Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph

Teenage sisters unexpectedly upend everything they know to be true of their colonized homelands in this high fantasy political drama.

Sisters Effie and Vanna, three years apart, have been orphaned in the violent plundering of their village and consequential imperial rule from the Celestials. Claiming to protect them from piracy, the Celestials proclaim that their “lands are too rich to avoid unwanted attention, and your Gifts, however bountiful, will not be enough to deter those who would do you harm.”

The Celestials host an annual ceremony where villagers who have come of age and demonstrated proof of magical powers are tested for a particularly rare valuable skillset. Winners are honored with the duty to use their talents at the imperial army’s will. No one questions this or the Celestials’ intentions because the lore of the bloodshed they were saved from hangs heavy and haunting.

Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies spans years, venturing with Vanna and Effie into hidden, unfamiliar places, from alternating points of view: Effie and Vanna alone on their journeys. This is a politically intriguing and morally challenging story, a coming-of-age, a reckoning with colonialism and corruption—and it’s rooted in authentic sibling energy that anyone who grew up with a sibling just a few years apart in age will understand and feel deep to their core.

All Effie wants is to manifest powers and travel the world doing the duty she’s dreamed of for all her fifteen years of life. When Vanna manifests powers and joins the dragoons, Effie’s powers remain elusive, keeping her home. Their relationship becomes tense, especially with Effie sulking as she grows desperate to claim her destiny.

Alternating chapters provide insight into their strained sisterhood: We read Vanna’s pride in and protective heart for Effie, while we watch the sisters (both under increasing stress) verbally clash whenever they meet; Vanna’s duty takes her away for days on end, and we feel Effie’s tangled jealousy of Vanna colliding with the ache of realizing she misses her sister.

When Vanna is sent to stop rebels in another village who have “taken up arms to deny our host her tithe” she learns about the corruption and control used to enforce the Celestials’ power.

Back home, a conniving, entitled Effie lies, cheats, and demands her way into the audience of people with the power to grant her the job of her dreams. The determined sisters follow their hearts and sense of justice—Vanna’s aligned with duty to her country, army, and humanity; Effie’s led by her belief that the life granted to those with powers is her birthright.

Along the way, both teenagers are unexpectedly faced with an awakening about the reality behind the Celestial empire. Confronted with the patriarchy masquerading as servants to their Celestial queen, they begin to question their allegiance.

As an older sister, and someone who was nowhere near as bold (and frankly, daringly arrogant) a teenager as Effie, I related most to Vanna. I appreciated her compassion and capacity to recognize the enemy rebels as untrained, unskilled fighters not much older than Effie. She sees them for what they are: “children playing at soldier, armed with deadly weapons they didn’t understand.” I loved the strategic moves reflected in Vanna’s chapters and how her heart shone through even more than her very capable skills on the battlefield. Effie’s plans to claim her “rightful” place are twisted and so typical of a teenager willing to risk it all. I was thrilled and entertained by the lengths she was willing to go.

“To work the craft, you need to lie truthfully. You need to be honest and false, mysterious and bare. You need to bend in half without breaking. How many men do you know capable of containing so many contradictions?”

With a brilliantly evocative representation of imperialist tactics, Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies’ stunning setting serves as a background to the teenage girls’ feminist fueling, empowering understandings of their own power, and reckoning with the rewarding reality of rebellion. I read this book while following the proceedings at the UN General Assembly and was struck by the sharp, incisive clarity with which the author was able to mirror the struggle and strength of countless nations represented at the conference.

Author Z. Bennett Lorimer’s glittering high-fantasy world mirrors ours with remarkable emotional impact. Readers can’t help but be struck by the heartbreak and manipulation of a town left in ruins “as a reminder of all they had lost —all they might lose again without their host’s protection,” even as Effie and Vanna’s people live in peaceful gratitude to them.

“You’re balanced on a knife’s edge over bare sky…You’re going to spend the rest of your natural life falling through it. You’re going to fall and fall and fall—until your heart stops or your organs give out.” I frequently paused in awe of the author’s vivid descriptions of moments like a side character changing their beard’s style, a lavishly worded villainous threat, or an already-shocking-in-context scene turning into a truly astonishing sight, so gorgeous that anyone’s jaw would drop. Z. Bennett Lorimer has a gift for not only imagining spectacular, staggering drama, but writing these moments with searing emotion felt from each character’s specific desires.

I’d recommend this book for readers who love magical stories with real-world impact, listen to Paris Paloma songs, and prefer their revolutionary ideology served with a heaping dose of magnificent fantasy worldbuilding. More than anything, I’ll remember this book for its representation of siblinghood. I have not read so true and honest a reflection of the tangled emotions between similarly-aged siblings who aren’t on the best of terms but remain the one person on the planet who knows you deeply and (in their own complicated, questionable way) can’t help wanting the best for you.

Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies is worth recommending for Vanna and Effie’s sisterhood alone, but it’s also an expansive call for young women to follow their desires, and to listen carefully when older women impart their riotous feminist wisdom.

Plot-wise, I’m extremely stressed and enthralled about what will happen next. Luckily, the author has given us a wealth of thought-provoking, bewitching implications for each storyline Vanna and Effie find themselves in. I’ll be thinking about every possible angle—knowing that author Z. Bennett Lorimer will certainly continue to shock both his characters and his readers in unimaginable ways—while I wait for the urgently-needed, well-earned sequel.

Thank you for reading Andrea Marks-Joseph’s book review of Ardent Wings on Jealous Skies by Z. Bennett Lorimer! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Erin Britton

A haunting psychological drama that explores the rippled effects of trauma, betrayal, and accusation

Principally set during what should be a relaxing Mexican vacation, D.E. Adler’s The Rape of Elliott Roth confounds expectations by delving into the unsettling tension between public success and personal failure.

The initial tragedy belongs to someone else. A ranch hand swerves to avoid an oncoming car. He escapes the incident without physical damage, but the family in the other car is not so lucky. “He surveyed the damage and turned toward the sound of hissing steam and the smell of gasoline. A sudden explosion shattered the stillness and sent a plume of black smoke into the blue expanse.”

While a young girl is thrown from the vehicle during the accident and so avoids the explosion, the other family members are trapped inside. “After the fire died down, the cowboy saw the charred remains of the mother, father, and older brother suspended by their shoulder harnesses.” Critically injured, the girl is flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Seattle for live-saving surgery.

It is here that Dr. Elliott Roth enters the milieu. A brilliant surgeon and a flawed human being, he is one of the few doctors with sufficient expertise to perform the brain surgery required to save the girl. “The child had a chance of surviving, but with what quality of life remained to be seen.” Deciding that the situation is too urgent to follow the time-out procedure and wait for a CT scan, Elliott begins to operate immediately.

Despite his undeniable skill, perceptions of his conduct in the operating theater will come back to haunt him.

The day after the surgery, Elliott joins best friend Jay “JDub” Walsh and a bunch of others—friends, acquaintances, and strangers—on holiday in Cabo. It’s not really his idea of a fun time, but Jay didn’t give him much choice. “It’s paradise with coral reefs, warm ocean breezes, and the freshest seafood. I’ve been after you like a honey badger. This time there’s only one answer.”

The group is certainly an eclectic one. There are hints of tension between Elliott and Jay’s wife (“Liz Walsh and I had been close for too long to let our friendship disintegrate over something that happened more than a year ago and would seem trivial five years from now.”), and the others seem to be harboring more than their fair share of secrets and lies. Will there really be the opportunity for rest and relaxation?

One thing to note about this story is that the title, The Rape of Elliott Roth, is not named for sexual assault but more in comparison with the literary tradition put forth by Alexander Pope in “The Rape of the Lock,” signaling the removal of something.

The book is narrated from the first-person perspective of Elliott, providing unfettered access to his thoughts and feelings. Saying that, D.E. Adler presents Elliott’s responses and reflections in such a way as to imbue them with a dream-like quality, with guilt and uncertainty echoing through much of what he has to say. Elliott may be convinced of the truth of his account, but others will likely be far less certain.

Elliott has low expectations regarding the trip to Cabo, but in this regard he is proven wrong by two opposing points of view. On the one hand, the holiday proves far worse than he could have imagined, providing the backdrop to his quite spectacular emotional unraveling. As the days pass and the need to return to reality looms, he has to confront the fragility of his façade and the long shadows of past events.

On the other hand, the vacation feels positive in a strange way, freeing Elliott from the mask of stability and solidity he has worn for decades. He faces up to various struggles and traumas from the past, and he finally recognizes the need to take a stand against the wrongs of those who surround him. He even manages to form a romantic/emotional connection, which though not without complications, does expand his horizons.

And Elliott is not the only holiday-maker desperate to avoid facing deep-seated damage, both their own and wounds caused to others. Beneath the illusion of camaraderie, when not occupied with swimming, snorkeling, and fine-dining, long-buried resentments simmer among the group, giving rise to a charged atmosphere of suspicion. As memory and desire collide, the boundaries of consent and accusation blur.

At both the personal level and more generally, The Rape of Elliott Roth wrestles with themes of guilt, loyalty, and the cost of remaining silent. Elliott’s moral ground becomes shaky as the accusations that surround him gather steam. Adler doesn’t offer him easy absolution; instead, there is the uncomfortable reality that some wrongs leave indelible scars and require more than apologies to heal.

Adler’s storytelling is taut and measured, echoing the surgical discipline of Elliott. Every encounter, flash of memory, or moment of silence feels deliberate, included to peel back another layer of his psyche. Adler also excels at emotional restraint. The unsettling core of Elliott’s emerges gradually through glances, half-formed admissions, and the friction between what characters reveal and what they conceal.

The setting—sun-drenched Cabo—provides a clear contrast to the darkness that unfolds. It’s an environment suggestive of escape and rejuvenation that instead becomes reflective of Elliott’s fears and failures. Rather than offering a sanctuary, the holiday becomes a trap, with the warmth of the sun and the companionship giving way to suspicion and tension. The presence of the others also means that Elliot’s private collapse becomes a public spectacle.

The Rape of Elliott Roth is an emotionally difficult story to process. It is part psychological thriller, part cautionary tale, and part moral inquiry. Much of it takes place at the messy boundaries between guilt and innocence, making it difficult to differentiate fact from fiction and determine who—if anyone—to trust.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of The Rape of Elliott Roth by D.E. Adler! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Tomi Alo

A heart-pounding thriller about uncovering secrets behind a perfect facade

Abigail Lethican has always lived in the shadow of her family. With a grandfather and father entrenched in politics and three elder brothers ahead of her, Abby has never really felt the need, or the chance, to step into the spotlight, aside from the occasional duties every political family demands. She grew up learning to smile politely, keep disagreements behind closed doors, and constantly present the perfect image to anyone watching.

Come in Jim Hardy, the school’s star point guard. Confident, ambitious, and charismatic, Jim draws her in immediately. It doesn’t take long for her to fall in love with him and get caught up in the whirlwind of their relationship.

For six years, Abby convinces herself that she has found someone she can rely on, someone who complements the quiet life she’s always led, where she could be the caring, devoted wife she believed she was supposed to be. But when the cracks in her marriage begin to appear, the charm and confidence that once drew her in seem manipulative, controlling, and calculated.

It all shatters when Jim asks for a divorce. Just like that, the life Abby thought she had is gone, and everything she believed about him feels like a lie. The man she trusted, the guy she built years around, turns out to be far more self-serving than she ever imagined. Then, as if the heartbreak wasn’t enough, Jim ends up dead, and Abby becomes the prime suspect in his murder investigation.

As Abby digs deeper to clear her name, she is confronted with a long string of lies and betrayals carefully curated by her husband. Will she ever be able to prove her innocence before time runs out? And even if she does, will she ever find the courage to rebuild herself and trust again?

Falling On Southport is a satisfying blend of layered mystery and psychological drama. The novel throws readers right into the middle of the chaos, opening with Abby at the police station under investigation for her husband’s death. From there, author MJ Slater rewinds the story to the past, revealing Abby and Jim’s history, their marriage, and the subtle cracks that will eventually explode into catastrophe.

Jim and Abby’s relationship is fascinating precisely because of its flaws and cracks right from the start. There was no real spark, no electrifying chemistry or sweeping romance, only convenience, need, and ambition. For Jim, Abby was his ticket out of his humble background and his stepping stone to a better future; and for Abby, Jim served as a kind of shield, someone who made her feel needed and special. I loved how Slater captured this dynamic without putting too much judgment on either character, and allowing readers to quietly observe the psychological imbalance and the ways both characters unconsciously perpetuate it.

What stands out the most is the gradual unfolding of Jim’s true nature and Abby’s blindness to it all. It is both intriguing and frustrating to read. Abby’s denial and selective perception make sense psychologically, especially given her upbringing in a family where appearances and control were everything. Watching her slowly confront the reality of Jim’s manipulations adds a layer of tension that goes beyond the surface-level mystery. Her naivety and vulnerability is what makes her character arc compelling as she slowly discovers herself and grows into a strong, resilient person.

In the end, Falling On Southport is an absorbing thriller with psychological insight and some truly unexpected plot twists. And the suspense! Even after knowing it all—the killer, the secrets, the lies—there’s still that sense of danger that everything could go sideways. The media frenzy, courtroom trials, law enforcement scrutiny adds to the tension and pressure.

Fast-paced, emotionally charged, and actually twisty—Falling On Southport is quite the debut.

Thank you for reading Tomi Alo’s book review of Falling On Southport by M.J. Slater! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Amy Brozio-Andrews

A funny, sad, and uplifting memoir of chasing dreams, getting lost, and finding yourself in LA

Can you come of age in middle age? While that typically might be the domain of young adults, Jenny Noa makes it her own in this heartfelt and humorous memoir of loving and letting go in Los Angeles.

While she has been hoping—and honestly, expecting—to make it big in Los Angeles as an actor, it never quite worked out that way. Instead, Noa spent much of her time caring for a terminally ill husband, getting sacked from her job and searching for another, and struggling to understand why the acting roles she had envisioned for herself since childhood still seem so far away. Where had the years of auditions, acting classes, day jobs, and small stage performances gotten her?

In a series of wide-ranging essays and “Bit Parts” that bookend her time in Los Angeles, Noa bares her heart, her soul, her mental health diagnosis, and her unfailing sense of comedy in Bad Dreams: Notes on Life and Los Angeles by a Would-Be Has Been.

Early life lessons at home and school rewarded being quiet and not needing anything to the point where grown up Noa isn’t sure she knows how to speak up for herself, although she does a heroic job speaking up for her husband during his illness. Navigating young widowhood and Hollywood is grueling, and yet Jenny presses on, until she doesn’t.

Unpacking years of trying to be as small and invisible as possible while also desperately hoping to be seen and valued for being special, Noa’s accounting of life in Los Angeles includes honest reckonings of her growing-up years and how their influence has boomeranged through her life.

She is also candid in the way her husband Mark showed her how special she was to him, and her struggles to adjust to being a “newlywid.” Noa’s writing is uniquely aligned with creative life in Los Angeles, too: what does special even look like when there are thousands of others chasing the same role?

With age comes wisdom, they say, and Noa could fill the backyard of the rented home she lovingly describes with all she has learned. Hers is more than a memoir; Bad Dreams is a lifeline for those arriving at that same crossroads. What happens when it appears the life you planned for yourself isn’t panning out, and why? Noa’s conversational writing style is charming and disarming, which makes her essays hit hard and stick with you, yet she never leaves the reader there. She always offers a hand up at the end.

The tight focus of some of these pieces keeps the reader at arms length at times, but the “Bit Parts” are a nice chaser after some of the heavier essays. Noa is nothing if not tender, sincere, and genuinely funny. Her story of searching for creative accomplishment and inner calm in Los Angeles will leave you rooting for her success in her next chapter (and a sequel, I hope).

Thank you for reading Amy Brozio-Andrews’s book review of Bad Dreams by Jenny Noa! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Erin Britton

A charmingly festive tale of creativity and friendship in the Far North

Accompanied by Erin O’Leary Brown’s delightful illustrations, JR Buchta’s North conveys the joy and possibility of spending special times with true friends.

According to this tale, “The North Wind, the North Star, and the Northern Lights have always been friends.” All three enjoy hanging out at the North Pole and having fun with the creatures that inhabit the frozen landscape, including reindeer, snowy owls, narwals, and polar bears. From light shows to carving shapes in the snow, there is plenty to entertain them.

However, “the Northern Lights wished aloud for some new friends,” and her companions agreed that it is always a good idea to make new friends. But how can they accomplish it? They think about the variety of creatures they would like to befriend—frogs, cats, cows, giraffes, and more—but none of them could cope with living at the North Pole.

“The North Star and the North Wind thought for a long time about how to make new friends as a surprise for the lonely Northern Lights.” While their plan initially has a few hiccups, they remain committed to finding some new pals for the beloved Northern Lights. After brainstorming what good friends are made of, do they finally know what it takes to succeed in their quest?

JR Buchta’s North is a funny and fun-filled picture book that brilliantly portrays the chaos and whimsy of the mythical chums’ attempts to make new friends. The message it conveys to young readers is important and heartwarming: keep old friends close but always be willing to welcome new pals into your circle.

The Far North setting and the emphasis on all the chilly, starry, and dazzling aspects of the environment—which are enchantingly captured by Erin O’Leary Brown in the illustrations that accompany each segment of text—really enhance the atmosphere of the story, highlighting its magical and cozy nature.

O’Leary Brown’s art is full of movement and color, serving to capture the attention of both older and younger readers. The use of watercolors adds a timeless quality to the images, which is very much in keeping with the tone and style of Buchta’s narrative.

The decision to feature the fabled North Wind, North Star, and Northern Lights as the central characters is innovative and intriguing, allowing for discussions about their traditional representations. O’Leary Brown’s images well capture their customary characteristics and Buchta’s dialogue brings their personalities to life.

The story should spark chats about what makes a good friend and what sorts of creatures it would be fun to befriend. Given its wintery feel and holiday-appropriate messaging—to say nothing of a particularly seasonal cameo—reading North would make a great addition to a family’s festive traditions.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of North: A Magical Friendship Story by J.R. Buchta! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Erin Britton

A fun-filled learning lesson about trying, persevering, and supporting friends

Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story, the seventh book in the Poppy the Toucan series, shares an important lesson through an exuberant chorus of song and dance.

Poppy the Toucan is strutting her stuff in the Mungo Bungo Jungle when she spies her friend Blue Sloppy Foot singing loudly and jumping about like a rockstar.

“His rhythms were strong and his wings did a flutter at the end of each beat. His foot moves were a bit sloppy… but that’s what made them so unique and cool.”

She also spots his younger sister, Suzie Blue Foot, nervously watching the fun from the sidelines. Poppy asks if Suzie would like to join in and is shocked to learn that Suzie is too scared to do so in case she is no good and people laugh at her.

“How do you know what you’re good at if you haven’t even tried?”

Determined to help Suzie overcome her fear and see if she enjoys singing and dancing, Poppy explains the folly of quitting and failing before even trying something new, and she tells the motivational story of the Can-Can basketball team:

“Remember our team the Can-Cans?
They weren’t always the Can-Cans.
They started out as the Cannots
because they were so bad at first!”

Just as the Can-Cans persevered and improved through patience and practice, Poppy suggests that she and Suzie join forces—with Poppy singing and Suzie dancing—to see how much fun they can have. “Now I warn you, I don’t have a great voice, but I promise to sing my heart out anyway and have a wonderful time.” And her plan works!

While the other jungle creatures do initially laugh at the duo’s musical efforts, they quickly decide to join in with them, “and soon enough everyone was hopping up and down and dancing to the rhythms.” And what’s more, Suzie’s newfound confidence and willingness to try fresh things lead to some very exciting opportunities.

Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story offers a joyful celebration of the benefits of helping friends and working together to have fun and achieve unexpected milestones. While it is the seventh book starring Poppy the Toucan, Madelyn Simon’s canny characterization means that Poppy feels instantly familiar and a joy to be around.

In fact, with all her exuberance, bravery, and zest for life, Poppy is an inspirational role model for young readers. She instantly spots when a friend is in need of help and having her confidence built up, and she’s willing to risk embarrassment to ensure that Suzie doesn’t become stuck in a rut and miss out on the possibility of enjoyment and success.

The moral behind Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story is clear—never avoid pursuing an interest due to fear and always be willing to help a friend in need—but the story wears its educational aspect lightly. Simon ensures that the story is fun and funny the whole way through. Poppy’s antics are definitely going to entertain youngsters and the people reading with them.

Michael Sherman’s vibrant illustrations enhance the story greatly, particularly when conveying the chaotic movement and compelling joy of Poppy and Suzie’s musical endeavors. It’s no wonder the other jungle animals feel the urge to join in! The color and detail bring the scenes to life and will certainly hold young readers’ attention.

Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story presents a cheery and hilarious adventure for Poppy the Toucan and her friends, revealing how a spot of bravery can have major consequences and lead in surprising directions. Little readers will love the book’s zany exploits, and older readers will be glad it instills a sense of confidence and a boosted self-esteem.

Thank you for reading Erin Britton’s book review of Poppy’s Sweet Sibling Story by Madelyn Simon! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka

A moving transformation of silence into memory and art

“How can I make sense of my early life, a time of turmoil that I often feel but don’t clearly remember?”

So begins Debbi Flittner’s The Ten Thousand Things, a deeply felt memoir that traces the fissures of family, silence, and belonging across generations. It lingers in fragments—half-remembered moments, desert storms, the hush of a house where love was always just out of reach—and yet together, those fragments form something whole and unforgettable.

This memoir is Flittner’s lifelong attempt to understand her mother, a woman described as “elusive, unnerving,” who rarely spoke and never offered the certainty of affection her daughters craved. As a child, Flittner endured neglect, abuse from an older sister, and a father whose anger simmered over, all while her mother turned away.

Silence becomes the refrain of her early years: a missing comfort, a missing response, a missing steadiness. And yet, in the vast, red rock desert of the Colorado Plateau, she found a kind of companionship. Lizards, sagebrush, and sandstone became her refuge, a parallel world where the rules were clear and she could be both wild and safe.

What elevates The Ten Thousand Things is the lyricism of its prose. Flittner writes with the precision of someone who has carried these memories for decades, shaping them into vivid, almost cinematic scenes: hiding beneath plastic during a sudden storm, watching rain blur the world into a secret cave; lying in the plastic-covered back seat of the family’s Buick as the desert slid past; screaming for help in a kitchen where no one came. Even as an adult, she recalls the “coyote trickster” who stole her courage every time she crossed her mother’s threshold, a terribly fitting metaphor for the silence that bound them.

As she grows older, Flittner both follows and resists the patterns of her family. She marries young and becomes a mother early, yet she also steps onto a different path—pursuing higher education, the first in her family to attend law school. She raises her daughter while balancing classes and work, determined to offer choices she herself never had. Later, her search takes her further still, into spiritual practice—studying Tibetan Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta, traveling through Tibet and Nepal, discovering moments of Oneness that begin to soften the old ache.

Flittner writes movingly of her attempts to bridge that silence in adulthood. Visits to her mother’s home bring fleeting moments of warmth—a smile when the car pulls up, a brief embrace, a short-lived conversation—before the old patterns reassert themselves. Even in the final months of her mother’s life, when dementia strips away some of her defenses, Flittner remains suspended between longing and acceptance.

Yet, Flittner does not reduce her mother to a single role or judgment; instead, she allows space for contradiction. Her mother was both absent and proud, both neglectful and shaped by her own wounds—poverty, abandonment, disfigured feet from shoes too small in childhood, outstanding service in the Navy during World War II. Flittner doesn’t write to solve her mother but to live honestly within the myriad of questions she left behind.

In doing so, the book also becomes an exploration of inheritance. Pain, silence, and resilience are passed down through generations, shaping daughters as much as love or guidance might. Flittner acknowledges this with striking clarity: we transmit our fortunes and our misfortunes through what we say and through what we leave unsaid.

The Ten Thousand Things is not a memoir of despair but of transformation. Flittner’s voice is lyrical without ever losing its honesty, capable of holding both the beauty of desert light at dusk and the ache of unanswered questions. By the book’s end, what remains is not a single revelation about her mother but something larger: an understanding that silence, too, shapes us, and that even in absence, there can be meaning. It is a radiant, unforgettable memoir—one that transforms longing into art.

Thank you for reading Lauren Hayataka’s book review of The Ten Thousand Things by Debbi Flittner! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Eric Mayrhofer

A post-WWII story with a clear sense of history and some truly thrilling scenes

With Diane Wagner’s Byline Budapest, readers can relax, confident that they’re in the hands of a gifted storyteller. Wagner shows an authoritative knowledge of the time period without ever letting it get in the way of a pulse-pounding tale.

We follow Charlie Atkins, an American expat in Munich working for Radio Free Europe, a station broadcasting pro-democracy news stories to citizens in nearby countries who want democratic reform for their governments. In love with the organization (perhaps naively so), Charlie longs to be part of the new staff instead of a coffee girl, and when she gets an opportunity to prove herself with a story about blood donations making their way to a war-torn Hungary, she jumps at the opportunity.

While women in the newsroom may have been more uncommon in the post-WWII era, the book makes the adventure believable by couching it in a deep familiarity with the geopolitics of the time. Charlie can rattle off the current events as well as the reporters she wants to join, proving her worthiness early on (even if the editor Mr. Owens refuses to acknowledge it). The authoritativeness with which the narration handles explanations of history makes it easy to trust and emotionally invest in all the other characters and harrowing obstacles that fall in Charlie’s path.

The book also plays with format to give readers the sensory experience of a radio broadcast. Throughout the book, readers will see Charlie’s radio reporting chops in action, presented in a radio script format, and anyone who has ever heard an NPR story will immediately hear Charlie’s voice as the confident reporter turned storyteller spinning yarns around the fire. These passages evoke narration interspersed with interview soundbites. After one story, readers discover that “Charlie worked hard, learning to write for listeners rather than readers…She incorporated music and sound effects,” making the whole radio news experience complete.

Wagner does a great job of characterizing these people in short windows, vividly sketching in what readers need to know and then moving along with the plot. While learning about Charlie’s professional life and her journalistic aspirations, we meet her colleague Viktor, a man with a coveted news staff position who readers will quickly grow to loathe (and love it). We see him through Charlie’s eyes and he immediately sets readers on edge: “His blue eyes, as cold and hard as January ice, his cheekbones, as sharp as right angles, and his teeth, which were broken and jagged like rickrack.”

That ability to concisely distill a character’s essence is a powerful gift, but it occasionally threatens to go awry. When characters meet Andras Kovács, a native Hungarian in the employ of Russia’s Communist regime, we quickly learn he’s meant to be the book’s foil for Charlie. When thinking of the Communists’ deteriorating hold on Hungary, he wonders, “And what to tell Moscow? That the entire country had gone mad on his watch? Not that Kovács was surprised, of course. He sensed for months that trouble was coming, and although he warned Hungary’s deeply loathed General Secretary Mátyás Rákosi directly, no one wanted to hear that unrest was brewing.”

Kovács is just as frustrated and disregarded by his peers as Charlie; a lovely setup to propel readers ahead—will he achieve his goals and stand in her way? Will he fail? Readers don’t get the full picture as quickly and deeply with him as we do our heroine. Yes, we do come to understand that he is a survivor, always knowing where the political wind is blowing and flowing with its currents. However, it’s a little blurry where and how that deep survivalist instinct gels with his desire to be seen, respected, and included by his peers.

This never stops Byline Budapest from being a good read though. If the book ever seems like it’s entering enough of a lull for readers to ponder on these mild contradictions, it quickly and organically introduces a thrilling action scene that cements your hatred of Kovacs, makes readers re-evaluate how ready Charlie is for the challenges of a war zone, and wondering how she will get back to Munich alive, let alone into the Radio Free Europe news room. If future installments of this expected series can keep the same brisk pace and astonishing grasp on history, sign me up.

Thank you for reading Eric Mayrhofer’s book review of Byline Budapest by Diane Wagner! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser

An inspirational memoir about a health scare that sparks major change

Ray Walker was no stranger to weight loss gimmicks and fad diets; she had tried them all. She was even featured as a success story in a magazine about weight loss. But she later settled into a sense of ambivalence.

Instead of dieting, her brain went on autopilot, and she indulged in processed foods with abandon. She gained back all the weight, plus an additional ten pounds. She came to terms with what she thought would be the rest of her life: overweight but happy, eating processed foods, and taking medications to help with any ailments. Then a health crisis changed everything.

Her kidney almost quit.

After a painful stretch followed by lifesaving surgery, Walker realized she would have to reevaluate her relationship with her health. This was not about the number on the scale or the size of her jeans; it was about listening to her body and making changes to better her well-being.

The second half of the book sees Walker fusing her personal story with self-help guidance. It’s as much a story about her as it is about you. Maybe it is time to improve your relationship with your body.

Starting with asking readers to discover their reason why, like wanting to keep up with their kids, Walker prompts readers to fill out a worksheet to uncover patterns and actionable ways to be healthier. It is a thorough worksheet, and readers who find journaling helpful to their process will like this aspect.

Walker raises compelling arguments throughout the book regarding how we sabotage ourselves on our health journeys and how we can stop. The mind as a bully is one particularly persuasive concept she focuses on, discussing examples of this and how the negative voice can be quieted. Instructions on breath-work and meditation are some of the helpful tools she provides.

In addition to including worksheets and coping tools, Walker shares her struggles with food addiction, leading her into a discussion and instruction on food detox. Her weight loss of 140 pounds is impressive, and she poses insightful questions to help readers determine their own path to a healthy lifestyle. It should be noted that Walker is not a doctor or a nutritionist, and the perspective on detoxing may cause some emotional pain to readers who are suffering from disordered eating.

Walker’s honesty and conversational writing style on this relatable topic make this memoir a well-worthy read. Anyone looking to improve their relationship with their body and their mind could use this as a guide for their journey to improvement.

Thank you for reading Elizabeth Reiser’s book review of The Awakened Body by Ray Walker! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

A friendly, uplifting children’s book about working together and looking out for each other

Peter the Pelican is having a great day. The weather is nice. The flying is good. The friends are… Wait.

Has anybody seen Kevin the Crab? Sammy the Sea Bass is wondering. So is Willie the Whale. So is Magnolia the Mermaid, Sherri the Shrimp, Octavius the Octopus, and a whole lot of other alliterative sea creatures.

In the last book, Sherri the Shrimp was the hero. A tiny friend on a brave adventure to start believing in herself. This time, it takes the whole gang to travel the ocean and save Kevin from the (kinda) scary situation. Kevin is stuck in a net, far off at the shipwreck in Pirate’s Cove. Sherri’s muscles aren’t enough this time, but lucky for all of them, they come together.

This series, just two books long, is already looking like a great addition to bedtime storytelling. The characters are fleshed out and funny to say and remember, and they carry this uplifting tone that guide the narrative. The alliterative characters all look out for each other, creating a real sense of community and friendship. Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is a meaningful story that teaches you to work together with your friends to accomplish huge feats. It’s not Magnolia’s story exactly—it’s everyone’s.

Octavius the Octopus steals the show more than anyone in this story. He’s long and strong and wiggly and able to squeeze into tight spaces. If your kid doesn’t already love octopuses, they’re about to start. Willie the Whale is another standout. The ocean is a big place, but large creatures like whales can move across it quick enough to save the day. He’s a pretty sturdy anchor for their rescue operation too.

The illustrations of Magnolia the Mermaid… are light and buoyant and, despite the apparent danger Kevin is in, never set too scary a tone. Where book one used a purposefully scratchy, messy look, this one fits more uniformly into the illustrations on your Disney+ home screen. Nemo lovers will have a lot more friends after finding this series.

The language is smooth and playful, always easy to read. It sounds fun and playful without rhyming, acting as a good in-between pick for your kid who’s just getting out of board books. It’s a story you’ve probably heard before in multiple variations, so it’s helpful that the language is fun and the characters are easy to remember for your own storytelling.

Magnolia the Mermaid and the Gang Save the Day give you more of what you loved in the first book in the series while teaching a new lesson: work together with your friends to make the dream work. This is a great, ocean-exploring read-aloud pick for both librarians and parents.

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day by George J. Linsenmeyer, III! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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