One of the hazards of working in a library is that I often put a book on hold and promptly forget about it. There are a lot of books in the world, they all sound delightful, and I have the memory of a goldfish, so it is not unusual that I come into the library…
Kai Thomas’ fascinating debut novel, In the Upper Country, offers a fresh take on the Underground Railroad in Canada. The author, who is Afro-Canadian, became intrigued about historical accounts he read about the relationships of runaway slaves and Indigenous peoples in Canada. This inspired him to write his first novel, which opens in 1859. It…
"Smell is the emperor of all senses. In lands far away, where earth and body converge harmoniously, it is regarded as no less important than the language one speaks—essential, intimate, and often even elevated." When was the last time you really paid attention to the smells around you? Most days, our sense of smell…
Are you a fan of survival stories? Do you enjoy reading about maritime disasters? Arctic expeditions? If you answered yes to any of those questions, have I got a book for you! EMPIRE OF ICE AND STONE : THE DISASTROUS AND HEROIC VOYAGE OF THE KARLUK by Buddy Levy will have you on the edge…
According to Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Schmich “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.” Many readers travel vicariously through books. Perhaps you have dreamt of visiting the rugged wilderness of Alaska. This is the setting of An Unforgiving Place by Claire Kells, the second book in the National Parks Mystery series. The Gates of the Arctic National Park…
The “climate fiction” subgenre has been gaining in popularity these days, and with good reason. Our environment is changing rapidly, and we’re seeing the effects in the headlines, as huge weather events become more commonplace. The Light Pirate presents the author’s vision of what Florida might look like in a not-so-distant future where the seas…
Trigger warning: this post will discuss two different books. Terminal disease and assisted suicide are discussed in one and childhood sexual abuse is discussed in the other. There are some books that are a pure delight to read. Their topics are enchanting; you can’t put the book down and before you know it, it’s over.…
Move over Yenta and Dolly Levi - make room for Sara Glikman the lovable shadchan in The Matchmaker’s Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman. This novel of magical romance and familial love is a perfect fit for the holiday season. A mix of historical and contemporary fiction, it is also an opportunity to learn some of…
Imagine learning that you inherited a house from your great-grandmother. However, this isn’t just any home. It has a mind of its own and walks on giant chicken legs. That is the premise of GennaRose Nethercott’s weird, wacky debut novel, Thistlefoot. It pays homage to Baba Yaga, a supernatural being who appears in many Russian…
Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors. Charles Dickens, however, is not. So when I saw that Kingsolver had written a modern-day version of David Copperfield, I knew I would read it, but I wasn't sure if I would like it. I was wrong. Like Dickens's work, Demon Copperhead is a social novel that…
