The Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier

With September and October on their way, apple season is upon us! I understand the harvest of apples this year is plentiful. So, I picked up this book with "125 Freshly Picked Recipes". The donuts on the cover were my first temptation. I checked to see if there was a recipe for apple fritters and there were two. Next, I noticed how they incorporated apples into meat dishes and main courses. Lastly, I saw the section on preserving the apple harvest. So if you have apples coming out of your ears, pick up this book for some new ideas.

In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

In 1952, 3 plane crashes devastated the town of Elizabeth, New Jersey.  The community mourns for the lost but moves forward.  Having lived in Elizabeth at the time, Blume channeled her firsthand experience into Miri Ammerman, a wise and eccentric teenager coping with peer pressure and first love.  The novel begins with Miri flying back to her hometown for the 35th memorial of the victims and ends in the '80s, following up on how the characters develop.  We traveled back in time where Blume painted a vivid depiction of the '50s.  The story has many subplots, besides the mother and daughter relationship of Miri and Rusty, Blume weaves in a host of characters, exploring the non-traditional themes of love and family, philosophical and existential queries and the nuances of living day-to-day.  As Miri points out, "Life is a series of unlikely events... adding up to a rich and complicated whole."

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss

When I was a lad, Dr. Seuss was the fad
and  I learned to read at his hand. 
But then he passed on,
and the new books were gone,
and darkness fell over the land.

But deep in his study lay
a box which he had,
stuffed with his manuscripts
both good and bad. 
His projects and riddles,
his drawings and musings,
his thoughts and his trials.
What the world might be losing!

But a few fine new folks
out at Random House Books,
convinced his wife Audrey
to take a fresh look. 

Among all the papers and drawings and creatures,
was the plans for this book, an unfinished feature! 
The problem is simple, What Pet Should I Get? 
The answer is tough, Seuss surprises us yet! 

So set back, my dear reader,
grab kids if you have them,
and share this new book! 

Here, now delivered, what children are needing,
a new book from Seuss, 
THE MAN WHO SAVED READING!

Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf

     This book follows the lives of two people. The first one is Ellen Moore, who is married with three children. She works as a social worker and is dedicated to her job. The second one is Jenny Briard, a ten year old girl who has been living with her father. He tries to take are of Jenny, but can't keep a job, likes, women, and tends to drink too much.
     Each character has an event happern to them that is bound to change their lives. A devastating accident involving Ellen's youngest child puts that child at death's door and threatens to imprison Ellen. At the same time, Jenny finds herself on her own and has to find the strenght to survive.
     As their paths cross, events keep rolling along and you don't know if things are going to work out or not. I found the story very intriguing and was able to read it quickly because I found the subject matter so interesting. I will for more books written by this author.

The Catalyst by Helena Coggan

I was first drawn to The Catalyst when I learned that its author, Helena Coggan, wrote the first draft for the book at the age of 13. Now 15, she has seen her work published and has moved on to writing its follow-up. Written for young adults, The Catalyst is one of those books that will be enjoyed by adults as well as young readers. It fits into the dystopian society/fantasy genre that has been so popular in recent years.
The story takes place in London, 18 years after scientists cracked open the sky and released souls from beyond which then inhabited the bodies of those here on earth. Society was divided into two factions - the Gifted which have magic powers; and, the Ashkind, which have no powers. These sides battled it out in a world war call the Angelic Wars.
The Catalyst's main character, Rose, is 15-years-old and living in a world that has an uneasy peace. Her father works in a police-type division called the Department, and they are in charge of keeping the world safe. There are many secrets among the characters of the book, including between Rose and her father. There are groups trying to start another world war, and there are groups called Demons and Hybrids that inter-twine with the Ashkind and the Gifted that cause many stresses and strains.
The book is a quick read, but pay attention to where everyone's loyalties lie - there are many twists and turns as the story plays out. It comes to a tidy conclusion, but it also leaves itself open for the volume that Coggan is currently at work on.

The Wright Brothers by David McCollough

If you need a good, detailed refresher on the world’s first mechanical flight, then this is the book for you.

For me, however, the neatest thing about David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers is the fact that the author has the brothers in the air and flying at Kill Devil Hill at about the one-third mark of the book. He spends the remaining two-thirds of the pages following the Wrights in their post first-flight days; covering the testing, and marketing, of the world’s first mechanically powered airplane.

For two years after their success in North Carolina, the Wrights worked on their airplane in Ohio, logging numerous flights. From there, Wilbur headed to France to present their efforts and hopefully sell the technology. Orville remained in America, and nearly lost his life in a flying accident. McCullough covers all of this in great detail—due to both his great skill as an author, and the fact that the Wright family was very diligent in writing and documenting every aspect of their lives. It is a very detailed look at the lives of these famous aviators.

 

 

Rook by Sharon Cameron

An homage to The Scarlet Pimpernel, this story is set in a future where technology no longer exists.  The action centers around a feisty heroine who is more that what she seems.  There is romance, political intrigue, lots of action, and quirky characters.  Great fun!