Book Review: Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet

Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet is a contemporary romance about a man struggling to be his perfect self and a woman who is ready to break her “rules” for him. Khalil Sarda went through a rough patch last year, but now he’s nearly back to his old self. All he has to do is keep his “stuff” in the past. Real men don’t have depression and go to therapy—or, at least they don’t admit it. He’s ready to focus on his growing chain of barbershops, take care of his beloved Detroit community, and get back to being the ladies’ man his family and friends tease him for being. Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she’s been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she’ll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil’s barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he’d treat a woman right, but he’s not Black. Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?

Getting His Game Back covers a variety of tough topics. I could understand and empathize with Vanessa's worries, both professionally and with relationships. I enjoyed the slow burn of Vanessa and Khalil getting to know each other and come together, complete with the insecurities and missteps. I really enjoyed the community and support system of friends and family they each had, even when they failed to make use of them. I loved the honest way depression is talked about, both in how it feels and the worries of other people's perceptions of us if it becomes known. The way masculinity can play such a strong role in the perception and expression of such strong emotions was so truthful and real to me that it really struck home. The amount of personal growth and introspection for both Khalil and Vanessa was very well done, and my only problem with the book is that I wanted more. I wanted more about everyone's past, especially some of the secondary characters, and I really want to know where all of them go from here. I am fully invested in these characters even after I finished the read, and I cannot wait to explore more from this author. 

Getting His Game Back is a honest look at love and depression with a great deal of heart, hope, and growth.

Book Review: Accidental Magic (Myrtlewood Mysteries) by Iris Beaglehole

Accidental Magic is the first book in the Myrtlewood Mysteries series by Iris Beaglehole. Life’s a struggle for Rosemary Thorn and her teen daughter, Athena. But their regular troubles are turned upside down after Granny Thorn’s mysterious death.  Despite her cousin's sinister maneuverings, Rosemary returns to Myrtlewood and the sprawling, dilapidated Thorn Manor. But there's more to the old house than meets the eye, as Rosemary and Athena soon find out — in a whirlwind of magic, adventure, mystical creatures and endless cups of tea. Life in Myrtlewood would be bliss if Rosemary could only clear her name in a certain murder investigation, solve the mystery and stay out of mortal peril – for at least a little while!  A small town with endless secrets, strange activities and a house with a mind of its own.

Accidental Magic left me satisfied with the ending, but with plenty of questions about where the series will go from here.  I thought that Rosemary and Athena had an interesting mother-daughter relationship, but I did like both characters. I thought that they balanced each other nicely and I was glad to get parts of the story from both of them. I liked the quirky nature of the town and its residents, although what do you expect from a magical town full of secrets. I am interested to see where some of the friendships and relationships might form and grow, and which might reveal even more secrets.  I was a little frustrated with the number of secrets and forgotten bits of information, even though it did fit with the story. I just felt like aspect of Rosemary and magic got used a little too often. However, I was interested in the mystery and magic of the story start to finish and plan on reading the second book to see what happens next and how Athena and Rosemary grow as characters.

Accidental Magic is an intriguing start to a new series and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes. 

Early Book Review: Peach and the Isle of Monsters by Franco Aureliani, Agnes Garbowska

Peach and the Isle of Monsters is a graphic novel written by Franco Aureliani and illustrated by Agnes Garbowska. It is currently scheduled for release on March 15 2022. Meet Peach. How did she get her name? What's her secret? What have the Monsters taken from her village? Seeking independence, and prove she's a warrior, Peach begins her quest to save her village from the Monsters from Monster Isle... and meets some interesting people along the way! 

Peach and the Isle of Monsters starts by answering all of the questions in the description and then quickly jumps into the adventure. I liked the art, and thought the color and style took a great deal of talent. I thought it ran very text heavy, particularly for an adventure graphic novel. It felt like the majority of the story was simplified and shuffled into the text bubbles without allowing the art to do its share of story telling. I could not get interested or invested in the story since it fell into the trap of telling rather than showing for the majority of the story. It was more than a little disjointed, and parts of it felt very rushed and like the author had no plan going into the story. I liked the art, and thought the story of a girl that thought she was underestimated and abandoned has some potential but it just did not shake out for me, although I think some middle grade readers that share some of those feelings might appreciate it much more. 

Early Book Review: The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals by Matt Sewell, Megan Lee

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals by Matt Sewell and Megan Lee is a children's nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. This informative collection featuring mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and plants from all continents and nearly all oceans will teach young nature lovers about migration in its many forms. Grade-school children will discover how creatures navigate the planet when they encounter climate change, sun, chemicals, the Earth’s magnetic field, and the changing seasons in this illustrated reference book. Follow flocks of arctic terns on their annual 24,855-mile journey between the Earth’s poles. Join the monarch butterflies on their famous pilgrimage, upwards of 3,000 miles, from Canada to Mexico. Marvel at wildebeests, humpback whales, salmon, dragonflies, and more, as they travel around the globe and battle the Earth’s toughest conditions to survive.

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals is an interesting and accessible read that covers the migration style of over sixty living creatures. I thought the text was easy to follow, written in a conversational tone with some humor and interesting facts to keeps readers engaged. Each of the creature profiles includes one or most watercolor style illustrations of the subject matter. I think I would have preferred photographs, as the quality of those illustrations seemed to vary through out the book with some being near perfect and others feeling a little childish to me. The maps that are included are well done and help give a scope of some of the distances covered, but I do not think there are enough maps to really call this an atlas. I liked the information shared and think the book had great potential and intent, but fell short of what I was expecting from the title.

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals is a well written and interesting read that could be helpful in the classroom. However, it fell short of being a true atlas for me. 

Early Book Review: Gardening for Everyone: Growing Vegetables, Herbs, and More at Home by Julia Watkins

Gardening for Everyone: Growing Vegetables, Herbs, and More at Home by Julia Watkins is currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. It is a guide to creating and growing a backyard garden simply and sustainably—from planning to planting to harvest, with profiles of essential vegetables and herbs, ecological tips, and fun and creative projects.  Growing food in your backyard, porch, or windowsill can be one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to nourish yourself, be self-sufficient, and connect with nature in a hands-on way. Here sustainability expert Julia Watkins shares everything you need to know to grow your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs (as well as wildflowers and other beneficial companion plants). The book covers all the nuts and bolts of creating and caring for your garden—planning, building, planting, tending, and harvesting—followed by a deeper dive into the plants themselves: demystifying annuals vs. perennials, cold-weather vs. warm-weather veggies, and profiles of favorite crops. Throughout, Julia offers tips for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable garden (such as vermicomposting, no-till “lasagna” gardening, and attracting pollinators), plus some fun and unexpected hands-on projects like how to build a bean teepee, make wildflower seed paper, and enjoy refreshing herbal lemonade ice pops.

Gardening for Everyone is a book that has something for everyone that is interested in growing their own food- regardless of the amount of land or time you may have at your disposal. Growing up my parents had a huge garden and most of our produce for the year come from it. I have fond memories of the fresh food, less fond memories of the work involved, and less land and time to invest in the process now than when I was a kid. What I love about the book and the author is that they meet the reader where they are. Information on how to do just about everything in the most sustainable way possible is offered, along with the understanding that not everyone is up for everything. The text is accessible and well written and organized while the included images are well chosen and brighten up the book. I think the reference style of the book offers readers the chance to explore all of the information they are interested in and the chance to explore options they might not have thought available to them, with no judgement about gardening style. For instance, I am a well intentioned gardener- I plant a garden with full intention of a great harvest and doing better than last year every year, but end up sharing the majority of my harvest with bunnies and birds every single year. The fact that the author admitted to having been that type of gardener at one point themselves made me feel much better. I loved that she covered every topic that I might have gone looking for, and included some that I had never considered. The recipes, crafts, and gardening projects included were interesting to me, and I might be trying some oft hem out this year to get the kids more involved. I also liked that some resources for supplies and further information was included at the end of the book.   

Gardening for Everyone is a well written and useful book that I would recommend for public libraries and a spot in personal libraries for those with space for more.

Early Book Review: Sexus Animalis: There Is Nothing Unnatural in Nature by Emmanuelle Pouydebat

Sexus Animalis: There Is Nothing Unnatural in Nature by Emmanuelle Pouydebat is an illustrated guide to the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, from elephants and bonobos to butterflies and bedbugs.It is currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. 

There may be nothing unnatural in nature, but nature still encompasses much that seems fantastically strange—the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, for example. Sexus Animalis tells us everything we never dreamed we wanted to know about the reproductive systems, genital organs, and sexual practices of animals, from elephants (who masturbate with their trunks) to fruit flies (who produce spermatozoa twenty times their size). In the animal kingdom we find heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual behavior, as well as monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry, not to mention fellatio and many varieties of erections and orgasms. Emmanuelle Pouydebat, a natural history researcher, tells us about gutter penises, double penises, detachable penises, and corkscrew-shaped penises, as well as vaginas built for storage and clitorises with thorns. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s more data about animal penises than animal vaginas and clitorises.) She explains how the ostrich achieves an erection, describes the courtship of pygmy chameleons, and recounts how the female short-beaked echidna chooses a partner. She reports on sexual assault among animals—there’s evidence that half of female mallards are sexually assaulted—and explains how masturbation helps squirrels avoid sexually transmitted diseases. It seems that animals have been composing their own Kama Sutra throughout the ages. Striking color illustrations accompany the text.

Sexus Animalis is a book that offers exactly what is promises, fascinated information that I never knew I wanted to know about the anatomy and mechanisms of sex for a wide variety of animals and how evolution and natural selection could play their part in all of it. I found the writing style to be accessible with some humor and straight forward information that I never thought about exploring previously. I thought the information included was well researched and organized, and pointed out the gaps in our understanding and how much work there is still to do. I thought the frank and honest explanations were peppered with a nice dose of humor and wit to add another level of interest and entertainment to the read without lessening the credibility of the text. I thought that the illustrations were tasteful and very well done, and helped give readers a more informed awareness of the size and particularities of what is being described in text. I was very interested in the implications of how evolution and other factors have made so many variations on the sex lives of creatures of all shapes and sizes. I never thought much about it, and think there are many people that likewise never considered the complexity and sometimes straight up strangeness of the world around us. This read entertained, informed, and got me thinking a little more about the complexities of the world around us. 

Early Book Review: Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu, Teny Issakhanian

Wingbearer, written by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Teny Issakhanian, is currently scheduled for release on March 1 2022.It is the first book in a new middle grade graphic novel series. 

Zuli is extraordinary—she just doesn’t realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she’s never ventured beyond this safe haven. She’s never had to. Until now. When a sinister force threatens the life-giving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could’ve ever imagined—one that will bring her, along with some newfound friends, face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity.

Wingbearer is a beautifully drawn and colored graphic novel with fantastic writing. I was engaged in the story from the very beginning, ad my only complaint is that now I have to try and wait patiently for the next installment. Zuli and the the characters that she meets on her journey are well written and complex, with very few good/evil absolutes. The world building, as revealed through the characters and their interactions, was very well done. I feel like I have a reasonable grasp of the important aspects of the world, and never felt like there was an info dump. It was reveals as things became important in a way that really made sense and felt natural. Although, I will admit that I saw the big reveal (not telling), or something very close to it coming on a couple levels. However, I think the way it was done was smart and will keep readers hooked and invested in continuing the series. I think this series will be a new favorite for a wide range of readers and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Wingbearer is a wonderful start to a new series. I look forward to reading what comes next.

Book Review: Bumblebee Grumblebee by David Elliot

Bumblebee Grumblebee by David Elliot is a board book. Playful animals get up to everyday toddler mischief in this board book built on child-based wordplay, where each page twists animal names into funny new words that are fun to share. Babies and young children will recognize each activity—getting dressed, playing, painting (including themselves), having a bath, using the potty—and see how the animal makes the mischievous most of it. The bumblebee breaks its toy—bumblebee grumblebee! The cockatoo is getting dressed—cockatoo sockatoo! The pelican tries out the potty—pelican smellican! What will turtle do? Everybody gathers for the final squirtle. Built for adults, babies and toddlers to share and read aloud, this fresh and sweet board book encourages experimentation with words and sounds, just by changing a letter or two.

Bumblebee Grumblebee is a fun board book for sharing and enjoying with your young reader, or letting them have some time to look through an enjoy the fun pictures on their own. I liked the play on words and the fun pictures. The cartoonish pictures are muted but do a good job of capturing the action and mood of each phrase. I think the rhymes and fun plays on common tasks and scenes will make for enjoyable story time and some giggling. I think this stand for multiple reads and might become a favorite for some littles and their caregivers or older children that might want to read with them. 

Audiobook Review: Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life by Pamela Gail Johnson

Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life was written and narrated by Pamela Gail Johnson.  People think happiness is a singular feeling, but it isn't. The real way to feel happier is to expand your definition of happiness and manage your Happiness Zappers.  Pamela Gail Johnson, founder of the Society of Happy People, identified the four practical happiness principles that have helped thousands of people shift their mindsets so they naturally notice more happiness, whether it feels sparse, abundant, or somewhere in between. Pamela shares real stories from real people who put the four practical happiness principles into action. With thought-provoking workbook-style questions, you can immediately apply these principles to your life. You'll discover how happiness is unique to you and your circumstances; how to manage common experiences that zap your happiness; how happiness changes; and thirty-one types of happiness.

Practical Happiness is a well organized book with information and tools for finding and recognizing happiness that could be very helpful to readers. I recognized much of what was written as being true and useful, but mostly things I have heard before in other context and in some cases have been doing for years. Since I am not someone that normally seeks out or reads self help books I found it odd that most of what I was hearing n the audiobook were things that were familiar. However, I did find the descriptions of different types of happiness and it's zappers interesting and mostly new to me. I think many people will find the book helpful, and for me it was a good reminder to be more present and acknowledge the little moments and to allow myself to work through the happiness zappers rather than trying to simply ignore them until they are a bigger issue.  I think that Johnson did a decent job of narrating her book. I find that authors reading their own work do a good job, as they know where they want the emphasis on and what the flow of the text should be. That was true here, but sometimes the pauses were a bit too long- and I feel like she must be a great in person speaker but that does not always translate to a great audiobook reader. Sadly, the pauses and the very natural mouth noises made through out the book often distracted me and made me want to offer her a glass of water. Others might not notice it, but it is one of my irks in life so I found it hard to ignore. 

Practical Happiness is a good book for those looking to learn more about finding and appreciating happiness more. 

Book Review: Sink or Swim (Shore Leave) by Annabeth Albert

Sink or Swim is the second book in the Shore Leave series by Annabeth Albert. You do not need to read the series in order to fully enjoy each read. 

Navy chief Calder Euler loves to win big. His latest score? A remote mountain cabin. Checking it out is supposed to be a quick trip, but Calder’s luck abruptly turns when a freak injury and a freakier snowstorm leave him stranded. Oh, and the cabin isn’t empty. A silver fox caring for two young girls claims that the property is his, but Calder’s paperwork says otherwise. Felix Sigurd is on a losing streak, and his ex-husband risking the cabin in a reckless bet is only the latest in a series of misfortunes. He’ll tolerate the handsome stranger for a couple nights--even care for his injuries—but that’s it. Calder doesn’t know a damn thing about kids, but making pancakes for Felix’s girls is a surprising delight. Trapped in the cabin, the four of them slip easily into the rhythms of a family. But when the ice melts, they’ll have to decide if a future together is in the cards.

Sink or Swim is another romance with complex characters that grow in the process of unexpectedly finding love from Albert. I thought Calder and Felix each had their hang up, but were great guys from the beginning, and I enjoyed being along for the ride as they each made self realizations about who they were and what they wanted, and how to get there. I really loved Felix's nieces, and thought the quirky comments, personalities, and worries were very realistic. I loved the open and honest discussions between Calder and Felix, in and out of the bedroom,  and that the amount of care and concern for each other and the bigger picture with the girls was always considered and often reevaluated to stay on top of issues and concerns. As always, I loved the secondary characters and how the author makes the support systems of friends and family an important part of the story. I would love to see more from many of the secondary characters and get a kick out of them in every book from Albert. I really enjoyed this read and think other fans of the author will as well. 

Sink or Swim is an emotional and rewarding romance.