Here One Moment

Here One Moment

by Liane Moriarty

Crown, 2024. 501 Pages. Fiction.

 

An ordinary flight becomes extraordinary when passengers learn of their predicted deaths from a mysterious woman known as "The Death Lady," leading to a race against time for some and a chance to redefine their time left for others. How would you live your life if you thought you knew how it would end? Would you love who you love or try to love someone else? Would you stay married? Would you stop drinking? Would you call up your ex-best friend you haven’t spoken to in years? Would you quit your job? Here One Moment looks at friends, lovers, and family and how we manage to hold onto them in our harried modern lives. 

Although I enjoyed this book, it is not my favorite title by author Liane Moriarty. Despite that, the book has charms and appeals and I recommend giving this book a chance. The chapters alternate perspectives between the large cast of likeable characters. Story lines weave together throughout the book but its clear and easy to keep track of who's who. At first glance, its a dark plot summary, a woman predicting deaths and her predictions beginning to come true. The tone of the book is not heavy though, and tends towards positivity. In the end, the novel wraps up in a neat, safe bow. It almost feels like this book was written for a TV miniseries. And as someone who enjoyed the other TV miniseries made from books by Moriarty, Big Little Lies and Apples Never Fall, this book is worth a read.

If you like Here One Moment you might also like:

After Annie

by Anna Quindlen

Random House, 2024. 273 Pages. Fiction

When Annie Brown, a fun-loving woman, suddenly dies, her husband, best friend, and her children all struggle to find ways to go on after the loss of the woman who was the center of their lives, and who made life happy, fun, and secure. Her husband is overwhelmed with four children to raise, and turns to his teenage daughter for help, and to an old girlfriend for solace. Annie's best friend struggles again with opioid addiction, having depended on Annie for support through addiction and recovery. Annie's daughter discovers disturbing truths about life in a small town, including at her new best friend's house, where she stumbles upon a dangerous secret. These and other characters reconfigure their lives and learn how to go on, after Annie. 

The Collected Regrets of Clover

by Mikki Brammer 

St. Martin's Press, 2023. 314 Pages. Fiction.

Feeling a stronger connection with the dying than to the living, Clover, a death doula in NYC, has no life of her own until the final wishes of a feisty old woman sends her across the country to uncover a forgotten love story--and perhaps, her own happy ending. 

 

 

 

JK

Nothing to See Here

Nothing to See Here 

By Kevin Wilson

Ecco, 2019. 254 pages. Fiction. 

Lillian and Madison were the unlikeliest of roommates at their elite boarding school: Madison, the daughter of a prominent Atlanta family, being groomed for greatness; Lillian, a scholarship student, plucked out of nowhere based solely on her intellect and athletic prowess. The two were as tight as could be, reveling in their unique weirdnesses, until Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly. Years later, the two have lost touch, but Madison writes and begs Lillian for help. Her husband's twin stepkids are moving in with them and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there's a catch: the twins can spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a disturbing but beautiful way. Disbelieving at first but ultimately too intrigued by these strange children, Lillian agrees. And as they hunker down in the pool house, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other--and stay cool ... It all seems impossible to manage, but Lillian soon accepts that she and the children need each other, urgently and fiercely. 

This was a delightful little story about misfit, wild children who really just need some love and care in their lives. I rarely say this, but I wish this book was like 50 pages longer - it was short and sweet, but the day-to-day experiences with the children were so entertaining, I wish I could read more and more. I loved the dynamic between Lillian and Bessie and Roland. I tend to love stories of weird, magical, and misunderstood children and Kevin Wilson did a great job of incorporating the unexplained (i.e. children spontaneously combusting into flames) with the mundane (i.e. distant fathers in politics). This, for me, is my favorite kind of magical realism. 

If you like Nothing to See Here, you might also like: 

The House in the Cerulean Sea 

By T.J. Klune 

Tor, Tom Doherty Associates. 398 pages. Science Fiction. 

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they're likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren't the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn. An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place--and realizing that family is yours. 

Spoonbenders 

By Daryl Gregory 

Alfred A. Knopf, 2017. 399 pages. Fiction. 

The Telemachus family is known for performing inexplicable feats on talk shows and late-night television. Teddy, a master conman, heads up a clan who possess gifts he only fakes: there's Maureen, who can astral project; Irene, the human lie detector; Frankie, gifted with telekinesis; and Buddy, the clairvoyant. But when, one night, the magic fails to materialize, the family withdraws to Chicago where they live in shame for years. Until: As they find themselves facing a troika of threats (CIA, mafia, unrelenting skeptic), Matty, grandson of the family patriarch, discovers a bit of the old Telemachus magic in himself. Now, they must put past obstacles behind them and unite like never before. But will it be enough to bring The Amazing Telemachus Family back to its amazing life?

LA

Cómo Tocar el Ukulele

Para prestar un ukelele o tocar un piano ¡haz clic aquí!

Cómo Tocar el Ukulele

por Jason Randall
Lightbulb Publishing, 2020. 55 páginas. Música

 

"Dilo con un ukulele..." "... se queja un gramófono; Cristo, dime qué decirle a ella ¿Ahora que estoy acostumbrado a mi soledad?"

Este verso del poema "Niebla" de George Seferis, poeta griego ganador del Premio Nobel, refleja perfectamente la naturaleza del instrumento y las emociones que puede evocar. Introducido por primera vez por los inmigrantes portugueses de Madeira a Hawái, este instrumento musical tradicional tiene uno de los sonidos más distintivos e inmediatamente sumerge a todo el mundo en su fascinante melodía. El nombre ukulele significa "pulga saltarina" en dialecto hawaiano y se inspiró en la forma en que los dedos tienen que moverse para interpretar una canción.Así es como puedes aprender a tocar el ukulele, ¡incluso si no tienes nada de experiencia!

Con esta guía completa del ukulele hecha por Jason Randall podrás conocer a fondo la historia, los acordes y las melodías del ukulele e iniciar tu propio viaje musical. Al final de esta completa guía de ukulele, serás capaz de aprender los acordes, comprender las melodías y combinar ambos para tocar canciones. ¡Esta guía del ukulele para principiantes es todo lo que necesitas para tocar!

Bueno... casi todo, ¡porque definitivamente también necesitas un ukulele! ¡Eso es todo! Con tu instrumento musical y esta guía completa, podrás aprender a tocar el ukulele desde cero, tocar melodías famosas y embarcarte en una aventura musical a través de la tradición hawaiana y la música moderna.

Si le gusta «Cómo Tocar el Ukulele» le recomendamos:

Manual de Piano Para Principiantes

por Miguel García Fajer

Miguel García Fajer, 2024 . 105 páginas. Música

Se dice que la música es el lenguaje perfecto! Gracias a los métodos más refinados de la actualidad, con este libro a mano, ¡tú también te convertirás en un nuevo artista musical del futuro! ¡Déjate guiar por el Maestro García Fajer y la música empezará a fluir con fluidez entre tus dedos! No solo partituras, sino también una muy amena lectura e introducción al instrumento.

La verdadera cara de la música: Tonos y semitonos, Bemol, Agudo y Rayo, Escalas, Tono menor y mayor, Círculo de quintas, Claves. La división del pentagrama: marcas de inicio, ruptura de compás, estribillo y final. Ejercicios de primera aproximación y calentamiento. Guía de postura, tacto y dinámica. ¡El enfoque correcto para verificar fácilmente la corona y la "falta o punto de valor"!

¡Cuanto más grande sea tu pasión, más música saldrá de las melodías que este libro te enseñará! ¡Feliz lectura y... feliz escucha!

Buen Inicio de Guitarra Para Principiantes
por Andrew Schneider

Seeing Music Books, 2023. 74 páginas. Música

Este libro te enseña los fundamentos musicales y las habilidades con la guitarra para que comiences de manera correcta. Aprende la forma correcta de rasguear, formar acordes y encontrar ritmos diferentes e interesantes. Te guiará paso a paso desde tu primera nota hasta tus primeros acordes y tus primeras canciones. Y a lo largo del camino, aprenderás la valiosa base de la música y los términos musicales que acelerarán tu aprendizaje mucho después de que hayas terminado el libro.

Aprende los fundamentos de la música: acordes, escalas, nombres de notas y canciones básicas. Y aprenderás:

• Cómo Leer Diagramas de Diapasón
• Anotar los Nombres a Través de los Primeros 5 Trastes
• Firmas de Tiempo y Valores de Nota (Corchea, Negra, Blanca)
• Acordes Mayores y Menores
• Muchos Ritmos de Rasgueo de Uso Común
• Escalas de C Mayor y G Mayor
• Canciones tradicionales, Blues y Rock and Roll

MEB

Etiquetas: Español, MEB, No Ficción, Música

Artifice

 Artifice
by Sharon Cameron
Scholastic Press, 2023. 387 pages. Young Adult Fiction

In 1943 Amsterdam, Isa de Smit navigates the dangers of Nazi occupation while protecting her family's art gallery, which houses a hidden Vermeer. With her friends targeted by the regime—some executed and others in hiding—Isa's resistance grows when she sells a fake Rembrandt to fund the cause. She forms an uneasy alliance with Michel Lange, a young Nazi soldier seeking escape, as they work together to smuggle Jewish babies to safety and navigate the art world filled with forgers and collaborators. This historical thriller blends Isa's fictional journey with real events and figures, featuring rich artistic descriptions and complex plotting, making it a compelling read for young audiences interested in history and art.

Artifice is a thrilling historical novel that captivated me from the first page. Cameron’s vivid imagery created a moving narrative. While this was an intricately plotted narrative that’s fast-paced and suspenseful, my favorite piece was the idea that paintings can contain significant flaws yet still be transformed into something beautiful. This metaphor is linked to the experience during the Nazi occupation, illustrating how amidst the overwhelming ugliness of that time, the main character, Isa de Smit, finds ways to create beauty and hope. This novel is not just a tale of survival; it’s a testament to the power of art and the human spirit in the face of adversity. I highly recommend Artifice to anyone looking for a historical thriller that offers poignant and thought-provoking messages.

If you liked Artifice, you may also like:

28 Days: a novel of resistance in Warsaw Ghetto

by David Safier

Feiwel and Friends, 2020. 404 pages. Young Adult Fiction

Warsaw, 1942. Sixteen-year old Mira smuggles food into the Ghetto to keep herself and her family alive. When she discovers that the entire Ghetto is to be "liquidated"―killed or "resettled" to concentration camps―she desperately tries to find a way to save her family.

She meets a group of young people who are planning the unthinkable: an uprising against the occupying forces. Mira joins the resistance fighters who, with minimal supplies and weapons, end up holding out for twenty-eight days, longer than anyone had thought possible.

Stolen by Night
by Steve Watkins

Scholastic Press, 2023. 292 pages. Young Adult Fiction

On May 10, 1940, the Nazis begin their march across Europe, and within weeks, France has fallen. At first, Nicolette’s world seems more or less the same despite the occupation. But as the months pass, the Third Reich tightens its hold on France and it becomes clear just what is at stake.

Nicolette is drawn into a growing resistance movement, determined to do her part to fight back. It’s a deadly secret she’ll have to keep from everyone, including her family. Nicolette’s own father works for local law enforcement, which is now under Nazi control, and who knows what might happen if anyone found out she joined the Resistance. But as Hitler’s empire grows, no one can escape the horrors of war. Including Nicolette.

One night, she vanishes without a trace, taken from the street by Nazi soldiers and declared an enemy of the state. Soon, Nicolette finds herself confronting the very heart of Hitler’s plans, bearing witness not just to the atrocities, but also to the courage, bravery, and hope that can emerge in even the darkest times. And it is in these small but powerful moments that Nicolette realizes her greatest weapon against the Nazis: to live, so she can tell the world the truth of what happened. But can one girl survive what was designed to destroy so many?

BWW