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| OHCC LIVING | JUNE 2026 | 13 "June is a love song written by Nature." -Patience Strong June is here and Jacaranda trees stand in full glory as they don their majestic purple robes for all to see. In some places in the world, the tree is considered a mere weed, but here in California we savor Nature's creation and the beauty it affords us. It is why we live here. It is June's love song. This month, I have chosen to share with you the novel, Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson. Together for the first time, they make an incredible duo with Davis, an internationally acclaimed actress and producer who Time Magazine named as one of the 100 most inf luential people in the world in both 2012 and 2017. They have created a splendid legal thriller, written in the first person from the viewpoint of Mary Stone, a respected black judge in Union Springs, Alabama as she presides over a controversial case against a black doctor, Bria Gaines, accused of murder for performing an illegal abortion on Nova Jones, a sexually assaulted 13-year-old girl. The story explores racial injustice, and reproductive rights set against a backdrop of extreme political pressure. It is a fast-paced action-packed story marked not only by high-stakes courtroom drama, but also murder threats, the murder of a key witness, and the firebombing of the judge's home and farm. Readers agree that the authors make you feel the emotions of every character, particularly for Nova and Bria, and the relief they feel knowing that Judge Stone is in their corner. "The title Judge Stone refers not just to the protagonist, but to the weight she carries - the legacy of her ancestors, the land her family has owned for a century, and the impossible choice between law and morality." - MD Touzani (Independent Book Summarizer) This is a must read! Don't forget our next Afternoon with Authors Series presentation is Sun., June 7, when Laurel Corona, a Canadian author from British Columbia, will discuss her newest book, Aloha Wanderwell Takes the Wheel. It is about the first woman to drive around the world in a Model T. Until then, check her out at laurelcorona.com, where she writes: "My goal as a historical novelist is to provide you, the reader, with high-quality fiction about women and the forgotten and undervalued roles they played in their societies." Written by Sally Benton and submitted by the Library Association Library Association JUNE BOOK BUYS 26 Beauties.............................................................James Patterson e Brothers Mckay ..................................................Craig Johnspn e Calamity Club............................................... Kathryn Stockett Cat On A Hot Tin Woof .......................................... Spencer Quinn e Dark Time ...............................................................Nick Petrie e Delivery ............................................... Andrew Welsh Huggins e Final Storm ........................................................Fern Michaels e Final Target......................................................... Nora Roberts If I Ruled e World ...................................... Amy Dubois Barnett e Invisible Woman ................... James Patterson & Susan Dilallo Ironwood............................................................. Michael Connelly Kin................................................................................ Tayari Jones e Last Hitman ........................................................ Robin Yocum e Last Mandarin .......................... Louise Penny & Melissa Fung Redbelly Crossing ......................................................... Candice Fox e Midnight Train ........................................................ Matt Haig She ought She Was Safe.......................................... Terri Parlato Summer State Of Mind ............................. Kristy Woodsen Harvey e ings We Never Say ..................................... Elizabeth Strout Yesteryear............................................................ Caro Claire Burke