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Stories of the American Revolution | Thomas Fleming

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Title: Stories of the American Revolution Author: Thomas Fleming Thomas Fleming manages to pull off a neat trick in Stories of the American Revolution by making the birth of the United States feel less like a series of inevitable dates and more like a high-stakes accident. The book is structured as a collection of essays, which admittedly gives it a bit of a polished, simplified feel at times. While individual chapters can feel like mere anecdotes, the collection as a whole builds a compelling case for just how unlikely the American victory truly was. It forces you to realize that the country didn't just happen; it was cobbled together through a messy, intertwined series of events that probably should have failed. One of the most interesting aspects is the way Fleming reevaluates the Howe brothers. He offers a fresh take on their roles and motivations that shifted my own perspective on British strategy. I also appreciated the brief, candid looks behind the curtain of the Constituti...
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Firefly Beach | Luanne Rice

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Title: Firefly Beach Author: Luanne Rice I usually enjoy Luanne Rice, but Firefly Beach was a massive slog. It felt like she was trying to fit every possible misfortune into one story--alcoholism, domestic abuse, diving accidents, and so on--until the plot just felt bloated. Instead of making me feel for the characters, the constant barrage of tragedy was exhausting. It went on for way too long, and the narrative wove in and out so much that I found myself getting genuinely bored in several places. While the plot was a mess, there were a few bright spots. I loved the closeness between the sisters and have always envied that kind of built-in support system. They certainly needed each other, too, since their mother was such a piece of work; it's honestly no surprise why at least two of the daughters turned out the way they did. I also really liked the hero's brother, Sam, and that sweet old dog, Homer. They were the only characters keeping me grounded while everyone else in the s...
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The Alpine Advocate | Mary Daheim

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Title: The Alpine Advocate Author: Mary Daheim While it is an interesting start to a long-running series, The Alpine Advocate is a bit of a mixed bag. The strongest element is Emma Lord herself; as the owner of the town's weekly newspaper, her involvement in the investigation feels more organic than the typical cozy mystery protagonist who just happens to stumble over a body. Having Chris Ramirez--the estranged grandson of the wealthy Neeny Doukas--staying at her house provides a solid personal stake when Chris's cousin Mark is murdered and Chris becomes the prime suspect. The small-town atmosphere is captured accurately, particularly the suffocating web of local genealogy. Emma has only lived in Alpine for four years, and her comment about needing a family tree just to navigate a social gathering will ring true for anyone who has lived in a tight-knit community. However, the pacing and the sheer volume of "unfinished business" within the Doukas family can feel a bit ...
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Duma Key | Stephen King

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Title: Duma Key Author: Stephen King Duma Key isn't one of King's more popular novels, and while the length and unconventional rhythm might explain that, I loved it. The scenery is so visceral that I will forever hear the grinding of the shells whenever I think of this story. From the beachfront setting to the sci-fi and paranormal elements, the plot remained completely unpredictable. The standout element of the book was the way King described the act of creation. He captures how art and talent actually feel when they unfold--that burning itch deep down when the muse starts to stir. He nails the way you can lose yourself for hours in the "flow," ending up ravenous, exhausted, or even a little mad. The writing in these scenes was executed extremely well and felt entirely authentic to the creative experience. The story is elevated by flawed characters and a friendship that feels entirely believable. Even when the plot takes its darker turns, the emotional core stays gro...
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The Radium Girls | Kate Moore

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Title: The Radium Girls Author: Kate Moore If you are looking to try reading more non-fiction, The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is a compelling choice. It is certainly not the most joyful subject, but it is an incredibly interesting and frequently enraging account of a dark chapter in American industrial history. Moore utilizes original interviews, diaries, letters, and court accounts to reconstruct the lives of working-class women hired to paint luminous watch dials for the military. These women were taught to use their lips to point their brushes, effectively swallowing radium with every stroke. Even those who didn't use the lip-pointing method were coated in radioactive dust that they inadvertently carried home to their families at the end of every day. The physical descriptions of the radiation poisoning are harrowing. The narrative tracks a progression of horror where a woman's jaw literally falling apart is only the beginning of the tragedy. The book details a litany of suf...
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Bitter Blood | Jerry Bledsoe

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Title: Bitter Blood Author: Jerry Bledsoe Jerry Bledsoe's Bitter Blood is a haunting, definitive account of a slow-motion train wreck that spans generations and geography. While many entries in the true crime genre leave a reader feeling a sense of somber reflection, this chronicle of the Lynch and Newsom family murders is more likely to leave you in a state of pure, unadulterated fury. What makes the book so terrifying is how "normal" the setting appears. Bledsoe peels back the veneer of Southern social standing to reveal a toxic brew of explosive personalities. Most families have their quirks, but the people in this book take dysfunction to a lethal level. It is a stark look at how easily a facade of respectability can hide something much darker. The central figure, Susie Lynch, emerges not as a victim of Fritz Klenner's influence, but as a master manipulator who controlled everyone and everything her entire life. Bledsoe does a phenomenal job of detailing the trail...
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Inky the Octopus | Erin Guendelsberger

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Title: Inky the Octopus Author: Erin Guendelsberger I only write children's book reviews rarely, but here's one. Inky the Octopus by Erin Guendelsberger is a charming retelling of a real-life disappearance that would put Harry Houdini to shame. This cute book is based on the true story of an octopus who decides the aquarium life is no longer for him. It turns out that when a cephalopod wants to stage a jailbreak, he doesn't need a team of specialists--he just needs to be squishy enough to fit through a drainpipe. The story captures the cleverness of octopuses without turning them into cartoons, following Inky as he squeezes through a gap in his tank and makes a break for the floor drain to find the ocean. While the illustrations are engaging, it might be better for older kids in the 1st through 2nd grade range. The rhyme scheme is a bit more sophisticated than your average picture book, and the logic of escape requires a little more focus. One of the highlights is the inclu...
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