Hidden History of Toledo

By Lou Hebert

hoopla

Local media celebrity Lou Hebert brings Toledo to life in this fact is always stranger than fiction collection of true-life Toledo tales. Gangsters, stolen children, dogs that ride the rails, and much more made for an enjoyable, easy read, full of fascinating stories about Toledo and outlying areas. But for a book like this, those tales would have been lost to time.

The Home Edit life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything

By Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin

eBook

This is the second book from home organization gurus, Clea and Joanna at The Home Edit. This book features celebrity clients’ homes that were organized by the ladies in their signature, rainbow-ordered style. After watching Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix, it was fun to flip through the pages of their newest book. This book – and the organizing style it espouses – has been criticized for being impractical and unattainable. Fair enough. Most of us aren’t celebrities living in mansions with giant, perfectly white closets and dozens of gorgeous bins. However, the rainbow-colored organization style is so much fun to look at. It is inspiring and motivating at the very least and it shows how organization can be beautiful.

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

By Bryan Stevenson

Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

The book is a nonfiction account of the efforts made by Stevenson, a Harvard educated lawyer from Georgia, to help reform the criminal justice system in the deep south. He tells personal and legal accounts of the of the people he represented, some of them wrongly condemned, but all in need of mercy and equal justice. Their stories are thought-provoking and moving.

Blood Heir

By Ilona Andrews

When the magic is high, phones go silent, cars stop and buildings crumble. When technology rules, guns fire and spells fail. Julie Olsen left Atlanta and her adopted family behind 8 years ago, but a new threat to her mother, Kate Daniels, brings her back to the city. She has a new name, a new face and new skills. The hardest part will be trying to stop a crazed god from killing her mother without Kate finding out she is in Atlanta.

Like Andrews’ other books, this has everything a book lover could want. Suspense, action, romance, magic, shapeshifters, the list goes on. Ilona Andrews is always at the top of my list of fantasy authors.

Poison Study

By Maria V. Snyder

hoopla Audiobook

The heroine is about to be executed for murder when she is given a second chance…by being given the chance to become the palace taste tester! Should she choose a quick death or a slow poison…

I enjoyed the strong heroine who overcomes so many different challenges past and present, all while being smart and independent.

Mexican Gothic

By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

eBook   |   eAudiobook

A satisfyingly creepy gothic set in 1950s Mexico. I enjoyed the novel’s charming, strong-willed heroine and the setting, a truly horrifying old estate with a mind of its own.

Anxious People

By Fredrik Backman

Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

A group of prospective buyers at an apartment open house is taken hostage by a failed bank robber. But this book is not another edge-of-your-seat thriller. Instead, the quirky characters are the heart of this humorous, wacky, touching tale of strangers thrown into an impossible situation.

I was intrigued by the title, having experienced an extremely anxious 2020 along with everyone else. I was not expecting to laugh out loud at the characters’ interactions and become immersed in trying to figure out the bank robber’s identity. This inventive story lifted my spirits and made me want to listen to people more because we need each other.

Frontier Follies: Adventures in Marriage & Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere

By Ree Drummond

eBook   |   eAudiobook

Ree shares her personal experiences as a mother and wife on their ranch. I really enjoyed the book especially after watching her show through the years. The life stories are funny and interesting.

The Wedding Dress

By Danielle Steel

Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

This is a heartbreaking and inspiring story about a family throughout each generation that faces challenges throughout their lives. The dress represents the hopes and dreams for each family member that inherited the dress. I enjoyed going through this journey with each of the family members. You will be surprised by the ending.

Deep Work

By Cal Newport

eBook   |   eAudiobook

More than ever we are bombarded with things that demand our attention and distract us from our actual work; text messages, Facebook notifications, emails and other things interrupt every workday. This book focuses on how to mitigate and minimize these distractions so that we can focus on doing actual work. Whether your work involves the physical, office, art, or intellectual realms, this book offers a solution.

Like many people, I have felt a growing disillusionment of my social media habits. I needed practical solutions and a new mindset. This book provided a very clear picture of this situation and how to change it.