April 2018

Here we are in spring- a beautiful time in Coronado and the perfect season for a little reading at the park surrounded by natural beauty! But alas, you may find yourself searching far and wide for something to read and yet coming up short. Well, have I got a blog post for you! Check out this month's staff picks and honest reviews and then come by and grab a book or five for yourself! Or you could purchase one of these books as part of our Independent Bookstore Book Crawl from April 28-30!

Hunting El Chapo by Andrew Hogan

This is an extraordinary true story of the capture of the leader of the Sinaloa cartel. It is so well done and compelling that you will be on the edge of your seat until the last page .This book also contains great information on how the DEA operates. This is a must read.

​Review by Barbara (Staff)

Tangerine by Christine Mangan

Ms. Mangan's debut novel is a compelling read. Teugier is a great setting for this thriller- I couldn't put it down. Her style reminds me of Highsmith or DuMaurier. Two friends from college in New England unexpectedly run into each other and seem to pick up where they left off- or do they? I highly recommend this book.

​Review by BJC (Staff)

Rocket Men by Robert Kurson

In 1968 the Apollo 8 Mission to orbit the moon was crucial for NASA and the United States. Learning the motivation behind the heads of NASA and of the astronauts tasked with this dangerous mission sheds a new light on the story. You will feel like you art a part of this mission as you read along! Highly recommend!
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Review by Maria (Staff)

Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone by Juli Berwald
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Get stung by this book at the beach. A happy tale of a lady returning to a passion for nature after a sabbatical of motherhood that's made all the more interesting with facts and figures about the eternally mysterious jellyfish. This book is an enjoyable way to learn more about our ecosystem, the fascinating translucent jellyfish, and maybe even yourself!

Review by Rikki (Staff)

Confessions of Cartel Hit Man by Martin Corona

An excellent book detailing gang life a contract killing for the Arellano Felix Cartel. Martin Corona tells the tale of the vicious life of a contract killer living in San Diego and Tijuana.
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Review by Joe (Staff)

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor
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It's 1989 and since Katie Nelson's dad's memory has deteriorated, he's moved into a care facility. He collected stamps for years but now Katie is left with his collection. Katie brings the stamps to be appraised and the appraiser, Benjamin Grossman, finds something very interesting- a stamp from 1939 Austria that was placed upside down on the letter, something Benjamin had never seen before!
The story moves between Austria in the late '30s and present Southern California. The intrigue of the stamp and the letter begin to take over Katie's life. She is a journalist by trade and therefore tries to unravel the mystery in an era before Google!
This tale is crafted with detail and insight, history and emotion, and you will be drawn into the story. You will think about it long after you've finished it!

Review by CLM (Staff)

Women in Sunlight by Frances Mayes

Frances Mayes is a poet! Women in Sunlight is the story of three older women (who still have plenty of great years ahead of them!) entering the next phase of life. They come together at a chance meeting and then choose to live together for a year as a trial period- in Italy! All three women have suffered in some way and yet challenge themselves in this new country. This story shows Mayes' incredible gift of bringing to life the lush beauty of nature, art, and food to the reader so vividly that we are journeying right alongside the characters! Very inspiring!
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Review by Christine (Staff)

Noir by Christopher Moore

If you are a Moore fan, you will love this new tale. It has a unique style of humor and writing- it's sarcastic and very funny. The story takes place is San Francisco, the author's home. The characters are bizarre but endlessly lovable. This is an entertaining and laugh-out-loud story that will keep you involved until the last page. You won't be disappointed!
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Review by BJC (Staff)