After a trip to Abilene, my kids found this book and chuckled when they gave it to me, wondering if it would stand up to the rigors of my post-reading critique. My copy is an ARC, with cover art that looked very amateurish to me. Let's just say that faced with this, my expectations were quite low. Nevertheless, this author can write! I was drawn in to the three intertwining stories of the female protagonists, two women and an adolescent girl. The stories held up, the plot moved along, and I would most definitely read another book by author Dare DeLano. I would, however, recommend a new cover design.

This author's wise and unbiased research into the happenings of Charlottesville and the January 6 riot are impressive. That a team would so gallantly take on the task of analyzing both of those horrible events, piece by piece, to discover where things went wrong, is admirable and gives one hope. That is, until you realize that sometimes those in power are not in search of ways to thwart wrongdoing, but rather the ones perpetrating it.

How someone with his hurdles had the fortitude to persevere and do what he needed to be free--secretly attain literacy, escape slavery and gain an international following--speaks to his genius. Yes, he had his grandiose moments, but wouldn't one require that, to achieve what he did? His scathing indictment of the United States' version of Christianity is completely apropos today, as is the gut-wrenching poem, "A Parody", at the end of the book.

If you are a serious musician, well-versed in all of the intricacies of Mozart's compositions, this book might really strike a chord (ha!) with you. I expected a little more biography, which is there, but sketchily, in my view. There was quite a bit of supposition about why he wrote what he wrote and what he was feeling due to the goings-on around him, but of course we don't know the reality of any of that. The writer is a poet and it did, at times, feel a bit like a poetry book with a lot more flowery talk than the straight scoop. Not my jam. (Sorry, I couldn't help it.)

Special Ed teacher Torey Hayden taught the kids that no other teacher would take, and had a history of success despite her (or maybe because of) her outside-the-box style of classroom management. One day she was notified that she would be adding to her classroom a six year old who had committed a heinous crime, until a space was available at the state hospital. This story tells the tale of her introduction to Sheila, the challenge(s) in reaching her, and the breakthrough that occurred due to her relentless pursuit of a connection. I couldn't put it down. There is a sequel, and I got it for Christmas--gotta go read!

I have to start by saying I read an ARC, so there's that. I was befuddled by a couple of early inconsistencies (I even went back and re-read the whole start to see if I'd forgotten something--nope) which made me feel like I was walking on a wobbly fence top, not quite knowing what I knew about the story. That aside, however, I didn't feel that the characters were very well-developed, nor was the conclusion very clear. I'm afraid it's a "meh" for me.

In this culture so quick to cancel (and all the permutations that come before that) author Loretta Ross takes us down another road--one of "calling in". A real grown up, Loretta doesn't hide behind a screen screed, take potshots at the Thanksgiving table or whisper behind her hand to a sympathetic listener. She constructively confronts, and creates a dialogue in order to (hopefully) build a bridge, or perhaps just create a moment of thoughtfulness. She has had a life full of challenges, and has come out a beacon of inspiration. I hope someday I can have a fraction of her mature hutzpah and set a good example for my granddaughters. So far, though, nope.

I enjoyed this lighthearted, if slightly flip overview of democracy, what one may do to preserve it, as well as what will not work. The writing style was enjoyable but the overall message was still there--we're in trouble.

Very knowledgeable author Brandon Keim sets out to inform the reader about the fauna that surround us. No longer will you think of any creature as mere vermin (or I don't think you will) as he peppers the book with interesting tidbits that one would never know (for example, raccoons adopting orphaned kits--how sweet is that?). However, there is so much heaviness about our dismal history with animal treatment, even when people are trying to do the right thing. I had to meter my intake of information as it really dragged me down, although arguably not as much as it drags down the actual animals, so I should probably stop complaining. I do recommend it, but have another, more uplifting book to read alongside it, and then go and join a conservation organization.

Where do I start? With the horrific statistic of how many men are in prison for crimes they did not commit? With the layer upon layer of abject corruption that kept innocent men in prison despite new and indisputable evidence? This book was very well written, the author's persistence was remarkable, and yet the reality of what they/he went through is staggering and oh, so discouraging. Very reminiscent of Bryan Stevenson's "Just Mercy" but from the journalistic angle, this book will get your blood boiling and also make you rejoice in hope.

I love a good mystery, and one that can surprise me at the end is the absolute best. Unfortunately, although this book was well-written and moved along nicely, I figured out pretty early on. I would still recommend it for plot and writing.

From the revelation that the author's parents gave her the name "Austin" so she would "get the interview", this writer challenges the covert and just plain in-your-face racism that pervades every aspect of our society, including, sad to say, the Christian realm. I find her unshakable faith very inspiring, as I'm not sure I would have exhibited the same degree of dignity after being maligned time after time. She writes with candor and authority, and you just kinda want to know her to get her take on everything day to day.