Somali and the Forest Spirit

This was such a cute little start to a series. The art is beautiful and it's such an adorable cozy fantasy. I am not always the biggest fan of manga, but this was such a cute premise and I love the artwork. Humans have been hunted almost to extinction and goblins, spirits, ghouls, and witches rule over all. When  a golem discovers a human child he makes it his mission to track down her parents or other humans. The golem doesn't have much of a life left to for, so he may as well leave his forest and go on one final quest. Wonderful. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. 

Dead Man's Ransom

When I was younger my mother got me hooked on the Masterpiece Theater Cadfael Mysteries. We watched the crud out of them and they hold such a soft place in my heart now that my mom has passed. I am slowly trying to work my way through the whole series (not in any order). The audiobook is good, but I do wish Derek Jacobi was narrating it. This series is about a Benedictine monk who solves murders in the 12th century. Dead Man's Ransom is about a sheriff who arrives ill but alive, in a ransom transfer. He is soon found dead and no one is above suspicion. The trade is off until they can find out who killed the sheriff. Even though it's a murder mystery it's like a warm cozy read. Loved it.

The Oyster Book

I am definitely not the target audience for this book but I did find it extremely interesting and impassioned. I'm a vegetarian so I don't eat meat (or fish) BUT I still gained a lot out of this book Prior to reading this I didn't know a single solitary thing about oysters except for pearls were in them (sometimes). This book described oysters, the varieties, the historical importance, and the impact they have on humans and the environment. If you are a meat eater and you are looking to be healthier and smart about saving the environment oysters are the way to go. I had no idea how much they cleaned the waters, they should be everywhere. If a vegetarian can find this interesting so can you!  

The Garden

Nick Newman (adult pen-name of Nicholas Bowling) is most notably know as the author of several children’s novels including Witchborn and In the Shadow of Heroes, but his adult fiction debut, The Garden is a chilling dystopian with a startling premise. Two elderly sisters have not left the borders of their garden in decades. They have no concepts of what lay beyond the walls, only their mother's dire warnings. Evelyn and Lily rely on their mother's almanac and it hasn't steered them wrong. But the eerie and lonely monotony of isolation has taken a toll on both of the sisters. When a young boy breeches the wall they are shocked. They haven't seen another living person in ages. What should they do with him?Can he be trusted? The sisters begin to question their loyalty to the land and to each other. What is outside the garden walls? This cli-fi (climate fiction) dystopian is dark and evocative. Hauntingly narrated by Nicolette McKenzie, whose childlike voice and deprecating prose perfectly encapsulates the two sheltered sisters. Verdict - Fans of Gray Gardens and climate fiction will enjoy this claustrophobically captivating tale about two sisters who must decide if the garden walls are a prison or a sanctuary. - Erin Cataldi

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human

A fitting conclusion to cap off this trilogy. So fun, irreverent, and sexy. These are fun, fluffy, feminist, fantasy, smut and I can't read them fast enough. I hope there are more books in this series because it is so much fun. The drama is relatively low stakes, the romance is slow burn, and the banter is so witty and fun. 

Shell Shocked

This mystery novel would be good for middle grade or teen readers who are into marine biology or more specifically, turtles. On her sixteenth birthday, Alex's only birthday wish is that she get to volunteer with the Turtle Sanctuary and help protect Cataluna Island's vulnerable turtle population. She and her best friend Avery, feel an affinity for these beautiful sea creatures and think it's their duty to protect their nests and habitats. When they find some turtle she's with weird markings they know the turtles are in danger, but they don't know from who. Alex, Avery, and Maya (biologist) must get to the bottom of the mystery before any other turtles get injured or killed.  It's an important story but could have used a lot more editing. A lot of very repetitive phrases, weird plot holes, and ridiculously easy "clues," made this story a little too simple. It's honestly more of a novella anyway, it's quite short. Final gripe, what does the cover have to do with anything? There is no underwater maze reef. The only thing in common with the story is that it features a turtle. The cover should match the illustrations included in the book. Important material, just needed more finessing. 

The Lost Passenger

Frances Quinn (historical author of The Bonesetter Woman and The Smallest Man) dazzles with a fresh new take on the Titanic tragedy. When the cotton king's daughter, Elinor Coombs, marries into an aristocratic family; she and her father couldn't have been more proud; her children would one day be nobles! Too late she realizes that their wedding will never result in love or respect, she discovers that her husband was forced into the marriage because they needed her family's money to keep the estate alive and well. Parenthood isn't the delight she anticipated either, after giving birth to a darling baby boy; her in-laws insist on keeping her from him, because that is the way things are done with heirs. When her father, the cotton king, invites her and her family on the maiden voyage of the Titanic she jumps at the chance to get away from her in-laws and get to interact with her son. When the ship sinks, Elinor finds the strength and the courage to fake their deaths and reinvent themselves in America. Trying to pass herself off as her son's nanny is much harder than she ever anticipated, she's never worked a day in her life but to keep her precious son, Teddy, safe and out of the grip of her in-laws she will do anything. Enchantingly narrated by Heather Long; her English accent helps bring both the aristocracy and the working class to life. Verdict: Engaging, heartfelt, and earnest. A fresh new voice to add to the legions of Titanic literature out there.