Melophobia

Imagine a world without music. No dramatic movie scores, no karaoke, no rock n roll, just state sanctioned elevator music called, musak. Reminiscent of Fahrenheit 451, this alternate world shows what happened when censorship takes over and music, many incendiary books and movies, and art are banned. Creativity is stifled to save people from themselves. The goal was to eradicate moral decay but instead society was essentially neutered and the arts have gone underground. Merrin Pierce, a loyal patrol officer, has dedicated her life to going undercover and stamping out music wherever she discovers it, but one assignment takes her in deeper than she's ever been before and she can start to see and hear the allure of music. Will she be able to reconcile what she's been told with how she feels? What is it about music that it has such sway on the soul? Can it really be that bad? For fans of alternative history and Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451.

Lumberjanes Vol. 2

Another great installment in the Lumberjane series. The comics continue to get zanier and more fun and are insanely readable. The characters are all off their rockers and it is fun watching them take their friendship to new levels. Summer camp continues to get more interesting as they discover velociraptors in the outhouse. They put together that there is more magic taking place in the woods and it's up to them to keep it in it's place. Filled with great fun, LOVED the ending. Looking forward to volume three!

Career of Evil

Another great installment in Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike series. Honestly, they keep getting better. I don't know if this or the first one (The Cuckoo's Calling) is my favorite. As all good mystery stories start, this one begins with a murder. Of who, it's not entirely sure. A package containing a severed human leg is sent to Robin at the detective office. Quickly other body parts start mounting up and it's clear that someone is trying to take down Strike and his reputation. He's convinced that it's one of three people from his past so Strike and his beautiful assistant, Robin, start doing a little sleuthing on their own. They're worries that the police will blunder (as usual in this series) and Strike is worried for Robin's safety as the killer is targeting young women. Amidst all this, Robin is having a trying time with her fiance, Matthew. Is her work life going to interfere with her wedding? Fast paced and intriguing, I didn't solve the mystery until a chapter before it was revealed. I already can't wait for the next one!

Devoted

Rachel has grown up as a strict, devout Christian. She and her 9 brothers and sisters have been homeschooled and warned of the dangers of "worldly people." When Rachel discovers that a Lauren, young girl who left the church several years ago, has returned to town, her curiosity is peaked. Already, questioning several aspects of her life (being expected to marry young and bear children is the only role designated for her), she decides to sneak onto the computer and learn more about Lauren. What made her leave? What is she doing now? Does she still believe in God? All of these questions, and eventual answers, spark in her a restlessness that is bound to get her in trouble. When the inevitable comes she is forced to make a life changing decision. Powerful, raw, and emotional, this young adult book about coming to terms with religion and staying true to yourself will have readers hooked. The audiobook is brilliantly narrated and worth a listen.

I received this audiobook for free from Librarything in return for my honest, unbiased review.

Surviving the Angel of Death

An uplifting read about overcoming the atrocities faced in the Auschwitz extermination camp. Eva Kor and her twin, Madeleine were separated from their family and forced to be test subjects for Dr. Mengele experiments. Known as the angel of death, he conducted experiments on thousands of twins, dwarves, gypsies, and other "interesting" subjects. As Eva recounts in this memoir, "Death was easy, but surviving was a full time job." Although depressing and troubling, this holocaust memoir is appropriate for younger audiences because it isn't as graphic as some other biographies. This short memoir also contains pictures as well. A must read story of survival and forgiveness for all ages.

Ben Hur

FINALLY! This is one of those books that I thought would never end. It would go from super exciting to boring as all get out and it took me until the chariot race to even really get into it. It's cool that it was written by a Hoosier and was the first piece of fiction to be blessed by the pope, BUT... that's about it. It was written very prettily, I suppose but it won't be one I ever re-read or recommend to people. Unless they love historical, religious reads. Kinda wish I had just watched the movie.

After Alice

I hate to give books such bad reviews, I really do. So, I'll try to start this nicely. It was EXTREMELY well written. There was witty dialogue, beautiful scenery, and wonderful detail paid attention to the time frame.... and that's all that I can admire. To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of the original Alice in Wonderland, so it's not shocking that I don't love this companion. I hate stories that are fanciful, fluffy, and have no point. It's pure nonsense and I have a hard time getting into nonsense writing. I like fantasy and sci-fi as long as there is a plot but Alice in Wonderland is nothing but fluff and nonsense and this new addition is no different. Not my cup of tea.