Reading Through the Years

How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

Publication Date – September 3, 2019

4 stars

This charming book begins with books for babies and traverses the years all the way until late teenagers.  I have three kids ages eight to twelve so I skimmed a bit over the younger years, but what I did read was incredibly insightful.  I especially feel better prepared for dealing with reading during the teenage years which is an age we are quickly approaching.  I read this in an advanced digital copy provided through NetGalley but I plan on purchasing a hard copy to keep on hand for future perusals. 

Sweet Romance

A Question of Us by Mary Jayne Baker
Publication Date - September 5, 2019
4 stars

This adorable and funny romance follows two best friends as they explore their relationship while trying to win a pub quiz league.  Friends their entire life, Clarrie and Simon are in their mid twenties, living in a small English town, surrounded by close friends and complicated families.  I love friends to lovers stories and really enjoyed this sweet story.  The dialogue took a little getting used to because of the (Northern?) English dialect but once I got the rhythm, I completely enjoyed the banter.  It did have some angsty moments, but I found it mostly believable.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Corporate Drugs

Fentanyl, Inc.: How Rogue Chemists Are Creating the Deadliest Wave of the Opioid Epidemic  by Ben Westhoff
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
4 stars

The opioid epidemic took a turn for the worse when medical and emergency officials began to see an entirely new class of drug take over.  The confusing factor is that the chemistry of the drugs kept changing.  Fentanyl was created to manage severe pain in patients with terminal cancer and extreme pain disorders.  Once drug cartels and others in the illegal drug trade realized that it could be added to heroin to create a cheaper and more addictive high, it became a major street drug.  This book details the chain of the drug, starting with the chemists, the manufacturers in China, the cartels in Mexico and the dealers in the U.S. and Canada.  This is a well researched book and a fascinating (yet absolutely depressing) look into the complicated business of illegal drugs.  I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

What Will Bring Forth the End

End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World by Bryan Walsh
Publication Date - August 27, 2019
4 stars

So a strange thing happened while reading this book.  While reading a chapter about the possibility and consequences of an asteroid striking the Earth, I happened upon a news story about an asteroid coming within such a near distance to the planet that it surprised scientists.  Suffice to say, that definitely brought home the timeliness of the book.  I will say that I have read about this before (but I am a glutton for apocalyptic scenarios) but this was well written and many chapters, especially the one about aliens, were extremely enlightening.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Taming the Ocean

The Geography of Risk: Epic Storms, Rising Seas and the Cost of America's Coasts
by Gilbert M. Gaul
Publication Date - September 3, 2019
5 stars

I've read more than a few books about climate change and the rising waters and they all elicit an emotional reaction of fear and sadness but I'm not sure I have read one that has made me quite as angry as this one.  My disclaimer, while I love to visit the ocean, I live in one of those states squarely in the middle, so maybe that's why all those numbers affected me so much.   So much (so, so much) federal tax money goes to the protection, construction and rebuilding of million dollar second homes that are built on land that just shouldn't be built on in the first place.  This is an important, very well written book that should be read widely.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Love on the Campaign Trail

On the Corner of Love and Hate by Nina Bocci
Publication Date - August 20, 2019
3 stars

This is a fun book about a small town mayoral campaign and a romance between the high strung campaign manager and the roguish candidate.  I will admit that I had higher hopes for it but was too often frustrated by the characters whose actions were ridiculous and motivations unbelievable.  That said, it was still fun and I read it fairly quickly.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Corporate Takeover

The Warehouse by Rob Hart
Publication Date - August 20, 2019
4 stars

The Cloud is a large company that set out to revolutionize the way that people shopped but then began to take over the way that people live.  This book follows three different characters.  Paxton invented a new way to cook boiled eggs but his business was quickly destroyed by the Cloud.  Zinnia is a spy hired by an unknown source to infiltrate the Cloud's technology and Gibson is the dying man who started the Cloud and believes so much that he is doing the right thing.  The frightening thing about this novel is how close it mirrors real life and provides a shockingly realistic future.  Thought-provoking and honestly terrifying, it also provides plenty of suspense for a great summer read.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Essay Collection Review

Coventry by Rachel Cusk
Publication Date - August 20, 2019
3 stars

I normally really enjoy essay collections, especially when there is a good mixture of literary criticism,  current events, personal life and some humor.  That is my personal preference and there are authors who I feel hit the mark really well.  This collection hit some of those marks.  The literary criticism section is especially strong with a good mix of current and classic and some great points made.  However, I felt that the author also takes herself too seriously and some of the essays felt pretentious. Overall, this was a mixed read for me.  I received a digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Things you save in a fire

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
Publication Date - August 13, 2019
4 stars



This was such an enjoyable read about a tough female firefighter learning about forgiveness and how to let herself love.  I flew through this book and I absolutely LOVED all of the characters.  There is some sadness but this is mostly a hopeful book full of humor and feel good moments.  I liked this author's last book but I have to say that I liked this book even more. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.