Dashing Through the Snow

Dashing Through the Snow
By Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books, 2015. 244 pgs. Romance

Ashley Davison is a California graduate student trying desperately to make it home to Seattle for the holidays, but after she’s oddly denied a plane ticket and a rental car it seems like everything that possibly can go wrong is. Luckily, Ashley meets Dashiell Sutherland in the rental car line. Dashiell is a former army intelligence officer, who also happens to be traveling to the Seattle area for a job interview. Ashley and Dashiell decide to share the last available rental car, and together they begin a holiday journey full of everything from lost puppies to notorious biker gangs -- but the biggest surprise of all is that these two might be falling in love.

This book was a delight. Ashley and Dashiell were lovable, the plot was engaging and full of humor, and the romance was heartwarming. No one does holiday romance like Debbie Macomber. If it’s too late for one last Christmas novel, then be sure you add this one to next year’s reading list!

CNC

The Mistletoe Inn

The Mistletoe Inn
By Richard Paul Evans
Simon & Schuster, 2015. 300 pgs. Fiction

Although not a sequel, this is the second book in Richard Paul Evan’s Mistletoe Collection. If you haven’t read the first book in the collection, The Mistletoe Promise, don’t worry because the stories can be read out of order. In The Mistletoe Inn, Kimberly Rossetti is a finance officer from Colorado who dreams of being a successful romance author. Just as Kimberly’s life seems to be hitting rock bottom, her father gives her a once in a lifetime Christmas gift – a ticket to a romance writers’ conference at the Mistletoe Inn in Vermont. Kimberly is hesitant to attend the conference, but she can't resist the chance to meet her favorite author H. T. Cowell, a notoriously private author who is speaking in public for the first time in years.

The Mistletoe Inn is one of the best Christmas novels I’ve read this season. It's a bittersweet story, but the characters are inspiring and full of love and compassion. This heartfelt novel is perfect for the holiday season.

CNC

I Am Not a Serial Killer

I Am Not a Serial Killer 
By Dan Wells
Tor, 2010. 271 pgs. Fiction

John Wayne Clever is not a typical teenager. John has long been drawn to dark and creepy things – a desire that is often feed by the work he does in his family’s mortuary. John knows that he is different, and he lives by a certain set of self-imposed rules meant to keep himself out of trouble and to keep those around him safe. But one day John comes face to face with the work of a true serial killer right in his own small town. John feels it's his duty to stop this madman, but can he do so without releasing his own demons?

This book is as weird as it is awesome. John is equal parts likable and disturbing, which makes for quite the unique protagonist. I loved the story and the turn it took that left me saying, “Ok, there is no way that really just happened.” There is not much more I can say about this story without giving too much away, but if you are looking for a good book to read this Halloween season I highly recommend this one.

CNC

Before the Fall

Before the Fall
By Noah Hawley
Grand Central, 2016. 391 pgs. Fiction

Noah Hawley's latest book begins with a plane crash. The rest of the book is a one by one examination of the crew as well as the passengers on board -- most happen to be very powerful people. The book also follows Scott Burroughs, a painter, and four-year-old JJ, sole heir to his father's media empire, who are the only survivors of the crash. These two must band together amidst a growing media frenzy as the authorities desperately try to find out what, or who, really brought the plane down.

Noah Hawley is the writer of one of my favorite TV shows, Fargo. So, when I heard he wrote a new novel I knew I had to read it! Hawley did not disappoint. I was hooked from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading until I finally figured out what really happened!

CNC

Sweet Tomorrows: a Rose Harbor novel

Sweet Tomorrows: A Rose Harbor Novel 
By Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books, 2016. 337 pgs. Romance

Sweet Tomorrows is the final installment in Debbie Macomber’s Rose Harbor series. In this book, Jo Marie – owner of the Rose Harbor Inn – is recovering after the departure of her new love, Mark Taylor, who left Cedar Cove to right wrongs from his past career in the US military. Jo Marie has already lost one love to military combat, so she knows Mark’s chance of survival is slim. Just as Jo Marie seems to be following Mark’s parting request that she move on with her life, she receives some startling news.

The other half of Sweet Tomorrows, is about Emily Gaffney, a school teacher who’s forsaken love and moved to Cedar Cove to start her life over. Emily boards at the Rose Harbor Inn while house hunting, and with Jo Marie’s help she finds her dream home. Now Emily just needs to convince the handsome recluse who’s renovating the house that she is the perfect buyer.

Over the past five years, the release of each new Rose Harbor novel has become a ritual ending to my summer reading. So while I’m sad that this is the last of the series, I have to say that Sweet Tomorrows is a perfect ending. Debbie Macomber fans will not be disappointed.

CNC

Bandluck Way: a year on the ragged edge of the west

Badluck Way: a year on the ragged edge of the west 
By Bryce Andrews
Atria Books, 2014. 238 pgs. Biography

Bryce Andrews is now a tried and true rancher, but in this book he recounts his first year on Sun Ranch in southwest Montana. Andrews describes the grueling work building and maintaining fences, the heavy responsibility to care for the cattle, and the constant battle to survive in the brutal and beautiful landscape. Interwoven with his own experiences, Andrews also tells the story of the wolf pack that lives near Sun Ranch and the inevitable carnage when predator and prey meet.

I loved this book. Andrews writes on complex topics like conservation in a way that doesn’t oversimplify the topic but shows how his viewpoint changes as his pre-conceived ideas conflict with his new experiences. I enjoyed reading Andrews’s insightful reflections on the ranch and the wildlife he observes -- especially the wolves he wearily admires. Most of all, I love how Andrews shows our need to change and control nature often without realizing how nature has changed us. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read survival stories, nature stories, or stories about the American West. 

CNC

The Springsweet

The Springsweet
By Saundra Mitchell
Boston, 2012. 278 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Seventeen year old Zora Stewart is more than ready to leave her home in Baltimore after the tragic death of her fiancé, Thomas. So, when Zora's newly widowed aunt needs help on her struggling homestead in the Oklahoma Territory, Zora welcomes the chance to escape into a simple life of hard work. However, things get complicated quickly when Zora discovers her valuable new gift for sensing underground water.

The Springsweet is book two in Saundra Mitchell’s Vespertine series. I didn't read book one, and although I’m sure a few things would have made more sense, I don’t regret starting in the middle of the series; Zora's story stands on its own. This is a fun read, and I especially liked that Mitchell crossed a western setting with supernatural elements. If you've read  Rae Carson's Walk on Earth a Stranger or Michelle Modesto's Revenge and the Wild, you'll enjoy The Springsweet -- particularly if you like stories with a little more romance.

CNC

Glass Sword

Glass Sword 
By Victoria Aveyard
HarperTeen, 2016. 464 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Glass Sword is book two in Aveyard’s Red Queen series. If you still haven’t finished Red Queen, then this is your warning! Spoilers ahead!

Glass Sword picks up right where Red Queen ends, in the middle of an epic chase; the newly crowned King Maven is still determined to capture Mare, Cal, and a rebel group called The Scarlet Guard. Barely staying one step ahead of King Maven, Mare sets off on a mission to find other "newbloods" – reds like Mare who have silver abilities. Mare knows she needs to find these people before King Maven does, but that task is near impossible because she still doesn’t know who she can trust. 

Even though this book starts off with a lot of action, I didn't find it nearly as gripping as Red Queen. However, once I switched to listening to the audiobook, I had absolutely no problem finishing it. I especially enjoyed the side story between Farley and Shade, as well as the introduction of so many new characters with interesting abilities. For a moment, I felt like I'd left Norta and found my way to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. If you liked the first book in this series, you won't be disappointed with the second!

CNC

Sleeping Giants

Sleeping Giants
By Sylvain Neuvel
Random House, 2016. 373 pgs. Science Fiction

On her eleventh birthday, Rose Franklin leaves her home in Deadwood, South Dakota to go for a bike. Rose suddenly falls through the earth and accidentally discovers the most important artifact of all time – a giant metal hand. Seventeen years later, Rose is an accomplished physicist at the University of Chicago when the artifact finds its way back into her life. Now, with the help of a renegade military pilot and an conceited linguist, Rose must unlock the mysteries behind this artifact and decipher what it might say about those who left it behind.

Sleeping Giants is Sylvain Neuvel’s debut novel, and it is fantastic! This book has already been compared to The Martian and World War Z. The story is told through mission logs, journal entries, and most often through interviews between the main characters and a mysterious interviewer. Because of this format, the reader finds out about key plot points after they've already happened. Despite this removal from the action, the story is extremely compelling and thought provoking. Neuvel kept me guessing right up until the end, and left me anxiously awaiting the sequel -- Waking Gods.

CNC

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
By Ransom Riggs
Quirk Books, 2011. 352 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is the first of three books in the recently completed series by Ransom Riggs. In this book Jacob Portman starts out as an utterly ordinary boy. The most peculiar part of his life are the fantastic stories his grandfather tells -- stories Jacob used to be naive enough to believe. One day, Jacob's life takes an unthinkable turn when he witnesses a tragedy that causes him to question everything he thought he knew about his family. Jacob sets out to find answers by visiting an island off the coast of Wales that just might hold the key to his grandfather’s past.

When I heard this book was being made into a movie, I knew it was time to bump it to the top of my reading list. I am glad I did! I liked the low fantasy world that Riggs created and then crossed with a historical setting; it was the perfect balance for a reader like myself who doesn't read much fantasy. I listened to the audio book of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and while the narrator did a fantastic job I would recommend looking at a paper copy of the book so you don't miss all the creepy photographs.

CNC

A Girl's Guide to Moving On

A Girl’s Guide to Moving on 
By Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books, 2016. 339 pgs. Romance

A Girl's Guide to Moving On is the second in Debbie Macomber's New Beginnings series. In this story, Nicole and Leanne are two women who find themselves in a similar situation; Both are recently divorced. In an added twist, Leanne is Nicole’s ex-mother in law! Despite the family drama, the two women become close friends as together they write their guide for moving on. In alternating chapters, Macomber tells Nicole and Leanne’s journeys of healing as they piece together their broken hearts to become strong, independent women who just might be ready to love again.

Macomber stays true to the character development and plot structure that readers have come to expect from her novels, but she also shakes things up by creating male characters who are a bit outside the norm – Rocco is a hard-working tow truck driver and single father who is devoted to building a better life for his daughter, and Nikolai is a charming and talented baker who just recently immigrated from Ukraine. Overall, this is another heartwarming story that Macomber fans are sure to enjoy!

CNC

American Blood

American Blood 
By Ben Sanders
Minotaur Books, 2015. 339 pgs. Fiction

Marshall Grade used to be a NYPD detective, but after an undercover operation goes wrong he finds himself in the witness protection program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although Marshall is supposed to be lying low, he decides to help find a missing girl, Alyce Ray, and quickly becomes the target of powerful new enemies. To add to his troubles, Marshall discovers that his past misdeeds have followed him to his new home.

I picked up this book because the contemporary western setting reminded me of one of my favorite novels, No Country For Old Men. I loved the descriptions of the vast western landscape, and I thought the protagonist was an interesting representation of a modern day cowboy riding into town to do good despite the danger. While there was a lot going on in this novel Sanders did a job bringing everything together with a final twist I didn't see coming!

CNC

Summerlost

Summerlost 
By Ally Condie
Dutton Children’s Books, 2016. 249 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Internationally best-selling author, Ally Condie is best known for her Matched trilogy. But Condie's latest novel, Summerlost, is quite different from what readers are used to. Summerlost is a contemporary novel about 12 year old Cedar Lee. Cedar is facing the first summer since the death of her father and brother when Cedar's mom decides to move what's left of their family to the small town of Iron Creek. One day, Cedar see a strange boy, Leo Bishop, ride his bike past her house in an old fashioned peasant costume, and she decides to follow him. Before long Cedar has a new job at the Summerlost theater festival, a new mystery to solve involving one of Iron Creek’s most famous residents, and perhaps a new best friend.

I loved this book! The main character is well written and a genuine portrayal of a young girl adjusting to new circumstances and finding happiness in spite of tragedy. I also liked the development of Cedar and Leo’s friendship, and the theme it portrayed of understanding those around us even when they seem so different. The balance Condie creates between Cedar’s bittersweet self-reflection and the exciting twists in the mystery Cedar and Leo must solve make this a story both teens and adults will enjoy!

CNC

Kissing in America

Kissing in America 
By Margo Rabb
Harper, 2015. 391 pgs. Young Adult Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Eva Roth loves romance novels, much to the chagrin of her mother who is a women's studies professor and staunch feminist. Eva considers herself a feminist too, but ever since her father’s death she finds comfort in the predictably happy endings of romance novels. Then one day Will walks into Eva’s tutoring session, and Eva finds herself in what seems to be a romance novel come to life. Forced apart by Will’s sudden move to the West coast, Eva is determined to see him again. So,  Eva and her best friend, Annie, set off on a cross country journey that will teach them about themselves and about the complexities of love.

My favorite aspect of this book was the author’s ability to weave together so many female characters at different stages in their relationships. There’s Eva who is experiencing her first love and her mother who is contemplating a second marriage, but there’s also the secondary cast of characters who Eva and Annie meet on their  journey – Eva's aunt who is afraid of relationships, the Roth's family friend who's having a baby, Eva's potential step grandmother who has been married for years, etc. I liked that Rabb brought all of these characters together to portray love in a more substantial way than I’ve seen before in YA novels. And of course, not all relationships are romantic; In the end, Eva learns just as much about her relationship with mother as she does about her relationship with Will. I thought that message was very moving, and that this was an overall great read.

CNC

Brave Enough

Brave Enough 
By Cheryl Strayed
Alfred A. Knopf, 2015. 135 pgs. Nonfiction

In 2012 Cheryl Strayed published Wild, a memoir of her experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Now, Strayed has published a collection of quotes that includes excerpts from Wild as well as her other various essays, interviews, and speeches. Strayed adamantly states in her introduction that she is not trying to be the boss of anyone, but that she hopes to inspire readers -- and herself -- to be kind, grateful, bold, honest, forgiving, generous, and brave enough.

This small book is beautiful both in its content and form. Strayed shares heartfelt and honest quotes that vary in length as well as font, making the visual experience as striking as the sentiment of the quotes. Having read and enjoyed Wild, I was excited to read Strayed's newest publication. I was not disappointed. I might not connect with all of the author's opinions and life experiences, but I sure appreciate her blunt and beautiful self-reflection.

CNC

The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing about Jellyfish 
By Ali Benjamin
Little, Brown and Company, 2015. 343. Young Adult

Suzy Swanson is a scientific minded seventh grader who is trying to navigate a new school and new peers, but that's tough to do after her best friend’s sudden death. Then one day Suzy learns about the tiny, almost invisible Irukandji jellyfish whose venom is among the most deadly in the world. This fact sets Suzy off on a quest to learn all she can about Jellyfish and to prove what she thinks really killed her friend. Benjamin’s novel follows Suzy's path to emotional healing but also explores themes of communication, friendship, and ultimately self-acceptance.

This is a bittersweet but fantastic book. The characters are genuine, the themes are meaningful, and Benjamin's writing style is lovely. Although this might seem like a book for younger readers, I think older teens and adults will relate to Suzy's search for meaning and understanding when the only answer offered is, "Sometimes bad things just happen." This book is a must read.

CNC

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

Darkly Dreaming Dexter 
By Jeff Lindsay
Doubleday, 2004. 288 pgs. Mystery

Dexter Morgan might seem like an ordinary guy, but when Dexter's not working as blood spatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department he's pursuing his other hobby -- killing Miami’s most dangerous criminals. Dexter’s father recognized his son’s psychopathic personality early, and he was determined to keep Dexter alive and out of prison. He developed a personal code for Dexter that would satisfy his bloodlust but also deliver some kind of twisted justice to the world. After living by his father's code for years, Dexter’s carefully crafted world is put under pressure by a new Miami serial killer who's taken a special interest in him.

This is the first book in the now complete series by Jeff Lindsay.  I don't read many mysteries, but I am hooked on this series. It is as fun as it is creepy to be in the head of a psychopath like Dexter as he observes his world and the social interactions he just doesn't understand. I listened to the audiobook of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, which is narrated by the author himself, and I enjoyed the experience quite a bit. This is a great read, and it will be of particular interest to anyone who has watched the television adaptation.

CNC

Dark Places

Dark Places 
By Gillian Flynn
Broadway Books, 2009. 349pgs. Mystery

On January 2, 1985 Ben Day massacred his family in their home in Kinnakee, Kansas. Youngest child Libby Day survived but was not unscathed. While Ben spends his life in prison, Libby is haunted by her family’s deaths and her role in convicting her brother. Some twenty years later, Libby is broke and desperate enough to respond to Lyle Wirth, the leader of the Kansas City Kill Club – a group fascinated by true crime stories like those of the Day family Massacre. With Lyle’s help, Libby begins questioning what really happened that cold January night.

This is the second novel I’ve read by Gillian Flynn – the author best known for Gone Girl. I found this story every bit as gripping and unpredictable. Similar to Gone Girl, Flynn jumps back and forth between narrators and time periods which keeps readers on their toes. Flynn has such a unique writing style, she can craft descriptions that are every bit as thoughtful as they are appalling. Readers will encounter twists and turns that make them flinch, but inevitably grip the book even tighter. This is a great read, but readers should be ready for some gritty content.

CNC

The Orchardist

The Orchardist
By Amanda Coplin
Harper, 2012. 426 pgs. Fiction

In her debut novel, Amanda Coplin follows the life of William Talmadge from the time he is a young boy struggling with the sudden disappearance of his sister through his adult life as a reclusive orchardist living in the Pacific Northwest. The story takes a turn when Talmadge’s quiet and independent life is abruptly interrupted by two pregnant, teenage girls who appear on his property. Just as the skittish girls begin to accept Talmadge’s fatherly love and compassion, evil men come looking for them. In the wake of an unimaginable tragedy, Talmadge must once again pick up the pieces of his life and fight to protect the family he has left.

This book follows multiple characters, and although it's a slow moving novel the change in perspective keeps things interesting. I liked this book, Coplin does a good job of creating complex characters and the complex family relationships that they develop. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, Coplin’s novel is also an interesting examination of a changing culture and what happens to those who cannot change with it. This book is a great read, and will especially appeal to those interested in the American West.

CNC

The Gigantic Beard that was Evil

The Gigantic Beard that was Evil
By Stephen Collins
Picador, 2014. unpaged. Graphic Novel

Dave lives on the nice and tidy island of Here. Day after day Dave wakes up, goes to work, comes home for dinner, and then sketches the view from his front window while listening to “Eternal Flame” by the Bangles. Each day is perfectly predictable, and that's just how Dave likes it. Then one morning everything changes when Dave wakes up to find an extra-long chin hair. Facial hair is disapproved of on the island of Here, so Dave tries frantically to shave. Despite his best efforts, the hair comes back even longer. Soon enough one hair has grown into a gigantic beard that changes Dave’s life and his community in some unexpected ways.

Whether you’re a graphic novel enthusiast or just trying out the genre, this book is for you. Collins's illustrations and lyrical prose beautifully tell this quirky story about the importance of individuality and questioning why our society is the way it is. This is a quick and fun read that you won't regret picking up.

CNC