Month: June 2023

‘Bizard: The Bear Wizard’ by Chrissie Krebs is a delightful graphic novel

/ Pamela Kramer

My grandson, Abe, picked up “Bizard: The Bear Wizard” when he wanted something to read at my house. Actually, I had picked up a copy at ALA, the American Library Association conference, just the day before. He was entranced and literally didn’t put the book down until he had read the whole thing. Through dinner, through dessert, he kept reading. Then he begged to take it home with him. I said he had to help write the review first. Abe knows the rule: he doesn’t get the book until the review is done.

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‘The Senator’s Wife’ by Liv Constantine is a deviously clever read

/ Pamela Kramer

“The Senator’s Wife” begins with a woman who certainly fits that title character’s role. Author Liv Constantine presents Sloane, a woman who has been married to not just one senator, but two. Her second marriage to a senator occurs just two years after the tragic deaths of her first husband, a senator, and the death of the wife of her second husband, Whit. In their grief, the two find solace together, and Sloane is hoping to find even a small amount of the happiness she had experienced with Robert, her first husband.

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Dog books and Cat books and more for younger readers

/ Pamela Kramer

Books with high interest are really important for kids to read during the summer months when they aren’t reading in school. Teachers will tell you that the summer setback in reading ability is real for kids who may not read much because they are outside playing or at camp. And while want kids to be outside when the weather is nice, reading daily is important, too. And high interest books are the way to go. Here are many books about dogs, cats, and other animals that will not only intrigue kids, but that have important messages to share. Perfect for rainy days, bedtime stories, or just reading at breakfast to get a good start to the day.

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‘Paper Names’ by Susie Luo Is About assimilation and family

/ Pamela Kramer

Coming to America for a better life is a common theme in American history. In “Paper Names,” Susie Luo brings us a different kind of immigrant. Unlike those who come to America because there is nothing for them in their home country, The Zhang family had been successful in China. Tony, the Americanized name for the father, was a respected engineer, and his wife, Kim, was a doctor. But they came to the US for a better life for their daughter, Tammy.

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‘The Book of Pet Love & Loss: Words of Comfort & Wisdom from Remarkable People’ by Sara Bader

/ Pamela Kramer

Those of us who are lucky enough to have animal companions know one tragic truth: With the exception of a few parrots, we will outlive all our companion animals. And as we experience the passing of each one, our hearts break. In “The Book of Pet Love & Loss,” Sara Bader manages to reassure us that we are not alone in our grief, that our sadness, our heartbreak, our sense of loss, is normal and equivalent to what is experienced by many others, include the noted writers of the quotes in this small treasure.

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What Is an Endless Vessel?

/ Pamela Kramer

Charles Soule’s brilliant and thought-provoking novel, “The Endless Vessel,” is quite impossible to place squarely into any genre box. The novel is, in fact, at least three novels in one.

Plot number one is, perhaps, best labelled a unique combination of science-fiction, crime, and suspense. Its protagonist is Lily Barnes, a scientist whose mission is to solve the overwhelming universal problem of climate change and the resulting all-too-near destruction of our planet. She becomes aware of a mysterious small machine which, by itself, appears to have the capacity to solve the deadly effects of global warming. When the opportunity to examine the machine arises, she jumps at it, begins to analyze the strange instrument, drops it on the floor, thereby extensively damaging it, and promptly steals it with the hope that she can find a way to fix it. She is now a criminal, and her eerie adventure begins.

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‘Crow Mary’ by Kathleen Grissom is a brilliant melding of history and fiction

/ Pamela Kramer

Kathleen Grissom consistently exhibits her brilliant ability to meld historical facts with immersive fiction, and in “Crow Mary” she brings to life an actual historical figure whose bravery and strength inspire us as the beautiful narrative brings that era and its inhabitants to life. Grissom spent years researching Crow Mary’s story, including talking to her descendants. This is one of those rare novels that not only has a gripping story line, a strong protagonist, and a fascinating setting, it also teaches us about history. We learn about “Indian reservations” and their ever-changing boundaries (not in favor of the Indians). We see the blatant racism (no surprises, there), and just one small example of the brutal massacres to which Native Americans were subject.

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‘The Enchanted Hacienda’ by J. C. Cervantes is a charming and beautiful fantasy

/ Pamela Kramer

Summer flowers are magical, and in “The Enchanted Hacienda,” J. C. Cervantes makes that idea a reality. The Estrada women have magic running through their veins, and that magic is most apparent at their flower farm in Mexico, where they grow flowers that are “just” beautiful and flowers that perform beautiful magic. Their gift originated with an Aztec goddess named Mayahuel, who promised that if they would carry out her legacy, each of their female descendants would be blessed with the power to “grow mystical flowers, create enchantments, and to forever protect love, passion, and beauty.”

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‘The Lost English Girl’ by Julia Kelly; historical fiction about the WWII evacuation of children and much more

/ Pamela Kramer / 1 Comment

Julia Kelly’s elegant historical fiction novels about England now include “The Lost English Girl.” This book isn’t a mystery, or a twisty tale, but rather a beautiful story about making mistakes, forgiveness, and family. When two young people from different cultures—a young Jewish musician and a young Catholic working girl—make a huge mistake, their lives change.

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‘The Poisoner’s Ring’ by Kelley Armstrong is the second in her time-travel mystery series

/ Pamela Kramer / 1 Comment

In Kelley Armstrong’s second book of the “Rip Through Time” series, we see that Mallory Atkinson is still adjusting to being thrust back in time to 1869. In the current time, she had been a homicide detective in Canada, but somehow went back in time while visiting her ailing grandmother in Edinburgh. Luckily, she ended up in the body of a maid who worked for an unusual family, the head of which is interested in crimes and who runs a funeral business. His sister is a chemist with whom Mallory has become friends.

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