The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean

The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey is a nonfiction trill as she follows the possibility of massive waves around the globe with surfers, scientists, insurance agents and wreck salvagers.

Think of the wave at the end of Point Break - so big it is impossible to ride or even survive. Now consider that as larger waves were discovered by surfers, they adapted to the greater speed. Big wave surfers are towed to the wave crest by jet skis. 

What causes these waves? And the waves that are said to have eaten ships in the part of the map that used to say, "There be monsters?" And how can they be predicted for ships' safety?

Casey tells us the answers and current theories in this wonderful book. From Hawaii with Laird Hamilton to South Africa with a man who salvages ships in the most likely place for them to sink on the planet, she breaks down what is known and what it still to discover about the ocean and its waves, moods and forces.

If you are looking for an engaging, heart-pumping read in nonfiction, I wholly recommend this book.

Casey, Susan. (2010). The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean. New York: Doubleday.

Light from Uncommon Stars

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki is a breathtakingly beautiful story and a special treat for musicians.

Shizuka Satomi is a violin teacher with a reputation of training masterful musicians who die young. That is because she has made a deal with a demon - she has to deliver the souls of seven violists in exchange for her own life.

Katrina Nguyen is a teen runaway staying with an acquaintance in the San Gabriel Valley, California. She is a mostly self-taught violinist who prefers to play gaming music. 

Shizuka meets Katrina in the park. Katrina is playing and Shizuka has returned home after many decades away. The neighborhood has changed a lot. One thing that Shizuka is pleased to see is that the giant donut still exists. 

Lan Tran and her family run Starrgate Donut. Captain Tran and her family traveled through galaxies to find Earth. Now they are setting up a stargate using the giant donut.

These three characters, plus a brilliant luthier, come together in interesting ways in this beautiful story. This is one of the best books I have read this year (a year of wonderful books)! Buy one for yourself of any musicians in your life.

Aoki, Ryka. (2021). Light from Uncommon Stars. New York: Tor.

The Body: A Guide for Occupants

The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson is an informative, humorous look at what makes a human.

Going part by part (or system by system) Bryson uses his famous humor to impart the fun, interesting, and strange facts about the human body and the people who study us.

This is a great introduction for those of us who did not take a lot of physiology classes in school. You will also be better at trivia games once you read it!

Bryson, Bill. (2019). The Body: A Guide for Occupants. New York: Doubleday.

The Last Graduate (Scholomance #2).

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik is the second book in her Scholomance series - a fantasy book about a high school where more students are killed by mals than graduate. 

El and her classmates are seniors. This is the year that alliances are cemented and seniors practice for the battle of the graduation hall. But this year is a little different. Is the school saving up to attack them later, or are there fewer mals trying to kill everyone?

Read everything by Naomi Novik! This series is no exception. El is a great character surrounded by creative classmates. I love this series.

Novik, Naomi. (2021). The Last Graduate. New York: DelRey.

Scavenge the Stars (Scavenge the Stars #1)

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim is the first book in her young adult fantasy series reimagining The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Amaya has been on a work ship for years. It is common for children to work off their parents' debts in this manner. The captain of this ship is as likely to add years to their service as he is to beat them. 

Amaya is counting the days until she can leave the ship and find her mother in the city of Moray. When she saves a man from drowning, he seems to be her ticket off of the ship.

Becoming part of a plot for someone else's revenge (presented to her as her own) Amaya has to get close to the son of the man who owns the ship she spent so long on. 

Sim has set up a great tale of fantasy, revenge and extravagance. Fun series.

Sim, Tara. (2021). Scavenge the Stars. New York: Disney Books.

Becoming

Becoming by Michelle Obama is a memoir of a Southside Chicago girl who grew up to become a bad ass woman. I listened to this on audiobook, read by the author.

Born into a loving, supportive family, Michelle Robinson demanded excellence of herself from a young age. From going ahead of the assigned piano assignments, to excelling at school, to becoming a lawyer she pushed herself. It may have come from her family lovingly pushing her to do her best. Or her mother and a couple of other moms pulling their kids out a class with a teacher who was too overwhelmed to encourage. Whatever the case, Michelle Robinson was an awesome young woman before she met Barack Obama.

This is a beautifully told tale of growing up, meeting the love of her life, supporting a partner in politics even when she herself never liked politics, becoming the first Black family in the White House, raising two strong, independent daughters, and more. 

Michelle Obama is a powerhouse. This audiobook was a delight to listen to. Once you read/listen, check her out on the Netflix show Waffles and Mochi! 

Obama, Michelle. (2018). Becoming. New York: Crown Publishing.