Hello all,
While many may question the life expectancy of printed books and the value in entering such an unpredictable industry, the New York subway system has proven to me that good books will never really go out of fashion. Whether they are sitting, standing, waiting, or attempting to juggle their coffee in one hand and book in another, it’s almost impossible not to see at least one subway reader on your daily commute. So, in search of my next read, I decided to take Notes From Underground readers by asking my fellow Q train riders for recommendations.
Here is my top choice from this week: 
Described by its reader as a Y/A collection of darkly-themed short stories that is both clever and enjoyable for readers of all ages, Monstrous Affections takes the first slot. It was published last September by Candlewick Press and has received glowing reviews by readers on both Amazon and Goodreads. This collection of imaginative tales features everything from classical mythology to aliens, yet still manages to explore themes of love, fear, and the trials of human relationships.
The second book that I will recommend is Notes From Underground, a Beaufort book by Roger Scruton that I have just begun about the underground culture during the Czechoslovak communist regime. While its subjects are not mythical or magical creatures, but people, its themes also touch on fear, love, and the struggle to find truth.
Books are there to teach, inspire, and entertain; they transform us and influence our tastes, passions, and ambitions; but most importantly, they are ready and accessible without being coercive or unavoidable. They tell their story in hopes that someone will listen, and in this way, books are like Mockingbirds.
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird”–To Kill a Mockingbird
More to come soon, BEAU Radley