TAKE YOUR PICK

One of my recent favorite reads has been A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw. This book takes the reader on a hauntingly atmospheric trip through the forest and into the sequestered village of Pastoral with a cast of well-developed characters.

Travis Wren is often tasked with solving cold cases due to his near-clairvoyant abilities. When he sets out to find the infamous author of a haunting children's book series, Travis himself becomes a missing person. Through use of alternating points of view, Ernshaw guides the reader through these mysterious disappearances and the secrets that lie in the community of Pastoral.

As a big fan of the thriller genre, it can be challenging for me to find a story that isn't all-too predictable. Ernshaw's incorporation of magical realism, atmospheric mystery, and engaging characters had me gripped from start to finish without ever being able to guess the ending. Check out A History of Wild Places as a physical book, Libby eBook, or Libby eAudiobook!

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kristen Miller is a fun, quirky, quick read on a hot-button topic. It is set in small-town Georgia where an empty nester would like to rid the school of all books that she deems inappropriate.

She hasn't read the books that she wants to ban, but thinks she is a good enough judge of literature to start her own mini reading library in her front yard. The fun begins when someone "updates" the books (but not the book jackets) inside her "virtuous" lending library.

The characters and plot line create real life tension as the dominos fall. I loved witnessing the characters interpret the written material. Their lives began to change as they delved into reading books that they may not have chosen for themselves.

Last year, my kindergartener son came home singing about rum and something called "Billy of Tea." I had no idea what he was talking about until I discovered his music teacher had introduced the kids to Nathan Evans’ “Sea Shanty” from his 2021 album Wellerman.

We’ve been hooked on his music ever since. Luckily, hoopla has both his albums. He recently came out with 1994 which is so romantic and so many of his songs in it reminds me of falling in love for the first time.