Held to near-impossible standards, teenage Kambili and her older brother try to avoid all the land mines set by their exacting father to avoid severe punishment. Unsurprisingly, their mother has the same challenge. Set in Nigeria, this book is probably a story many would relate to, no matter where they grew up. Tyrranical father, adored by the world, and a house full of secrets. Well, Kambili's mom also has secrets, as it turns out.

This tale of swashbuckling derring-do sounds like it's straight out of a little adventurer's imagination, and although Alexandre Dumas made the most of his father's heroics in the writing of his famous books, his dad was the real McCoy. Born in Saint-Domingue 1762, his predicted trajectory would typically have been to be worked to death on a sugar plantation, as was the norm in that time, in that place. However, even with the world pitted against his race, he excelled so far as to be unignorable. At a time when chaos reigned, he managed to navigate the swirling political tides and survive with his head high as a general in the French army. And when the odds were stacked against him and his army, he somehow became a real-life hero, creating not only an example for his men on the battlefield, but in life.

This book starts at the beginning and takes you through every aspect of how maps were originally made, conjured, faked, battled over--well, you get the point. Along the way there are a lot of human behavior nuggets too, and you realize just how complicated this whole map-making biz is. It's a fun and interesting dive into how we figured out how to get around without the stars as our guide.

This novel, inspired by the author's life experiences, brings up a lot of tragedy and pain for her, and I'm sure putting it down on paper was therapeutic. But for me, her telling of this bleak story, some of which was, I'm sure, hers, just didn't work. I didn't connect with the main character, and the story didn't flow. It seemed strained and odd. I've read other downcast books that didn't give me the same impression, so it wasn't the mood. I just don't think her writing resonates with me. But I do like the color of her hair in the pic on the back.

There's no one like David, and he's still got it in this book of observations. Sometimes you'll laugh, but not always. More and more, he's exploring a deeper emotion as life brings new challenges and experiences. I'll read anything he writes. Grocery lists, memos, you name it. He sees things no one else does, and writes it all so well.

The concept of forgiveness is so difficult. On the religious side, one is urged to forgive as God forgive us. For those of a different ilk, one should forgive even just to relieve the burden we're toting around when we are wanting to exact vengeance. This book, written by a woman whose beliefs are not tied to Christianity, explores the depth of what it took for one man to forgive, and his path forward after he did. When a group of teenage girls murdered an elderly lady, people were horrified and wanted action. One of the girls, Paula, age 15 at the time, was sentenced to death. This book tells her story, from beginning to end. The step-grandson of the murdered woman is her counterpoint, receiving a revelation from his grandmother to forgive the girl. This book is inspirational in its conviction, but wow, it's not a happy read.

In this exhaustively-researched book, Stephanie Coontz takes us on a trip down memory lane, with the purpose of pointing out the ruts in the road, washed-out bridges, and repeated flat tires. She disabuses the notion that despite what people think they remember, things weren't always so peachy around the old dinner table/'hood/job. It was a bit of a slog, however, as the facts and studies piled up. Remember in high school classes how at the end of a chapter there would be "Key Points"? I wanted that. But alas. There were a few nuggets I'll remember and take away, but the swirl of information was so incessant that I'm afraid much of it has already leaked out of this sieve I call my brain. If you want to skip the 409 pages, here are some spoilers. 1. The "welfare queen" churning out babies is a myth. The birth rate decreases as assistance increases. 2. There was one abortion for every 5 live births in the 1850s, and 1 for every 3 in the 1870s. 3. Two-thirds of historical societies for which evidence is available have condoned homosexual relations. 4. Black fathers not living in the house with their children tend to be more involved and spend more time with their children than white fathers in the same situation. 5. Memories are skewed. An interesting study revealed that immediately after summer camp, kids will, when asked, remember equal numbers of positive and negative things about their experience. As the days and weeks pass, however, the bad things tend to disappear, and what they remember are the good things. 6. The assertion that "half of all marriages end in divorce" is misleading. In the old days, people died at much younger ages, reducing the length of marriages in a different way. Some of that was directly quoted from the book, and I apologize to the author for my plagiarism. She's a master, and I'm a hack. You get the idea, though. If you have a mind to remember data, dive in! It's comprehensive and impressive.

Having always been fascinated, horrifyingly so, by the fact that the character we know as Dracula was inspired by a real person, I had to pick this one up. The author has aptly named the book, because although it is directed at her protagonist, it absolutely applies to her. This is a meaty (nothing intended there), solid account of the history of Vlad de Tepes, or "The Impaler", but interwoven with a story of pursuit, mystery and romance. And, of course, tragedy. If I was horrified by the guy before, he's absolutely terrifying to me now. I can't imagine the depth of such cruelty, and I'm sure that's how his legend was born. Or is it a legend? Turns out I know someone who is descended from him. Hmmm . . . I might start carrying garlic.

Don't we all feel overwhelmed at times by obligations? The push/pull of family expectations? Extra tasks at work? Friends who just want that bit more of you than you're comfortable giving? I was given this book by my daughter-in-law, who said she'd really enjoyed it. Since it was a gift, I had to read it, right? Truth be told, it's probably not one I would have picked up at a bookstore, despite it's diminutive silhouette. (I'm a sucker for any extreme in book construction, be it a pocket cutie or something more suited to be carted around by wheelbarrow.) Anyway, its cute little size and whimsical cover suggest a lighthearted finger-wag at people who can't set boundaries, and honestly, at first, I kind of thought that's what it would be. All it would be. But as the book progressed, I began to see the author's wisdom and "no"-nonsense (!) way of prodding the reader to learn to decline almost any invitation, directive, suggestion, etc. in an honest, kind, and unapologetic manner. She holds firm that recipients of said declinations usually rise to the occasion and act like mature adults, and if they don't, well, is that really an issue for which you are responsible? Nope. Although this book absolutely gave me permission to quit reading at any point, I found myself enjoying every little bit of it.

An antihero from China--looked down upon by kin as hailing from a bad branch of the family tree--makes his way to the U.S. with a loan from his father's boss and the security of a rich uncle awaiting his arrival. Nothing quite turned out the way he'd been informed, and Shelley has to find his own way, counting on the "Chinese Groove" to help him along. There are many bumps in the road, happy surprises and disappointments, too, but Shelley turns out to be someone very much deserving of happiness and admiration. Some humor, some drama--an easy read.

This is the first book I've read by Mr. Janetti, but it most certainly will not be the last. A combination of acerbic wit and soul-baring confession, we can all relate to the vignettes of his life--he just says it all better than most of us ever could. I tore through it, knowing I'd be mad at myself for not making it last longer, but what could I do? I couldn't wait.

Susan Orlean, who could write about just anything and make it interesting (and has), turns her attention to her love of animals in this delightful book. Each chapter has its own focus and you'll find yourself wanting a furry (or feathered) friend of each ilk. Whether you are inspired to go all in and start adopting, or just find a new appreciation for our earthly companions, this book is guaranteed to make you smile.