As lovely as it is to have the snow gone, the heat came on a bit strong for most of us "up north people" last week. 90 degrees? In May? Are you joking? At least take us to dinner first, Mother Nature. We've only just outsmarted our re-nesting robins with a fresh round of mesh under the porch; NPR just published an article about why allergies have tripled in recent years; Matt just stood in the drive way sneezing, crying to the heavens, "Why won't it rain?!" - all sure signs of spring! It can't be summer yet!

Staff Picks!

This Week From Katie:

Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara



My, oh my, I love this reimagining! McNamara has captured the skill of storytelling that brings so much life to the myths. The language is beautifully artful; it’s impossible not to be swept immediately into this tale and forget the real world. Honestly, reading this book rekindled a joy for reading in me that I can only say about a small handful of stories. If you are at all a fan of the talented Madeline Miller, you must read this book - it holds all the beauty and heartbreak in the language and characters of Circe. Psyche is the mortal daughter of the King of Mycenae. Before her birth, her father is gifted with a prophecy about her: she will conquer a monster feared by the gods themselves. She is an only child and the heir to her family's kingdom, which already brings a lot of attention Psyche's way, but now she is also destined to be a hero in the eyes of her father. Instead of learning the feminine arts of conversation, art, and housekeeping, Psyche is raised as her father's champion. She rides, fights, hunts, and trains. This is her destiny, and she hungers for it more than anything else in the world.

Conversely, Eros was there when the world was created. He is one of the oldest gods and remembers watching as his fellow Titans came into existence one at a time. He remembers how it was to learn of his gifts as his siblings discovered theirs. He remembers the dark consequences of some of those gifts. Unlike the majority of his kin, Eros cannot forget or overlook the consequences. He remembers.

What happens when a princess born for greatness with an eagerness to achieve her notoriety crosses paths with a god who has no interest in wielding his power or staking a claim in the world?

This story unfolded so beautifully, and I truly cannot wait for it to be released on June 13th so I can put a copy in every pair of your mythology-loving hands!

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Silver in the Bone was not at all the Arthurian tale I was expecting, but I loved it so much more for that. If you've read any of my previous reviews or stopped in the store and noticed my personal stack of books, you will know I'm a big King Arthur dweeb. I love the mythology, love the characters, love a great retelling, and this one had the best twist. I also loved that Bracken really dug into the folklore behind the mythical objects that Arthur was known to have collected throughout his rule. One of those objects in particular is where this story began.

Tamsin Lark is an outcast to her core, and so is her family. Raised with her adopted brother, Cabell, by their infamous caretaker, Nash, she is no stranger to the very real dangers that lurk in the storybook tales we hear as children. The trio is a family of Hollowers: those who are commissioned to hunt and retrieve magical objects for the mystical community - not a job for the fainthearted, nor particularly noble. It is a cutthroat business and you never know if your enemy guards the treasure you seek or is the outstretched hand hiring you to begin with. Nash has built a scandalous reputation for himself, so the Larks have very few doors willingly opened their way. Tamsin is not a stranger to hard times because of this, and knows the family's salvation lies in recovering objects, especially the highly prized objects of Avalon.

Emrys Dye is the opposite of Tamsin and her vagabond trio. Coming from both wealth and power, there is no door the Dyes cannot open. He's also arrogance on two legs. It was only a matter of time before Tamsin and Emrys had their eyes on the same prize, but who will be willing to pay the price?

Bracken did such a great job with this book! There is excellent banter, creatures that literally made me sweat to read about, Arthurian legends galore, and a buildup of enemies who turn into lovers. While this is technically a young adult novel, it is a fantastic read for adults too, and currently we have signed copies! Trust me you will want to join me on this quest.

Found on the Shelf:

If you have not seen American Childhood: A Photographic History by Todd Brewster yet, I highly recommend picking up a copy for your coffeetable asap. Click the image below for some inside images. It's a simple look at the past 3-4 decades of our childhoods at their simplest. I think you'll agree that the trip down memory lane is a wonderful conversation piece for all ages.

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