Family of Spies

Kuehn, Christine. Family of Spies. 2025. 272p. ISBN 9781250344465.

The Kuehn family always had secrets, and Christine's father, Eberhard, rarely talked about his parents or his life as a teenager in Hawaii during the Second World War. Christine began to unravel her family's past when she received a bewildering phone call from a screenwriter, asking about her family’s connection to World War II and Nazi spies. Confronting her seventy-year-old father, Christine discovers that the Kuehns, a prominent Berlin family, initially embraced the rise of the Nazis as a means of escaping hard times. This led to Eberhard's sister, Ruth, starting an affair with Nazi leader Joseph Goebbels.

The affair ended violently when Goebbels discovered Ruth was half Jewish. Instead of executing her, he made a cold decision: he sent the entire Kuehn family to Hawaii to work as spies, shielding young Eberhard from the truth. From their home just miles from Pearl Harbor, Ruth and her parents established an intricate spy operation, passing crucial secrets to the Japanese. This intelligence contributed directly to the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After Eberhard’s father was arrested and tried for his involvement, Eberhard finally learned the brutal truth, forcing him to make a fateful decision that would change the course of his family forever.

A compelling read for fans of World War II historical non-fiction, espionage thrillers, and true crime, Family of Spies will appeal strongly to readers interested in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the role of foreign agents operating on American soil during WWII. Kuehn's use of a dual timeline—the modern-day search for truth contrasted with the high-stakes 1940s spy operation—creates gripping suspense, making it an excellent choice for those who love deep, character-driven historical investigations.

We Fell Apart

Lockhart, E. We Fell Apart. 2025. 320p. ISBN 9780593899175.

It's always been Matilda and her mother, until it wasn't. Recently, her mother moved to Mexico to be with yet one more lover. But now, at 18, Matilda is done following her mother and stays with her mother's previous boyfriend, who's been more of a father to her than any of the others. Out of the blue, Matilda receives an invitation that reveals the existence of a father she has never met: Kingsley Cello, a reclusive, visionary artist. When he asks her to spend the summer at his sprawling seaside estate, Hidden Beach, Matilda accepts, hoping to discover a long-missing part of her own identity.

Instead of the reunion she imagined, Matilda arrives to find Kingsley Cello conspicuously absent. In his place, she encounters the strange collection of people who inhabit the crumbling sanctuary: Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star struggling with inner demons; and the wild, brooding Tatum, who clearly wants Matilda to leave immediately. With her father nowhere to be found, Matilda is forced to delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she desperately craves about her lineage and her father’s disappearance. She soon learns that secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater in this isolated place. Everyone at Hidden Beach, she realizes, is lying.

This is a gripping read for fans of mystery and psychological Suspense that feature atmospheric settings and dark family secrets. Readers who enjoy narratives centered on found family, identity discovery, and manipulative relationships will find this book appealing. The book’s core appeal lies in its exploration of the complex bonds of blood versus the secrets that tear families apart, offering a rich, suspenseful drama with unreliable characters and a gothic, isolated backdrop. While a companion to We Were Liars, readers do not need to have read that book to appreciate We Fell Apart.

Of Flame and Fury

Bridge, Mikayla. Of Flame and Fury. 2025. 416p. ISBN 9780374393427. 

At seventeen, Kel Varra is already an accomplished phoenix rider. Working with her underdog team, the Crimson Howlers, Kel is determined to win the annual races and the prize money that would change their lives, allowing them to escape their circumstances. Unfortunately, one of their riders plummets to her death, and Kel must quickly find a replacement. Under the circumstances, Kel forms an uneasy alliance with her arrogant rival, Warren “Coup” Coupers. Despite their on-track tension and personal rivalry, she finds herself unable to get him out of her head.

As the competition intensifies, Kel's home is accidentally destroyed, forcing her to accept a job from a mysterious tech mogul. This individual shows an unsettling interest in her phoenix, Savita. Kel soon finds herself embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone she holds dear. As her feelings for Coup begin to change from resentment to something more, she must race against time to save them all and prevent her phoenix from being killed.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy this combination of the fantastic and technology. Featuring realistic characters and a fast moving plot, Of Flame and Fury delivers a compelling narrative where every choice matters.

Vampire Knight, vol. 2

 Matsuri, Hino. Vampire Knight, Vol. 2. 2007. 186p. ISBN 9781421511306. Available in the graphic novels sections of the Library.

It was revealed in Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 that vampires attend night school at the Academy. So what starts as a routine errand for the Headmaster takes a deadly turn when Yuki and Zero venture into town and are suddenly ambushed. Their attacker is a "Level E"—a vampire who has devolved into a mindless, bloodthirsty monster. Just as the situation turns dire, two elite Night Class students, Takuma Ichijo and Senri Shiki, intervene and swiftly slay the beast. The rescue leaves Yuki and Zero with more questions than answers: Why would vampires hunt their own kind?

To uncover the truth, Takuma and Senri extend a mysterious invitation to the two Guardians: meet them at the Night Class dormitory at midnight. As Yuki and Zero step into the lions' den, they are forced to confront the complex hierarchy and internal laws of the vampire world. This midnight meeting promises to reveal the chilling reality of the Level E threat and the high price of losing one's humanity in the world of the undead.

The story continues in Vampire Knight, Vol. 3.

Escape from Kabul: The Afghan Women Judges Who Fled the Taliban and Those They Left Behind

Bartlett, Karen. Escape from Kabul: The Afghan Women Judges Who Fled the Taliban and Those They Left Behind. 2025. 288p. ISBN 9781620978733.

For twenty years, as the United States supported the Afghan government, a courageous group of women worked to build a modern, democratic society. They became judges, lawyers, and leaders, tackling widespread corruption, challenging traditional gender norms, and fighting against violence. Their mission was to create a country where the rule of law and human rights were respected, and their work stood in direct opposition to the beliefs of the Taliban. However, when the U.S. withdrew its forces in August 2021, these educated and powerful women, who had been instrumental in shaping their country, were suddenly left in a position of extreme vulnerability and mortal danger.

This is the dramatic true story of their escape, a perilous journey aided by the global network of the International Association of Women Judges. The narrative not only details the extraordinary rescue but also reveals the tragic fates of those who were unable to flee. Beyond a simple account of events, the story serves as a sharp critique of the West for abandoning its allies and neglecting the cause of women's rights in the region. The account concludes with the recommendations of the judges themselves, who, despite everything, continue to hold hope for their beloved country.

Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy It

McDonald, Samuel. Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy It. 2025. 432p. ISBN 9781250278319.

Progress is power, and the narratives we construct about whether society is moving in the right or wrong direction hold immense potency. The modern story of progress has undoubtedly fueled remarkable human achievements: it has built cities, created vast wealth, spurred incredible innovation, and ushered in a unique new epoch in our planet's 4.5-billion-year history.

However, Progress argues that this widely accepted modern story of progress is now a dangerous fiction. This narrative shapes our understanding of what progress means and justifies whatever actions we take to achieve it, regardless of the ultimate cost. We continue to adhere to a set of destructive myths—about dominion, infinite growth, relentless extraction, and endless expansion—which, while fueling our historical success, now profoundly threaten our own survival and the existence of all species on a planet in crisis.

Progress offers a radical new perspective on the foundational myths of the modern world. Drawing on extensive interdisciplinary research spanning anthropology, history, philosophy, and geography, the author illuminates the destructive lineage of the current progress model and suggests an urgent alternative. For humanity to truly thrive, we must first dismantle, radically reimagine, and create anew what the very definition of progress means. 

This book is an essential read for anyone interested in environmental studies, global systems, economic philosophy, and critical geography. It will appeal to readers who engage with contemporary critiques of capitalism and climate change, offering a deeply researched, intellectual challenge to deeply held beliefs about societal development and sustainability.

The Codebreaker Girl

Nealon, Gosia. The Codebreaker Girl. 2024. 294p. ISBN 9781835255599.

Polish orphan Beata has just graduated as the first and only woman in her university course, and her singular ambition is to join the Cipher Bureau to save her country from invasion by cracking the Enigma code. However, her plans are violently upended as gunfire echoes across her hometown rooftops and Nazi boots march on the cobblestones. Forced underground, Beata and her team must continue their vital work in secret.

While working covertly, Beata meets with members of the underground British intelligence and is immediately captivated by the bright, sparkling eyes of one of the agents, Harry. His passion for cracking Enigma and his understanding of its importance to their shared future only steel her resolve to do what is right. But as the escalating war destroys everything Beata holds dear and tears her and Harry in different directions, their only hope for reunion is at the legendary home of British codebreakers: Bletchley Park. Carrying the final, crucial key to the Enigma code, and with the Nazis relentlessly pursuing her, Beata must keep her secrets safe, determine if she will ever see Harry again, and attempt to turn the tide of the war.

Readers who enjoy crucial, real-life intelligence operations behind the scenes will appreciate this story about a courageous, trailblazing woman in the male-dominated field of codebreaking. The story is driven by intense suspense, and includes the importance of Bletchley Park and the race against time to crack the Enigma machine.