Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline and her family move into a new flat and as she is exploring she discovers a locked door, when she finally manages to open it, the other side is nothing more than a brick wall. Until one day, Coraline opens the door and discovers a tunnel into another house just like hers. Only it’s not the same, everything in the new house is better, the food, the toys, everything. There is also another mother and father, and they want to keep Coraline for their own, she soon discovers there are other children trapped in this new world and she is their only hope of being rescued.

Coraline has been made into a children’s movie so many people recognize it, but the book gives you insight into what Coraline is thinking. Imaginations can be much more interesting than pictures so reading this story was spooky and delicious fun. The reviewer loved the story of Coraline and would recommend it to older children as it is a very adventurous and strange, creepy story about a brave young girl and a talking cat. It is available in book format at the Altona Branch & audio book at the Winkler Branch.

F-Bomb: Dispatches from the War on Feminism by Lauren McKeon

Award-winning journalist Lauren McKeon brings us F-Bomb, a riveting look at anti-feminism. While exploring the abandonment of feminism by many women, McKeon dares to ask the uncomfortable question of why women are not connecting with feminism and why this lack of connection is troubling. This book also tackles the truth that for gender equality to prevail, it is necessary to first comprehend what mistakes feminism has made and where we can take it from here.

This is an incredible and honest exploration of modern anti-feminism. McKeon brings important insights to the forefront of a significant conversation. Especially in the midst of the Me Too movement, this book is a must-read not just for women, but for anyone looking for a connection with or better understanding of feminism.

The Unquiet Bones by Melvin Starr

Hugh de Singleton is now officially a surgeon, but in the 14^th century, that’s not an automatic guarantee of employment. He is fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to set up a practice in the village of Brampton, and shortly after that, to look at some bones that have been discovered. The bones are human, and Hugh must find out who’s they are and how they died, to protect the innocent as well as bring the guilty to justice.

The Unquiet Bones is an interesting combination of historical fiction and forensic mystery. Melvin Starr has taken a lot of care in supplying a richly detailed historical background for this mystery, populated with characters that are real and complicated. The Unquiet Bones is the first in a series that promises to be worth reading all the way along.

A Stranger In The House by Shari Lapena

Karen Krupp has been in an accident, and she can’t remember what happened immediately before it. This is a problem, because there are a number of suspicious circumstances that are attracting police attention. Her husband Tom and her best friend Brigid are standing behind her, but none of the three know what they’re standing against. The strain begins to show in their relationships as suspicions of each begin to grow.

Once again, Shari Lapena writes a twisty mystery that manages at the same time to turn a relentless eye on a relationship strained by secrets and suspicions. This was an edgy, unsettling, and brilliant story, and the reader looks forward to more.

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey

Thelma is an ordinary pony with dreams of being a unicorn. When a chance comes her way to live her dream, she grabs it and runs with it, only to discover that being a unicorn in today’s world might not be exactly what she wants.

Thelma the Unicorn is a great read-aloud book, romping along in hilarious rhyme as Thelma lives her dream. Aaron has a knack for goofy and entertaining illustrations and for a memorable story with modern touches that stands up well to repeated readings.

The Three Big Questions For A Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni

When business consultant Jude Cousins said to his wife Theresa “If my clients ran their companies the way we run this family, they’d be out of business,” he got a reaction he wasn’t expecting. After Theresa got over her initial fury, she started looking seriously at management principles to see if they could actually apply, and worked out three questions that can help any family go from floundering to focused.

The three big questions for a frantic family is a “leadership fable” - Jude and Theresa Cousins’ story is the frame for explaining the leadership principles, adapted from business, which can help families to find their focus and live the lives they want. Patrick writes a workmanlike story and lays out the principles clearly and the ideas sound like they could apply to any family, and improve the way a family works.