17. The Bartimaeus Trilogy: Ptolemy's Gate

By Jonathan Stroud (501 pp.)

This is book 3. I read Book 1 in 2011 and Book 2 also in 2011. Not sure why it took so long to get to this one. It's about a young magician, who is complex but also a jerk and his relationship with a djinni, Bartimaeus who is a hilarious smart ass. Also, a common girl named Kitty is involved. A bunch of bad stuff happens in London with scheming government officials and a magical attack. These three have to try and save the day. Another good one.

16. Fear of Landing: You Fly Like A Woman

by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley (93 pp ebook)

This is a non-fiction book about a woman who didn't intend to get a pilot's license but then sets out to get one anyway. And it's not easy for her. I am fascinated by people who get a pilot's license. It seems impossibly scary to me. I have a recurring dream about flying a plane and being terrified that a giant hunk of metal can stay in the air. Fun book.