Funny Story by Emily Henry

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’Tis the season … oh, no, not that season … the season for the release of bestselling author Emily Henry’s latest book.

It definitely feels like a celebratory season to anyone who has counted down since the last one came out in spring 2023. And it would seem that I am not alone in my excitement because Henry’s latest offering, “Funny Story,” was named one of the most anticipated books of 2024 by Time magazine before its release April 23. The real question is, was it worth the wait?

Let me give you some details about the book first, and then I will share some thoughts.

The book’s main character, Daphne Vincent, loves a good story. She especially loves how her fiance, Peter, would tell the story of how they met — in a park on a windy day, with Daphne trying to retrieve her hat and eventually getting some assistance from Peter. Though unbeknownst to lovestruck Daphne, their breakup on the night of Peter’s bachelor party, when he dumps Daphne for childhood best friend Petra, will prove an even more interesting story than their first meeting.

After the breakup, Daphne is not sure what to do. She has moved to Michigan from South Carolina for Peter. She has a new job as a children’s librarian, and her co-workers think she must be in the witness protection program or working for the FBI because she is so hush-hush about herself. Her friend group consists only of people who are also friends with Peter. She feels sad, overwhelmed and alone. With no other place to go, Daphne accepts an invitation from Miles, Petra’s ex-boyfriend, to move into the apartment that he and Petra used to share.

Miles is the opposite of Daphne’s organized, introverted, neat personality. His fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants adventurous personality allows him much adventure, and he has the ability to charm complete strangers, though his breakup with Petra has really shook him. After moving in, Daphne observes him mostly spending a lot of time in his room watching sad movies and listening to loud, depressing music.

Despite living in the same apartment, the two avoid each other for several weeks, but a chance encounter and a fun night out leaves their exes thinking the two are more than just roommates. From this misleading event, the two form a precarious friendship, with Miles offering to help Daphne get out of the house and see more of what their small town in Michigan has to offer. She has been so focused on counting down to the end-of-summer readathon fundraising event that she is in charge of that she has forgotten to see where she is and enjoy her time in a new place. It is thanks to Miles that she begins to explore and appreciate Michigan.

In this new chapter of Daphne’s life, the two become close, but several misunderstandings involving their exes, as well as Daphne’s mostly absent father, who springs a surprise visit on her, get in the way of their happiness. Ultimately, Daphne has to decide what is most important to her and whether she will leave Michigan once the library’s readathon is over.

Yes, yes, yes — this book was worth the wait. The characters are well drawn and relatable. Of course, I especially love that Henry made Daphne a librarian and that the whole book is about a story or, rather, multiple stories that converge to make a wonderful read. It is clever, and while nothing is too surprising, everything fits and makes the book compelling and easy to read. My perfect beach read. Now to start my new countdown — only 330 days, or something close to that, until Henry’s new book gets released.

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

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Weyward by Emilia Hart

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Weyward is author Emilia Hart’s debut novel. A historical fiction mixed with magical realism and gothic tones, the novel became a New York Times Bestseller and won two Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Historical Fiction and Best Debut Novel for 2023. Weyward is a split narrative following the lives of three women across five centuries. After I finished reading I knew I wanted to write a book review about it as I found it to be a genuinely good, well-crafted story.

1619: Altha Weyward recently lost her mother to illness, her only family and companion. Her mother taught Altha the ways of medicine and healing, but with caution. The healing Altha came to know from her mother is that of natural remedies, herbs, mixtures procured from nature – far from the practice of placing leeches on the sick as a form of treatment, as doctors commonly did. When Altha’s mother becomes sick she makes Altha promise to keep these ways of healing, and other secrets, safe and not to draw attention to herself. Altha and her mother know their village is not a safe place for them as unmarried women that practice healing, especially with the way animals seem to respond to Altha, and the pet crow her mother keeps. Yet, Altha cannot help putting down all their secrets and her deeds in a book she locks away in her cottage. Soon after the loss of her mother Altha finds herself on trial accused of witchcraft following the death of a man in her village.

1942: Violet Ayres has always had a fascination with plants and animals, the mechanics of the natural world. Living with her father and brother on an estate in complete isolation, Violet’s closest friends are the spider that lives under her bed, her nanny, and the insects she befriends while about their estate. Violet’s mother died when she was very young and her father is an unloving guardian, more interested in keeping Violet away from society so she doesn’t “become like her mother.” When Violet meets her cousin for the first time she is fascinated by someone new, and by the way he looks at her. All her observations of insects do not help her understand her cousin or the ways of the world. When Violet suddenly finds her safe world harshly torn apart she is forced to live alone in Weyward Cottage, once owned by her mother. Violet begins to discover why she might have such an inclination for animals and the natural world, and the history of her maternal side, helped along by a crow and a book she discovers, authored by a woman named Altha.

2019: Kate Ayres takes her burner phone, the funds she has been secretly stashing away, and a suitcase and flees her husband. Her destination: the cottage her great aunt Violet Ayres left for her when she passed away, a woman she met in childhood but barely knew. But anything is better than the repetitive abuse she receives from her husband. Over the years Kate has found herself shrinking who she is, lessening her hobbies and passions, cutting out her mother and friends, all to avoid her husband’s anger. Her father died saving Kate’s life when she was a child, and since then her love for animals and nature has been silenced. Kate is alone, scared, and does not know what to do next. Yet when she arrives at Weyward Cottage she begins to find herself in Violet’s belongings, in the garden, insects, and crows, and in a book left under lock and key by a woman named Altha.

The chapters of Weyward tell Altha, Violet, and Kate’s stories bit by bit, revealing how the three women and their stories connect, even separated by centuries. All three find themselves alone and isolated following life-changing experiences. Yet, they are not truly alone, for in themselves and by way of their connection to one another they find healing and purpose. Weyward is about the resilience and strength of women, the connection that comes from sisterhood, and trusting in oneself. Witchcraft and magic are implied elements, more of supporting characters to the women’s stories rather than front and center. I found Weyward to be a magical novel, despite being able to guess what was about to happen throughout the story; Emilia Hart managed to make what could be a predictable storyline seem new. Hart’s prose runs smoothly, her character development enough to have developed characters while also leaving room for imagination, and the audio version was read by three different narrators for Altha, Violet, and Kate (which I’m a big fan of). Weyward is perfect for readers looking for some magic and female empowerment in their lives.

Note: If you are considering reading Weyward I suggest reviewing the content warnings before picking up the novel.

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Review by Sarah Turner-Hill, Adult Programming Coordinator.

Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo

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By the time this review is published, Summer Reading will have begun at the Joplin Public Library. The Summer Reading Program is a free, all ages reading challenge that runs from May 28th through July 21. Participants can keep track of their reading during that time on a paper log or online (www.joplinpubliclibrary.org/summer-reading) and win prizes. The reading challenge is accompanied by in-person events for all ages. Our theme this year is “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” I have selected a few of my favorite books that fit this theme to share in my review.

On the surface, the plot of Jesús Trejo and Eliza Kinkz’s Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock hardly seems like an adventure; the young narrator goes to work with his dad on Saturdays. Lucky for us, Jesús, the young boy telling the story, has an active imagination and an infectious sense of adventure. His father is a gardener, and he gets to go with him to work every Saturday where he helps plant, cut grass, and trim trees. The most special job, however, is keeping track of the titular magical water jug. Jesús’ papȧ clues him into its magical timekeeping properties: “When the jug is empty, that means, time to go home.” Jesús is tasked with making sure the water doesn’t spill, but he also has plenty of fun along the way. Trees are scary monsters and sleepy cats are lounging vacationers. He takes all aspects of the family business seriously, from trimming and raking to digging and mowing. The reader can’t help but notice, however, how carefree Jesús is with the water in the jug. He takes a few sips here, a few sips there. He gives it to the little dog in the sweater who must be hot and the peacocks with their giant tails. He even splashes it on his face a few times as the sun gets higher in the sky. When the water jug runs empty, Jesús proudly announces that work is done for the day– at 10:30 AM. It turns out that the magical water-jug isn’t magical at all and they needed that water to last all day. Jesús’ father is understanding and offers a kind pep talk rather than a stern lecture.

Kinkz’ hand drawn illustrations are reminiscent of Chris Raschka of The Hello, Goodbye Window fame (among other titles). The illustrations are loose and fun, with watercolor often spilling out of an item’s defined edges. The characters’ facial expressions have a distinctly cartoon style, with a squiggly curlique nose for Jesús, an angry tree with its tongue sticking out, and bug-eyed peacocks with sunglasses on. Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock would be a good book with different illustrations, but Kinkz illustrations really seem like a perfect match for Trejo’s story. I would recommend this book for preschool and early elementary readers.

The Children’s Department staff has compiled a list of suggested titles to complement the “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” Other picture book favorites of mine include Jess Hannigan’s Spider in the Well, a strikingly illustrated modern-day fable about a town called Bad Goodsburg, Adam Rex’s increasingly outlandish picture book On Account of the Gum, and Christoper Denise’s Knight Owl, the tale of a tiny but mighty bird.

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You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue

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Hernán Cortés meeting Moctezuma in 1519 holds some space in our North American imagination. Two trajectories of human development—long separated by time and distance—crossed in Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. For many, it symbolizes the beginning of the end, the Old World commencing its dominion in the New World. Imagine the meeting: European steel and gunpowder entering the dominant empire in Mesoamerica. We can almost feel the tension five centuries later.

In You Dreamed of Empires, Álvaro Enrigue has a reimagining for the ages. Yes, it foretells the eventual clash between Spanish conquistadors and a sophisticated city. But most of the novel reads like the most awkward of weekend getaways between two groups of people trying to understand what in the blazes is going on. It’s often comedic, taking the reader on a delightful, almost hallucinogenic flight.

We first find Cortés and a few of his men as dinner guests of Moctezuma’s retinue. One conquistador, never having experienced the deliciousness of chocolate, wants to down the frothy cacao drink that was served. However, the Tenochtitlan priest seated next to him—”his teeth filed sharp as a cat’s”—has him more than a little unnerved. More than anything, it’s the nauseating stench of coagulated blood from the priest’s cape made of human skin.

The fact that the Spaniard is not eating his soup is becoming an issue. Moctezuma’s priests are whispering. Cortés shoots the soldier a reproachful look, like a parent silently scolding a child with a flash of the eyes: Eat! The soldier finally imbibes, prompting a comrade to raise his cup of chocolate at his countrymen, as if to say, “Looking good, Spain.”

Moctezuma leaves others to deal with the Spaniards. He’s deep within the palace complex, self-medicating with psychedelic mushrooms. His depressed malaise is crippling. He’s always having to solidify power and find opposing warriors to sacrifice in the temples. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. And it’s not as though the “testy gods” are appreciative, what with their “blithely doling out droughts, earthquakes, defeats, and invasions.” Now, here are these Spaniards, these “bearded ones.” So Moctezuma lies down. “The Silence his nap demanded was imperial.” All things within the palace become hushed. When he wakes, he rings a royal bell, its peal waking “a whole world” just before he returns to sleep.

The conquistadors are left to wander the impressive and disorienting palace complex. With its many canals, one soldier remarks that it’s like Venice. Another responds, “It’s like Venice, but in hell.” The palace is so silent and empty it feels as though they’re “strolling along the seafloor.” Every day is like a Sunday, says another. Meanwhile, the soldier charged with stabling the horses is having some difficulty in finding suitable accommodations. The problem, of course, is that horses are just as new to the area as the Spanish.

Are they guests, or are they prisoners? They don’t know. There is, nevertheless, the feeling that they are getting away with something. Could they ever get this close to the Spanish crown? Of course not. But look at them now, even if they do feel idiotic marching through this heat and humidity in helmets and breastplates. In fact, when comparing their attire with Moctezuma’s warriors’ headdresses representing their guardian animals, the Spanish crested helmets seem “about as majestic now as a bagpiper’s bonnet.”

Tlilpotonqui, the mayor of Tenochtitlan, at times comes across as an overworked concierge. When Moctezuma beacons, go he must. He’s had it up to here with everyone and everything. We can imagine him trying not to get caught rolling his eyes when has to listen to He Who Looses the Rain of Words and Governs the Songs Lest We Be Like the Flowers and Bees That Last But a Few Days sing—once again —the “interminable” Legend of the Suns.

Excessive rumination is not something that burdens Cortés. We know from history that Cortés was positively awful. And he’s dreadful here too. If there is one thing that burns inside Cortés, it’s his quest for gold. It’s purported that Cortés said to Moctezuma’s representatives, “I and my companions suffer from a disease of the heart which can be cured only with gold.”

Eventually, Moctezuma—fully sated on magic mushrooms—emerges. Here he is, the mighty ruler of the “fear-producing machine” that is Tenochtitlan. And what happens? He and one of his priests hear a T.Rex song from the 1970s and start dancing about.

Absurd? Yes, of course. But there’s Borgesian magical realism in play here, especially toward the end of the novel. If that’s not exactly your literary bag, perhaps it may help to know that this novel is rather svelte, coming in at just over 200 pages. And, really, when capturing the peculiarity of this time and place, magical realism offers its own illuminative qualities.

Cortés and his men weren’t the first Spaniards to reach Mesoamerica. It was already known among many Mesoamericans that these “foreigners were ordinary men, but when there were many of them they became terrifying.” So it’s no wonder that in Enrigue’s incantatory novel, he has Moctezuma asking Cortés to just stop, to join him, and to “dream now.” It all “doesn’t last, like flowers.”

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Reviewed by Jason Sullivan

The Fields by Erin Young

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Robyn Young writes historical fiction in her home country of England. Under the pseudonym Erin Young, she has crossed the pond, at least in print, and penned her first thriller. Set in Waterloo, Iowa and the surrounding farm country, The Fields is a thriller that makes a statement on big agriculture and family farms.

It opens with Chloe Miller running for her life in a cornfield. When a drone approaches she curls as close to the corn stalks as possible hoping to hide from her pursuer. Days later her body is discovered by a co-op farmer surveying the crop.

From the wounds on the body it is obvious that this is a murder, making it Sergeant Riley Fisher’s first big case as head of the Investigations Division of the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department. The pressure is intense as the sheriff wants a quick resolution, the men who wanted the promotion she got are waiting for her to fail, and the victim was a childhood friend. A friend from a time that Riley desperately wishes she could forget.

Chloe was married to James who is a researcher for GFT, a corn breeding company. They live in an affluent part of town so how did Chloe end up in the field and where is her car? James immediately becomes a suspect as he never reported his wife as missing.

Her team starts building a case, collecting evidence and conducting interviews. Then another body is found. This victim was strangled but had some of the same wounds found on Chloe. Nicole King was killed in an old meat-packing plant and evidence points to someone camping in the plant. Besides Nicole’s purse and a backpack there are lots of pill bottles from a local pharmacy. The evidence leads to a displaced veteran, George Anderson. But Anderson seems to have disappeared along with others who have been living on the streets.

The pharmacist identifies the drug as Fenozen which at least one of his former employees had been stealing. One of the suspected thieves is Sarah Foster. Sarah is known to the department because her daughter, Gracie, has been missing for weeks and believed to be a runaway.

Despite the wounds the two victims don’t have anything in common so James Miller is still Riley’s number one suspect in Chloe’s death. First the sheriff and then the governor warns her to leave James alone. Riley’s father worked for the governor in the past so he knows her but why is he steering her away from Miller?

Then Gracie is found in the river with similar wounds to the other two victims. Black Hawk County now has the requisite three bodies to think they have a serial killer. But the only thing tying the victims together is the strange wounds. The cause of death is different for each victim and they have nothing in common except their gender.

Is there one murderer, two or even three? When the FBI comes in to assist, Riley knows she has to solve the case quickly or lose it. But how do you find such an unpredictable killer or killers?

There is a lot going on in this novel. Riley has the pressures of her job and uneasy relationships with some of her colleagues plus the past trauma this case stirs up. Then there is her substance abusing brother, his fourteen year old daughter and her grandfather dying from dementia. Add in the complexities of the case along with some political intrigue and eco-terrorists and it‘s hard to keep everyone straight. I found myself stopping a time or two so I could remember where the character fit in.

Most of the story is in the third person but Riley speaks in her own voice occasionally and there are a couple of chapters from an unnamed character giving you a glimpse of someone spiraling out of control. Is this the killer or a potential victim?

I like well-developed characters and Riley fits the bill. Once all the different plot lines were in place the novel rushed to an action-packed ending. I will give you fair warning, the author doesn’t shy away from gory descriptions and there is a horror element I didn’t expect.

This is the first book featuring Riley Fisher. A second book, Original Sins, was released in March. If you like Karin Slaughter’s novels or enjoyed The Killing Hills by Offutt or Highway by C.J. Box, I recommend you give this title a try.

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Review written by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian

The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel

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One year ago, author and paleobiologist Sal Drake died in a car crash on a winding mountain road in Italy. He left behind a wife – Jane – and two teenage daughters, Eve and Vera. Each of them has been struggling with this loss in her own way.

Vera, barely thirteen, longs for stability and a sense of home. She wants to keep the remains of her family as close as possible, ideally at home in California.

Eve, fifteen, also wants to stay in California. She wants a normal teenage life, full of rebellion and bad decisions.

Jane, who had spent her life as her husband’s research assistant and editor, is now pursuing her own graduate degree in paleobiology. Unfortunately for her daughters, that means spending their summer on a research trip in Siberia.

Jane’s professor is heading to the extreme North to study mammoth fossils. Their lab has been working with mammoth DNA, hoping to eventually edit the DNA of an elephant to give it mammoth-like qualities. They create and observe embryos of these “cold-adapted elephants,” hoping to one day grow a full-fledged almost-mammoth.

While avoiding the scientists, Eve and Vera discover the mummified remains of a baby woolly mammoth. They bring their prize back to the cabin, where their discovery quickly becomes the professor’s success – he will take the credit, in the same way that their mother’s work will be seen as an extension of his efforts.

Back in California, with their mummified mammoth safely preserved and being studied, Jane and her daughters find themselves invited to a celebratory banquet. There they meet Helen – a wealthy, enigmatic woman who understands the female condition that has led them to this place.

What starts as an offhand comment from Vera, leads to Jane and her daughters traveling to Helen’s home in Italy. With a stolen disc of mammoth embryos in a cooler.

Helen’s husband is a retired veterinarian, and their estate is home to hundreds of animals – including an adult female elephant. Against all odds, they successfully impregnate the elephant. Actually keeping a secret baby woolly mammoth alive comes with its own challenges.

And the more time the family stays with Helen and her husband, the less they are sure they can trust them.

THE LAST ANIMAL by Ramona Ausubel has the bones of a science fiction thriller – rogue scientist resurrects extinct animal with the help of wealthy people with too much time on their hands – but the heart of a domestic drama.

The struggles the three women are facing are very internal. Jane is trying to keep the baby mammoth alive, but what she is really struggling with is her own future. She is not sure she has the drive to keep working to be a scientist when she feels so worn down by the loss of her husband.

Vera and Eve are both desperate for their mother’s love. They feel set adrift in their own grief, which they express in very different ways. Both sisters feel that their mother has abandoned them for this new creature that she has brought into the world.

Pearl, the baby mammoth, is a creature out of time. No one knows how to care for her; her elephant mother rejects her and has to be removed. She longs for a world that no longer exists.

Ausubel’s lyrical prose accentuates the depth of all this grief, while her quick pacing keeps the plot moving forward. THE LAST ANIMAL is a globe-spanning, high-stakes story with a deep heart.

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Book review by Alyssa Berry, Technical Services Librarian

The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand

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Hopefully the idea of summer reading brings to mind getting outside, perhaps on the beach, and taking time to get lost in a good book or two.  In Libraryland this type of book is usually called a beach read, even if you’re not at the beach. They usually end up being some of my favorites each year. In my mind beach reads are light, fluffy, hard to put down quick reads that one would want to take on vacation.  They can be hardcover or paperback, but softcovers are my go to, since they are lighter and take up less space, allowing me to pack even more books.  Which do you prefer: hardcovers, paperbacks, or maybe even your Kindle or iPhone for eBook reading?  

Either way, you cannot go wrong, reading is reading, and as we move into a time of warmer temperatures and greener spaces, I love to think about what my summer reading will shape up to include.  One title that I would recommend adding to your list now is THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand. It has all the elements of a great beach read – summer setting, compulsively readable, and just a hint of romance.

From her social media accounts Hollis Shaw’s life looks picturesque and perfect.  She’s married to Matthew, a heart surgeon, lives in a large, modern house, spends summers in Nantucket, has raised a smart, accomplished daughter who is away at college, and has a popular food blog called Hungry with Hollis. 

But after a winter-time accident that takes Matthew’s life right before Christmas, Hollis’ world comes crashing down. She tries to find comfort in her work and her daughter, but neither offers the support she needs. The only bright spot is a woman who she met through her blog – Gigi Ling.  Gigi offers a compassionate, listen ear and Hollis is so thankful for her friendship. However, after Hollis makes a heartbreaking confession about having a fight with Matthew before his accident, Gigi disappears, too.

As the seasons change from winter to summer, Hollis does what she normally does, returns home to Nantucket.  She hopes this might help improve her mental outlook, but it is only harder because Nantucket contains a version of Matthew that was more relaxed and fun when they were there.  The memories are unbearably hard for Hollis.  She is having trouble sleeping and eating, until one day she finds an article on the internet about what another widow did to help herself after the death of her husband.  It’s called The Five Star Weekend.

The premise of The Five Star Weekend is that you invite one friend from each phase of your life, for a total of four friends, on a trip, or as Hollis does, to your home, to spend the weekend together celebrating the friendships that have helped make you who you are today. 

Hollis loves this idea – “five women together for the weekend, and a weekend filled with elevated experiences worthy of five stars.” She immediately starts to organize her own Five Star Weekend with her friends and plans to have them visit in two weeks.  She invites her childhood best friend Tatum, her college best friend Dru-Ann, her “prime of life” best friend Brooke, and she struggles for a fourth friend, but finally settles on Gigi Ling.  

What could possibly go wrong?  Hollis soon finds out that her vision of a low-key weekend is not to be had.  Her friends are there to support her, but they all have past or current drama that keeps getting mixed in with the girls’ weekend activities. Shenanigans ensue and secrets abound.  All making for a delightful, dramatic read.

Not everyone can go to Nantucket this summer, but readers can get a glimpse of what it might be like through Elin Hilderbrand’s eyes. THE FIVE STAR WEEKEND is a pleasure to read.  

Here are a few more of my favorite beach reads from year’s past: 

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

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Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

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I typically do not drift into the world of horror fiction because, in short, I’m a chicken that scares easily. Horror movies are not for me, either. I feel as if I am missing out on a chunk of literature that offers talented writers and grand stories, so to that end, I’ve been stretching my comfort zone and reading some horror fiction here and there. I say that cautiously as light horror has been my aim, I am in no means ready for something like Stephen King’s It, but perhaps one day. Something that I love about reading is the opportunity to explore and try new things, and to answer to no one but myself with what I choose.

Enter my most recent read: Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. In learning more about this novel before reading it I saw some websites describing it as horror and thriller fiction, but what initially drew my attention was the interesting plot surrounding a strong theme of grief.

Our Wives Under the Sea is a split narrative, short and easy to listen to (I opted for the audio version) that follows couple Leah and Miri.

Leah and Miri used to have a happy marriage filled with fond memories that Miri reflects upon frequently. They met, fell in love, and were married. Leah’s work as a marine biologist would sometimes take her away on trips, Miri missing her dearly, but they would always come together again and pick up where they left off.

Until the last trip Leah went on: a voyage to the depths of the ocean with two other researchers to gather information, on what is not made clear, funded by a mysterious company. Alternating chapters between Miri, who is narrating in the book’s present time, and Leah, who is narrating by way of a journal kept during this research trip, it is revealed that this research trip did not go at all as Leah and Miri thought it would.

Both Leah and Miri are unreliable narrators for several reasons, but prominently because they are both struggling through grief, loss, and love. Miri is realizing that the life she once knew with Leah is no longer reality. She struggles with worry for Leah (who has come back different than she left), sorrow for herself, and questions that have no answers. Miri spends hours on the phone trying to contact the mystery agency that sent Leah and her two comrades on a submarine into the ocean, attempting to find out why the 3 week research mission turned into 6 months, and how to help Leah, who is changing more and more with each passing chapter of the book. Leah won’t respond to Miri’s questions, even in the therapist sessions they attend together, and Miri stops asking or really talking much to Leah, finding it so increasingly difficult to do so. Miri is not perfect in her care for Leah, but it is clear that Leah is all she really thinks about. Miri bounces between extreme grief and hopelessness, and glimmers of love and hope when thinking of her past life with Leah or when Leah gives just a little hint of who she used to be.

When Miri is contacted by the sister of one of Leah’s fellow researchers she becomes hopeful that perhaps she’ll finally know more about what happened to Leah and what she went through, but the answers she does receive just provides further murkiness to the situation. As the novel progresses Leah’s state declines, and Miri’s grief is palpable.

So as not to reveal too much I won’t write anything further about what happened to Leah while under the sea, or what she goes through when she returns. Armfield does an excellent job of revealing Leah’s story bit by bit to the reader in a manner that is suspenseful and at times, horrific. I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and picked up this book. It was creepy and gothic enough to lend itself to the horror genre tag, but not overly so. Armfield’s writing is strong and oftentimes poetic, creating a heartbreakingly beautiful story. I was really feeling for and with the characters, and I think this novel lends itself well to different interpretations depending on the reader. This is a fluid novel that left me with more questions than answers, and it is one of my favorite reads so far this year.

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Review written by Sarah Turner-Hill, Adult Programming Coordinator

BRIDGES by Marc Majewski and GOODNIGHT TO YOUR FANTASTIC ELASTIC BRAIN by JoAnn and Terrence Deak

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At the start of the COVID lockdown, my then-four year old spent every day either jumping on his trampoline or measuring things. He wanted to know how long the biggest animals were and to measure them in our yard.

We measured the length of a gray whale (90 feet or three school buses). We are lucky to have very nice neighbors because we had to start in their yard and walk back and forth with the tape measure from their lawn to our back fence. He is now eight, but he’s still just as curious about the biggest of the big, the smallest of the small, and everything in between.

One of my most recent favorite nonfiction titles that fits the bill is Marc Majewski’s Bridges. Folks, the title does not disappoint. This book has a lot of bridges in it. What’s more, each bridge shown in the book is contrasted with another bridge with opposing features. The international orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge “stands out” while the Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge in India “blends in.” Most pages have simple sentences describing what each bridge is or does (“bridges stand firm” and “bridges swing,” for example).

Majewski’s acrylic illustrations are beautiful while maintaining factual accuracy. They are fun and brightly colored enough to catch the casual viewer’s eye while reading, but they are intricate enough to encourage prolonged viewing. I love that Majewski’s book serves two purposes and can be adapted to various ages. Bridges can serve as a beautiful standalone picture book, great for one-one-one or large group readings. It can also be used to learn more about architecture and engineering, as the endpages include the names and brief descriptions of every bridge shown in the book. My son and I read the story along with the descriptions, flipping back and forth between the story and the descriptions to learn more about each bridge as we read. I appreciate the choice to include the details at the end of the book so the text does not obscure the stunning illustrations.

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The second title I want to share isn’t quite an exploration of big or small, but it offers accessible insight into how humans work. JoAnn and Terrence Deak’s Goodnight to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is an excellent primer on the developing brain. JoAnn Deak, PhD, is a preventive psychologist and Terrence Deak is a professor of psychology and behavioral neuroscience. Suffice to say, they know their stuff. Though they are both academics, this elementary nonfiction offering is anything but dry. On the contrary, it’s a fun and engaging read. This is partially due to the cartoon-like illustrations from artist Neely Daggett, but the writing itself is relatable and scaffolded to teach young readers something new based on assumed prior knowledge and lived experiences. The authors promote Goodnight as a “growth mindset” book, and it lives up to that proclamation. I appreciate that it does not rely on platitudes about trying your best (though such sentiments have their place). Instead, it describes the parts of the brain that make you capable of trying again after failing (and the importance of doing so). The book’s primary focus is the role that sleep plays in a developing brain. The authors explain concepts like the prefrontal cortex and how healthy sleep patterns contribute to its ongoing development and help you feel more in control. Daggett’s full-page illustrations perfectly enhance the concepts explained in the book. I would recommend this book as a one-on-one read for an adult and an elementary-aged reader.

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How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite by Chris Balakrishnan and Matt Wasowski

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If you are looking for a little science education in a fun, light read (or even if you’re not), I’ve got the book for you. How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite by Chris Balakrishnan and Matt Wasowski will both educate and entertain.

Balakrishnan and Wasowski are the editors of this title; seventy self-described nerds have contributed the content. Nerd Nites are gatherings that take place in cities around the world where a presenter will share their knowledge on a topic while adult beverages may or may not be consumed. Topics range from shark babies to dating apps to Godzilla. Since participation at a Nerd Nite is, by its format, limited, this book allows all these presenters to share their knowledge over and over with anyone who can read or listen.

This is a book you can read from cover to cover or just open to a random spot and be instantly immersed. Entries are 3-5 pages in length and are (depending on your views) fascinating, sometimes kind of gross, amusing, and always educational.

The Contents pages are detailed enough that you can pick and choose entries that interest you. The first section is Creature Features. Here you’ll learn that camel spiders are not venomous as rumored but can grow to be 5” to 6” long and if they chase you it’s just because you moved the shadow that they were resting in. You’ll also find entries on dolphins, cephalopods, stomatopods, and anemonefish (remember Nemo) who change their sex as they mature.

The next section is on Brains. Explore why certain repetitive sounds drive us crazy, why some people are happier than others, why we hear foreign accents and find what synesthesia is? You will also learn why disgust can be dangerous. Then it’s on to Bodily Fluids. You’ll explore among other things the difficulties of going to the bathroom in space, all the different species besides mammals that feed their young milk and that the shin plays a role in bladder control.

Next up is Doing It. Here the nerds talk about how to be perceived as more physically attractive (wear red), how some animals attract partners, online dating, and 10 things you didn’t know about sex. Health and (Un)Wellness explores topics in medicine. If you’ve got the stomach for it, learn something about maggot therapy. Also covered is DNA, the hangover, the microbiome, and genetics.

You’ll want to dip into Pathogens and Parasites for the zombies, birds, and antiviral immune response. But if you have any tendencies toward hypochondria you might want to skip human parasites. Death and Taxes is really just about death. Learn about Monarch the bear, mass extinction and the algae apocalypse.

Next up misinformation about space is explored along with asteroids, Jupiter’s moon Europa, artificial gravity and the Tagish Lake Meteorite. Tech (High and Low) ranges from GMOs to dating apps to human powered flight. You’ll also get info on Google, prosthetic limbs, machine learning, why we should (or shouldn’t) domesticate bacteria and the potential of nuclear fusion.

Some will debate the next section, Math Is fun. You’ll want to dip in here if for nothing else than is it better to put in the milk first or the tea? You can also hear about gossip, music theory, infinity and cryptography.

To wrap things up the nerds explore careers. Want to be a veterinarian? Learn about all the things a dog will swallow and what not to say to your vet. Find out what Chindogu is, the truth about dead bodies and embalming, and learn a little about animal CSI.

This is a fun, entertaining read and like a library – it has something for almost everyone but not everyone will want to read all of the Nerd Nite offerings.

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Review written by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian