There Once was a Girl

A short collection of heartfelt and meaningful poems written over  lifetime. Penned by a central Indiana author, this collection of poetry is melodic and deep. From motherhood to childhood - this poems will resonate with readers. Each poem is accompanied by a picture or an image that adds to the beauty of the collection. Charming and sweet, this is definitely a collection that I will read again! 

The Mountain Between Us

This was more than a survival story, it was about forgiveness, hope, and looking toward the horizon. When two strangers find themselves on a charter flight over the mountains, they never suspect that they will soon crash and have to brave the horrible winter alone after their pilot is killed. Stuck high in the mountains, Ashley has a broken leg and Ben has broken ribs. Fortunately for her, Ben happens to be a doctor and has some survival skills. He sets her leg, but they will need to find food and shelter if they want to make their way down the mountain. They are in a nature preserve with no roads or buildings for miles and the altitude isn't helping their healing or breathing. The two must find hope and companionship if they want to stay alive. They may even find more than that high in the mountains. I was mad for the first half of the book, caught on to a potential twist (I was right) and pretty much predicted the end. I still enjoyed it though!

Devotions from the Kitchen Table

This devotional has been an amazing start to my morning over the past few months. This is either my second or third devotional from Thomas Nelson and I love it. I love that each day there is a beautiful scripture quote, a relatable story to go along with it, a prayer, and a beautiful photo. The daily devotionals are truly relatable and not too deep or introspective. It gives you something to think on all day to really let the message sink in. I also love the ribbon bookmark. I need to see if there are more of these devotionals in the series!  

Chicago Homes

This was such a fun and educational book. As someone who grew up near Chicago and spent a decent amount of time in the city, this book made me stop and appreciate the architecture so much more. I've been on an architectural tour of some of the big buildings in the Windy City, but never learned anything about the homes. This book focuses solely on the evolution of homes in the city, from log cabins up to WWII bungalows. There are wonderful hand draw sketches of a variety of house houses and they are so well done. The illustrator deserves major props! The accompanying text was also interesting without being too dry. It blended history, architecture, and culture into one. An eye opening read and not just for architects, if you ever want to walk the streets and appreciate the beauty of the buildings around, then this book is for you!

Paperback Crush

This was a fun blast from the past. I listened to the audiobook, but also have the book as well. The book is fun to have because it has lots of photos and pictures of the book covers (hilarious). As a millennial this book was a blast from the past and it was so fun. Gabrielle Moss talks about all the big hits (Babysitter's Club, Pony Club, Sweet Valley High, etc) as well as some other B-hits that I had never heard of. Each chapter explored a theme of books from the 80s and 90s - friendship, jobs, boys, clubs, horror, and more. It was a lot of fun and filled with witty dialogue. There was a good opening, but there was no ending. It was talking about horror books and just abruptly ended with no conclusion. Still, it was a fun romp through memory lane and it makes me want to pick up some of my old teen reads! 

The New Buffalo

I immediately hated the cover of this book and went into this book annoyed. It looks like AI slop, even though the author is white, he could have had an indigenous author design the cover or used a photograph of the casino. Cover bashing aside, I really did enjoy this book and learned a lot and Indian gaming. I know a lot of people (white people mainly) that get up in arms about the unfairness of casinos on tribal ground, but personally it's never bothered me because it's the LEAST we can allow them to have. Hasn't the US stolen enough from them? The New Buffalo is a great look at what it took to allow gaming on tribal land; from bingo halls to video games of chance, and the opposition from businesses, Vegas, and the government. It showcases the movement spearheaded by Leonard Prescott in Minnesota on a very small reservation, their tiny group was under national scrutiny as it proved what tribes could do if allowed economic independence. This book examines the life of Leonard Prescott (in detail at the beginning of his life and then it tapers off to politics only) and his influence on his tribe and on the national stage. This book was very biased in favor of Prescott and not his rival, and I'm sure some people have beef with that. A very interesting and enlightening book and a must read for anyone who wants to complain about tribal gaming. A final note, I was surprised by the lack of footnotes or sources at the end. There was a lot of research poured into this book and nothing to back it. 

The Sacraments of Blackgum Lake

Clint Smith's newest novella is eerie, forbidding, and deliciously dark. Cecil Mears has questions and it's past time for his father to come clean about that long ago summer back at Blackgum Lake. For most of Cecil's youth, the cozy little lakefront cabin was filled with good memories and laughter. But over the years it's fallen into disrepair and only gotten worse as his parent's marriage has disintegrated. One fateful teenaged summer, Cecil and his father go to Blackgum lake alone to salvage what they can of the cabin. While restoring the cabin, Cecil starts to learn more about the lake and the secrets it holds. Did Dillinger really dump bodies here? Is his elderly neighbor seeing things, or is she really being visited by her dead husband at night? And worst of all, his father, who is he calling at night? There is something far worse than secrets in the deep dark water. Something far more powerful and menacing awaits in the murky depths. One fateful summer at Blackgum Lake will change everything. This novella is perfect for those looking for a quick, dark read with local color. Clint Smith is an Indianapolis author and culinary arts educator in Greenwood.