★★★ Stop the detective work. Ignore this and die. Olivia Jacobs, sixteen years old, is on the run. But this is not some typical teenager-on-the-run thing - her life, and everyone she knows is in danger. Her loving stepfather, Theo Jacobs, is beaten and jailed on the eve of his restaurant-opening, right before Olivia's eyes. He… Continue reading The World Breaks Everyone – Lauren Clark

★★★★ When I glance at Mum's recipe books with her special repertoire of dishes - turmeric-stained or splattered with some cake mixture - I am reminded of the love in these little treasures A recipe book from the heart! Naidu shares her favorite recipes from her childhood in the Fiji Indian area in a delightfully… Continue reading Annapurna: Gastronomic Delights from my Fiji Indian Childhood – Nalini Naidu

★★★★ This collection of short stories will definitely live up to the title! Spinner's Tale by Donna Freeman Elaine invited her into the old house, and it was apparent she was lonely Phyllis, suffering a miscarriage and divorce, finds solace and comfort with an elderly lady. When a nightmare compels Phyllis to visit her friend… Continue reading Shivers in the Night – Various Authors

★★★ Navigating life, in many ways, is like trying to fight a kangaroo you are seven. Simon Williams has always had a desire to see the world.  And, as time goes on, this desire has bloomed into a full-fledged "problem". Travel is the most exciting and worst decision a person can make, not unlike experimenting with… Continue reading Wanderlost: Shots of Literary Tequila for the Restless Soul – Simon Williams

★★★ Once upon a time in a very poor villiage lived an ambitious young man and his family. A family lives in poverty, but the father has dreams of a better life for them - a toy for his child and a dress for his wife. The father becomes so miserable that he: He would cry every night...… Continue reading The Treasure Bag – Errol Fern

★★★★ ½ But here is something I discovered quickly about ambition and achieving your dreams: Once you taste it, you want more. Andrew Rannells - star of The Book of Morman and Girls - writes an atypical memoir about his life and struggles in his pre-famous years. In his memoir, he wanted to emphasize this time in his life because: These missing… Continue reading Too Much Is Not Enough – Andrew Rannells

★★★★ "I need to speak with you about something important. And it has to be secret." Ethan has spent his entire life...in a perfectly average world. He has friends and a loving family. He plays baseball and does decent in school, and while he does get bullied a bit, it's nothing major. And then...one day...something decidedly not-average happens. A… Continue reading Ethan and the Key – Dennis Canfield

★★★ Deep down, I believed a story could change us, and that if we read it deeply enough, a good book could transform our souls. Maggie, a passionate and zealous English language arts teacher, has been given the assignment of her life - to home-tutor a sick child (Yuri). Yuri, child of Ukrainian immigrants Sasha and Katya,… Continue reading The Secret of Clouds – Alyson Richman

★★★ ½ But did anyone really know him? Did he even want to be known. Edward Gorey is famously infamous. His work provided the scaffolding and inspiration for Neil Gaiman's Coraline, for Tim Burton's creeptacular movies, for Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and so much more. And yet, surprisingly little is known about him. Being nil, Gorey… Continue reading Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey – Mark Dery

★★★★ Life was fun, and there was plenty to do...There were sporting events, festivals, and dances. Roman does it again!  In this delightful little story, "you" are transported back to Renaissance Italy to learn all sorts of cool facts about everyday life back then. Exploration of places in the world brought back undiscovered spices, plants, and animals.… Continue reading If You Were Me and Lived in… Renaissance Italy – Carole P. Roman