Bad Blood

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou, 299 pages

It's a familiar story.  A brilliant college student with a revolutionary idea dropped out of school to start her own business and chase her dreams.  Through hard work and pluck, she managed to impress a series of movers and shakers, earning investment dollars for her company and plaudits for herself.  A decade later, the company was worth billions and she was hailed as a role model for a new generation of girls looking to change the world and get rich in the process.  But there's a twist - it was all a sham.  The company's products never actually worked.  The dream was never more than a dream - and marketing.

Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos ("THERApy" and "diagNOSis") in 2003 with the tuition money she saved by dropping out of Stanford.  Wearing a signature black turtleneck in imitation of Steve Jobs, she managed to win the endorsement of influential men and women from Henry Kissinger to Bill Clinton with her promise to revolutionize health care with a new technology that would allow quick, easy, cheap, and mobile blood tests.  By 2014, the company was valued at over $9 billion, and in 2015 Holmes was named "Woman of the Year" by Glamour magazine and listed among the "Most Influential People in the World" by TIME.  Later that same year, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou revealed that Theranos was falsifying its results, conducting standard blood tests and then attributing the results to their devices.  After initial denials and threats of lawsuits, the company slowly walked back nearly all of the claims it had made, before collapsing into bankruptcy amid criminal investigations.  Bad Blood is Carreyrou's book-length account of how things reached that point, and how so many people were fooled, cheated, and, in some cases, endangered.

The most remarkable thing about Bad Blood is how sympathetic Holmes remains.  She is presented as a powerfully driven young woman who desired nothing more than to become a billionaire and help people - or, at least, to be seen to be helping people.  She seems to have genuinely believed that if she just wanted it enough - believed it enough - eventually the devices would work, and the multi-billion dollar business she had founded would thrive.  This spiraled into new age megalomania - at one point, Holmes told employees that they were working on the "best thing humans have ever built" and at another that they were "building a religion."  Carreyrou skillfully weaves the personal stories of Theranos insiders into the bigger picture, creating a rich and compelling narrative.

The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life

The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks     AudioBook:  13 hours   Hardback Book: 384 pages               

I take away from this book that Brooks does a lot of grousing.   He often points to his Jewish heritage and upbringing then he juxtaposes that against the fact he grew up in a Protest neighborhood and attended Christian schools and activities and had many Christian friends all also influencing his life.    He comes back many times during the first part of the book to his being an atheist yet, throughout the book he quotes the Torah sometimes and more often the Bible and applies it to his life and the situations he finds himself or other people in.   His analogy of the two mountains is the first mountain is humans doing what society tells us we want - a good job, friends, and to make our mark in the world but, the second mountain is us attaining our climb to the top of the first mountain, looking around and saying, "Is that all there is?   There must be more to life that fulfilling the obligations others put upon us.   When do we get to do what we want?   When do we explore our own beliefs and follow our own drams instead of what others see for us?"   His book is his grappling with his second mountain - struggling and overcoming all the obstacles blocking his way to obtaining his own realizations for what he wants in life.   His premise is his struggle is the same for everyone - finding what you believe in, finding relationships that work for you on your terms. finding fulfilling work to occupy ourselves and sustain us and making a way so that it all works in tandem as a moral uplifting life.    He offers some thought provoking concepts once you wade through all his back and forth on religion and its teachings.    He comes out being a very Messianic Jew (a Jew that believes in Jesus as the Christ not simply a prophet) and whatever he thinks he is saying I believe the seeds of Christianity are planted within him.    There are some nuggets of learning to be had here once you get past or totally ignore his wrestling match with what he believes.

 - Shirley J

The Last Book Party

The Last Book Party by Karen DuKess      Audio Book: 6 hours, 30 mins.     Hardback Book:  256 pages        

Eve Rosen is trying to make her way in life and find herself along the journey.   Bored with her job,  in the shadow of her brilliant brother she is trying to make her place in the world.    As we all do, she encounters a lot of joy, frustration, enamour and disillusionment along the way.   Lucking into a position as assistant to a famous writer she spends the summer of 1987 in Cape Cod.   She also finds love with the writers son and the writer - for a girl searching for excitement she ends up tangled up in way more than she planned for.   The writer's wife is a famous poet and she and he throw their famous book party every year where guests come dressed as literary characters with part of the fun being guessing who everyone is portraying.   As the girl is torn between those who are genuine and those who she cannot understand or chooses not to see for what they really are, the plot thickens.   Friends or allies at least appear with unlikely timing and things revealed serve to bring all she thinks she wants and believes (or decieves herself) to a humiliating end.   Things are never as we glorify them to be and the lesson of doing so is tragic when it smacks us in the face.    An O.K. book.  Would I recomemmend it?   I don't think so.   The reader pretty much knew what was going to happen every where along the way - no surprises.   The writing and dialogue were good but I found this to be a book I could easily put down and pick up again days later.   It didn't hold my interest enough though I kept hoping.

 - Shirley J

Trail of Lightning

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse, 287 pages


Summary from Goodreads: While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the disappearances, she will have to confront her past—if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World. 

It has won a Locus Award and was nominated for a Nebula and a Hugo. I wanted to like this book but I couldn't and can't recommend it although I am sure some people would. The powers were cool and the setting seemed good. The problem was that there wasn't enough world building. The characters had promise but Maggie was especially lacking. I won't be reading the next book in the series.

"No Visible Bruises" is an important look at domestic violence

No Visible Bruises by Rachel Louise Snyder
Released May 2019
320 pages



It seems strange to discuss the entertainment value of a non-fiction book about domestic violence. Yet to discount the importance of reader engagement in non-fiction writing is to produce works about important subjects that will sit on the shelf. "No Visible Bruises" has an important message: domestic homicide can be predicted, and thus prevented, by noticing key signs. But author Rachel Louise Snyder uses storytelling throughout the book to show how these predictors play out with real lives at stake.

The book is told in three parts, and each section of the book has its own unique writing style. The beginning section uses narrative storytelling to convey a story of family annihilation that began as domestic abuse. Snyder doesn't bury the lead: from the beginning of the book, we know this family is going to be killed by its patriarch. And yet Snyder is able to give the reader such an intimate look at the victim that by the time the section is over, although she's already told us how the story ends, the reader cannot help but be devastated by the loss.

Beyond the narrative storytelling, Snyder leans on a variety of experts to show the full picture of domestic violence today. The thread running throughout the entire book is the understanding that experts have ways to measure the likelihood that a domestic violence situation will turn into domestic homicide. From interviews with social workers, women's shelter operators, and law enforcement, we are shown what can happen when partnerships between these stakeholders are forged. Women's lives can be saved by educating and empowering those in positions to notice the signs of future domestic homicide. Snyder also shows what happens when these partnerships don't exist, and how the result is often fatal.

One of the most interesting and difficult subjects tackled in this book is that of rehabilitation. Snyder follows several men in prison for domestic violence, and enrolled in programs meant to end the cycle of violence. In the end there are no clear conclusions; experts aren't sure what, if anything, can be done to prevent abusers from committing acts of violence again. But Snyder highlights several efforts to do just that, and the men trying to curb their own violence have compelling stories themselves.

The consequences of this book are readers who will no longer be ignorant to the signs of domestic violence. Armed with the knowledge that there are ways to predict and prevent domestic homicide, readers of "No Visible Bruises" may become advocates themselves to protect women. I have found myself reading crime briefs in the newspaper about assault charges, and wondering if the victims' lives may be at risk. This book makes you look at the world with a renewed perspective.

This may be the best non-fiction book of 2019, and is a must-read. Read it to see what exemplary non-fiction looks like, but also read it to inform yourself of the signs of domestic violence and abuse. Read it to honor the lives of those lost to this violence, and for the hope of a safer future for others.

Come Tumbling Down

Come Tumbling Down (Wayward Children #5) by Seanan McGuire  206 pages  I read a galley - book is due out January, 2020

When lightning strikes, it can bring unexpected dreams to life. When Jack left the School for Wayward Children, she was carrying the body of her recently murdered sister, passing through the doorway to the Moors, their home. However, death in the Moors isn't as permanent as in other places, and now, the lightning has brought Jack back to the School. However, something is terribly, terribly wrong. Now, Jack must ask her friends to help bring the lightning back, and take them back to the Moors to set things right again. However, that doesn't mean all of them will survive.

In this deliciously creepy story, McGuire brings back one of the more complicated and interesting characters from the Wayward Children stories. Ever practical and deadly serious, Jack isn't without a sense of humor. However, in this story, when she is left with no choice to ask for help, there's no fun and games on this quest back to the Moors.

There's a nice balance of characters in this story. We have Jack, of course, but we also have other characters to give some different perspectives. One of my other favorite characters is Sumi, who can seem very heads-in-the-clouds . . . until she makes a devastatingly real statement. For example, when something awful happens in the book, Sumi makes the observation that "The world doesn't stop spinning because you're sad, and that's good; If it did, people would go around breaking hearts like they were sheets of maple sugar, just to keep the world exactly where it is." (p. 107).  Quite so.

This is one of my favorite series, and selfishly, I hope McGuire doesn't run out of stories any time soon because these books are absolutely fantastic. I have suggested them to readers who enjoy dark fantasy, but also to younger readers who liked the "Miss Peregrine" stories.  These are books for readers who enjoy fantastical and odds-defying characters, and who like an edge of danger to their storytelling.


LibraryReads summary: In this deliciously creepy story, McGuire brings back one of the favorite characters from the Wayward Children story. Filled with danger, viscera and blood, lightning and love, this beautifully written story is for lovers of dark fantasy, extraordinary characters and unlikely heroes.

Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide

Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide by Patrice Banks        Paperback Book: 304 pages

This is the best most understandable book you will ever come across on auto repair.   It is written for women so we won't be clueless when we take our vehicles in for maintenance.   My favorite part was in the beginning when Patrice Banks explains what the scary lights mean on your dashboard and more importantly what the color they light up in means.   Heck, I never realized the warning lights lit up in different colors depending on the severity of your car's issue.   Did you?    If the check engine light, etc. comes on in amber -your car is telling you, "Hey, something isn't right better get it checked just to be safe.    But if that same light comes on in red your car is telling you, "HELP!!!! Something awful is about to happen.   GET ME TO A MECHANIC STAT!!!!!!"   Now I know and I felt so good from learning that and even sharing that golden nugget of wisdom with some men I know who never knew that either.  Now we all know.    This book is chock full of so much GREAT information that you will be doing yourself such huge money saving favors to read it cover to cover.    Now that I have read the library's copy I am going to BUY myself a couple of copies to keep one in each vehicle and will purchase additional copies for loved ones to keep in their cars - this is like the golden ticket that allows you to pass from foggy don't have a clueness to being able to discuss real car problems that you now get because she breaks down every possible part on your vehicle and discusses what is where and why its there, what it does for your car (and you) how it interacts with the other parts of your car, when to do maintenance and when not to.  She goes from the tires on up, end to end and side to side.   This book is a remakrable teaching tool and I would love to do a Vulcan mind meld with this lady to learn all she knows.    She started out as, her term not mine, an auto airhead never thinking about her car in terms of what it might need and now she is a MASTER SHECANIC, owning three of her own vehicle repair shops at which she has female shecanics working on all the vehicles coming in    She feels her 4 inch red stilletos are part of her uniform and wears them proudly in all the illustrations (see cover above).      Who says girls can't work on cars?   She put herself through all the courses on vehicle repair that has landed her where she is today.   There is no problem she can't analyze and fix.   Patrice Banks is my SHERO!   I wish she lived here - I would never take my vehicles anywhere but to her.   GREAT BOOK.   I think every driver should be issued a copy of this book especially females but certainly males, too.   She spells it all out and everybody could learn from this book.  Fantastic book!   Read it, buy it, own it - it will be the best thing you have ever done for yourself if you plan to drive.   Mothers buy a copy for your daughters it will teach them how to take care of their ride properly and repair things themselves (change a tire, jump a battery, etc., etc).    She is a whiz and a marvel.   I can't sing her praises and the praises of this book highly enough.

After the End

After the End by Clare Mackintosh          Audio Book:  11 hours,  34 minutes
Paperback Book: 512 pages       
A really well done story if heart wrenching due to the topic.   Based on the author's own experience losing her child but fictionalized this story is told with the intensity of a parent who knows from the inside what is felt watching a child suffer while you do your best to care for, love, and provide the best research and medical care available only to run out of viable options.    The story is told from the viewpoints of both parents and the presiding doctor over the case.   Clare Mackintosh describes the ups, downs and the navigation through the surreal world of coping when there is literally nothing more you can do, when continuing to grab at promies seems futile and you come to the point you wonder if struggling forward is better or worse for the child when quality of life is subject to interpretation and you and your spouse are at odds on what to do next.   A compelling story that will grip you to the end.   Dylan and his plight will feel so real you may never forget this one and there are many things to be learned from what the parents go through.   It is watching a family implode.   The love is still there but everything that had been is blown to bits.   There is solace to be found and life goes on whether we want it to or not.   Deeply moving and well told.   Might be hard for teens and middle schoolers to read/listen to so I would recommend this one for adults.

The Friends We Keep

The Friends We Keep by Jane Green        Audio Book: 12 hours, 41 minutes
Hardback Book: 384 pgs.       

                                                                                       
Excellent book.   Three unlikely folk Evvie, Maggie and Topher meet and become roommates while in college and though their backgrounds are completely different they all make sense together.   Before they leave their alma mater they make a pact that if when they turn 50 they are all single they will all move back in with one another.   They part making jokes about who will likely succeed in life and who will struggle who will need at least one of the other two to keep them out of poverty's clutches and who will cling to one another like a lifeline in order to survive their desperate circumstances coming up with all sorts of scenarios and laughing louder at each horrible possibility.  They go on with their lives, Evvie becoming a fashion model travelling the world on photo shoots, Maggie, who's life had been posher than Evvie's when they were young but now had settled down with the love of her life, Ben, who Evvie sort of hated for a long time when they worked at the same bar and Evvie told her two pals how evil he was to her, thus getting him dubbed, "Evil Ben."  Topher persued a career in acting, though openly gay, he never had a deeply committed intimate relationship.   They fall out of touch as people do but got back together for their 30th college reunion.  Old times seemed so far away, yet, they missed those great times they had together.   The pact came up in conversation.    Love and betrayal, secrets, lies, sorrow, joy but through it all friendship.   Life takes each of the three on some strange journeys and each felt not quite right in the lot they were dealt.  Circumstances bring the three together again but what they don't know can hurt them.   Can they keep their circle of friendship or will it drift away with time?   Great story, I won't spoil it but this one is REALLY good.   I recommend it to anyone.   A very well written story about how the best of intentions can sometimes go wrong.  Well done, Jane Green.

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life:  Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Audio Book: ( hours, 9 minutes      Hardback Book 416 pages     


Dr. Dyer offers honey to the soul of the reader/listener of this great book.   He delivers the teachings of Lao-tzu, 81 verses that pretty much sum up the path to living in harmony with your higher power, life, nature, our fellow travellers.   He speaks with an authority whether speaking the words of Jesus who he quotes throughout and Chinese wise man, Lao-tzu.   He quotes the Bible and the Tao Te Ching.    Dr. Dyer made a study of each of the 81 verses of the Tao turning each verse into a study on the life principles it expands upon.    He is also a Bible scholar because he can quote Jesus' teachings and life lessons beautifully and thoroughly sharing the wisdom of both biblical teaching and the lessons of the Tao.   This is a magnificent blending bringing two spiritual paths together and sharing the betterment of man gleaned from each as they compliment one another though delivered in different centuries and diverse parts of the world Lao-tzu in China 500 years before Jesus bringing the good news to man 500 years later in Israel.    Dr. Dyer's essays are fire and ice the perfect blending of the two as if the truth of the ages opens before the reader with the fire of spirit filled zeal and the cool nature that makes it tolerable to the psyche of man.   Hard truths are laid open in an easy to comprehend manner and the reader will literally experience the joy of understanding the wisdom of the ages brought in humble and simplistic language broken down often in parables that the reader may understand and marvel.   An amazing spiritual experience I cannot begin to say enough good things about.   A worthy read for every one regardless of faith.  An explanation as to why we think we are so different from one another when we are really very much alike.   Words that will touch your heart, mind and soul.   WOW!

How to Speak Brit

How to Speak Brit:  The Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases by Christiopher J. Moore       Hardback Book:  128 pages

A fun read.   I was surprised by a few things:

 1.)   It was only 128 pages long - surely there are loads more British      colloquialsms than that

 2.)   The words/phrases included seemed to be of another age, not contemporary.

 3.)   Many of the words/phrases I grew up hearing in my family's speech and found them not
        to be uniquely British, maybe they originated there, but, were well known to me
.
Things I particularly enjoyed about this book.   The author explains the phrase, "Bob''s Your Uncle." He explains the origin of the phrase, who Bob actually is and why Brits still say it to this day.  He also explained that Cockneys love to reinvent words and phrases to make them rhyme and have a fun lilt to them for a laugh.   Makes a lot of sense and I have come to appreciate a local friend's sense of humor who has always done the same thing with people's names, Bruce became Spruce, Richie became Bitchy and so forth as maybe being in his genes as his background is largely British though he has never set foot in "Old Blighty" nor met any of his Brit kin.    The book reads like a dictionary just a lot more explicit with the occaisional minimally derogatory embelishment.  A fun read, wish it had went further and offered additional current phrases, though, I guess current is a relative term and is so subject to change as to not be worth trying to keep up with.   Fun book, yes, I recommend it to all who love British flavor in their speech and anyone else's.  Getting the answer to "Bob's Your Uncle," was worth the read but wordsmith's worldwide will enjoy this read.  Fun one
.

Remember It!

Remember It!:  The Names of People You Meet, All of Your Passwords, Where You Left Your Keys, and  Everything Else You Tend To Forget by Nelson Dellis             Audio Book: 6 hours, 48 minutes
Paperback book:  240 pages     


Nelson Dellis does have an amusing way of memorizing things.   It is based heavily on math  but also on the most extreme of absurd images that can be so gross and literally shocking like OMgosh! shocking that the bizzarre sometimes horrendous images will virtually stick in your memory.  We are talking slasher film stuff here ladies and gentlemen.  Now while I get it that those images will certainly remain in your brain, the sheer OMgosh! quality is a little bracing.    It works great for Nelson but, I would have to tone mine waaaaaaay down to what his are. YIKES!    It is a fun read.  The guy is after all a major world contender for memory competition and has memorized up to like every person's name at every party and event he goes to which is wild.    He does present his tactics for never forgetting another thing in fun ways just sometimes his imagery sort of hits you right between the eyes.   The guy is good and I highly recommend readers do give this one your full attention you will be glad you did - just prepare yourself for some shocking means of associating names, place, locations, lists, to dos, ad infinitum but, maybe that is the brillance of left brain thinking.    The man is a genius and aren't all geniuses ever so remotely "eccentric?"   Good book, your brain will feel like it has been scrubbed and cleaned and you will never forget a thing you commit to memory with these techniques.  I do recommend this book to anyone seriously looking to improve their memory.

The Enchanted Hour

The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon

Audio Book: 7 hours, 54 minutes     Hardback Book:  304 pages       

This book will tell the reader that reading aloud makes you smarter - let's all do it!   I enjoy reading aloud be it stories to youngsters, or particularly moving literature or plays where I can assume the character telling the tale,  mimic the dialect of a foreign tongue - I have always loved dialects - or assuming the role of one of Shakespeare's many faceted characters.   I love reading aloud.  Always have since I was a kid.   In fact, as adults, sitting around the table in the kitchen my older brother and I would play out radio announcer Walter Winchell's famous often quoted words from WWII, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea..." when our Mom would start reading to us news stories from the newspaper she wanted to share with us.  Mom loved reading out loud, too.   We would tease her about it, but, we loved hearing her even as adults and what I wouldn't give to hear her read me an article she found interesting today.   The book goes on to say that reading aloud makes both adults and children happier, too, well that was also proven by Mom's reading to us and also satisfying to take time out to read aloud myself, some books just lend themselves to it.   You do feel better for reading aloud even if only to yourself.   The book goes further, it also states and backs up with studies, stats, others experiences and the writer's own to prove that reading aloud makes you more successful and healthier as neurological and behavioral science shows.   It is a feel good experience.in an age of extreme technology in the hands of the common human.    It can be a learning experience or a sharing experience but always a creative and imaginative experience.    Reading aloud crosses all barriers, rich/poor, young/old regardless one's nationality or upbringing reading aloud is a universally pleasant (o.k. maybe not for the extremely shy, though, they may blossom if reading aloud alone).   As our cell phones and ipads and multi-technological gizmos draw us into more introspective personnas, reading aloud frees the spirit within.   It cleanses the soul if you will and draws us close to one another again as technology pulls us further and further physically from one another.    It teaches us not only vocabulary but to love the language of our and other's cultures.   Reading aloud is a gift we can give ourself that bestows so many feel good benefits we should all read aloud whenever the chance offers itself.   This is a very good book with so much to teach.   I highly recommend it to anyone, any age and get the book version so you can read it aloud or the audio version so you can enjoy being read to.   Good book.

Lenten Lands

Lenten Lands: My Life with Joy Davidman and CS Lewis by Douglas H Gresham, 213 pages

Douglas Gresham is the younger son of the authors WL Gresham and Joy Davidman.  After his parents' divorce, his mother took him to England, where she had become close friends with the brothers CS (Jack to his friends) and WH (Warnie) Lewis.  In time, Jack and Joy would wed, and Lewis legally adopted the Gresham boys.  Lenten Lands is Gresham's memoir of his time at the Kilns, as the Lewis' home was called, from the earliest days when it seemed an enchanted place, to later years when it became for him an emblem of loss and grief.

This is a personal book.  Lewis' writings are barely mentioned, and anyone seeking insight into them (other than A Grief Observed) is sure to be disappointed.  It is also Gresham's book, giving his perspective and not anyone else's, and it is focused on his life rather than being "CS Lewis As I Knew Him."  It has to be said that it is all the more charming for that, and it would be an enjoyable read even if Lewis had never written a word.

Clear my name

Clear My Name by Paula Daly   292 pages

Miscarriage of justice or the perfect crime?  As the sole paid employee of the Innocence UK charity, it's up to Tess to determine if Carrie actually murdered her husband's lover years ago, or if Carrie is innocent. Three years into her 15-year sentence, Carrie is losing hope. However, Tess started to put together the clues and it does appear Carrie is innocent . . . but at the back of her mind, Tess still has some doubts.

This is a different take on the usual crime novel, and while the pacing is even, the story has enough ups and downs to make it a compelling page-turner of a read. It's an interesting way to tell the story, moving between the characters of Tess and Carrie, and moving back and forth in time. It's clear that both women have secrets, so you're kept a bit off balance with both of them, not knowing if they have ulterior motives or if their secrets will ultimately affect the case and whether or not Carrie is set free.  I've enjoyed other books by this author and this was another good read.

The Lager Queen of Minnesota

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal 353 pages

"Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself.

With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home. . . if it's not too late.

Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up--will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family?" Summary courtesy of Goodreads

I really liked this book. I enjoyed that the pacing was even and that the characters were realistic and felt like you could know them in real life. The characters are flawed, and I found the one sister to be pretty unlikeable (which made her realistic), and I enjoyed that there were factual details about beer and beer-making woven into the story. I also liked that the story was about women who were very involved in beer-making, especially since throughout history, you don't read about many women in brewing (although today, quite a few women are involved in this industry and craft).  

Little Darlings

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding    312 pages

Creepy, compulsive and unsettling, this is a modern-day changeling story. If you know anything about changelings, they are typically left by fairies who swap out a human baby with a fairy baby. Identical in appearance, but completely alien in behavior, the changelings are often dangerous. But that's just a fairy story and not something that happens in real life. Right?

Lauren Tranter is sure that her newborn twin boys have been taken by a scary old woman, and the babies she has in their bassinets are not hers. However, everyone around her is chalking Lauren's reaction up to just being exhausted. Or is this some kind of postpartum psychosis? Determined to risk everything to bring her true infants home, Lauren will do the unthinkable. Only one person in the police force believes Lauren may not be completely crazy. But can she save Lauren from harming these babies?

I found this to be an interesting story. Lauren is a true unreliable narrator; she clearly believes that something is wrong and these are not her babies, and because you're getting her perspective, you tend to believe her. However, in the back of your mind, you're thinking that actually, she could be suffering from some mental illness. What is actually true isn't completely easy to determine, which makes this a good, creepy story.

The secrets she keeps

The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham   368 pages

Agatha works part-time stocking shelves at a local grocery store, counting down the days until her baby is due. The one thing she looks forward to is catching a glimpse of Meghan, a customer who seems like she has the perfect life. When Agatha learns Meghan is also pregnant and the two of them are due around the same time, she finally musters up the courage to speak to her. Little does Meghan know that this quick conversation will cause her path to converge with Agatha's in a way that will change the course of her life.

I discovered this author recently and have now started reading some of his other books. I don't want to spoil anything about the story, but suffice to say, you can probably guess that Meghan's life isn't actually perfect at all, and this is just what Agatha thinks.  And, Agatha is hiding some pretty big secrets of her own --- which doesn't get revealed fully until you're well into the story. And, I was surprised by one of the big twists, which was nice. The pacing of this story starts a bit slow and then ramps up as the story continues, so by the time there's a big reveal about Agatha, you're whipping along (or at least, I was).

The Institute

The Institute by Stephen King  561 pages

In the fight between good and evil, good doesn't always win -- especially when you're a kid. This is one of the lessons Luke Ellis has been learning ever since he was kidnapped from his home and brought to The Institute, a place with other children who seem to have the powers of telekinesis or telepathy. Now, Luke is learning how to navigate the dangers and horrors of The Institute, and protect himself and his new friends.

I liked this book and found the tone of it reminded me of one of my favorite books, The Talisman (which was co-written by King and Peter Straub). When this story starts, it's not with Luke, so you wonder where the story is going. But, in true King storytelling fashion, things come back together at one point and you understand where all of this has been leading.  I found this not to be a horror story as much as a story where the evil is sinister and you're not sure if good will triumph over evil at all.  Good story!

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie       Audio Book:  10 hours, 8 minutes      Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages   

TImeless and great book, though written in the early part of the 20th century, this book has such value as a priceless gem of knowledge today and for tomorrows yet to come.    Times and technology change but people stay very similar to what humankind has always been.   Humans have problems and worry and that has been a mainstay since primitive man had to find food and sustain life.   Carnegie teaches readers to explore and enjoy their uniqueness.  He teaches how getting more rest increase your productivity, he offers brilliant solutions on how to stop  worrying about everything from work to finances and beyond.     And his teachings are so simple to understand and follow thru with.   He is such a great life coach.   He cites examples, he offers information on how well known and not so well known people have found ways to impact their lives for the better following life principles that just make sense - common sense and are so easily implemented.    Bravo.   We all need to read this book!   A fountain of knowledge to be found in these pages.  Ageless great information!

 - Shirley J

Alex & Me

Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence-and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene Pepperberg         Hardback Book:  240 pages     

Excellent story about Alex, an African Grey parrot who learned to think, conceptualize, categorize and draw his own conclusions to his environment from his work with his scientist colleague, Irene Pepperberg.    Irene could never quite accept that Alex could draw his own conclusions though over their 30 years of working in various labs around the country together he demonstrated it many times.    Maintaining a clearly clinical relationship for their 30 years  but at Alex's death it occurred to Irene that she loved him and he was her friend.    She couldn't get past the concept of a parrot's brain being the size of a walnut but if only she had realized the phenomenal amount of information that was stored in that exceptional brain she might have had a more enjoyable relationship with him as communicating with a different but certainly intelligent species.   I would have liked to see the book go further and had she pursued conversation instead of variations of concepts (colors, numbers, shapes) she might have found out there was way more to Alex than she had imagined.   I enjoyed the book, just wish she could have lighteend up and let her guard down a little.   Alex was so smart like when she was trying to get him to do those tired old exercises again and again to show would be donors his "skills"  and Alex kept asking her for a nut but she blew him off each time.     Finally he said to her, "NNNNNNuuuuuhhhhhhhhttttttttttt!" (Like, hello are you ignoring me or too dense to get what I'm saying?)  He got it.   She placed him in the "just a bird" category but he had so much more to offer if she would have just allowed him to.   Too much emphasis on superior species and lesser species when we are all just different species and should accept each other accordingly.   Good as far as it went.   I liked Alex a lot.   Irene, not as much.  Yes, I would recommend it as a beginning point for anyone interested in multi-species communication then go to books on KoKo the gorilla and more give and take experiments.   Truly a one dimensional study, but, she does give tidbits about her life along the way.  Yes, I would recommend it as a first read before going into more in-depth and equal respect studies

  - Shirley J.

The Daughter's Tale

The Daughter's Tale: A Novel by Armando Lucas Correa     Audio Book:  9 hours, 8 mins       Hardback Book:  320pages     

Good Book.   One I couldn't put down.   A tragedy.   A Jewish family torn apart by the SS coming into the town.   First the father, a heart surgeon, who refuses to leave and take his family to safer shores because he does not want to leave his patients.   A mother left with 2 daughters and the stigma of being Jewish under Nazi rule.    It is told with such deep emotion that the reader will be touched by the multitude of horrific acts occurring.   The mother in the story has the great opportunity to save her daughters from the life she has endured but at the last minute chooses only to save the one leaving her all alone sailing away to an Uncle she has never met asking another passenger to please keep an eye on her 6 year old daughter.   For what reason I cannot understand she keeps the youngest daughter with her and the girl's life becomes a travesty of abuse.  It never made sense to me to force one girl to face the world alone and terrified then keeping the other girl seeing clearly the writing on the wall of where and how life was going to go.   The story is so good but like watching a trainwreck you know how it is going to go but you cannot turn away,.  The hard times may make you strong, but, why force one to endure hard times when there was a chance for escape.   At the end of the story I still did not forgive that woman for denying one daughter her freedom thereby sentencing her to the whims of Jew hating Nazis.   I can't even justify the act by the mother being self-ish and wanting to keep her, because, she never seemed love her overly much.   There are many things that come to light in this story and it is gripping.   Well written.  I would highly recommend this story to all who enjoy stories from WWII from Middle Schoolers on up,.   The tragic lives will stay with young readers and adults.    A good look at people enduring WWII.

Death of a Valentine

Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton        Audio Book: 6 hours, 7 min      Mass Market Paperback:  272 pages      

I love the stories about Hamish Macbeth written by M.C. Beaton.   Such a great bunch of characters throughout the village of Lochubh, Scotland.    The dialogue is lovely and the brogue calls to be read aloud.   In this story A new constable has been added, a female named Jose McSween and she comes in with her own agenda more bent on love than persuing perpetrators.   She is crushing on Hamish in a major way and will let NOTHING stand in her way.    I don't want to give anything away but Hamish will be walking down the aisle and what is to become of Lugs ans Sansi!   One of my favorites in this series.   I highly recommend this one between murders and marriage plans it will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

American Dialogue: The Founders and Us

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American Dialogue:  The Founders and Us by Joseph J. Ellis       Audio Book:  8hours, 41 mins.    Hardback Book:  304 pages             

Excellent book.   The telling/writing is so real you will feel yourself there amongst, John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and others as well as through time to the Civil War and Lincoln, Grant, Lee and others.    Ellis talks about the times, what led up to major events and how later based on those early founding fathers political figures were able to base their decisions on the principles those early patriots founded all that is America on.   I can't tell you how interesting Ellis' way of telling little known facts and introducing the reader to new ones about all those famous figures.   If you are a lover of history you will love this book, too.   I highly recommend it.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, 426 pages

A sweet, lively story. Young Anne definitely was a bit too much for me at times. She's so intense, overly much. But she mellows out as she ages through this book, so that was nice. It's a really bittersweet story, with lots of highs and lows, but overall it's a pretty good one with interesting characters. I'll probably finish out the series.

If you're looking for a slice-of-life historical fiction, this is pretty good once, especially if you're looking for a book for a young but advanced reader and need something they can handle that is age-appropriate.

There Will Come a Darkness

There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool, 496 pages

This is a pretty solidly written action-adventure fantasy. The world is interesting and different. I felt like lots of elements of it were based on ancient history, in areas like Greece and Rome. I also liked the prophecy aspect of it, of five different characters whose stories will eventually overlap, each with their own role to play in this prophecy.

This book, while having familiar elements like good vs. evil, people with powers vs. people without, and prophetic hints for the future, it still managed to surprise me every once in a while.

The only thing that held me back from liking it was the fact that I didn’t care for any of the characters, which is usually a big bummer for me and keeps me from enjoying the book very much. But, I’d still recommend it, because I’m sure there are plenty of readers out there, especially fans of the fantasy genre, who would enjoy this book a great deal. It’s got action, it’s got supernatural elements, and it’s got a classic “end of the world” scenario on the horizon. So definitely check it out.

His Hideous Heart

His Hideous Heart edited by Dahlia Adler, 480 pages

Whether the stories are familiar to readers or discovered for the first time, readers will revel in Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tales, and how they’ve been brought to life in 13 unique and unforgettable ways.

Contributors include Kendare Blake (reimagining “Metzengerstein”), Rin Chupeco (“The Murders in the Rue Morge”), Lamar Giles (“The Oval Portrait”), Tessa Gratton (“Annabel Lee”), Tiffany D. Jackson (“The Cask of Amontillado”), Stephanie Kuehn (“The Tell-Tale Heart”), Emily Lloyd-Jones (“The Purloined Letter”), Hillary Monahan (“The Masque of the Red Death”), Marieke Nijkamp (“Hop-Frog”), Caleb Roehrig (“The Pit and the Pendulum”), and Fran Wilde (“The Fall of the House of Usher”)

I wish I didn’t have such high expectations for this book going in, or I might have been less disappointed by it. I love Poe’s work so much, so seeing this anthology come-up I was thrilled at the prospect of reimagined tales. Sadly, I felt like the stories included here were just okay. One or two caught my attention, but overall, the feeling was less disturbing, more mildly spooky. Some of the stories just didn’t feel well put-together.

Would I still recommend this book? Yes, because I think it’s important that Poe’s writing is still being talked about and is being brought to new readers in a contemporary way. If you are a major fan of Poe, like me, just don’t go into this book with the bar set high. Give to those who are looking for an introduction into horror and want to start off with something light.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb, 415 pages


Gottlieb and her boyfriend are laying in bed one night when he drops a bombshell on her. He is breaking up with her. She didn't expect it and is devastated. Through some subterfuge she asks a friend who is a therapist to recommend a therapist. So begins her quest to figure out what happened. She figures out that she is so upset not just because of the break up but because of other problems in her life that she didn't fully deal with.

She goes back in time and talks about her other career before she became a therapist. She also talks about how she decided to use in vitro fertilization to become a mother.

Another part of the book is about beginning as a therapist. She chronicles her work with several patients over time. Through her work with her therapist and her work with her patients we get an in depth look at how therapy works.

Gottlieb does a good job of humanizing herself and her patients. I would say there is a good reason this book has been on the bestseller list and would definitely recommend it.

Exhalation

Exhalation by Ted Chiang, 350 pages

Ted Chiang is not a prolific writer; in Exhalation, his second published volume of short stories, there are only two works that were not previously published elsewhere. This is unfortunate because there is nothing I would love more than for Chiang to churn out a volume of brand new short stories every year. He somehow manages to be supremely elegant and profound in every single one of these stories and he makes it look completely effortless. How can he be so good at creating detailed scientific thought experiments (branching quantum universes! time travel!) AND sympathetic, flawed, relatable, memorable characters all in the span of a single short story? I actually took notes (a thing I almost never do while reading) about "The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" because I loved it so much.

If, as is the case for many folks, your only experience of Chiang's craft is the movie version of Story of Your Life (aka Arrival), do yourself a favor and pick up Exhalation. Then go back and pick up Stories of Your Life and Others. Chiang is a master of the sci-fi short story.

On the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises

Hans Urs von Balthasar on the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises: An Anthology by Hans Urs von Balthasar, edited by Jacques Servais, SJ, translated by Thomas Jacobi and Jonas Wernet, 262 pages

This volume gathers together thoughts inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola found scattered throughout the writing of Hans Urs von Balthasar.  These thoughts are not those of an idle commentator, but of a man who had both repeatedly conducted the Exercises and been conducted through them.  What emerges are something like notes towards a theology of the Exercises, a theology of election and direction and therefore of movement and mission.  St Ignatius' spirituality is presented as distinctively modern, viewing the spiritual life as an endless struggle, but also strikingly theocentric, concerned not with human needs and ends but with the worship and service of the Almighty.  For Balthasar, the Suscipe of St Ignatius is one more echo of the Marian fiat which lies at the heart of the Church, itself the perfect reflection of the Son's obedience to the Father.

Sabriel

Sabriel - Garth Nix;  311 pages

The story of a young woman born intrinsically linked to death, charged by blood with the responsibility to send the dead back to their realm with the use of Charter Magic and a set of silver bells through which the magic is controlled. She commences her duties as Abhorsen — the title given to the current living member of her bloodline — as she searches for her father, who is trapped in death, somewhere between the fourth and fifth gates. She picks up some friends along the way; Mogget, who is an embodiment of chaotic Free Magic trapped for centuries in the form of a white cat by a previous Abhorsen; and Touchstone, a former member of the Royal Guard. Together, this trio works to find Sabriel's father, and stave off the ever-advancing legions of dead that will not die.

Garth Nix, Australian by birth, presents a unique take on magic and how it is used. Magic exists in two forms; Free Magic, which one can infer is the primordial magical force; and Charter Magic, which allows the use of Free Magic by way of symbols, or Charter Marks, and sounds ranging from handbells to whistling. Mr. Nix doesn't go into the details on how any of it works, beyond stating-as-fact its functions or results. Per numerous GoodReads reviews, this is problematic and challenging for the reader. However, it does remain engaging enough to be interesting and compelling. Furthermore, he apparently does a better job of fleshing it all out in his subsequent books.

Mr. Nix utilises an interesting naming convention, which was difficult to place in origin or inspiration. As there is no apparent link to a living language, it made pronunciation of names difficult, not to mention remembering characters outside of their scenes. Ultimately it proved easier to merely gloss over names outside of the main trio, and build the scene around the actions as opposed to the characters.

Certain details of Sabriel felt somewhat forced or otherwise unnecessary. For example, there is a part wherein Sabriel is observing a very finely crafted wooden statue, that is so incredibly lifelike, down to its "circumcised penis." In the book there is no sex or even sexual content; the most we get is a polite kiss. However, it does add an interesting note regarding the culture of the characters; Mr. Nix himself comes from a country that does not commonly circumcise, nor is it a necessary detail of the scene. I'm onto you, Mr. Nix.

The book ends with a very gripping scene, one that I couldn't stop reading once it started developing. All in all, if you're one for fantasy fiction, I would consider this book to be necessary to have in a repertoire, if only for the unique and refreshing approach to magic.  

Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist and Other Essays

Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist and Other Essays by Paul Kingsnorth, 284 pages



Kingsnorth is English and England plays a part in several of his essays. In fact, the political mood that ended up leading to England voting to leave the EU (although he doesn't talk about Brexit) is talked about several times.

Through the essays we find out how he became an environmentalist and decided he didn't want to be one anymore. It isn't that he no longer cares about the Earth and how it is treated. Rather, he has broken ranks with what environmentalists believe. He believes civilization will collapse at some point and we are better off preparing for what comes after. Environmentalists see this as giving up. Even more scary to him is the possibility of us surviving in a world that is devoid of nature and the wild.

Kingsnorth does not say that he has answers. He presents alternative explanations and possible paths to explore.

Kingsnorth has a bleak and pretty unique viewpoint. People who care about the environment are likely to find this book depressing. Despite that, I would recommend it and consider it worthwhile reading.

Justice on Trial

Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court by Mollie Hemingway and Carrie Severino, 306 pages

Anthony Kennedy surprised almost everyone when, in June of 2018, he announced his imminent retirement from the US Supreme Court.  Immediately, both within and without the White House, discussion began concerning his replacement.  President Trump disappointed many diehard conservatives when he announced his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, widely considered the safe, establishment pick.  What was always certain to be a difficult nomination process soon developed into a circus as protesters sought every opportunity to disrupt the proceedings, then descended even further when Senate Democrats produced a woman who accused Kavanaugh of having assaulted her over three decades ago, on an unknown date in an unknown location.  Despite all of the accuser's named witnesses contradicting her story, the truth of the accusation became an article of faith for many on the left and in the news media, and she was soon joined by others making progressively more improbable allegations, until the proceedings outpaced parody with earnest discussions of the possible sinister meanings of '80s teenage slang.

Milan Kundera wrote, "The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting."  Meanwhile, if he wasn't the first to say it, The Washington Post's Phil Graham at least popularized the idea that "journalism is the first rough draft of history."  By that standard, Justice on Trial is simultaneously vitally important and somewhat deficient.  In the midst of a deliberate if disorganized Orwellian project to rewrite history in order to fit an ideological narrative, the simple recording of facts that defy the narrative is a worthwhile accomplishment.  Hemingway and Severino do more than simply restate facts, however, adding in an entertaining and well-deserved seasoning of snark that, unfortunately, will give their narrow-minded critics all the excuse they need to ignore the book entirely.

Leon Bloy

Leon Bloy: A Study in Impatience by Albert Beguin, translated by Edith M Riley, 244 pages

This book is neither a biography nor a work of literary criticism, but an exploration of the thought of Leon Bloy as he expressed it in his life and writing.  It is the thought of a prophet, although Bloy was a prophet not because he was a futurist, but because he lived and thought eschatologically, and although he prayed devoutly for the end of the world to come, he saw clearly that the judgment and salvation of the world were being perpetually brought about in the present moment.  For Bloy, all of history is the story of the suffering Christ, retold over and over until its consummation.

Fade Away

Fade Away by Harlan Coben, 328 pages

I listened to this as an audiobook.
Sports agent Myron Bolitar is back! This is the third book in the series. Myron is a former basketball star whose professional career was ended before it started. Another player injured his knee before his rookie season.

Now the owner of a team wants him to find NBA star Greg Downing who is Myron's former rival. He will go 'undercover' by signing and playing with the team. In the process of searching for Greg parts of his past will be dredged up and will stumble on another mystery. A dead woman is found. Is Greg involved and what is her real identity?

Definitely recommended reading. Once again, Coben weaves his mystery with wit and suspense. The narration was as good as the first two books in the series. There is not so much continuity that you have to read the books in order but it does help.

Hungry

Hungry: Eating, Road-tripping and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World by Jeff Gordinier, 230 pages

Summary from Goodreads: Hungry is a book about not only the hunger for food, but for risk, for reinvention, for creative breakthroughs, and for connection. Feeling stuck in his work and home life, writer Jeff Gordinier happened into a fateful meeting with Danish chef Rene Redzepi, whose restaurant, Noma, has been called the best in the world. A restless perfectionist, Redzepi was at the top of his game but was looking to tear it all down, to shutter his restaurant and set out for new places, flavors, and recipes.

This is the story of the subsequent four years of globe-trotting culinary adventure, with Gordinier joining Redzepi as his Sancho Panza. In the jungle of the Yucatan peninsula, Redzepi and his comrades go off-road in search of the perfect taco. In Sydney, they forage for sea rocket and sandpaper figs in suburban parks and on surf-lashed beaches. On a boat in the Arctic Circle, a lone fisherman guides them to what may or may not be his secret cache of the world's finest sea urchins. And back in Copenhagen, the quiet canal-lined city where Redzepi started it all, he plans the resurrection of his restaurant on the unlikely site of a garbage-filled lot. Along the way, readers meet Redzepi's merry band of friends and collaborators, including acclaimed chefs such as Danny Bowien, Kylie Kwong, Rosio Sanchez, David Chang, and Enrique Olvera.

I wasn't familiar with Noma until I started reading this book. I was just drawn to the title and description. I was not disappointed. Gordinier weaves a great story about Redzepi and his philosophy towards cooking. I especially enjoyed the parts that talked about the variety and nuances of moles. I would highly recommend this book!

The Witch of Pale Harbor

 

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox     291 pages

Author Hester Fox had gained a new fan. Granted this is the only book of hers that I have read, but I loved it.  Part romance, part literary, part gothic, part ghost story and part thriller, “The Widow of pale Harbor” has a light creepy factor that makes it a perfect fall read.

Both of the main characters, Sophronia Crarver and Gabriel Stone, are haunted by the deaths of their spouses. Not literally, but the ghosts of their lives travel with Sophronia and Gabriel. Gabriel has left Concord, Massachuestts, for Pale Harbor, Maine, to become a transcendentalist minister. His late wife, Anna, has aspired to that for him, although he knows little about the movement. Sophronia is the widow of one of the town’s wealthiest and most influential residents. When he died, the town was sure he was murdered and convicted Sophronia without the benefit of a trial. Since then, she has not left the grounds of her large home, Castle Carver, that she shares with Helen, a woman she plucked out of the poorhouse. Helen has that creepy factor that reminded me of Mrs. Danvers from “Rebecca.”

I was hooked from the first sentence of the twisty novel: “This was the fourth dead raven to appear of Sophronia Carver’s front path in as many weeks, and there was no explaining it away as coincidence this time.” Isn’t that wonderful? Whenever I head about a raven, my thoughts immediately fly (no pun intended), to Edgar Allen Poe. His works play an important part of this novel.

Gabriel tries to settle into Pale Harbor, but it’s not as easy as he’d hoped. The people want to welcome him into their hamlet, but when he loses their trust when he befriends Sophronia. 

There are so many twists in the novel that I could barely put it down; It’s one of those that will keep y’all up all night. I loved it! “The Widow of Pale Harbor” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.