A Tree, A Book, and A Breeze

Whispers in the Reading Room Shelley Gray Zondervan Lydia’s job at the library is her world—until a mysterious patron catches her eye . . . and perhaps her heart. Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does. Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him. Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked. Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night...

The Time Garden Daria Song Watson-Guptill      Thanks to my grandmother, I've been introduced to the world of "adult" coloring books. When I saw this one I was immediately attracted to its whimsical designs, and I wasn't disappointed. The Time Garden is also laid out in such a way that after it's colored it can be read as a picture book, which I thought was a clever idea. The binding is high quality (it even has a dust jacket, though it's paperback) and so it seems like a children's book in addition to a coloring book. Here's a look at a page I did...      I liked doing this very much! It's a wonderful way to relax after a hard day at school :) I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.