The Book of Birds by Macfarlane and Morris

I requested a preview of THE BOOK OF BIRDS by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris for several reasons: it was the notable nonfiction LibraryReads selection in June 2026; Macfarlane also wrote Is a River Alive? (New York Times bestseller and on my TBR list due to being highly recommended by a voracious reader friend); and the general interest in birds by our book group members. However, this “Field Guide to Wonder and Loss” was actually somewhat disappointing to me because it did not include sections on common birds like robins and cardinals. I think this is because the authors chose to focus on endangered species and, understandably, seem to have included birds more likely to be found in the UK. They crafted 49 amazing essays along with colorful illustrations of species such as kestrel, puffin, and woodcocks. The clever essays are sometimes written in first person and the illustrations are gorgeous. Saying, “bird lovers will be delighted,” Publishers Weekly gave THE BOOK OF BIRDS a starred review (“The ordinary becomes extraordinary in this ode to the wonders of the natural world”) and Booklist described it as a “radiant, exhilarating, and invaluable creation.”   

I found myself being especially grateful for this introduction to the beautiful artwork of Jackie Morris (how did I miss his voluminous work for young children?) and the previous Macfarlane-Morris collaborations, The Lost Words (voted the most beautiful book of 2016 by UK booksellers) and The Lost Spells, both of which seem truly magical. I want to spend more time with them and their accompanying resources, like the Spring Edition Explorer’s Guide. 

Here, to offer a sense of their talent, is a short video on The Red Fox:

Death at King's Cross by Rosanne Limoncelli

DEATH AT KING’S CROSS by Rosanne Limoncelli (The Four Queens of Crime) is the second in the series to feature four famous mystery writers (Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham) and pioneering policewoman Detective Chief Inspector Lilian Wyles as they all work together to solve a puzzling crime in 1941 London. A young woman is found stabbed at King’s Cross Station and the case is given to MI5 where the higher-ups seem reluctant to share information. The writers and Wyles are increasingly convinced that several more women’s lives may be at stake; it is only combining their findings (regarding stolen medicines, missing relatives, and blackmail threats) that they are able to concoct a plan and act upon it. Although the plot rests a bit too heavily on coincidences, it is still suspenseful and entertaining, especially the reflections on the role for women in the police force at that time. Look for this title when it becomes available in July 2026.

10-Minute Chair Yoga Exercises for Seniors

10-MINUTE CHAIR YOGA EXERCISES FOR SENIORS by April Hattori offers “40 Poses to Build Strength and Flexibility for Fall Prevention.” It is filled with colorful drawings (similar to the figure on the cover) and helpful direction. I recently attended my first chair yoga session in person at the local library and was happily surprised at the “workout” I received. This book is split into three sections. A short first part provides background and discusses the importance of building strength and flexibility. Part two introduces forty individual poses, including, per the author “targeted areas (the muscle groups engaged during the pose,) reminders and things to keep in mind to help your form, modifications to make the pose easier or more challenging, and illustrations showing how to do each step.” The third part outlines twenty-five ten-minute sequences of those poses, along with warm-up and cool-down exercises. Hattori also includes a list of references (although some are rather dated) and an index. 10-MINUTE CHAIR YOGA EXERCISES FOR SENIORS seems user-friendly and could encourage readers to try chair yoga, although a video (see below) or other group activity could also be a helpful, social motivator. 

For some more ideas, please see the video on chair yoga from Yoga with Adrienne:

Additional resources: Harvard Health (2025) offers advice on “Chair Exercises for Seniors”and Healthline (2025) provides direction on “7 Chair Yoga Poses for Older Adults.” Like Hattori, they stress numerous benefits including increased strength, emotional well-being, and fall prevention.

The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff

THE BURNING SIDE by Sarah Damoff is a beautifully written, character-driven story set in Texas and a LibraryReads selection for May 2026. The focus is on April and Leo whose house burns down and whose marriage is falling apart. They have two young children, Sadie and Otto, and move in temporarily with April’s parents, Deb and Billy. The narrative jumps around in time and there are many sad moments and missed opportunities for clearer communication in this book, only intensifying the “feels” and affection for these characters. Deb and Billy have their own poignant story as they adjust to the impact of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, reflecting throughout on their long, not always happy marriage. April and her siblings, Josie (dramatic middle child involved in theater) and Cameron (with girlfriend Rachel) also need to cope with selling the family home (“We live in homes until we leave them, and then they live in us. … I miss it. But we can only return to a place, not a time.”) and decisions about their own Alzheimer testing. There are plenty of issues and shifts in the characters’ reality, but that contributes to the realistic feeling of family life: “It doesn’t go fast, but it will have gone fast.” Having myself just returned from a memorial service for a dear Aunt who loved to read, Deb’s musings resonated: “In a flash, I'll be gone, my own children recalling their favorite things about me in some new house at some new table with some new iteration of family. So I dance now as if time is the music. This, I know, is how you dream. This is how you live forever.”

The Invincible Brain by Majid Fotuhi

THE INVINCIBLE BRAIN by Majid Fotuhi offers “The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life.” Booklist describes this text as “informative, practical, and inspiring.” The conversational tone, clear outline, and customization certainly contribute to that perception. A widely published and interviewed researcher, Fotuhi is an adjunct professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins’s Mind/Brain Institute, an adjunct professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at George Washington University, and the medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center. He writes repeatedly and clearly about the five pillars of brain health (Fitness, Sleep, Diet, Mindset, and Training) and how to measure and increase them in a systematic way, encouraging his readers to focus on the area(s) where they want or need the most improvement. In order to get a benchmark assessment of brain function, Fotuhi provides direction on creating a brain portfolio and lists forty questions dealing with physical conditions, health habits, and socializing that “will bring to your attention things you may not have thought about, or help you realize there are things you have been tolerating that you could do something about.” He then suggests resources and weekly interventions which can change over the course of his twelve-week program. THE INVINCIBLE BRAIN has also been praised by fellow doctors/writers like  Sanjay Gupta, David Perlmutter, and John Ratey (Spark). Have a look.

Ironwood by Michael Connelly

IRONWOOD by Michael Connelly is his second mystery novel (after Nightshade) set on Catalina Island featuring Detective Sergeant Stilwell. It’s intriguing to picture the lifestyle for the six thousand or so permanent residents who cope with more than a million visitors each year. The island, its iconic buildings (e.g., bell tower, casino, hotels, including the Mt. Ada, the former Wrigley mansion) and its harbor with regular ferry service to the mainland, are as much a part of the story as the adventures that Stilwell faces. As the only detective on the island, he deals with multiple cases of vandalism, a horrific attack which kills one deputy and severely injures another, and a resurrected missing persons case that involves Renee Ballard on the mainland. Connelly does an excellent job of sharing Stilwell’s thinking on each event; potentially intertwined cases and a sense of edginess keep readers involved – I read this in about a day. IRONWOOD received starred reviews from both Booklist (“Connelly is at his most polished and incisive here, with crackling dialogue, complex investigations, tricky relationships, escalating suspense, and dogged and inspired sleuthing by a principled, rule-breaking hero.”) and Library Journal (“the pace is relentless, and Stillwell is a captivating character”). Highly recommended.

Storm Warning by James Byrne

STORM WARNING by James Byrne is another Dez Limerick thriller (#4, after Chain Reaction) and it does not disappoint. Dez is a wise-cracking “gatekeeper,” skilled at opening doors and fending off intruders. He is off to Newfoundland during a blizzard with a State Department official, her bodyguard, and other law and medical personnel. Their mission is to contact a group of scientists who’ve suddenly gone quiet five stories down in an innovative mine that also appears to have cut off access. Byrne complicates Dez’ task by adding well-armed Russians who are after something in the mine, plus, greedy (and psycho) capitalists employing mercenaries and several traitors. The pace is exhilarating and feels like non-stop action interspersed with clever quips from Dez. STORM WARNING received a starred review from Publishers Weekly (“Byrne brilliantly braids plot threads from previous installments into the action, creating a high-octane page-turner that respects its audience’s intelligence.”). Don’t miss it!