Oathbreakers by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry

 Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe by Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry --280 pages

The brothers mentioned in the subtitle were the grandsons of Charlemagne and the inheritors of the Carolingian empire. The two younger surviving brothers fought against the eldest, who had inherited the title of emperor, at the battle of Fontenoy in modern France in the year 841. The feuding brothers eventually compromised on dividing their areas of rule, and these events were a significant step in the evolution of western Europe into recognizable states. The authors' tone was a bit flippant and cynical of the main figures' motives, considering the scarcity of sources from the time period. Their summaries of modern French and German historians' views of the battle and its aftermath were enlightening.

Lizzie's Little Mouse by Anne Blackburne

 Lizzie's Little Mouse by Ann Blackburne - 255 pages

Lizzie Has Dreams That Won’t Be Deterred
 
Full of faith, hope, and romance, this series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.

 
Lizzie Miller has wanted to own a New Orleans-style French bakery since she attended a wedding in New Orleans at age fifteen. So with her parents’ and the bishop’s permission, she did a two-year internship in a French bakery in New Orleans. Then she came home and worked for several years in the local Amish bakery, buying the business when it became available. And now someone wants her out. 

A string of unsettling events is surely meant to scare her away. But with the help of her friends, she will get to the bottom of why someone wishes her to fail in the bakery business. And along the way, she just may realize that sometimes dreams can be fulfilled unexpectedly—with the help of someone who was just waiting to be noticed. 

Maybe all Lizzie needs is a little faith and a lot of love.

Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross

Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross -- 392 pages

Violet Savoie has a plan. A dream, rather. To open her own tattoo shop, which caters to supernaturals in need of permanent charms. As a powerful Seer, she has the potent magic to cast every kind of spell. Except the kind to give werewolves control over their beastly side. And her business partner Nico needs help in the worst kind of way.

Nico Cruz has a secret. A motive, rather. To subtly stalk and seduce Violet until she finally recognizes they are fated to be together. Ever since their heated encounter in Austin on New Year’s Eve two years earlier, he’s been dying to get his hands—and his tongue—back on her body. He knows a woman like Violet can’t be courted in the usual way. Luckily, Nico has no scruples about misbehaving to get what he wants.

But when his former pack roams into town, and an old friend is far too interested in Violet, his focus shifts to the threat venturing into his territory. Nico may come across as the quiet, broody one, but the intruders are about to regret stepping foot in New Orleans. And when Violet goes missing, no charm or spell can keep Nico’s wolf at bay.

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater - 48 pages

Chris Gall

Summary (From Goodreads)

How do you breathe underwater? What tools can we use to go deeper and deeper into the oceans? And...what's down there?

Two-thirds of our Earth is covered in ocean, yet only 5% of it has been explored.

DIVE deep into our long history of sea exploration to learn why, how, and when humans have dived, and uncover our biggest questions about what hides in the Earth's deepest waters.

Review

I've never been diving, but I still found this an interesting and informative read!  

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey, 581 pages

From GoodReads: "The gates have opened the way to a thousand new worlds and the rush to colonise has begun. Settlers looking for a new life stream out from humanity's home planets. Illus, the first human colony on this vast new frontier, is being born in blood and fire. Independent settlers stand against the overwhelming power of a corporate colony ship with only their determination, courage and the skills learned in the long wars of home. Innocent scientists are slaughtered as they try to survey a new and alien world.

James Holden and the crew of his one small ship are sent to make peace in the midst of war and sense in the heart of chaos. But the more he looks at it, the more Holden thinks the mission was meant to fail. And the whispers of a dead man remind him that the great galactic civilisation which once stood on this land is gone. And that something killed them."

This book started out pretty slowly for me. The first couple narratives are callback characters that took some time to get used to. The scope of this book and the focus on what killed the protomolecule creators created a weird headspace. Not bad, just simultaneously chilling and wonderous. The "Miller" chapters made me feel as though my head was unspooling into atavistic abyss. 

 

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey, 566 pages

From GoodReads: "For generations, the solar system - Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt - was humanity's great frontier. Until now. The alien artefact working through its program under the clouds of Venus has emerged to build a massive structure outside the orbit of Uranus: a gate that leads into a starless dark.

Jim Holden and the crew of the Rocinante are part of a vast flotilla of scientific and military ships going out to examine the artefact. But behind the scenes, a complex plot is unfolding, with the destruction of Holden at its core. As the emissaries of the human race try to find whether the gate is an opportunity or a threat, the greatest danger is the one they brought with them."

This book was so intense. The corresponding season of The Expanse was also intense, but being in people's heads made it feel much more raw. I got to know Anna much better, and I really enjoyed the glimpses into Melba's psyche.  Observing the protomolecule threat grow and warp and twist and change has been engaging. 

 

Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey

Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey, 611 pages

From GoodReads: "On Ganymede, the station that represents the main food source for exoplanets, a Martian marine sergeant watches her entire platoon being slaughtered before her eyes by a supernatural monster. On Earth, a high-ranking politician struggles to defuse an interplanetary war. Meanwhile, an alien protomolecule sweeps across Venus, causing profound and mysterious changes and threatening to spread and sweep across the solar system.

In the vastness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante maintain the stability of the exoplanetary alliance. When he and his crew agree to help a scientist search for his missing daughter on war-torn Ganymede, the fate of humanity hinges on whether one craft can prevent an alien invasion that may already be underway." 

I read this book so quickly that had it been fried food, I'd've been chugging Tums. It was a quick, wild ride. We got to meet Bobbie in this book, and as much as I loved her on the show, I love her textual counterpart even more.