Meghan recommends "Two Girls Down"

“When two young sisters, Kylie and Bailey Brandt, disappear from a strip mall parking lot in a small Pennsylvania town, their devastated family hires an enigmatic bounty hunter from California, Alice Vega, to do what the authorities cannot. Immediately shut out by a local police department already stretched thin by budget cuts and the growing OxyContin and meth epidemics, Vega enlists the help of a disgraced former cop, Max Caplan, to cut through the local politics. With little to go on, Vega and Cap will go to extraordinary lengths to untangle a complex web of lies, false leads, and dangerous relationships to locate both girls before time runs out and the girls are gone forever.” – summary from the publisher

This mystery is a fast-paced, action-packed story featuring a tough-as-nails detective. Vega is known for finding missing people, and while her methods aren’t always above board, she always gets results. Cap is a nice contrast to Vega; as a former cop he knows (and cares) more about the rules, and the way he interacts with his daughter Nell proves he is a sweet and devoted father. Together these two work every lead to try to bring the girls home. The book features a fair amount of violence, and child abuse and is recommended for adults. It is the first of three books featuring the pair of private investigators.

 

 

 

Kara recommends "When Cloud Became a Cloud"

With both facts and humor, this non-fiction book about Cloud provides a wonderful explanation of the water cycle for children as young as 3.

 

 

 

Amy recommends "Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six"

 

Finally! A thriller with a twisty ending that didn’t seem outlandish! For the longest time I could not figure out how the two parallel stories being told related to each other. The reveal was worth the wait. This novel has everything you’d expect from a can’t-put-down-thriller: a creepy cabin, a creepier caretaker, lingering doubt as to who can be trusted, and a back story (or two) that keeps everything moving at a relentless pace.

This book is intended for adults.

Justine recommends "Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds"

Billy Collins, the editor of this tome, joined with David Allen Sibley, America's foremost bird illustrator, to celebrate our favorite angry little creatures. Over one hundred poems are joined with approximately sixty original illustrations for a delightful combination of art book, poetry collection, and field guide. Famous poets in the collection include Chaucer, Catullus, Robert Browning, and James Wright.

In one of the coldest times of the year, it's hard to go bird watching. However, this book can help alleviate your winter blues by reminding you of what's to come in the spring months ahead.