I confess I didn't know much about prisons before cracking open American Prison, and I hadn't given much thought to what life is like inside them. But this book opened my eyes and completely shocked me out of my hazy stupor.

In order to gather research, journalist Shane Bauer spent four months posing undercover as a prison guard at a private, for-profit prison in Winnfield, Louisiana. At times, he almost reached the breaking point, and for good reason.

When you think about it, how can private, for-profit prisons be legal? It doesn't make sense. Prisons are a public service, like roads or soup kitchens or libraries, none of which are suitable for for-profit endeavors chasing the bottom line. The prison's primary goal would be to make as much money as possible while spending as little as possible on their prisoners, who are locked up and have no voice to protest. Surely, what results is greed and abuse of power.

The other thing this book highlights is how difficult working in a prison can be, both physically and mentally. This seems especially true at this private prison, where there weren't enough staff or support or adequate training and pay. Often, chaos reigns and prisoners have run of the place. The employees, by simply working there, open themselves up to severe mental issues, depression, and PTSD. Yet, because this is a for-profit corporation with little oversight, it is in the company's best interest to deny these issues and to provide as little medical care as possible.

This book, in alternative chapters, also discusses the history of incarceration in this country. It details how it evolved from slavery into profit, and along the way, stepped on plenty of the poor and minorities, who are the most downtrodden to begin with.

Bauer adapted this from his original article in Mother Jones magazine, and at times the book did feel a little too filled out. I wish he had spent some more time interpreting and analyzing what he saw rather than giving a mostly straight up narrative of his experience. I found myself wanting to know more of why and how it can change for the better, but the book doesn't provide those answers.

Still, it's a compelling and interesting read, and it opened my eyes to a topic I previously knew woefully little about.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Love on Lexington Avenue is a sweet and charming romance about two cynical people who've been jaded by past loves. Recently widowed Claire is trying to move on with her life after finding out her dead husband was a serial philanderer. When she hires surly contractor Scott to renovate her home, sparks fly, but both are too cautious to admit what's in their hearts.

This was a fun, light, fluffy read. I mean, who doesn't like a romance between two reluctant participants hell-bent on remaining single? I sure do. And there were plenty of witty banter between our two main characters as they try to deny their attraction to each other and hide behind their thorny exteriors.

And yet, while I enjoyed this book, I don't find it particularly memorable, just like the first book in the series. In fact, I find both of them fairly superficial in their treatment of love and conflict, with everyone exaggerating their feelings when it comes to minor things and hiding the real nuances away.

Also for a romance, this series is pretty PG-rated, with no blush-worthy scenes at all. If you're someone who enjoys romances but shies away from sex scenes, this may be the series for you. But I prefer my romances with some steam, because all that buildup should lead somewhere, and it's more realistic when it's included in the book.

Still, I'm having fun reading this series, and I'll definitely continue. There's one more book to come, and I'm already looking forward to it.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.

On the darkest night of the winter solstice, a wounded stranger shows up at an old inn by the river. In his arms he carries a dead child. A few hours later, against all odds, the child stirs and is alive again. What follows is a tale of magic, hope, love, redemption, and so much more.

Once Upon a River reads like a folklore, rich and lyrical. It's a fairy tale for adults who no longer believe in magic but still want magic in their stories. Its lush prose reminds me of childhood tales, just all grown up. It's nostalgic and warm, and I felt instantly transported.

There are many parts to this carefully crafted tale, and they are all expertly woven into one cohesive narrative. I was struck by the fully imagined characters, and in particular, the strong females. Rita is competent and progressive, while Bessie is goodhearted and resilient. I can't help but adore them.

I will say that the pacing of this book, while not exactly slow, is more luxurious. It's definitely not a book to read when you're in a hurry. It's best savored and enjoyed without haste, page by wonderful page. It's a slow burn and a bit on the longer side, so it requires patience from the reader. And for that, I was richly rewarded. It grabbed me from the very first moment and I was swept away. It's not a book you read for its twists and turns, yet every new revelation had me wanting more.

I'm so glad I finally picked this up. It was the perfect antidote for the stresses of real life. This captivating story, with its quiet lushness and its emotive portrayal of love and goodness, feels like a breath of fresh air against all the other tried-and-true genres out there. It was such a unique reading experience, and I can't think of any other quite like it.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Watching You might just be my favorite Lisa Jewell!

We start out with a murder in the picturesque neighborhood of Melville Heights. But who was the victim? And who is the murderer? In this little town, everyone has secrets and snooping on your neighbors is practically the town's official pastime.

I find Lisa Jewell's writing to be riveting. Not everyone can take a story about—let's be honest—mostly unlikable, morally-deficient, creepy characters and turn it into something compelling, but she sure does. It grabbed me right from the start, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

One of the reasons I'm a big fan of Jewell is that she takes character-driven mysteries and brings it to another level. I can really sink my teeth into her characters. They feel fleshed-out and fully-formed, so you get invested and it's satisfying to follow along and see where it all ends up.

This story is told via a few different points of view. While I'm not normally a fan of too many different narrators, it works in this case. We get to see different perspectives from each of the characters, so we're always on our toes trying to figure what the truth really is.

There were a few twists and turns in this book, and some even managed to surprise me. But I don't want to talk that up. What surprises one reader doesn't always work for another. This book is worth it for the journey alone. But if it does manage to catch you off guard with a few of the twists, well that's just the icing on the cake.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Being Mortal tackles the all too uncomfortable subject of mortality, and what it means to live and die well in life's last moments. In our modern world of medicine and technology, hospitals and doctors can always do more, but is more surgery or therapy always the right step at the end of life when positive outcomes are unlikely and severe side effects are guaranteed?

For me, the most eye-opening and useful parts of the book are those comparing the different types of care that someone can receive as they reach end of life, including palliative care, assisted living, nursing home, and hospice. I also appreciate that the book looks at this emotionally-distressing time from the perspective of both the person coming to the end of their life, as well as from that of their loved ones. Often, our impulse is to do everything we can to prolong life, but this book makes a strong case for quality now over quantity later, so that purpose and meaning can be preserved for as long as possible.

The book did feel over-simplified though. For example, the people in here with access to all the choices were either old enough to qualify for Medicare, young with good insurance, or lucky enough to find an affordable plan that provided quality care. But in the real world, that often isn't the case. Another example is that the dying person, as well as their loved ones, were reasonable people who are self-aware and communicated openly. But when dealing with relatives, that often isn't the case.

While this book is a great kicking off point for starting discussions and forming a plan, it certainly doesn't provide any concrete answers or even can act as a guide. Dying is a personal thing, fraught with perilous decisions and messy emotions, just like living is. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. For such a difficult subject, I felt myself swept along in Dr. Gawande's eloquent writing and compassionate storytelling. I go away having learned a lot, but also feeling a little disappointed (unfair, I know) that this book did not provide me with more concrete answers to life's difficult questions.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

In A Murder Is Announced, a notice appears in the local papers stating the time and location of a murder. The neighbors, thinking it was all great fun, show up en masse. When a murder actually happens and it becomes clear this is no game, fear quickly takes over. In steps old, fussy, adorable Mrs. Marple, with her astute observations and keen awareness of human nature.

This story is so fun and quintessentially Agatha Christie--a locked room mystery, a handful of suspects, and plenty of red herrings and secrets everywhere. And when it's all explained in the end, it's just so damn satisfying to have everything tie up in a logical manner. I had an inkling of the guilty party this time, though not the underlying motives, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of this book.

I first started reading Agatha Christie in 8th grade. Over the last few years, I've been embarking on a (slow) reread of her books with the goal of getting through them all. This is one of her personal favorites, so I had high expectations going in. And once again, as always, she doesn't let me down!

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars