lisa bloom, or veronica mars.

I try to make it a habit to not get too invested in the news. It's depressing, scary, and honestly kind of offensive. I don't typically share my opinion about politics, big murder trials, or even the Clipper's owner's racism because EVERYBODY has an opinion and the ones who share them are usually single-minded. So I'm going to keep quiet and objectively review the expose on Trayvon Martin's murder and George Zimmerman's trial by Lisa Bloom titled Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Trial and Why We Continue to Repeat It.

I know you all have your own opinions regarding the outcome of the Zimmerman murder trial. Some of you agree with the verdict of not guilty, some of you think it was a major upset. Whatever your personal opinion is, I would still consider Bloom's research a proper read for you if you are the type of person who enjoys diving into the nitty gritty of murder trials, courtrooms, jury interviews, etc. OR if you are a Veronica Mars fan as the first half of the book lays out the errors made by the state in proscuting George Zimmerman, and there were a lot.

The second half of Suspicion Nation goes over how Americans have arrived at this place in history. Covering the many reasons why blacks are racially profiled and the racial bias we all hold in some shape or form, even though we don't want to. And yes, Bloom herself delivers a bias review of the case because it's obvious who's side she's one, but the girl has done her homework. So don't hate.

if you include robberies and hand grenades light reading...

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg's second installment of their Fox and O'Hare series, The Chase was one of my Spring Break reads. As you can see, I would read while manfriend napped. We had a pretty good thing going there in Puerto Rico.

FBI Special Agent, Kate O'Hare and professional conman, Nick Fox work together to catch the world's most wanted criminals. Ironically, Fox is in the Top 10 Most Wanted club himself, but that's beside the point. In this story, the two are out to catch former White House chief of staff, Carter Grove who has a stolen rare artifact that the Smithsonian needs to give back to the Chinese, because nobody wants to piss off the Chinese. When Nick and Kate (and their silly assembly of sidekicks) get inside Grove's mansion down in Florida, they discover a secret room that leads them to the stolen booty. In that room they also find the largest stolen mini art museum off record, and Fox just can't leave it alone. Together, with the gang, and along with Kate's dad for backup, they pull off one of the most ridiculously amazing con/robberies in the history of Canada and America. My only issue is that I would like the obvious sexual tension between Kate and Nick to lead to actual sex. That would be nice.

when the odds are stacked against you.

Karen Lynch's Good Cop, Bad Daughter: Memoirs of an Unlikely Police Officer was one of my Spring Break reads, and when you drag a book with you through 12 hours of travel to Rincon, Puerto Rico, you make sure it's worth it. Judging by previous reviews I knew it would be, and it was.

This memoir was definitely a change from my normal easy breezy beach reads that I usually bring on vacation. But I'm not complaining, strong women fighting adversity is totally up my alley, and Lynch is an excellent writer. She became one of San Francisco's first female police officers, and made something meaningful out of her life despite being raised by a crazy bipolar mother who traveled her all over the place. No father to be found and a really sad childhood sets the scene for her story that is truly inspirational and proves that even when the odds are stacked against you, you can get the help you need to change your destiny. With the help of one of her nutty mother's boyfriend's, who wasn't creepy at all (thank God), Lynch graduated from a highly rated academic high school and then went on to graduate college, be the first woman to graduate from her police academy, and have a successful career on the force.

A little shout out to Karen Lynch for kicking ass!

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how the other side of the mic lives.

Gerry House is a top rated radio host, a writer of songs, bits, television scripts, and now books with his collection of antics titled Country Music Broke My Brain where he shares exclusive stories from behind the mic that will leave you in tears, from laughing so hard. I love myself a good radio personality as I wanted to be one when I grew up for the longest time (I still do), and House writes how he talks which is super hilarious. He shares never aired conversations with some of country music's biggest stars (including Brad Paisley who I love) and many of his own personal stories, which are funnier than I thought possible.

I assumed this would be very much the book of inside jokes that I wouldn't get, but even if you aren't a Nashville native or a country music fan, you will be able to appreciate House's comedy writing. 

for the brain geeks.

As a follow up to her The Human Body Book, Rita Carter has come out with The Human Brain Book. If you read the first one, you know that Carter has a knack for covering more material than her peers subsequently answering more reader's questions as well. 

The Human Brain Book is broken up into several chapters beginning with general information about the brain and body. Carter then goes into the anatomy of the brain, moving on to a discussion on the senses and how the brain interacts with the environment. Carter covers the more abstract topics such as memory, thinking, and consciousness, which is my favorite section. And the last few chapters go into detail on the possible development and diseases of the brain. In a nutshell. 

Carter does an excellent job introducing readers to neuroscience. Derek Shepard would be proud. Genius's should keep in mind that this is very much an introduction. As for the rest of you, this book is a wonderful overview, easy to understand, with great illustrations, and will be added to my classroom library to spice things up a bit. 

Spider-Man, Wolverine, X-Men, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, the gangs all here!

My kids at school literally fight over Matt Forbeck's Marvel Encyclopedia in study hall. It's like cat nip and so incredibly well done, filled with background stories on all of their favorite characters (1,200 profiles all together) and some amazing artwork. This edition is fully updated and necessary for any marvel comic book fan's library because honestly, nothing currently compares. It's exactly what your superhero obsessed kid (or man child) is looking for, and more.

for the serious snowboarders and skiers.

Since the weather is finally breaking in WNY and spring is here, I thought now would be the perfect time to review Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes - Washington by Martin Volken, naturally. Back in the day, backcountry skiing was all there was, and it wasn't viewed as a sport nor did it include fancy hotels, chair lifts, and bearskin rugs.

In this guide, Volken presents some of the fantastic ski touring, backcountry snowboarding, and ski mountaineering that Washington has to offer, if that is your sort of thing. He includes information on routes in National Parks and Washington State Lands, and also takes time to educate and equip readers with useful tips, like where to park, what to pack, and when to poop. After reading, you will feel confident enough to venture out on your own and complete your tour safely. Emergency exits are included.