For the Tlingit and Haida peoples, both shamans and kushtakas, land otter spirits of those who had drowned

Subtitled "Two Literary Sleuths and Their Shared Passion," this book is a joint memoir of two friends, authors, and rare book dealers. They were the ones who uncovered the blood and thunder potboilers of Louisa May Alcott published anonymously or pseudonymously and published collections of these stories, which threw a whole new light on the author of "Little Women." They enjoy their research and their special rare book finds.

This memoir is told in fragments, shards of a brutal childhood and racist schools, survival on the margins of society. But it is also about the southwest landscape, Navajo stories and spirits. The language is both poetic and sometimes almost stream of conscious. Nasdijj is a fascinating and unusual writer.

Roberts, a longtime political commentator, has written an interesting book on the wives and mothers who participated in the American Revolution and the early political life of the Republic. Based largely on the letters women wrote to their families, friends, and political leaders, the book sheds new light on women's contributions to early American history. There are wry asides comparing life and politics then and now.

This show business biography of Meryl Streep marches through her movie roles and co-stars but leaves one wanting to know more about the person as opposed to the actress.

This is the first in a new mystery series (A Georgia B&B Mystery) featuring owner Nina Fleet. Her license to operate a B&B is suddenly agreed to by the mayor if she will take in a contingent of displaced nuns. The characterization is good and the plot moves along. A good summertime read.

This is another action packed thriller. Francis is always fresh with different topics and characters and believable plots, all connected centrally or tangentially to horses. This plot involves embezzled money, foreign bank accounts, and murder. It is a fun lockdown read.

This Cookbook Nook Mystery featurn

I really liked this book! 5 stars because it only took me 45 minutes to read. Even though it is technically a children's book, I still found it enjoyable and not simplistic. Sís doesn't shy away from the violence he and friends experienced under Communist control in Prague, and also doesn't shy away from a more advanced vocabulary (what children's book uses the word cataclysmic in the second sentence?). Being born about a decade after the Cold War ended, people always talk about it as if I should know exactly what it was like, diving into deep details before giving me a general overview (and I've already taken both years of global history, so that's not the problem!). This book gave a really excellent summation of how the Cold War started and developed across Europe while also keeping a strong focus in the daily effects in Prague. I would definitely recommend this quick, educational read with wonderful, colorful artwork!