Leadership: In Turbulent Times

This is a book that made me slow down and savor what I was reading, which is a change of pace from the fluff that I've read most of this year. Leadership in Turbulent times is a historical fiction/leadership book that recounts how four different presidents handled adversity and hardship. Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson became presidents at trying times. The Great Depression, The Civil War, Civil Rights, and the industrial revolution. Doris Kearns Goodwin does a remarkable job relating the character and leadership styles of each president from childhood through early politics and all the way through the White House. None of these men were saints and most suffered many setbacks and failures, but learning how they overcame those as well as their successes is what makes this book great. Utterly fascinating and compelling. Leadership has many styles and reading the profiles on these four leaders is a feast for the heart and mind.  

A View Most Glorious

I've enjoyed all three novels in Regina Scott's American Wonders collection. They act as standalones but the thing that ties them all together is that they take place at National Parks before they are even considered National Parks. A View Most Glorious follows Cora Baxter's quest to get to the top of Mount Rainier to raise awareness for the suffragette cause. For propriety's sake she will travel with her stepfather and a guide - but the guide in question happens to be a prickly man that once held the same social standing that Cora does. Nathan Hardee is reluctant to take the spoiled society girl to the top of the mountain as it's treacherous and she has no experience. She eventually wins him over and as they set out on their journey they discover that they have more in common then they thought. Cora falls in love with the exertion and the beauty all around her - and in the process Nathan starts to fall a little for her. There are more dangerous things than than mountain path to watch out for though; Cora's dastardly suitor and her conniving mother have a few tricks up their sleeves. Historical romance at it finest - inspirational fans won't want to miss out.   

Season on the Wind

I really enjoyed this inspirational Amish romance because it discussed the dynamics of strict orders versus more lenient and forgiving sects. It also had Englischers (non-Amish) as an integral part of the story as well as birding - two things we don't always see a lot of. Ben Zook fled the Amish way of life years ago and vowed never to return. But when a rare bird stops in Stoney Ridge he can't stay away - it would be perfect in his latest book on rare birds. He convinces his cousin to come with him because she needs a change of scenery as she copes from the mess her life is in. They rent a guest house on the property of Penny and Micah two kind hearted Amish siblings. Micah is an eighteen year old birding prodigy and Penny is a 35 year old woman looking after the homestead and her baby brother. When she sees Ben Zook she is stunned speechless - she hadn't seen him since she was 12. She is convinced that God sent him here for a reason. Unfortunately Ben doesn't seem to recognize her at all. Filled with blossoming romance, birding, and coming back to God. This inspirational romance is heartfelt and fluffy. 

Money Shot vol. 2

Not nearly as good as volume one, but still enjoyable to an extant. Everyone's favorite xxx-plorers are doing their thing in space and growing more popular on earth. They're able to finally fund their research. When the jerk who slashed the funds in the first place, the stupid president of the United States, tries to take away Money Shot, their teleportation device, things get heated. The president basically blackmails them until they agree to take him to other galaxies so he too can bone exotic aliens. What happens when he's cocky attitude and stupid mouth gets them all into trouble though!? I'm hopeful that volume three will be even better. 

Fuzz

I adore Mary Roach and her latest microhistory was no exception. I devoured this in one day. Each chapter deals with real life scenarios on human rules that animals break. It's equal parts hilarious and nauseating, but all around fascinating. Mary Roach is America's funniest science writer and her foray into the animal kingdom is amazing. There is a bit of gore or violence against animals in these pages (she pulls stories from all over the world), but the message is positive and empathetic. Rowdy, ridiculous and informative. 

Money Shot

Quick and unique, I loved this irreverent graphic novel about boning aliens in order to raise money for funding their science lab. Christine Ocampo invented a teleportation device and is dying to go to other planets and meet other life forms. She convinces her team that if they all become porn stars and film themselves going to other galaxies and making love with alien life forms they will raise enough funding so they sexcapades will turn into research. Fun, ridiculous, and unique. Give me more! 

Pimp my Airship

I'm excited to read another Indiana Author Award winner and this one was definitely unique. I loved that this book was set in Indianapolis, because even though it was futuristic and very steampunk I still was able to recognize many of the place names. I like how the author created new "history" for some of the places as well. A poet named Sleepy, finds himself caught up in the middle of a protest and suddenly he has a new hanger on named, (120 Degrees of) Knowledge Allah, and is wanted by every COP in the city. What in the heck happened? Across town in the wealthy and elite neighborhoods, Sophine Jefferson's father has just been murdered, she never cared much for politics, but suddenly she is swept in everything trying to avenge her father. Soon their paths will cross and Indianapolis will never be the same again. Unique and fun.