In “The New Couple in 5B,” author Lisa Unger brings us a tale which will remind those of us of a certain age of Ira Levin’s work, namely “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Sliver.” As I was reading this very gripping novel, I kept thinking about those intriguing and slightly horror-filled novels, and how echoes of those came to my mind.
Continue reading
Each of these nonfiction picture books has something special to offer children. Most children love reading nonfiction picture books as a way to learn about the world around them, and even adults like me can learn new information from these books! Each book would make a fabulous addition to any classroom or home library.
Continue reading
Please restore my accounts so I can continue to help dogs, cats, and authors.
Championing animals and books is my passion and purpose. I have used Facebook responsibly for almost 20 years, sharing my book reviews and my mission for rescuing animals with my audience. I actively support reputable animal rescues from coast to coast, including Placing Paws of Libertyville, Fat Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, and Dream Team Angels Rescue. Countless dogs and cats have found homes through my posts, and my husband and I have personally fostered hundreds of animals over the years. I have reviewed books from hundreds of authors and have also interviewed many authors including New York Times bestselling author CLAIRE COOK (Must Love Dogs, Bonus Time), New York Times bestselling author MICHAEL GRANT (the GONE series, the Animorph series), New York Times bestselling author KATHERINE APPLEGATE (The One and Only Ivan, Willodeen), BRIAN HARE (Scientist, professor, and author of The Genius of Dogs), New York Times bestselling author SPENCER QUINN (author of the Chet and Bernie series) and many more.
Continue reading
James McBride’s backstory–his mother was raised in an Orthodox Jewish home and his father was a Black minister–makes his new novel, “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” an authentic historical fiction that showcases the outcast communities of Blacks and Jews in the rural American Midwest. There are, in fact, many, many characters in this complex story wherein we see reflections of the present in a memorable tale of good and evil. We do see that in the long run, good mostly triumphs over evil. But we also see that while much has changed since the early part of the last century, when this novel is set, and while we think of ourselves and our modern technology, not enough has really changed. And McBride makes that abundantly clear with his vivid prose and his lovely metaphor.
Continue reading
Those of us who live in Lake County, Illinois, assume that our county government is doing its best for us. That would include how our county treats our animals, our beloved cats and dogs. I’ve recently discovered that Lake County Animal Control is seriously lacking in not only how it follows Illinois law regarding feral cats, but also fails miserably at posting stray dogs and cats so that owners can find their lost pets.
Continue reading
Small town Texas in the summer of 1964 is the setting in “Mockingbird Summer” by Lynda Rutledge. During this summer, we see a town on the cusp of change, as its Southside (of the tracks) and Northside neighborhoods and implicit Jim Crow laws butt heads with the Civil Rights Era. We see most of the events through the eyes of Kathryn Kay Corcoran, or Corky as she is known to her friends. Corky lives with her parents, her brother, and their much-loved pets. Both Roy Rogers, a large mixed-breed dog, and Goldy, their senior horse, become important to the story, but especially Roy Rogers, whose unquestioning loyalty and instincts are highlights throughout the story.
Continue reading
“The Boy Who Cried Bear” is the second book in the Haven’s Rock series by Kelley Armstrong. Few mystery series have enthralled me as totally as these novels set in the Canadian Yukon wilderness, in a settlement so remote that there are no roads, no cell phone service, no internet, and limited electricity. The first series, the Rockton novels, ended after seven mysteries, but the main character, detective Casey Duncan, and her husband Eric, the sheriff of that settlement, weren’t finished in their mission of rescuing those who needed a safe place to hide. Haven’s Rock, which belongs to Casey and Eric, takes in those who are in danger and must flee for their lives.
Continue reading