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.

Reading We Have Always Lived in The Castle was an interesting and enjoyable experience, even considering the unnerving content. The intersection of horror between the physical realm (villagers), psychological realm (Constance's isolation, Charles' unwavering focus on the poisoning, Merricat's childish nature perhaps stemming from trauma) and a hint of the occult from Merricat's magic kept me interested in the story. It is well worth the read, and I look forward to reading more of Jackson's work, starting with The Haunting of Hill House.

Love that this book was selected for the 2018 Community Read! Shirley Jackson's writing style flows dreamlike and makes for a fast, engaging read. The story encompasses many issues, including bullying, individual and group neuroses and the cruelty of mob mentality and attacks on anyone who is different. A perfect read for October!

This is a great heartwarming book about friends and sticking up for yourself.

I would recommend this book because it was both quick to read but also because the events of the story move quickly as well. The author does an excellent job characterizing the main 7 throughout. There are certain times when you have to be familiar with Shakespeare to get more out of the scene- for example, important references/parallels are made with both Hamlet and Pericles (among others). The Hamlet themes are easier to pick up on, since nearly everyone has read it, but with a more obscure show like Pericles I ended up googling a lot of information that effected the events of the book. But if you have ANY interest in Shakespeare (or found family dramas) then you'll probably really enjoy this book.

This Cookbook Nook Mystery featuring bookstore owner Jenna Hart is a rather formulaic cozy. The author does include some appealing recipes (including gluten free ones) in the back of the book for those who like to cook.

11 birthdays is an ultimate magical present day fantasy. With its many plot twists along with other things unimaginable for example a witch in the present that works at the historical society also drives your bus! Wendy mass has definitely turned up the strangeness element a large amount compared to say the candymakers. I loved this book for the pure awesomeness of a repeating day . even the first time around it seems that something is brewing. Inside joke : the band is bad, slap your knees funny! This is an absolute need to read book! if you like either science fiction, fantasy or both.

Kushtakas were half man-half otter, spirits of those who had drowned. These phantoms appeared to those in danger of drowning and offered to rescue them, but aimed to turn them into kushtakas too. Only those with respect for elders and traditions and a strong will from ascetic practices were able to resist these spirits. The shamans were healers and could see into the future and tried to use their powers against the kushtakas. There are beautiful illustrations at the chapter headings. This is a nice book of native American legends.

This book involves murder, a small town public library, and a bookmobile. It is a pleasant read for those who enjoy a cozy mystery. It also includes a delicious recipe for hummingbird cake.

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!