Holy Moley

Have you heard of the Children of God? Well, nothing could be less god-like, unless you were focusing on what NOT to do in all of the ten commandments. Miraculously, Daniella grew up in this cesspool and got out. In this book she deftly tells her story, in and out of the cult, and through the next chapter of her life, the military. She brings her sharp perspective to bear in some very deep questions at the end of the book . . . questions that I, ten books later, continue to ponder.

A Sad Family and Their Sad Secrets

An Irish clan gathers for the funeral of one of the siblings. The narrator of this book says she'd like to put down in writing what happened at her grandmother's house when she "was eight or nine", and so the book starts. For me, it dragged, with far too much detail, when I had a pretty good idea of what happened in that first sentence. It's a story lots of families have lurking in their past, and I'll bet the somber mood was accurate if that's your tale to tell. Just for me, a dark, plodding book.

Feral Facts

This is my second go-around for this book. This time, I read it in small chunks and found I retained (and enjoyed) the information lots more with that system. It's written with humor and lightheartedness, yet solid research. Highly recommended for animal fans.