® REVIEWS
54gBOOKLIFE, JULY 29, 2019
“financial game changer,” it also requires
mastering the management of a substantial
amount of capital, perhaps for the first time
in one’s life. For those readers who think
they can jump into the job of investing
rather than just sticking it in a savings
account, Young warns that when it comes
to investing, “a little knowledge can truly
be a dangerous thing.” Over the course of
this concise work, Young provides a quick
primer on important topics, such as the
distinction between income and growth
portfolios, as illustrated by some eye-
opening returns charts. Young also breaks
down the five “classic” types of investment
risks, examines various types of stocks with
a memorable turn of phrase—“tennis ball
stocks” that bounce and “eggs” that don’t,
no matter how good their business plans
are—and gives quick reviews of bonds,
annuities, donor-advised funds, and legacy
planning. Perhaps most valuable is Young’s
advice on dealing with a bear market, and
what to ask and expect during annual port-
folio reviews. Undeniably narrow in its
niche subject matter, this is still a good
introductory overview of this particular
field.Somewhere in the Middle: A Jour-
ney to the Philippines in Search
of Roots, Belonging, and Identity
Deborah Francisco Douglas. Peaceful Mountain,
$14.99 trade paper (254p) ISBN 978-1-73357-
560-7
In this energetic debut, Filipino
American blogger Douglas narrates her
“quest for self-identity” while serving as a
Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, a
country she knew little about despite being
the birthplace of her father. She lived in the
country from 2011 to 2014, and tells of life
in Baguio City, “the salad bowl of the
Philippines” located in the mountainous
Cordillera region. Douglas’s introduction
to Filipino culture is thwarted at first by her
vague grasp of the language. Assigned to a
local school and community center, she
forges relationships with co-workers over
snack and coffee breaks as she discovers that,
for Filipinos, “sharing a meal means gener-
osity, kinship, connection.” Some of
Douglas’s observations, however, can verge
on whiny (while in a hospital being treated
for asthma, she says, “This isn’t what I envi-sioned when I first learned I would be living
in the Philippines”). On the other hand,
Douglas’s stories of weekend trips to
remote, unspoiled areas for hiking, caving,
and waterfall climbing are high points, con-
veying her thrill of exploration. It’s her
efforts during her stay to integrate music
into her life—via guitar lessons, choir
rehearsals, and monthly coffeehouse music
sessions—that enable her to form lasting
friendships. Douglas is an amiable narrator,
and those searching for their own roots will
take pleasure in this heartfelt memoir.Children’s/YA
Skerryvore
Lee Williams. Lee Williams, $2.99 e-book (453p)
ASIN B07DHZ2YLB
Technology and legend combine in
Williams’s uneven debut techno-thriller,
which pits twins against powers unknown
on a craggy Scottish island. Daniel and
Rose’s father has eschewed all technology
and become increasingly paranoid after
losing his job with a multinational tech
firm. When the family’s London house mys-
teriously burns down, leaving their father
presumed dead, a man named Brendan
secrets the siblings away to the isle of
Cranagh. There, they encounter the enig-
matic Mr. Hubblestone and his equally
mystifying house, Skerryvore, with its
never-ending library. Soon, the twins,
Brendan, and Hubblestone engage in a
battle for Skerryvore against sinister forces,
and the children learn that they hold the
key to their own survival, the survival of the
house, and more. Dense exposition hampers
the pace, and thinly drawn characters cou-
pled with a lack of resolution may prove
frustrating for readers. Still, Williams’s
exploration of the perils of relying over-
much on technology is germane to today’s
discussions about rapid technological
advancement, and the book offers both a
haunting atmosphere and a unique and lay-
ered plot. Ages 12–up.Counting Flowers
Beth Andrews. Beth Andrews, $9.99 paper
(388p) ISBN 978-1-73252-754-6
Seventeen-year-old Natalie’s “harmless
little quirks” calm and control her anxiety.She constantly makes lists and counts
things, especially the 83 flowers her mother
painted on her bedroom wall. Who
wouldn’t be anxious when family standards
include striving for perfection? First in her
senior class at Pittsburgh’s West Brook
Academy, she plans to attend Ivy League
Penn, and her boyfriend is a popular soccer
player. Her perfect life is barely under con-
trol, however: “All I know is that there’s this
knot is my chest, strands of worry and guilt
and anger looped around and around.” Then
Natalie begins tutoring Owen—her fami-
ly’s landscaper and a senior on hockey schol-
arship—who is “badass and silent” to her
“friendly, sweet, and chatty.” Desperate to
keep the status quo, she pushes Owen away
despite her attraction. A revelation about
her older brother Chase’s dangerous secrets
and lies sends Natalie’s anxiety levels even
higher, resulting in a crisis that makes her
reconsider her mental health. Sharply
written with keen dialogue and palpable
sexual tension, Andrews’s novel allows
readers to engage with Natalie’s every
thought, doubt, and struggle. It’s a pas-
sionate story that explores the divide
between lofty and unhealthy goals. Ages
14–up.