The Witch's Daughter

by Paula Brackston

In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate at the hands of the panicked mob: the Warlock Gideon Masters, and his Book of Shadows. Gideon instructs Bess in the Craft, awakening formidable powers she didn't know she had and making her immortal. She couldn't have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he would be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.
In present-day England, Elizabeth has built a quiet life for herself, tending her garden and selling herbs and oils at the local farmers' market. But her solitude abruptly ends when a teenage girl called Tegan starts hanging around. Against her better judgment, Elizabeth begins teaching Tegan the ways of the Hedge Witch, in the process awakening memories—and demons—long thought forgotten.

~Crystal

Awkward:

The Science of Why We're Socially Awkward and Why That's Awesome
By Ty Tashiro

Interweaving the latest research with personal tales and real world examples, Awkward offers reassurance and provides valuable insights into how we can embrace our personal quirks and unique talents to harness our awesome potential—and more comfortably navigate our complex world.

~Crystal

Happy Little Accidents

The Wit & Wisdom of Bob Ross
By Michelle Witte

“Anything we don't like, we'll turn it into a happy little tree or something; we don't make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.”
Bob Ross, the soft-spoken artist painting happy clouds, mountains, and trees has captivated us for years with the magic that takes place on his canvas in twenty-six television minutes—all while dispensing little branches of wisdom. His style and encouraging words are a form of therapy for the weary, but with Bob it is always about more than painting. There is a hidden depth within his easy chatter, another layer to everything he says. When he talks about painting, he's using it as a metaphor for life!

~Crystal

The Little French Bistro

by Nina George

I picked up this book because of the title – little French bistro, and found a delightful read. It’s about love and loss, aging and sorrow, sexuality and finding yourself.

Marianne is married to a man who never showed any sign of appreciating her. While on vacation in Paris, she runs away from him. She ends up in Brittany, where she finds people who help her blossom. Her husband tracks her down , and she has to decide whether to stay or return to her former life.

~Rochelle

Textbook

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

If you’re looking for a book that will make you think about life from different angles, then this is the book for you. In her book, Rosenthal redefines the idea of the standard college textbook and uses this theme to create a book that encourages readers to think about their own life, the idea of serendipity, coincidence, how we are all connected in interesting ways, and the strange, odd, and exotic world we all live in.

Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of this book is the way in which the author enables the reader to interact with the book through text messaging, email, and the book’s website. For example, Rosenthal encourages readers to submit their own stories of serendipity, to text pictures of rainbows for the online rainbow map, to post self-portraits, and more.

As a side note, sadly, Rosenthal has recently passed away. Knowing this information may make you feel more emotional about the subjects she writes about in the book; however the connection the author provides through texting and the website feature is still active. A book that will make you laugh, cry, and ponder life and the world around you—definitely worth the read.

~Christina