In My TBR Stack:

Eat That Frog! for Students
by Brian Tracy with Anna Leinberger
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Trade Paperback


From the publisher's website:

Like adults, students of all ages struggle with how to manage their time. Encountering the necessity of time management for the first time, high schoolers juggle classes, extracurricular activities (all but mandatory for college admissions), jobs, internships, family responsibilities, and more. College brings even more freedom and less structure, making time management even more critical.

Brian Tracy's Eat That Frog! has helped millions around the world get more done in less time. Now this life-changing global bestseller has been adapted to the specific needs of students. Tracy offers readers tips, tools, and techniques for structuring time, setting goals, staying on task (even when you're not interested), dealing with stress, and developing the skills to achieve far more than you ever thought possible. This is the book that parents and teachers have long been wishing Tracy would write.

In My (Mom's) TBR Stack:

Justified Misfortune
by Lori Matthews
Twisted Page Press LLC
Trade Paperback


From the publisher's website:

Hudson Riggs has returned to his family’s ranch after years spent traveling the world. The former Navy SEAL accepted a position as a Personal Security Specialist, a job that didn’t leave much free time. He never expected his visit to his hometown to turn into another job. His former High School flame has been arrested for murder but Hudson’s gut instinct is she didn’t do it. All he has to do now is prove it.

For Sunny Travers, being back in Canyon Springs is bittersweet. She desperately misses her life in California but her grandmother needs her. Sunny’s world flips upside down when she’s arrested for killing the local hero. Now the citizens of Canyon Springs have turned against her and she’s forced to accept help from the man who broke her heart all those years ago.

Hudson knows Sunny hasn’t forgiven him. Hell, he hasn’t forgiven himself for how he left things but all his emotions take a back seat when someone tries to kill Sunny. Can Hudson protect Sunny long enough to apologize to her and right old wrongs or will the killer get to her first?

In My TBR Stack:

No Man's Son: A Flight From Obscurity to Fame
by Linda Chowdry
Trade Paperback

From the book publicity:

An immigrant’s memoir recounting the life of a young Pakistani man who came to the U.S. with only a driving ambition to make a difference in his chosen industry, aviation. Through challenges and successes, he soared to the very heights of the airline business. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he unleashed his passion, ultimately building a successful airline, Atlas Air Cargo.

On My Radar:

The Dog Who Saved the World
(Middle Grade Fiction)
by Ross Welford
Schwartz & Wade
Hardcover


From the publisher's website:

He smells terrible. He’ll eat literally anything. And he’s humanity’s only hope…. 

When 12-year-old Georgie makes friends with an eccentric retired scientist, she becomes the test-subject for a thrilling new experiment: a virtual reality 3-D version of the future. At first, it’s just a game. But when a deadly virus threatens to wipe out every pup on the planet, Georgie and her beloved (and very smelly) dog, Mr. Mash, along with best friend Ramzy, must embark on a desperate quest to save the dogs– and also all of humanity. And they have to do it without actually leaving the room. This high-concept, astonishing new novel from the author of Time Traveling with a Hamster takes us on an epic adventure, and asks the question: is it really possible to alter the future?

In My TBR Stack:

Learn to Program with App Inventor: A Visual Introduction to Building Apps
by Lyra Blizzard Logan
No Starch Press
Trade Paperback


From the publisher's website:

You've swiped and tapped your way through countless apps, but have you ever created one? Now you can, thanks to Learn to Program with App Inventor. In less than an hour, you'll be able to build and run your first app!

App Inventor is a free software for making Android apps. All you need is a PC with an Internet connection to build your app, and a mobile phone for testing. You'll use a simple drag-and-drop interface, which minimizes errors and avoids too much typing.

A certified App Inventor Master Trainer, Logan breaks down each project into logical steps, lists the components you'll need, and then shows you how to create screen designs, control program flow with conditionals and loops, and store data in variables and lists. Once you've tested the app on your phone, you can test what you learned with challenges at the end of each chapter.

You'll build cool apps like:

• Hi, World!: Use your voice to send a text message
• Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse a speech or dance routine with this video recording app
• Fruit Loot: Catch randomly failing fruit in this exciting game
• Beat the Bus: Track a friend’s journey using location services and maps
• Virtual Shades: Take a selfie, then try on some virtual sunglasses

Join the 10 million people who have tried App Inventor, and make the journey from app user to app inventor.

In My TBR Stack:

The Night Before the Morning After
by Scott Newman
New Degree Press
Hardcover


From the book publicity:

The Night before the Morning After is a rock and roll diary of Newman’s wild life and times. Beginning in Antibes, the story brings readers to New York, New Jersey, D.C., Paris, and Jordan. Between outrageous travel stories, improbable encounters, and scandalous romantic entanglements, Newman offers a behind-the-scenes expose and critique of life at an elite boarding school and at Princeton. It’s Salinger meets Easton Ellis meets Bukowski, written by and for the iPhone generation. It is at once a portrait, critique, and celebration of the American experience in the 21st century.

On My Radar:

Rock Star Hitman: The Sledge Chronicles
by David Ellefson and Drew Fortier
The Ellefson Book Company
Trade Paperback


From the book publicity:

The Sledge Chronicles: Rock Star Hitman is the first chapter in the action-packed saga of Sledge; an up and coming musician who uncovers a startling quid pro quo: in exchange for achieving his dreams of Rock stardom, he must enlist as a ruthless killer for a clandestine agency. Filled with twists, turns, screams, and even laughs, Rock Star Hitman is the cult thriller you've been dying for. Rock Star Hitman is the first in The Sledge Chronicles series, and is the first fictional title authored by Grammy award winning Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, co-written by musician, filmmaker, actor Drew Fortier.

On My Radar:

Kiling JonBenet Ramsey: Unprecedented and Extensive Evidence Uncovers New Suspects
by Dylan Howard
Skyhorse Books
Hardcover


From the publisher's website:

The killing of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey—found in the basement of her family home in Boulder, Colorado, with a smashed skull and a garrote placed around her neck—remains one of America’s most shameful unsolved crimes. A flawed investigation, fraught with police and prosecutorial misconduct and widespread evidence tampering, means that the little girl’s killer remains at large after more than two decades.
 
Now, as told in Killing JonBenét Ramsey an unflinching new investigation into the crime will seek to finally secure justice for JonBenét. Investigative journalist Dylan Howard has assembled a crack team of internationally renowned criminal investigators, experts, and lawyers with the express aim of finding her killer.
 
They have sifted through scores of new tips and leads, pored over never-before-seen crime scene evidence, searched through hundreds of pages of coroners’ reports, police statements, and private journals, and conducted many exclusive new interviews. They have petitioned courts and law enforcement agencies, gathered archival material, and utilized new scientific advances.
 
This is not a retelling of JonBenét’s story; it is an active investigation of her murder. Combining the compulsive draw of a Hollywood movie blockbuster, the addictive thrill of the police procedural, and the heartwrenching tragedy of the real-life murder of a beautiful toddler and the consequences for her family, Killing JonBenét​ Ramsey seeks to put right one of the modern age’s most monstrous wrongs.
 

On My Radar:

Son of a Milkman: My Crazy Life with Tesla
by Brian Wheat with Chris Epting
Post Hill Press
Hardcover


From the publisher's website:

Brian Wheat is far from your typical rock star. As bassist for the multi-platinum band, Tesla, he’s enjoyed the spoils of success and lived the sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll lifestyle to the hilt. But it came at a cost, one that took years to repair.

In this deeply honest and utterly revealing memoir, Wheat sheds light on the many challenges he faces, including bulimia, weight issues, and the crippling anxiety and depression caused by his conditions. Just like the songs his legendary band made, this is no-nonsense, blue-collar storytelling at its best. While revealing the vulnerable human behind the bass guitar, this autobiography also offers tremendous stories of life on the road, and collaborations and encounters with legendary figures like his pals in Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, and Paul McCartney. Son of a Milkman will entertain, surprise, and inspire longtime fans of this enduring band.

In My TBR Stack:

The Plan After Police Reform
by Reco McDaniel McCambry, M.B.A.
Trade Paperback


From the book publicity:

2020 has been a year like no other. It has brought us unparalleled danger, as well as unparalleled opportunity for real change.With the uprising triggered by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers still going strong, there have been many heartening changes to local municipal laws around the country. But we all know it’s not nearly enough. To produce real justice for the Black community, we must have equal economic power and equal access to education – and those are goals that seem lightyears away.Although police reform is a very hot topic and deserves national attention, there are other subjects we must not ignore while we have the national and even global stage. If these matters are not addressed, social justice and progress, in totality, will never be reached!Fortunately, Reco McDaniel McCambry has a plan. As one of the top entrepreneurs and financial educators in America, he’s spent his professional life helping Black families to initiate a foundation for generational wealth and motivating Black entrepreneurs to realize seemingly impossible goals.Now, McCambry brings his financial and motivational skills to the cause of racial justice. THE PLAN contained within these pages includes a blueprint that anyone can take to forward economic equality, fairer legislation, and transformational change for our black communities nationwide; even across the world.

In My TBR Stack:

Last Chance to Save American Democracy: Republicans Will Permanently Take Power in the 2022-2024 Elections Unless Democrats Follow This Plan
by Haven Scott McVarish
5 Journeys Media
Trade Paperback


From the book publicity:

Last Chance to Save American Democracy is the book we need after the 2020 election.

Now is the time to fight to make America the vibrant democracy we thought we had!

Fixing our country's problems are within reach, but our window to act is short.

Do you remember how quickly our optimism was crushed after Obama's 2008 landslide as Republicans seized control of states and the national government and blocked all progress during the entire 2010 decade?

Are you optimistic that Democrats won't repeat their same mistakes now that we've won back the White House?

Political strategist Haven McVarish reveals the hidden truth on how Republicans:

• Almost became the permanent party in power this past decade using 4 Weapons Against Democracy (until, Trump accidentally spoiled their plan) 
  
• Are poised to retake power in the 2022 and 2024 elections (this time, permanently) now that Trump will no longer be a drag on the GOP ticket

Understanding the weapons used by Republicans to undermine democracy is crucial if we don't want Democrats to repeat their mistakes from the past 10 years. But this book goes beyond this urgent warning. With riveting insight, political strategist Haven McVarish fights back and sets the “democracy revival” agenda. Weaving a set of 12 comprehensive solutions with an organizing plan to get these solutions into law, McVarish creates the strategy we need for 2021. Otherwise, Democratic leaders will squander this last chance to save democracy afforded by the 2020 defeat of Trump.

You don't have to feel frustrated and scared.

This blueprint lays out a clear path for us to compel Democrats into taking effective action in 2021 before it's too late.

Now in Paperback:

Not Afraid: The Evolution of Eminem
by Anthony Bozza
Hachette Books
Trade Paperback


From the publisher's website:

In 1999, a former dishwasher from Detroit named Marshall Bruce Mathers III became the most controversial and polarizing musical artist in the world. He was an outlier, a white artist creating viable art in a black medium, telling stories with such verbal dexterity, nimble wit, and shocking honesty that his music and persona resonated universally. In short, Eminem changed the landscape of pop culture as we knew it. In 2006, at the height of his fame and one of the biggest-selling artists in music history, Eminem all but disappeared. Beset by nonstop controversy, bewildering international fame, a debilitating drug problem, and personal tragedy, he became reclusive, withdrawing to his Detroit-area compound. He struggled with weight gain and an addiction to prescription pills that nearly took his life. Over the next five years, Eminem got sober, relapsed, then finally got and stayed clean with the help of his unlikely friend and supporter, Elton John. He then triumphantly returned to a very different landscape, yet continued his streak of number one albums and multiplatinum singles.Not Afraid picks up where rock journalist Anthony Bozza’s bestselling Whatever You Say I Am left off. Capturing Eminem’s toughest years in his own words, as well the insights of his closest friends and creative collaborators, this book chronicles the musical, personal, and spiritual growth of one of hip-hop’s most enduring and enigmatic figures.

On My Radar:

Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious Cover-Up, and Spectacular Downfall of a Brazen Crook in the White House
by Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz
Crown Publishing
Hardcover


From the publisher's website:

Is it possible for a sitting vice president to direct a vast criminal enterprise within the halls of the White House? To have one of the most brazen corruption scandals in American history play out while nobody’s paying attention? And for that scandal to be all but forgotten decades later?

The year was 1973, and Spiro T. Agnew, the former governor of Maryland, was Richard Nixon’s second-in-command. Long on firebrand rhetoric and short on political experience, Agnew had carried out a bribery and extortion ring in office for years, when—at the height of Watergate—three young federal prosecutors discovered his crimes and launched a mission to take him down before it was too late, before Nixon’s impending downfall elevated Agnew to the presidency. The self-described “counterpuncher” vice president did everything he could to bury their investigation: dismissing it as a “witch hunt,” riling up his partisan base, making the press the enemy, and, with a crumbling circle of loyalists, scheming to obstruct justice in order to survive.

In this blockbuster account, Rachel Maddow and Michael Yarvitz detail the investigation that exposed Agnew’s crimes, the attempts at a cover-up—which involved future president George H. W. Bush—and the backroom bargain that forced Agnew’s resignation but also spared him years in federal prison. Based on the award-winning hit podcast, Bag Man expands and deepens the story of Spiro Agnew’s scandal and its lasting influence on our politics, our media, and our understanding of what it takes to confront a criminal in the White House.