“By the Book” 
By Jasmine Guillory

Isabelle Marlowe, or Izzy to her friends, is working her (almost) dream job at her second-choice publishing house in New York.  She is the editorial assistant to Marta and mainly checks emails and reads manuscripts.  One author in particular has been ignoring all of his deadlines and emails from Izzy.  Beau Towers is a celebrity known for his bad behavior and anger issues.  He has agreed to write a memoir, but has failed to produce the first page.  When Marta and Izzy have to go to a conference in California, Izzy is asked to stay a couple of days to have a meeting with Beau to see if she can find out what is holding him back.   

The first meeting is a disaster, but at least she was in the door.  After the weekend, Izzy convinces Marta that she could get Beau to write the book if she stayed for a while to keep him on track.  Marta agrees to let her work from California for a month.  Izzy and Beau dive into work and eventually friendship.  By the end of the month, it seems to be more.  Izzy has to get Beau to finish his book so that she stands a chance for a promotion.  But how can she just leave now?  She is invested in more than his book.  

Comic: “The Sandman” 
Author: Neil Gaiman 
Reading Level: Adult

The Sandman, from DC Comics, follows the journey of Morpheus, Dream of the Endless. Morpheus is an immortal being who is the King of Dreams. He runs his realm, the Dreaming, with a tight grip to ensure that the waking world remains as it is. After a Nightmare gets loose and him leaving the Dreaming to retrieve it, Morpheus is captured and held for over seventy years. Once he finally is set free, he is free to return to the Dreaming and restore it to its glory from before his capture. However, he must return three of his creations to the Dreaming and find his lost objects of power to do so. Issues #1-8 cover the first part of Morpheus’s story. 

This comic book series comes from the fantastical mind of Neil Gaiman. Gaiman’s love of mythology and lore stand out in this comic. He effortlessly blends dark humor, reality, and nightmares into this beloved comic. This comic can be found on Hoopla and on Libby!