I knew my little free library would pay back in emotional dividends, but I never thought I’d get to experience brand new authors because of it as well! A while back, Celadon Books asked little free library stewards if they would like to receive free books for their patrons, and of course I jumped up and down, waving my hand. Me! Me!
Since then, I’ve gotten several really amazing books from them, which I’ve had the privilege of reading first and then sharing in the library. I’ve got to say, I’m very impressed with this publisher. It’s a division of Macmillan Publishers, and it focuses on new voices. Here are three of the most recent titles they’ve given me.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I read this book within 48 hours. That’s something I used to do all the time, but these days it’s a very rare treat. It’s classified as a psychological thriller, but I also consider it a gripping mystery. It seems that a woman shot her husband in the face five times. Immediately afterward she completely stopped talking, and is institutionalized. Her therapist becomes obsessed with trying to get her to talk so he can find out what really happened. There are many twists and turns along the road to finding the solution to this conundrum. Many people in the book seem to have knack for getting deep inside each other’s heads. It’s really quite fascinating, and it’s a quick read if you enjoy this genre (which I do). I’ll be shocked if this doesn’t turn into a movie at some point.
The Genome Odyssey by Euan Angus Ashley. If you love science and learning about medical breakthroughs, then you’ll really enjoy this book. The author is a doctor who specializes in genetics, and has many stories to tell in this nonfiction book about how analyzing people’s genomes has helped him diagnose some very rare health problems. This book about battling diseases as well as predicting them and therefore preventing them really gives me hope for the future. This is not your mother’s diagnostic world, or even the medical world of our childhoods. Things are moving very quickly, and it’s amazing how lives can be changed for the better when you take genetics seriously. I found this book inspiring, entertaining, and educating by turns.
Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett. I have a fascination with cults and what causes people to get sucked into them in the first place. So this memoir was right up my alley. The author grew up in the Synanon cult, which his parents had joined. It was interesting to see him navigate the emotional abuse that such an upbringing can cause, and to have him break free with his mother and brother while he was still relatively young. He then had to learn to live in the “real” world, which for him was peppered with poverty, addiction, and dysfunction. It’s a book about love and loyalty and finding oneself and also letting go. It’s a very emotional and powerful read.
If you love reading as much as I do, I highly recommend Celadon Books. And I’m very grateful to them for allowing me to add some of their titles to my little free library. I’m always excited when an additional package arrives and I get to go on another unique adventure!
#TheSilentPatient #HollywoodPark #GenomeOdyssey #CeladonReads #LittleFreeLibrary @CeladonBooks @LittleFreeLibrary
And while you’re at it, look what I wrote! http://amzn.to/2mlPVh5
The View from a Drawbridge 