The Heartbeat Library by Laura Imai Messina

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Let's start with the cover. Liked it. I felt pulled into Japanese culture from the first page. If you're a lover of all things Japanese, you'll find delight in the story.

I got lost at times, accustomed as I am to fast-paced Western novels. But there's a soothing meditative rhythm to the development and unfolding understanding of the "heartbeat" felt by the characters.

Worth reading if you enjoy a novel that immerses you in another culture and another time.

Jane Austen: Daddy’s Girl by Zöe Wheddon

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
No one has had the same influence on me as my father. I'm a daddy's girl. So of course I was interested in this one! (My mom's amazing, too.)

I found it a bit thick and convoluted, as a British-ish novel based on history often is. The premise of influence and backdrop is strong and interesting. Recommended for Austin fans.

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge by Nancy Naigle

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
You don't expect to like a Christmas book in May, which is when I read this. But you may really like this one. It's a pleasure to meet people you admire or would befriend, negotiating a season of pain and pleasure.

Recommended when you're in a sentimental mood or just want to relax with a good story.

A Half Flower by Mirà Kanehl

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

A gripping retelling of displaced Frenchmen who travel far from home to escape the revolution at home. I picked it up, sank into it, and sailed around the world.

Recommended if you like European history, French culture, and a reminder that people have always migrated and made new lives in hostile places.

It was a stunner at times. Be prepared to be immersed in the story.

The Living Medicine... Why It Will Rescue Us When Antibiotics Fail by Lina Zeldovich

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
An engaging and readable look at alternatives to antibiotics. Phages are readily available, proven in other parts of the world, and just coming to light in the West. 

Read this if you are interested in medicine, natural healing, or have an antibiotic-resistant illness. I found it fascinating and highly recommend it. At the very least, you'll have something to talk about with friends - and perhaps you'll even gain an alternative to suggest to someone in medical crisis.

Great to Good by Jae Hoon Lee

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
So you're ambitious. Type A (or B or C?) You have high expectations. You want to be perfect. And you expect the same of others.

Here's a reality check - and the encouragement to live day by day in God's favor. 

How can you become who you are designed to be, without unrealistic expectations of yourself and others? How do you fulfill your purpose without crashing and burning?

There's great encouragement from Lee - read it and you'll be set to enjoy the journey of faith, even while you let God take you to paths beyond your dreams and ambitions.

Coaching for Performance, 6th edition by John Whitmore; Tiffany Gaskell

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
 The golden textbook, oft updated to stay current, for new and experienced coaches. You'll learn the basics of coaching - from client intentions and intake to asking questions and staying on track.

This is a must-have for the coach's library. You can upgrade your skills, use it as a reminder to stay sharp, and review your job. If you're a potential client, you'll know what to expect - and maybe understand how to assess your coach's proficiency. 

LAUGH OUT LOUD: Your Personal Prescription for the Best Medicine on Earth by Jack Daly

★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
This a why as much as a how-to. Daly explains the benefits of a life filled with humor. Your mind and body - never mind your emotional and will - are affected by your positivity or negativity.

Should you laugh aloud? Of course. Can you? Do you want to? Worth reading to see where you fall on the humor scale. You'll learn how to lighten up with comedians, engage with the funny parts of life around you, and take yourself less seriously.

The Paris Understudy by Aurélie Thiele

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
I read a few chapters. Put it down. Picked it up again. There was so much personal drama in the life of a character I wanted to see succeed ... that I couldn't read it all at once.

For all the underdogs, those pushed back time and time again, this is your story. Enjoy! Get ready for a lot of tears and sighs - and getting your hopes up.

Writing an Identity Not Your Own by Alex Temblador

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Every time we write a story or report a situation, we assume that we know who our characters are. Yet there are few things more jarring than identifying with a character in a novel or creative non-fiction and encountering impossible details and settings.

If you're writing, you need this book. Work through it step by step to align your story, backdrop, language, and other parts of the setting to what should be true for the character. You'll thank Temblador for his good counsel!

Powerful: Be the Expert in Your Own Life by Maisie Hill

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Hill examines 10 aspects of stress and how they affect mental, physical, and emotional well-being. I like the client examples, whether they were someone I could identify with partially or fully. The science and experiential information was practical = useful in daily life.

I recommend this for therapists, clients, and those who have friends who are stressed out. Read it, absorb the info, and pass it on. Self-coaching at its best.

Love, Julie by Jamie Anderson

★★★ ☐☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
 Lots of dialogue, lively characters, and midlife reflections. I didn't love it - the morality is too loose for me. The back and forth in time seems to be a feature of many movies and novels. That's ok - but I don't prefer it. Well, it's a fun story if you need a casual novel.

A Great Marriage by Frances Mayes

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Oh my goodness. I couldn't anticipate where this was going. A perfect love story, disrupted by moral failure, and redeemed by a surprise participant. 

You won't be able to predict where it ends up - so if you have to know, read the last chapter and find out how the whole thing unfolds. Mayes is a great storyteller for the modern age.

Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections by Fr. Tim Anastos

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
Though its intended audience is young adults, this is very relevant for all ages. Most Western youth don't grow up as quickly or as solidly as in generations past: the plethora of choices in spirituality and work/vocation, and mobility in where to live and work make settling down harder.

It's an era of confusion and chaos: many voices challenge the Christian faith and rootedness in prayer and scripture. Fr Anastos assures us all that a holy hour - time set aside with God for meditation, prayer, journaling, and other spiritual disciplines - is not only possible. It is worthwhile.

The author offers counsel on intentionality, spending time, mindful focus on Jesus, and modeling our prayer life on the withdrawal of Jesus to commune with his heavenly Father. He stresses personal integrity and a willingness to engage God's presence.

Highly recommended for spiritual formation, no matter what your stage of life.

Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times by Elizabeth Oldfield

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
What happens when you mess up? Is life over if you've made bad choices or when you continue to fail? This hopeful story - told with humor and personal examples - is an encouragement to seek help daily as you continue your journey. 

You'll find advice on prospering even when you're not perfect. You'll be compelled to become your best self, who God intended you to be, with God's help. Oldfield shows how to manage and overcome personal and external challenges with the help of faith and discipleship. 

Highly recommended if you're in a season of conflict or confusion.

Three Keys by Laura Pritchett

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
The second act of life, as it's sometimes called, can be more than challenging. Setting out to redefine who she is in middle age without a husband, child, or job, Ammalie is in for more than adventure. 

You'll enjoy this tale of discovery, mishaps and danger, surprises and cautions. A likable character, a complex plot, and a satisfying story. What's not to love?

Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
What you know is not all there is. A compelling story of love, loss, and suffering - and ultimate rescue. This is how it happened and what was retold and lost in the beloved musical The Sound of Music. 

If you like to explore what's behind the scenes, you'll enjoy this exploration of real life and drama.

Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by Eliot Stein

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
An anthology of histories of artifacts in global cultures. This collection is a thrill for anthropologists and researchers. It reminds us how storytelling and caring curators preserve important shifts in worldviews, experiences, and values.

Many items in modern culture are taken for granted. Yet some have a fascinating story - and these are plucked and examined in this retelling by Stein. Highly engaging, entertaining, and informative. Recommended.

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Frightening and fascinating. Could be real, could be storied non-fiction, or completely made up. I couldn't decide until the end. 

It's a mystery and a thriller. Recommended if you like exploring possibilities of what lurks under the surface of good intentions and philanthropic investments. And if you like to speculate about secret societies, you'll love this one.