf cannot be told without also introducing wolf watcher Laurie Lyman and park wildlife expert Rick McIntyre who together helped to build O-Six's the celebrity and use her life to argue the case for keeping wolves on the endangered species list and safe from hunters determined to keep their numbers low.

American Wolf  is written with a wonderful pace and inspired passion.  The plight of the wolves is carefully described, but the author also attempts to describe the arguments of the ranchers and hunters who feel no love for the creatures. The author is definitely biased for the wolves, but admirably manages to keep the other side from being vilified.  Perfect reading for animal and nature lovers...also for anyone who just wants a good true story. 

CG

Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo
By George Saunders
Random House, 2017. 341 pgs. Fiction

The bardo refers to the state of existence between life and death.  Souls who wish to postpone departing this world for the next linger in the bardo and it is here that Willie Lincoln, young son of Abraham Lincoln, finds himself following a deadly case of typhoid fever.  In the graveyard he encounters a cast of ghosts all avoiding the "matterlightbooming" phenomenon for their own diverse reasons.  President Lincoln's visit to his son's mausoleum causes such an uproar in the usually quiet graveyard that few souls will survive the night unaffected. 

This is not a necessarily easy read, though it can be a quick read thanks to the script like formatting the author has chosen.  What makes Lincoln in the Bardo difficult is that it is just bizarre and the style definitely takes some getting used to.  I began by listening to the audiobook, which has an all-star cast including Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, Don Cheadle, Bill Hader, Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, and Ben Stiller.  How could you go wrong listening to this?  I'm not sure I know the answer but it did not work for me.  It was disjointed and confusing and I eventually switched to the print version to see if it was better.  Maybe I should have stuck with the audio for a bit longer, but by the end of the print version of the novel, I was a bit awestruck by its depth and beauty.  This may not be for everyone, but if you are looking for something that takes a bit of work and leaves you with plenty to think about, this may be just the thing.

CG

Alex and Eliza: a love story

Alex and Eliza : a love story
by Melissa De La Cruz
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2017. 358 pages. Young Adult Fiction.


Alexander Hamilton is the dashing young secretary of General George Washington on an errand to deliver unfortunate wartime news to 'General" Schuyler, patriarch of New York's prominent families and father to three spunky and beautiful girls. Alex's message delivery happens to be upon the night of a ball hosted by the Schuyler family, highlighting their eligible daughters. Eliza Schuyler is the feisty, patriotic, practical, middle child who catches Alex's eye with her witty banter and pretty looks. Years laters happenstance brings the two together again and their love story begins in earnest.

Alex and Eliza is a wonderful fictional story about two people that defy all odds to be together. Their matching wit, intellect and desire to serve the new nation during the Revolutionary War is inspiring. This is a engaging and cute love story, even though it's a bit predictable, I loved seeing how it all unfolds. It's a character-driven plot that keeps you reading quickly. If you have an interest in historical fiction and romance, the American Revolution time period, or all the Hamilton hype, this book is for you.

-LP

Holes

Holes
by Louis Sachar
New York, Straus and Giroux, 2008. 265pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Due to the curse that his no good dirty rotten pig stealin great great grandfather got cast on the members of his family, Stanley Yelnats is being sent to a miserable correctional camp in Green Lake, Texas for a crime he didn’t commit. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time just like every other member of his family. In this miserable camp in Texas Stanley discovers his first real friend and a new sense of self.

I love Holes it has been one of my favorite books for a very long time. This book is one of the few books to movies where both formats were absolutely fantastic. Stanley starts out as an unlucky nobody and overtime and through finding a true friend amazing things happen. This is a book that I read very frequently and it makes me happy every time.



 MH

Stripling Warrior

Stripling Warrior 
by Kathi Oram Peterson
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017. 257 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Sydney Morgan after barely surviving the battle of Cumeni is reunited with her comrade Tarik. Shortly after the battle she, Tarik, and Ozi and sent on a perilous mission to go find Captain Moroni and ask him for reinforcements. Follow Sydney as she fights to go back to the time she is from and survive this ancient world.

I waited for almost a decade for this book due to publication issues. I loved finally having a conclusion to a story I have been waiting for a very long time. I loved the end of the story I loved how Sydney developed over the course of the story. I found the characters compelling and it was fun seeing the author's perspective on ancient life.

 MH

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitiri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad
By M.T. Anderson
Candlewick Press, 2017. 456 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Brilliantly written and with a beautiful layout as well, this book about the 872 day German siege of Leningrad during World War II deserves a wide readership among adults and young adults.  In fact, due to the harsh and often gruesome details of life under Stalin's regime and life during the siege, I would recommend the book only for adults and older teens.  Describing life in the Soviet Union during Shostakovich's lifetime, the author weaves in the plight of artists and ordinary citizens under Stalin's reign of terror.  Shostakovich managed to survive the purges and labor camps to become a national icon widely known outside the Soviet Union for his major musical works.  His 7th Symphony, written during the siege of Leningrad, became a national symbol of hope for the defeat of the Nazis and an international public relations coup as well.  As Russia became an ally of the United States during the war it was sometimes difficult for Americans to think of Russia as a friend.  But Shostakovich's 7th became an international symbol of the humanity and high culture of the Russian people and triggered an outpouring of donations from ordinary Americans to help the besieged Soviets.

The audio-recording by the author is one of the best audio-books I have ever heard.  His pronunciation of Russian words is excellent and his dramatic inflection is powerful. SH

Origin

Origin (Robert Langdon #5)
By Dan Brown
Doubleday, 2017. 461 pgs. Fiction

Harvard professor and symbologist Robert Langdon receives an invitation from Edmond Kirsch, a former student and world-renowned inventor, for a presentation at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao that he claims “will change the face of science forever.” Security is tight for those attending the event, and the rest of the world waits with baited breath as they watch a live stream. When disaster strikes before Kirsch can reveal his discovery, conspiracy theories abound. Without knowing who to trust, Robert and museum director Ambra Vidal escape the madness and set out to find the 47 character password that will unlock Kirsch’s earth-shattering presentation.

I like Dan Brown’s books for their fast pace and general entertainment. On these counts, Origin delivered as well as previous books in the Robert Langdon series. However, compared to the others, this one was lighter on symbology and more focused on technology and how it’s changing the world. In that regard, it reminded me a bit of Brown’s 1998 techno-thriller, Digital Fortress. Overall, I enjoyed the book and can easily recommend this to anyone looking for an entertaining page-turner.

ACS

A Surgeon in the Village: an American Doctor Teaches Brain Surgery in Aftrica

A Surgeon in the Village: an American Doctor Teaches Brain Surgery in Africa
Tony Bartelme
Beacon Press, 2017. 274 pgs. Biography

Brilliant, newly minted neurosurgeon Dilantha Ellegala decides to go to a hospital in a remote area of Tanzania for a change of pace and the opportunity to share his surgical skills for a few months. Discovering that the hospital has almost zero surgical tools that he needs to do surgery on the brain he relaxes and enjoys himself until one day a patient in need of immediate brain surgery arrives at the clinic. With no tools Ellegala declines to treat the patient and goes out for a run. While running he sees a man cutting a tree with a wire saw that Ellegala realizes he can adapt and use to cut through a skull. He buys the saw, goes back to the hospital and uses it to do the needed surgery. This event opens his eyes to possibilities he hadn’t considered before and he begins not only doing surgery with makeshift equipment he finds or devises – he also starts training one of the local medical officers (not a full doctor) to do brain surgery. He realizes that the normal routine of sending trained doctors from Europe or America to spend a few months at a rural hospital in an underdeveloped county is a flawed model. The surgeons return to their homes leaving the hospitals without surgeons. In his mind, the answer was to train local doctors and medical personnel to do surgery, not come for a short time and be the super star surgeon who goes home and leaves the local area still lacking a surgeon.

This book is the story of his awakening to the urgent need for trained surgeons in Africa and other underdeveloped nations and his work to establish a nonprofit organization with the aim of training local surgeons.  The book is very well written with beautiful descriptions of the landscape and the people he encounters.  I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in the work of non-profit organizations  and is not afraid to read the graphic descriptions of urgent medical emergencies. SH

Uncomfortably Happily

Uncomfortably Happily
By Yeon-sik Hong
Drawn & Quarterly, 2017. 572 pgs. Graphic Novel

The hustle and bustle of Seoul, as well as the high cost of rent, pushes Yeon-sik and his wife to move to the Korean countryside where they hope to live more economically. If only he can get away from the rushed city life and live peacefully, Yeon-sik thinks he will be able to focus on his comics, beat his writer’s block, and meet the constant deadlines. However, life atop an uninhabited mountain presents its own trials. Together, the couple works through the challenges of secluded living, and find pleasure in simpler things, like the smell of the forest and cultivating their own garden.

There are a lot of things that can sap the creativity out of a person. As the wife of an artist, I understand how real and debilitating Yeon-sik’s struggles can be. The idea that, if I do [insert task], then I’ll be able to focus on this creative task entirely, and then one task leading to another, is not uncommon in my house. Really, these struggles are not limited to just one profession, making this a very relatable read. I really appreciated how honest the author is. There were just a few panels I found confusing, and it felt like some of the stories ended so abruptly that I was caught off guard. Despite that, I did enjoy this graphic novel and could easily recommend it to others.

ACS

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff
By Chip Gaines
W Publishing Group, 2017. 191 pgs. Nonfiction

I read Magnolia Story last year and was excited to learn that Chip Gaines was writing another book. In this tell-all, we learn more about Chip's growing up years and what has led to his success with Magnolia and his family. We also get an inside look at filming the show Fixer Upper.

 It was a treat to listen to this book, read by Chip, because he is such a great storyteller. There were several moments that had me laughing out loud as he described shenanigans of his youth and young adulthood. Chip is an extremely successful businessman who has learned many lessons though his life experiences to get to this point. I appreciated how much Chip credits his faith and his family for the man that he is today and would recommend this book to anyone.

AMM

Klaus

Klaus
By Grant Morrison and Dan Mora
Boom! Studios, 2016. 208 pgs. Graphic Novel

In this interpretation of Santa Claus's origin, Klaus, a mysterious hermit, enters the town of Grimsvig and is shocked to see that the local lord has forbidden fun, toys, and is working the men to death in the mines digging coal. He decides to correct these wrongs by bringing toys into the town, and pitches the town into a civil war against the maniacal Lord Magnus. Soon, the complicated history of Klaus is revealed, and he becomes the only one who can save the town from the physical and supernatural threats to it.

If you have been looking for a Santa Claus story that mixes elements of Rise of the Guardians, Brother Bear, and Conan the Barbarian, then this is definitely the graphic novel for you. This novel sticks to the basic elements of the Santa mythos, such as him having a sleigh, giving presents to kids, having a vicious wolf pet, and beheading dark creatures that spawn from coal mines. However, it also has some fun with myth. adding plenty of villains, plot twists, and interesting characters, making this book a fun, action-fueled romp through the middle ages. I really enjoyed this story, and if you like fantasy and graphic novels, you should definitely give this book a read.

It

It
By Stephen King
Viking, 1986. 1,138 pgs. Horror

In 1958 Derry, Maine, an evil creature is tormenting and killing children, unseen by the adults. Seven kids form a friendship, battle the creature, and all goes quiet for 27 years. Then, in 1985, the killing starts again. Librarian Mike Hanlon, one of the original seven children, calls the other six to remind them of the pact they made to return to Derry if it ever seemed like the creature had reappeared. Will they be able to finish the job this time around?

This book is a beast! I decided to read it because of the new movie, and because Pennywise is such a significant horror icon. However I didn’t realize it was over 1,000 pages. I suppose that can’t be helped when you’re telling a story from the point-of-view of seven characters across two time periods. Because so many different (though converging) stories are told, this is a roller-coaster of a book with a lot of buildup and mini climaxes before the final showdown, which I appreciated. It kept be going through the slower sections. The horror in the story comes not just from It, but also because of some pretty brutal bullying that I found to be more disturbing than the creature itself. Overall I enjoyed the book and would be happy to recommend it, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

ACS

One Dark Throne

One Dark Throne
By Kendare Blake
Harper Teen, 2017. 448 pages. Young Adult Fiction

In this sequel to Three Dark Crowns, the Ascension Year has not played out the way the inhabitants of the magical island of Fennbirn expected. The three queens, triplet sisters, are now 16 and must battle each other to the death so one can be crowned. Many people believed Mirabella, the most powerful elementalist in generations, who can control wind, water, and fire, would easily defeat Arsinoe and Katharine, but she has hesitated to attack.

Meanwhile, Arsinoe, raised by the naturalists who commune with animals and nature, has discovered she’s not as powerless as she once appeared. And Katharine, once the meekest of the sisters has become ruthless after an encounter with the strange, unsettling magic of the island. As alliances shift, the various factions conspire to tip the scales. Even the queens’ potential suitors become pawns. However, no one can prevent the queens from deciding to take their fates into their own hands.

This sequel loses none of the first book’s momentum. Something you don’t always find in middle books. With complex characters and an unpredictable plot, it is gruesomely fascinating to watch unfold. I especially enjoyed how the story explores themes of loyalty both among the different factions and the fact that the queens are grappling with the reality of killing one another for the ultimate throne.

AJ

The Princess Diarist

The Princess Diarist 
By Carrie Fisher
Blue Rider Press, 2016. 257 pages.

Carrie Fisher’s last addition to her already prolific writing career is another example of her wit and charm. In this book, Fisher revisits the three-months that changed her life forever—the filming of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Much of this book is made up of excerpts of old journals that Fisher kept during filming. Little known to public knowledge, Fisher and married co-star Harrison Ford had an off-screen secret affair during the short time the movie was being filmed. At once both hilarious and sad, Fisher reveals what it was like for a young teenager (only 19-years-old when she became Princess Leia!) to be dealing with the sudden rise to fame as well as an affair with a much older actor.

All told, this book will not appeal to readers that are strictly Star Wars fans and want more details on the making of the films. Nevertheless, this book is great for anyone that has read Carrie Fisher’s previous books and enjoys her singular humor.

ALL

Artemis

Artemis
By Andy Weir
Crown Publishing Group, 2017. 384 pages.  Sci-Fi

Jazz Bashara lives in Artemis, the first city on the moon, which is populated mostly with rich tourists and eccentric billionaires.  But any city also needs its maintenance employees, and even smugglers, which is where Jazz comes in.  Her job as a porter barely covers her rent, so procuring harmless bits of contraband helps her to pay the bills.  When an opportunity to make some real cash comes up, Jazz can't turn it down, and becomes embroiled in a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.  She has to use her brilliant mind and technical know-how to get herself, and her city, out of hot water.

Author of the successful book, The Martian, this is Weir's second book, another sci-fi thriller with a light heart and a clever main character.  Weir plays to his strengths, which include providing fascinating tidbits about what life would be like in space and in this case, what it would be like to live on the Moon.  Just as you're getting pulled into what's happening with the characters, someone jumps out of a second story window without getting more than a few scrapes and you remember all of this is happening on THE MOON.  It's just incredibly fun stuff.  While not quite as strong as The Martian, this book is 100% fun and is recommended for fans of his first book or authors like John Scalzi.

BHG

Song of the Current

Song of the Current
By Sarah Tolcser
Bloomsbury, 2017, 376 pages, Young Adult Fantasy

Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. Her father is a wherryman, as was her grandmother. All Caro needs is for the river god to whisper her name, and her fate is sealed. So when pirates burn ships and her father is arrested, Caro volunteers to transport mysterious cargo in exchange for his release. Secretly, Caro hopes that by piloting her own wherry, the river god will finally speak her name. But when the cargo becomes more than Caro expected, she finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies. With much more than her father's life at stake, Caro must choose between the future she knows, and the one she could have never imagined.

This book has a lot of the things I look for in a good novel: A great story, interesting characters who learn and grow, and a dash of magic. Kirkus summarizes my thoughts about this book perfectly: “Tolcser blends the right amount of epic fantasy, sea voyage, and romance for a rollicking, swashbuckling adventure.” If you like any of these things, I think you’ll enjoy this book. As an added bonus, while the second book in this series is due to come out next year, and I’m interested to see what the characters will be up to next, I think this book works pretty well as a stand-alone.

MB

The Fire by Night

The Fire by Night
By Teresa Messineo
William Morrow, 2017, 306 pages, Historical Fiction

In war-torn France, Jo McMahon tends to six seriously wounded soldiers in a makeshift medical unit. Enemy bombs have destroyed her hospital convoy, and now Jo singlehandedly struggles to keep her patients and herself alive in a cramped and freezing tent close to German troops.

Half a world away, Kay is trapped in a squalid Japanese POW camp in Manila; one of thousands of Allied men, women, and children whose fates rest in the hands of a sadistic enemy. Surrounded by cruelty and death, Kay battles to maintain her sanity and save lives as best she can . . . and live to see her beloved friend Jo once more.

This book is a great homage to the work and dedication of the nurses who were part of the war effort during World War II. One thing that struck me was just how different these women’s experiences were, but in both cases, just how much these women had to endure. And when it was all over, they were largely unrecognized for their service.

The story stays pretty evenly focused on both plot lines, switching between Jo and Kay’s point of view with each chapter. To help convey the confusion of war, the story also jumps back and forth through time, filling out backstories and explaining the desolation of Jo and Kay’s respective situations gradually.

While there are a lot of stories about World War II, Messineo has found a great way to tell a story that hasn’t really been told before.

MB

Maybe Today

Maybe Today: A Simple Approach to a Soul-Satisfying Life
by David Butler & Emily Belle Freeman
Ensign Peak, 2015. 113 pgs. Nonfiction

When you wake up in the morning, what kind of day are you expecting? Could it be different, even better than you expected? Maybe today will be the day that you start living the patterns that will lead to a more soul-satisfying life. The authors share five holy patterns that can make a difference in your life.

This book is short but powerful with beautiful full page pictures that are perfect for the point they illustrate. None of the ideas in this book are new, but sometimes it helps to be reminded of what is most important. This book can easily be read in one sitting but I plan on rereading it often.

AL

The Orphan's Tale

The Orphan’s Tale
By Pam Jenoff
Mira, 2017. 363 pgs. Historical Fiction

Former circus aerialist Astrid returns home to look for her family after her Nazi officer husband divorces her because she is Jewish;  Noa, a young Danish woman whose baby by a German officer is forcibly taken from her after her family disowns her, rescues an infant from a railroad car filled with Jewish babies. The lives of these two women intersect as the owner of a German circus shelters them and struggles to keep his circus operating in spite of the war. The suspenseful story begins with the present day and is told in a long flashback to the past.  If you read and liked Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale you will enjoy this well written novel based on historical events. Both authors keep you in suspense about who is narrating the story right until the end.

SH

Beauty

Beauty 
by Robin Mckinley
Harper & Row, 1978. 247pgs. Young Adult

Beauty volunteers to live with the Beast who lives in the haunted forest near her home in order to save her father. Follow Beauty as she learns to love this Beast who proposes to her every night before she goes to sleep.

This is so far my favorite retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I have loved this book since I was 12 when it was recommended to me by a dear friend. I love Beauty’s character in this book she doesn’t see herself being particularly beautiful which I think makes her seem more real than a girl who doesn’t think or contemplate her looks ever. I also love the relationship that grows between her and the Beast. I also love the relationship between the members of Beauty’s family; in the traditional fairy tale the heroine is always surrounded by rotten siblings or parents step or otherwise. In this one they all love each other, they have their various trials but for the most part they come together and love and support one another. This is one of my favorites for a book club or just to enjoy by yourself.

MH

The Pearl Thief

The Pearl Thief

By Elizabeth Wein

Hyperion, 2017.325  pgs. Young Adult Fiction

In this prequel to Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein writes an intriguing mystery, introduces us to Scottish river pearls, acquaints us with Scottish “travellers” and the deep-seated prejudices against them, and to top it off – we get to know the spunky and intelligent Julia who is a main character in Code Name Verity. Arriving at her grandparent’s recently sold Scottish estate she takes a walk along the river.  She settles on a warm rock to rest and the last thing she remembers is an explosion of pain in her head. When she wakes up she is in a hospital bed two days later.

The novel has a cast full of interesting characters and a quirky heroine.  A bit of Scottish accent and “traveler” dialect challenge the readers’ comprehension once in a while but but try reading those parts out loud. Who doesn’t love the sound of a Scottish brogue!

 SH

Dark Breaks the Dawn

Dark Breaks the Dawn 
by Sara B. Larson
Scholastic Press, 2017, 307 pgs Young Adult

Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan is the Princess of the Light Kingdom and when she turned 18 she came into the full strength of her power. Her kingdom has been at war for the last ten years when Princess Evalayn came into her full power. Shortly after coming into her power Evelayn’s mother dies in the field of battle making her the queen. This book follows the story of Evelayn as she tries to pull her country out of the field of battle and bring balance to her land.

This was a very compelling novel, I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the end and once I got there I was wishing the second book was out already. This is a retelling of Swan Lake, I really enjoyed listening to it I think some of the words would be hard to pronounce without the reader reading it. I loved the growth of the characters and the development of the relationships. I liked the concept of the magic in this world. If you like fairy tale retelling
this may be the book for you.

MH

How to Find Love in a Bookshop

How to Find Love in a Bookshop
By Veronia Henry
Viking, 2017. 340 pgs. Fiction

Emilia was raised with books, quite literally. She grew up in a flat above Nightingale Books, her father's bookshop. Julius, Emilia's father, had a way of connecting with people and had a vast influence in their tiny English town. After Julius's death, Emilia takes over the bookshop, facing challenges from the get go just to keep the doors open. Along the way we see how far the members of the community will go to help Emilia and each other.

I loved finding out about Emilia and Julius' back stories as well as meeting many of the local townspeople. This book had a similar feel to The Bookshop on the Corner, cozy and inviting. I found myself quickly cheering on the success of Emilia and those supporting keeping the bookshop in business. This was a light, fun novel; recommended for anyone who's looking for a bookish read!

AMM

Screwtape Letters

Screwtape Letters
by C.S. Lewis
HarperCollins, 2013. Fiction, 223 pages.

As with most jobs it's helpful to have a mentor to give guidance and counsel. The Junior Tempter named Wormwood has his experienced uncle, Demon Screwtape to give this much needed career advice. In a series of letters Screwtape carefully explains to Wormwood  how to catch 'the patient' in the common sins and temptations in order to completely disillusion the man from God and Christian belief practices and thereby lead 'the patient' into damnation.

This novel is written in satirical and fictional style, but is dense with Christian theological issues. Because of the backwards perspective of the demon tempters, the takeaways are more poignant for the average reader. I found that as I read this book my many sins, weaknesses and temptations were laid bare before me. This is both helpful and discouraging in the same vein because there is always so much room for improvement. It becomes more apparent where those gaps in character and obedience may be, while simultaneously giving hope for change and faith in Christ. I would recommend for all, but could be confusing for non-Christian readers.

LP

The Little Prince

The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Harcourt Books, 1943.  83 pages, Fiction.

Styled as a children's book, The Little Prince is actually a philosophical and poetic tale giving a critique of the adult world. Saint-Exupery describes experiences derived from his childhood and a plane crash in the Sahara where he meets a little prince from another world. This little prince teaches  about his world and travels, all the while asking questions and giving a fresh perspective on the world through a child's eyes. This world-acclaimed novella has been translated and republished again and again because of its timeless truths and endearing storyline.

It's been many years since I last reread The Little Prince and with adult eyes it's been very enlightening. There is something to be said for maintaining laughter, curiosity, imagination, asking questions and just saying what you mean. I love the not-so-subtle reminders to avoid big vices like vanity, laziness, discontentment, materialism, lack of spirituality and lack of loving relationships. This is a must read for all adults and children and always a good reread to get back to the basics in order to have a happy and fulfilled life. 

The Dragon's Price: a Transference Novel

The Dragon’s Price: A Transference Novel
by Bethany Wiggins
Crown Books for Young Readers, 2017. 296 pgs. Young Adult Fiction; Fantasy

 For three hundred years, two kingdoms have been protected from the fire dragon by a powerful spell that keeps it trapped under the mountain. In order to keep the dragon bound each Faodarian princess must willingly offer herself in marriage to the enemy prince or be given to the dragon.
 At birth, the family wizard pronounced that Princess Sorrowlynn would die by her own hand. Now that she is sixteen, the sheltered Sorrowlynn is expected to properly complete her part in the binding ceremony. Everyone is surprised when she chooses the dragon over a forced marriage, especially the young Prince Golmarr, who intended to wed her.
Not willing to give up so easily, Golmarr follows her into the mountain, hoping to slay the dragon and save the princess. As for Sorrow, she assumes she will fulfill her birth prophecy, since dying by her own hand would be less painful than being eaten alive by an angry dragon. However, once the two reach the dragon’s lair, nothing happens as either has planned.

I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I felt like I knew what direction the book was going to go until I got about one third of the way into the book and suddenly I had no idea where it was going. I love it when a book surprises me! I usually like dragon books where the dragons are good guys, or at least don’t eat people. But these dragons are nasty and I still really liked the book.

A Shadow Bright and Burning

A Shadow Bright and Burning
By Jessica Cluess
Random House, 2016. 207 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

In an alternate Victorian England, the country has been under attack for years by powerful demon type beings known as the seven Ancients. There are three types of magic practiced in this world but only sorcery is legal, and it is exclusively male. Henrietta, a young woman living in a rural Yorkshire orphanage, fears her powers to summon fire will have her executed for witchcraft. But when they are eventually revealed, she is astonished to be hailed as the prophesied female sorcerer who will finally defeat the seven Ancients.

Henrietta only agrees to go to London to train as a sorcerer if her childhood friend, Rook, can come along. Years before, Rook was attacked by one of the Ancients and has been fighting a bond to the creature ever since. As Henrietta settles into her new life, making friends with some of the young male sorcerers in training, she is drawn to a trickster magician living on the streets of London. It is through him that she learns the true nature of her ability which may threaten to tip the very precarious balance between human beings and the Ancients.

Young Adult fantasy fans will find much to like in this new series. Henrietta is a strong female who is pragmatic and funny. While in many ways, this is a re-tread of standard fantasy elements such as a Harry Potter-like chosen one, there is still enough fresh detail to make it interesting. One personal complaint is the use of evil monsters from the horror world. I prefer more traditional fantasy evils. Fans of The Dark Days Club should definitely check this book out.

AJ

The Power of When

The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype--and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds, and More
By Michael Breus
Little, Brown, and Company, 2016. 384 pages. Nonfiction

Your internal clock doesn't just turn on at night - your circadian rhythm is at work throughout the day, and Michael Breus wants to help you make the best of it. The power to reaching our potential lies in focusing more on when we do things, not just what we need to do, and most of us are actually sabotaging ourselves, fighting against our natural rhythms, or chronotype. Discover your chronotype and learn to live in sync with it to work and feel better.

An interesting premise, Breus' ideas help give you power over your daily routine rather than being overpowered by it. First, you take a quiz (Fun! I love quizzes!) to determine your chronotype - Dolphin, Lion, Bear, or Wolf  (Double fun! Cool chronotype names!). The remainder of part one profiles of each chronotype and breaks down how an ideal day as a Dolphin/Lion/Bear/Wolf would look according to Breus' suggestions. Part Two elaborates on the best time for certain tasks (exercise, making plans, approaching different tasks at work) by topic, with advice for all four chronotypes. Part Two gets a little repetitive, but Breus does a good job of getting right to the point and including fun facts, so whether you're reading through or just skimming for your chronotype, you won't get bogged down. What I like most about this book is that Breus, a clinical psychologist, is an academic, has done his research, and is careful to note that you should always consult your doctor and follow their direction over any suggestions in this book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who feels ruled by the almighty 8-5 work day and/or frustrated at their energy levels throughout the day. The chronotype model is pretty general, and the schedules do favor the typical 8-5 work day, so while the details may not exactly fit your lifestyle, the main principles do.

Quick testimonial: My chronotype is a Wolf, described by the author as "...night-oriented creative extroverts with a medium sleep drive." In short - not morning people. I haven't adopted the full suggested schedule, but I have tried a few things. In particular, the waking-up strategy recommended for Wolves has seriously helped, and it feels great to not wake up automatically enraged at my alarm clock/the sun/the universe itself.

MW

The Happiness Advantage

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work
By Shawn Achor
Crown Business, 2010. 272 pgs.  Nonfiction

Many of us work with the mindset that if we accomplish certain goals, happiness will follow.  If I lose weight, if I get a raise, if I get a different job, then I can be happy.  But recent research in the field of positive psychology shows that happiness fuels success instead.  When we are positive our brains become more engaged, resilient, energetic, and productive.  In his book, Achor describes a significant amount of research supporting this conclusion, and recommends certain guidelines and practices that can help increase our positivity and as a result, our success.

This is a great read for anyone although it is targeted at business readers.  The "Seven Principles" he describes sometimes include common-sense advice you've heard before (such as tackle smaller problems first before moving on to bigger challenges).  But I appreciated that Achor's information was reinforced by many examples and studies.  Beyond this, simply reading the book and actively thinking about positivity for an extended period of time had a marked effect on my productivity and outlook.  The audiobook is narrated by Achor himself and goes a bit slow.  I'd recommend increasing the speed a bit as you listen.

BHG

Beartown

Beartown
By Fredrik Backman
Atria Books, 2017.  418 pgs. Fiction

For residents of Beartown, nothing is more important than hockey.  It is a hockey town and this year the Junior team is headed to the championship.  From the first few paragraphs, though, readers are aware that things are not right and someone, a few days after the championship game, will be staring into the barrel of gun.  Between those hopeful days leading up to the big game to the tragedy that will follow it, Beartown delves into the characters and deepest desires of Beartown residents.  No one will be prepared for how it all ends.

From the author of A Man Called Ove, comes a very different sort of story.  Ove was a cantankerous but ultimately loveable character, as was Britt-Marie and little Elsa.  Beartown is home to some less extreme personalities and less of the  mesmerizing character development of previous novels.  This book instead, demonstrates the ills of society and how we raise our sons and daughters to know what is right and how to prioritize our passions.  Not as heartwarming as I had expected, but it definitely left me thinking.

CG