May is over, which means it's time for me to brag about all the awesome book mail I got during the month. Now, May was not quite as fabulous as April was as far as mail goes, but I still received a whopping 30 books (1 for each day). I received several very short books and several rather long books, and only a few medium sized books, so I guess the theme of May is books to the extreme. Without further ado, here are all the books I got in the mail in May.
A Secret by Lucille Hull
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
What is it that Curly Worm knows about God's world that makes him such a happy creature? Furry Caterpillar, Striped Honey Bee, Mr. Centipede, and Lovely Butterfly all want to know.
So will you.
So will you.
If You Were Me and Lived in Elizabethan England by Carole P. Roman
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Join Carole P. Roman and travel through time to visit the most interesting civilizations throughout history in the first four books of her new series.
Learn what kind of food you might eat in Ancient Greece, the clothes you wore in 15th century Renaissance Italy, what your name could be in Elizabethan England, and what Colonial American children did for fun.
If You Were Me and Lived in...does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture.
So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you.
Learn what kind of food you might eat in Ancient Greece, the clothes you wore in 15th century Renaissance Italy, what your name could be in Elizabethan England, and what Colonial American children did for fun.
If You Were Me and Lived in...does for history what her other award-winning series did for culture.
So get on-board this time-travel machine and discover the world through the eyes of a young person just like you.
If You Were Me and Lived in Egypt by Carole P. Roman
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Join Carole P. Roman when she visits the stunning and exciting land of Egypt in the newest book of her informative series. Learn why this ancient land often called "the cradle of civilization." Travel down the Nile to discover Egypt's fascinating history. See the land through the eyes of a youngster like you and understand what life is like in this exotic place. Don't forget to look at the other books in the series so that you can be an armchair world traveler.
Running: Ian's Story by Janette Johnson
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Parents who never held the child they lost often find comfort by retreating to a special place in their imagination. In this place, their own patented version of heaven, they see this child, they kiss the tiny cheek, and they grasp the searching fingers in their own. Although they cannot show this child human love, they pray the angels will and imagine him or her being held closely. They picture their child as healthy, whole, innocent, and beautiful. They see that little personality developing in a warm environment of growth, acceptance, and love.
Memory and imagination are wonderful gifts. In her book Running: Ian’s Story, author Janette Johnson’s poetry reflects her trip to her imaginary place. She never had the chance to hold her grandson Connor. Ian, Connor’s brother, was born with a serious disability. Johnson imagines what it must be like for Connor among the angels, where he runs for Ian, who can’t run. Her poetry shares the pain of loss following the death of a child and the joy and sadness that can come with having a child with a disability. It’s also the dream of a heaven where brothers are reunited, both healthy and happy.
Running: Ian’s Story shows God understands the grief of those who have lost a child. He realizes that sometimes parents cling to the thread of imagination until the day they’ll hold that child … perhaps for the first time.
Memory and imagination are wonderful gifts. In her book Running: Ian’s Story, author Janette Johnson’s poetry reflects her trip to her imaginary place. She never had the chance to hold her grandson Connor. Ian, Connor’s brother, was born with a serious disability. Johnson imagines what it must be like for Connor among the angels, where he runs for Ian, who can’t run. Her poetry shares the pain of loss following the death of a child and the joy and sadness that can come with having a child with a disability. It’s also the dream of a heaven where brothers are reunited, both healthy and happy.
Running: Ian’s Story shows God understands the grief of those who have lost a child. He realizes that sometimes parents cling to the thread of imagination until the day they’ll hold that child … perhaps for the first time.
Cynacrostics Vol. 1: Say What? by Cynthia Morris
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Ready for a fun brain workout? CynAcrostics are challenging, contemporary acrostic puzzles guaranteed to get your "cynapses" firing!
Volume 1, Say What?, features quotation solutions from an eclectic assortment of notable, quotable sources such as rockers Rod Stewart and Keith Richards, comedians Carrie Fisher and John Cleese, brainiacs Nate Silver and Stephen Hawking, and many more. Clever clues and answers slyly mirror the puzzles' quotation solutions.
Seasoned solvers will love this modern take on the classic acrostic puzzle, and newcomers are sure to be hooked in no time on this fresh, funny, and thought-provoking series.
Volume 1, Say What?, features quotation solutions from an eclectic assortment of notable, quotable sources such as rockers Rod Stewart and Keith Richards, comedians Carrie Fisher and John Cleese, brainiacs Nate Silver and Stephen Hawking, and many more. Clever clues and answers slyly mirror the puzzles' quotation solutions.
Seasoned solvers will love this modern take on the classic acrostic puzzle, and newcomers are sure to be hooked in no time on this fresh, funny, and thought-provoking series.
There and Back: Living and Learning Abroad by Donald G. DeGraaf
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
There and Back: Living and Learning Abroad encourages students to prepare for off-campus study programs, to think deeply about the challenges they will encounter, to document their growth, and to explore, affirm, and expand their faith. Featuring blog posts from former students, There and Back offers a resource to help students become pilgrims rather than tourists and to deepen their study abroad experience.
Love and Ruin edited by Evan Ratliff
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Extraordinary stories of crime, passion, and adventure from The Atavist magazine, the trailblazing leader in longform narrative writing.
Since its founding in 2011, The Atavist has garnered an unprecedented eight National Magazine Award nominations and was the first all-digital publication to win in feature writing. This collection presents the finest examples of a new kind of nonfiction storytelling as practiced by a young generation of longform experts. The collection includes Leslie Jamison’s landmark portrait of a lonely whale named “52 Blue,” Matthew Shaer’s harrowing account of a shipwreck during Hurricane Sandy, and James Verini’s prize-winning tale of romance and courage in Afghanistan.
Since its founding in 2011, The Atavist has garnered an unprecedented eight National Magazine Award nominations and was the first all-digital publication to win in feature writing. This collection presents the finest examples of a new kind of nonfiction storytelling as practiced by a young generation of longform experts. The collection includes Leslie Jamison’s landmark portrait of a lonely whale named “52 Blue,” Matthew Shaer’s harrowing account of a shipwreck during Hurricane Sandy, and James Verini’s prize-winning tale of romance and courage in Afghanistan.
Dove by M.H. Salter
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Japhy would sacrifice his freedom for people he will never meet. Ray would sacrifice all those unknown people just to protect him.
In 1970, when Japhy receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War, he and girlfriend, Ray, become Dharma Bums. They pack their lives into a duffel bag, and hitch their way to the Canadian border – a safety zone that, once a draft dodger enters, he can never leave. Ever. Not to see family. Not to help injured friends. Not even to attend a loved-one’s funeral.
On the road, Japhy and Ray are joined by flower children, Leaf and Lauren, and all four decide to find a hippie commune in Toronto where they will be free of their demons, and safe with their secrets. Or will they?
Amidst a colorful whirl of psychedelics, love-ins, original music, and political protests, Japhy and his friends discover everything has a price, freedom is not free, and true peace comes at a cost whether you are fighting for it in a war or simply within the depths of your own soul.
How far would you go for freedom?
Dove is the first book in The Freedom Series and was shortlisted for the Impress Prize For New Writers.
As a companion to this novel, a soundtrack of original songs by James Lee Stanley is available.
In 1970, when Japhy receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War, he and girlfriend, Ray, become Dharma Bums. They pack their lives into a duffel bag, and hitch their way to the Canadian border – a safety zone that, once a draft dodger enters, he can never leave. Ever. Not to see family. Not to help injured friends. Not even to attend a loved-one’s funeral.
On the road, Japhy and Ray are joined by flower children, Leaf and Lauren, and all four decide to find a hippie commune in Toronto where they will be free of their demons, and safe with their secrets. Or will they?
Amidst a colorful whirl of psychedelics, love-ins, original music, and political protests, Japhy and his friends discover everything has a price, freedom is not free, and true peace comes at a cost whether you are fighting for it in a war or simply within the depths of your own soul.
How far would you go for freedom?
Dove is the first book in The Freedom Series and was shortlisted for the Impress Prize For New Writers.
As a companion to this novel, a soundtrack of original songs by James Lee Stanley is available.
The Lumberjacks' Ball by Carrie Fancett Pagels
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A decade after surviving a brutal attack, a mercantile owner’s daughter begins her life anew in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A gifted craftsman wishes to leave the lumber camp and seeks employment at her new store. When his presence dredges up memories she wishes to suppress, the proprietress must learn to face her past and open her heart. When complications arise, will they overcome adversity in time for The Lumberjack's Ball?
The Gleeful Banker by Richard Fairsing
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Dave is a successful middle aged banker who has grown indifferent to the needs of his wife of 20 years. He spends most of his time successfully selling mortgage back securities to unsuspecting clients located around the world. It's 2007 and things are very good for Dave and his bank. Then suddenly it's 2008 and his world and the bank's begin to shudder. Dave must change his ways or both him and the bank, he works for, will end up in the rubble created by the financial crisis of 2008.
Poor Boy Road by James L. Weaver
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
As a mob enforcer, Jake Caldwell is in the dark business of breaking kneecaps and snapping bones. But each job sends him one step closer to turning into the man he swore he’d never become – his violent and abusive father. Leaving the mob is easier said than done. When his boss offers a bloody way out, Jake has no choice but to take it, even if it means confronting ghosts of old.
Arriving in his Lake of the Ozarks hometown, Jake has two things on his mind: kill ruthless drug lord Shane Langston and bury his dying father. What he doesn’t expect is to fall in love all over again and team up with his best friend Bear, the Sheriff of Benton County, to take Langston down. Racing through the countryside searching for Langston, the web of murder, meth and kidnapping widens, all pointing toward a past Jake can’t escape and a place he never wanted to return – Poor Boy Road.
Arriving in his Lake of the Ozarks hometown, Jake has two things on his mind: kill ruthless drug lord Shane Langston and bury his dying father. What he doesn’t expect is to fall in love all over again and team up with his best friend Bear, the Sheriff of Benton County, to take Langston down. Racing through the countryside searching for Langston, the web of murder, meth and kidnapping widens, all pointing toward a past Jake can’t escape and a place he never wanted to return – Poor Boy Road.
In the Darkroom by Susan Faludi
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of Backlash, comes In the Darkroom, an astonishing confrontation with the enigma of her father and the larger riddle of identity consuming our age.
“In the summer of 2004 I set out to investigate someone I scarcely knew, my father. The project began with a grievance, the grievance of a daughter whose parent had absconded from her life. I was in pursuit of a scofflaw, an artful dodger who had skipped out on so many things—obligation, affection, culpability, contrition. I was preparing an indictment, amassing discovery for a trial. But somewhere along the line, the prosecutor became a witness.”
So begins Susan Faludi’s extraordinary inquiry into the meaning of identity in the modern world and in her own haunted family saga. When the feminist writer learned that her 76-year-old father—long estranged and living in Hungary—had undergone sex reassignment surgery, that investigation would turn personal and urgent. How was this new parent who claimed to be “a complete woman now” connected to the silent, explosive, and ultimately violent father she had known, the photographer who’d built his career on the alteration of images?
Faludi chases that mystery into the recesses of her suburban childhood and her father’s many previous incarnations: American dad, Alpine mountaineer, swashbuckling adventurer in the Amazon outback, Jewish fugitive in Holocaust Budapest. When the author travels to Hungary to reunite with her father, she drops into a labyrinth of dark histories and dangerous politics in a country hell-bent on repressing its past and constructing a fanciful—and virulent—nationhood. The search for identity that has transfixed our century was proving as treacherous for nations as for individuals.
Faludi’s struggle to come to grips with her father’s reinvented self takes her across borders—historical, political, religious, sexual--to bring her face to face with the question of the age: Is identity something you “choose,” or is it the very thing you can’t escape?
“In the summer of 2004 I set out to investigate someone I scarcely knew, my father. The project began with a grievance, the grievance of a daughter whose parent had absconded from her life. I was in pursuit of a scofflaw, an artful dodger who had skipped out on so many things—obligation, affection, culpability, contrition. I was preparing an indictment, amassing discovery for a trial. But somewhere along the line, the prosecutor became a witness.”
So begins Susan Faludi’s extraordinary inquiry into the meaning of identity in the modern world and in her own haunted family saga. When the feminist writer learned that her 76-year-old father—long estranged and living in Hungary—had undergone sex reassignment surgery, that investigation would turn personal and urgent. How was this new parent who claimed to be “a complete woman now” connected to the silent, explosive, and ultimately violent father she had known, the photographer who’d built his career on the alteration of images?
Faludi chases that mystery into the recesses of her suburban childhood and her father’s many previous incarnations: American dad, Alpine mountaineer, swashbuckling adventurer in the Amazon outback, Jewish fugitive in Holocaust Budapest. When the author travels to Hungary to reunite with her father, she drops into a labyrinth of dark histories and dangerous politics in a country hell-bent on repressing its past and constructing a fanciful—and virulent—nationhood. The search for identity that has transfixed our century was proving as treacherous for nations as for individuals.
Faludi’s struggle to come to grips with her father’s reinvented self takes her across borders—historical, political, religious, sexual--to bring her face to face with the question of the age: Is identity something you “choose,” or is it the very thing you can’t escape?
Rescuing America's Democracy From Its Collapsing Morality by Savannah Jordan
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Democracy has been a rare and fleeting occurrence in human history. This is because in a democracy citizens must possess virtues which are antithetical to the much more powerful animal passions that have in the early stages of human evolution promoted the advancement of the species, but which now serve as obstacles to further advancement. These powerful animal passions are those associated with dominance by and surrender to an alpha male. Democracy demands that the ordinary people must not allow themselves to be controlled by external forces. It requires the ordinary people to assume the burden of disciplining themselves according to a moral code that is based upon treating others as equals not as entities to be dominated or worshipped. The early American settlers possessed these virtues, but over the centuries, these virtues have diminished to the point that Americans are in danger of reverting to the more natural animal state of dominance and submission. In this book, the author presents policies and social institutions that will reignite the qualities of self-reliance, self-control, and a belief that humanity has a destiny to treat others as ends in themselves and not as means to an end.
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Sidney Chambers, the Vicar of Grantchester, is a thirty-two year old bachelor. Sidney is an unconventional clergyman and can go where the police cannot.
Together with his roguish friend Inspector Geordie Keating, Sidney inquires into the suspect suicide of a Cambridge solicitor, a scandalous jewellery theft at a New Year's Eve dinner party, the unexplained death of a well-known jazz promoter and a shocking art forgery, the disclosure of which puts a close friend in danger. Sidney discovers that being a detective, like being a clergyman, means that you are never off duty . . .
Sidney Chambers will be played by James Norton (Death Comes to Pemberley), and Robson Green (Reckless) will take on the role of Geordie Keating. Other cast members include Morven Christie (Twenty Twelve) as the beautiful heiress Amanda Kendall, while Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) will play Sidney's housekeeper, and Kacey Ainsworth (Eastenders) is to join them as Geordie's wife.
Together with his roguish friend Inspector Geordie Keating, Sidney inquires into the suspect suicide of a Cambridge solicitor, a scandalous jewellery theft at a New Year's Eve dinner party, the unexplained death of a well-known jazz promoter and a shocking art forgery, the disclosure of which puts a close friend in danger. Sidney discovers that being a detective, like being a clergyman, means that you are never off duty . . .
Sidney Chambers will be played by James Norton (Death Comes to Pemberley), and Robson Green (Reckless) will take on the role of Geordie Keating. Other cast members include Morven Christie (Twenty Twelve) as the beautiful heiress Amanda Kendall, while Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) will play Sidney's housekeeper, and Kacey Ainsworth (Eastenders) is to join them as Geordie's wife.
From the Files of Madison Finn: Back Online by Laura Dower
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Madison Finn is back online, and she’s ready to spill all the details on her new friend, old flame, and very unexpected crush
Madison, Aimee, Fiona, and the gang are ready for a new school year, but Madison knows that nothing is ever what you expect—especially when it comes to matters of the heart. But regardless of how prepared she is, the eighth grade is going to bring a bunch of awkward new experiences and some major surprises, including a new love interest and a very confusing love triangle!
Perfect for fans of the Dork Diaries, Back Online is the newest novel in the hugely popular From the Files of Madison Finn series.
Madison, Aimee, Fiona, and the gang are ready for a new school year, but Madison knows that nothing is ever what you expect—especially when it comes to matters of the heart. But regardless of how prepared she is, the eighth grade is going to bring a bunch of awkward new experiences and some major surprises, including a new love interest and a very confusing love triangle!
Perfect for fans of the Dork Diaries, Back Online is the newest novel in the hugely popular From the Files of Madison Finn series.
Blue Waters by India R Adams
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
"The blue water I sank through was angelic, quiet, peaceful…"
Whitney is a vivacious, highly spirited 17-year-old girl. Her motto, "Live life to the fullest" is derailed when the young man, who's captured her attention, turns out to be the son of a drug tycoon- the same that provided the drugs that killed her brother. Whitney believes she simply need to heal from her first heartache, not knowing she is a part of a devious trade, one against human rights, and she has been… since the day age was born.
Blue Waters is the first Novella in a Tainted Waters, and begins a story of deception, corruption, self-discovery, and love with all that it demands you sacrifice…
"There was a beauty in dying that day…"
Whitney is a vivacious, highly spirited 17-year-old girl. Her motto, "Live life to the fullest" is derailed when the young man, who's captured her attention, turns out to be the son of a drug tycoon- the same that provided the drugs that killed her brother. Whitney believes she simply need to heal from her first heartache, not knowing she is a part of a devious trade, one against human rights, and she has been… since the day age was born.
Blue Waters is the first Novella in a Tainted Waters, and begins a story of deception, corruption, self-discovery, and love with all that it demands you sacrifice…
"There was a beauty in dying that day…"
Innocents and Others by Dana Spiotta
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Dana Spiotta’s new novel is about two women, best friends, who grow up in LA in the 80s and become filmmakers. Meadow and Carrie have everything in common—except their views on sex, power, movie-making, and morality. Their lives collide with Jelly, a loner whose most intimate experience is on the phone. Jelly is older, erotic, and mysterious. She cold calls powerful men and seduces them not through sex but through listening. She invites them to reveal themselves, and they do.
A Great Love of Small Proportion by Colin Falconer
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Seville, 1489. The end of the Reconquista. Diego Sanchis is Seville's most famous painter; his tryptychs and murals fill every church in the city. He is also ugly, angry, possibly Jewish and a dwarf. Nobody but his father loves him and Diego likes it just that way. Until one day he is asked to take on a new student. Mercedes Goncalvez is the most beautiful young woman in the city, and her father is rich and powerful. What could such a woman possibly see in him? But there are many ways to see beauty. And beyond the dungeons of the Inquisition; beyond betrayal and torture; and even as the guns pound the heavenly gardens of the Alhambra, and the Moors prepare to leave Spain forever, Diego finds true beauty among the ashes of his last hopes.
The Advocate's Daughter by Anthony Franze
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A Washington, D.C. lawyer and a frequent major media commentator on the Supreme Court, Anthony Franze delivers a high-stakes story of family, power, loss and revenge set within the insular world of the highest court of our country.
Among Washington D.C. power players, everyone has secrets they desperately want to keep hidden, including Sean Serrat, a Supreme Court lawyer. Sean transformed his misspent youth into a model adulthood, and now has one of the most respected legal careers in the country. But just as he learns he's on the short list to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, his daughter, Abby, a talented and dedicated law student, goes missing. Abby's lifeless body is soon found in the library of the Supreme Court, and her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery, a law clerk at the high court, is immediately arrested. The ensuing media frenzy leads to allegations that Malik's arrest was racially motivated, sparking a national controversy.
While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect the authorities arrested the wrong person. Delving into the mysteries of his daughter's last days, Sean stumbles over secrets within his own family as well as the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country. People who will stop at nothing to ensure that Sean never exposes the truth.
Among Washington D.C. power players, everyone has secrets they desperately want to keep hidden, including Sean Serrat, a Supreme Court lawyer. Sean transformed his misspent youth into a model adulthood, and now has one of the most respected legal careers in the country. But just as he learns he's on the short list to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, his daughter, Abby, a talented and dedicated law student, goes missing. Abby's lifeless body is soon found in the library of the Supreme Court, and her boyfriend, Malik Montgomery, a law clerk at the high court, is immediately arrested. The ensuing media frenzy leads to allegations that Malik's arrest was racially motivated, sparking a national controversy.
While the Serrat family works through their grief, Sean begins to suspect the authorities arrested the wrong person. Delving into the mysteries of his daughter's last days, Sean stumbles over secrets within his own family as well as the lies of some of the most powerful people in the country. People who will stop at nothing to ensure that Sean never exposes the truth.
Why is American Healthcare so Expensive by Harvey Singh, Ph.D.
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
This book will be of interest to anyone who is frustrated with the ever-rising costs of American medicine and wants to take a behind-the-scenes look at what is causing this trend. Written for the layperson and the expert alike, it explains why our healthcare market in which the providers depend heavily upon insurance companies for payments is not a free market. Add to that the practice of paying doctors on a fee-for-service basis, and we have created a market with perverse incentives for nearly all the market players. This has resulted in a system of care in which medical mistakes are ubiquitous, malpractice lawsuits are common, and 'end of life' medical costs are astronomical. In fact, medicine has become more dangerous than the disease and a single look at the price tag for some of the treatments can be enough to shock the wealthiest of Americans. But these seemingly diverse and apparently unrelated problems have common origins. The book identifies the common elements at the root of these problems. Then it goes on to show how most problems can be solved by fundamentally changing the way we deliver medicine to our citizens.
Lox & Cream Cheese by Eric Stromsvold
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
This is a story of walking the line. Billy Hansen is leading a double life as he careens through his late twenties. He is a native New Yorker, a successful bank analyst, a womanizer plagued with erectile dysfunction, an alcoholic, and a note passing bank robber. While planning his next heist, Billy's personal indiscretions: alcoholism, lust for women, and thirst for the almighty dollar, collide with his professional responsibilities. Everything in Billy's life is a half step away from heading into a permanent abyss as different facets of his dueling personality battle it out.
The Age of Genomes by Steven Monroe Lipkin, MD, PhD
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
A leading geneticist explores what promises to be one of the most transformative advances in health and medicine in history
Almost every week, another exciting headline appears about new advances in the field of genetics. Genetic testing is experiencing the kind of exponential growth once seen with the birth of the Internet, while the plummeting cost of DNA sequencing makes it increasingly accessible for individuals and families.
Steven Lipkin and Jon Luoma posit that today’s genomics is like the last century’s nuclear physics: a powerful tool for good if used correctly, but potentially dangerous nonetheless. DNA testing is likely the most exciting advance in a long time for treating serious disease, but sequencing errors, complex biology, and problems properly interpreting genetic data can also cause life-threatening misdiagnoses of patients with debilitating and fatal genetic diseases. DNA testing can also lead to unnecessary procedures and significantly higher health-care costs. And just around the corner is the ability to cure genetic diseases using powerful gene-editing technologies that are already being used in human embryo research. Welcome to the Age of Genomes!
The Age of Genomes immerses readers in true stories of patients on the frontier of genomic medicine and explores both the transformative potential and risks of genetic technology. It will inform anxious parents increasingly bombarded by offers of costly new prenatal testing products, and demonstrate how genetic technology, when deployed properly, can significantly improve the lives of patients who have devastating neurological diseases, cancer, and other maladies. Dr. Lipkin explains the science in depth, but in terms a layperson can follow.
Almost every week, another exciting headline appears about new advances in the field of genetics. Genetic testing is experiencing the kind of exponential growth once seen with the birth of the Internet, while the plummeting cost of DNA sequencing makes it increasingly accessible for individuals and families.
Steven Lipkin and Jon Luoma posit that today’s genomics is like the last century’s nuclear physics: a powerful tool for good if used correctly, but potentially dangerous nonetheless. DNA testing is likely the most exciting advance in a long time for treating serious disease, but sequencing errors, complex biology, and problems properly interpreting genetic data can also cause life-threatening misdiagnoses of patients with debilitating and fatal genetic diseases. DNA testing can also lead to unnecessary procedures and significantly higher health-care costs. And just around the corner is the ability to cure genetic diseases using powerful gene-editing technologies that are already being used in human embryo research. Welcome to the Age of Genomes!
The Age of Genomes immerses readers in true stories of patients on the frontier of genomic medicine and explores both the transformative potential and risks of genetic technology. It will inform anxious parents increasingly bombarded by offers of costly new prenatal testing products, and demonstrate how genetic technology, when deployed properly, can significantly improve the lives of patients who have devastating neurological diseases, cancer, and other maladies. Dr. Lipkin explains the science in depth, but in terms a layperson can follow.
Schism by Britt Holewinski
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
"My name is Andrea Christensen. I'm one of the oldest oldest people in the world."
"Schism" is the first book in a new dystopian trilogy that tells a tale of survival, of good versus evil, and of constructing a future with only memories of childhood.
A government-created virus is accidentally released before testing is complete and within weeks it kills six billion people, children are the only survivors. Andy Christensen and her two friends travel across the country searching for a safe place to live, but nowhere, it seems, is capable of resurrection.
"Schism" is the first book in a new dystopian trilogy that tells a tale of survival, of good versus evil, and of constructing a future with only memories of childhood.
A government-created virus is accidentally released before testing is complete and within weeks it kills six billion people, children are the only survivors. Andy Christensen and her two friends travel across the country searching for a safe place to live, but nowhere, it seems, is capable of resurrection.
The Translation of Love by Lynne Kutsukake
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
Set against the pulsing backdrop of post-war Tokyo, The Translation of Love tells the gripping and heartfelt story of a newly repatriated Japanese-Canadian girl who must help a classmate find her missing sister. A dazzling New Face of Fiction for 2016 that will appeal to readers of All the Light We Cannot See and Anita Shreve.
Thirteen-year-old Aya Shimamura is released from a Canadian internment camp in 1946, still grieving the recent death of her mother, and repatriated to Japan with her embittered father. They arrive in a devastated Tokyo occupied by the Americans under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. Aya's English-language abilities are prized by the principal of her new school, but her status as the "repat girl" makes her a social pariah--until her seatmate, a fierce, willful girl named Fumi Tanaka, decides that Aya might be able to help her find her missing older sister. Beautiful Sumiko has disappeared into the seedy back alleys of the Ginza. Fumi has heard that General MacArthur sometimes assists Japanese citizens in need, and she enlists Aya to compose a letter in English asking him for help.
Corporal Matt Matsumoto is a Japanese-American working for the Occupation forces, and it's his overwhelming job to translate thousands of letters for the General. He is entrusted with the safe delivery of Fumi's letter; but Fumi, desperate for answers, takes matters into her own hands, venturing into the Ginza with Aya in tow.
Told through rich, interlocking storylines, The Translation of Love mines a turbulent period to show how war irrevocably shapes the lives of both the occupied and the occupiers, and how the poignant spark of resilience, friendship and love transcends cultures and borders to stunning effect.
Thirteen-year-old Aya Shimamura is released from a Canadian internment camp in 1946, still grieving the recent death of her mother, and repatriated to Japan with her embittered father. They arrive in a devastated Tokyo occupied by the Americans under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. Aya's English-language abilities are prized by the principal of her new school, but her status as the "repat girl" makes her a social pariah--until her seatmate, a fierce, willful girl named Fumi Tanaka, decides that Aya might be able to help her find her missing older sister. Beautiful Sumiko has disappeared into the seedy back alleys of the Ginza. Fumi has heard that General MacArthur sometimes assists Japanese citizens in need, and she enlists Aya to compose a letter in English asking him for help.
Corporal Matt Matsumoto is a Japanese-American working for the Occupation forces, and it's his overwhelming job to translate thousands of letters for the General. He is entrusted with the safe delivery of Fumi's letter; but Fumi, desperate for answers, takes matters into her own hands, venturing into the Ginza with Aya in tow.
Told through rich, interlocking storylines, The Translation of Love mines a turbulent period to show how war irrevocably shapes the lives of both the occupied and the occupiers, and how the poignant spark of resilience, friendship and love transcends cultures and borders to stunning effect.
Pathways to Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
The bestselling author of The Art of Possibility returns with a new vision for achieving true human fulfillment
In this powerful and inspiring book, family systems therapist and executive coach Rosamund Stone Zander invites readers to shed the childhood stories that hold us back, and enter a realm of true maturity and fulfillment, where limitless growth becomes possible.
As children, we develop stories about how the world works, most of which get improved upon and amended over time. But some do not, even as we mature in other ways. Opinionated, self-centered and fear-driven, these “child stories” are the source of the behavioral and emotional patterns that hold us back. When we learn to identify and rewrite these stories, we can do remarkable, even magical things.
Zander shows us that life is a story we tell ourselves, and that we have the power to change that story. She illuminates how breaking old patterns and telling a new story can transform not just our own lives, but also our relationships with others—whether in a marriage, a classroom, or a business. Finally, she demonstrates how, with this new understanding of ourselves and our place within an interconnected world, we can take powerful action in the collective interest, and gain a sense of deep connection to the universe.
This galvanizing book expands our notions of how much we can grow and change, whether we can affect others or the world at large, and how much freedom and joy we can experience. Stimulating and profound, it is the perfect companion to her beloved first book, The Art of Possibility.
In this powerful and inspiring book, family systems therapist and executive coach Rosamund Stone Zander invites readers to shed the childhood stories that hold us back, and enter a realm of true maturity and fulfillment, where limitless growth becomes possible.
As children, we develop stories about how the world works, most of which get improved upon and amended over time. But some do not, even as we mature in other ways. Opinionated, self-centered and fear-driven, these “child stories” are the source of the behavioral and emotional patterns that hold us back. When we learn to identify and rewrite these stories, we can do remarkable, even magical things.
Zander shows us that life is a story we tell ourselves, and that we have the power to change that story. She illuminates how breaking old patterns and telling a new story can transform not just our own lives, but also our relationships with others—whether in a marriage, a classroom, or a business. Finally, she demonstrates how, with this new understanding of ourselves and our place within an interconnected world, we can take powerful action in the collective interest, and gain a sense of deep connection to the universe.
This galvanizing book expands our notions of how much we can grow and change, whether we can affect others or the world at large, and how much freedom and joy we can experience. Stimulating and profound, it is the perfect companion to her beloved first book, The Art of Possibility.
Scarred Souls: Raze & Reap by Tillie Cole
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
The first two books in the Scarred Souls series, in one volume!
RAZE
One man stripped of his freedom, his morals... his life. Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge... bloody, slow and violent revenge. Revenge on the man who wronged him.
Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill 'The Silencer' Volkov, head of the infamous 'Red' bosses of New York's Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it's a virtual prison. Her father's savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring-The Dungeon-ensures too many enemies lurk at their door. She dreams to be set free. Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. While working for her church-the only reprieve in her constant surveillance-Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn't talk. Doesn't communicate with anyone. He's a man beyond saving. But Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man... ... this man they call Raze.
REAP
Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva's obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act or live for himself; his master's perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six foot six, weighing two-hundred and fifty pounds, and unrivalled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for, the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, in the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.
Talia Tolstoi dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life and dreams of another life-away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father, from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon-her criminal family's underground death match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family's captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers.
RAZE
One man stripped of his freedom, his morals... his life. Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge... bloody, slow and violent revenge. Revenge on the man who wronged him.
Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill 'The Silencer' Volkov, head of the infamous 'Red' bosses of New York's Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it's a virtual prison. Her father's savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring-The Dungeon-ensures too many enemies lurk at their door. She dreams to be set free. Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. While working for her church-the only reprieve in her constant surveillance-Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn't talk. Doesn't communicate with anyone. He's a man beyond saving. But Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man... ... this man they call Raze.
REAP
Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva's obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act or live for himself; his master's perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six foot six, weighing two-hundred and fifty pounds, and unrivalled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for, the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, in the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.
Talia Tolstoi dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life and dreams of another life-away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father, from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon-her criminal family's underground death match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family's captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers.
Cloud Shifters by Katie Pottle
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
High above Earth the young angels of the Cloud Land of Glade are preparing for another school year. For Cadin and his best friend Lep, this means leaving middle school and entering Commons High School where they must choose a Path.
In a year where they already have to worry about homework and their Auras emerging, a challenge for Warrior Path angels opens to new students for the first time in the history of the Games. Follow Cadin’s journey through this vivid new land as he gathers an unorthodox team of young angels who must earn challenging arm badges as the first step in securing a spot in the Calvarian Games. Along the way, friendships grow and his character is tested as Cadin learns that his unique abilities make him either a weapon or a target in a looming war.
Which path will he choose?
Special Bonus: Free download instructions for the Official Cloud Shifters Xbox One / Windows 10 video game in each copy.
In a year where they already have to worry about homework and their Auras emerging, a challenge for Warrior Path angels opens to new students for the first time in the history of the Games. Follow Cadin’s journey through this vivid new land as he gathers an unorthodox team of young angels who must earn challenging arm badges as the first step in securing a spot in the Calvarian Games. Along the way, friendships grow and his character is tested as Cadin learns that his unique abilities make him either a weapon or a target in a looming war.
Which path will he choose?
Special Bonus: Free download instructions for the Official Cloud Shifters Xbox One / Windows 10 video game in each copy.
Tenebrae Manor by P.S. Clinen
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Within uncharted forest, where ancient magic keeps the night sky ever-present, stands Tenebrae Manor. Within its dusky walls dwell beings of macabre whimsy, headed by the pedant demon, Bordeaux, and the hedonistic gorgon, Lady Libra. These apparitions are content to live out their eternity in the half-lit gloom; that is until the arrival of a certain uninvited guest – a live human being – imperils the concealment of Tenebrae Manor and the livelihood of its residents. And in the forest surrounding a new threat emerges – a threat that is rattling the once still trees, and dooming the manor towards irreparable decay. But the characters are unmoored. While some seem desperate to maintain ascendancy over their ruinous home, others adopt a façade of mischievous indifference that could undo them all. And is Tenebrae Manor even worth saving? After all, eternity is a frightfully long time to spend alone...
Jihadi: A Love Story by Yusuf Toropov
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
A former intelligence agent stands accused of terrorism, held without charge in a secret overseas prison. His memoir is in the hands of a psychologist with her own agenda, and her annotations paint a much darker picture. As the story unravels, we are forced to assess the truth for ourselves, and decide not only what really happened, but who is the real terrorist. Peopled by a diverse and unforgettable cast of characters, whose reliability as narrators is always questioned, and with a multi-layered plot heaving with unexpected and often shocking developments, Jihadi: A Love Story is an intelligent thriller that asks big questions.
Panther's Prey by Lachlan Smith
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| Photo credit: Goodreads |
Synopsis
In Panther's Prey, the latest novel from Shamus Award winner Lachlan Smith, tragedy once again strikes near the heart for lawyer-detective Leo Maxwell.
After working to free his father from prison in Fox Is Framed, Leo has now left private practice and is working as a public defender in San Francisco. He and his co-counsel Jordan Walker are in the midst of trial, brilliantly defending Randall Rodrigues, a mentally ill homeless man whom they contend falsely confessed to the rape of a young San Francisco socialite. After their client is acquitted, Leo and Jordan fall into an intense relationship—until Jordan is found brutally raped and murdered in her apartment. Leo, the last person known to have seen her alive, is the natural suspect, and the police are eager for payback after the Rodrigues case. The story takes a shocking turn when Leo and Jordan’s freshly acquitted client walks into the police station and offers to confess to Jordan’s murder. Upset by the rapidity with which the authorities accept this all-too-convenient confession, Jordan’s grieving father tasks Leo with investigating his daughter’s death. Leo agrees, though he knows exonerating Rodrigues will likely bring suspicion back on himself.
Theorizing that he may be on the trail of a serial rapist and murderer, Leo instead uncovers a massive judicial fraud leading to the steps of the federal courthouse. In an explosive final confrontation, Leo will come face to face with an adversary far more powerful than any foe he has met thus far.
After working to free his father from prison in Fox Is Framed, Leo has now left private practice and is working as a public defender in San Francisco. He and his co-counsel Jordan Walker are in the midst of trial, brilliantly defending Randall Rodrigues, a mentally ill homeless man whom they contend falsely confessed to the rape of a young San Francisco socialite. After their client is acquitted, Leo and Jordan fall into an intense relationship—until Jordan is found brutally raped and murdered in her apartment. Leo, the last person known to have seen her alive, is the natural suspect, and the police are eager for payback after the Rodrigues case. The story takes a shocking turn when Leo and Jordan’s freshly acquitted client walks into the police station and offers to confess to Jordan’s murder. Upset by the rapidity with which the authorities accept this all-too-convenient confession, Jordan’s grieving father tasks Leo with investigating his daughter’s death. Leo agrees, though he knows exonerating Rodrigues will likely bring suspicion back on himself.
Theorizing that he may be on the trail of a serial rapist and murderer, Leo instead uncovers a massive judicial fraud leading to the steps of the federal courthouse. In an explosive final confrontation, Leo will come face to face with an adversary far more powerful than any foe he has met thus far.
So that is all of the books that I got in the mail in May. I've already reviewed one of them here, and will probably review at least three more of them in June (because they're kids books and those are super fast reads that make me feel like I've accomplished something at least.) Of these books, I'm most stoked about Cloud Shifters and Schism (based entirely on their covers, because frankly, looking at book covers is typically how I decide what to read). Which of these books are you most interested in reading my review on? - Katie
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