Spelled

Spelled
By Betsy Schow
Sourcebooks Fire, 2015. 344 pgs. Young Adult Fantasy

When Dorthea, the Princess of the Emerald Kingdom, makes a poorly worded wish in a bout of anger, she destroys the rules of magic. Her parents have been sent to a strange place called “Kansas” and the kingdom’s head sorceress has disappeared. With the help of the kitchen maid, Rexi, and the broody Prince Kato, Dorthea must try to reverse the curse and prevent the wickedest witch from escaping her icy prison.

I enjoyed all of the fun easter eggs and tidbits that the author included connecting the land of Oz and fairy tale stories. It was refreshing to see Dorthea’s character development from a rich, spoiled princess to someone that you at least don’t want to kill. There were a few twists and turns that kept me guessing, and overall was a simple, fun read.

 TT

Butterfly: from Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph

Butterfly: from Refugee to Olympian, My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph
By Yusra Mardini
St. Martin’s Press. 2018. 284 pgs. Biography

Yusra Mardini is from Syria, where from a young age she trained as a swimmer. As a young person she represented Syria at various international competitions and cherished a dream to someday swim for Syria at the Olympics. Then in 2015, after her family’s home was destroyed in the civil war that engulfed Syria and Damascus became an increasingly dangerous place to live, she and her sister Sara fled. Her book recounts their dangerous and grueling journey through Turkey, Greece, Hungary, and Serbia to Germany. Along the way she encountered reporters who were writing about the refugee crisis and wanted to photograph and interview her. Germany welcomed the refugees but life was still very hard until she found a swim coach who helped her start training again and find a place to live. Struggling with the one word identity “refugee,” she almost passed up a chance to swim in the 2016 Olympics on a refugee team, but encouraged by her parents, her coach and her newspaper and television contacts she decided to compete. Since then she has become the youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and has embraced her identity as a refugee in order to speak for the thousands like her who have fled war and only want peace and a normal life. This is an inspiring read for adults and young adults. SH

We Two: Victoria and Albert, Rulers, Partners, Rivals

WeTwo: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals

By Gillian Gill
Ballantine Books, 2009. 480 pages. Biography.

It was a love affair that would define an era. The marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was the most influential of the nineteenth century, and yet it didn’t begin so auspiciously. When they first met, neither one found much to be interested in, Victoria was willful and Albert was shy and awkward. But when they met again in 1839, Victoria found that Albert had grown into a beautiful, cultured, accomplished man. She proposed three days later.

Both were looking for a strong, intimate relationship based on trust and love, one like they had never experienced in their childhoods. Yet each one had yet to learn the art of compromise. Gill chronicles the passionate and complicated marriage of two strong-willed and dynamic people who would come to influence not only the country they ruled, but the world.

This biography is a joy to read. It isn’t dry or interminable. Gill creates vivid portraits of not only the Queen and her prince, but also their families and ministers. Anyone who likes Daisy Goodwin’s Victoria : a novel or the movie The Young Victoria will enjoy this biography. AG

Rhett and Link’s Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery

Rhett and Link’s Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery
By Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal
Crown Archetype, 2017. 269 pages

If you frequent YouTube, you might be familiar with the net’s most popular “internetainers” Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, creators of the internet show Good Mythical Morning. This book is part biography, part field guide, and part mythical beast all its own. Inside you will find such treasures as: a flow chart for dealing with road rage, photo-diagrams for creating signature dance moves, a humor-compatibility multiple choice quiz to take with your friends, a character building board game, tips for writing your own eulogy, and much more. In addition you get to know Rhett and Link a little better through anecdotes of their childhood and personal lives.

I was not sure what to expect when I first cracked this one open. Don’t get me wrong—I love Rhett and Link and their show Good Mythical Morning. I watch pretty faithfully. I just wasn’t prepared for how this book would steal past my defenses and straight into my heart. Not only is this book hilarious and entertaining, but also surprisingly inspiring. Each chapter focuses on bettering your life and your relationships by having fun and being creative. Plus, Rhett & Link’s lifelong friendship is pretty inspirational in itself. Though a book with two grown men submerged in a giant bowl of cereal on the cover may seem juvenile, this book will delight readers of all ages.

ALL

Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone
By Tomi Adeyemi
Henry Holt and Co, 2018, 531 pages, Young Adult Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.

Children of Blood and Bone is arguably this year’s hottest young adult novel, and I’m happy to say that this book is not over-hyped. This is a compelling epic fantasy with world building based on Africa and various African cultures, which automatically makes this book unique and appealing. I also enjoyed that the characters in the book are flawed, but they are all trying to do the right thing. This book does fall victim to a few YA tropes, but for the most part the pacing is tight and I really enjoyed all of the plot twists (including one at the end, which has me anxious for the sequel!). Older teens who liked last year’s Strange the Dreamer, or any other epic fantasy, will love this book.

MB

One Hundred Birds Taught Me to Fly

One Hundred Birds Taught Me to Fly
By Ashley Mae Hoiland
Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2016. 213 pgs. Nonfiction

Through original writing and illustrations, Hoiland explores the art of finding God. She uses personal musings, thoughts, and experiences to address her own journey on topics such as Grace, Redemption, Laughter, Zion, Tradition, and more. Hoiland makes a case that creativity, adventure, and laughter are just as important as faith, hope, and charity when striving to develop a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. She questions attitudes, concepts, and principles that are ingrained in LDS culture, and whether they benefit or hinder growth and understanding about the divine.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It made me examine my own beliefs and thoughts on a variety of topics, while encouraging action. The author is a real person who is very relatable as a mother, woman, and member of the LDS faith. I felt that she understands many of my challenges and struggles, and made me want to deepen my own relationship with the divine and broaden my understanding. It was a great balance between stretching and growth without becoming preachy or condemning.

TT

Raven's Shadow

Raven's Shadow
by Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy, 2004, 334 pgs. Science Fiction

Seraph is a Traveler her particular order is Raven who has magical capabilities, when her clan is killed by plague and her brother by superstitious town folk . She is spared from the same fate by the retired soldier Tier who happened to be passing by at the same time. Tier has now been kidnapped and Seraph is on a quest to save her husband from the mages who grabbed him.

I really enjoyed this duology. All of the characters had beautiful development without the plot dragging. I loved the magic system in the series and I love the growth that the characters went through as they were developing. I found the plot engaging and I loved listening to it.

MH

Space Opera

Space Opera
By Catherynne M. Valente
Saga Press, 2018. 304 pgs. Science Fiction

Hailed as a cross between The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Eurovision, this is a rollicking, rocking romp through the galaxy as Earth finally looks up to meet the rest of the galactic family.

While humans were learning to make tools and get into arguments with one another, a greater war was being waged in the galaxy. The Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and the aftermath created a curious tradition, once every cycle the civilizations of the galaxy gather together for the Metagalactic Grand Prix. It is part clash of the gladiators, part beauty pageant, and part epic singing contest.

The stakes are high; the contestants and their species who fail to score higher than at least one of the other participants will be annihilated and their planetary resources will be seized. The fate of the Earth lies in the hands of a washed up rocker named Decibel Jones and his rag-tag band The Absolute Zeroes.

Fans of Valente will revel in her rich descriptions and intricate dialogue. This book is a love letter to glitter, lipstick, silver jumpsuits, and platform shoes. Hailing back to the fabulous 1970s and with larger than life characters, this book is ridiculous—ridiculously good.

AG

The Fox Hunt: a Refugee's Memoir of Coming to America

The Fox Hunt: a Refugee’s Memoir of Coming to America
by Mohammed Al Samawi
William Morrow. 2018. 323 pgs. Biography

Mohammed Al Samawi was raised in a well-educated Muslim family in Sana’a, Yemen. Disabled by a stroke at a young age, he worked hard in school to make up for his physical deficiencies .He enrolled in English classes where he became friends with his instructor from England. He didn’t want this good man to go to hell so he gave him a Koran and begged him to read it. The teacher agreed, with the stipulation that Mohammed read the Bible. Mohammed became an interfaith peace activist and a target for assassination because of his exposure to the Bible. As chaos and civil war engulf Yemen, he turns to his international contacts on Facebook to help him escape to a place of safety. This is a gripping story and includes much interesting background to events in the Middle East. SH

Every Secret Thing

Every Secret Thing
By Susanna Kearsley
Allison & Busby, 2012. 474 pgs. Fiction

Kate Murray meets an old man who comments on a similarity between her and her grandmother and then mentions a decade old murder. Kate is busy and doesn't pay much attention to the man but a few minutes later he is killed by a hit-and-run driver. Soon she is running for her life because someone thinks she knows more than she does. She must look to the past to understand the present and her search takes her from present day London and Canada to the war-time streets of Lisbon during WWII.

Susanna Kearsley expertly weaves together two story lines, set in two different time periods. This book is part mystery/thriller and part tender romance and I didn't want to put it down. I would recommend Susanna Kearsley books to someone looking for a mix of mystery, romance, and historical fiction. Her books are also fairly clean with very minimal hints to sex, but no details, and no swearing.

AL

Where There's Hope

Where There's Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up
By Elizabeth Smart
St. Martin's Press, 2018. 261 pgs. Biography

Elizabeth Smart shares her insights about what it takes to overcome trauma and find the strength to move forward with life. She also takes the opportunity to interview other people who have faced trials in their own lives and asks them how they found hope and forgiveness.

This book was incredibly powerful and inspiring! The audio book is read by Elizabeth Smart which added to the power of her words. She shares her own experiences but what I really liked were the  interviews she did with other people. They showed how different people from different backgrounds found hope and healing after their individual tragedies. Some of the topics she addressed were healing physically, healing emotionally, healing spiritually, forgiveness, and hope. This book deals with heavy subjects but leaves you feeling uplifted.

AL

Otherkin

Otherkin
by Nina Berry
Kensington Publishing, 2012, 310 pgs, Young Adult Fiction

All in one afternoon Dez, a good girl who does her best not to be noticed, turns her world upside down. She discovers that she can shapeshift into a tiger, is kidnapped, and rescues herself and a startlingly handsome boy from a cage. Caleb, who works magic as well, knows what she is and offers to help her find others of her kind. They fall hard for each other, but Caleb is keeping secrets and the shifters they seek refuge with are not welcoming of strangers.

This was an enjoyable, quick read. A few plot points felt forced, but the magic system is an intriguing concept and easily kept me interested. I would recommend this fast-paced book to anyone looking for a lighter read that enjoys young adult contemporary fantasy.

ER

The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food

The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food
By Dan Barber
Penguin Books, 2015. 496 pages. Nonfiction

Dan Barber is well known for being a hero of the farm-to-table and local food movements, but in this book he addresses some of the ways that those movements still fall short of true sustainability.  Thinking of the detrimental practices of our past, and our misguided present, Barber points to a future "third plate," where he hopes that good farming and good food can intersect.

Fans of Michael Pollan's writing will find a kindred spirit in Dan Barber.  I was especially drawn to his examples of how responsibly grown or raised food can be among the most delicious food that we can enjoy, because the things that make a crop or livestock sustainable are the very things that make it more delicious.  As we come to understand how generations of food producers bred foods for yield and disease resistance, but never for flavor, Dan Barber shows us a way forward that is better for the earth and better for our palates as well.

BHG

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison

Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison
By Piper Kerman
Spiegel & Grau, 2011. 327 pages. Biography

During a few wild years in her early 20s, Piper Kerman once delivered a suitcase of drug money in Europe.  Over a decade later, that transgression caught up with Kerman and she was sentenced to fifteen months at a federal correctional facility in Connecticut.  This is the story of Kerman's time in prison, telling of her initial culture shock and the ways she learned to navigate the strict codes of behavior as well as the sometimes mystifyingly arbitrary rules.  She also makes observations about the prison system itself, and illustrates some shortcomings that contribute to the perpetuation of the cycle of incarceration.

This is a fascinating story of a society and culture that many of us may never be acquainted with personally, yet is critical to understand.  Kerman helps to pull down the barrier of "otherness" that surrounds the prison system and build empathy for the people inhabiting it.  Be aware that there is a good amount of language in this book.

BHG

The End of Your Life Book Club

The End of Your Life Book Club
By Will Schwalbe
Alfred A Knopf, 2012. 336 pgs. Biography

When Mary Schwalbe was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer she and her family knew that their days together were numbered. While waiting for one of her chemo sessions, her son, Will, casually asks her what she’s been reading, and it soon becomes a tradition of theirs. They even start reading the same books, and their little two person book club is formed. This is the heartwarming memoir Will later wrote about a special bond between him and his mother, and how they drew closer together as her life came to a close.

I think being able to discuss books, and the ideas and feelings they produce, can create a unique connection between people. This memoir is a little window into how deep that connection can grow, and how people can be affected by writing. As someone who’s lost a family member to pancreatic cancer, I felt Will’s portrayal was honest and tender. His writing clearly focused more on the relationship with his mom than anything else. I really enjoyed reading this book, but often felt a quiet sadness knowing how it would end. Noted at the end of the memoir is a list of every title mentioned throughout the book.

ACS

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat 
By Samin Nosrat
Simon & Schuster, 2017. 462 pages.

Many cookbooks are a collection of recipes, sometimes around a theme. But recipes don’t teach you how to be a great cook. In this volume, Chef Samin Nosrat imparts her simple cooking philosophy—the mastery of salt, fat, acid, and heat. Salt enhances flavor, fat delivers flavor and helps texture, acid balances flavor, and heat determines the texture. The mastery of these four elements of cooking will result in a confident cook that is not tied down by the recipe.

This book dedicates a section to each of the four elements of cooking (salt, fat, acid, heat) and also has a few recipes in the back to help the reader get an idea of how these four elements work in cooking. I consider myself to be a pretty experienced cook, but I learned so much while reading this book. I even tried a few of the recipes and found them to be excellent. Nosrat doesn’t just tell you that something works, she explains in detail why something works, and that really helps to build confidence in the kitchen. True mastery comes with practice, but this volume is an excellent compass to show the home chef the way.

ALL

The Dragon's Curse: A Transference Novel

The Dragon’s Curse: A Transference Novel 
by Bethany Wiggins
Crown, 2018, 328 pgs, Young Adult Fiction

In this sequel to The Dragon’s Price, Sorrowlynn is finally prepared to join Golmarr in his search for a cure to the dragon’s curse. Before she can begin her journey, her father arrives with an army to take her home. He has married her by proxy to the heir of another kingdom and the heir has come to claim his new bride. As if trying to escape her captor husband and reunite with her true love isn’t difficult enough, a two-headed dragon is determined to find and kill Sorrowlynn before she can stop the dragon’s curse.

This was a very good follow-up to the first book. The plot is engaging, the characters have depth, and the book takes some unexpected turns. I especially appreciate that the romantic plot doesn’t overtake the main conflict of the story. I would recommend this book series to any teens that enjoy fantasy.

ER

The Girl With the Red Balloon

The Girl With the Red Balloon
by Katherine Locke
Albert Whitman & Company, 2017, 277 pages, fiction

Ellie’s class trip to Germany is supposed to be a fun adventure, but she is having some conflicting feelings since her grandfather, a holocaust survivor, did not want her to come. When visiting the Berlin Wall she sees a red balloon, unattended, and decides to get a photograph with it. Her grandfather, often talks of the girl with a red balloon that saved him from a terrible fate.

As soon as Ellie touches the balloon, she finds herself in East Berlin 18 months before the Berlin Wall will come down. She is found by Kai, a young Romani man who works for a secret organization that smuggles people over the Wall by using magic red balloons. Reluctant at first she has no choice, but to trust him or risk being caught by the German police.

Ellie, Kai, and Kai’s work partner, Mitzi, soon discover that someone is breaking the magic laws in their rescue society to attempt time travel, and people are dying as a result. They need to find out who is behind it. Throughout Ellie’s time in East Germany, accounts of her grandfather’s experience in a Polish Ghetto are weaved throughout the book.

This book was wonderful. All the characters were well developed, and it was fun to mix magic and science fiction in with a historical fiction. Locke did her research and made sure to touch on the difficulties experienced in East Berlin, and the types of circumstances that would lead to someone risking their life to escape to West Germany. She also includes the quiet ways that people rebel and resist the oppression in the East.

MM

Long Way Down

Long Way Down
By Jason Reynolds
Atheneum, 2017. 306 pages.

Fifteen-year-old Will lives by three rules: 1) no crying, 2) no snitching, and 3) always seek revenge. Will has done pretty well by the first two rules, but now it is time to put rule number three to the test. Will’s brother, Shawn, was shot dead the night before, and Will now finds himself with a gun tucked into his belt, on his way to kill his brother’s murderer. But as Will rides the elevator down to street level, he is visited by seven ghosts from his past that reveal truths that make Will question his resolve.

This book may be in verse, but it deals with some pretty heavy subject matters; grief over losing a loved one, gun violence, and the pressures of culture and society to name a few. The verse format makes it easy to read and a quick read. Nevertheless, this award-winning story will challenge how you view matters of right and wrong, the meaning of family, and what it means to be strong. I loved listening to the audiobook narrated by the author, as his voice lends some serious gravity to the story line.

ALL

The Power of Moments

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
By Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Simon and Schuster, 2017, 307 pages, Nonfiction

Why do we tend to remember the best or worst moment of an experience, as well as the last moment, and forget the rest? Why do we feel most comfortable when things are certain, but feel most alive when they're not? And why are our most cherished memories clustered into a brief period during our youth? The New York Times bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate us and change us--and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work.

Chip and Dan Heath are at it again, writing a great motivational/leadership book that really got me thinking about all of the little interactions I have with people every day. What small things can I do to make another person’s day better? Are there things that happen every day that could be improved and heightened? This book is a must for anyone who wants to improve their customer service skills, but I also think it will be beneficial for anyone who wants to make any relationship better, or who wants to make any moment stand out.

MB

My Dearest Love

My Dearest Love
by Sarah M. Eden
Mirror Press, 2017, 129 pgs. Historical Romance

Ian O'Connor spends long days in a textile mill in New York City, enduring the dangerous conditions to help support his parents and brothers and sisters. Biddy Dillon has lost her home and her family and is barely making ends meet as she works in the same textile mill. Life feels hopeless for both of them until their paths cross and they begin to feel a little spark of joy when they are around each other. The problem is that Ian doesn't know how to talk to her and his family won't stop teasing him about it. When tragedy strikes, they must decide if they have enough courage to face an uncertain future together.

This is a novella that comes before the Longing for Home series. I loved finally finding out how Ian and Biddy met and fell in love. The O'Connor family is so loving and kind and they don't let hard circumstances keep them down. Sarah Eden continues to do what she does best but creating a heartwarming story with characters that feel like family.

AL

The Lightless Sky: a Twelve-Year-Old Refugee's Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half the World

The Lightless Sky: a Twelve-Year-Old Refugee’s Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half the World
By Gulwali Passarlay
HarperOne, 2016. 361 pgs. Biography

Born in Afghanistan, after his father was killed by American troops, the Taliban wanted to recruit Gulwali as a suicide bomber and the Americans wanted him to be an informer. His mother was determined that her sons would have a better future and paid smugglers to take Gulwali and his older brother out of the country. Gulwali traveled 12,500 miles and passed through the hands of at least twenty-five smugglers. He crossed and was deported and re-crossed borders to Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and finally Great Britain for nearly a year. He was imprisoned, beaten, starved, nearly drowned, but determined to reach the freedom his mother paid so much for him to have.

Through the experiences of Gulwali Passarlay the reader can glimpse the desperate situation for refugees trying to escape the chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other war torn countries. SH

The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic State

The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State
by Nadia Murad
Tim Duggan Books. 2017. 306 pgs. Biography

Nadia Murad was raised in Kocho, a Yazidi community in Iraq. Though telling her story is traumatic, she knows that telling the truth about what ISIS did to the people of  Kocho is the surest way to make the world understand their crimes against the Yazidi people.

In August, 2014, the men of the village were murdered by ISIS and the women either killed, or kidnapped and taken to various ISIS controlled cities. Nadia was taken to Mosul, forced to convert to Islam, and sold as a sex slave to an ISIS leader who subsequently sold her to another soldier. Finally Nadia was able to escape and make her way to Kurdish controlled territory where she rejoined her few remaining family members. Today she is an activist working on behalf of the Yazidi people who are refugees, speaking whenever she can about the genocide against them and seeking to bring the leaders of ISIS to justice.  SH

Need to Know

Need to Know
by Karen Cleaveland
Ballantine Books, 2018, 290 pgs.  Fiction

Vivian Miller is a professional trying to balance work and family.  What makes her situation unique is that she works at Langley as an analyst searching for Russian sleeper cells on American soil.  The good news is that she is very good at her job.  The bad news is that her most recent breakthrough will completely destroy her life and her family.  How far will she go to protect her children and husband?  How much can her country ask of her?

I haven’t read a good spy novel in ages and this was a pretty good reminder of why I really do enjoy the genre.  Vivian is a very relatable character that you can’t help but root for her.  I was left guessing at the loyalties of the different characters up until the very last page, which is always a good sign. Nothing groundbreaking but a solid addition to literary spydom. 

CG

When

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing
by Daniel H. Pink
Riverhead Books, 2017. 272 pgs. Nonfiction

Does it matter when you start a new goal?  A new relationship?  A new job?  Does it matter what time of day you tackle different types of tasks?  How about when you should visit a hospital or have surgery?  The answer to all these questions is a resounding YES, according to Daniel H. Pink it matters a great deal.  Pink has reviewed cutting edge research and data to determine how we can best schedule our lives to optimize our success and happiness.

I love books that use science to explain life.  The author’s stories and illustrations are entertaining and convincing (not that I needed a lot of convincing to know that naps are awesome).  I particularly enjoy the way Pink writes about his own personal feelings about the discoveries he makes.  You feel like you are on a journey with him, picking up little jewels of insight as you travel from page to page.

CG

Burn Bright

Burn Bright
by Patricia Briggs New York : Ace, 2018. 308 pgs, Science Fiction

Charles and Anna Cornick are facing a threat that is hitting way to close to home. There is someone attacking the Wildlings; the werewolves who are too unstable and broken to live among the general populace. While Bran is out of the country Charles and Anna must face this threat and find out who is threatening the safety of the pack.

As always I love Patricia Briggs. I love Anna’s personality and I love the nuances they mention between the relationships in the pack. I loved learning about the Wildlings and their special place in the Marrock’s pack. The magic in this particular novel was unique and a fun combination of Brigg's style and fairytales. Patricia Briggs just creates this world of magic that I can get lost in for hours.

MH

Emergency Contact

 Emergency Contact
By Mary H. K. Choi
New York, Simon & Schuster, 2018. 400 pgs Young Adult

What do you do when your best friend is someone you’ve only “met” twice but text with for hours? For Penny Lee, Sam Becker is much more than words on a screen. He is more than her college roommate’s young, erstwhile uncle. He is also more than just a sexy, tattooed, wanna-be-filmmaker barista who has anxiety attacks and bakes. He is her person, someone with whom she shares her deepest anxieties and darkest secrets. Her emergency contact.

 As two lonely and complicated people, they begin to build a friendship and maybe something more. But this book isn’t just about relationships in the cell phone age. It's about art. Sam and Penny are both creatives, Sam longing to go to film school and Penny determined to become a writer. They both have to decide who they want to be as artists and how to build their craft.

Mary H. K. Choi’s debut novel is complex; poignant while being funny, romantic yet awkward, serious and silly. I was expecting all the cliches. They were there, but they were handled so honestly and with such humor that they didn’t feel cliche. Choi creates quirky and endearing characters who show real growth and self-awareness. I couldn’t put it down.

AG

Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Wonder Woman: Warbringer
by Leigh Bardugo
Random House, 2017. 364 pages. Young Adult Fantasy

Hidden from mortal eyes, the Amazons live in peace on Themyscira, their island  home gifted them by the gods. Once mortal women, these warriors' bear the duty of protecting peace, armed with immortality, strength and wisdom,. All except Diana. Though daughter of the great Amazon Queen, Diana isn't sure she is an Amazon, truly; unlike her sisters who lived first as humans, she is the only Amazon to be born such. She longs to prove herself worthy, a hero - but when she saves Alia, a mortal, she's risks everything. It would bad enough if Alia were just an ordinary girl, but she is a Warbringer, a descendant of Helen, whose legendary beauty started the Trojan War. Cursed to usher in an age of war and destruction, Alia is hunted by forces who would do anything eliminate - or possess - her. But perhaps together, she and Diana can find a way to save the world.


Long-time or newly converted fans of Wonder Woman will love this book! Fear not, it's not just a novelization of last summer's blockbuster film. WARBRINGER flawlessly translates Diana's coming-of-age into the 21st century, building upon the Wonder Woman universe gorgeously, subtly expanding it to a richer, more inclusive, diverse, more believable world. While there's plenty of action, this book offers so much more. Intensely relateable, the strength of the story is the theme of friendship, particularly female friendship. Despite the fact that Diana and Alia are not at all ordinary young women, the essence of their struggles to understand who they are, what impact their lives will have on their world, is in fact, pretty ordinary. I mean I'm no Amazon superhuman princess slash hero of mankind, but I felt the much the same as I left childhood behind and forged out into the unknown to make a life of my own. I think we all did...do. Still do. And the best support we have facing any life transition are authentic, empowering friendship. Another thing I love about this book is the character development. In addition to fantastic protagonists, we're treated to a host of equally developed, diverse, and interesting supporting characters. And in a book about relationships, I'd expect nothing less.

MW

The Dry

The Dry
By Jane Harper
Flatiron Books, 2017, 328 pages, Mystery

After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. It looks like Luke murdered his family and committed suicide out of desperation over financial troubles. Luke’s parents refuse to believe their son capable of such heinous acts, and they call on Falk to clear their dead son’s name. Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened that awful day. As Falk reluctantly investigates Luke's death, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

Harper’s freshman novel is full of atmosphere and character. You can feel the blistering heat of the Australian Outback on your skin, and you can sense the tension in the air as desperation makes the townspeople question each other’s motivations. Since this book is the first in a series, there are two mysteries to solve: What really happened to drive Falk and his father out of town when Falk was a teenager, and what happened to Luke and his family in the present? Both are compelling mysteries, although I occasionally felt like some parts of one mystery were drawn out in order to introduce additional details about the other. Still, this is a solid entry in a new mystery series, and I’m anxious to read the next book, Force of Nature, to see if it has just as much atmosphere and character.

MB

The Wicked Deep

The Wicked Deep
by Shea Ernshaw
New York, Simon Pulse, 2018. 310 pgs Young Adult

The town of Sparrow Oregon is haunted by three sisters who were drowned because the jealous townspeople suspected them of witchcraft. Two hundred years later the town is still plagued by mysterious drownings during the “Season” but Penny is determined to find a way to stop them to save the boy she loves.

The Wicked Deep balanced beautifully telling a story that takes place in the past to bring depth to the actions happening in the present. I loved the ghost story that was built into the plot. Overall a fun Teen read.

MH