Nothing But Trouble

Nothing But Trouble by Amy Andrews

Summary: For five years, Cecilia Morgan's entire existence has revolved around playing personal assistant to self-centered former NFL quarterback Wade Carter. But just when she finally gives her notice, his father's health fails, and Wade whisks her back to his hometown. CC will stay for his dad--for now--even if that means ignoring how sexy her boss is starting to look in his Wranglers.

To say CC's notice is a bombshell is an insult to bombs. Wade can't imagine his life without his "left tackle." She's the only person who can tell him "no" and strangely, it's his favorite quality. He'll do anything to keep her from leaving, even if it means playing dirty and dragging her back to Credence, Colorado, with him.

But now they're living under the same roof, getting involved in small-town politics,and bickering like an old married couple. Suddenly, five years of fighting is starting to feel a whole lot like foreplay. What's a quarterback to do when he realizes he might be falling for his "left tackle"? Throw a Hail Mary she'll never see coming, of course.

Angie’s comments: Not much about sports, but a whole lot about relationships. The relationship development was deep and made sense. The banter is fun, and the secondary characters are intriguing. I especially enjoyed Wade's brother. Some curse words, which made sense in the situations.

Recommended for readers who like contemporary romances with lots of banter. 

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The Pandemic Century

The Pandemic Century: One Hundred Years of Panic, Hysteria, and Hubris by Mark Honigsbaum

Summary: A medical historian narrates the last century of scientific struggle against an enduring enemy: deadly contagious disease.

Ever since the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic, scientists have dreamed of preventing catastrophic outbreaks of infectious disease. Yet despite a century of medical progress, viral and bacterial disasters continue to take us by surprise, inciting panic and dominating news cycles. From the Spanish flu to the 1924 outbreak of pneumonic plague in Los Angeles to the 1930 "parrot fever" pandemic, through the more recent SARS, Ebola, and Zika epidemics, the last one hundred years have been marked by a succession of unanticipated pandemic alarms.

In The Pandemic Century, a lively account of scares both infamous and less known, Mark Honigsbaum combines reportage with the history of science and medical sociology to artfully reconstruct epidemiological mysteries and the ecology of infectious diseases. We meet dedicated disease detectives, obstructive or incompetent public health officials, and brilliant scientists often blinded by their own knowledge of bacteria and viruses. We also see how fear of disease often exacerbates racial, religious, and ethnic tensions--even though, as the epidemiologists Malik Peiris and Yi Guan write, "'nature' remains the greatest bioterrorist threat of all."

Like man-eating sharks, predatory pathogens are always present in nature, waiting to strike; when one is seemingly vanquished, others appear in its place. These pandemics remind us of the limits of scientific knowledge, as well as the role that human behavior and technologies play in the emergence and spread of microbial diseases. 

Angie’s comments: While some of the diseases in The Pandemic Century are well-known, others are not. I hadn't heard of parrot fever before, and while I had heard of SARS, Ebola and Zika, it was nice getting a look back after the panic and hype had subsided. The future looks full of disease.

Recommended for readers who like medical histories.

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A Dream of Death

A Dream of Death by Connie Berry

Summary: On a remote Scottish island, American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton wrestles with her own past while sleuthing a brutal killing, staged to recreate a two-hundred-year-old unsolved murder.

Autumn has come and gone on Scotland's Isle of Glenroth, and the islanders gather for the Tartan Ball, the annual end-of-tourist-season gala. Spirits are high. A recently published novel about island history has brought hordes of tourists to the small Hebridean resort community. On the guest list is American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton. Kate returns reluctantly to the island where her husband died, determined to repair her relationship with his sister, proprietor of the island's luxe country house hotel, famous for its connection with Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Kate has hardly unpacked when the next morning a body is found, murdered in a reenactment of an infamous unsolved murder described in the novel--and the only clue to the killer's identity lies in a curiously embellished antique casket. The Scottish police discount the historical connection, but when a much-loved local handyman is arrested, Kate teams up with a vacationing detective inspector from Suffolk, England, to unmask a killer determined to rewrite island history--and Kate's future.

Angie’s comments: A fun cozy mystery with a great lead character in Kate. The snippets of history add a lot to the story. 

Recommended for readers who like cozy mysteries.

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Dementia Reimagined

Dementia Reimagined: Building a Life of Joy and Dignity from Beginning to End by Tia Powell

Summary: The cultural and medical history of dementia and Alzheimer's disease by a leading psychiatrist and bioethicist who urges us to turn our focus from cure to care. 

Despite being a physician and a bioethicist, Tia Powell wasn't prepared to address the challenges she faced when her grandmother, and then her mother, were diagnosed with dementia--not to mention confronting the hard truth that her own odds aren't great. In the U.S., 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day; by the time a person reaches 85, their chances of having dementia approach 50 percent. And the truth is, there is no cure, and none coming soon, despite the perpetual promises by pharmaceutical companies that they are just one more expensive study away from a pill. Dr. Powell's goal is to move the conversation away from an exclusive focus on cure to a genuine appreciation of care--what we can do for those who have dementia, and how to keep life meaningful and even joyful. 

Reimagining Dementia is a moving combination of medicine and memoir, peeling back the untold history of dementia, from the story of Solomon Fuller, a black doctor whose research at the turn of the twentieth century anticipated important aspects of what we know about dementia today, to what has been gained and lost with the recent bonanza of funding for Alzheimer's at the expense of other forms of the disease. In demystifying dementia, Dr. Powell helps us understand it with clearer eyes, from the point of view of both physician and caregiver. Ultimately, she wants us all to know that dementia is not only about loss--it's also about the preservation of dignity and hope

Angie’s comments: A thoughtful look at dementia, including how it was treated in the past and how it is handled now. The facts about the drugs is sobering, and does put the focus more on how to live with dementia instead of how to cure dementia. I loved the suggestions at the end and Dr. Powell's own ideas about how she wants to be treated.

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Her Father's Secret

Her Father's Secret by Sara Blaedel

Summary: A woman's murder is only the beginning as a daughter races to unravel the maze of secrets her father left behind--before she becomes the next victim--in the latest emotionally gripping novel from Sara Blaedel, #1 internationally bestselling author with over 3 million copies sold worldwide.

After suddenly inheriting a funeral home from her father--who she hadn't heard from in decades--Ilka Jensen has impulsively abandoned her quiet life in Denmark to visit the small town in rural Wisconsin where her father lived. There, she's devastated to discover her father's second family: a stepmother and two half sisters she never knew existed. And who aren't the least bit welcoming, despite Ilka's efforts to reach out.

Then a local woman is killed, seemingly the unfortunate victim of a home invasion turned violent. But when Ilka learns that the woman knew her father, it becomes increasingly clear that she may not have been a completely random victim after all.

The more Ilka digs into her father's past, the more deeply entangled she becomes in a family drama that has spanned decades and claimed more than one life--and she may be the next victim...

Angie’s comments: Read the first in the series, The Undertaker's Daughter, before reading Her Father's Secret. As the second in the series, this is a quick read that examines Ilka's feelings and past. The tone is lighter than other Blaedel books.

Recommended for readers interested in family drama. 

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The Art of Simple Living

The Art of Simple Living: 100 Daily Practices from a Japanese Zen Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy by Shunmyo Masuno

Summary: "Does for mental clutter what Marie Kondo has done for household clutter." --Publishers Weekly

Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by a Japanese monk who embodies the wisdom of Zen.

In clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days--renowned Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno draws on centuries of wisdom to teach you to Zen your life. Discover how . . .

  *  Lesson #4: lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your mind;
  *  Lesson #11: putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have;
  *  Lesson #18: immersing yourself in zazen can sweep the clutter from your mind;
  *  Lesson #23: joining your hands together in gassho can soothe irritation and conflict;
  *  Lesson #27: going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory;
  *  Lesson #42: planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change;
  *  Lesson #67: understanding the concept of ichi-go ichi-e can make everyday interactions more meaningful;
  *  Lesson #85: practicing chisoku can help you feel more fulfilled.

A minimalist line drawing appears opposite each lesson on an otherwise blank page, giving you an opportunity to relax with a deep breath between lessons. With each daily practice, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes to your life, opening yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm

Angie’s comments: This small book - a page for each lesson - is great for a pep talk or some advice. You don't need to read the whole book through because you can just pick up and read what you need. 

Recommended for readers interested in calming your mind. 

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Ranger McIntyre: Small Delightful Murders

Ranger McIntyre: Small Delightful Murders by James C. Work

Summary: Small Delights Lodge in Rocky Mountain National Park seems to be under siege. Shots fired at the owner, vehicles set on fire, boats sabotaged, electrocution booby traps, and deadfalls set up--and finally arson and murder. RMNP Ranger Tim McIntyre has plenty of suspects, including the owner of a neighboring resort, a rogue park ranger, and some Chicago mobsters who want Small Delights as a prohibition speakeasy. McIntyre's boss wants the situation resolved. The only help McIntyre can depend on consists of two attractive women, one a highly competent take-charge-and-do-it kind of gal named Polly and the other an FBI secretary with great legs and a Thompson submachine gun.

Angie’s comments: Second in a series, this can work as a stand alone. McIntyre is such a fun character, and there are many zanny characters as well. 

Recommended for readers who like cozy mysteries, especially historical. 

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Pool time

Let's head to the pool! Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool Request this item Mary Higgins Clark I've Got My Eyes on You Request this item Request this item in large print Request this item in audio Paramore After Laughter (CD) Request this item If you want any more suggestions or ideas, please call or come in the library today!

Never Enough

Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction by Judith Grisel

Summary: From a renowned behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict, a rare page-turning work of science that draws on personal insights to reveal how drugs work, the dangerous hold they can take on the brain, and the surprising way to combat today's epidemic of addiction.

Judith Grisel was a daily drug user and college dropout when she began to consider that her addiction might have a cure, one that she herself could perhaps discover by studying the brain. Now, after twenty-five years as a neuroscientist, she shares what she and other scientists have learned about addiction, enriched by captivating glimpses of her personal journey.

In Never Enough, Grisel reveals the unfortunate bottom line of all regular drug use: there is no such thing as a free lunch. All drugs act on the brain in a way that diminishes their enjoyable effects and creates unpleasant ones with repeated use. Yet they have their appeal, and Grisel draws on anecdotes both comic and tragic from her own days of using as she limns the science behind the love of various drugs, from marijuana to alcohol, opiates to psychedelics, speed to spice.

With more than one in five people over the age of fourteen addicted, drug abuse has been called the most formidable health problem worldwide, and Grisel delves with compassion into the science of this scourge. She points to what is different about the brains of addicts even before they first pick up a drink or drug, highlights the changes that take place in the brain and behavior as a result of chronic using, and shares the surprising hidden gifts of personality that addiction can expose. She describes what drove her to addiction, what helped her recover, and her belief that a "cure" for addiction will not be found in our individual brains but in the way we interact with our communities.

Set apart by its color, candor, and bell-clear writing, Never Enough is a revelatory look at the roles drugs play in all of our lives and offers crucial new insight into how we can solve the epidemic of abuse.

Angie’s comments: This is a great book to learn about the different drugs and how they work (and how they don't work). A mix of memoir and science, Grisel makes addiction more understandable. 

Recommended for readers interested in addiction, whether as a social issue or biology issue.

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Decorating with Plants

Decorating with Plants: What to Choose, Ways to Style, and How to Make Them Thrive by Baylor Chapman

Summary: Houseplants are more popular than ever before--especially with millennials, who are setting up their homes for the first time and discovering that nothing can add energy, style, and that essential "lived-in-ness" to their spaces better than a little bit of green. Whether it's a statement-making fiddle-leaf fig or a tiny tabletop succulent, a houseplant instantly elevates the look of your home. But where to begin?

In Decorating with Plants, Baylor Chapman walks readers through everything they need to know to bring houseplants into their home. First, there's Plant Care 101: from how to assess light conditions to tricks for keeping your plants alive while on vacation, Chapman gives readers the simple, foundational info they need to ensure their plants will thrive. Then she introduces us to 28 of her favorites--specimens that are tough as nails but oh-so-stylish, from the eye-catching Rubber Tree to the delicate Cape Primrose. Finally, she guides readers through the home room by room: Place an aromatic plant like jasmine or gardenia to your entry to establish your home's "signature scent." Add a proper sense of scale to your living room with a ceiling-grazing palm. Create a living centerpiece of jewel-toned succulents for a dining table arrangement that will last long after your dinner party. From air purification to pest control, there's no limit to what houseplants can do for your home--and Decorating with Plants is here to show you how to add them to spaces big and small with style.

Angie’s comments: Sure to inspire you, this book is full of great information about house plants. I found some ideas for my office and home. The photos are large and beautiful. 

Recommended for readers interested in house plants.

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The Stranger Diaries

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Summary: Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare's colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland's most famous story, "The Stranger," left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favorite literature.

To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:

Hallo Clare. You don't know me.

Clare becomes more certain than ever: "The Stranger" has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?

Angie’s comments: This book has three different narrators, and I enjoyed learning about each narrator's thoughts. It has some Victorian Gothic feel to it, but also with a bit of family drama, and much of it was also police procedural. The ending, while farfetched, was thrilling. Bonus: "The Stranger" is a great, very short story that is perfect for fans of Victorian Gothic. 

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Sea People

Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson

Summary: A blend of Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel and Simon Winchester's Pacific, a thrilling intellectual detective story that looks deep into the past to uncover who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, how they got there, and how we know.

For more than a millennium, Polynesians have occupied the remotest islands in the Pacific Ocean, a vast triangle stretching from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island. Until the arrival of European explorers they were the only people to have ever lived there. Both the most closely related and the most widely dispersed people in the world before the era of mass migration, Polynesians can trace their roots to a group of epic voyagers who ventured out into the unknown in one of the greatest adventures in human history.

How did the earliest Polynesians find and colonize these far-flung islands? How did a people without writing or metal tools conquer the largest ocean in the world? This conundrum, which came to be known as the Problem of Polynesian Origins, emerged in the eighteenth century as one of the great geographical mysteries of mankind.

For Christina Thompson, this mystery is personal: her Maori husband and their sons descend directly from these ancient navigators. In Sea People, Thompson explores the fascinating story of these ancestors, as well as those of the many sailors, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, biologists, and geographers who have puzzled over this history for three hundred years. A masterful mix of history, geography, anthropology, and the science of navigation, Sea People combines the thrill of exploration with the drama of discovery in a vivid tour of one of the most captivating regions in the world.

Angie’s comments: What an interesting book about a subject that I know little about. I learned a lot about Polynesia and a little about the peoples of Polynesia.

Recommended for readers interested in history and other cultures. 

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