Et Cetera
What we're reading: The God of the Woods
I've heard a lot of good buzz surrounding Liz Moore's novel 'The God Of The Woods' and it didn't disappoint! Carefully hidden family secrets come to light as a teenage member of the ultra-wealthy Van Laar family goes missing from her cabin during summer camp. The twist? The Van Laars own the camp, and this isn't their first child to go missing. The investigation into the child's disappearance will involve local investigators, camp staff, and her fellow campers, some of whom remember the first disappearance. Scholarships Are Free Money for College
Juan GarciaIowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation board memberIf your family has a current or future college student, this is a great time to look for scholarships that will help offset the cost of an education. Scholarships are considered "gift aid," meaning that they do not need to be repaid later. Some are one-time awards that can be used while a family's college savings continues to grow; others are renewable as long as the student remains eligible.
What we're reading: The last one at the wedding
I recently read 'The Last One at the Wedding' by Jason Rekulak and it may have had a slow burning start, but it did not disappoint! Frank Szatowski is ecstatic when he hears from his daughter Maggie after 3 years. Maggie is quick to push the past behind them and reveals that she is getting married! Frank is eager to meet Maggie's new fiancé and new in-laws, but when he finds out it is the son of a tech billionaire, he isn't sure how he fits in. What we're reading: Starling House
In the mood for a light, spooky, gothic romance? Check out 'Starling House' by Alix E. Harrow! It was a fast weekend read!"Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. Kirkwood Community College announces Dean's List honors
Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the summer 2024 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college. Kirkwood students from the area earning this distinction are listed below. Atkins, IA Carmanda Camacho Ally Gauthier, Bent
What We're Reading: I'll Be Waiting
It's officially spooky season so what better way to celebrate than a book about seances, supernatural forces, and a haunted house! Enter: 'I'll Be Waiting' by Kelley Armstrong. This is my second book by Kelley Armstrong and I'm loving it so far."Nicola Laughton never expected to see adulthood, being diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child. Then medical advances let her live into her thirties and she met Anton, who taught her to dream of a future… together. What we're reading: The Lincoln Highway
This week I started reading 'The Lincoln Highway' by Amor Towles. Set in 1950's America, this novel tells the story of 18-year-old Emmett Watson as he follows the Lincoln Highway east to New York City. I'm told Towles is a gifted storyteller, and that this book is a great introduction to his writing style. Here is a quote from an online Goodreads reviewer:"What an inventive and absorbing read this is. IA community colleges enter admission agreement with Iowa Private Collaborative
Iowa higher education institutions are collaborating to
create transfer pathways from community colleges to private four-year
institutions (Des Moines, Iowa—October 16, 2024) Fifteen
Iowa community college presidents met Wednesday, September 25 in Des Moines to
approve the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee admission agreement with the Iowa
Private Transfer Collaborative that aims to streamline the transfer process for
Iowa community college and qualifying* high school students to private
four-year institutions.
Roadside Chat – Texting and driving? Weird flex, not cool!
In today’s slang flexing has nothing to do with going to the gym and showing off your muscles. To “flex” is simply bragging about things that you think are cool. Social media and the internet have made our world smaller and have given people a platform to flex about all kinds of weird, unusual, bizarre, or even questionable things. But one thing we shouldn’t be flexing on is when someone texts and drives. What We're Reading: Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance
I might just be Alison Espach's #1 fan. 'Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance' is a dark, coming-of-age character study on how grief shapes us. Enter: young Sally Holt. Sally narrates life after a traumatic car accident that kills her older sister, warps her parents lives into something almost unrecognizable, and leads her down a path that forever connects her to the boy driving the car that killed her sister.