The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

The Grownup
by Gillian Flynn

If you’ve ever read any of Gillian Flynn’s work (“Gone Girl,” “Sharp Objects,” etc.) you know she’s kind of got a hard-edged style of writing. She doesn’t guild the lily at all. Her main characters are often promiscuous to the point of being considered slutty. There’s often some sort of violence and/or abuse going on in her stories. She tends to portray most men as falling into one of two groups: wimpy pushovers or uptight jerks.

This book is very much the same.

That being said, I enjoyed it. I read this book in one day, which is unusual for me. It’s brief, but meaty. Basically, the main character (whose name is never revealed) is sort of a Joan-of-all-trades who has recently taken up fortune-telling by way of reading peoples auras. She becomes closely involved with one patron, whose house sounds like it’s haunted and may be possessing her stepson. Though the main character doesn’t believe in any of that hocus-pocus stuff (she’s just out to make a buck), she jumps at the chance to milk this opportunity for some major cash. But then, things start getting a little too real…

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Gone Girl or Sharp Objects, also by Gillian Flynn]

[ official Gillian Flynn web site ]

Recommended by Tracy T.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Winter's Crossing by James Galway (on CD)

Winter’s Crossing
by James Galway [Compact Disc 781.62 IreG]

This is a musical CD but it tells a story too. It begins in Ireland with people preparing to leave for America and follows them on their journey; the optimism, the sad goodbye, the time on board the ship, reaching the shore and starting a new life. There is a vocal part at the goodbye which is a letter documenting a firsthand account of someone who was at such a farewell. The rest is just instrumental, but it too is full of emotions that change with the immigrants’ story. I really enjoyed this album and highly recommend it. It comes with a booklet that explains the history and journey of the Irish immigrants which makes the music more meaningful. If you are curious about Irish immigrants of the past or enjoy instrumental music, this album is suburb.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Scottish Tranquility, by Phil Coulter]

[ Winter’s Crossing entry at AllMusic.com ] | [ official James Galway web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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Rise of the Warrior Cop by Radley Balko

Rise of the Warrior Cop
by Radley Balko [363.2 Bal] 

This book is a few years old, but it still applies to what we find happening in our country today. The author explains that he is not “anti-cop”, but he is against bad policy that leads to bad police officers and bad policing. The book ties in to the rise and expansion of the war on drugs, the war on illegal immigration, the privatization of prisons and drug testing, changes in police philosophies and practices and the movement from a military-industrial complex to a police-industrial complex. Reading this book will have you questioning assumptions about drug policy, immigration policy and what we are comfortable allowing government and law enforcement to do in the name of public safety.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Murder City by Charles Bowden, Midnight in Mexico by Alfredo Corchato, Narcoland by Anabel Hernandez and El Narco by Ioan Grillo]

[ official Facebook page for Rise of the Warrior Cop ] | [ Radley Balko page at the CATO Institute ]

Recommended by Corey G.
Gere Branch Library

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Chappie on DVD

Chappie
[DVD Chappie]

I really enjoyed the hyper-realistic, gritty aliens-on-earth film District 9, directed by Neil Blomkamp, a few years ago, and was excited to see that he had created another new film last year in the form of Chappie. In this new film, Chappie is a damaged military police robot, which has been uploaded with a self-aware artificial intelligence, making it a living mechnical lifeform. The South African world of Chappie is gritty, filthy, and ruinous, peopled by violent gangs, an overwhelmed police force, and powerful corporations.
The main plot features a robotics scientist breaking protocol to steal a damaged robot to test out his AI software. However, he and his science project are co-opted by a trio of small-time crooks who need his “police robot” to help them pull off a big crime job, or they’ll get killed by the local criminal scene’s biggest player. Meanwhile, at the company that manufactures the police robots, another scientist/engineer wants to be able to test his even-more-powerful military robot, but has to prove that the line of robots Chappie came from is ineffective. Combine some violent criminal behavior, some corporate espionage and intrigue, and an oddly-sweet story of the brand new Chappie Artificial Intelligence being “born” and learning about its world, and you’ve got a crazy, mixed-up science fiction film. The set design and special effects — particularly the robotics work to bring Chappie to life, are incredible. Actor Sharlto Copley (who also starred in Blomkamp’s District 9) was filmed in a motion capture suit for the robotic character of Chappie, and also provides the voice — he created a quirky character, that I really grew to care about by the end of the film. Other stand-out cast members include Hugh Jackman (playing a villain for once!), Sigourney Weaver, Dev Patel, and a pair of punk/new-wave musicians, Ninja and Yo-Landi Visser (who play “Ninja” and “Yo-Landi” — the small-time criminals who end up becoming surrogate parents to the newly-created Chappie intelligence). I didn’t think I was going to enjoy Ninja and Yo-Landi’s performances at first, but by the end of the film, I found them to be excellent.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try District 9, also directed by Blomkamp.] [Also available in traditional print format.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Chappie web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie

Lord Edgware Dies (a.k.a. Thirteen at Dinner)
by Agatha Christie

As the title suggests, Lord Edgeware dies in this story. His wife has been trying to divorce him for a few months and he’s refused. She makes it quite well know she doesn’t like him and has joked about getting him out of the way herself if he doesn’t agree. Poirot and his friend Captain Hastings are called in to investigate. Things become more complicated when an actress who does impressions is also murdered. While it was a fairly good book, it didn’t really catch my interest as much as some of the others in the Poirot series. I just picked it up because I’m working through the whole series; they can’t all be 10 stars. I wouldn’t really recommend it, even if you’re looking for a Christie or a mystery.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Mysterious Affair at Styles, by Agatha Christie] [ official Agatha Christie web site ]

Recommended by Kristin A.
Gere Branch Library

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The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman

The Star Trek Compendium
by Allan Asherman [791.457 qStaYa] 

This compendium is all about the original series. It contains information about each episode in all three seasons, some on the animated series, and information about each of the movies. In addition to plot summaries it also has information about the making of the episodes and some trivia. It was probably fun when it came out in 1993, but today all this and more is easily accessed online through Internet Movie Database and the Star Trek Wiki (Memory Alpha). That said I’m not sure what rating to give the book. The trivia and summaries don’t deserve a low rating, but if I wanted them I’d go online. I’d give the book’s content a 7, but because it’s just not where I’d go to read this, it loses some points. If you are looking for trivia, summaries, information on the characters and actors, I recommend IMDB and Memory Alpha, which also include articles on the other Star Trek series. You could end up transported to multiple other articles the book does not include, and to me that’s much more fun.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Star Trek: The Art of Juan Ortiz, by Juan Ortiz. It is a collection of movie poster artwork he created for each episode of the Star Trek’s original series.]

[ Allan Asherman entry at MemoryAlpha ]

Recommended by Kristin A.
Gere Branch Library

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Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook by Dan Whalen

Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook
by Dan Whalen [641.5 Wha]

We get a lot of new cookbooks that show up on the “new books” display at the downtown library, any many look fascinating but too “fancy’ for me to try out the recipes. But every once-in-a-while, a cookbook shows up that really grabs my attention. That’s what happened with Stuffed by Dan Whalen. Whalen is a food blogger, posting regularly at The Food in My Beard. He refers to himself as “the Mad Scientist of food” — he likes to experiment with new ways of preparing and presenting food — twists on conventional recipes or ideas that have never been tried before.

As the title Stuffed would indicate, this entire cookbook features 112 recipes that have one thing stuffed inside another, or in some cases, one thing wrapped around another. The contents are broken into broad categories — Stuffed Breads, Stuffed Pasta and Rice, Stuffed Meats, Stuffed Veggies and Fruits, Stuffed Sweets and Basics (some standard ingredient recipes that are often incorporated into the other categories). Whalen pulls in culinary elements from cultures around the world, featuring both standard and exotic ingredients. Some of the recipes that really jumped out at me included: Sweet Potato Tamales. Pork Belly Stuffed Cornbread Bites, Spaghetti Wrapped Shrimp, Lobster Stuffed Friend Mac and Cheese Balls, Meat Wrapped Corn on the Cob, Scotch Quail Eggs, Mac and Cheese Chile Rellenos, Pineapple Bacon Jalapeno Bites, Bacon Avodaco Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatos, Bacon Stuffed Peaches, and on the sweeter side, Ginger-Cinnamon Baked Apples and Pina Colada Stuffed Panna Cotta. Even though Whalen’s recipes are clear and understandable, some of them still seem far too elaborate for me to try. But they sound delicious. My one complaint about this book is the lack of illustrations — only about 1 out of every 4 recipes features a photo to show what the finished dish looks like. Those photos are gorgeous, but far too few! Now…somebody make me some of these!

[ official Stuffed page on Dan Whalen’s official The Food in My Beard blog ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

Mr. Churchill’s Secretary
by Susan Elia MacNeal

The first five volumes of the “Maggie Hope” series by Susan Elia MacNeal were the assigned reading topic for the January 2016 meeting of the Lincoln City Libraries’ Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group. Mr. Churchill’s Secretary launched the series, in 2012. Set in the early days of World War II, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary features our plucky heroine, American-raised but British-born Maggie Hope, taking a position in the typing pool of the newly elected British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Maggie is well-educated, and particularly experienced in mathematics and understanding codes. While we come to meet all the people in Maggie’s life and work, we also see two separate plots unfolding behind the scenes, involving a potential assassination attempt against the PM and another to blow up Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Maggie Hope is an interesting main character, but at times she seems almost too good to be true. And while her struggles to achieve recognition and respect in a male-dominated culture will resonate with a modern-day reading audience, her forward thinking stances seemed a bit out of place in this novel. Additionally, despite extensive historical research on the part of MacNeal, annoying inaccuracies occasionally popped up. None-the-less, the writing style is nice and fresh, and the world of London during the nightly German blitzes felt well described — I was reminded of the world of the British TV mini-series, Danger UXB. And the world of codebreakers that Maggie interacts with reminded me of another British series, The Bletchley Circle.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the additional volumes in this ongoing series by MacNeal] [ official Susan Elia MacNeal web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Braids, Buns and Twirls by Christine Butcher

Braids, Buns and Twirls: Step by Step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles
by Christine Butcher [646.724 But] 

I got this book to learn how to French braid my hair. I know I can look it up online on hundreds of different sites, but for whatever reason, I just wanted a book. The instructions are simple to follow and the diagrams of each step are helpful. There are of course photos of each style too. I stayed in the braids section but there are just as many styles of ponytails, buns, and twits. The author assigns a difficulty level to each style and indicates what length of hair is best. Needless to say I found others besides the French braid I wanted to try. I recommend it if you want a new look and a new skill.

Recommended by Kristin A.
Gere Branch Library

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens - novelization by Alan Dean Foster

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (novelization)
by Alan Dean Foster

The novelization of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a fun read. There are some slight discrepancies between the book and the movie that are likely the result of Alan Dean Foster writing from a earlier draft of the script than what made it to the big screen. It could also be a preview of some potential deleted scenes that might be on the dvd/blu-ray that comes out later this year. The book moves at a good pace and Foster does a nice job translating the characters from movie to print. We also get a few insights into what is going on in the character’s heads during pivotal moments. The ending is rather rushed and unfortunately clunky. Overall the book is a fun read for any Star Wars fan. I would recommend seeing the movie before reading the book for best enjoyment of both.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Star Wars Trilogy, by Donald F. Glut, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, by Terry Brooks, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, by R.A. Salvatore and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, by Matthew Stover]

[ publisher’s official The Force Awakens book web page] | [ official Alan Dean Foster web site ]

Recommended by Corey G.
Gere Branch Library

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The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (on CD)

The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein [Compact Disc Stein]
I absolutely LOVED this book! My cousin recommended it, and now I’m seeing that a bunch of friends have already read it. I’ve never read anything like this before, that I can recall… it was a lovely story about a family and their ups and downs… but from the perspective of their dog. And this dog was BRILLIANT! Just the insights the dog had were amazing… the things the dog noticed about human behavior that we, as humans, fail to notice. One example: we rarely LISTEN to one another; we wait our turn to tell our stories, and we often derail each other’s stories because of one nugget of similarity within a person’s story. It’s so true. I’m SO guilty of this! Why can’t we just shut up and LISTEN to each other? Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to dog-lovers, especially.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Marley & Me, by John Grogan]

 

[ official Art of Racing in the Rain page on the official Garth Stein web site ]

Recommended by Tracy T.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Pioneers of Television (on DVD)

Pioneers of Television
[DVD 791.457 Pio] 

Pioneers of Television is a series of short mini-series documentaries produced for Public Television. Each of the first four existing “seasons” is comprised of four hour-long episodes, each with its own theme. Season One in 2008 covered “Sitcoms”, “Late Night”, “Variety” and “Game Shows”. Season Two in 2011 covered “Science Fiction”, “Westerns”, “Crime Dramas”, and “Local Kid’s TV”. Season Three in 2013 had “Funny Ladies”, “Prime Time Soaps”, “Superheroes” and “Miniseries”, as well as a standalone episode later in the year covering “Carol Burnett and the Funny Ladies”. The last season produced was in 2014, and included “Standup to Sitcom”, “Doctors and Nurses”, “Breaking Barriers” and “Acting Funny”. Following the death of comic actor Robin Williams, a standalone 2014 episode “Remembering Robin Williams” was also shown.

Each of these is a marvelous time capsule looking back on classic eras of television entertainment, and features sit-down interviews with many of the actors, writers, producers and directors who created the television series many of us grew up on, along with extensive clips from the shows under discussion. My personal favorite episodes were the “Crime Drama”, “Science Fiction” and “Superheroes” episodes, available in a couple of the different “season” box sets. PBS also still has a huge archive of interview footage and behind-the-scenes information available on their website. If you’re looking to harken back to the early days of television (1950s through the 1980s), I recommend sampling some of these sets of the Pioneers of Television.

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this series ] | [ PBS’ official Pioneers of Television web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge

Fly by Night
by Frances Hardinge [j Hardinge] 

My science fiction and fantasy reading group chose to read and discuss this one, as an example of a “juvenile” fantasy novel. Honestly, this was a far more complex fantasy novel than anything I read when I was a pre-teen, and I’ll have to admit that I enjoyed Fly by Night as a adult. Oddly, though this is set in a pre-technology society, ruled by competing “guilds”, with complicated political and religious backgrounds, there isn’t really any traditional magic-based “fantasy” element, like you’d expect in most fantasy fiction.

Mosca Mye is our young pre-teen heroine, who finds herself taking advantage of an unexpected opportunity to escape from her backwater community to travel in the company of a traveling storyteller — Eponymous Clent, i.e. teller of lies and tall tales. Having grown up the child of a father who allowed her to learn to read (although printed books are pretty much a “banned” commodity (hence the cover image to the book), Mosca wishes for a better stature in her life than simple serving girl. Her travels with Eponymous, and her wildly protective goose, Saracen, embroil Mosca in multiple adventures and intrigues…which could ultimately lead to upheaval in the political status quo of her medieval country. The writing is sharp and snappy, the characters are colorful, and the background of Hardinge’s world is well-developed. Casual readers may feel a bit lost, but if you’re willing to dedicate your time and attention to this one, it is well worth the effort, not only for juvenile readers, but for both youth and adults as well.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the follow-up volume, Twilight Robbery, also by Hardinge]

[ official Fly by Night page on the official Frances Hardinge web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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The Lost Weekend by Charles Jackson

The Lost Weekend
by Charles Jackson

First published in 1944, The Lost Weekend by Charles Jackson is one of the most raw and unflinching portraits of mental unrest that I have ever read. It follows Don, an alcoholic with what I would say are bi-polar tendencies through a long weekend of binge drinking and inner turmoil when left alone by his brother Wick. We are given full access to his rampant thoughts and inward streams of consciousness and are taken on a roller coaster ride of emotion, seeing his highest narcissistic highs and lowest self-depreciating lows. It is beautifully, heart-wrenchingly written, with long and elegant prose. It is a semi-autobiographical novel that Jackson wrote for his wife, about a man who struggles with his past, grapples with his future, and turns to alcohol for solace. Readers who are looking for a happy resolution will not find that here, but if you desire a psychologically suspenseful, powerful, truly candid and thus certainly unforgettable read — look no further!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Oscar-winning film adaptation of The Lost Weekend, directed by Billy Wilder and starring Ray Milland.]

[ Wikipedia page for The Lost Weekend (Novel) ]

Recommended by Marie M.
Gere Branch Library

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The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion (on CD)

The Rosie Effect
by Graeme Simsion [Compact Disc Simsion] 

Following the hilarious and heart-warming The Rosie Project, which came out the year before The Rosie Effect, was a monumental task. The first book in this pair was a charming and highly stylized contemporary romance, told from a borderline autistic man’s point-of-view. My co-worker described it, accurately, as “What if The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper decided he needed to get a wife.” I absolutely adored that first book, especially in the audiobook format that I listened to. It’s not giving too much away to say that by the end of book one, socially-challenged scientist Don Tillman and his free-spirited lady love have gotten together. In The Rosie Effect, the married couple is settled into a new lifestyle, having moved to New York City from Australia, when Rosie drops a bombshell on her husband: “We’re pregnant!”

Don’s OCDC and hyper-analytical nature take over as he attempts to prepare for fatherhood, amidst some chaotic circumstances. There’s a nice new set of supporting characters present in this book, but the charming nature of the first volume seems to have been sacrificed to make Don ever more quirky. I didn’t really feel the emotional bonds between the characters, despite everything falling back into place in the final moments of the story. If you really like Don Tillman and are curious to follow his path, using his intense sense of logic, you will probably enjoy this one. But if you liked the interplay between Don and Rosie in book one, this was a bit of a disappointment. Still enjoyable, just nowhere near as “fresh” and fun as the first one.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion]

[ official The Rosie Effect web site ] | [ official Graeme Simsion web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs by Johann Hari

Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs
by Johann Hari [364.177 Har]

Chasing the Scream is a complicated book written by a complicated author. Johann Hari was caught up in a plagiarism scandal some years ago that derailed his career. Chasing the Scream could be seen as an act of atonement on his part. In trying to understand the Drug War, Hari embarked on a multiyear journey that provided him with as many questions as answers. What Hari excels at is going beyond the statistics and providing a human face to everyone wrapped up in the Drug War. While any reader may be skeptical of the conclusions Hari draws, they will be hard-pressed to not question the reasons why the Drug War is fought and the tactics carried out in its name .

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Murder City by Charles Bowden, Midnight in Mexico by Alfredo Corchato, Narcoland by Anabel Hernandez and El Narco by Ioan Grillo]

[ official Chasing the Scream web site ] | [ Wikipedia page for Johann Hari ]

Recommended by Corey G.
Gere Branch Library

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Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited (on DVD)

Doctor Who: The Doctors Revisited
[DVD Doctors]

At the time of the 50th anniversary of the British science fiction series Doctor Who, in 2013, a series of “specials” was produced, celebrating the different eras of of that show. The series is built around the adventures of a time-traveling alien adventurer — The Doctor — who, when faced with death, has the ability to regenerate into a fresh new body, with a completely new appearance and personality. Over the course of the first 50 years of the show, that had allowed the role of The Doctor to be played by eleven different actors (now 12, as the series is in its 53rd year). There were 11 episodes of The Doctors Revisited produced, which featured interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips from famous episodes to feature each specific “Doctor”. Each The Doctors Revisited documentary was accompanied by an entire serialized storyline from the time period that each actor portrayed the character, from the first Doctor, William Hartnell and his storyline “The Aztecs”, through the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith.

For anyone who is only vaguely aware of the cultural phenomenon that is Doctor Who, this trio of DVD Boxed Sets — set one covers Doctors 1 through 4, set two covers Doctors 5 through 8, and the final set covers Doctors 9 through 11 — is an absolutely perfect way to find out what the show is all about. Each short documentary covers the actor who played the Doctor, his traveling companions, the main “villains” he faced during his tenure, and the major storylines that were introduced during his era on the show. These were wonderfully-produced and informative specials, and the actual Doctor Who episodes that accompanied each documentary are fine examples of the show. The 12th Doctor is now Peter Capaldi, and episodes of his run can be watched on BBC America, or in series boxed sets here at the library.

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this mini-series ] | [ official www.doctorwho.tv web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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The Mad Mad Mad Mad Sixties Cookbook by Rick Rodgers

The Mad Mad Mad Mad Sixties Cookbook
by Rick Rodgers [641.5 Rod]

Some fun recipes in here–mostly fun to look at/through different things that were hip back then and to think about recreating them today. Something I found interesting is that Jon Hamm is quoted as pointing out that the glass sizes in bars (and offices?) these days are much bigger than the glass sizes Don Draper would have drank out of in the 60’s….. and the fact that he wasn’t drinking real bourbon on film, but tea or water with food coloring. Portion sizes were much smaller in the 60’s, as well. I’m inspired to look for dinnerware from the 60’s, to help me reduce my family’s portion-sizes without them really noticing the difference.

[ official Rick Rodgers web site ]

Recommended by Tracy T.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Ghost to the Rescue by Carolyn Hart (on CD)

Ghost to the Rescue
by Carolyn Hart [Compact Disc Hart]
This is the latest in the Bailey Ruth Raeburn mystery series, featuring a spunky departed spirit from Adelaide, Oklahoma who returns to Earth from Heaven to assist someone in danger. In this case, the redheaded Bailey Ruth is sent back to provide creative inspiration for a young writer, Deirdre Davenport, attending a writing conference sponsored by the local community college. When a scuzzy, opportunistic but influential teacher is found killed, Deirdre is an obvious suspect — he had been trying to coerce her into a relationship in return for a teaching position, and she was one of the last to see him alive. Bailey Ruth quickly shifts from “muse” to “sleuth”, popping in an out of thin air in a variety of guises to help the local police investigate the killing, in the hopes of saving her young charge from jail.

As always, I enjoyed the audiobook version of this a great deal — narrator Ann Marie Lee perfectly captures the personality of Bailey Ruth, and does a remarkably good job creating original voices for the many other characters in the story. This being the sixth Bailey Ruth novel, our spunky spook has established a bit of an ongoing relationship with the local police chief, who is willing to accept some unearthly help in his crime-solving. Overall, though, I will have to admit that this was one of my least favorite in the series — in some ways it feels like each new entry is covering much of the same ground. I’d kind of like to see Bailey Ruth visit somewhere other than her hometown of Adelaide in future adventures! None-the-less, a pleasant “cozy” and particularly enjoyable as a book-on-cd!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the other volumes in the Bailey Ruth Raeburn series by Carolyn Hart]

 

[ official Bailey Ruth series page on the official Carolyn Hart web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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