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Ten years can seem like a long time to some of us. However, for young Violet Everly and her uncles, it feels more like the blink of an eye. When Violet's mother, Marianne, disappears into the night in an effort to break a centuries-long family curse, a powerful and mysterious woman named Penelope gives them ten years to find her. If they are unable to do so, she will return to claim Violet instead.
As years pass and the deadline looms, Violet decides to venture out on her own to find her mother. In the process, she falls into a magical yet cutthroat world full of monsters, gods, and scholars who will stop at nothing to gain power. Although Violet knows that very few of them can be trusted, she is drawn to Aleksander, who was orphaned as a baby and is now Penelope's troubled, cunning assistant. She tries to keep her distance but also understands that Aleksander holds valuable knowledge of a world that she is completely unfamiliar with. Fully aware that danger is always lurking in the shadows, Violet does her best to focus on the task at hand - locating her mother and finally ending the Everly curse.
Title: The Enigma of Room 622
In this multilayered story, a popular Swiss author takes a vacation while struggling with a bout of writer's block. During his retreat, he meets a fellow hotel guest named Scarlett who is staying in the room next to his. Together they stumble upon the aforementioned enigma once they realize that there is no Room 622. This discovery and ensuing curiosity lead them into the depths of a long unsolved murder involving prominent members of Switzerland's finance industry.
A great read for anyone who enjoys a story within a story (and busy plotlines). The twists and turns will definitely keep you flipping the pages!
MARCIA
Title: Gifts From Georgia’s Garden: How Georgia O’Keefe Nourished her Art
Author: Lisa Robinson
Illustrator: Hadley Hooper
Most titles about Georgia O'Keefe feature her giant paintings of flowers. This book goes in depth about her move to New Mexico and her gardening work. She planted fruit and nut trees and a large garden. It nourished her physically, spiritually, and artistically.
Endnotes supply information on how to visit her garden and museum. There is one of her dessert recipes included with a photo of her handwritten recipe card. Yummy!
MEL
Title: Divinity 36 (Audiobook)
Author: Gail Carriger
YA Sci-FI/Fantasy
Phex is PRETTY, but nowhere near the “unattainable” beauty of the Dyesi – a race of sapiens whose planet’s main trade industry is entertainment…with gods as branded commodities.
Taken on a joy ride through the galaxy, between the Dyesi and the ever-changing rota of “potentials,” the reader is introduced to a diverse cast of characters interacting with and around Phex, ever the loner, as he struggles to navigate training, strange roommates, elimination rounds, testing, wild fans, and minor/major gods while striving to provide balance and harmony among the pantheon’s members personally and professionally.
Imagine “The Voice” taken intergalactic. I recommend it as a pleasurable read, but it's even more remarkable as an audiobook with the vocals and cast bringing it vibrantly alive.
Title: The 57 Bus: The True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
Author: Dashka Slater
YA Non-Fiction
Two hate crimes and one victim...or are there more?
Two teens. Two families. Two schools. Two races. Two gender identities. Two worlds.
One day. One bus. One lighter. One moment of impulsive thoughtlessness with unforeseen consequences.
An insightful, thought-provoking, and emotionally challenging book that compels the reader to consider the complexity of biases (internal and external) and their impact on the lives of Sasha, Richard, and the global community as Slater brings a painfully vibrant perspective to the fall-out from the teens' initially tragic encounter. Eye-opening and AMAZING!
PHAEDRE
Title: Somewhere Beyond the Sea
Author: T. J. Klune
YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy
A gratifying sequel to Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, this book is a beautiful love story – the love of parents for their children, parents for each other, and communities for its members – set against the quest for social justice and self-determination.
This story explores what it means to be “yourself” and to appreciate all that you are regardless of “normal” societal expectations and constraints. A story that will encourage readers to resist labels – both giving and self-identifying – and embrace the limitless possibilities of being. Such a feel-good book!