A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy

Klebold, Sue. A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy. 2016. 336p. ISBN 9781101902769. 

How does the parent of a monster feel the day after a tragedy? For Sue Klebold, mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the two killers that attacked and shot over twenty people at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, the answer is a grief and shame stronger than any other pain in the world. Where did she go wrong as a parent? How could her youngest son commit such an atrocity? How could she not see it?

In A Mother's Reckoning, Klebold recounts the events from her perspective as a loving mother, and examines what may have caused her son to act. Dylan seemed to have no cause for complaints when he accomplished the unthinkable on that fateful day, and every day since Klebold has had to live with the consequences of her son's decisions. She looks at the signs she might have missed, replays several conversations she had with her son over time, and wonders if she could have done anything differently,

More than anything, however, this is a story of hope, where healing is possible and one cannot ultimately be defined by the actions of others. Drawing on journals and other evidence left by her son, Klebold has frank discussions on mental illness and what parents can do to prevent another tragedy like Columbine.

The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America’s First Subway

Most, Doug. The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America’s First Subway. 2014. 416p. ISBN 9780312591328.

The growth of cities during the Industrial Revolution was not accompanied by a much needed rethinking of traffic patterns. As a result, cities that grew from tens of thousands of inhabitants to hundred of thousands and even millions found themselves with an ever growing population concentrated in relatively small areas. Delivering goods and food into a city grew exponentially difficult, and so did the circulation of people from home to work and back. 

Several attempts were made to reduce traffic, including the omnibus pulled by horses, the trolley pulled by cables, and the elevated train, but none of them were the much hoped for solution. Horses left behind a lot of waste, were smelly, and needed to be fed and housed every day. Cable trolleys did not work well in the sinuous roads of east-coast cities. Elevated trains polluted the sky and stopped running during weather events. The solution seemed obvious: dig down and build a subway system. 

But back in the 1860s and 1870s, people still thought that digging too deep would take one straight to hell, or that noxious fumes would kill passengers. The London subway was dirty and noisy, running on coal and spewing dark clouds of sooth. The twin development of the electric motor and better digging techniques suddenly allowed subways to be dug and operated efficiently, be weather resilient, and transport hordes of people while removing traffic on the roads of the cities.

The Race Underground is the story of two cities, Boston and New York, and two brothers, Henry Melville Whitney of Boston, and younger brother William Collins Whitney of New York, and how a revolutionary transportation system was finally built in each city. Fans of history and of transportation will cheer on as, through fits and starts, a solution to traffic snarls was finally implemented.

One Punch Man, Vol. 2

 One. One Punch Man, Vol. 2. 2015. 199p. ISBN 9781421585642. 

Now that Saitama has accepted Genos as his apprentice following the events of One Punch Man, Vol. 1, the two of them settle into normal live, with Genos still trying to figure out Saitama's secret for becoming so strong. With the evil genius responsible for the attack on their city still on the loose, they decide to take the fight to the House of Evolution instead of waiting for the next surprise. 

Deep in this secret underground lair, Saitama and Genos encounter Carnage Kabuto. After being baited by Carnage Kabuto, Saitama reveals that his secret for becoming so strong lays in ... exercise. Lots and lots of exercises. Both Genos and Carnage Kabuto are incredulous. There's got to be more! The fight is resolved quickly when Saitama discovers that today is in fact the bargain day at the store that he's been waiting for.

Meanwhile, the Paradisers are rampaging through town, and though Saitama decides to intervene, he is confronted by Speed-O'-Sound Sonic, but a well-placed hit to the groin slows down his enthusiasm for the fight, and he withdraws, vowing to defeat Saitama the next time they meet. At the same time, a nefarious organization has been collecting data on the suit that the Paradisers stole ...

The story continues in One Punch Man, Vol. 3.

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. 2004. 324p. ISBN 9780743487580. 

The story of Frankenstein is a familiar one to most, even if the details are hazy. Everyone is familiar with the monster that Dr. Frankenstein created, but what if the real monster was the good doctor? In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein is a dedicated man of science who is intrigued in the possibility of conquering death, and devises experiments to discover how to prevent people from dying. But to really stop dying, one must first figure out how life begins. Stealing body parts from corpses or murdering people to obtain them. Victor builds a man stitched together, and uses electricity to bring it to life. Unfortunately, he is immediately stricken with how hideous and horrific his creation truly is, and he renounces his newborn.

Left to rot and fend for himself, Frankenstein's monster loses what little innocence he had at the beginning, and he vows revenge on Victor and those he loves to punish him for his hubris. Chased by a relentless monster he cannot bring himself to destroy, Victor must flee to the end of the Earth, hoping against hope that he will find a salvation that will never come.

Written by Mary Shelley when she was only 18 years old, Frankestein inaugurated both the science fiction and the gothic genres, and explored what it means to be truly human. Frankestein is a must-read for fans of gothic horror, and in the modern age of genetic manipulations and science that pushes back the limit of what is possible, the questions that Frankenstein raise remain important.

How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe

Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe. 1996. 246p. ISBN 9780385418492.

Often maligned in popular culture, the Irish suffered through English colonization and the resulting oppression and disasters that followed. Despite their assumed lack of civilization, the Irish are responsible for saving Western civilization following the fall of Rome. Once an isolated backwater not conquered by the Roman Empire, the Christian monks that were kidnapped or that found refuge in Ireland brought with them the works of classical Greeks and Roman writers, and also preserved Jewish and early Christian writings. 

A confluence of events following the decline and fall of the Roman Empire brought chaos everywhere in Europe except in Ireland, where its remoteness allowed its culture to continue. A fairly egalitarian society, the Irish welcomed refugees who brought with them their own books and traditions. The aesthetic life of congregating in communities of learners saw the rise of monastic orders dedicated to the preservation of knowledge. Much of what we know of the writings of the antiquity survived through their efforts.

As states rose on the ruins of what the Romans had built and enough order was restored, monks began to travel from Ireland back to England and thence to continental Europe, bringing with them a renewed Christianity, along with knowledge that has vanished from the collective memory. Through the hard work and dedication of Irish monks, the heritage of Western Civilization was preserved and shared with a newly awakening world, rebuilding the foundation of a renewed civilization we still enjoy today!

Fans of history will love hearing about the tales of the unconquered Irish, what is known of Ireland before the arrival of the English, and how various male and female religious orders evolved and grew over two centuries of consequential changes. Without the Irish, our world would look very different indeed!

Catching Jordan

Kenneally, Miranda. Catching Jordan. Book 1 of the Hundred Oaks series. 2011. 252p. ISBN 9781402262289. Available as an ebook from Overdrive.

As a senior in high school, everyone watching her would think Jordan has everything going for her. Her father is the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. Her brother Mike is now in college, playing for his favorite team. And over 6 feet tall, Jordan also has the best throw on her football team. She's the captain and quarterback for Hundred Oaks' high school team, and a top prospect for any team, if only she weren't a girl.

Jordan really wants to join the University of Alabama's football program, but she keeps getting hints from the athletic director, the coach, and some of the players that she will never see field time if she goes to Alabama. Her father is no help. He never comes to her games, and has not seen her play. She's never kissed a boy, because who would want to date a girl that taller than they are? Thankfully, Jordan has plenty of friends on the football team, including Sam Henry and J.J. This season is shaping up to be a great one, and Jordan is ready to lead her team all the way to the state championship.

Except the arrival of Tyler changes everything. A new senior from Texas and a quarterback, Ty has an arm that rivals Jordan, and the coach agrees to give him play time. How can Jordan shine if she's not playing? Compounding these difficulties, Jordan is falling hard for Ty, and he's falling for her too. With mixed emotions and a roller coaster of a ride, Jordan will need to play the best football, and sort out her own desires and determine what is really important to her before the season is over!

Fans of sports and football stories who enjoy reading about Jordan's exploits and struggles should take a look at Play the Game, a real-life story of a girl who joined the 7th grade football team at her school.

I Feel Bad About My Neck, and other Thoughts on Being a Woman

Ephron, Nora. I Feel Bad About My Neck, and other Thoughts on Being a Woman. 2006. 139p. ISBN 9780307264558.

Nora Ephron brought us famous movies like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle. A famous writer, Nora started her career as a journalist before transitioning into a writer and director. Over the years, Nora accumulated experiences that became fodder for her movies and books. In I Feel Bad About My Neck, Ephron explores what it means to age as a woman, in often poignant language, but always with a hilarious bent.

Looking back at her life, Ephron considers times that were significant and that an outside influence on her. She talks about her time as John F. Kennedy's intern. She discusses her disappointment at Bill Clinton's presidency. She explores the love she has for her apartment, until rent was raised to $12,000 a month. She talks about her children. Through it all, Ephron showcases the same humor that made her a famous writer and movie director.

Though younger readers will not relate to most of the topics Ephron explores in this book, they will not be able to say they weren't forewarned about some of the pitfalls of aging!

Through the Woods

Carroll, Emily. Through the Woods. 2014. 208p. ISBN 9781442465954. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Through the Woods tells five stories of the horrors of loneliness and difference. Illustrated with reds and blacks, each story confronts the theoretical monster that lives in the dark or under the bed. Each of the five main characters are isolated in their own lives, either due to their nature or to circumstances, and each of them find themselves in a situation where the evil that lurks behind their imagination suddenly becomes very real.

Fans of horror will appreciate the darkness that permeates Through the Woods, but will want to keep the night light on after they're done reading.

Faust

 von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Faust. 1998. 503p. ISBN 9780385031141. 

Though medieval in origin, the tale of Faust is as old as time itself, with man seeking to escape the bonds meant to retain his humanity. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe crafted a retelling of Faust on and off for over sixty years, with the final product published after his death in the early 1800s. In Goethe's story, Faust has reached the pinnacle of humanity, but is unable to exceed it. His knowledge is extraordinary, his power is great, and he enjoys life, but it is not satisfying. Faust's existential crisis attracts the attention of Mephistopheles, the German version of the Devil, who offers Faust a wager. Mephistopheles tells Faust he will provide him with every kind of experience imaginable in order to find the one that will satisfy him. If he fails, Faust will get to enjoy an even better life than before. But if he succeeds, and if Faust finds a moment in time where he is truly satisfied, he will lose his soul.

Scared of the bargain but eager to perhaps reach true happiness for the first time, Faust agrees to Mephistopheles's terms, and soon he experiences things beyond the comprehension of most humans. But none of these experiences satisfy him. Then he meets Gretchen, a young woman, and the lustful relationship takes Faust closest to being fully satisfied before Mephistopheles destroys the young woman and her family, causing Faust eternal grief. 

Still bound by his deal with Mephistopheles, Faust and the Devil travel through time, living in different eras. Faust cannot forget Gretchen, however, and though life can be sweet, it is nothing but the taste of ashes in his mouth, and Mephistopheles is nowhere close to collecting Faust's soul. Then Faust meets Helen of Troy, renowned beauty, Faust finally feels satisfied with his life. Mephistopheles attempts to collect Faust's soul, but God intervenes in Faust's favor following Gretchen's desperate pleading. Carried up to paradise, Faust is reunited with Gretchen, and Mephistopheles crawls back to Hell, having failed in his mission. Faust was thus saved by Gretchen and his eternal love for him.

Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown

Sheinkin, Steve. Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown. 2021. 342p. ISBN 9781250149015. Available at 972.91 SHE on the library shelves.

During World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were reluctant allies against the Nazi enemy. With competing ideas about society's organization and economic systems, the two victors of the Second World War soon emerge as superpowers, with enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world over. The search for the next even more powerful weapon became a race for everything as both superpowers competed with each other for influence and domination. Spies and spying became the currency of what quickly grew as the Cold War.

Soviet spies sought to acquire technical expertise and infiltrate weapons development programs. American spies sought to penetrate the Soviet government and acquire weapons blueprints and capabilities. American Spy planes flew above the Soviet Union, examining weapon depots, military bases, and nuclear sites. But then the United States was shocked when the Soviets put the first satellite into space atop a rocket that could carry a nuclear warhead anywhere in the world. The United States was behind!

With John F. Kennedy's election, the nation now had a young and untested leader at the helm. Soviet leadership, experienced and having lived through the Second World War, sought to continue the spread of Communism around the world. As more warheads are built and deployed, strategic competition is becoming a deadly game where one wrong move will cause nuclear armageddon. 

The Cold War in general, and particularly tense moments such as the Bay of Pig invasion, the U2 plane shot down over the Soviet Union, and the Cuban Missile crisis, marked the collective imagination and continues to influence the course of events today. Fans of history will enjoy the drama behind this real-life spy and geopolitical thriller!

The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers

McClanahan Brion. The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Founding Fathers. 2009. 354p. ISBN 9781596980921. 

Most American students are familiar with the preamble to the Constitution, where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are celebrated and enshrined. But they don't actually know what the Constitution says, nor do they know the founding fathers, who, McClanahan claims, were the greatest generation of Americans. George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton are household names, but what do we really know about them aside from a few myths and distorted truths? What would the founding fathers think about the expansive powers the federal government has assigned itself?

In this revision of American history, McClanahan reviews the life of 16 founding fathers, and quotes extensively from their writings, letters, and summaries of deliberations to demonstrate that none of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence and worked on crafting the United States' Constitution would support the way our federal system has evolved over two hundred years. The lives of Washington, Jefferson and Madison are examined, along with now lesser-known Revolutionary figures such as Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Elbridge Gerry. Their impact on the course of the Revolution is explored, along with what they did following Independence. 

Fans of history will appreciate seeing the founder fathers in a new light, and will learn of their dedication to establishing a more perfect union.

One Punch Man, Vol. 1

One. One Man Punch, Vol. 1. 2015. 199p. ISBN 9781421585642. 

Saitama has no skills. He's stuck in a dead-end job, hates his life, and really has no purpose. All he wanted to do was become a superhero, someone that everyone would be proud of. After fighting and defeating a crab man bent on destroying a kid, Saitama realized that he could in fact be a superhero. He spent years after that training, and he is now the strongest fighter, able to defeat opponents with one punch. But in the process he lost his hair, and he still wonders whether life is worth living, since no more challenges present themselves. Feeling destined for the most boring life, Saitama hopes that a villain that will offer more than a passing challenge will one day come and attack his town. Careful what you wish for ...

The story continues in One Punch Man, Vol. 2.

Archenemies

Meyer, Marissa. Archenemies. Book 2 of the Renegades series. 2018. 471p. ISBN 9781250078308. Available at FIC MEY on the library shelves.

As an Anarchist named Nightmare, Nova was feared for her ability to put people to sleep just by touching them. In Renegades, Nova wanted to wreck revenge on those she holds responsible for her parents and her sister's deaths. With her fellow Anarchists, she developed a plan that involved entering into Renegade service. After successfully completing trials, Nova took the name Insomnia and she joined the ranks of the law-enforcing Renegades, a group of prodigies who possess super powers. Her plan was simple. She would discover where they keep the helmet of Ace Anarchy, the super villain that almost destroyed Gatlon City, who happens to be her uncle. 

As Insomnia, Nova was assigned to Adrian's squad. Adopted by Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden, Adrian is known as Sketch, as his drawings come to life, and he is both respected and loved. Nova was tasked with making Adrian fall in love with her, so that she could gain access to secrets and inside information. 

But both Nova and Adrian have secrets. As Nightmare, she wants to destroy the Renegades. Adrian, for his part, is the Sentinel, a prodigy who's wanted by the very Renegades that he leads. When they both learn that the Renegades have developed Agent N, a neutralizer that removes a prodigy's powers, they both realize that the dangerous game they have been playing has just turned deadly. With the line between good and evil never clearer, both Adrian and Nova must make choices that will change their lives and their feelings for each other forever ...

The story concludes in Supernova.

Uruguay

Jermyn, Leslie. Urugay. Part of the Cultures of the World series. 1998. 144p. ISBN 9780761444824. Available at 989.5 JER on the library shelves.

The country of Uruguay is fairly unique in South America. It is one of the youngest countries, only founded in the 1810s following a short war of independence from Argentina. And, due to its flat nature and lack of sustainable forests, it was not inhabited by a large number of Native residents prior to the Spanish conquest. As a result, the country is fairly homogeneous, but with a sizable population which descends from the slaves who were brought it.

Wedged between Brazil and Argentina, the country is blessed with a temperate climate, but lacks resources to make it an industrial power. The country's culture centers around the Gaucho, the South-American cowboy who roamed the land in the 1800s, moving cattle on the plains. Music is also important, with Argentinian, Brazilian, and African influences. Uruguay went through a period of military dictatorship, but has returned to democracy in the 1980s. 

Those interested in learning more about this South-American country will enjoy reading this book, and will find many facets of Uruguay's culture and society fascinating!

The Gilded Ones

Forna, Namina. The Gilded Ones. Book 1 of the Deathless series. 2021. 432p. ISBN 9781984848697. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

In Deka's society, all girls who turn sixteen participate in a blood ceremony, where the color of their blood is examined. Red, and the girl is allowed to live in the village as a full member of the community. Gold, and the girl is executed for being a demon, a cursed being who represents a threat to the village and the empire. As the ceremony nears, Deka hopes her blood is pure, but fears that it isn't. Deka is already much different from the other residents of the village, with a skin darker than most, and with an intuition that seems to be right more often than not. With her mother long dead, all Deka has left is her father.

But just before it is time for her blood letting ceremony, Death Shrieks attack the village. As warriors run to attack the monsters, Deka's eyes turn gold, and her voice seems to paralyze the creatures. Accused of being in league with the demons, and denounced by her own father, her blood is revealed to run gold, and Deka is killed ... only to return. Those with gold blood are known as the Alaki, and they are nearly immortal. Each Alaki has one true death, but until it is discovered, they can be slain but will always awaken again. 

Recuperating from another painful death, Deka meets White Hands, a mysterious woman from the capital who offers her a position among an army of Alaki being assembled by the emperor to fight a mass of Death Shrieks now assembling on the borders of the empire. Faced with the prospect of certain death if she remains in the village, Deka agrees and travels to the capital. She meets other Alaki like her, and eventually discovers that the empire's reasons for training Alaki may not be what they seem at first glance.

With armies assembling on the field of battle, Deka will be faced with a painful choice: Fight for what's right, or fight for her friends?

A tale inspired from West African myths and legends, The Gilded Ones offer a different view of fantasy that is unfamiliar yet very relatable. Deka's struggle to accept her new role feels realistic, and the world-building includes several twists and turns that propel the story forward.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

Krakauer, Jon. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. 2003. 400p. ISBN 9780385509510.

When Ron and Dan Lafferty commit two murders in Utah in 1984, killing Ron's wife and his infant daughter, both of them claimed that they had been divinely inspired by God to rid the Earth of his enemies. Both Ron and Dan were members of a fringe fundamentalist movement within the Church of the Latter Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church. Still adhering to the original polygamist message that their church founder, Joseph Smith proclaimed, Ron sought to acquire a second wife, something his wife was not interested in at all. Thus came the revelations, which to him granted him the right to eliminate his wife so that he could find a more suitable mate.

Under the Banner of Heaven tells the history of the Mormon faith, from its humble beginnings to today's multibillion dollar enterprise based in Salt Lake City, and it intermingle that of Ron, Dan, their parents, friends, and other members of this fringe group and the power they have over large number of followers. The crime is analyzed and solved while the brothers travel throughout the southwestern United States, and the religion's impact on their lives is explored. 

Fans of history will appreciate this deep dive into America's best-known homegrown religion, while fans of sordid crimes will read how a heinous crime was solved.

Naruto, Vol. 2

Kishimoto, Masashi. Naruto, Vol. 2. 2000. 216p. ISBN 9781591161783. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Having graduated from their training in Naruto, Vol, 1, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke are now officially ninjas in training. But because of their low rank, they keep getting assigned to tasks that are not very challenging. All three of them, for their own personal reasons, yearn for the challenges that more difficult tasks would provide. For Naruto, that's the way to becoming Hokage of his village one day. Both appreciating their candor and hoping to get rid of them for a while, the current lord Hokage agrees to assign them a task that ranks higher than their current status. They are to accompany a bridge building architect back to his village. 

Along with their teacher, Kakashi, Naruto and his group head to the Land of Waves, not knowing that the architect's life is in danger. A deadly assassin, Zabuza, has been given the contract to eliminate the architect, who is building a bridge that would undercurt the profits the local crime lord receives from controlling the shipping around the Land of Waves. Caught in a deadly battle, the stakes have just gotten higher for Naruto!

The story continues in Naruto, Vol. 3.

The Lightning Thief

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. Book 1 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. 2005. 377p. ISBN 9780786838653. Available at FIC RIO on the library shelves.

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson has never known his father, and though his mother does her best to protect him, her no-good husband, Percy's stepfather, is a self-centered and abusive jerk who wants Percy out. Attending a private school, Percy once again finds himself close to being suspended. Despite himself, he's always getting in trouble. It's as if trouble followed him wherever he goes... At school, Percy's only friend Grover does his best to help him stay on the right path, but it is so difficult. The only thing Percy enjoys is his Latin class, where the teacher makes the antique world come alive.

On a class field trip to a museum, Percy is attacked by his math teacher, and soon discovers that he is in fact the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. The Greek gods survived to today, and they continue to toy with humanity. Someone stole Zeus' lightning bolt, and Percy has been blamed for the theft, and Poseidon is threatened with war if it is not returned. Percy is stunned to learn all of this from his friend Grover, who is actually a Satyr sent to protect him.

Percy's mother decides to take him to Camp Half-Blood for his own protection, because all kinds of mythological monsters and beasts are now hunting him, but she is killed by a Minotaur on the border of the camp. Camp Half-Blood is a safe space for the children of the gods, and there Percy meets Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and soon he, Grover, and Annabeth find themselves on a quest to retrieve the lightning bolt, save his mother from Hades, and prevent a war between the gods. Percy will need all of his wits to survive a cross-country trip with gods, monsters, and beasts all wanting to be the ones to capture him and deliver him to Zeus for swift punishment....

A fantastical tale where the gods are still present and living in New York City, the story of Percy combines heroics of Greek mythology and modern sensibilities to deliver a fast-paced tale that readers who appreciate fantasy or tales from the antiquity will surely enjoy.

In the President's Secret Service

Kessler, Ronald. In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect. 2009. 288p. ISBN 9780307461353. 

The United States Secret Service was created to protect the President of the United States following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. The Service was also assigned the task of investigating counterfeiting currency. Over the last 150 years, the Secret Services have seen their share of incidents, with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and James Garfield, and attempts made on numerous others, including a near-deadly one on Ronald Reagan. Over the years, the number of people they protect has increased to include the Vice-President, members of the President and the Vice-President's families, dignitaries from other countries, and other members of the Administration.

Secret Service agents pride themselves on keeping information on the person they protect private. But several incidents in the 2000s revealed that the agency was plagued with mismanagement, staff burnouts, lax security, and abuse of taxpayer funds. As a result, the Secret Service and its functions was thrust in the public eye, with Congressional hearings and procedural changes.

Part history, part salacious details, In the President's Secret Service describes the basic functions of the Secret Service, and how the agency has evolved in the recent past. Fans of presidential trivia will enjoy hearing about how presidents and their families act when the public's eye is not focused on them.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses

O'Neal, Kristen. Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses. 2021. 382p. ISBN 9781683692348. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive. 

Priya had her whole life planned. She was going to complete her pre-med program at Stanford, before entering medical school. Then she was going to become a doctor who did serious research. When she falls sick, she blames it on a cold, then on the flu, but eventually must face the fact that she's not getting any better. A delayed diagnosis of Lyme disease identifies her disease, but does not restore her energy. Always fatigued, Priya returns home to her parents in New Jersey, and is forced to take incompletes for her classes.

In pain, with no energy, and seeing her dreams fly away before her eyes, Priya turns to her support group, a Discord channel dedicated to people with chronic illnesses. There she meets Brigid, who lives an hour away in Pennsylvania. The two of them hit it off, and they soon become fast friends. During a weekly meeting of the channel, however, Brigid does not show up, which is unlike her. Worried, Priya, despite the pain, borrows a car and drives to her friend's house, only to be attacked by a large dog inside Brigid's home. 

Calling animal control, Priya is soon joined by Spencer, a twenty-something animal control officer. Searching the home, they find a naked Brigid in the bathroom, and no trace of the dog. Only, Priya is pretty sure that Brigid was the dog. Her suspicions proved correct the next day when Brigid confirms that her chronic illness is that she turns into a werewolf every month. With Spencer's help, and Brigid's reluctant support, Priya sets out to find a cure for Brigid. In the process, she and her friends will discover truths about themselves and what it means to be "normal."

Fans of new adults stories will enjoy Priya's tale that mixes the very real chronic illnesses that are debilitating and prevent people from reaching their dreams, and the lycanthropy that afflicts Brigid. The story is humorous and entertaining, the characters are deeply flawed and realistic, but the plot holds well together. Readers who enjoy light paranormal with a hint of romance will appreciate this story.