Hometown Boy by Rafael Alvarez
Genre(s): Nonfiction
This was an amazing collection of stories about the people of Baltimore, showing that there is so much more to a city than meets the eye. Alvarez highlights the passions, triumphs, tragedies, and histories of the lives of so many different people, all of whom have called Baltimore home; their jobs, homes, and faiths and the locations that have meant so much to them. You really do feel for these people and their families, and are left deeply moved. This is a book to read to understand the feeling of how diverse and wonderful a community really is.
Mine by Kalesjha H. Wolf
Genre(s): Ghosts
This was a nice, short story, straight to the point. The author does an excellent job conveying Nora’s range of emotions, especially her grief and hatred, and the descriptions are well detailed. The twist near the end was not what I expected, but it was good. I just think maybe this story could’ve used a little more, perhaps showing Nora hiding her emotions from others close to her like family and friends. Still, it was good.
The Bowl with Gold Seams by Ellen Prentiss Campbell
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
This was an interesting story, focusing on a historical event I hadn’t heard of before. There’s certainly a lot of emotional drama, about the notions of friend vs. enemy, tragedy, and the guilt of keeping secrets and how it affects lives for years afterward. I would’ve liked to see a little more action as opposed to description, but in the end it does show that even if lives are broken, while they definitely will never be the same and those scars are always there, hope can still come out of it despite the suffering and guilt.
Bullet in the Chamber by John DeDakis
Genre(s): Thriller, Mystery
This was another excellent book from the author, filled passion, pain, mystery, intrigue, and intense drama. Lark Chadwick has come a long way since her first appearance. The author does an excellent job taking the reader on the waves of emotions that Lark faces, and showing us the suffering and determination Lark faces as she does her job in the face of dangerous situations that makes the heart pound and readers want to turn the page, and also touch on a number of contemporary issues such as drones and drug use. Overall, this was an excellent thriller. The author mentioned in the acknowledgments that the Lark Chadwick series is being considered for a TV series. Now that is definitely something I would want to watch!
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Genre(s): Nonfiction
I’d heard a lot about this book before reading it, but now that I have, I’m glad I did. The author captures the struggles, frustrations, and triumphs of what it’s like to be a veterinarian, especially one who works with farm animals. But he shows just how many different animals he’s worked with and how many people he’s met. I liked the inter-dynamics between him and his clients, as well as his employer, employer’s brother, and the woman whom he falls in love with. He shows just how remarkable his life was at the beginning of his career.
The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings by Lars Brownworth
Genre(s): Nonfiction
This was an interesting book. I learned a lot about the Vikings, their culture, and their impact on history.
The Jealous Son by Michele Chynoweth
Genre(s): Religious
This was an interesting take on the story of the Fall and of Cain and Abel. The author’s choice to make them members of the Navajo was an excellent, as it made the story more intriguing for me. Throughout the book I got a strong feeling for the hardships that were suffered by the characters, especially Eliza and Cameron. Eliza was definitely the central character, and I sympathized with her throughout. Cameron elicited sympathy too, even as he became more consumed with anger and jealousy, though I was surprised the story didn’t include the infamous Mark of Cain. The ending was bittersweet, and a reminder that even if not everything works out, there is always hope. The author did a great job, and I personally would love it if she wrote a novel based on the story of David, Bathsheba, and Absalom.
The Virus by K. A. Croft
Genre(s): Science Fiction, LGBTQ+
Even though this story was set centuries in the future, COVID-19 was definitely in the back of my mind as I read it. At the beginning it was made clear how society had changed as a result of a virus, and Tammy Glass was slowly rediscovering things that were no longer everyday in people’s lives, such as physical interaction and happiness, and becoming comfortable with them again. I’d say the strongest part of the story was Tammy discovering her sexuality. It was written in the form of a diary, but I would’ve liked to see dialog between the characters. I would’ve also loved to see more external conflict, more descriptions and background info about the ship, Tammy’s appearance, and the alien races mentioned. Overall, though, it was an interesting story.
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Andrew McDowell 
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