Park Bench
Just a marvelously heartwarming story about life through a park bench’s eyes. Park Bench opens with a young boy carving I heart U in a park bench. Throughout the seasons, people pass by the park bench. Some sit for a while. Others sleep while avoiding the park’s police. No wordsContinue Reading
Allen, Son of Hellcock
Comic quest without many surprises. Allen, Son of Hellcock is the story of two sons trying to live up to their legendary fathers. Hellcock is legendary for his exploits but has recently been killed in battle. In Hellcock’s absence, his rival, Lord Krong, has taken control of the region. Hellcock’sContinue Reading
Self-Made Woman
A heartfelt memoir of a powerful woman who was born a male. Born into a physically and mentally abusive Catholic family in the late 1950s, Dennis always liked dresses and dolls. Despite his frequently drunk father’s beatings, Dennis grew up pursuing common Wisconsin hobbies like fishing and ice skating.Continue Reading
The Saboteur
A wonderfully unique thriller set in Nazi-occupied Norway during World War II. It is nice to see Mr. Gross step out from the shadow of his frequent co-author, James Patterson. The Saboteur is the story of the daring members of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. Norway hasContinue Reading
Gone Gull
Come for the mystery but stay for the characters. A good solid entry in the Meg Langslow series. Gone Gull is the twenty-first book in the Meg Langslow series. I have read every one of them within a month of their being published. Within the series, everyone ages and theContinue Reading
The Unspoken Code
Perfect gift for females newly entering corporate America. The Unspoken Code provides a good overview of how a woman who wants to achieve success in a man’s world should act. This book covers substantial ground from how to build confidence to how to dress for success. Unfortunately, many importantContinue Reading
Final Girls
Brilliantly twisty thriller with a fantastic finale! First Lisa, then Sam and finally Quincy are the sole survivors at three separate mass murder scenes. The press starts calling them final girls, which is a horror movie term for the last survivor. Quincy has tried to forget her horrible night at Pine Cottage,Continue Reading
Little Red Wolf
Beautiful illustrations and a intriguing twist on Little Red Riding Hood makes The Little Red Wolf a witty choice for older children. The Little Red Wolf is given a dead rabbit by his mother to take to his grandmother’s house. His mother warns him not to go near the evilContinue Reading
Exposed (Rosato & DiNunzio 5)
Not as good as I expected from this author. Bennie Rosato and Mary DiNunzio are law firm partners. Bennie handles the high profile clients. Mary has a large volume West Philly neighborhood practice. Mary’s childhood friend Simon is fired for his daughter’s large medical bills. He asks Mary for helpContinue Reading
Don’t Let Go
Don’t Let Go is another riveting psychological thriller by Mr. Coben! Nap lost his twin brother, Leo, and Leo’s girlfriend, Diana, one high school night to a train collision. The same night Nap’s girlfriend, Maura, disappeared. When Don’t Let Go begins, it is fifteen years later. Nap is a policeContinue Reading
Great Expectation: Manga Classics
The rich are different, and not better, than the poor. Charles Dickens classic novel, Great Expectations, is reformatted into a manga. The result is an excellent way to convince teens to read a classic tale. Great Expectations is the story of Pip, a pleasant helpful child, who is thrown intoContinue Reading
Bad Girl Gone
Great teen/young adult paranormal mystery perfect for fans of Beetlejuice and The Good Place. It was the worst possible day for Echo. She had 70s makeup and 80s hair. Oh, she was also in an open casket at her own funeral. Okay, maybe being murdered was worse. Sixteen year oldContinue Reading
Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way through Great Books
Great discussions of books and fantastic illustrations. I selected Voracious: A Hungry Reader Cooks Her Way Through Great Books for the recipes but I loved it for the stories about each book. Most of the recipes are way too advanced (or just too much work) for me. However, the storiesContinue Reading
Walking Dead Vol 26
Propels the plot forward significantly plus fantastic ending! The Walking Dead graphic novels must be read in order and to summarize any part of this plot will be SPOILERS for the previous volumes. So reader beware! Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown… Rick decided, after consulting with Negan,Continue Reading
Hounds of the Underworld
Great paranormal mystery set in near future New Zealand. Penny is a scientist who has just opened a her own business. Her first criminal case includes a missing person, a large pool of blood and a ceremonial bowl. Her brother, Matiu, is her driver in 2040s Auckland where pollution isContinue Reading
Heathen Vol 1
Heathen is a coming out story interwoven with Norse mythology. Heathen tells the story of Aydis, a Viking young woman who can fight as well as any male warrior. After kissing a girl (and liking it), her father is forced by the tribe’s elders to punish her. Aydis must marryContinue Reading