The Library of the Unwritten

Posted on: March 5, 2020 at 7:16 pm, in

  By A.J. Hackwith Join the Library. Raise Hell! Stories are powerful things. As such, they must be contained.  All unfinished stories go to the Library of the Unwritten, a neutral space in Hell overseen by a Head Librarian.  The Head Librarian is responsible for organizing and repairing the books, keeping them safe, and most […]

Beyond the Trees

Posted on: February 6, 2020 at 2:27 pm, in

Beyond the TreesBy Adam Shoalts Deemed by some to be “one of Canada’s greatest living explorers”, Adam Shoalts does what most of us would never dare to do – explore Canada’s wild places for months on end, alone.  Shoalts clearly loves the wilderness and feels comfortable with solitude.  But four months alone in the arctic […]

Red, White and Royal Blue

Posted on: January 20, 2020 at 12:26 pm, in

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston delivers a nice, optimistic, and fun love story that’s a perfect start to a new decade of enjoying books and stories. In an alternative reality, but similar enough to seem absolutely possible, Alex Claremont-Diaz is the half-Mexican son of […]

Little Fires Everywhere

Posted on: December 23, 2019 at 2:22 pm, in

Little Fires EverywhereBy Celeste Ng Shaker Heights is a perfect town outside of Cleveland.  It’s been planned, manicured and held to the highest standards for over a hundred years.  Well-educated parents raise children in Shaker who grow up to be the next generation of perfect.   Elena Richardson is no exception.  A journalist by trade, Elena […]

Riveting tales from the crematory

Posted on: November 20, 2019 at 5:23 pm, in

I first encountered Caitlin Doughty while watching Ted Talks. Her talk, A burial practice that nourishes the planet, explores different ideas for burial that don’t pollute the environment with toxic, cancer-causing formaldehyde. It was absolutely fascinating, so when I learned that she was a published author with three books, I wasted no time getting my […]

New World

Posted on: November 1, 2019 at 10:10 am, in

by David Jesus Vignolli Richmond Public Library recently received a bunch of brand-new Graphic Novels which prompted me to revisit this genre. When I saw New World, I was immediately drawn to the striking artwork and knew I had to read this book.  David Jesus Vignolli, a Brazilian graphic novelist, weaves the story of an […]

By Gaslight

Posted on: October 25, 2019 at 3:19 pm, in

By Gaslight By Steven Price In the foggy, gaslit streets of London, 1885, William Pinkerton of the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency has arrived from Chicago.  The dark, hulking Pinkerton has not come on official business, but rather to track down his father’s old nemesis, Edward Shade.  Although Pinkerton senior, also a detective, is known for […]

The Farm

Posted on: October 10, 2019 at 4:41 pm, in

the farmThe Farm by Joanne Ramos The Farm is the nickname of the luxury estate, Golden Oaks, at which reside a number of women, mostly immigrants from the Philippines. These women are at Golden Oaks because they have agreed to commit 9 months of their lives to producing the perfect offspring for anonymous women who […]

Everything Under

Posted on: October 3, 2019 at 2:33 pm, in

Everything UnderBy Daisy Johnson Everything Under is the story of Gretel, and her mother, Sarah – how they were separated and, sixteen years later, how they were reunited.  But it is much more complicated than that. Gretel was raised by Sarah on a houseboat on a river in England.  This is an England of the […]

Act Natural

Posted on: September 26, 2019 at 8:25 pm, in

Act Natural: A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting  by Jennifer Traig As one who enjoys the quirks of history, this book is right up my alley.  Told from a rather personable perspective, this book presents a well researched accounting of some of the most horrifying, hilarious, and outrageous parenting practices that have trended in […]