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In Before She Knew Him, artist Hen and her husband Lloyd have just moved to the suburbs to get a new start after her recovery from a manic episode during which she became obsessed with the unsolved murder of a young man named Dustin Miller. When their new neighbors, Matthew and Mira, invite them over for dinner, Hen is shocked to see a trophy in Matthew’s office that was taken from the scene of Miller’s murder.

in The Hating Game, Lucy is the executive assistant to the CEO of a publishing company. When her company merges with another, the heads of both companies are kept on as co-CEOs, and Lucy is forced to start sharing an office with her counterpart Joshua. In contrast to cheerful, quirky, approachable Lucy, Joshua is an intimidating and seemingly humorless workaholic. They hate each other instantly, and before long, they’ve made a game out of trying to outdo and annoy each other.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Most mystery readers love a good series. It’s fun to get to know a character, while secure in the knowledge that there will be more adventures after you’ve turned the last page. Few series, however, have as many titles to enjoy as J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas Mysteries.

8 out of 10 stars

Award-winning American poet Mary Oliver was once the best-selling poet in the United States (that title now belongs to Rumi). Swan: Poems and prose poems was published in 2010, making it one of her more recent works. I don’t just recommend this particular set of poetry to people who know they enjoy poetry – this is great for anyone who is looking for a short, yet inspiring read, or anyone who has been overcome by the beauty and power of nature.

In Spoiler Alert, Marcus, star of the fictional hit TV show Gods of the Gates, deals with his frustration with the showrunners by secretly writing and posting fanfiction about his own character. He becomes close to another fanfiction writer, April, and though he wishes he could meet her in person, he can’t tell anyone about his online alter ego without destroying his career.

Kindred, by classic science fiction author Octavia Butler, is a novel about a Black woman from 1970s Los Angeles who finds herself repeatedly pulled back in time to pre-Civil War Maryland, where she must save the life of her white ancestor. While there, she experiences the horrors of slavery first-hand and is forced to make difficult choices in order to stay alive and return home.

Spanning decades over the lifespan of the Conroy family, Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House is a difficult, absorbing, fascinating read that was really hard to put down. Told from the perspective of younger brother, Danny, the reader is taken through Danny’s difficult childhood with his father and his stepmother. Protected and raised almost entirely by his sister Maeve, Danny graduates high school, college and eventually medical school; falls in love, gets married and has children.

Mortician Caitlin Doughty does it again with her second book, this time not about cremation, but still about death, don’t worry! In From Here to Eternity, she reviews her experiences in countries around the world, teaching us what she learned about how different cultures care for their dead. We learn about different rituals and ceremonies, and compare them to our own.

Recently I read the book The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. In this book the main character, Hazel, is suffering from a type of lung cancer. In the beginning of the book she is depressed from living a life with a terminal illness. But throughout this book she progresses and grows in who she is and forms strong relationships. While this book is a romance, it is very beautifully written.

I would give Marching for Freedom five stars and highly recommend it. The story of the marchers is really inspiring and made more real to the reader through personal stories, photos, and song lyrics. I am very thankful for the sacrifices of the people in the story. Put this book on your reading list!

Review By Rachael F