An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.

Haruki Murakami's newest work focuses on a recently divorced portrait painter and the set of odd circumstances he inadvertently becomes entwined in. The discovery of an unknown painting in his attic begins a journey involving a mysterious neighbor, a mystical pit, and the physical embodiment of an Idea. Follow along as the commonplace and the supernatural weave a unique tale that pushes the bounds of what is real and what is unreal.

All Systems Red is the first book in the Science Fiction series Murderbot Diaries. The protagonist and narrator is an apathetic security cyborg that hacked its own behavioral controls so it can watch too much TV instead of interacting with humans (which it finds boring and annoying). A fun sci-fi mystery with memorable characters.

Fifth Season is the first book in an amazing series. While many fantasy books are content to recycle the same pseudo-medieval archetypes, Jemisin builds a world unlike anything I have read before. The dark and dystopian story feels very fresh and relevant, offering plenty to think about.

This book details the formation of an American special deception unit in WWII. Using inflatable tanks, fake radio transmissions and a specialized collection of sound effects, the men (mostly artists) of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops deceived the Germans regarding American troop strength and position.

In 1993, Fox debuted a strange new television show called The X-Files. Little did anyone suspect that the series would become one of the network’s biggest hits—and change the landscape of television in the process. This collection even includes exclusive interviews with some of the stars and screenwriters, as well as an original foreword by X-Files creator and show-runner, Chris Carter.

It was a seemingly minor crash at Michigan International Speedway in June 2016 that ended the day early for Dale Earnhardt Jr. What he didn’t know was that it would also end his driving for the year. He’d dealt with concussions before, but concussions are like snowflakes, no two are the same. And recovery can be brutal, and lengthy. In this candid reflection, Earnhardt opens up about his frustration with the slow recovery, his admiration for the woman who stood by him through it all, and his determination to share his own experience so that others don’t have to suffer in silence. Steering his way to the final checkered flag of his storied career proved to be the most challenging race and most rewarding finish of his life.

He lived in the present tense—in the camera’s lens. There was no frame he couldn’t or wouldn’t fill. He swung the heaviest bat, earned the most money, and incurred the biggest fines. Like all the new-fangled gadgets then flooding the marketplace—radios, automatic clothes washers, Brownie cameras, microphones and loudspeakers—Babe Ruth "made impossible events happen." Aided by his crucial partnership with Christy Walsh—business manager, spin doctor, damage control wizard, and surrogate father, all stuffed into one tightly buttoned double-breasted suit—Ruth drafted the blueprint for modern athletic stardom. Drawing from more than 250 interviews, a trove of previously untapped documents, and Ruth family records, Leavy breaks through the mythology that has obscured the legend and delivers the man.

I love a good conflict of personalities that moves from hate to love. Twelve Days of Christmas is just that. Woman meets man (her neighbor) and finds him rude, grumpy and a thief. She seeks council and advice on a Blog about her "Scrooge." Show kindness is the suggestion. 12 days later they are madly in love. Yes there are times when "love at first sight" really can happen, at least in a book!

Having David Chandler read to me keeps me driving down the road! I'm a total "Box by Chandler" listening fan. Box kept me guessing to the end on who the "Disappeared" were, and who Wyoming Game Warden Picket was going to find. Having Nate, the Falconer, added lots of adventure to the story. Box hasn't failed me yet!