There aren’t many books that change my perspective on the world, but after reading The Handmaid's Tale I’m surprised to add one to the list. However, reader discretion is advised as there are some topics that are hard to process. Formerly known as the U.S.A., the new country of Gilead is going through a civil war, forcing many women into a Red Center to provide safety and promote reproduction.
The Martian by Andy Weir follows the gripping tale of Mark Watney, an astronaut stranded alone on Mars after a mission gone awry. Believed to be dead by his crew, Watney must employ his resourcefulness, scientific acumen, and a great deal of humor to survive on the unforgiving planet. He engineers innovative solutions to grow food, generate power, and establish communication with Earth, all while grappling with the challenges of isolation and an uncertain future.
In the fiction novel Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, artist Mia Warren and her young daughter, Pearl, have recently moved to the idyllic suburb of Shaker Heights. There, they become entangled with the Richardsons - the epitome of refined planned community members - when the Richardsons rent out one of their properties to the Warrens. When Mia’s unshakeable sense of self leads her into “interfering” in a matter Ms. Richardson would have rather she stayed out of, Ms.
Esther Greenwood has what she thought she always wanted - a scholarship, an education, access to exclusive New York events, a steady relationship with a soon-to-be doctor, beauty, brains. But over the course of her summer in the city and the subsequent months, her mental health rapidly deteriorates for seemingly unknown reasons. She cuts off her boyfriend, rarely speaks to friends, can no longer write or focus long enough to read. She doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep. The only escape from her reality seems to be death - that, or brave the treacherous psych wards and asylums of the 1960s.
Wider Than the Sky was an emotional and enjoyable read, with the classic clashing of opposite sisters and the unexpected unity when they’re striving to achieve the same goal. With an emphasis on embracing the LGBTQIA+ community, Katherine Rothschild writes about the shocking experience of two sisters discovering that their late father died while hiding a significant part of his identity.
The Thea Sisters go to the Italian city of Verona. Colette finds a tile with the initials ABL (Aurora Beatrix Lane), an ancient explorer and archeologist, etched beneath it as they explore Juliet's home. When they learned about this recent find, they speculated that it might lead to a new treasure—the third one. A couple of Sebastiano and Aurora's pals provide a hand. They would need to locate the treasure before Luke von Klawitz, the grandson of Professor von Klawitz, does.
Finally, it was Friday, and Geronimo was anxious to take the day off from work. He earned this vacation because he had been working so hard at work. As a result, Geronimo decided to visit Stilton Farm, where there was also a huge celebration of the arrival of spring. Poor Geronimo got stung by bees that were all over the land. His annoying/sweet cousin Trap thought it was time to make some money with the bees. Geronimo eventually came onto Bee Mine, a honey-producing business run by two kind elderly rats, after a long pursuit away from the bees.
Geronimo was working near a window at the Rodent's Gazette on a breezy late July morning. It was quiet until Trap slammed the door open. He arrived to inform him of Mouse Luxe, a super-sized resort that was the most upscale lodging option on Mouse Island. He was telling Geronimo about the competition he had joined, which was run by Smoothie Slickpaws, the proprietor of the travel business Trust Me You'll Like It and a close friend of Geronimo's. The wildest, most remote, and stinkiest location on Mouse Island was Port Stinky, where Trap brought Geronimo to board a helicopter.
Everyone was excited and looking forward to the start of the film festival, which was the most anticipated event of the year. While preparing for the occasion, Geronimo was unaware that he was required to make a speech. His last-minute notes were lost in Trap's hands before the speech, forcing him to improvise and tell a true story. His speech was well-received by those in the crowd, and they all loudly cheered. He was there to watch the detective movies, and oh how he enjoyed being a detective, when Hercule Portrait, his dear buddy, suddenly appeared in front of him.
Geronimo was walking to the Rodent's Gazette, the most well-known newspaper on Mouse Island, on a bright spring morning. Geronimo hears screaming as he approaches his place of employment; Thea and Trap were arguing over an envelope. When Geronimo came into view, he noticed that the envelope had come from somewhere familiar and that it was also addressed to him. His close friend Isabela from Brazil had invited him to visit her country in pursuit of an enigmatically hidden treasure.
