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A fantasy richly infused with all the vicious history and power struggles of Spain and the Inquisition. Luzia is a scullery maid able to perform small miracles that help her survive and go largely unnoticed. When a nobleman does notice them he sets about grooming Luzia and her magic to help elevate his own status placing her doubly in danger by performing forbidden magic and her Jewish background. Walking this tightrope between nobility and an overcrowded jail cell ending in torture, Luzia epitomizes the gap between the haves and have nots and not knowing who to trust. Leigh Bardugo paints a lush portrait of how the Spanish throne used the Inquisition to rid the country of those they deemed unworthy in Luzia's story. It is both romantic and cruel, historically accurate with the edges blurred by fantasy and the unexplained. This will appeal to both fantasy and historical fiction fans and both young adult and adult readers. 4 stars 
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Dr. Ophelia Bray wakes from cold sleep and is introduced to her new crew mates only to find out that none of them want her or any other psychologist on their mission. She is there because the crew has suffered the loss of one of their own but she needs to break through to them to be of help. They have landed on an abandoned planet with no lifeforms and will leave as soon as they get samples but horrific storms are making it difficult. Then strange things begin to affect Ophelia and the crew. Is something out there in the snow? How long can Ophelia keep her own past secret? Solid space horror amplified by being on a sketchy abandoned planet, huge storms messing with their communication and exit strategy and a group of people you don't know or trust. 3 1/2 stars  If you have travelled anywhere in the South Pacific or parts of Alaska you have seen or heard mention of Captain James Cook. To some islanders and the British he was almost godlike, a consummate seaman and true adventurer whose travels brought back new territories and much needed maps home to Great Britain. To others however, he was a bit of a madman (especially on this last voyage) unpredictable, pompous and violent. To many of the native islanders he overstayed his welcome, stripped them of natural resources and left in violence. Hampton Sides offers us an unbiased look at Cook's last voyage back to the South Pacific and then north to locate and map a clear passage through Alaska. Sides has a gift for laying out not only the conditions and customs of the seafarers but also their interactions, customs and the response of the islanders. Comprehensive, immensely entertaining and a "True North" pick for any sea explorer by boat or armchair. This would make a wonderful gift for anyone planning a trip to Australia/New Zealand, South Pacific, Hawaii or even Alaska. 4 1/2 stars  A perfect guide to women's health written by a female OB/GYN. For any woman who has had to stare down a male doctor and try to explain a symptom or pain only to feel like you weren't being listened to or there were no answers - welcome to Sharon Malone MD's waiting room. From early in the race to the final lap she deals with known and little known issues plus shares further questions to ask, the good/bad of treatment and a plan for the future. Case studies, bullet points and a very readable writing style help you get answers or at the very least help you to know you aren't alone. 4 stars  There once was a wonderful woman named Pippa who loved puzzles and gathered puzzle makers from far and wide to create and puzzle together in a big house. While everyone was happy there was one piece missing until a baby boy was left on the doorstep for Pippa and the others to raise as their own. Years go by and Pippa passes away leaving the baby, now a young adult, no closer to knowing who his birth parents are. Pippa leaves clues for Clayton to travel to London to solve the puzzle of his birth and have the adventure of his life along the way. Told in alternating chapters between present day Clayton and Pippa's life years ago this is a warm and fuzzy look at what it means to be a family and love in its many forms. The reader gets the opportunity to join in solving the clues too! For fans of unusual family groups and stores with a strong sense of community with a twist like THE CARTOGRAPHERS, THE WISHING GAME and THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY. 4 stars  Manchuria is under siege and occupied by Romans who use bullets and opium to kill and conquer. Ruying and her sister Meiya along with their grandmother are just trying to survive but it is not going well. Meiya is an opium addict, their grandmother is frail and Ruying's magic is death which she needs to hide from everyone. A Roman prince discovers Ruying's power and uses her sister's addiction to make a deal with Ruying. He needs her to assassinate someone at the top of the food chain in assurance that her family will live. In the tradition of "enemies now allies" - they are very attracted to each other. I enjoyed the storyline and Asian fantasy influence but felt early on that the story got mired down with reminders of Roman suppression and Ruying's hatred of them. The cost of her unusual magic, trust issues, attraction to the enemy and constant action carry the novel. 3 1/2 stars  A sweet story about the power of love, loss, friendship and community. Two neighbors butt heads over an overgrown common space. Winston is a curmudgeon who likes keeping to himself until Bernice moves in next door dealing with her new role as a recently divorced part time parent to her young son. They are at odds until a package of photos and anonymous notes of unknown people and a garden spark an interest in giving new life to the common garden space they share. It will take a great deal of understanding and the unrelenting good nature of a little boy to bring the garden into shape, their friendship to blossom and their community to thrive. For fans of A MAN CALLED OVE and her debut book THE READING LIST. 4 stars  It is impossible for a librarian, bookseller or any kind of book lover to read this and not nod your head in an approving manner. These are stories from real people who find great joy in reading and sharing that love with others. Would we all choose books over sleep? books over screens? Do we all stay awake at night pondering over the right choice for a tricky customer and finding the one book that will flip a non-reader ? Heck yes! A delightful feel good book gathered by the man whose books most choose first.  This unique story is so hard to jam into just one genre - a bit fantasy, a bit adventure, a bit coming of age and a search for self in a magical library. As a child Aubry won't give up a wooden puzzle ball and is cursed with a life spent on the run. If she stays more than a few days in any one place she will bleed out. With only a bit of money, her wits and a good deal of luck she travels the world many times over always traveling along a new path. Years go by and Aubry now an older woman tired and fed up, finds an exhausting underground library where alone she is able to magically stay reading her way through. Douglas Westerbeke knows of what he writes since he is a librarian and has used those research skills and considerable imagination to concoct this fantastic story of loss and longing while having adventures enough to fill several volumes . Fans of AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS , THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE and the solitary life of the caretaker in PIRANESI will adore Aubry and will fight a losing battle of reading each adventure slow and will instead be unable to put the book down. There is plenty to discuss for book clubs. 4 1/2 stars  The master storyteller has pulled a collection of gems together that differ from one another as does a diamond and turquoise but each is character heavy and told in his unmistakable style. Full of flawed characters, immediately human, whether it is a man caught in a Ukrainian revolution trying to survive or a woman testing her independence in the Golden Age of Hollywood. I truly enjoyed jumping from one life to another but the cherry on top of the cupcake was the continuing story of a character from RULES OF CIVILITY. Haven't we all wanted a trip to not end and wondered what would happen if you just stayed on the train, plane or missed the stop on the highway? The destination is Hollywood in 1938 where the shiny glamour meets the tarnished underbelly with both good and bad people caught in the middle. A true gem of short stories and novella that will appeal to his many fans and the perfect way to get a taste of his genius. 5 stars  |
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