Title The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Author Barbara Robinson Location Other Rating Recommended Book Review A cute story set in a small town where a they prepare to produce the annual Christmas Pageant. The struggle for the responsible parent is that she must include all the town's children even the family of 6 siblings who are the most unruly and unlikable in the town. The six siblings threaten, lie, are violent and steal to get what they want including being center stage to act out the Christmas story. While attending rehearsals the siblings inevitably learn about the plot, although it is rough going for everyone else in the scenes and the play eventually is performed. The results were undeniably memorable but the attitude of the rest of the town changed for the better and the adults were humbled by the changes seen in the kids. This story is also a movie starring Lauren Graham. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title Excellent Women Author Barbara Pym Call Number PR6066.y58e91988 Location 2nd Floor Humanities Rating Recommended Book Review Mildred Lathbury is a single woman, quite happy. She observes, analyzes, dreams of instances and a life well lived by her and those around her, but is never dissatisfied or suffering from FOMO. Mildred meets and observes new neighbors, enjoys observing their quirks and attitudes. Most of her current friends revolve around the church perish and most are very much like her, which is satisfactory. Mildred is an excellent woman, in that she is the go-to, level headed, cool under pressure friend everyone wants to call their own. The author's humor is present through out the story. And was seen as an example of the highest comedy. The story  characters are still skimping and saving from war time rationing, and doing without is a routine. In  1952 England tea time is a must and cannot be missed. It's a routine that centers civility and makes you slow down, sit and enjoy company and a biscuit or two. It appears to be the first response to an unexpected issue. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title Fearless and Free Author Josephine Baker Location Other Rating Somewhat Recommended Book Review This memoir was written by the artist in 1949 and was only recently published in English in the US.  While hers is a fascinating life story, I found the writing style to be very abrupt.  She lived such a full life yet she only scratches the surface of details.  For example, she describes performing on stage to the point of bleeding and passing out but then doesn't finish the story and moves on to the next tour stop.  I'm still a fan, but I would only recommend this for a die hard fan. Submitted By Kim Vater Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email kvater@chapman.edu

 

Title Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide I: Onslaught Author Michael A. Stackpole Rating Recommended Book Review Book two of the New Jedi Order series finds the protagonists struggling against the new threat to the galaxy. Every solution discovered leads to more issues to figure out, not just with the new threat but also internally amongst the Jedi themselves. Morality, parenthood, grief, and acceptance are constant themes the protagonists grapple with Submitted By Carl Privette Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email privette@chapman.edu

 

Title Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide I: Ruin Author Michael A. Stackpole Rating Recommended Book Review For real though, I really needed to read books that were not so dense and academic after the Churchill biography. Readers see some of the protagonists recognizing their flaws and decide to put them aside to attempt to fight back the big threat against the New Republic and Imperial worlds. However, this new threat is so foreign to the protagonists that again, any step forward towards a victory leads to two steps back, leaving the heroes feeling a state of constant despair and almost hopelessness. Submitted By Carl Privette Department or Major Leatherby Libraries Status Staff Chapman Email privette@chapman.edu

 

Title The  Four Engagement Rings if Sybil Rain Author Hannah Brown Rating Somewhat Recommended Book Review So, the first book was one of my favorite reads of last year so I’m disappointed to say that this didnt meet my expectations. I still enjoyed it but it feels slightly underwhelming due to the fact this was a big anticipated read for me. Submitted By Isabelle Rivera Department or Major Dodge Status Alumni Chapman Email Isrivera@chapman.edu

 

Title Searching for Whitopia Author Rich Benjamin Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review A fascinating mix of firsthand observation and detailed research on parts of the US that are well-liked by many, predominantly white new residents.  Black critic of society and culture, Benjamin, describes "racism without racists" in St. George, Utah, Couer d'Alene, Idaho, Forsythe County, Georgia, and elsewhere.  Prescient on Trump's appeal. Submitted By Art Blaser Department or Major Peace Studies/Political Science Status Community Member Chapman Email blaser@chapman.edu

 

Title	All The Light We Cannot See
Author	Anthony Doerr
Location	Other
Rating	Recommended
Book Review	A story about several people chasing and protecting parts of their lives during WW2. Marie-Laure is a blind girl broadcasting hope and hiding a valuable item, Werner is a boy who chases her radio while trying not to fall into the German immorality, and officer Rupel is willing to kill to find the valuable item. I would recommend this to people who can handle multiple POVs, because it can get a bit confusing otherwise.
Submitted By	Abygail Durdella
Department or Major	Undeclared
Status	Student
Chapman Email	durdella@chapman.edu

 

Title	Wednesday: A Novelization of Season One
Author	Tehlor Kay Mejia
Call Number	N/A
Location	Other
Rating	Recommended
Book Review	This book is a novelization of Wednesday season one - a streaming series on Netflix. The book transmits the same aura as the original show: spooky, kooky, and entertaining.
Submitted By	Anna Carpintero
Department or Major	Leatherby Libraries
Status	Staff
Chapman Email	carpintero@chapman.edu

 

Title	Sor Juana's Second Dream
Author	Alicia Gaspar de Alba
Call Number	N/A
Location	Other
Rating	Highly Recommended
Book Review	An intimate, historical fiction novela that follows Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz - the famous Mexicana poet of the 17th century who is a role model to many feminists and equality advocates. The author does a great job of combining facts with historical fiction to bring Sor Juana's life with lots of sazon y corazon.
Submitted By	Anna Carpintero
Department or Major	Leatherby Libraries
Status	Staff
Chapman Email	carpintero@chapman.edu

 

Title	Baptism of Fire
Author	Andrzej Sapkowski
Call Number	N/a
Location	Other
Rating	Highly Recommended
Book Review	This is book three of The Witcher Saga and the fifth Witcher book overall. This one was my favorite of the saga so far. It's a book of a journey and of party building and character development and much more entertaining than book two of the saga. The new characters were excellent additions to the familiar ones.
Submitted By	Taylor Greene
Department or Major	Leatherby Libraries
Status	Staff
Chapman Email	tgreene@chapman.edu

 

Title Damascus Station Author David McCloskey Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review An exciting spy novel by a former CIA analyst. I was thoroughly convinced this thriller was an accurate accounting of the operational activities and undercover ops lead by the Syrian, US and Russian military. The love interest was also the very high profile CIA operative inside Assad's Presidential Palace, which caused lots of  high stress situations and life threatening controversies. It was a thrilling read and I will enjoy reading another novel by this author. Submitted By Annalisa Goode Department or Major Law School Status Staff Chapman Email agoode@chapman.edu

 

Title Sunrise on the Reaping Author Suzanne Collins Location Other Rating Highly Recommended Book Review An excellent book, and a good sequel to the other Hunger Games books. I liked the characters. It was interesting to see how the rebellion has been trying and trying for the last 20 years. Submitted By Laura Neis Department or Major Business College Status Staff Chapman Email lneis@chapman.edu