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Reviewer's Choice
Gerontocracy in America
Samuel Moyn
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
www.fsgbooks.com
9780374607647, $30.00, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Gerontocracy-America-Hoarding-Power-Wealth_and/dp/0374607648
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gerontocracy-in-america-samuel-moyn/1148252594
Synopsis: As Americans debate President Biden's infirmities and President Trump's erratic behavior, we've neglected the bigger problem before us: a massive transfer of power and wealth to the oldest among us, and the curtailment of the prospects of the young.
With the publication of "Gerontocracy in America: How the Old Are Hoarding Power and Wealth - and What to Do About It", academician, historian and social critic Professor Samuel Moyn offers a piercing diagnosis of our age divide and its consequences.
Even apart from the presidency, in legislatures, businesses, and the courts, the average leader's age has risen dramatically. The elderly predominantly fund campaigns and dominate their agendas, often with the intent to block any challenge to their status. The tax code is rigged on their behalf, as is an economy geared to sheltering financial and housing assets. The United States was founded on the promise of generational renovation but has become an increasingly febrile country of old men.
But it doesn't need to be this way. With understanding and wit, Professor Moyn shows how elder power can be dismantled. With strong safety nets in place, mandatory retirement ages can be established. The early transfer of assets between generations could be encouraged and young voters can be granted more voice.
In such a world, the elderly themselves would be freed from power games to confront the existential opportunities of aging, while the young would find their path to starting out in life unblocked at last.
Critique: Original, erudite, iconoclastic, thoughtfully informative and thought provoking, "Gerontocracy in America: How the Old Are Hoarding Power and Wealth - and What to Do About It" is a unique and fascinating analysis of a critical economic, cultural, social, and political issue and problem that is growing more and more severe with every passing decade. A seminal and groundbreaking study that is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of thirty-four pages of Notes and a twelve page Index, "Gerontocracy in America" is a specifically and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Sociology of Class and Governmental Social/Economic Policy collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, economists, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Gerontocracy in America" from Farrar, Straus & Giroux is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Samuel Moyn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Moyn) is the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. His books include Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War, The Last Utopia, and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World. Cohost of the Digging a Hole podcast, he is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and many other publications.
The Preventioneers
Barry R. Davis
The Johns Hopkins University Press
www.press.jhu.edu
9781421454337, $34.95, PB, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Preventioneers-Diseases-Disasters-Discoveries-Changed/dp/1421454335
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-preventioneers-barry-r-davis/1147922122
Synopsis: What drives someone to challenge the status quo to prevent disaster? With the publication of "The Preventioneers: Diseases, Disasters, and the Discoveries That Changed Our World", Dr. Barry R. Davis chronicles the work of bold individuals who recognized the warning signs of catastrophe and intervened before tragedy could strike. With stories that include fire, disease, climate change, and public health, Dr. Davis illuminates the efforts of those who confronted indifference, ignorance, and inertia to shift society's focus from reaction to prevention.
Through real-world case studies and historical research, "The Preventioneers" introduces readers to a diverse cast of problem-solvers who identified threats, persuaded skeptics, and devised practical solutions.
In colonial Boston, a young Benjamin Franklin witnessed one of the city's most devastating fires. Haunted by that memory, Franklin grew into a lifelong advocate for fire prevention.
Ignaz Semmelweis and Sara Josephine Baker fought to raise awareness of and prevent child and maternal mortality.
Richard Doll's work to establish the link between smoking and lung cancer revealed the danger of what many viewed as a harmless activity.
These inspiring stories exemplify the central message of the book: Prevention is a powerful form of civic action. Their work underscores how principles of prevention transcend fields, whether addressing maternal mortality, auto safety, cancer, or climate change.
Dr. Davis also underscores that successful prevention requires more than knowledge; it also demands courage, strategy, and relentless advocacy. In doing so, "The Preventioneers" introduces a framework for thinking about how societies can act early, save lives, and build a healthier, more resilient future.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, inspiring, exceptional, "The Preventioneers: Diseases, Disasters, and the Discoveries That Changed Our World" by Dr. Barry R. Davis is an extraordinary and unique study that is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Preventive Medicine, Scientific Research, and Public Health Advocacy, History, and Biography collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Preventioneers" from the Johns Hopkins University Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.20) for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Barry R. Davis, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist, professor emeritus, and the former Guy S. Parcel Chair in Public Health at the University of Texas School of Public Health. He has helped lead landmark clinical trials that reshaped the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, including studies that informed national and international guidelines. Drawing on this experience, Davis explores how early warnings are recognized or ignored and why prevention remains one of society's most powerful yet underused tools.
The Making, The Rise, And The Future Of The Speakingman: 7th Edition
Dan M. Mrejeru
https://danmirceamrejeru.com
A Terrestral's Mind Publishing, LLC
9798995483977, $21.00, HC, 538pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Rise-Future-Speakingman-development/dp/B0GWFF83ZJ
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman: This edition includes a discussion on the Cooling of Earth's climate and the development of the Information Society", "Dan M. Mrejeru (an independent researcher in the field of neuroscience and the evolution of the human brain) offers a comprehensive theory on how human civilization, society, technology, and culture evolved and advanced. Now in a revised and expanded seventh edition, "The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman" begins with humanoid predecessors evolving into sapiens with the emergence of language and concludes with observations regarding today's 'Information Society'. Original, exceptional, iconoclastic, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Making, the Rise, and the Future of the Speakingman" is an a seminal, extraordinary, exhaustive, and groundbreaking study that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Human Evolution collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dan Mircea Mrejeru (https://danmirceamrejeru.com) was always interested in the most profound mystery of human beings. He studied hard many sciences, becoming a multi-disciplinary scientist and independent researcher. He is also the author of "Solovki's Ersatz". Most of his research was done for this book. But since publishing it, he found some weak explanations in some of the chapters, so to correct this, he decided to continue writing on this topic on the Dan Mrejeru Google profile (look for science parts only). Additionally, he is working on a novel, "The Conclave", as a screenplay and a movie.
The Activist
Daniel Fried
Prometheus Books
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493091386, $19.95, PB, 210pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Activist-Daoist-Protest-Manual/dp/1493091387
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-activist-daniel-fried/1147495593
Synopsis: The reason why protests have caused maximum pain for minimum gain is that they have done everything right. Well-developed consensus practices from activists have been put into practice in highly coordinated fashion internationally: keep messaging simple, restricting communications to a few media-trained representatives, maximize social media spread, trying to provoke reactions, not compromising, and not legitimizing the opposition by speaking to them.
As a result, most observers not already sympathetic to the cause have come away with a picture of students as obstinate, naive, and inclined to violence.
Daoist philosophy holds a set of principles that are completely opposite to the normal modes of social activism. It opposes conflict, striving, standard-setting, clever techniques, and any kind of trust in language. Instead, it promotes grounding oneself in the reality of the world, looking to flow in natural directions, disengagement from conflict, and patience.
This may all sound very mystical and not of much use to protests; but viewed in another light, it results in some common-sense conclusions. Would you be more easily persuaded by someone who sat down with you for a conversation, or by someone who yelled angry accusations at you from across a barricade?
With the publication of "The Activist", Professor Daniel Fried brings out the "common-sense" aspect of Daoist ideals to advocate for a new kind of social activism. It critiques common modes of social and political activism and proposes new modes of activism that might be more effective in promoting positive change in the world.
Critique: Exceptional, timely, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Activist" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Political Science/Advocacy instructional reference collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of political science students, academicians, politicians, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "The Activist" from Prometheus Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Daniel Fried (https://danielfried.ca) is Professor of classical Chinese literature and philosophy at the University of Alberta. His scholarship examines ancient and medieval Chinese theories of language and communication in comparative context with European traditions; his most recent book, The First Print Era (Routledge, 2023) examines the growth of print culture during China's Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). He has held many leadership positions within several North American and European scholarly associations, including serving on the executive committee of the Association of Language Departments of the Modern Language Association, the primary advocacy organization for language-teaching departments in the United States.
Choiceless: A Silenced Birthmother Speaks
Beth Jaffe
bethjaffe.com
Precocity Press
https://www.precocitypress.com
9798994147641, Price: $24.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Choiceless-Silenced-Birthmother-Beth-Jaffe/dp/B0GHWK62TJ
Choiceless: A Silenced Birthmother Speaks offers many insights about the adoption process, but comes from an unusual perspective - that of a birth mother who gave up her child for adoption. Beth Jaffe considers the losses involved in making such a decision, the forces at work that made adoption the only logical choice for her child's best life, and the long-term impact of this decision on her own life.
Hardship, trauma, and heartbreak are part of this story, which may trigger sensitive readers on different levels. Despite this cautionary note, Choiceless moves into essential, often undiscovered territory in speaking about the motivations, expectations, and influences of adoptive processes which sharply define issues of attachment, motherhood, and masks of silence.
From signing away her rights to defying the notion that one of those promises involved staying silent forever, Jaffe explores many often-unstated impacts of adoption and family experience in a manner that refutes any notion of a birthmother's experiences being something that should be judged or set aside: "I signed away certain rights when I accepted my plight as a birthmother, but I never agreed to lies of omission around people who happened to die."
She also pinpoints issues in the adoption system that should be addressed to help smooth pathways for birth mothers, children, and everyone involved: "A woman who gives birth should naturally have access to the official birth certificate to prove she is the original mother. If an adoptee becomes rich and famous, imposters pretending to be birthmothers can come out of the woodwork. Allowing women to have access to their records would stop that mess."
Issues of rights, mending broken hearts, support systems, failures and successes, and fury all meld in a statement of adoption experience and plans which swirl around the passions, broken promises and the lifelong impact of a adoption system: "I'm furious your adoption wasn't as advertised. The adoption agreement I remember accepting verbally is not the one in writing, the official one on file, the one I signed. That written legal abomination was not what I agreed to. And I highly doubt the paperwork your parents signed had any mention of verbal agreements either. I'm sure as hell their written paperwork didn't include any obligation for them to write to me, love me, be open to meeting me, or make sure you were always connected to me."
Librarians and readers with any degree of interest in the social, legal, and psychological ramifications of adoption will want to place Choiceless at the top of their reading lists. It's especially highly recommended for women's groups, book clubs, social workers, and anyone holding an interest in the experiences, potential pitfalls, and processes of the current adoption system. It will give rise to many important discussions about expectation, choice, outcome, and the lasting impacts of all these processes on birthmothers and adopted children alike.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Award-Winning Publicity: 8 Media Boosters to Magnify Your Story
Liz H. Kelly
Goody PR Press
https://goodypr.com
9798234025197, $19.77, PB, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Award-Winning-Publicity-Media-Boosters-Magnify/dp/B0GVSTDBQ3
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/award-winning-publicity-liz-h-kelly/1149845503
Synopsis: "Award-Winning Publicity: 8 Media Boosters to Magnify Your Story" by Liz H. Kelly is specifically for those new to having to plan and carry out a publicity, promotion, or marketing campaign, who want effective national publicity for their brand, their business, or their book, who want to learn how to get positive press attention and thereby boost their business results.
To help you shine a spotlight on your brand, "Award-Winning Publicity" provides an 8-Step Publicity Process in 8 easy-to-read chapters featuring an award-winning campaign and many real-life examples to help you get top media coverage.
Based on 20+ years of marketing and PR experience booking thousands of interviews for clients, Goody PR Agency CEO/Founder and Author Liz H. Kelly uncovers how to get earned media (TV, print, radio and podcasts) that can increase your brand awareness, trust, and credibility more than any paid ad.
Using these strategies and tactics, Kelly includes helpful tips based on securing coverage on the TODAY Show, CNN, BBC World News, NPR and Bloomberg Radio, and feature stories in People, Forbes, Fast Company and Psychology Today.
"Award-Winning Publicity" is DIY how-to do public relations book instructional guide tht features award-winning media examples from Kelly's National Publicity Campaign for American Paper Optics / Eclipse Glasses.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive and exceptionally 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation (especially for the non-professional general reader), "Award-Winning Publicity: 8 Media Boosters to Magnify Your Story" is an ideal introduction to developing effective and successful promotional campaigns with its step-by-step instructions, illustrative examples, and 'insider insights'. While a highly and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Publicity/Promotion instructional reference collections, it should be noted for entrepreneurs, novice publicists, writers/publishers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Award-Winning Publicity: 8 Media Boosters to Magnify Your Story" from Goody PR Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Liz H. Kelly (https://goodypr.com/about) is the Award-Winning Goody PR agency and Goody Business Book Awards CEO/ Founder, Bestselling Author of 3 books, including Award-Winning Publicity (2026) and 8-Second PR (2022), Speaker, and Podcast Host whose primary mission is to magnify good through the power of positive publicity. With 20+ years of PR and marketing experience, Goody PR's top media coverage for clients include the TODAYShow, CNN, BBC World News, NPR, and in TIME, People, and Forbes. Kelly is a Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business graduate, and a member of the National Press Club.
The AI Studies Shelf
The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book
A.G.G. Liu and Aishwary Pawar Ph.D., authors
Visible Ink Press
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578597796, $79.95, HC, 448pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Intelligence-Robots-Future-Humanity/dp/157859779X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-handy-artificial-intelligence-answer-book-agg-liu/1147857706
Synopsis: Artificial intelligence (AI) is popping up everywhere: in Google searches, calls to customer service, and in healthcare, education, and personal assistants -- to name just five. It's rapidly changing businesses and our lives.
Covering the basics, its history, and the science behind it, "The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book" is the perfect starting point to understanding the emerging AI revolution, what is currently possible, what might be possible in the future -- and what's just hype.
Tackling what has been, what is, and what will be (and the "what ifs") of AI, this informative and comprehensive introduction to AI answers more than 1,400 questions including:
What does the term "artificial intelligence" actually mean?
What real-world AI tools do people use daily, like Alexa, Netflix, and facial recognition?
How do AI algorithms adapt to changes in search trends and user behavior?
What is AI-based image stabilization in smartphones and cameras?
How does AI assist in surgical procedures and robotic surgery?
How does the use of AI in surveillance affect human rights?
What industries are most vulnerable to automation and AI-driven job loss?
How can AI recognize human emotions and adapt its responses accordingly?
What can we learn from other technologies as we consider how AI will shape our world?
And hundreds more!
Informative, provocative, and intriguing, "The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book" looks at this emerging technology and what the past might tell us about the future, as well as the potentials and the perils of AI!
Critique: Comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book", co-authored by A.G.G. Liu and Aishwary Pawar is the ideal introduction to the growing phenomena that is AI. While especially and unreservedly recommended for highschool, community, and college/university library AI reference collections and supplemental AI/Robotics/Automation curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book" from Visible Ink Press is also readily available for personal reading lists in paperback (9781578597420, $34.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: A.G.G. Liu is a writer and online educator based in New Jersey. Liu has reached millions of online learners on YouTube -- both as the lead script writer for the AI and futurism channel Rational Animations, and through their own educational channel, Signore Galilei, which was started during college at Harvard. Liu co-authored the book 30-Second Space Travel with Dr. Charles Liu and Dr. Karen Masters and co-hosts the podcast The LIUniverse with Dr. Charles Liu.
Editorial Note #2: Aishwary Pawar, Ph.D., is a Statistician in the University Decision Support office at Southern Methodist University, where his work focuses on applying advanced data analytics and predictive modeling to improve student retention, success, and institutional outcomes. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering with a specialization in Operations Research and Engineering Education. Aishwary has co-authored The Handy Engineering Answer Book and is the author of Your First Code: Python Basics for Absolute Beginners. His research interests include predictive analytics, student success modeling, and ethical data use in higher education. He also teaches courses in data science and Python programming as an adjunct faculty member.
Data Inspired
Sebastian Wernicke
Georgetown University Press
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781647127183, $29.95, HC, 346pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Data-Inspired-Building-Organizational-Transformation/dp/1647127181
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/data-inspired-sebastian-wernicke/1148377339
Synopsis: Ninety-nine percent of businesses surveyed say that data and AI are a top priority -- but two-thirds admit to feeling stuck. What most leaders miss is that to succeed at becoming a data-driven business requires developing a nuanced understanding of why data holds such transformative power, what a data-inspired culture looks like, and how to get there.
With the publication of "Data Inspired: Building an Organizational Culture of Inquiry for Lasting Transformation", professional data analyst Sebastian Wernicke shows that the secret isn't to be more data-driven, rather it is to become data-inspired.
"Data Inspired" reveals the crucial strategic distinction between using data to optimize existing operations and using them as a catalyst for deep transformation and innovation. Wernicke also argues that success hinges less on technology and more on reshaping an organization's culture and decision-making habits. And with this presentation of proven principles, real-world examples, as well as a comprehensive toolbox of methods for building a culture of evidence-based inquiry, interested readers will learn that success means far more than just adding more data to a business: it is about creating a thoroughly data-inspired organization with innovative work methods, new structures, and unmatched efficiency.
"Data Inspired" will help business leaders, managers, and data professionals move beyond incremental improvements to achieve lasting, powerful change in this dawning age of AI.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study, "Data Inspired: Building an Organizational Culture of Inquiry for Lasting Transformation" by Sebastian Wernicke is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a two page Author's Note, a two page listing of Acknowledgments, and a twenty-six page Index. Providing a complete course that is specifically organized and presented as a 'real world' practical instructional guide for business professionals concerned with data analysis and the growing role of artificial intelligence. This hardcover edition of "Data Inspired" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Business Management collections and supplemental Generative AI curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Sebastian Wernicke (https://www.datainspired.org) is a partner at Oxera Consulting, one of Europe's oldest economics and finance consultancies, where he leads the data science and artificial intelligence practice. For two decades, he has guided global organizations to achieve transformative results with data and AI. His three TED Talks on data and decision-making have been viewed by millions worldwide.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All
Jeremy Lent
Melville House
https://www.mhpbooks.com
9781685892333, $32.99, HC, 400pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ecocivilization-Making-World-that-Works/dp/1685892337
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ecocivilization-jeremy-lent/1148002865
Synopsis: It has often been said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism -- and yet that is what the historical moment urgently calls for. As climate chaos, inequality, and social fragmentation intensify, humanity faces an imminent choice: continue with a system built on extraction and endless growth, or reimagine civilization itself.
Incremental policy improvements are no longer enough -- we need a deep transformation of our current civilization to continue to survive.
With the publication of "Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All", Jeremy Lent offers that reimagination, grounded in proven design principles of ecosystems and in humankind's evolved inclination toward justice, mutuality, and dignity.
What unfolds is a robust framework incorporating Lent's own expertise, and the lived experiences of those on the ground already putting ecological civilization's core tenets into practice -- justice, mutuality, diversity, and symbiosis.
From the global economy to universal housing, to income equality, to infrastructure, to agriculture, every major aspect of our society could be redesigned to work together as a coherent whole, setting the conditions for all people to flourish. "Ecocivilization" describes how this future on a regenerated Earth is not only desirable, but entirely feasible and obtainable.
Critique: Deftly crafted, seminal, groundbreaking, informed and informative advocacy, "Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All" will prove a timely, welcome, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Environmentally Sustainable Business Development collections and supplemental Environmental Economics and Ecology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, environmentalists, governmental policy makers, political activists, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All" from Melville House is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Jeremy Lent (https://www.jeremylent.com) is a speaker and author of the award-winning The Patterning Instinct and The Web of Meaning. He is also the founder of the Deep Transformation Network and the nonprofit Liology Institute.
The Science Shelf
A New Theory of the Visible Universe
Joe Fisher
Leadstart Inkstate
https://www.leadstartcorp.com
9789362637581, $12.00, PB, 167pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/New-Theory-Visible-Universe/dp/9362637588
Synopsis: For over a century, physicists have upheld the belief that the universe consists of both matter and space -- two fundamental components of existence. With the publication of A New Theory of the Visible Universe, Joe Fisher boldly challenges this long-standing assumption, proposing a revolutionary vision of reality: there has never been any "space." Instead, there has only ever been one infinite, visible, contrasting surface -- eternal, seamless, and continuously illuminated by an infinite form of finite non-surface light.
Fisher's radical reasoning dismantles the core principles of modern astrophysics. He asserts that the universe cannot expand, that Einstein's curved space-time is imaginary, and that Edwin Hubble's observations were misinterpreted. The Big Bang, Fisher argues, was an illusion -- for an infinite universe could never have a beginning, an end, nor a period of cooling. Infinity does not explode; it endures.
In this groundbreaking study, Fisher refutes the work of Einstein, Hubble, and Hawking, as well as the theories endorsed by NASA, Roscosmos, and the China National Space Administration. Written with clarity, conviction, and the rare courage to question scientific orthodoxy, "A New Theory of the Visible Universe" invites readers to reexamine everything they believe about existence itself.
"A New Theory of the Visible Universe" is not just a book about physics -- it is a call to see the universe as it truly appears: infinite, visible, and forever alive in contrast.
Critique: An original, seminal, and iconoclastic study, "A New Theory of the Visible Universe" by Joe Fisher challenges established/traditional views on the nature of reality. Erudite, eloquent, and exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this thoughtful and thought-provoking study is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Philosophy of Science collections and supplemental Astrophysics curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "A New Theory of the Visible Universe" from Leadstart Inkstate is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.00).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them
Egilius L.H. Spierings, MD, PhD
Fulton Books
https://fultonbooks.com
9798887319223, $29.95 Hardcover/$19.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook/$18.01 Audiobook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Headaches-Have-Them-What-About/dp/B0F365GPKS
Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them will appeal to those suffering from chronic headaches of any kind, who want a guide to alleviating and eliminating them. It comes from a pharmacologist and neurologist who provides more medical information than the usual headache guide, placing headache research and insights into a broad perspective that will additionally attract physicians, researchers, and medical students.
The many causes of headaches, from pregnancy and stress to concussion and face pain, are discussed in light of overall health, creating important connections between health conditions and different kinds of headaches. From blood tests that can identify sources of fatigue and headaches to understanding their results, Dr. Spierings creates a broad inspection of the topic that reveals how some headache sources are more difficult to treat than others.
By analyzing and surveying the history of different headache triggers, Dr. Spierings offers readers the opportunity to better understand not only the process of identifying and alleviating headaches, but physician responsibility and choices in treating them: "We have plenty of medications at our disposal and should make every effort to find the one that the patient tolerates well with no or minimal side effects. This, by the way, applies to the treatment of any condition, and we should consider it the standard of care. Excellent tolerability is what we can and should expect from any treatment, whatever it is."
More so than most books on the subject, Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them provides medical professionals and students, in particular, with important overviews, treatment options, and insights that will help them better communicate with their patients.
Many a library undoubtedly has a book or two about headaches, but few incorporate the broader picture about their treatment options as does Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them, making this a standout in headache literature.
The American History Shelf
A Dear-Bought Victory
Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt, authors
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217834, $16.95, PB, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Bought-Victory-1775-1776-Emerging-Revolutionary/dp/1611217830
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-dear-bought-victory-daniel-t-davis/1148827431
Synopsis: "I wish we could sell them another hill at the same price we did Bunker Hill," Nathanael Greene wrote to the governor of Rhode Island after the battle of June 17, 1775.
Fought on Breed's Hill outside Boston, Massachusetts, the Battle of Bunker Hill proved a pyrrhic victory for British forces. Confident in their ability to overwhelm the New England militia that opposed them, long lines of neatly uniformed British infantry and marines swept uphill toward a quickly built earthen redoubt defended by a motley collection of farmers, shopkeepers, and tradesmen.
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" the colonials urged each other -- or did they? By the end of the fight, the British gained the summit and Colonial forces scattered. One of the patriot leaders, Dr. Joseph Warren, lay dead -- one of the first martyrs of the American Revolution. But for the British, the scene was far, far worse: it would be the largest number of casualties they would suffer in any battle of the Revolution. As British General Henry Clinton commented afterward, "A few more such victories would have surely put an end to British dominion in America."
The siege of Boston would continue, but the sobering lesson of Bunker Hill changed British strategy -- as did the arrival soon thereafter of a new commander-in-chief of Continental forces: General George Washington.
In "A Dear-Bought Victory: The Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, 1775-1776", historians Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt separate fact from myth as they take readers to the slopes of Breed's Hill and along the Boston siege lines, illuminating the clash of arms, personalities, and decisions behind a battle that continues to hold a place in popular memory unlike few others.
Critique: Informed and informative, "A Dear-Bought Victory: The Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, 1775- 1776" is co-authored by Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt and a succinct and informative introduction the one of the key military events that launched the American Revolution the is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Revolutionary War collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Daniel T. Davis is Principal, Interpretation and Special Projects at the American Battlefield Trust. He is a graduate of Longwood University with a bachelor's degree in public history. Dan has worked as a ranger/historian at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park and is the author or co-author of many books on the Civil War. This is his first book in the nine volume Emerging Revolutionary War Series.
Editorial Note #2: Phillip S. Greenwalt is the co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and a full-time contributor to Emerging Civil War. He is a graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University with a bachelor's degree in history along with graduate degrees in American History and International Studies and Leadership from George Mason University and Arizona State University. He is the author or co-author of seven books on the American Revolution and Civil War.
The Visionaries
James Holland
Atlantic Monthly Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802168078, $28.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Visionaries-Bretton-Marshall-Making-Post-World/dp/0802168078
Synopsis: On March 12, 1947, less than two years after the end of World War II, President Harry S. Truman gave a seminal speech before Congress, in response to a European crisis: Greece was facing economic collapse and encroaching Soviet ambition. Truman felt the U.S. had to give financial aid to a free people resisting attempted subjugation, which, he emphasized, would promote "economic stability and orderly political processes".
The U.S. was the richest nation in the world, but Truman believed that shared prosperity among the democracies would make them politically more stable and long-term peace much more likely. His momentous proposition that the U.S. bail out Greece led in turn to the unprecedented and radical Marshall Plan itself: the decision to aid not only U.S. allies but (for the first time in history) our former enemies as they all rebuilt from the ruins of the calamitous war. Indeed, with this aid Germany and Japan became economic powerhouses and, with most of Europe, staunch allies of the U.S.. For almost eighty years on the benefits of this extraordinary decision are still being felt.
James Holland's deep knowledge of WWII gives him unique insight and appreciation for its historic aftermath. In tight and vivid prose, "The Visionaries: Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the Making of the Post-World War II Order" chronicles the prelude to the Marshall Plan -- from Franklin Roosevelt's historic "four freedoms" speech and "Good Neighbor Policy" towards Central and South America to the landmark Bretton Woods Conference of July 1944, which established the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, pillars of world stability.
But it was Truman who pushed for the Marshall Plan, which in 1948 kickstarted via economic assistance the fastest period of growth in European history. Its low-tariff environment encouraged trade and brought prosperity and longstanding peace throughout most of Europe and the Americas, including in the United States.
However, with the publication of "The Visionaries" Holland clearly warns that we in the West have become complacent, less willing to safeguard the freedoms that extended prosperity has allowed; and he makes clear the remarkably far-sighted decisions made in the wake of WWII stand in stark contrast to our transactional approach to the world today.
Critique: An extraordinarily informative and thought-provoking read from start to finish, "The Visionaries: Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the Making of the Post-World War II Order" will hold a very special appeal and value to readers with an interest in the Post-World War II era of American democratic diplomacy and AID programs in an effort to defend against the encroaches of communism and other forms of fascist dictatorships in Europe and the Far East. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Visionaries: Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the Making of the Post-World War II Order" is a seminal study that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library 20th Century European & Post-WWII History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Visionaries: Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the Making of the Post-World War II Order" from the Atlantic Monthly Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: James Holland, one of WWII's finest historians, is the co-author of Victory '45, and author of Cassino '44, The Savage Storm, Brothers in Arms, Sicily '43, Normandy '44, Big Week, The Rise of Germany and The Allies Strike Back in The War in the West trilogy, Burma '44, and Dam Busters. He has written and presented the BAFTA shortlisted documentaries Battle of Britain and Dam Busters for the BBC, and his WWII podcast, "We Have Ways of Making You Talk," now has millions of listeners. Holland is also the founder of the annual Chalke Valley History Festival. There is an extensive online listing of his books at Book Series in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/james-holland
The Innocent Midwest: Culture, Region, and Identity, 1793-1930
Marcia Noe
Ohio University Press
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821426708, $80.00, HC, 232pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Innocent-Midwest-1793-1930-Approaches-Midwestern/dp/0821426702
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-innocent-midwest-marcia-noe/1148516341
Synopsis: With the publication of"The Innocent Midwest", Professor Marcia Noe delves into one of the most enduring stereotypes in American cultural history: the image of the Midwest as a bastion of innocence. Despite its share of social, political, and economic complexities, the region has long been portrayed as wholesome, virtuous, and peace loving -- a perception that has persisted from its pastoral beginnings through industrialization and into the digital age.
In "The Innocent Midwest" Professor Noe traces the roots and evolution of that myth, arguing that the Midwest's innocent image has been carefully cultivated through American popular and high culture. From literature and film to music and visual art, the trope of the innocent Midwesterner has shaped national perceptions of the region for over a century. Focusing on literature from 1793 to the 1920s, "The Innocent Midwest" explores how this character type emerged, evolved, and eventually confronted the disillusionment of the machine age.
Organized thematically, "The Innocent Midwest" also examines early frontier narratives, stories of Midwesterners abroad, Progressive Era ideals of neighborliness, immigrant and migrant experiences, and the eventual unraveling of the pastoral dream. It reveals how the myth of innocence was underpinned by a constellation of values (agrarianism, Christian morality, and a belief in education) that supported the Jeffersonian vision of a democratic, virtuous citizenry.
Rather than offering a sweeping theory of regional identity, "The Innocent Midwest" focuses on the recurring literary figure of the innocent Midwesterner -- an individual shaped by the land and striving for self-actualization.
"The Innocent Midwest" effectively draws both on canonical authors like Mark Twain, William Dean Howells, Booth Tarkington, Sinclair Lewis, Theodore Dreiser, and Willa Cather and on lesser-known voices such as Maria Susanna Cummins, David Graham Phillips, Elia W. Peattie, William Webb, Chief Luther Standing Bear, and Oscar Micheaux, whose works contributed to the cultural construction of the Midwest.
Through its nuanced exploration of literature and culture, "The Innocent Midwest" offers a compelling account of how the Midwest came to symbolize innocence -- and why that image continues to resonate in the American imagination.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking work of extensive research and meticulous scholarship, "The Innocent Midwest: Culture, Region, and Identity, 1793-1930" by Professor Marcia Noe is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion an eleven page Introduction (The Enduring Innocent Midwest), an eleven page Conclusion (The Innocent Midwest and the Nation), a two page Epilogue, thirty-two pages of Notes, a sixteen page Bibliography, and a thirteen page Index. Informed and informative, "The Innocent Midwest" is expressly recommended for community and college/university library American History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Innocent Midwest" from the Ohio University Press is also readily available in paperback (9780821427279, $34.95).
Editorial Note: Marcia Noe is a Professor of English and director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is the author of Susan Glaspell: Voice from the Heartland, Three Midwestern Playwrights: How Floyd Dell, George Cram Cook, and Susan Glaspell Transformed American Theatre, and over seventy other publications about Midwestern authors. There is an extensive listing of her books at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5063984.Marcia_Noe
The British Are Coming: The Graphic Edition
Nora Neus, adapter
Rick Atkinson, author
Federico Pietrobon, illustrator
Ten Speed Graphic
c/o Ten Speed Press
https://crownpublishing.com/imprint/ten-speed
9780593799307, $35.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/British-Are-Coming-Graphic-Revolution/dp/0593799305
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-british-are-coming-rick-atkinson/1148784873
Synopsis: From the battles at Lexington and Concord in the spring of 1775 through the Siege of Boston in 1776, American militiamen and the newly created Continental Army take on the world's most formidable adversary: the British Empire.
The gripping saga laid out in a graphic novel format with "The British Are Coming: The Graphic Edition, Volume 1" is alive with astonishing characters including: Henry Knox, the former bookseller with an uncanny understanding of artillery; Nathanael Greene, the blue-eyed bumpkin who becomes a brilliant battle captain; Benjamin Franklin, the self-made man who proves to be the wiliest of diplomats; and George Washington, the commander in chief who learns the difficult art of leadership when the war seems all but lost.
The story comprising "The British Are Coming" is also told from the British perspective, making the mortal conflict between redcoats and rebels all the more compelling.
Full of riveting details and iconic stories, "The British Are Coming" is a tale of heroes and knaves, of sacrifice and blunder, of redemption and profound suffering. Expertly rendered in gripping graphic novel-style artwork, the battle for our nation's independence is brought to life like never before. Readers will discover the first act of America's creation in this vividly illustrated graphic history.
Critique: Original, exceptional, informative, fully entertaining and engagingly illustrated, "The British Are Coming: The Graphic Edition, Volume 1" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, highschool, community, and college/university library American History collections and supplemental American Revolution curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The British Are Coming" from Ten Speed Graphic is also readily available in paperback (9780593799321, $26.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note #1: Rick Atkinson is the author of numerous works of history, including The Long Gray Line, the Liberation Trilogy (An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle, and The Guns at Last Light), and the Revolution Trilogy (including The British Are Coming and The Fate of the Day). He has won numerous awards, including Pulitzer Prizes for history and journalism.
Editorial Note #2: Nora Neus is an Emmy-nominated producer, author, and freelance journalist with bylines in CNN, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, VICE News, POLITICO Magazine, The Washington Post, and more. She is the author of 24 Hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of the Stand Against White Supremacy and 24 Hours at the Capitol: An Oral History of the January 6 Insurrection, among others. She also runs the media development and editorial services company Longform Lab Media Group.
Editorial Note #3: Federico Pietrobon is an illustrator and graphic novelist based in Italy. He has worked for numerous Italian and French publishing houses as a colorist and is the illustrator of the French-language graphic novel series Deep.
Celebrating Custer's Last Stand
Sandy Barnard
South Dakota Historical Society Press
https://www.sdhspress.com
9781941813690, $29.95, HC, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Custers-Last-Stand-Commemorating/dp/B0GYV76LZ6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/celebrating-custers-last-stand-sandy-barnard/1150110673
Synopsis: The Battle of the Little Big Horn, also known as Custer's Last Stand, marked a watershed in relations between American Indian tribes and the U.S. government.
How the Seventh U.S. Cavalry Regiment could be so utterly defeated by a coalition of Plains Indian warriors (on the eve of the country's centennial, no less) seemed to defy explanation. Within months, the United States had not only redoubled its efforts to coerce the Lakotas, Cheyenne, and Arapahoes onto reservations, but also to memorialize George Armstrong Custer, his fallen men, and the battlefield itself.
At first, survivors from both sides marked the anniversary of the battle every year, then by significant milestones. Celebrations evolved as survivors passed away and ensuing generations came to perceive Custer as emblematic of the U.S. military's tragic mistreatment of American Indians.
With the publication of "Celebrating Custer's Last Stand: 150 Years Commemorating the Battle of the Little Big Horn", Sandy Barnard (the author of four decades' worth of books and articles on the Civil War, the Plains Indian Wars, Custer, and the Little Big Horn) analyzes the anniversary celebrations and other significant events at what is now Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument to reveal how the memory of the battle and its participants has transformed over the last 150 years.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 150 B/W historic photographs (many of them previously unpublished), and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library 19th Century American History in general and Native American History collections in particular, "Celebrating Custer's Last Stand: 150 Years Commemorating the Battle of the Little Big Horn" from the South Dakota Historical Society Press is essential reading for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in learning about George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Editorial Note: Sandy Barnard has written numerous publications on the history of the Civil War and Plains Indian Wars. He has especially focused on the life and legacy of George Armstrong Custer and the Seventh United States Cavalry in his writings. He has also worked as the editor of Greasy Grass, the annual magazine of the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association, and on projects for the National Park Service at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/74797.Sandy_Barnard)
The Military History Shelf
The Bitter End
Antonio J. Munoz
Stackpole Books
c/o Globe Pequot
https://www.globepequot.com
9780811777711, $34.95, HC, 286pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bitter-End-Final-Battles-Eastern/dp/0811777715
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bitter-end-antonio-j-munoz/1147509686
Synopsis: The world had never seen anything like the Eastern Front in World War II.
In the so-called bloodlands between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (from the Baltic in the north to the Balkans, the Crimea, and the Caucasus in the south) the two sides clashed in a series of titanic campaigns that involved millions of soldiers and entangled many more civilians. During the war's last year, the Eastern Front descended into cataclysm as the Red Army forced the Germans into retreat and collapse.
With the publication of "The Bitter End: The Final Battles on the Eastern Front in World War II", Professor Antonio J. Munoz chronicles this chaotic final stage of World War II, distilling a sprawling conflict into a concise and highly readable narrative.
In concert with the American and British invasion of Normandy in the West, the Soviets launched the war's endgame with Operation Bagration in June 1944 and crushed the German center. It was Barbarossa in reverse as the Red Army killed or captured German forces by the hundreds of thousands. From there, Soviet offensives spread all along the Eastern Front (Finland, the Baltics, the Balkans, Romania) and inflicted defeat after defeat on Germany and its Axis allies. In early 1945, Soviet forces took Warsaw and drove the Germans westward out of Poland, along the way liberating concentration camps including Auschwitz.
Shattered German forces attempted to regroup for a desperate showdown in Berlin, but the weight of the Red Army was too great, and after two weeks of street fighting, the Reich capital fell. A week later Germany surrendered.
From Bagration to Berlin, from the Vistula to the Oder, from the Kremlin to Hitler's bunker, "The Bitter End" reconstructs the final battles on the Eastern Front in a narrative covering war-defining operations but never losing sight of the human cost paid by soldiers in the tanks and foxholes and by innocent civilians in the villages, towns, and cities of Eastern Europe.
Critique: Informative, fascinating, and a seminal work of meticulous scholarship, "The Bitter End: The Final Battles on the Eastern Front in World War II" by Professor Antonio J. Munoz is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and military history buffs that this hardcover edition of "The Bitter End" from Stackpole Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22.99).
Editorial Note: Antonio J. Munoz is a retired professor of history. He joined the United States Marine Corps right after graduating from high school. He served honorably for four years, two of them with the Fleet Marine Force Atlantic. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degree in history from Queens College. He later attended St. John's University, where he received a doctorate in history. Before he retired, he taught at St. John's University and, later, at Farmingdale State College. His study The German Secret Field Police in Greece, 1941-1944 was released in 2018. (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/228409.Antonio_J_Mu_oz)
Life of the 381st Bomb Group
Bob Korkuc, editor
University of Missouri Press
https://upress.missouri.edu
9780826223487, $45.00, HC, 378pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Life-381st-Bomb-Group-Experience/dp/0826223486
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-of-the-381st-bomb-group-bob-korkuc/1149004792
Synopsis: While working on his first book, "Finding a Fallen Hero: The Death of a Ball Turret Gunner", Bob Korkuc became intimately familiar with the 381st Bombardment Group of the Mighty Eighth Air Force and met the group's chaplain, James Good Brown. Brown kept a diary during his time with the bomb group (1943 to 1945) in which he chronicled the daily experiences of the men.
Years after the war, Brown self-published his diary, which today is hard to find. Through his friendship with Brown, Korkuc gained access to and chose to edit the original document so that more readers might appreciate this insightful wartime eyewitness account.
Serving in his early forties alongside men twenty years his junior (whom he called the "Mighty Men of the 381st") Brown took part in morning briefings, shared meals with crews, and anxiously awaited their return from dangerous daylight bombing missions. Flying as a noncombatant, an unnecessary eleventh crewmember, Brown describes his own observations of a Flying Fortress combat mission over Germany.
Writing with extraordinary candor, Brown documents the inner workings of a bomb group that flew 297 combat missions over Europe, providing vivid character assessments of his fellow airmen and capturing both their victories and devastating losses.
In addition to judiciously editing Brown's original diary for readability, Korkuc created a unique appendix, which reveals the fate of every airman who served with Brown. The immediacy of Brown's narration combined with Korkuc's meticulous editing make this a promising new resource for scholars and general readers alike.
Critique: Deftly edited by Bob Korkuc and rescued from an undeserved obscurity and providing a new generation of readers with an accurate, vividly presented 'I was there' eye-witness account of serving in American aerial bombing missions over Europe during World War II, this hardcover edition of "Life of the 381st Bomb Group: The World War II Diary of Eighth Air Force Chaplain James Good Brown" from the University of Missouri Press is an extraordinary, inherently fascinating, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II American Aviation History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Bob Korkuc is an electrical engineer and the author of Finding a Fallen Hero: The Death of a Ball Turret Gunner. During the research and writing of this book, Korkuc became a student of the 381st Bomb Group and was privileged to learn about their exploits during World War II. There is a complete listing of books by Bob Korkuc available online Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1143049.Bob_Korkuc
Reasons We Fight: Tejanos and American Wars, 1836-1972
Alex Mendoza
University of Oklahoma Press
www.oupress.com
9780806196541, $45.00, HC, 312pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Reasons-We-Fight-American-1836-1972/dp/0806196548
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reasons-we-fight-alex-mendoza/1148299021
Synopsis: Beginning with the Texas Revolution in 1836, Tejanos have fought in American wars. Why, with sometimes divided loyalties and ambiguous cultural status, Texans of Mexican descent would fight for the U.S. is a question Professor Alex Mendoza takes up in "Reasons We Fight: Tejanos and American Wars, 1836-1972".
Exploring the American military experience of Tejanos over nearly two centuries, "Reasons We Fight" discovers a complex landscape of shifting loyalties, motivations, and notions of nationalism reflecting Tejanos' conflicted relationship with America as it changed over time.
Professor Mendoza's nuanced military and ethnic history reveals that Tejano military service since the Texas Revolution often had less to do with nationalism or patriotism than with individual decisions. A soldier might be motivated by local allegiances, ethnic pride, a desire to defend his home, escape poverty, or seek adventure in a foreign war.
By World War II, these notions had become stronger, and the Tejano community responded to the attack on Pearl Harbor with the patriotic fervor of their Anglo-American neighbors.
"Reasons We Fight" also traces a growing sense of nationalism through the mid-twentieth century, as Tejanos sought to refute their second-class status as "inferior" individuals -- and to demonstrate their warrior tradition, thus confirming their rights to citizenship through battle.
In essence, by the Second World War, Tejanos who joined the ranks of the military adopted the characteristics of American nationalism -- sentiments that would only expand during the Cold War era conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.
The first comprehensive record of Tejanos in war, Professor Mendoza's account documents the forces and circumstances that shaped military attitudes among Mexican Texans, along with the challenges they faced navigating a complex of shifting ideas about identity, community, and nationalism -- and America itself.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and the impressively informative result of exhaustive research and meticulous scholarship, "Reasons We Fight: Tejanos and American Wars, 1836-1972" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a ten page Bibliography, thirty-four pages of Notes, and a six page Index. A unique, appreciated and unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Military History & Hispanic/Latino History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Reasons We Fight: Tejanos and American Wars, 1836-1972" from the University of Oklahoma Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.00).
Editorial Note: Alex Mendoza is an Associate Professor of History at the University of North Texas. He is author of Confederate Struggle for Command: General James Longstreet and the First Corps in the West and co-editor of Texans and War: New Interpretations of the State's Military History. There is an extensive listing of books by Professor Mendoza online at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5360516.Alex_Mendoza
The Political Science Shelf
The Future of Free Speech
Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff, authors
The Johns Hopkins University Press
www.press.jhu.edu
9781421454160, $32.95, HC, 416pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Free-Speech-Reversing-Democracys/dp/1421454165
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-future-of-free-speech-jacob-mchangama/1147833598
Synopsis: Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international human rights law. Many countries have constitutional laws that protect freedom of speech. Terms such as free speech, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression are often used interchangeably in political discourse. However, in legal contexts, freedom of expression more broadly encompasses the right to seek, receive, and impart information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. (Wikipedia)
With the publication of "The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy's Most Essential Freedom", co-authors Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff confront a stark truth: The right to speak freely is under siege.
Once celebrated as a cornerstone of democratic societies, free expression is now met with growing suspicion and retaliation across the globe. Mchangama and Kosseff present a panoramic view of how we arrived at this pivotal moment.
"The Future of Free Speech" examines a century in which speech rights expanded dramatically (including postwar democratic revolutions and the sweeping protections of the First Amendment) only to find those rights unraveling in the face of new political, technological, and cultural pressures. Today, liberal democracies are imposing speech controls, authoritarian regimes are cloaking censorship in democratic language, and digital platforms wield unprecedented power over global discourse.
Additionally, "The Future of Free Speech" examines the backlash against free speech from all sides: governments criminalizing dissent in the name of national security; lawmakers and activists demanding tighter controls on misinformation, hate speech, and offensive content; and AI systems removing speech at a scale and speed that dwarfs historical forms of censorship.
At the same time, faith in free speech itself is waning, even in the very societies that once championed it.
"The Future of Free Speech" cogently argues for a reinvigorated, global commitment to open dialogue. Co-authors Mchangama and Kosseff advocate nonpartisan, civic-minded solutions that resist both government overreach and corporate silencing. They offer a compelling case for how free speech can meet modern challenges without abandoning its foundational role in sustaining democracy, human rights, and shared understanding.
Critique: A timely, seminal and groundbreaking study, "The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy's Most Essential Freedom" is a clarion call identifying and underscoring the role of Free Speech in maintaining and protecting democratic forms of governance against the totalitarian efforts to degrade and remove democracy in the United States, and around the world. Exceptionally well written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy's Most Essential Freedom" is an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Social Issues collections and supplemental Political Science curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for political science students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy's Most Essential Freedom" from the Johns Hopkins University Press is also readily available in a a digital book format (Kindle, $29.17).
Editorial Note #1: Jeff Kosseff is a nonresident senior legal fellow at The Future of Free Speech and the author of "Liar in a Crowded Theater: Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation".
Editorial Note #2: Jacob Mchangama is the founder and executive director of The Future of Free Speech and a research professor at Vanderbilt University. He is also the author of "Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media".
The Education Shelf
Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI
Cathy Collins
ISTE
www.iste.org
9798888370414, $34.99, PB, 140pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-News-Literacy-Age-Cross-Curricular/dp/B0CVN12KY5
ISTE
https://iste.org/products/a1wVb00000015gnIAA/teaching-news-literacy-in-the-age-of-ai
Synopsis: News literacy on the part of the people is essential for the preservation of democracy and collective national decision making. News literacy is also critical to understanding the role that information and a free press play in our lives, and to maintaining a robust democracy. However, effective news literacy education resources at the K - 12 level are hard to find.
"Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI: A Cross-Curricular Approach" by Cathy Collins fills the gap, offering a civic-minded and globally oriented perspective to help K-12 teachers integrate news literacy across curriculum areas to guide students in learning about the importance of journalism in a democracy and in our world.
Through practical tools, resources and lesson plan ideas, "Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI" will help K-12 educators to create curriculums that will foster the skills students need to become discerning consumers and creative producers of news. Educators will develop strategies for sparking meaningful classroom discussions that empower students to evaluate, interpret and synthesize information, pushing students beyond the concept of "fake news" to become expert critical thinkers and content creators.
"Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI" includes:
Guidance in every chapter on how to address news literacy in the context of AI.
A menu of resources for further exploration, such as podcasts, videos and digital tools, in each chapter.
Guiding and reflection questions, with a link to an online Padlet for real-time sharing.
An Action Plan Template to help teachers integrate news literacy in classrooms and learning spaces.
An introduction to tools such as the News Literacy Project's Framework for Teaching News Literacy and the MediaWise Teen Fact-Checking Network.
The cross-disciplinary approach taken by "Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI" gives K-12 classroom teachers and home schooling parents the knowledge and resources to help students navigate today's news and media landscape as expert chroniclers, curators and content creators.
Critique: An ideal resource for teaching children to effectively evaluate what they are told in news publications, broadcasts, and journalists/reporters in this age of Artificial Intelligence and political division/bias, "Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI: A Cross-Curricular Apprach" by Cathy Collins is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, school district, K-12, and college/university library Media/Internet Communications Evaluation collections, In-Service Workshops, and Journalism curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for elementary and secondary classroom teachers, library media specialists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this trade paperback () edition of "Teaching News Literacy in the Age of AI" from ISTE is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).
Editorial Note: Cathy Collins (https://drcathycollins.com), is a veteran library media specialist who has served as a News Literacy Project Ambassador in Massachusetts. Collins is also the lead instructional designer for "STEM Innovations and Global Competence," an online course for K - 12 teachers hosted by the U.S. State Department. Previously, Collins was a Reynolds High School Journalism Institute fellow, and a project consultant for the ebook Searchlights and Sunglasses: Journalism in the Digital Age. She received a Teachers for Global Classrooms fellowship from the U.S. State Department in 2014, and is a recipient of an American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Intellectual Freedom Award. She was named a Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) Super Librarian, is the recipient of an Ellen Berne Pathfinder Award for Innovative School Library Programming, MSLA's Web Seal of Excellence, Virtual Influencer and Service Awards. Collins was elected to the ISTE Board of Directors in December 2020. She earned a doctoral degree in curriculum, leadership, teaching and learning, and holds master's degrees in education and library science.
The Spatial Edge
Thomas Fisher and Len Kne, authors
Esri Press
www.esri.com/esripress
9781589488960, $39.99, HC, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spatial-Edge-Strategic-Advantage-Education/dp/1589488954
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-spatial-edge-thomas-fisher/1149559091
Synopsis: Although GIS is now widely taught in higher education, it is typically associated with a handful of areas of study: geography, planning, natural resources, and landscape architecture.
"The Spatial Edge: The Strategic Advantage of GIS Skills Across Higher Education" by co-authors Thomas Fisher and Len Kne uses a series of case studies to show how integrating a geographic approach can unite campuses and address challenges by fostering spatial thinking across academic disciplines and university operations. It highlights the expanding role of GIS beyond traditional fields to enhance teaching, research, logistics and planning, and community engagement in higher education worldwide.
As a guide, "The Spatial Edge" is easy to use and highly accessible, showing administrators and educators the many ways in which their colleagues, in virtually every field, are using GIS to:
Teach students,
Conduct research,
Connect with communities,
Operate facilities, and
Produce geospatially skilled graduates, ready for the workplace.
"The Spatial Edge" is a guide that will bridge the gap between disciplines, and show how:
Educators are using GIS in the classroom in creative ways,
Researchers are using it in an array of scholarly projects,
Facilities managers are using it to operate universities more effectively, and
Community organizers are using it to engage community members.
"The Spatial Edge" shows how you can use GIS to proactively solve challenges at your campus to benefit management, students, and staff.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "The Spatial Edge: The Strategic Advantage of GIS Skills Across Higher Education" is an exceptional, timely and instructive Geographic Information Systems (GIS) resource for college/university curriculum planners, administrators, education theorists, and classroom instructors. Informative and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Spatial Edge is unreservedly recommended for college/university library Education Theory & Practice collections and supplemental Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of educators and curriculum developers that this hardcover edition of "The Spatial Edge" from Esri Press is also readily available in paperback (9781589488953, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.99).
Editorial Note #1: Thomas Fisher, is Director of the Minnesota Design Center, and Dayton Hudson Chair in Urban Design, He is a graduate of Cornell University in architecture and Case Western Reserve University in intellectual history, was previously the Editorial Director of Progressive Architecture magazine. Recognized in 2005 as the fifth most published writer about architecture in the United States, he has written 9 books, over 50 book chapters or introductions, and over 400 articles in professional journals and major publications. Named a top-25 design educator four times by Design Intelligence, he has lectured at 36 universities and over 150 professional and public meetings. He has written extensively about architectural design, practice, and ethics. His newest book is Designing our Way to a Better World (University of Minnesota Press, 2016).
Editorial Note #2: Len Kne is the director of U-Spatial at the University of Minnesota, an internationally recognized center that supports the geospatial needs of over 2,000 researchers across 150 departments and centers. He brings extensive experience with GIS and Information Technologies in higher education, private sector, government, and non-profit organizations to his work at U-Spatial and is on the faculty of the Master of Geographic Information Science program. He is looking forward to the day when everyone is thinking spatially.
You've Got This
Suzanne Dailey and Robert Dunlop, authors
ASCD
www.ascd.org
9781416634393, $33.95, PB, 170pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Youve-Got-This-Happiness-Teaching/dp/1416634398
Synopsis: New to teaching and nervous about embarking on this fulfilling but challenging career? Just back from a break and looking for some refreshers? Maybe you've been teaching for a while and need tips for staying positive and centered on the job. Whatever your trajectory, "You've Got This: Finding Happiness and Success in Your First Years of Teaching" is loaded with strategies and resources to make teaching rewarding for your students, their families, and you.
Educators and co-authors Suzanne Dailey and Robert Dunlop have spent their careers as reflective practitioners devoted to helping K-12 teachers get the most out of teaching so that students can get the most out of learning. In this comprehensive, reader-friendly guide, they provide page after page of research- and practice-based ideas for:
Planning, executing, and reflecting on lessons.
Connecting with colleagues, students, and families.
Differentiating instruction in the classroom.
Ensuring a comfortable and engaging learning environment.
Motivating yourself to teach and your students to learn.
Successfully addressing common challenges.
Whether you are just now entering the teaching profession or simply need a reminder of why you started teaching in the first place, you will find the guidance and encouragement you need in the pages of "You've Got This".
Critique: This large format trade paperback edition of "You've Got This: Finding Happiness and Success in Your First Years of Teaching" by the team of experienced educators Suzanne Daeily and Robert Dunlop is a welcome and effective antidote to teacher burnout and an ideal resource for novice classroom K-12 teachers beginning to feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, school district, and college/university library Education Theory & Development curriculums and supplemental In-service Training and Lesson Planning curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "You've Got This" from ASCD is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $32.25).
Editorial Note #1: Suzanne Dailey is a professional developer for the Central Bucks School District in Pennsylvania, where she works with more than 500 elementary teachers and 8,000 students across 15 buildings. She teaches model lessons, facilitates professional development sessions, and mentors both new and experienced teachers. She has 23 years of teaching experience and has taught 4th and 5th grade and served as a reading specialist for kindergarten and 3rd grade. She is National Board - certified and has a master's degree in reading. Suzanne is the host of the popular weekly podcast Teach Happier, author of the bestselling book Teach Happier This School Year: 40 Weeks of Inspiration and Reflection.
Editorial Note #2: Robert Dunlop has been an educator for 23 years. After 12 years teaching grades 7 and 8, he took on a central role supporting his district with technology. From there, he became the assessment/evaluation and new-teacher consultant supporting a district of 32,000 students across 112 schools. He then spent a short time as a vice principal. In 2024, he returned to teaching in the classroom. He is the co-creator (with a psychologist) of a free staff wellness program tailored for educators that can be found on his website, www.motivatEDU.com. Robert is also the author of STRIVE for Happiness in Education.
College Essay Confidence
Jill Margaret Shulman
New World Library
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781955831062, $19.95, PB, 248pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/College-Essay-Confidence-Knockout-Application/dp/1955831068
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/college-essay-confidence-jill-margaret-shulman/1147261463
Synopsis: What if you could write a knockout essay with no anxiety?
College admissions and essay coach Jill Margaret Shulman believes you can! And she knows about that Inner Troll voice inside your head that blasts you with hate talk (we all have one).
With her instructional guide and 'how-to' manual, "College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay", you will feel like you have your own private coach guiding you step-by-step, with psychological empowerment strategies combined with expert writing instruction, to a college essay that truly reflects your unique, best self. You will feel nurtured and supported as you banish doubt and transform this daunting part of the college application process into a fun (yes, fun!) writing adventure.
Critique: A deftly crafted, comprehensive, fully informed, 'reader/user' friendly, and essential roadmap for college bound highschool students navigating the stress of writing their college essay, "College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, highschool, community, and college/university library College Entrance Guide collections. It should be noted for college bound students that this paperback edition of "College Essay Confidence: Conquer Blocks, Free Your Voice, and Write a Knockout Application Essay" from the New World Library is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Jill Margaret Shulman (www.jillshulman.com), is the author of "College Admissions Cracked: Saving Your Kid (and Yourself) from the Madness", and a college admissions expert with an empowering, low-stress approach to success. Her experience spans both sides of the process -- as an evaluator of incoming applications to top colleges and as a coach and mentor for high school seniors through her college essay coaching service. Jill has also taught college writing and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Parents, and elsewhere.
The LGBTQ Studies Shelf
Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation
Juda Bennett
University of Wisconsin Press
https://uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299357047, $18.95, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Qtopia-Memoir-Liberation-Lesbian-Autobiographies/dp/029935704X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/qtopia-juda-bennett/1148226705
Synopsis: In the 1970s, while communes bloomed like wildflowers across the land, most had no room for queer members. The so-called counterculture still clung to heterosexual norms, even as it preached freedom from traditional gender roles and the nuclear family.
Juda Bennett's engrossing memoir, "Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation", follows his escape from suburbia into the back-to-the-land movement -- and chronicles the efforts it took for him to "drop back in" to mainstream society and the ways in which he and his compatriots continued to honor their communal vision.
After enduring the hollow promises of "progressive" communes, Bennett finally found what he didn't know he was looking for at Lavender Hill, a rural queer commune of visionaries carving out a life beyond heteronormativity, beyond capitalism, beyond shame. They didn't just survive; they built something messy, luminous, and defiantly alive.
And when the commune began to unravel, they didn't vanish. They evolved. "Qtopia" is a story of chosen family and radical transformation. It is a reminder that queer utopia isn't behind us -- it's still out there on the horizon, singing its song of joy, defiance, and fabulousness.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, deftly written, and of immense interest to the LGBTQ+ community, "Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation" by Juda Bennett is an extraordinary life story and an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation" from the University of Wisconsin Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.00).
Editorial Note: Juda Bennett, a professor emeritus of English at the College of New Jersey, is the author of four academic books and numerous essays, short stories, and poems. He is a co-author of the group memoir The Toni Morrison Book Club. There is an online listing of his books available at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1624356.Juda_Bennett
The Cookbook Shelf
Emily's Cooking: How to Make Food Your Kids will Actually Eat
Anouska Emily Mauree
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9780600639602, $19.99, PB, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Emilys-Cooking-Actually-snacktivities-lunchboxes/dp/0600639606
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/emilys-cooking-anouska-emily-mauree/1148804093
Synopsis: With more than 100 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for ingenious food hacks, lunchboxes, snacktivities, and flavor-saving strategies, "Emily's Cooking: How to Make Food Your Kids will Actually Eat: Over 100 Snacktivities, Lunchboxes and Food Hacks" by Anouska Emily Mauree is an ideal parental go-to cookbook for the kind of child-friendly foods that make every mealtime fun for the whole family.
Emily's recipes are fun to make, simple to prepare and crucially, your kids will actually eat them. Whether you need food that's perfect for a party, easy to pack into a lunchbox or guaranteed to keep the whole family happy at dinner the recipes comprising "Emily's Cooking" include:
Breakfast: Shakshuka-style Egg in a Boat; Little Chick Egg; Terrific Toast
Lunchbox Lifesavers: Corn Dogs; Potato Skin Crisps; Mango Clusters
Dinnertime: Chicken Shawarma; Keem Shepherd's Pie; Butter Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
Fun with Fruit & Veg: Orange Butterflies; Avocado Roses; Crunchy Chickpea Snacks
Sweet Treats: Chocolate Flower Pops; Banana Sushi; Pancake Mix Muffins
Holiday Helpers: Chocolate Christmas Trees; Pretzel Bunnies; Halloween Tortillas
From the easiest snacks to reach for in a pinch to simple lunchbox solutions, these are recipes that kids of all ages will truly love!
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout in full color, thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly in organization and presentation, and an ideal resource for planning 'kid friendly' menus for any and all dining occasions formal and informal, "Emily's Cooking: How to Make Food Your Kids will Actually Eat: Over 100 Snacktivities, Lunchboxes and Food Hacks" is a uniquely themed and unreservedly recommended pick for family and community library cookbook collections. A compendium of recipes that are quick, easy, and budget friendly, it should be noted that this trade paperback (7.5 x 0.44 x 9.75 inches, 1.15 pounds) edition from Hamlyn is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Anouska Emily Mauree (Instagram.com/emilyscooking_ ) is a Mauritian-British mother of two who loves making mealtimes fun. With a background in childcare, she has always loved helping kids find the fun in food but she got into her channel in earnest in lockdown when she started to grow a following for her brilliantly simple food hacks. She has gone viral for food that is both fun and delicious, such as her Disney-inspired Bluey toast, has worked with brands such as Tesco, Lidl, Nestle, Waitrose, OXO, Maggi and Quorn, and is a judge for UK Quality Foods Awards.
Taste of Home Summer Potlucks Cookbook
Taste of Home (Editor)
Taste of Home (Publisher)
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889771760, $10.99, PB, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Summer-Potlucks-Crowd-pleasing/dp/B0FWZX5WC5
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taste-of-home-summer-potlucks-taste-of-home/1148560537
Synopsis: An ideal culinary resource for planning summertime menus for truly memorable dining both formal and informal, "Taste of Home Summer Potlucks Cookbook: Easy Summer Meals And Crowd Pleasing Recipes For BBQs And Picnic Dishes" is certain to be a family cookbook shelf favorite. Especially for those bring-a-dish events or hosting a backyard bash, easy summer meals inside or outside.
"Taste of Home Summer Potlucks Cookbook: Easy Summer Meals And Crowd Pleasing Recipes For BBQs And Picnic Dishes" features:
105 mouthwatering summer recipes with a full color photo for every dish so finding your next favorite meal is easier than ever before.
Recipes specifically designed to feed a large group and travel beautifully making them the perfect potluck ideas for your next family reunion or event.
Quick and easy callouts to help you whip up last minute summer cooking creations without spending hours in the kitchen preparing food.
A handy bonus chapter dedicated entirely to large batch recipes to make feeding an extra big crowd simple and completely stress free.
Helpful cooking tips clever shortcuts and smart ingredient substitutions that round out the barbecue recipes and give you the upper hand.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated in full color throughout, each recipe presented in thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' layouts, this large format () trade paperback format of "Taste of Home Summer Potlucks Cookbook: Easy Summer Meals And Crowd Pleasing Recipes For BBQs And Picnic Dishes" will prove to be an especially welcome addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that the "Taste of Home Summer Potlucks Cookbook" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Taste of Home (https://www.tasteofhome.com) is America's #1 food/lifestyle brand, inspiring togetherness through cooking, baking and entertaining. Featuring recipes shared by today's home cooks, Taste of Home magazine has hundreds of thousands of subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials. The brand's web site is a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more. Taste of Home has more than 7 million fans on Facebook, 2.1 million followers on Instagram, 2.7 million Pinterest followers and receives more than 28 million unique monthly visitors.
The Swedish Cookbook: Lagom Flavors for the Modern Kitchen
Niklas Ekstedt
Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781639737215, $35.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Swedish-Cookbook-Flavors-Modern-Kitchen/dp/1639737219
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-swedish-cookbook-niklas-ekstedt/1148072331
Synopsis: The best Swedish cuisine starts with a touch of lagom -- a word meaning "balanced" or "just right". Lagom informs the storied culinary traditions of Sweden: the fresh, bright ingredients in its recipes, and the rich, harmonious flavors that come together on its tables.
Following the lagom philosophy, Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt has perfected classic and modern Swedish cooking alike, and with the publication of "The Swedish Cookbook: Lagom Flavors for the Modern Kitchen", he shares his best recipes from everyday meals to special feasts. With the perfect Swedish Pancakes and Meatballs, Smorgas, or open-faced tea sandwiches, Gravlax and cured salmons, and Cardamom Buns (and how to prepare your dream Fika, or cozy coffee break) -- Ekstedt shows the home cook how to master it all.
Whether you are a seasoned chef or just starting your culinary journey, it's time to find your lagom in the kitchen and savor the delightful simplicity of Swedish food under the cookbook tutelage of Michelin class chef Niklas Ekstedt!
Critique: Replete with full page, full color photographs of finished dishes, "The Swedish Cookbook: Lagom Flavors for the Modern Kitchen" is a culinary delight to page through, be inspired by, and plan memorable Swedish themed menus with for any and all dining occasions, formal and informal. With DIY family cook friendly recipes ranging from Cubed Baby Potatoes Fried in Clarified Butter with Capers and Dill; Steamed Mussels with Apples and Tarragon; Suateed Spinach with Pears and Pork Chops; and Soft Almond Cookies; to Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Sunflower Seeds; Toast Skagen with Fresh Lemon; Salmon Pudding; and Cinnamon Buns with Hazelnuts, "The Swedish Cookbook: Lagom Flavors for the Modern Kitchen" will prove to be a prized addition to personal, professional, family, and community library Ethnic/Swedish cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: Niklas Ekstedt (https://niklasekstedt.com) is a Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur. He opened his first two restaurants in his early twenties before going on to host his first cooking show, "Mat" (meaning "food" in Swedish) on Swedish national television. In 2011, he opened "Ekstedt" in Stockholm, where the concept is to cook all raw ingredients over an open fire. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in 2013 and has held one ever since. Ekstedt opened his first international outpost, "Ekstedt at The Yard," in London in 2021 to great critical acclaim. Ekstedt has appeared on TV as a guest on Saturday Kitchen and MasterChef, among others. He is the author of books including Ekstedt and Food From the Fire. He lives in Danderyd, Sweden. He can be followed online -- @niklasekstedt
French Country Cooking: Recipes & Table Settings for All Seasons
Trish Deseine
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781804194331, $39.99, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/French-Country-Cooking-Recipes-Settings/dp/1804194336
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/french-country-cooking-trish-deseine/1149465795
Synopsis: A beautifully photographed cookbook aimed at lovers of French cooking and the countryside, "French Country Cooking: Recipes & Table Settings for All Seasons" by Trish Deseine showcases 80 recipes that she created to reflect seasonal abundance, scenic French countryside and inviting table settings that allow even the most novice of kitchen cooks to bring some French flair to every mealtime and special occasions.
The chapters comprising "French Country Cooking" range from Time for an Aperitif, to Salads for all Seasons, to Chicken, Eggs and Roasted Vegetables and Gratins. This is an elegant compendium of classic French recipes to enjoy with dishes that include pistou Provencal saue to Piperade, Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, Christmas Roast Goose and Vol-au-Vents of Scallops and Langoustines. The sweet treats showcased include Savoy Cake, classic Tarte Tatin and Fig & Frangipane Tart.
Of special note is the inclusion of seasonal menu suggestions to help you plan your entertaining around readily available ingredients.
Critique: Beautiful, elegant, exceptional, inspiring, "French Country Cooking: Recipes & Table Settings for All Seasons" is a very special and unreservedly recommended addition to any and all personal, professional, and community library French Cuisine themed cookbook collections. Each recipes is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presenation. The photography is nothing less than brilliant as it showcases both the countryside and the finished dishes ready to serve.
Editorial Note #1: Trish Deseine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trish_Deseine) is originally from Northern Ireland and has been living in France for 25 years. Since being approached by Hachette to write her first cookbook, Petits Plats entre Amis, in 2000, her unabashed love of eating and cooking, with a penchant for chocolate, has made her one of France and Ireland's best loved food writers. She has published over 15 books in English and French which have won many awards, sold hundreds of thousands of copies and been translated into many languages, and presented three RTE TV cookery series which have broadcast by BBC Lifestyle worldwide. Trish has written for ELLE France, Image Ireland, Le Fooding, Wallpaper, The Guardian and The Observer Food Monthly and contributes regularly to The Irish Times. Trish trained at Le Cordon Bleu and she currently lives in the Perche region of Normandy.
French Riviera: From Nice to Cannes in 100 recipes
Nicolas Sintes, author
Matteo Carassale, photographer
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846017599, $45.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/French-Riviera-Nice-Cannes-recipes/dp/1846017599
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/french-riviera-nicolas-sintes/1148785836
Synopsis: In the words of chef Nicolas Sintes, "The French Riviera, it's not just a setting. It's a place where one cooks with sun, seafood, herbs, olive oil. A straightforward, delicately balanced cuisine, it's all about the essentials. It is one that I have celebrated for more than twenty years. This book is made for those who love this region, who love cooking simply, and who know that a beautiful plate starts always with good produce."
Each chapter (beautifully illustrated with full color photography of finished dishes, the people and the beauty of the French Riviera) comprising "French Riviera: From Nice to Cannes in 100 recipes" is devoted to a different town on the French Riviera (the Mediterranean coast of France) and offers a culinary showcase sampling of each ville's delightful dishes and vistas.
The recipes featured in "French Riviera: From Nice to Cannes in 100 recipes" include:
Stuffed chicken
Sauteed girolles
Bouillabaisse
Saffron and honey madeleines
Chicken in salt crust
Tomato salad with nectarines and balsamic vinegar
Fennel salad with green olives, bottarga and orange
Mussels a la Provencale
Heritage tomato bruschetta
Prawn carpaccio -- and so much more!
Specially commissioned photography by Matteo Carassale brings the coast right into your home from Cassis to La Ciotat, Toulon and La Baie de Tamaris, to Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Nice and Menton.
Critique: Culinary excellence presented one inspiring and beautifully illustrated page at a time, this large format (8.75 x 1.05 x 10.75 inches, 3.41 pounds) hardcover edition of "French Riviera: From Nice to Cannes in 100 recipes" by chef Nicolas Sintes will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library French cuisine cookbook collections. A highly recommended, distinctive, and kitchen cook friendly resource for planning and presenting truly elegant menus for all formal and informal dining occasions, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "French Riviera: From Nice to Cannes in 100 recipes" from Mitchell Beazley is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $25.99).
Editorial Note #1: Nicolas Sintes (https://nicolassintes.gronda.com) is a local resident and chef who is as talented as he is passionate, and has worked in prestigious kitchens throughout the French Riviera region.
Editorial Note #2: Matteo Carassale (https://matteocarassale.it) is a food, garden, and fine art photographer based in Milan and Bordighera, Italy.
Persiana One: One Pan. One Tray. One Pot
Sabrina Ghayour
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781783256105, $34.99, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Persiana-One-Pan-Tray-Pot/dp/1783256109
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/persiana-one-sabrina-ghayour/1149390098
Synopsis: Every recipe comprising "Persiana One: One Pan. One Tray. One Pot" makes irresistible Middle Eastern flavors simple for American family cooks. From dips and bits that make snacking sublime to spectacular salads, and from easy everyday dinners to something a little bit special, every recipe is accompanied by a photograph.
"Persiana One" features:
Really Useful Staples including spice mixes, butter bombs, pasta sauces and two ways with chicken
Dips & Bits including Garlic & Geta Yogurt Dip; Popcorn Aubergine; Curried Baby Corn & Spring Onion Beignets
Spectacular Salads: including Spiced Pear & Feta Salad with Watercress, Chicory & Pomegranates; Tangy Ottoman Orzo Salad; Gingery Apple, Lentil & Cranberry Rice Salad
Easy Everyday: including Creamy Cod & Herby Orzo with Green Beans; Spiced Pork & Pepper Traybake; Halloumi, Coconut & Black Bean Stew
A Little Bit Longer: including Mango Lime & Chilli Chicken; Pomegranate Beef Ribs; Saffron & Pepper Vermicelli with Koftas
Traybakes: including Chicken & Potato Traybake with Za'atar & Lemon; Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Yogurt, Harissa & Chives; Roasted Aubergine with Harissa Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella
Something Special: including Nihari-style Lamb Shanks; Sticky Tamarind & Chilli Roasted Salmon; Afghani Qorma Kofta
Vegetables and Sides: including Green Beans with Tomato & Garlic; Sesame, Garlic & Tahini Spinach; Sweet & Spicy Tamarind Broccoli
Sweet Treats: including Salted Peanut Baklava Roll; Dark Chocolate, Earl Grey, Orange Cake; Orange & Pistachio Cream Cheese Danishes
Critique: Beautifully illustrated with full color, full page photos of finished dishes throughout, the recipes comprising "Persiana One: One Pan. One Tray. One Pot" by Sabrina Ghayour are authentic examples of Middle Eastern cuisine and a culinary pleasure to simply browse through and to plan memorable menus with. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, each individual dish is a palate pleasing and appetite satisfying delight -- making "Persiana One" an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Persiana One" from Mitchell Beazley is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Sabrina Ghayour (www.sabrinaghayour.com) is an Iranian, self-taught home cook turned chef, cookery teacher and food writer. She made her name hosting the hugely popular 'Sabrina's Kitchen' supper club in London, specializing in Persian and Middle Eastern flavors, and went on to be named the Observer's Rising Star in Food.
5 Ingredient Indian
Chetna Makan
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9780600639763, $32.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Chetnas-5-Ingredient-Indian-Delicious-Recipes/dp/0600639762
5 Ingredient Indian: Delicious Ingredients Made Easy shows that Indian fare at home can be easy to produce, requiring a minimum of special ingredients and time. These meals, made for entertaining, utilize spice blends as their foundation, with introductory color-coded pages of such blends allowing cooks to create them from common kitchen spices. Full-page color photos of finished dishes such as Herby Pulao (a rice/herb/spice-infused dish) and various fish curries make the dishes especially appealing, even for newcomers to Indian fare. If one Indian cookbook were to be chosen for beginning cooks, 5 Ingredient Indian should be at the top of the list.
The Wildlife Shelf
Cormorant: A Cultural History of Greed and Prejudice
Gordon McMullan
Cambridge University Press
www.cambridge.org
9781009652988, $45.00, HC, 450pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cormorant-Cultural-History-Greed-Prejudice/dp/1009652982
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cormorant-gordon-mcmullan/1148263758
Synopsis: How does prejudice grow and mutate? What does intolerance, when transferred from human beings onto animals, do to those creatures? And what, in return, does it do to us?
"Cormorant: A Cultural History of Greed and Prejudice" by Professor Gordon McMullan is the gripping story of a 'greedy' bird hated across the world, the object of global conflict between the fishing industry on the one hand and environmental science on the other.
Professor McMullan reveals that cormorants have been loathed for centuries, a detestation that has metamorphosed over time. Drawing on fields which include literature, art history and zoology, and ranging from America to China and from Britain to Peru, Cormorant explores racism, xenophobia and capitalism through the remarkable story of a bird. Professor McMullan argues that if in the present we are to recognize prejudicial attitudes towards animals and our fellow human beings, then we need to look to the past to understand how those viewpoints have taken hold.
Critique: A seminal and ground breaking study into the nature of prejudice and intolerance, "Cormorant: A Cultural History of Greed and Prejudice" is an extraordinary and fascinating read from start to finish. With a truly impressive work of meticulous scholarship and informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a thirty-two page Bibliography, sixty-seven pages of Notes, and a seven page Index, "Cormorant: A Cultural History of Greed and Prejudice" is an extraordinary, original, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections and supplemental curriculum collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Cormorant: A Cultural History of Greed and Prejudice" from the Cambridge University Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $42.75).
Editorial Note: Gordon McMullan is Professor of English at King's College London. He has written about early modern drama, late-life creativity and cultures of commemoration and has edited plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries. He is a recipient of the Sam Wanamaker Award from Shakespeare's Globe and is a Fellow of the English Association and of the Royal Society of Arts. (www.goodreads.com/author/list/350759.Gordon_McMullan)
Arachnomania
Maria Tatar
Princeton University Press
https://press.princeton.edu
9780691281025, $24.95, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Arachnomania-Spiders-Cultural-Work-They/dp/0691281025
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arachnomania-maria-tatar/1148365728
Synopsis: Spiders are often found lurking in dusty corners, where we can observe them with interest or brush them away with disgust -- or make a run for it, as the agitated Miss Muffet does.
They are just as prevalent in our cultural landscapes, starring in horror films, inspiring works by famous artists and writers, and featured in myths and folktales.
With the publication of "Arachnomania: Spiders and the Cultural Work They Do for Us", Maria Tatar explores how these creatures became our totem animals, our significant others, and our curved mirrors. Spiders model engineering genius in the construction of webs that have become powerful metaphors for drawing us out of our social isolation and connecting us in a fragile ecosystem. But these arachnids are also solitary in their habits and savage in their survival tactics.
Spiders combine horror and beauty, and that may explain why we endow them with symbolic cultural weight.
"Arachnomania" invites us to acknowledge our collective arachnophobia yet also embrace arachnophilia and celebrate spiders for their cultural benefits and real-world merits. Spiders have been portrayed as the kindred spirits of femmes fatales and spinster sleuths. They have operated as proxies for our fear of nuclear annihilation but appear also in the form of benevolent gods and, in E. B. White's Charlotte's Web, as a heroic barnyard savior.
Spiders, Maria Tatar reminds us, enable us to sustain our way of life on earth even as they continue to scare the living daylights out of us. In "Arachnomania", she offers up an anthem to the humble creatures that haunt our imaginations, reminding us of just how much we are the kindred spirits of the arachnids we should think of as "some spiders".
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of sixteen pages of Notes and a fourteen page Index, "Arachnomania: Spiders and the Cultural Work They Do for Us" is a seminal and extraordinary study that is a singularly and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Wild Life/Arachnid collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Maria Tatar is the John L. Loeb Research Professor of Folklore and Mythology and Germanic Languages and Literatures, Emerita, at Harvard University. Currently a Senior Fellow at Harvard's Society of Fellows, she is the author of The Heroine with 1001 Faces, Secrets beyond the Door: The Story of Bluebeard and His Wives (Princeton), The Hard Facts of the Grimms' Fairy Tales (Princeton), and other books. There is an online listing of her books at Goodreads -- https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/15620.Maria_Tatar
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
A Look Back in Time Memoir of a Military Kid in the Sixties
Bernard N. Lee
https://bernardleejr.com
Emerald Books
9781967628162, $24.95, HC, 280pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Look-Back-Time-III/dp/1967628165
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-look-back-in-time-volume-iii-bernard-n-lee/1149697842
Synopsis: "A Look Back in Time Vol. III" by Bernard N. Lee Jr. is the personal life story of a military kid living on post at Ft. Sill, while attending Lawton High School in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Bernard had promised his dad he will pursue a career as an officer in the Army. That promise weighed heavily on his mind. Bernard knows he will have to excel in his classes to realize his dreams of attending college. If he is successful, he will be the first in his family to do so. The stakes are high, almost as high as the hurdles that are sure to get in his way.
Will Bernard be accepted by the local teens who attend the recently integrated high school? Can Bernard excel at school while working at a challenging job at the restaurant on post? Will Bernard succeed at integrating the morning math table? Will he pay dearly for contradicting a teacher in his American History class? Will Bernard find sports is an equalizer or will his contributions be swept to the side? Will he find an ally in his new job and avoid being fired? Will Bernard disappoint his dad if he can't keep his promise?
"A Look Back in Time" is a true story of the courage it takes to be the first, overcome the challenges, and succeed against the odds. The obstacles are many, but this military kid was determined to overcome them all!
Critique: A unique 'coming of age' African-American memoir, Bernard Lee's this third installment of his life as the son in a U.S. military family as laid out in "A Look Back in Time: Memoir of a Military Kids in the Sixties, Volume 3" is an extraordinary, deftly crafted, and inherently fascinating read from start to finish. With a special appeal to readers with an interest in the life experiences of an adolescent African-American young man in the tumultuous 1960s, "A Look Back in Time" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental 20th Century African American History/Biography curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Bernard N. Lee, Jr. (https://bernardleejr.com) grew up in the fifties and sixties, following World War II and the Korean Conflict. Those times had a profound impact on his family, and his father's career in the US Army. Bernard kept a mental diary of people and places, during his father's tours of duty, at military posts throughout the United States and Europe. Those stories form the basis for his memoir series, "A Look Back in Time: Memoir of a Military Kid in the Fifties, Vol. I & II" which was a 2019 Best Book Awards Finalist and a 2020 International Best Book Awards Finalist.
Calling Out the Shadows
Neal Winsomer
Neal Winsomer Publishing
https://nealwinsomerpublishing.com
9798995335177, $TBA pbk / $9.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Calling-Out-Shadows-Transparency-Structure-ebook/dp/B0GX7VHVXC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/calling-out-the-shadows-neal-winsomer/1149965203
Synopsis: What happens when silence protects the wrong person?
"Calling Out the Shadows: A Father's Stand Against the Current" by Neal Winsomer is the documented account of one father's decision to respond to chaos with clarity, to meet secrecy with transparency, and to choose love over anger for his daughter's sake. This memoir and practical guide does not tell you what to do. "Calling Out the Shadows" shows what one person did, why it held up, and how the framework behind it can be applied.
"Calling Out the Shadows" is not about revenge. Rather it is a blueprint for those navigating high-conflict custody, broken communication, or the quiet erosion of truth in family relationships. It offers structure for protecting your story, restraint for telling it, and faith that patience and documentation can outlast distortion.
"Calling Out the Shadows" is a memoir and a practical guide manual that is deliberately non-prescriptive. It is one father's account: subjective, imperfect, and written from a single vantage point. No claim is made here to expertise, to knowing your situation, or to telling you what you must do. The narrative, the appendices, the frameworks, and the tools are offered in love, hope, and humility.
What you take from it, and what you do with it, is entirely yours.
Critique: "Calling Out the Shadows: A Father's Stand Against the Current: Clarity over comfort. Transparency over secrecy. Structure over spin. Love over anger" by Neal Winsomer features ten appendices of practical tools that follow the narrative and include: 24 deflective and evasive communication patterns identified and defined, an A-to-Z behavioral reference, and a framework for building court-ready documentation with AI support. Also included are structured prompt preparation protocols, guidance on filing bar complaints without retaliation risk, a nonprofit concept for co-parenting support, and restricted language frameworks for organizing, telling, and protecting a sensitive story. Original, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Calling Out the Shadows is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir and Self- Help/Self-Improvement collections. It is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of parents, family members, psychology students, academia, family law professionals, family counselors and therapists, co-parenting advocates, anyone having to navigating high-conflict communication or are working to bring a sensitive story forward with clarity and protection, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Neal Winsomer (https://nealwinsomerpublishing.com) is a father, author, and creator of Protected Narrative Pathway Solutions, a structured approach to helping individuals share sensitive stories with security and authenticity.
Naked Out Loud
Machan Taylor
https://www.machantaylor.com
New Haven Publishing Ltd
https://www.newhavenpublishingltd.com
9781915975287, $28.99, PB, 204pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Out-Loud-Machan-Taylor/dp/191597528X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/naked-out-loud-machan-taylor/1148736010
Synopsis: Machan Taylor sang with some of the biggest names in the world of rock music. Now with the publication of "Naked Out Loud: From Yokohama to Pink Floyd and Beyond" she reveals her personal story behind the music.
Her years of touring with Pink Floyd, Sting, and Pat Benatar brought private jets, bright lights, and the illusion of having "made it". But behind the glamour, Machan Taylor was quietly unraveling and searching for the self she was yet to find.
"Naked Out Loud" is a raw, soul-baring ride of unflinching honesty and luminous grace about fame, reinvention, and ultimately finding peace. It is also the story of a woman who turned heartbreak into healing -- and learned that the greatest performance is living your own truth.
Critique: Impressively candid, exceptionally well written, remarkably informative, and a simply fascinatingly detailed life story from start to finish, "Naked Out Loud: From Yokohama to Pink Floyd and Beyond" is essential reading for the legions of Machan Taylor fans and an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. The personal memoir of a remarkably talented whose career ranges from a popular rock singer, to achieving a Master's Degree from the New York University in music and composition, to becoming an NYU Adjunct Professor. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Naked Out Loud" from New Haven Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Machan Taylor (https://www.machantaylor.com) is a lifelong artist whose four-decade career has taken her from world tours and major recordings to creative mentorship and teaching. A singer, songwriter, and performer, she has shared the stage with artists including Sting, Pink Floyd, Pat Benatar, George Benson, Gov't Mule and more, and was the lead vocalist for the Grammy-nominated group Hiroshima. Her solo album Machan debuted #35 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts, and her compositions have appeared on television and in award-winning films. Equally at home in the classroom as on the stage, Machan is a NCVS Certified Vocologist and sought-after voice teacher who helps singers develop healthy and authentic artistry. She holds a Master's Degree in Music Theory and Composition from New York University. She served as Vocal Coach and Associate Producer for Vera Farmiga's film Higher Ground and is currently an Adjunct Professor at NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. She continues to create, teach, and inspire as a performer and now as an author.
Indomitable
Harlan Richards
Copper Falls Publishing
https://copperfallspublishing.com
9798993278803, $12.95, PB, 246pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Indomitable-Spent-Wisconsin-Prisons-better/dp/B0FXT82W2H
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/indomitable-harlan-richards/1148595337
Synopsis: Harlan Richards was a man who, at the age of 30, was sent to prison for murder with a life sentence.
After decades of self therapy, personal growth and emotional healing, he was paroled at age 67.
"Indomitable: How I Spent 37 Years In Wisconsin Prisons and Came Out Better Than I Went In" is an extraordinary memoir and the true story of how Harlan overcame incredible adversity before and during imprisonment, and finally ending up in a place of love and compassion.
While in prison, Harlan earned a bachelors degree in business administration, became a published poet, and artist. Some of his poems and artwork are reproduced in this memoir.
An inspiration to everyone who reads it, "Indomitable" proves that anyone can change and that redemption is possible for even the worst of the worst.
It was in prison serving out a life sentence that Harlan was called by Christ as one of His own. Harlan accepted that calling and has followed the two greatest commandments since then: to love God with all his heart and soul and mind and strength and to love his neighbor as himself.
Critique: Even though the writing is not that of a professional author, simply stated, "Indomitable: How I Spent 37 Years In Wisconsin Prisons and Came Out better Than I Went In" by former prison inmate Harlan Richards should be in the library collection of every jail, every prison, and every correctional system throughout the United States. Articulate, heartfelt, candid, informative, insightful, and above all, inspiring, "Indomitable" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collection and supplemental Judicial/Penology curriculum studies lists.
The General Fiction Shelf
For Love of Billie
Patricia Vido
https://patriciavido.com
Grunge Muffin Press
https://www.grungemuffinpress.com
9781971167008, $19.99, PB, 244pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Billie-Patricia-Vido/dp/1971167002
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-love-of-billie-patricia-vido/1149176664
Synopsis: When twelve-year-old Finn Maguire is smitten by the beautiful Billie (his dad's young coworker and subsequent lover) he is thrust into a rivalry with the father he idolizes and a tragedy that tears him away from her.
At nineteen, unmoored by his mother's cancer diagnosis, Finn seeks consolation from Billie, convinced she's been waiting for him. Tempted, will he consummate the relationship that's preoccupied him for years, or overcome his obsession and choose love with an age-appropriate partner?
Critique: An original and deftly crafted blending of a 'coming of age' story, an intergenerational familial love triangle, and psychological suspense thriller, "For Love of Billie" by Patricia Vido is an extraordinary and riveting read from start to finish. Showcasing Vido's impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that readers will find riveting, "For Love of Billie" is unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "For Love of Billie" from Grunge Muffin Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Patricia Vido (https://patriciavido.com) honed her writing and editing skills as a reporter, features writer, and features editor at newspapers in western Pennsylvania. She was always most interested in stories that explored (and tried to explain) why people do what they do. She has won writing awards from three Pennsylvania press associations.
Freedom Quest: A Love Story
Debora Masterson, author
Mary Quinlan, illustrator
https://deboramasterson.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901741269, $18.99, PB, 302pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Quest-Story-Debora-Masterson/dp/B0GRKG1DHW
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/freedom-quest-debora-masterson/1149640063
Synopsis: Michael Griffin is a gifted musician whose journey through the Southern California music scene of the 1960s-80s becomes a cautionary tale about artistic integrity, the pursuit of stardom, and the cost of chasing dreams. From backing up strippers in North Beach, San Francisco, to nearly landing a Capitol Records deal, from fronting his band Freedom Quest to losing the love of his life, Grace, Michael's story captures the raw reality of what it means to live and breathe music.
It all begins in 1965, when an instant spark ignites between the two of them in a San Fernando Valley music shop. As Michael chases his musical destiny amid the counterculture revolution, Grace becomes his anchor, his muse -- and the love he can't live without. But the struggle between artistic integrity and commercial success, betrayal, and the chaos of the times tear them apart, sending each down separate and often harrowing paths of self-discovery.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, impressively sweeping and engagingly emotional odyssey, "Freedom Quest: A Love Story" by novelist Debora Masterson is a an inherently fascinating story a love and relationship that, while surviving separation, success, failure, and illness, goes on to reveal the redemptive power of music - and that timeless truth that true love does exist in the world. Masterson's exceptional and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is perfectly suited to creating a 'Rockstar Romance' in the musical culture of the late 20th Century. While unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Historical Romance & Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Freedom Quest: A Love Story" from Atmosphere Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Debora Masterson (https://deboramasterson.com) is a writer, educator, producer, musician and Francophone. Her writing has appeared in the Off-Campus Writers Workshop "About Write" publication and she is an editor for the Chicago Writers Association "Windy City Review". Her career in the arts began in her youth as a singer/dancer. She was recruited by Sammy Davis, Jr. as a dancer & background singer performing in major cities throughout the USA. She transitioned into the agency business setting up Working Artists Agency. WAA was the first boutique talent agency to represent post-production clients and expanded into developing film and television programs. As an educator, she has taught tap, jazz and modern dance. With an MA in French, she taught high school, community college and adult French classes and tutored Nestle executives in accent reduction. She has taught presentation skills and business writing to CBRE management as a corporate trainer and taught a master class about the agency business to students at the Columbia College Chicago Los Angeles location.
Promising Young Man
Elias Axel
https://eliasaxel.com
My Delightful Life Press
https://www.mydelightfullife.com
9798992065602, $17.99, PB, 239pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Promising-Young-Man-Elias-Axel/dp/B0DVQ7LLG6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promising-young-man-elias-axel/1146973363
Synopsis: Oscar Danielsson is eighteen, brilliant, ADHD, and about to ruin his life -- again.
He looks like a promise waiting to be kept. His biggest fear is everyone discovering he's not what they expect at all. Between his spectacular mistakes, self-medicating, and overwhelming existential dread, hiding in his room feels safe, even if it means blowing high school graduation.
Then, one hazy mistake too many launches Oscar on a mysterious cross-country road trip with his free-wheeling Grammy, who's done playing by the rules... and living a lie. Leaving behind his girl crush, beloved dog, and all his comforting vices is torture. But Grammy's secret changes everything -- and Oscar discovers one of his own!
Oscar is the defiant anti-hero you can't stop rooting for. Grammy's his unlikely wingman.
Together they're almost okay.
Critique: Deftly edited by Julian Josip, "Promising Young Man" is a simply fascinating, original, and exceptional 'coming of age' novel by Elias Axel and showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a great read. Laced throughout with satire and dark humor, "Promising Young Man" is a fun, deftly crafted, and thought-provoking novel that is especially and unreservedly recommended for highschool and community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Promising Young Man" from My Delightful Life Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Alias Axel has a high value website (https://eliasaxel.com) that will interest his readers as features his blog, a section called 'Get Involved', and more.
The Boy with the Butterfly Mind
Lorelei Brush
https://loreleibrush.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896363644, $17.99, PB, 312.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Butterfly-Mind-Novel/dp/B0FWZZ39BH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boy-with-the-butterfly-mind-lorelei-brush/1148560732
Synopsis: When Julie Crawford's whirlwind four-year-old is kicked out of preschool, suspected of having ADHD (likely genetic) her husband moans from his recliner that "even my genes are failures."
At work, Julie is a high school math teacher who requires her students to solve complex problems. But faced with an unsafe daycare home and no other daycare openings, a husband who hates the idea of labeling their son as a "problem", and a supervisor who's angry at the amount of time she's taking off school, she's at a loss for how to come up with a solution to this particular dilemma.
Julie's struggle to help her son ultimately demands a number of mindset shifts: a willingness to become a student and ask for help, a humble acceptance of her errors, a burgeoning strength to reckon with a dominant father and retreating husband -- and the self-confidence to trust her instincts when it comes to deciding on the best next steps for her son.
Critique: With her original, exceptional, and deftly crafted novel, "The Boy with the Butterfly Mind", author Lorelei Brush demonstrates a truly impressive, eloquent, character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for engaging her readers in this quiet saga of a novel of a mother's dilemma with the pressures of a job, a special needs (ADA) son, and a clinically depressed husband. An inherently fascinating story that is both emotionally resonant and intellectually engaging from start to finish, "The Boy with the Butterfly Mind" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Boy with the Butterfly Mind" from She Writes Press is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Lorelei Brush (https://loreleibrush.com) is a college mathematics major, a former assistant professor of child development, and the parent of a neurodivergent child. The story in her novel, "The Boy with the Butterfly Mind" deftly mixes elements of all three life experiences to describe the struggles and triumph of a young family dealing with neurodivergence. Her previous novels include Uncovering, about the trials of a nurse practitioner in northwest Pakistan, and Chasing the American Dream, about the quest of a disappointed WWII spy to be a hero in 1950s Cleveland.
The Rainy Day Bookshop
RaeAnne Thayne
Mira Books
www.mirabooks.com
9780778307433, $30.00, HC, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rainy-Day-Bookshop-Contemporary-Small-Town/dp/0778307433
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rainy-day-bookshop-raeanne-thayne/1149959015
Synopsis: Sandwiched between caring for her mother and rebuilding the relationship with her estranged daughter, Emma, Rosie Lucas's life is full. In the best way. With Emma and her 3-year old daughter, Olive, back home, Rosie has a partner for The Rainy Day Bookshop, the family business, and a chance to fix the past.
What she doesn't have time for is a romantic relationship. And even if she did, Andrew Morgan is the last person she'd choose. Not only is he an arrogant and reclusive writer, but he's a single dad with two young kids. She's already been there, done that. Still as an irresistible flirtation builds between them, he becomes her unexpected confidante on the distance Rosie can't seem to overcome with Emma, a secret she can't quite unravel.
Emma isn't proud of her past. But she's pulled herself up by the bootstraps, caring for her own daughter, and protecting her mom at all costs. Just as she always has. She never told Rosie what she saw all those years ago and she never will. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and sometimes the truth is more shocking than fiction. Rosie and Emma will have to navigate an unimaginable path forward. Together.
Critique: Original, exceptional, expertly crafted, and a fascinating read from start to finish, "The Rany Day Bookshop" showcases author RaeAnne Thayner's impressive and narrative driven storytelling skills, deftly created characters, and genuine flair for the kind of unexpected plot twists that make for a fun read throughout. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of fans with an interest in contemporary romance and small town themed fiction that this hardcover edition of "The Rainy Day Bookshop" from MIRA is also readily available in paperback (9781335013200, $18.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including six RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and Career Achievement and Romance Pioneer awards from RT Book Reviews. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website: https://www.raeannethayne.com
Behind White Picket Fences
Christine Gunderson
https://christinegunderson.com
Lake Union Publishing
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662533082, $16.99, PB, 443pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Behind-White-Picket-Fences-Novel/dp/166253308X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/behind-white-picket-fences-christine-gunderson/1148467145
Synopsis: Kiersten Cleaver feels like she's flunking Motherhood 101. Exhausted by travel sports, homework, and her son's dyslexia, she joins forces with her neighbors, Rosamund and Piper, to drop out of the scholastic rat race for one year.
Together, they start the Beaverbrook Academy for Inquiring Minds in Kiersten's kitchen, embarking on a journey back to the idyllic life they experienced as children, when phones were attached to the wall and kids played outside until the streetlights came on at dusk.
But the women quickly realize fractions aren't their only problem. A sixty-year-old diary discovered in Kiersten's basement raises unsettling questions about their neighborhood, their safety, and the seemingly simpler past.
Their picture-perfect suburb disguises deadly secrets -- and someone wants to keep them hidden. As unsettling events rattle their fragile utopia, Kiersten, Rosamund, and Piper face an impossible choice. And if they expose the truth, they put everything at risk: their children, their friendship, and their newfound community.
Critique: As a novelist, Christine Gunderson has an impressive talent for the kind of imaginative, character, and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideally suited to creating original and entertaining stories of two women's friendship and the unexpected problems and unforseen stresses erupting into their lives. A fun and fascinating read from start to finish, "Behind White Picket Fences" by Christine Gunderson is an truly extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Behind White Picket Fences" from Lake Union Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Christine Gunderson (www.christinegunderson.com) grew up on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota where she read Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She is a former television anchor and reporter and former Capitol Hill press secretary. Her debut novel, "Friends with Secrets", was an Amazon bestseller, an Amazon First Reads pick, and a Women's Fiction Writers Association STAR Award winner.
Both Can Be True
Jessica Guerrieri
Harper Muse
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9781400345984, $18.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Both-Can-Be-True-Novel/dp/1400345987
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/both-can-be-true-jessica-guerrieri/1147732339
Synopsis: Frankie is the funny one, full of restless energy and sharp edges, the sister who got sober, opened a bookstore, and slipped into a version of domestic life without ever fully confronting the past.
Mere is the steady one, the caretaker, a mother quietly unraveling under the demands of her neurodivergent daughter and the loneliness of a marriage to a husband who sees the world through an entirely different lens.
For the Gilmore sisters, losing their mother to cancer at a young age gave them a brief window of closeness they've never been able to reclaim. But over the years, a mentally ill father, the unspoken trauma of sexual violence, and the different vices they turned to for survival fractured their bond and created a divide of resentment neither of them could bring themselves to cross.
When a woman in Frankie's social circle disappears, the two sisters are pulled into a shared reckoning and can no longer deny the past that has shaped so much of their present.
Set against the backdrop of a quiet Northern California mountain town, "Both Can Be True" is gripping and emotionally layered novel in which author/storyteller Jessica Guerrieri deftly unfolds in format of alternating perspectives, revealing the many ways women vanish inside motherhood, addiction, marriage, and shame.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted novel, "Both Can Be True" is a compelling story told with a raw honesty and wry compassion. This is a story of sisterhood, acceptance, the unspoken truths we carry -- and the redemptive power of bridging pain into connection. Showcasing author Jessica Guerrieri's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style tht lifts her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence, "Both Can Be True" will prove to be a welcome addition to personal and community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Both Can Be True" from Harper Muse is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jessica Guerrieri (www.jessicaguerrieri.net) has a background teaching special education but left the field to pursue a career in writing. Her debut novel, "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", won the Maurice Prize for Fiction from her alma mater, UC Davis.
The Anti-Marriage Pact
Lindsay MacMillan
Harper Muse
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9781400348107, $18.99, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Marriage-Pact-Novel-Lindsay-MacMillan/dp/1400348102
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-anti-marriage-pact-lindsay-macmillan/1148705678
Synopsis: When EJ and her three roommates swear off marriage and motherhood with their infamous "Anti-Marriage Pact", they think they've got life figured out. No white dresses, no baby fever, no losing themselves to societal expectations. Just fierce friendship, creative ambitions, and the gritty freedom of Brooklyn.
But the bonds that once felt unbreakable start to fray as one friend and then another begins to find love. Meanwhile, Chris walks into EJ's life -- he is a buttoned-up tax accountant who dares to question everything she believes about love, commitment, and what it really means to live on your own terms.
Now EJ finds herself caught between loyalty to her sisters-in-arms and the terrifying prospect of opening her heart to something she's spent years rejecting. As her carefully constructed world begins to crack, EJ must confront the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she's been wrong about everything.
Critique: An original, exceptional, deftly crafted, humor laced, and women's friendship themed novel, "The Anti-Marriage Pact" is a fun read from start to finish. A riveting story, "The Anti-Marriage Pact" fully showcases author Lindsay MacMillan's impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that raises her novel of love, change, and BFFs to an impressively level of literary excellence. While unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Anti-Marriage Pact" from Harper Muse is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Lindsay MacMillan (www.lindsaymacmillancreative.com) is an author, speaker, and creative entrepreneur. Before carving her path in the creative world, she was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs. Lindsay graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College. "The Anti-Marriage Pact" is her fourth published novel.
The Lake Club
Lina Patton
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063447295, $18.99, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lake-Club-Novel-Lina-Patton/dp/0063447290
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lake-club-lina-patton/1148301193
Synopsis: When Danika Crawley attends events at the Aldon Lakes Country Club, heads turn. Danika has it all -- beauty, money, a successful husband, and two perfect children. She plans on making this summer her best season yet and has a secret weapon to secure the envy of her neighbors.
Augie Elling has lost it all. Reeling from a post-grad scandal amidst her now-former life in New York, she returns to Aldon Lakes with her tail between her legs. Augie wants to keep her head down, save money, and find a way to leave her hometown for good, but someone keeps distracting her.
Danika and Augie have one thing in common: they are both a little obsessed with Chat, the male nanny Danika hired for the summer. But, unbeknownst to either woman, Chat's appearance in town sets off a chain reaction that threatens Aldon Lakes' carefully maintained social ecosystem. As the heat rises between the three of them, the truth behind a long-buried scandal comes to light, and everyone at the club must reckon with the consequences.
Critique: A perfect pick for readers with an interest in contemporary women's fiction, "The Lake Club" is a fun read from cover to cover. An original, exceptional, and a deft exploration of a small community's social hierarchy and history, "The Lake Club" demonstrates author Lina Patton's genuine and effective character and narrative driven storytelling style that raises her novel to an impressively level of literary excellence. While this paperback edition of "The Lake Club" from William Morrow is a highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Lina Patton (https://www.linapatton.com) is a writer, illustrator, and teacher. Originally from Maine, she moved to Minnesota at thirteen, trading the ocean for 10,000 lakes. She holds a BA from Elon University and an MFA from George Mason University. Her work has appeared in ELLE, The Cut, Narrative Magazine, and Driftwood Press, among others. "The Lake Club" is her first novel.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
The Last Lady B
Eloisa James
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781668200056, $19.00, PB, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Lady-B-Eloisa-James/dp/1668200058
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-lady-b-eloisa-james/1146890378
Synopsis: In the depths of winter, Lady Genevieve Hughes, her pet piglet, and her septuagenarian husband travel to a haunted abbey in the Scottish Highlands. Evie is excited to meet a ghost (perhaps one of her husband's three previous wives), but didn't expect the funny, quirky guests to become the friends she's never had. And she certainly didn't imagine meeting Sir Godric Everly, a sardonic, witty solicitor who loathes her husband.
Yet as secrets and lies turn Evie's world upside down, Sir Godric becomes the one person whom she can trust.
When ghosts, multiple wills, and a shocking marriage certificate bring Lord Burnsby's past crashing into his present, Burnsby promptly dies, leaving Evie free to remarry... though as a virgin wife, now a virgin widow, she is more unnerved by the marriage bed than a spectral visit.
More importantly, she has to figure out whose identity is false, whose vows are dishonorable, whose truths could destroy her reputation -- and where her heart belongs.
Critique: "The Last Lady B" by author Eloisa James is a truly extraordinary, original, and deftly crafted novel that showcases her genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a simply fun and riveting read from start to finish. While an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library romantic fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Last Lady B" from Gallery Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Eloisa James (www.EloisaJames.com) an author of historical romance novels. Her books have been translated into twenty-six languages. As Mary Bly, she is a Shakespeare professor at Fordham University. She currently resides in New York City and Florence, Italy.
These Empty Places
Sarah Loudin Thomas
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764245930, $18.99, PB, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/These-Empty-Places-Historical-Appalachian/dp/0764245937
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/these-empty-places-sarah-loudin-thomas/1148520088
Synopsis: Claire Roth sacrificed love for a life of comfort on Lake Toxaway -- until the dam broke, and the lake washed down the side of the mountain. Fourteen years later, she longs to see the lake restored to its former glory even as the country faces hard economic times on the eve of the Great Depression.
Socialite Lena Hawkins married her first love, who swept her off her feet after skyrocketing from rags to riches by speculating in the stock market. Now penniless and rejected by her family, Lena and her husband have arrived at Lake Toxaway for a fresh start. There, Lena forms an unexpected connection with Claire, who hires her to assist with the personal library Claire is building to provide jobs and education for their struggling North Carolina community.
When Claire is given a second chance at love and Lena a tempting chance at a life of independence, both women must release the past to fill tomorrow with promise.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and reader engaging historical novel set in the Appalachian mountains by author Sarah Loudin Thomas, "These Empty Places" is an extraordinary and fun read from start to finish. With its Christian themed approach to love, life, and second chances during the harsh economic realities in the American South as the Great Depression takes form, "These Empty Places" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "These Empty Places" from Bethany House Publishers is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Sarah Loudin Thomas (www.SarahLoudinThomas.com) is the ECPA bestselling author of numerous acclaimed novels and winner of the 2021 Selah Book of the Year and of the 2015 INSPY Award. She has worked in public relations for Biltmore Estate and was the founding director of Jan Karon's Mitford Museum. She now divides her time between writing and leading a ministry serving foster and adoptive families.
Ipseity
Charles Pither
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798888245385, $29.95, HC, 400pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ipseity-Charles-Pither/dp/B0DJHDSQ1Q
Synopsis: Briggens House, Essex 1940.
An unassuming country house, home of the Polish Army in exile, houses in its basement a secret Special Operations Executive (SOE) unit where all the forged documents needed by the Allies are made. Here identities are created for agents dropped into enemy territory. Their lives depend on these documents looking authentic.
Peter and Elisabeth start an affair while working at Briggens House but lose touch soon after the war ends. Why then, forty years later, does she leave him something in her will?
Peter resolves to find out, discovering the extraordinary life she led after the war and the passionate affair that informed the choices she made and the person she became. But Peter, too, is changed by the journey, discovering new ways of seeing his past.
Using detailed research into the workings of this crucial but little-known SOE unit, with the publication of "Ipseity", novelist Charles Pither weaves a tender, passionate love story with the deception and intrigue of the fascinating world of wartime forgery.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and of immense appeal for readers with an interest in World War II fictional stories of romance, the holocaust, and post-war life. While especially recommended for community library 20th Century Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Ipseity" is also available in paperback ( 9798888245361, $20.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Charles Pither lives near Oxford in England and trained as a physician, working as a specialist in pain management for over thirty years. As well as scientific works he has always enjoyed creative writing, including poetry, short stories, and a novel. He writes a travel blog: https://www.loveinatimeofcorona.org
The LGBTQ Fiction Shelf
Days of Light
Megan Hunter
Grove Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802164773, $28.00, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Days-Light-Megan-Hunter/dp/0802164773
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/days-of-light-megan-hunter/1146316243
Synopsis: Easter Sunday, 1938. Ivy is nineteen and ready for her life to finally begin.
Her sprawling, bohemian family and their friends gather in the idyllic English countryside for lunch, arranging themselves around well-worn roles. They trade political views and artistic arguments as they impatiently await the arrival and first sight of Frances, the new beau of Ivy's beloved older brother, Joseph. In this auspicious atmosphere of springtime, Ivy's world feels on the cusp of something grand -- but neither she nor those closest to her predicts how a single, enchanted evening and an unexpected tragedy will alter the rest of their lives.
A radiant, philosophical, and intimate journey through time, "Days of Light" by novelist Megan Hunter chronicles six pivotal days across six decades to tell the story of Ivy's pursuit of answers -- to the events of this fateful Easter Sunday and to the shifting desires of her own heart. Moving through the Second World War up to the close of the 20th century, Hunter captures the galvanic love and transformative moments that define a winding, beautiful life.
Critique: Original, eloquent, emotionally resonant and reader engaging, "Days of Light" showcases author Megan Hunter's authentic and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that raises her novel to an impressively level of literary excellence. A story that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "Days of Light" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Literary Fiction and LGBTQ+ Fiction collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Days of Light" from Grove Press is also readily available in paperback (9780802167576, $18.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.22).
Editorial Note: Megan Hunter is a prize-winning novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. Her first novel, The End We Start From (2017) was shortlisted for Novel of the Year at the Books Are My Bag Awards, longlisted for the Aspen Words Prize, was a Barnes and Noble Discover Awards finalist and won the Foreword Reviews Editor's Choice Award. It was adapted into a major motion picture by Alice Birch, starring Jodie Comer and directed by Mahalia Belo. Her second novel, The Harpy (2020), was Indie Book of the Month; she is currently adapting it for television with Red Planet Pictures. In 2024 her dramatic monologue Salt of the Earth premiered at Venice Film Festival. Megan's other writing has appeared in the White Review, the TLS, Literary Hub, Vogue, Elle, BOMB, and elsewhere. She lives in Cambridge, UK.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Sermon
Kurtis Redding
Goat Milk Press
https://goat-milk-press.com
9798950158001, $22.99, PB, 442pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sermon-Kurtis-Redding/dp/B0GY3Y1VDX
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sermon-kurtis-redding/1149959732
Synopsis: Imprisoned within his own languishing body, is the story of an invalid who records the impressions that come to him in sleep, wakefulness, and the states in between. The result of these recorded musings is a rumination on the universe as it flows through the soul of a diseased and rarefied conduit of a man.
Critique: Original, exceptional, emotionally engaging and intellectually absorbing, "Sermon" by Kurtis Redding is a unique and deftly crafted novel told in fragments and presented as a life in visions. Showcasing author Kurtis Redding's genuine flair as a novelist for the kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style that lifts "Sermon" to an impressive and memorable level of literary excellence, this unique novel is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Sermon" from Goat Milk Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Kurtis Redding is a co-owner, webmaster, editor, and author for Goat Milk Press. His is the author of "Autocremation" (a collection of three short stories) and "Hyperstigmata" (a play in one act). He is also professional scientist who holds a B.S. in physics and mathematics. He is passionate about literature, history, philosophy, art, black comedy, and the hierophanic.
War at Home
Troy R. Ray
Independently Pubished
9798998884306, $17.95, PB, 430pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/War-at-Home-Troy-Ray/dp/B0FGSD9XGR
Synopsis: The war in Vietnam torments thirteen-year-old Mark Thomas. Like the rest of the Thomas family, Mark fears for his older brother Jack, a Special Forces soldier caught up in the fighting. Mark has a tight bond with Jack who has taught Mark how to fish, how to drive stick-shift, and how to think like a soldier.
Mark is a kind-hearted boy with a gift for understanding wild animals, very unlike his hot-headed younger brother, Petey, who has a talent for speed and plans to one day be a Navy pilot.
The brothers, along with a cabal of friends, investigate the late night disappearance of an armored car transporting a shipment of gold and the murder of the driver and guards. The boys plot missions from their underground fort.
Mark and Petey have a wrench thrown into their wild and free ways when their older sister, Ruth, returns from studying abroad in France. With the kindly yet stern Mrs. Thomas distracted by her concerns for Jack's safety, Ruth takes it upon herself to reign in Mark and Petey.
Sparks fly with the arrival of Sgt. Michael Minnetti, a combat friend of Jack's suffering from PTSD. Against the wishes of the passionate war-protesting Ruth, the Thomas family takes in Sgt. Minnetti and the mysterious, ever-calm, eye patched Mr. Thomas provides guidance.
With the boys' investigation closing in on a murderous band of outlaws, their survival will depend on their skills and experience of growing up wild and free, as the war in Vietnam shakes the foundation of family.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a welcome addition to community and college/university library American Literary Fiction collections, the character and narrative driven storytelling style of Troy Ray in "War at Home" raises his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of readers with an interest in 'coming of age' fiction set in the Vietnam War era that this paperback edition of "War at Home" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Troy Ray is a veteran high school English teacher. He enjoyed an adventurous and free childhood. He is fond of both raccoons and beagles because of their mischievous personalities. He is married and has four children.
Whistler
Ann Patchett
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063511637, $30.00, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Whistler-Novel-Ann-Patchett/dp/0063511630
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whistler-ann-patchett/1148504538
Synopsis: When Daphne Fuller and her husband Jonathan visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they notice an older, white-haired gentleman following them. The man turns out to be Eddie Triplett, her former stepfather, who had been married to her mother for a little more than year when Daphne was nine.
Now fifty-three, Daphne hasn't seen Eddie for many years, not since the fateful event that changed the direction of both their lives. Meeting again, time falls away; while their relationship was brief, it had a profound impact on them both, and now that they are reunited, they have no intention of ever being separated again.
"Whistler" by Ann Pratchett is a novel about two adults looking back over the choices they made, and the choices that were made for them. It's also story about bravery, memory, the often small yet consequential moments that define our lives, and the endless stream of loss that in time comes for us all. Beautiful in its simplicity, it is ultimately about how love endures, and how the feeling of being known by one other person, even for a short period of time, can change everything.
Critique: Eloquent, deftly crafted, and a fascinating, memorable read from start to finish, "Whistler" fully showcases author Ann Pratchett's exceptional flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that lifts her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence that has garnered her legions of dedicated fans. Original, exceptional, and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Whistler" from Harper is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Ann Patchett (https://www.annpatchett.com) is the author of novels, works of nonfiction, and children's books. She has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the PEN/Faulkner, the Women's Prize for Fiction in the UK, and the Book Sense Book of the Year. Her novel The Dutch House was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages, and Time magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. President Biden awarded her the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is the owner of Parnassus Books.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Miss Beth Bettencourt
Eva Marie Everson
Kregel Publications
www.kregel.com
9780825453342, $18.99, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Miss-Beth-Bettencourt-Bynum-Georgia/dp/0825453348
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-beth-bettencourt-eva-marie-everson/1148873424
Synopsis: It's 1962 in the town of Bynum, Georgia, and Beth Bettencourt's world is turned upside down when she wakes to a man snoring in the guest bedroom.
She's home alone; her parents are traveling abroad, grieving her twin sister's unexpected death. Instead of accompanying them, Beth stayed in Bynum to tend to her kindergarten and closely guard her own heart.
A beautiful and beloved member of the community, Beth is an unusual specimen for her time as she nears thirty and remains unmarried. She holds deep-seated unforgiveness toward her twin, Elise, who ran off with Beth's beau. To make matters worse, Elise took their grandmother's ring, which had been promised to Beth.
But now a stranger enters her home and her world. David Patrick Martin seems ready to break down her walls of indifference and find the core of Miss Beth Bettencourt. But can he be trusted with Beth's past, her present, and more importantly, her future?
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively original Christian historical romance novel, "Miss Beth Bettencourt" by Eva Marie Everson is a fun, fascinating, and memorable read from start to finish. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated romance fans that this paperback edition of "Miss Beth Bettencourt" from Kregel Publications is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Eva Marie Everson (evamarieeversonauthor.com) is a multi-award-winning author and speaker from Sylvania, Georgia. She is also the CEO of Word Weavers International and the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference. Additionally, she coaches new authors through her company, Pen in Hand.
Summer Husband
Amy Lorowitz
https://www.amylorowitz.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896360780, $17.99, PB, 344pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Husband-Novel-Amy-Lorowitz/dp/B0FWZX4QTY
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-husband-amy-lorowitz/1148560673
Synopsis: Is thirty-nine too old to get your first sleepaway camp kiss?
Lori Kramer, a stay-at-home mom, would go to any length to give her two daughters the summer experience of their lives - - even getting a job at their camp and tagging along with them.
At Camp Woodlands, Lori finds herself overseeing the chaos of four bunks filled with rambunctious kids and their counselors, not to mention having to outwit her boss and outrun a bear -- and that's just during the first half of the summer!
But those escapades are child's play compared to her growing friendship and attraction to Teddy, the camp's British soccer coach. Their clandestine meetings late at night behind the laundry shack, breaking the no-smoking rule, soon turn hot and steamy like a lazy August afternoon.
Camp may be for kids, but Lori's the one having the most fun. She never imagined that stepping outside of her conventional, underappreciated, New York City existence would turn her world upside down and change her life forever.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and unreservedly recommended, "Summer Husband" by author Amy Lorowitz is an extraordinary story of 'later-in-life' contemporary romance. Amy's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven and imaginative storytelling style raises her debut novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While certain to be a popular pick for community library Contemporary Romance collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Summer Husband" from She Writes Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Amy Lorowitz (https://www.amylorowitz.com) is a lifelong New Yorker. She grew up in Brooklyn, attended University at SUNY Binghamton, and ultimately made her home in Manhattan with her husband and two daughters, only leaving New York for a three-year stint living in Tokyo, Japan. "Summer Husband" is her debut novel.
The Western Fiction Shelf
Days of the River Rider
David L. Fleming
TCU Press
https://tcupress.tcu.edu
9780875659480, $24.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Days-River-Riders-David-Fleming/dp/0875659489
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/days-of-the-river-rider-david-l-fleming/1150067888
Synopsis: At the height of a foot-and-mouth cattle quarantine along the Rio Grande, John Bearman patrols the river as an isolated rider, armed only with books, a Victrola, and his duty to protect the borderlands. His solitary existence is interrupted when he meets Annie Tinsley, a rancher's wife whose resilience and pain mirror the rugged land they both inhabit.
What begins as an unlikely bond quickly unfolds into a story of smuggling, survival, and forbidden connection -- where loyalty is tested, violence is close at hand, and the unforgiving desert reveals both its harshness and its grace.
From Annie's struggle with a traumatic birth to Bearman's deadly clash with the ruthless Emilio Ornelos, "Days of the River Rider" explores themes of isolation, resilience, love, loss, and redemption.
Told through vivid journal entries that give voice to Bearman's inner battles, "Days of the River Rider" offers its readers a deeply character-driven western that balances gritty action with moments of profound tenderness.
Ideal for fans of Yellowstone:1923 and 1883; for readers of historical fiction, westerns, and literary fiction, particularly those interested in the Southwest, World War II - era Texas, and Rio Grande border history.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and set against the stark beauty of Texas' Big Bend country in 1943, "Days of the River Rider" by David L. Fleming is comprised of a compelling blend of historical western fiction with a classic western storytelling style that makes is an inherently fascinating and truly memorable read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition from TCU Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: David Fleming (https://www.flemfile.com) is a fourth-generation Texan whose roots run deep in the San Marcos area. A graduate of Texas State University with degrees in Liberal Arts and Creative Writing (MFA), Fleming devoted more than three decades to teaching English and Creative Writing at Seguin High School. He also served as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in San Marcos for twenty-five years. Fleming is the author of Summertime and Border Crossings, both published by TCU Press, and his writing reflects his lifelong connection to Texas culture, faith, and storytelling.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Shark's Protege
Bob Rothman
https://bobrothmanauthor.com
Black Rose Writing
www.blackrosewriting.com
9781685137427, $20.95, PB, 316pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sharks-Prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9-Bob-Rothman/dp/1685137423
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sharks-prota-a-a-ga-a-a-bob-rothman/1149152239
Synopsis: Unemployed after barely graduating from high school, Bud Boyer's fortunes suddenly change when he flattens two knife-wielding thugs trying to rob him. Moogie, a part-time loan shark, spots the altercation outside the tavern he owns in a Georgia mountain town. Immediately, he hires Bud to collect from deadbeat borrowers. All goes well until Bud falls for the daughter of the town's police chief, and sensing the relationship is getting serious, Moogie reluctantly fires him.
Months later, when Moogie unexpectedly announces he's going to close his tavern, Bud persuades Moogie to sell it to him instead and to serve as his business consultant for one year. After Moogie suddenly vanishes, Bud is shocked to learn Moogie has been charged with arranging for the murder of a man who conned him out of $250,000 in a phony horseracing ownership syndicate.
When Moogie decides to surrender, he unexpectedly shows up at the tavern and asks Bud to call the police chief, who is now Bud's father-in-law. Their relationship takes another shocking turn when Bud is called as a witness at Moogie's murder trial.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Shark's Protege" showcases author Bob Rothman's impressive and character driven storytelling style that is ideal for the suspenseful organized crime/murder mystery genre. Especially considering that in "The Shark's Protege" Rothman features the a series of unexpected plot twists and cliff hanger turns that are especially well done. While "The Shark's Protege" from Black Rose Writing is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading list of dedicated legal thriller fans that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: After six years as a newspaper journalist and thirty-eight years as a lawyer, Bob Rothman (https://bobrothmanauthor.com) starting writing novels. His debut novel, A Terrible Guilt, was published in September 2024. In the 1970s, Bob reported on the resumption of capital punishment and later, as a lawyer, led a legal team representing a death row inmate in his habeas corpus proceeding. He has served on the American Bar Association Board of Governors, as Chair of the ABA Litigation Section, and as Chair of the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project.
Turning the Page on Murder
Vanessa Westermann
www.vanessa-westermann.info
Cormorant Books
https://www.cormorantbooks.com
9781770868403, $24.95, PB, 318pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Turning-Page-Murder-Book-Mysteries/dp/1770868402
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/turning-the-page-on-murder-vanessa-westermann/1148487486
Synopsis: Bookstore owner and armchair sleuth Kate Rowan loved a good murder mystery -- until she fell for an actual killer.
Once, she had hoped her fling with security expert Gary Fenris would lead to something more, but then he confessed his secret: To avenge a deceased lover, he took someone's life. Now, Kate can't even crack the spine on a cozy, let alone a noir. Meanwhile, Gary resolves that protecting others from danger (and protecting Kate from himself) is his best shot at atonement.
But when Kate's Great-Aunt Roselyn is found with a bloody knife over her neighbor's dead body, on a property guarded by Fenris Securities, Kate and Gary must work together to solve the case.
Their sleuthing sends them on a high-stakes treasure hunt from their little neighbourhood of Willowsend to the busy streets of London. Back in forced proximity with her killer ex, Kate can't help but wonder if, this time, she can convince Gary to turn the page on murder.
Critique: Offering a perfect blend of 'whodunnit' mystery', action/adventure, suspense/thriller murder mystery, "Turning the Page on Murder" by Vanessa Westermann is an impressively original and especially well crafted novel that will prove a fun and intellectually engaging read from cover to cover. Certain to be an immediately and enduringly popular addition to community/public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated murder mystery fiction fans that this paperback edition from Cormorant Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Vanessa Westermann (www.vanessa-westermann.info) writes mysteries that combine the heartbreak of murder with the joy of feel-good romance. She is a former Arthur Ellis Awards judge, holds an M.A. in English Literature, as well as a Bachelor of Education, and teaches creative writing. When she's not searching Canada's cottage country for her next small-town setting, she's plotting a fictional crime from the comfort of an Adirondack chair.
Dreadful Summit
Stanley Ellin, author
Andrew Klavan, introduction
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613167687, $27.95, HC, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dreadful-Summit-Stanley-Ellin/dp/1613167687
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreadful-summit-stanley-ellin/1001077143
Synopsis: Every sports fan in New York knows Al Judge, the hard-bitten reporter whose column is the scourge of gamblers, gangsters, and corrupt players across the city. Sixteen-year-old George LaMain is Judge's biggest fan -- until the night when his own father becomes the target of the journalist's attacks, taken down in a public spectacle of violent humiliation.
Reeling from a moment that upends his whole worldview, George takes his father's gun and sets out into the night on a quest for revenge. But before he can achieve the vigilante justice he seeks, the young man will make a series of discoveries that reveal an unsettling truth about the family he thought he knew.
Critique: Featuring an informative Introduction by Andrew Klavan, "Dreadful Summit" by the late Stanley Ellin is another time lost classic brought back into print for a new generation of mystery fans. This noir-tinged coming of age novel by the master of the hard-boiled mystery story featuring amateur sleuths is a simply riveting, atmospheric revenge novel that was included in the Haycraft-Queen cornerstone list of the greatest mysteries of all time, and inspired the 1951 Joseph Losey film The Big Night. While a very highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, "Dreadful Summit" from The Mysterious Press is also available for personal reading lists in paperback (9781613167687, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note #1: Stanley Bernard Ellin (1916-1986) was an American mystery writer born in Brooklyn, New York. His first short story, titled "The Specialty of the House" appeared in 1948 in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. He was a three-time winner of the Edgar Allen Poe Award, for his short stories "The House Party" in 1954 and "The Blessington Method" in 1956, and for his novel The Eighth Circle in 1959. His novels Dreadful Summit, House of Cards, and The Bind were each adapted into feature films. A longtime member of the Mystery Writers of America, Ellin was awarded the group's Grand Master Award in 1981.
Editorial Note #2: Andrew Klavan (https://www.andrewklavan.com) is the author of numerous crime novels including True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood; Don't Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas;and the Cameron Winter series. He has been nominated for the Edgar Award six times and has won twice. Aside from penning bestselling fiction and nonfiction and screenplays to blockbuster films, Klavan's political satire videos have been viewed by tens of millions of people, and he currently hosts the popular podcast The Andrew Klavan Show at The Daily Wire.
Poppy Montgomery Gets Even
Gordon Jack
The Mysterious Press
www.mysteriouspress.com
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613167748, $26.95, HC, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Poppy-Montgomery-Gets-Even-Gordon/dp/1613167741
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poppy-montgomery-gets-even-gordon-jack/1148582379
Synopsis: Eighty-year-old Poppy Montgomery has always taken a negative view of her life. Her father? A bully. Her husbands? Losers. Her daughter and grandson? Well, they're probably her fault. And now the police have taken away her license, her daughter wants to put her in a retirement home, and the bossy new fitter-than-thou attendee at water aerobics is taking over her favorite class.
But enough is enough, and when her new friend, Ginny, is scammed on a dating site for seniors, Poppy decides it's time to finally get even. With the help of Jeremy, her tech-savvy grandson, Poppy launches a vindictive little caper, scamming the scammers that prey on the elderly online.
But when two women at Ginny's retirement home seemingly meet unnatural ends and her newest target is implicated in the murder, suddenly Poppy's fun online con job becomes a matter of life or death. It's going to take the whole gang (Poppy's two new best friends, her in-recovery daughter, and her basement-dwelling grandson) to pull off one last job, before one of them becomes the next victim.
A charmingly cozy crime story brimming with laughs and heart, Poppy Montgomery Gets Even shows that it's never too late to turn over a new leaf, make new friends, and scam an international crime ring while solving some murders along the way.
Critique: "Poppy Montgomery Gets Even" by novelist Gordon Jack is a unique and original cozy mystery starring an 80 year old amateur female sleuth, and featuring an engaging story laced with unexpected plot twists, an international gang of criminals, and dark humor. A fun and deftly crafted read from cover to cover, "Poppy Montgomery Gets Even" will prove to be a very special and enduringly popular pick for community/public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated cozy mystery fans that this hardcover edition of "Poppy Montgomery Gets Even" from The Mysterious Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Gordon Jack (https://gordon-jack.com) has been a high school librarian for thirty years. In that time, he did his best to keep kids reading, including writing two young adult novels, The Boomerang Effect and Your Own Worst Enemy. Now that he's about to retire, he figured he should write for people closer to his own age, which is why he's suddenly interested in the lives of octogenarian crime fighters.
Blunt Instrument
Amy Bloom
The Mysterious Press
www.mysteriouspress.com
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613167601, $28.00, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1613167601
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blunt-instrument-amy-bloom/1148582382
Synopsis: The case of the bludgeoned lecturer has all of Cromwell University reeling, even though the elderly Professor Bullfinch wasn't particularly well-liked. His ornery nature and Old World approach to campus politics ruffled more than a few feathers over the years, and present tensions within his department mean there are more suspects than mourners in the wake of his death. And the murder weapon (a bronze bust of Nathaniel Hawthorne) does seem to indicate that the attack may have been academically motivated.
Enter Dell Chandler, the failed English professor turned self-taught private detective whom Dr. Cutty calls in to investigate the crime. She has the background to tease out the motives among the staff and just enough experience to conduct a thorough inquiry. If she solves the case before the cops do, the university could keep the whole thing quiet, avoiding sensational media about the dark side of campus life. But to do so, she'll have to dodge her own demons from her past life as a disgraced academic.
Critique: An impressively original, intellectually engaging, deftly crafted, and entertaining cozy mystery featuring interesting characters and a number of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Blunt Instrument" by Amy Bloom is a fun read from start to finish. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that this hardcover edition of "Blunt Instrument" from The Mysterious Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Amy Bloom (https://www.amybloom.com) is the author of several novels, short stories, a memoir, and nonfiction. She has written for magazines such as The New Yorker, New York Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, Elle, The Atlantic, Slate, and Salon. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages. "Blunt Instrument is her first crime novel". Amy recently retired as Wesleyan University's Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing, while continuing to work as a psychotherapist and a novelist
More Than You Know
Anne Canadeo
https://www.annecanadeo.com
Level Best
c/o Historia Press
9798898201616, $17.95, PB, 290pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-You-Know-Suspenseful/dp/B0GNZQ2NTB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-you-know-anne-canadeo/1149499859
Synopsis: New York City in the Spring of 1947: The dark clouds of WWII have scattered, and America revels in the sunshine of a new day. Heroes have returned to marry their sweethearts, and the best jobs must go to them. Or so Grace Russo is told. But the typing pool is not for her and never will be.
Working for Harry Shaw is not her first choice either, but she persuades the skeptical private detective to give her a chance. Soon after, her brother Joe, a troubled vet and jazz musician, is charged with the murder of a beautiful, Black nightclub singer, Lana Delmar.
Despite a truckload of evidence against him, Grace knows Joe is innocent and helps Harry dig for the truth. When her boss suddenly disappears to chase down demons of his own, she pursues the trail alone to a glamorous supper club, The Starlight Room. A glittering but dangerous world where no one can be trusted, and every smile hides secrets.
Her wits sharpened and courage tested, Grace is determined to unveil the elusive killer and win justice for Joe and Lana. Even when her stubborn heart marks her as the next victim.
Critique: Especially recommended for fans of murder mysteries involve an amateur woman sleuth, an original plot riddled with unexpected twists and turns, and deftly crafted, memorable characters, "More Than You Know" by talented novelist Anne Canadeo is a fun 'whodunnit' read from cover to cover. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "More Than You Know" from Level Best/Historia Press is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Anne Canadeo (https://www.annecanadeo.com) is the author of over forty books, including The Black Sheep & Company Mysteries, and the bestselling Cape Light and Angel Island novels, written under the pen name, Katherine Spencer. She loves to hear from readers. She can be followed on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Blue Sky.
Back in the Wilds
Glen Maxwell Scott
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977288271, $24.95, PB, 278pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Back-Wilds-Mayhem-Pennsylvania/dp/1977288278
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/back-in-the-wilds-glenn-maxwell-scott/1150065474
Synopsis: Jimmy Maxwell is riding cross-country with no set destination - working odd jobs, fishing quiet streams, and chasing the open road on his motorcycle. When a letter from a lawyer draws him back to the remote Pennsylvania region known as the Wilds, Jimmy returns home and finds far more than he bargained for.
Inheriting his late Uncle Eddie's cabin and land, Jimmy sets out to reconnect with the rhythms of rural life and the local community. But as he forms new friendships and settles in, he unknowingly steps into a tangled web of criminal activity.
At the center is Ken Baker, a small-time operator with big problems. Alongside a ragtag crew, Baker runs drugs, agitates local biker groups, and orchestrates a bizarre bear-poaching scheme tied to an underground bile trade for a Chinese crime outfit based in Pittsburgh. Shielded by a right-wing militia, a corrupt sheriff and judge, and a compromised game warden, the operation seems untouchable.
That is, until Jimmy and his friends (through a series of chance encounters and unintended interference) begin to unravel it all.
What follows is a fast-paced blend of backwoods intrigue, dark humor, and escalating tension, as loyalties are tested and the walls close in. With the DEA and Pennsylvania State Police circling, Baker's carefully constructed enterprise starts to collapse - often in ways no one sees coming.
Set against the rugged backdrop of the Pennsylvania Wilds, "Back in the Wilds: Mayhem in the Wilds of Pennsylvania" is a story of homecoming, unlikely alliances, and how ordinary people can upend even the most entrenched criminal schemes.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and fun read from start to finish, "Back in the Wilds: Mayhem in the Wilds of Pennsylvania" by Glen Maxwell Scott is an extraordinary and original novel that is wickedly funny, replete with unintended irony, and a deftly crafted, imaginative, and narrative driven storytelling style that keeps the reader fully engaged throughout. While this paperback edition of "Back in the Wilds" from Outskirts Press is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections, it should be noted for fans of original, humor laced, suspense thriller, odd-ball crime novels that "Back in the Wilds" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Glenn Maxwell Scott is a retired military officer whose lifelong passions for motorcycle restoration and fly fishing have shaped both his experiences and his storytelling. With decades spent riding backroads and casting lines across the country, he draws on a rich well of firsthand adventure to inform his work. Deeply connected to his native Pennsylvania, Glenn brings the rugged beauty, mystery, and distinctive local character of the Pennsylvania Wilds vividly to life. His writing blends authenticity with intrigue, offering readers a compelling sense of place and spirit.
Cats Don't Need Coffins
Dolores Hitchens, author
Otto Penzler, introduction
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613167458, $25.95, HC, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cats-Coffins-Rachel-Murdock-Mysteries/dp/1613167458
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cats-dont-need-coffins-dolores-hitchens/1147418882
Synopsis: When sisters Rachel and Jennifer Murdock receive a letter from Miriam Hamilton, the daughter of the man who, decades earlier, swindled their father, inviting them to her luxurious home and offering financial amends, the sisters accept and head off with their beloved cat, Samantha, in tow.
Shortly after they arrive, they meet their host -- or rather, her body. Miriam has been murdered in her bed, and two things become clear: their invitation came with strings attached, and around the many corners of Miriam's capacious home, strange things are afoot.
There is no shortage of possible motives for Miriam's murder, given her ruthless business practices and greedy nature. The appearance and subsequent disappearance of a bloodstained doll, which Miriam's two grown stepchildren from previous marriages seem to know more about than they want to let on, raises Rachel's suspicion, but the involvement of the local sheriff investigating the case is what ultimately throws Rachel for a loop.
No matter -- together with the reluctant Jennifer and curious kitty Samanatha, amateur sleuth Rachel is going to make sense of this befuddling case, even if things aren't what they seem.
Critique: Another time-lost treasure brought back into print for the benefit of a new generation of mystery fans, "Cats Don't Need Coffins" by Dolores Hitchens is a delightful Golden Age cozy mystery from a master of mid-century domestic suspense. It is the seventh novel in Hitchens' long-running Rachel Murdock series (originally published under the name D.B. Olsen), which can be read in any order. Of special note is the informative introduction by Otto Penzler about Dolores Hitchens and her contribution to the mystery genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that this hardcover edition of "Cats Don't Need Coffins" from American Mystery Classics is also readily available in paperback (9781613167465, $15.95).
Editorial Note #1: Dolores Hitchens (1907-1973) was a highly prolific mystery author who wrote under multiple pseudonyms and in a range of styles. A large number of her books were published under the D. B. Olsen moniker (under which her "Cat" series was originally published), but she is perhaps best remembered today for her later novel, Fool's Gold, published under her own name, which was adapted as Bande a part by Jean-Luc Godard.
Editorial Note #2: Otto Penzler, the creator of American Mystery Classics, is also the founder of the Mysterious Press (1975); Mysterious Press.com (2011), an electronic-book publishing company; and New York City's Mysterious Bookshop (1979). He has won a Raven, the Ellery Queen Award, two Edgars (for the Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection, 1977, and The Lineup, 2010), and lifetime achievement awards from Noircon and The Strand Magazine. He has edited more than 80 anthologies and written extensively about mystery fiction.
Murder on the Set
James Gilbert
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891329294, $17.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Set-Amanda-Pennyworth-Mystery/dp/B0G87FDWB6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-the-set-james-gilbert/1148977119
Synopsis: A famous movie company, glamorous actors, a distinguished director, and a celebrated screenwriter descend on Puerto Vallarta to shoot a romantic film. Amanda Pennyworth, the American Consul to that Mexican city, is asked to act as liaison with local officials and help out however she can. It's an exciting opportunity -- what could go wrong?
Almost immediately, an expat who volunteered as an extra on the film is brutally murdered. Then his wife is bludgeoned to death. The police are intimidated and baffled by the Hollywood crew, and Amanda is called upon to help find the killer.
But her own life is complicated: her assignment in this beautiful resort city is ending, and her next posting may be in a dangerous Middle Eastern zone. Everything is suddenly in turmoil. Amanda must catch the killer before he strikes again -- and decide what path her career and future will take. All of her ingenuity and daring may not be enough!
Critique: A cozy mystery with all the makings (an amateur female sleuth having to solve a dangerous 'whodunnit' murder mystery), "Murder on the Set" by author James Gilbert is an extraordinary entertaining read and a 'must' for the legions of cozy mystery fans. As a novelist, Gilbert has a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is required for creating and crafting an original and compelling suspense thriller of a read from start to finish. Memorable characters, original storyline, unexpected plot twists, all concluding with a satisfying reveal, "Murder on the Set" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Murder on the Set" from Atmosphere Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: James Gilbert has published eleven history texts, one of them, "Perfect Cities" was named a New York Times notable book of the year in 1986. While teaching American history was his profession, literature has always been his passion, and since retiring, he has written and published seven novels (three of them mysteries featuring the sleuth, Amanda Pennyworth) two books of short stories, and a legal thriller set in Chicago.
Killer Kayfabe
Randee Green
Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684923564, $18.95, PB, 276pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Killer-Kayfabe-Zoey-Wilde-Mystery/dp/1684923565
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killer-kayfabe-randee-green/1149743574
Synopsis: Zoey Wildes's former friend from high school, Chester Neidigh, has recently returned to Linville after a twelve-year hiatus and is working as an artist at 3 Count Tattoos.
The day after a heated confrontation with another former classmate, Chester fails to show up for work. Worried about Chester's already precarious mental state, Zoey goes by his place to check on him. She finds Chester lying in a pool of blood following a vicious assault.
Since she knew Chester years ago and currently worked with him daily, Zoey gets caught up in helping Detective Tyler Gates with the murder investigation. As she delves more into Chester's life, Zoey finds that his homecoming was not as closely guarded of a secret as she'd previously thought.
Several of their former classmates were aware that Chester was back. Because Chester knew some of their darkest secrets and wasn't above taunting them with the knowledge, they all had motive to kill him. The question is -- who was so desperate to protect their secrets that they were willing to kill?
Determined to uncover the truth, Zoey puts her own life on the line as she works to pin down Chester's killer for the three count.
Critique: As an author, Randee Green has a special talent for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for imaginative and original 'whodunnit' murder mysteries replete with unexpected plot twists and a riveting reveal. A fun and fascinating read for mystery buffs from start to finish, Green's second Zoey Wild Mystery book, "Killer Kayfabe", is particularly and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community/public library Mystery Suspense collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Killer Kayfabe" from Camel Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Randee Green (https://www.randeegreen.com) is the author of the Carrie Shatner Mystery series and the Zoey Wilde Mystery series. She has a Bachelor's degree in English literature, as well as an MA and an MFA in Creative Writing.
Lambs of Spring
Roger Lynn Howell
Coffeetown Press
c/o Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684923489, $17.95, PB, 246pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lambs-Spring-Reed-Roger-Howell/dp/1684923484
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lambs-of-spring-roger-lynn-howell/1149514307
Synopsis: Sheriff Ada Reed dredges up a car that has lain at the bottom of a reservoir for sixteen years. Inside she finds the remains of two young people, brutally murdered. High school classmates of hers, the boy is remembered as a bully and a thief, while the girl was his little shiksa, his cheap tart from a poor Christian family.
Ada and her friends try to unravel the final days of the 'Bonnie and Clyde' couple and identify their long-ago killer while reminded of half-buried regrets of their own. Ada's own life begins to unravel when she receives divorce papers from her husband, then a sudden reminder of past intimacy with Ben McGann.
But there was more to the young victims than popular accounts portray, and more than bones were dredged up with the car. Findings of local corruption, prejudice, and betrayal touch nearly everyone in town, bringing some to shame, some to tears, and someone, it seems, to murder.
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively original suspense thriller of a murder mystery, "The Lambs of Spring" by Roger Lynn Howell is an extraordinary and engaging read from start to finish. Author Roger Howell's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for the mystery genre and "The Lambs of Spring" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for dedicated mystery fans that this paperback edition of "The Lambs of Spring" from Coffeetown Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Roger Howell (https://rogerhowellbooks.com) started writing fiction about fifteen years ago. His novels are fixed in the mid-century, and his protagonists are all strong women of the west because they are who raised him and sustained him, and who continue to inspire him.
A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery
Kate Khavari
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892424394, $29.99, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Botanists-Tradition-Treachery-Saffron-Everleigh/dp/B0FQHGC8VM
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-botanists-guide-to-tradition-and-treachery-kate-khavari/1148401870
Synopsis: Saffron Everleigh is newly engaged and full of optimism as she sets off on the adventure of a lifetime for any scientist: a research expedition. She sails to newly formed nation of Turkey with her fiance, Alexander Ashton, and a bevy of fellow researchers under the watchful and reformed eye of Dr. Henry. With only two other women on board, Saffron soon finds she is right back in the same infuriatingly misogynist environment that marked the earliest days of her career. Only this time, Saffron is determined to show everyone, including Alexander, that she can handle the trials of an expedition.
And trials she has in spades. Before the expedition team has even arrived, Saffron has managed to find an enemy in historian Joseph Clark, who frequently torments the assistant that Saffron has taken under her wing, Martin Neill. But when Martin unexpectedly dies, Saffron is targeted as the main suspect.
Falling ruins, venomous snakes, and mysteriously blocked passages are the least of Saffron's worries. With unexpected help from a familiar face, Alexander and Saffron have to work fast to prove not only that Saffron is innocent but that they both have nothing to do with a larger conspiracy at play among the expedition crew.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and simply riveting read from cover to cover, "A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery" is especially recommended to the attention of dedicated mystery buffs that appreciate a murder mystery replete with many an unexpected plot twist ultimately leading to a 'great reveal' at the end. An exceptional historical suspense thriller of a novel, "A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery" is unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "A Botanist's Guide to Tradition and Treachery" from Crooked Lane Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Kate Khavari (https://www.kkhavari.com) is the author of fiction ranging from historical mysteries to high fantasy epics. She has her parents to thank for her fascination with historical mysteries, as she spent the majority of her childhood memorizing Sherlock Holmes's and Poirot's greatest quips.
Whose Body in the Library
Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892424370, $29.99, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Whose-Body-Library-Lighthouse-Mystery/dp/B0FQHPX56M
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whose-body-in-the-library-eva-gates/1148263556
Synopsis: While Lucy McNeil is enjoying her new job as the mother of twin boys and library director, new librarian Nichelle Gilchrest has just arrived at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, reporting for duty. But life throws a wrench on Nichelle's first day when she finds a body on the steps -- a body that bears a startling resemblance to her father, who disappeared on a fishing trip to the Outer Banks thirty-eight years ago.
Fingerprints confirm the dead body is indeed Nichelle's father, now living in Nags Head under the name Brian Saunders. Brian had been befriending older lonely women in exchange for money, but was he working alone?
Detective Rhonda Thomas is on the case, and the suspect list is only getting longer. Sorting through the wronged women and their relatives, Detective Thomas discovers Nichelle's own brother, Brad, had been in Nags Head a few days before the murder happened and has been lying about his whereabouts.
Hoping to clear her brother's name, Nichelle decides to investigate what happened. With seasoned sleuth Lucy's gentle encouragement for the amateur, Nichelle is in for an exciting and dangerous first week at the library.
Critique: The thirteenth titles in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series from Crooked Press, "Whose Body in the Library" once again demonstrates author Eva Gates complete mastery of the cozy mystery genre. Interesting characters populating an inherently fascinating plot, an amateur female sleuth caught up in a complicated murder mystery, "Whose Body in the Library" is an original and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that this hardcover edition of "Whose Body in the Library" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Eva Gates (https://cozy-mystery.com/Eva-Gates.html) is one of Canada's most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the United States. As Vicki Delany, she has written more than fifty books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is a past chair of the Crime Writers of Canada and cofounder and organizer of the Women Killing It Crime Writing Festival. She is also the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing. Vicki lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
The Mediator
Robert Bailey
www.robertbaileybooks.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662534133, $16.99, PB, 351pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mediator-Max-Ringo-Robert-Bailey/dp/1662534132
Synopsis: Max Ringo was once a courtroom star at an elite law firm. Then a car accident left her addicted to painkillers, and her life dissolved into shambles. Now fresh out of rehab and making a comeback as a mediator, she gets her shot at redemption when she is appointed to handle a high-stakes divorce.
But as Max begins negotiations between the two notorious power players, the trap is already sprung. The husband kidnaps her teenage son, Nathan, and gives her a chilling ultimatum: settle the case on his terms... or the boy dies.
Over three relentless days, Max must resolve a cutthroat legal battle while pursuing a covert mission to rescue Nathan. She'll risk everything, her career, her freedom, her life, to beat a ruthless adversary at his own game. Even when a shadowy syndicate enters the fray and bodies start to drop, only one thing matters. She must bring her son home, whatever the cost.
Critique: "The Mediator" by Robert Bailey is a deftly crafted, impressively original, emotionally engaging and intellectually fascinating suspense thriller of novel from start to finish. With cliff hanger plotting, "The Mediator" is a compulsive page-turner of a read and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Mediator" from Thomas Mercer is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Bailey (www.robertbaileybooks.com) is the author of The Boomerang as well as the Jason Rich series (Rich Justice, Rich Waters, and Rich Blood), the Bocephus Haynes series (The Wrong Side and Legacy of Lies), and the award-winning McMurtrie and Drake legal thriller series (The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor). He also wrote the inspirational novel The Golfer's Carol. The Mediator is his twelfth novel.
Storm Warnings
James Byrne
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250319814, $29.00, HC, 400pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Warning-Limerick-Thriller-Novel/dp/1250319811
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-warning-james-byrne/1147835643
Synopsis: Desmond Aloysius Limerick ('Dez' to all who know him) is a man with a shadowy past, certain hard-to-replicate skills, and a reputation as a good man to have when the going gets tough.
Dez is doing his best to enjoy his retirement, wandering the country, doing what interests him, and occasionally helping friends when they find themselves needing any of his particular skills -- mundane or extraordinary. For Dez was trained as a 'gatekeeper' -- someone who can open any door, keep it open, and control who does and does not go through.
It's those skills that are now in demand when the State Department comes calling looking for his help. A multinational scientific research facility on the coast of Newfoundland has gone dark, the facility on full lockdown, and no one can get in or out. No one knows what is going on, but it can't be good. And a close friend of Dez is presumed locked inside the facility along with everyone else.
Even getting to the facility is an insurmountable challenge. The weather has flights grounded, some shadowy group is doing everything they can to impede the rescue team's progress, and hidden enemies are embedded in the rescue team. But anyone who thinks this is more than one man can face has never met Dez Limerick!
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun and fascinating read for dedicated fans of deftly crafted suspense thrillers, "Storm Warning" by James Byrne is a saga that blends the elements of assassination, vigilante justice, surprising plot twists, and the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a truly memorable and unreservedly recommended read. While a highly recommended pick for community/public library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Storm Warning" from Minotaur Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: James Byrne is the pseudonym for an author who has worked for more than twenty years as a journalist and in politics. There is an online listing of books by him at Book Series in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/james-byrne
The Man Who Led a Dream Life
David Handler
The Mysterious Press
www.mysteriouspress.com
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
9781613167328, $17.95, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Life-Stewart-Hoag-Mysteries/dp/1613167326
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-man-who-led-a-dream-life-david-handler/1147407612
Synopsis: January 1983: Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag is getting married to the love of his life Merilee at New York City Hall. Hoagy's college chum, Ezra Spooner, stands up for him. Merilee's lovely cousin, Phoebe, stands up for her. And their young basset hound Lulu stands up for both of them. After they say "I do" and pop open the Dom Perignon, Phoebe somberly announces that she and her husband, the legendary adventurer and old money multi-millionaire Junior Singleton, are now officially divorced.
Junior leads what most men would consider a dream life. He has climbed Mount Everest twice, captained his yacht to an America's Cup victory, raced Formula One Ferraris in Europe, surfed the most dangerous Maui waves, and slept with as many women as he chose to despite being married to sweet and gentle Phoebe, who works as a music teacher and plays violin in a chamber music quartet. The pair could not be more different, and most of their friends predicted the marriage wouldn't last. They were right. Phoebe is done putting up with Junior's constant absence and compulsive philandering. She's not even asking for much of his fortune in the divorce -- just $1 million and their gorgeous townhouse in the East Sixties, which she intends to sell. In fact, she'd love to sell it to Hoagy and Merilee.
The newlyweds agree to tour the home and find that it's almost exactly what they're looking for: There's a fabulous gourmet kitchen, a paneled office where Hoagy can write, a garden where Lulu can romp, a luxurious master suite with his and hers dressing rooms. The only drawback (and it's a mighty big one) is that they find Junior dead on the floor of his dressing room with a rosewood handled Claude Dozorme steak knife plunged into his left eyeball.
Who would want to kill Junior Singleton? Plenty of people, as it turns out. Junior's autopsy reveals that he was HIV-positive, which means any of the women with whom he had unprotected sex have been exposed to the deadly AIDS virus -- including the hot-shot realtor Siena Bing who was supposed to be helping them sell the house.
And that's just the start of the suspect list. As the NYPD's top Homicide Lieutenant, Meyer Golden, pursues the case he finds it unfolding in several different directions, and Hoagy, who possesses not only amazing insights into the criminal mind but also a gifted short-legged partner, gets drawn deeper and deeper into the fascinating and utterly bizarre world of New York City's elite.
Critique: Once again the legions of David Handler fans are treated to a cozy murder mystery starring Stewart Hoag and his faithful basset hound Lulu in "The Man Who Led A Dream Life". Handler's imaginative and gifted character and narrative driven storytelling style is the foundation for his total master of the 'whodunnit' murder mystery genre. While highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of The Man Who Led A Dream Life" from The Mysterious Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: David Handler (https://davidhandlerbooks.com) is the Edgar Award-winning, critically acclaimed author of several bestselling mystery series. He began his career as a New York City reporter, and wrote his first two novels, Kiddo (1987) and Boss (1988), which were about his Los Angeles childhood. In 1988 he published "The Man Who Died Laughing", the first of his long-running series of mysteries starring ghostwriter Stuart Hoag and his faithful basset hound Lulu.
The Forty-Year Grudge
Liza Tully
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593816806, $30.00, HC, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Forty-Year-Grudge-Merritt-Blunt-Mystery/dp/0593816803
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forty-year-grudge-liza-tully/1148263578
Synopsis: It's been four decades since the women of Sigma Delta Tau were last together. The passing years, growing families, and maturing careers may have strained the bonds of sisterhood, but now a reunion at the Western ranch of one member offers an opportunity to renew acquaintances... and at least one long-standing grudge.
Still, this weekend is supposed to be a pleasant diversion for former sorority member and current private investigator Aubrey Merritt. She's come to New Mexico to reconnect with old friends and she's brought along her personal assistant, Olivia Blunt -- an aspiring detective who is learning more about packing bags on this trip than about solving crimes.
The shocking murder of a sorority sister changes everything. With the local police overmatched, all eyes turn to Merritt and Blunt to crack the case. With a surprising abundance of suspects, it's going to take both of them to cut through the knot of old hurts and current grievances to find the killer.
Critique: Original, cleverly scripted, populated with deftly crafted characters and an inherently engaging plot replete with unexpected twists and turns, "The Forty Year Grudge" is brought to an impressive level of storytelling excellence from start to finish by novelist Liza Tully. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Forty Year Grudge" from Berkley Books is also readily available for the personal reading lists of cozy mystery fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Liza Tully (https://www.lizatully.com) is a firm believer in reading escapist fiction that makes you laugh as well as think. She also writes suspense as Elisabeth Elo and literary fiction as Elisabeth Panttaja Brink. Her novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus; have been featured on NPR and People Magazine; and have been honored as an Indie Next Pick and a Book of the Month Club selection.
Shadows on Sidewalks
James Grady
Pegasus Crime
c/o Pegasus Books
www.pegasusbooks.com
9798897101238, $29.95, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sidewalks-Novel-James-Grady/dp/B0FWZXLSL9
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-on-sidewalks-james-grady/1148560756
Synopsis: James Traven returns home to his small Montana town in autumn 2024 to care for his mother after a devastating fall. He quickly finds himself trapped in a life-threatening web of lies and lust. With the clock ticking, Traven must save the savvy and beautiful Lana LaBuff from almost-certain murder. Complicating things is her monstrous husband and the fact that their only ally is Cody, the mysterious former Marine who runs the local gun shop and regularly ghosts on ordinary life.
Critique: Fresh and fast-paced, author James Grady's latest novel, "Shadows on Sidewalks" takes the reader on a riveting suspense thriller laced throughout with issues of old age, racism, anger, sorrow, lust, and love. The kind of novel that film war movies are made of, Grady's distinctive and genuine character and narrative driven storytelling style makes for a great compulsive page-turner of a read from start to finish. While highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Shadows on Sidewalks" from Pegasus Crime is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: James Grady's first novel Six Days Of The Condor became the classic Robert Redford movie Three Days Of The Condor and the current Max Irons TV series Condor. Grady has received Italy's Raymond Chandler Award, France's Grand Prix Du Roman Noir, Japan's Baka-Misu literature award, and been a Mystery Writers of America Edgar finalist. He's published more than a dozen novels including This Train, The Smoke in Our Eyes, and American Sky, all available from Pegasus Books. London's Daily Telegraph named Grady as one of the "50 crime writers to read before you die." There is an online listing of books by James Grady at Books Series in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/james-grady
The Red Queen
Martha Grimes
Atlantic Crime
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802164940, $28.00, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Queen-Martha-Grimes/dp/0802164943
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-red-queen-martha-grimes/1146316242
Synopsis: One calm night in Twickenham, a businessman named Tom Treadnor is shot off his barstool at The Queen pub. Superintendent Richard Jury is called in to investigate, and quickly realizes that everyone in Treadnor's life -- from his widow, Alice, to the staff at his manor, to his business partner had differing opinions of him.
And to complicate things further, Jury has just happened upon a photo in a newspaper of a man in the United States, who is a dead ringer for Treadnor.
Meanwhile, Wiggins, Jury's partner at New Scotland Yard, becomes sidetracked by an investigation of his own: His sister, missing for years and presumed dead, has just sent a postcard to their mother. When Wiggins takes off in search of his sister, the two investigations begin to converge.
Critique: A deftly crafted suspense thriller of a mystery novel, "The Red Queen" by author Martha Grimes will have immense appeal to fans of police procedurals and traditional detective stories that are populated with memorable characters and a plot laced with sudden and unexpected plot twists and turns. A fascinating and fun read from start to finish, "The Red Queen" is a solid and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Red Queen" from Atlantic Crime is also readily available in paperback (9780802167477, $17.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.24).
Editorial Note: Martha Grimes (www.marthagrimes.com) is the successful author of more than thirty books, twenty-five of them featuring Richard Jury. She was also the recipient of the 2012 Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award.
Murder by Design
Lee Goldberg
www.leegoldberg.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662533594, $28.99, HC, 239pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Design-Thriller-Edison-Bixby/dp/1662533594
Synopsis: Edison Bixby is wealthy, handsome, and, due to a traumatic brain injury, impulsively rude. He's also a brilliant insurance investigator who solves baffling crimes by figuring out how the design of the man-made world around us makes them possible.
Enter Wally Nash: a struggling actor hired to keep Bixby from offending everyone he meets.
Their first case together looks like a simple accident. Caroline Crowley took a nasty fall down a staircase at a shopping mall in front of dozens of witnesses. Video clearly shows the deadly misstep. But Bixby is certain she was murdered by design, subtly manipulated into causing her own demise. The mall itself made the crime intentional, if not inevitable.
Now Bixby must prove his outrageous theory before a very cunning killer gets others on his hit list to murder themselves, too.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from cover to cover, "Murder by Design" is an ideal pick for the legions of suspense thriller murder mystery fans. Author Lee Goldberg's imaginative and engaging storytelling style is ideal for the genre and certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for both personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Murder by Design" from Thomas & Mercer is also readily available in paperback (9781662533617, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: Lee Goldberg (www.leegoldberg.com) is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award finalist and the author of more than sixty novels, including the Eve Ronin series, the Ian Ludlow series, the Sharpe & Walker series, and five books (and two novellas) in the Fox and O'Hare series, which Lee coauthored with Janet Evanovich. He has also written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk, and is the cocreator of the Hallmark movie series Mystery 101.
The Shadow Step
Mark Billingham
Atlantic Crime
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802167354, $28.00, HC, 416pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Step-Detective-Miller-Novel/dp/0802167357
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shadow-step-mark-billingham/1148419948
Synopsis: In dancing, the Shadow Step is one taken simultaneously by a pair of dancers facing the same direction, one of them behind and slightly shifted leftwards ("in the shadow") A perfectly executed shadow step demonstrates synchronized elegance. It showcases a couple in near telepathic harmony with one another.
It does not normally end with someone stone-dead in a lake.
DS Declan Miller is a magnet for strange cases, but an innocent man confessing to the crime? That's a first. Things rapidly escalate when the murder that isn't really a murder attracts the unwanted attention of a drug Queenpin, a deranged ex-squaddie, and a lovesick gangland enforcer. And when a real murder follows (and a student is kidnapped) all evidence points back to the same innocent man.
Throw in a wobbly dog, a pair of ceramic leopards, and the distracting smell from a biscuit factory, and Miller's only option to save a young man's life is to waltz all the way into the shadows.
Critique: The third mystery novel in author Mark Billingham's Detective Miller series, "The Shadow Step" will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in 'whodunnit' murder mysteries, police procedurals, and international crime. Once again with "The Shadow Step" Billingham demonstrates an effective flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that keeps the reader fully engaged from start to finish. While an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Shadow Step" from Atlantic Crime is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.60).
Editorial Note: Mark Billingham (https://markbillingham.com) is a writer, former actor, television writer and stand-up comedian. his series of novels featuring D.I. Tom Thorne has twice won him the Crime Novel Of The Year Award as well as the Sherlock Award for Best British Detective and been nominated for seven CWA Daggers. His standalone thriller "In The Dark" was chosen as one of the twelve best books of the year by the Times and his debut novel, "Sleepyhead" was chosen by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 books that had shaped the decade. Each of his novels has been a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller.
Death at King's Cross
Rosanne Limoncelli
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892424967, $29.99, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Kings-Cross-Queens-Mystery/dp/B0FX86FDJB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-at-kings-cross-rosanne-limoncelli/1148573753
Synopsis: 1941, London. When DCI Lilian Wyles finds a young woman murdered at King's Cross Station, she needs the help of someone she can trust, but Richard Davidson, her former Scotland Yard partner, has joined MI5 and is busy tracking black market routes outside of London, so for now, she is on her own.
After having met the four queens of crime during a murder investigation two years earlier, DCI Wyles has kept in touch. But Agatha, Dorothy, Margery, and Ngaio are all involved in the war effort and have problems of their own.
Agatha is volunteering at the University Hospital Pharmacy, where a dangerous anesthetic has been stolen. Dorothy has heard unsettling information from her connections at the BBC regarding members of the Royal Navy. Margery, who has been in the countryside helping families escape the city from the bombing, is worried about one of her charges whose older sister has gone missing. And Ngaio, who has relocated to New Zealand and is volunteering as an ambulance driver, has begun gathering secret intelligence from wounded soldiers and sailors that may put her in danger.
When the four queens contact DCI Wyles for help, the information they share makes the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. DCI Wyles once again finds herself collaborating with her old partners in crime to solve the mystery and close the case in "Death at King's Cross", the thrilling sequel to author Rosanne Limoncelli's first mystery novel, "The Four Queens Of Crime".
Critique: Of special interest to fans of historical mysteries, police procedurals, and murder mysteries featuring women sleuths, "A Death at King's Cross" by Rosanne Limoncelli is a fascinating and fun read from cover to cover -- and will leave its reader's looking eagerly toward more stories featuring four iconic English mystery writers (Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorthy L. Sayers, Margary Allingham as characters in a splendidly crafted 'whodunnit' murder mystery.
Editorial Note: Rosanne Limoncelli (https://www.rosannelimoncelli.net) is a writer, filmmaker, and roller skater living in Brooklyn. Her short fiction has appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Suspense Magazine, and Noir Nation, and her short films have been screened in festivals around the world. Rosanne also writes plays, screenplays, poetry, games, mysteries, and science fiction and has taught writing and filmmaking for more than three decades at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
A Delicious Deception
Lucy Burdette
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892426251, $29.99, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Deception-West-Critic-Mystery/dp/B0FWBC8M37
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-delicious-deception-lucy-burdette/1149863043
Synopsis: When Sheriff's Deputy Darcy Rogers asks Hayley for a small favor, she can't say no. Nine months pregnant and temporarily benched from her food critic duties, Hayley's itching for a distraction and eager to help. All she has to do is tag along while a young woman picks up her daughter from her father at Monroe County's safe custody exchange location. Easy, right?
Wrong.
In the chaos of the Sheriff's Office open house, the mother disappears. Then the father bolts, leaving Hayley with a terrified girl and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Hayley and Deputy Rogers head north up the Keys to search for answers.
When a body turns up, Hayley realizes this isn't just a missing-persons case -- it's a race against time. With the little girl's safety at risk, Hayley must trust her instincts (and her heart) to uncover the truth.
Critique: A cozy mystery fan's delight, "A Delicious Deception" is author Lucy Burdette's 'A Key West Food Critics Mystery' series -- and this time the amateur female sleuth is pregnant and with a little girl to protect. Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from cover to cover, "A Delicious Deception" will prove a prized addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that this hardcover edition of "A Delicious Deception" from Crooked Lane Books is also readily available in paperback (9798892429092, $19.99) and in digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Lucy Burdette (https://lucyburdette.com) is a clinical psychologist and the author of the Key West Food Critic mystery series. A Clue in the Crumbs won the gold medal for popular fiction from the Florida Book Awards in 2023. Both A Dish to Die For and The Key Lime Crime took home the bronze. Her books and stories have also been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. She is also a past president of Sisters in Crime and the Friends of the Key West Library.
The Masala Chai Mystery Club
MJ Soni
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892426084, $29.99, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Masala-Chai-Mystery-Club/dp/B0FX81W3KJ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-masala-chai-mystery-club-mj-soni/1148497252
Synopsis: Retired librarian Neeti Shah was hoping for a restful life with her chai-loving friends, but when the body of a neighbor, a childhood friend of Neeti's, turns up dead and the killer's MO is similar to that of Neeti's most recent book club read, things start to get out of control.
When Neeti hears a commotion at a neighbor's house, she finds Rohit's body sprawled across the bottom of the staircase with Agatha Christie's Dumb Witness nearby. Blackmailing his neighbors, threatening them with lawsuits, and calling them by nasty nicknames were only some of the hateful things that made him so disliked. But were they angry enough to kill?
Neeti is indebted to her old friend, and she's determined to find his killer. But she can't do it alone, so she enlists her mystery-loving friends, the Masala Chai Mystery Club, to get to the bottom of the murder.
But Neeti and her club members need to be careful. As more bodies turn up and more suspects start to appear, they'll need to find the killer before they end up in hot water!
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and fun read from start to finish, "The Masala Chai Mystery Club" by MJ Soni is an ideal selection for the personal reading lists of readers with an interest in the cozy mystery genre, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Masala Chai Mystery Club" from Crooked Lane Books is also readily available in paperback (9798892426091, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: MJ Soni (https://mjsoniauthor.com) is the author of a number of short stories that have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Akashic Books, and Masthead: Best New England Crime Stories. She has also penned her memoir, Defying Apartheid, which captures her experiences as a young activist in South Africa, after a writing class at her local community center. She is a recipient of the Leon B. Burstein/MWA-NY Scholarship and a runner-up to the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, a Pitch Wars mentee and mentor, and a member of Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime National, and Sisters in Crime - CT.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
The Weight of Dreams: An Ancient Saga of Myth and Magic
Nicole Sorrell
https://nicolesorrell.com
MindStir Media
https://mindstirmedia.com
9781968485375, $23.99 pbk / $2.99 Kindle / $24.95 audiobook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Weight-Dreams-Ancient-Saga-Magic/dp/1968485376
Synopsis: In a time lost to memory, Etana is born with the Sight and a rare gift whispered through her bloodline: she can speak with elephants. When her father promises her in marriage to an older man, Etana chooses the unthinkable - she flees. Escaping the ritual that broke her sister, she slips into the wilderness under the watchful eyes of the Beastgod.
Alone but guided by ancestral spirits and a bond with a mysterious elephant, Etana journeys into the realm of myth. A powerful ruler summons her to tame a ferocious elephant meant for war. But to claim her future, she must master more than beasts - she must face enemies, survive betrayal, and confront a court that thrives on secrets and blood.
As kingdoms clash and gods murmur in dreams, Etana rises from fugitive to warrioress, from outcast to commander. In a world where loyalty is eternal and power demands sacrifice, who will she become when everything she loves is threatened?
Told through the rhythms of oral tradition and infused with magic, myth, and cultural memory, this is a luminous tale of spiritual resilience, feminine power, and the living bond between human and nature.
Readers of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The Famished Road by Ben Okri, or Babylonia by Costanza Casati will be enchanted by the magical realism and lyricism of The Weight of Dreams. Because the past still speaks - and sometimes, it sings.
The Weight of Dreams has been shortlisted for the Eric Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize; earned Honorable Mention for Historical Fiction, the Eric Hoffer Book Award; and earned Silver Winner, IBPA Book Award.
Critique: An epic prehistorical fantasy inspired by African oral storytelling traditions and mythology, The Weight of Dreams is a rapturous adventure about a strong-willed woman's quest to find her place amid a chaotic and dangerous world of warring kingdoms. Her extraordinary bond with nature, ancestral spirits, and a mysterious elephant lend her power, which is in turn coveted by a powerful ruler. Her perilous journey from fugitive and outcast to warrior and commander leads her to a fateful crossroads, in this "magical realism" saga highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that The Weight of Dreams is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99) and as a digital audiobook ($24.95, or free with an Audible subscription).
Portraits of Decay
J. R. Blanes
Ruadan Books
https://ruadanbooks.com
9798991258760, $16.99, PB, 388pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Portraits-Decay-J-R-Blanes/dp/B0FJS3SK51
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/portraits-of-decay-j-blanes/1147900603
Synopsis: Up-and-coming young artist Jefferson Fontenot has everything going for him: The hot New Orleans art scene has noticed him, and he's finally found his true love, Nevaeh Parker. But Fontenot's bright future hides a darkness known as Gemma Landry -- the artist's lover and art scene influencer.
Gemma believes Jefferson's talent holds the key to her seizing control of the popular Carondelet Street Gallery. But when Gemma discovers Jefferson's infidelity, she enslaves the artist with a poison she acquired from swamp-dwelling witch Mirlande St. Pierre.
Now trapped in a rotting body and plagued by hellish visions, Jefferson finds himself reduced to a zombie-like servant for his unhinged ex, while Nevaeh is forced to embrace her past, hoping to save the man she loves. As the dark curse courses through Jefferson's veins, everyone involved soon discovers (in the most brutal of fashions) the terror that awaits when you cross Gemma Landry.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and the kind of novel one reads with the lights on, "Portraits of Decay" by J. R. Blanes will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in Supernatural/Psychological Horror Fantasy. An inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Portraits of Decay" is all the more impressive when considering that it is J. R. Blanes debut as a novelist, his genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for the horror fantasy genre. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Fantasy Fiction/Horror collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Portraits of Decay" from Ruadan Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: J.R. Blanes (https://jrblanes.com) is the author of short fiction which has been published in several anthologies, magazines, and podcasts such as Winter in the City, Tales to Terrify, The NoSleep Podcast, Thirteen, and Creepy, among others.
A New Witch in the Northwoods
Elise Posledni
https://www.epwrites.com
Ten16 Press
9781645386667, $16.99, PB, 380pp
Publishing Release Date: September 22, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/New-Witch-Northwoods-Elise-Posledni/dp/164538666X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-new-witch-in-the-northwoods-elise-posledni/1149731702
Synopsis: When Mary Matherson moved into her late grandfather's house in a small town located in northern Wisconsin, she was prepared to deal with the prying locals while digging for clues about her grandfather's curious death. What she was not prepared for was the veil between the supernatural plane practically in her backyard.
It turns out, Mary is a witch. Her new boyfriend is a demon. The Other world is hard to resist and Mary wants to learn the magic her grandfather kept secret from her. Instead of nosy neighbors and coffee shop gossip, Mary must deal with supernatural politics and a threat that has hunted her family's magic for generations.
Small town life in the Wisconsin Northwoords is not like anything Mary expected.
Critique: An original and fun read from cover to cover, "A New Witch in the Northwoods" by novelist Elise Posledni will be especially appealing to readers with an interest in contemporary romance deftly blended with fantasy and the supernatural. With Posledni's impressive and consistent character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for a deftly crafted 'romantacy', "A New Witch in the Northwoods" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "A New Witch in the Northwoods" from Ten16 Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Elise Posledni (https://www.epwrites.com) is currently a bookkeeper by day and writer by weekend and very early mornings. She has short stories featured in the Creative Wisconsin Magazine and A Wisconsin Harvest of Horror anthology. "A New Witch in the Northwoods" is Elise's debut novel. Having lived in Wisconsin for most of her life, she enjoys incorporating the lifestyles of the small towns and truly spectacular natural areas into her writing.
Fast Food Heroes
Krk Patterson
Double Negative Publishing
https://www.doublenegativepublishing.com
9781959147169, $14.95, PB, 383pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fast-Food-Heroes-Krk-Patterson/dp/1959147161
Synopsis: What if superheroes also got superhero fatigue?
A ring of garbage orbits the Earth. But that's normal. Is it good, is it bad? Who knows. Don't look too long. Like time, judgement continues to pass. In an apathetic, cynical world, who can be a hero? Without hope, should we settle for the absence of boredom?
Mr. Hugues' adopted children encounter many questions but like the rest of us, grow up without answers. Super powers, access to government secrets and the ability to travel through dimensions just serve to split their path. A maze filled with hostile aliens, killer robots, nuclear Armageddon and vengeful corpses come to life to widen the epic scope of author Krk Patterson's "Fast Food Heroes".
Critique: "Fast Food Heroes" by Krk Patterson is a unique, action/adventure novel that deftly blends a new take on 'superheroes' in a dystopian science fiction story that is richly imaginative, exceptionally well written, and a compulsive page-turner of a read from cover to cover. An original, "Fast Food Heroes" will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While highly recommended as an addition to community library Science Fiction/Dystopian Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Fast Food Heroes" from Double Negative Publishing in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Krk Patterson was born in 1975, in Southeastern Wisconsin. He lived there until 1998 when he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. While in the Twin Cities, he worked as a coop president, childcare worker at a children's shelter, and a computer consultant at the University of Minnesota where he earned his degree in English. After earning his degree in 2003, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he currently resides, writing novels and working in accounting. He has a blog at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31376843.Krk_Patterson/blog
Cuckoo-spit and the Froghoppers
Krk Patterson
Double Negative Publishing
https://www.doublenegativepublishing.com
9781959147091, $14.95, PB, 286pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cuckoo-spit-Froghoppers-I-III-Krk-Patterson/dp/1959147099
Synopsis: Traeih, a planet terraformed eons ago, now hosts two distinctly different species of humans. The jovial, subterranean livelihood of the Perigiens contrasts a cultural extreme to the sanatorium obsessed Apogiens, who reside above ground.
Centuries of technological differences defined inside and outside the human body, stretch the species further apart. At stake in "Cuckoo-spit and the Froghoppers" are the connections we hold to humanity, individuality and love.
Carrie-Anne, a young Apogien woman, escapes authorities and is subsequently kidnapped by the Froghoppers, a secret fringe group of Perigiens. On Perigiee, separated from home, she is thrust between worlds. Renamed and swifted away, her disappearance spurs political upheaval and upsets the balance of power in a way not seen on Apogee for several millennia.
Literally defying gravity, the Froghoppers introduce their new inductee to a mind-bending tour of perception to change her thinking forever.
Critique: With the publication of "Cuckoo-spit and the Froghoppers: Act I-III", author Krk Patterson demonstrates his storytelling skills as he creates an original, deftly crafted, fun and fascinating novel that will hold a very special appeal for fans of Cyberpunk/Genetic Engineering themed science fiction. Erudite, imaginative and memorable, "Cuckoo-spit and the Froghoppers: Act I-III" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community and college/university library Science Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Cuckoo-spit and the Froghoppers: Act I-III" from Double Negative Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Krk Patterson was born in 1975, in Southeastern Wisconsin. He lived there until 1998 when he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. While in the Twin Cities, he worked as a coop president, childcare worker at a children's shelter, and a computer consultant at the University of Minnesota where he earned his degree in English. After earning his degree in 2003, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he currently resides, writing novels and working in accounting. He has a blog at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31376843.Krk_Patterson/blog
Demiurge
Krk Patterson
Double Negative Publishing
https://www.doublenegativepublishing.com
9781959147015, $14.95, PB, 428pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Demiurge-Krk-Patterson/dp/1959147013
Synopsis: When Haot-fote brings home a lost artifact with the power to grant immortality, his city faces destruction by a siege of marauders. Forced to protect the mysterious relic, Haot-fote must escape and leave behind a militaristic brother and ailing grandmother. Disconnected from familiar land, joined by a possessed assassin, he begins to unravel a world wounded by a millennium of corruption. Along the way, they find where immortality is introduced, destruction follows.
"Demiurge" by Krk Patterson is a deftly crafted fantasy novel about corrupted pacifists and noble cannibals join each other in the crossing -- a place with metal and magic but set apart, where redemption and hardship are never what they seem, where the true challenges lay in what we can and cannot accept. Spanning generations, multiple dimensions and the transcendence between life and death, Demiurge erupts to a world of contrasts.
Critique: Original, exceptional, fascinating, "Demiurge" by Krk Patterson is an authentically extraordinary and inherently fun read for dedicated action/adventure fantasy fans from start to finish. Patterson natural flair for the kind of imaginative storytelling is on full display as "Demiurge" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Demiurge" from Double Negative Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Krk Patterson was born in 1975, in Southeastern Wisconsin. He lived there until 1998 when he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. While in the Twin Cities, he worked as a coop president, childcare worker at a children's shelter, and a computer consultant at the University of Minnesota where he earned his degree in English. After earning his degree in 2003, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he currently resides, writing novels and working in accounting. He has an online blog at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31376843.Krk_Patterson/blog
Beneath the Crescent Shadow
Stephanie Cotta
https://sdaniellacotta.com
Bloom & Nectar Books
c/o Monarch Educational Services
https://monarcheducationalservices.com/bloom-nectar-books
9781971855042, $27.99, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Crescent-Shadow-Stephanie-Cotta/dp/1971855049
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beneath-the-crescent-shadow-stephanie-cotta/1149956141
Synopsis: In the jungle village of Karahvel, every life is bound by a sacred weave of fate. Naja, a fierce young warrior, has fought to carve her own path -- until a shipwreck under a blood moon brings her an omen. Naja dives into the sea and rescues a mysterious albino woman who is with child.
Rowan is born, but his ashen skin bears the cursed mark of the red crescent -- a harbinger of ruin.
As tragedy begins to shadow his every step, the village shaman demands his life's weave be severed before his curse dooms everyone. Faced with an impossible choice, Naja must decide: surrender Rowan to death, or sacrifice her life's weave to protect him.
"Beneath the Crescent Shadow" is a story of sacrificial love, devastating loss, and the razor-thin line between fate and choice.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, imaginative, and a fun read from start to finish, "Beneath the Crescent Shadow" showcases author Stepanie Cotta's impressive gift for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style reveals a true mastery of the heroic fantasy genre. Exceptional, compelling, and a genuine treat for dedicated Epic Fantasy fans, "Beneath the Crescent Shadow" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community/public library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Beneath the Crescent Shadow" from Bloom & Nectar Books is also readily available in paperback ($18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Stephanie Cotta (https://sdaniellacotta.com) writes epic fantasy and is the author of the young adult fantasy novels The Conjurer's Curse and The Wraiths of Arjun. An editor, proofreader, and illustrator, Stephanie's world revolves around books and storytelling. Her love for Sci-Fi/Fantasy began after discovering Star Wars and Narnia at a young age. She loves crafting stories of hope amid impossible odds and creating realistic characters who inspire readers to discover their inner strength. Stephanie co-hosts the fantasy-centered podcast The Ink Mages, where she shares writing tips and interviews fellow fantasy authors. As an illustrator, she has published one picture book, The Mountain of Gold.
Metanoia Cave
Ken Adams
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977282477, $44.95, HC, 412pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Metanoia-Cave-Ken-Adams/dp/1977282474
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/metanoia-cave-ken-adams/1148085018
Synopsis: What happens when solving one mystery creates another?
Disillusioned with the rat race of modern life and the state of society in general, 42-year-old Devin Allen trades in most of his worldly possessions for a simple life in Belize. But then his world is forever and further changed when an eccentric billionaire buys an old treasure map at an estate sale, unwittingly setting off a life-altering chain of events for a group of scientists and explorers.
"Metanoia Cave" is a thrilling suspenseful science fiction novel by Ken Adams that spans the globe, from the heartland of the USA to Belize to one of the most remote places on the planet. A deep dive into the heart of the ocean as well as human psychology, this adventurous tale explores the personal transformations of researchers unraveling a mystery as well as the far-reaching ramifications of split-second decisions made outside the parameters of society.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a fun read from start to finish, with the publication of "Metanioa Cave" author Ken Adams demonstrates a genuine flair for the kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideally suited to science fiction themed adventure and engages the full attention of the reader from beginning to end. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated SciFi & Technothriller fans that this hardcover edition of "Metanoia Cave" from Outskirts Press is also readily available in paperback (9781977282217, $28.98) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ken Adams hails from Queens, New York. He is a big fan of the New York Knicks and loves backpacking across eastern Europe.
It Came From Neverland
Cynthia Pelayo
Crooked Lane Books
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9798892424448, $29.99, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Came-Neverland-Novel-Cynthia-Pelayo/dp/B0FQHSWMQN
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/it-came-from-neverland-cynthia-pelayo/1148263550
Synopsis: 1914, Wendy Darling works by day as a school teacher, and by night, she assists soldiers who have returned home from the Western Front. There is one mysterious patient who, despite all the care they've given him, is in a deep sleep, unable to wake up. One night, when he murmurs the words "Peter Pan," Wendy is thrown back to a darker time, one that she wishes she could forget.
When one of her students goes missing, it brings back memories of when children went missing and were later found murdered in London many years ago. Wendy is convinced that Peter Pan, the entity that she believes killed those children, is back. She and her brothers had a close encounter with Peter Pan, after all. But her brothers only remember Peter Pan and Neverland as a fantasy of childhood games.
When another child goes missing and signs start to point to Wendy, Scotland Yard digs into old reports, finding that Wendy knew the names of all the children who had been killed. As Wendy tries to prove her innocence, she also has to find a way to stop Peter Pan once and for all.
Critique: Original, exceptional, riveting, "It Came From Neverland" by author Cynthia Pelayo will be of particular appeal to readers with an interest in vampire themed novels of suspense, mystery, and a deftly crafted re-working of the Peter Pan fantasy. While a unique and recommended addition to community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "It Came From Neverland" from Crooked Lane Books is also readily available in paperback (9798892424455, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Cynthia Pelayo (https://www.cynthiapelayo.com) is a Bram Stoker Award winning author and poet. Her works include Children of Chicago, The Shoemaker's Magician, Loter¡a, Forgotten Sisters, Vanishing Daughters, the poetry collections Crime Scene and Into the Forest and All the Way Through, and more. She holds a master of fine arts in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is currently pursuing a PhD in English.
The Monster Hunter Files V. 2
Larry Correia and Jason Cordova, editors
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781668073179, $28.99 HC, $9.99 Kindle, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Hunter-Files-2-ebook/dp/B0GF3BNXD9
The Monster Hunter Files V. 2 gathers original stories based on Larry Correia's Monster Hunter premise, which involves the Monster Hunter International group keeping the world safe from supernatural threats. This gathering of stories from the "archives" of the group's exploits focuses on mythological good-versus-evil battles between forces, uncommon heroes, and confrontations that are not in other Monster Hunter stories. From missing baby vampires to undercover operations gone awry, The Monster Hunter Files V. 2 is a powerful collection of adventures that will delight newcomers to the premise and prior Correia fans alike.
The Poetry Shelf
Orange
Noel Quinones, poet
Julian Randall, foreword
CavanKerry Press
https://cavankerrypress.org
c/o University of Chicago Press
www.press.uchicago.edu
9781960327208, $21.00, PB, 104pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Noel-Qui%C3%B1ones/dp/1960327208
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/orange-noel-quinones/1148345179
Synopsis: Through narrative poems and innovative forms inspired by color theory and elementary school, with the publication of "Orange", poet, writer, educator and public speaker Noel Quinones explores the ripple effects of queerness, lies, and finding yourself in a family.
Published by CavanKerry Press, "Oranges" is visceral new collection of intimate verse that expands the scope and idea of "family" well beyond the nuclear unit. The poems of Noel Quinones center relationships between friends, cousins, partners, and many other family members.
Painting a vivid and fraught portrait of the North Bronx, Quinones also unflinchingly confronts the contradictions at the heart of love, divorce, gender, religion, and community, unpacking the complexities of coming out, divorced parents, and generational trauma.
The poems comprising "Orange" collectively and ultimately argues that truth resembles color: something real, yet elusive, and impossible to prove.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, with most poems in verse and an impressive few visually enhanced in structure and presentation, "Orange" is an impressive compendium showcasing the skilled imagination and poetry effective communication skills of Noel Quinones whose word smithing skills raises her work to an impressive level of literary excellence. This trade paperback (7.25 x 0.4 x 9.5 inches) edition of "Orange" from the CavanKerry Press is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American/Hispanic/LGBTQ+ Poetry collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Noel Quinones (https://noelpquinones.com) is an Emmy award-winning Nuyorican writer, educator, and speaker from the Bronx. Their work has been published in POETRY, the Boston Review, Poem-a-Day, and Michigan Quarterly Review. They have also received fellowships from Tin House, CantoMundo, Vermont Studio Center, and the Poetry Foundation. They currently live in Chicago and teach with the Chicago Poetry Center.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Manga Classics: King Lear - Full Original Text Edition
Written by William Shakespeare
Adapted by Crystal S. Chan
Illustrated by Julien Choy
Manga Classics Inc.
https://www.mangaclassics.com
9781947808317 $24.99 hc / $19.99 pbk
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Manga-Classics-Diamond-Comic-Distributors/dp/1947808311
Synopsis: "I love your Majesty according to my bond; no more nor less."
The aging King Lear of Britain has decided to abdicate his throne and divide his realm among his three beloved daughters. The largest share shall go to the one who loves him best - unfortunately, Lear mistakes empty, overblown flattery for true devotion. His error plunges the realm into war and drives Lear to rain-drenched madness.
Manga Classics is proud to bring you an unabridged manga adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved tragedy, considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written!
Critique: Manga Classics: King Lear - Full Original Text Edition is a black-and-white, manga-style graphic novel adaptation of one Shakespeare's best-known and greatest tragedies. Set in pre-Roman Britain, the story opens with the aging King Lear preparing to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, two of which are married. But the king craves flattery; when his unmarried daughter Cordelia refuses to ply him with false expressions of devotion, pointing out that half her love and loyalty must necessarily belong to her future husband, the king disinherits her in a mad rage. This foolish act sets the stage for an unfolding tragedy of greed, betrayal, murder, and war.
The Full Original Text Edition of Manga Classics: King Lear pairs the original dialogue of Shakespeare's play - resonant, lyrical, yet potentially difficult for modern English students to follow - with gorgeous artwork vividly illustrating the character's expressions and actions; even the metaphors are often given visual interpretations. The result is a brand new way for readers of all backgrounds to better understand, appreciate, and study Shakespeare's classic work. A character guide and a brief postscript describing the adaptation process round out this "must-have" for Shakespeare fans! Manga Classics: King Lear is worthy of the highest recommendation for school, public, and college library collections as well as personal reading lists. Manga Classics: King Lear is recommended for readers ages 13+ due to violence and a certain degree of required reading comprehension.
Heaven
Katie Skelly
www.katieskellycomics.com
Fantagraphics
www.fantagraphics.com
9798875002243, $19.99, HC, 100pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Katie-Skelly/dp/B0FWHR5Q9H
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heaven-katie-skelly/1148540919
Synopsis: Out past the edge of town, there exists a strip club called Heaven that only some can find. Some say it's a mirage. Others say you can't miss the giant neon heels lighting up the desert night skies.
Dolly can't find a place to belong. After losing her identity as a gymnast and navigating family turbulence, she's adrift from school and friends. When a mysterious presence beckons her to Heaven, she wonders if she may just have found her place -- but just what does it want in return?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a fascinating read from cover to cover, "Heaven" is a graphic novel by author/illustrator Katie Skelly and is a supernatural themed story about quintessential cool girl characters who let their guards down and let the world in. With full-color illustrations throughout, "Heaven" will prove a welcome addition to personal, community, and college/university library graphic novel collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Heaven" from Fantagraphics is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Katie Skelly (www.katieskellycomics.com) is a Los Angeles-based cartoonist whose books include My Pretty Vampire (2017), Maids?(2020), and The Agency (2023). She is the former co-host of the comics podcast Thick Lines, editor of the Viscere horror comics anthology series, and creator of the Bad Girl Tarot and Oracle decks. She holds a B.A. in Art History from Syracuse University and was awarded the Emerging Artist Prize at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus in 2015.
Spectors Vol.1
Shannon Eric Denton, author
David Hartman, illustrator
Titan Comics
https://titan-comics.com
9781787745377, $17.99, PB, 112pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spectors-Vol-1-Shannon-Eric-Denton/dp/1787745376
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spectors-vol1-shannon-eric-denton/1148039836
Synopsis: From the award-winning team of graphic novel authors and illustrators Shannon Eric Denton and David Hartman comes "Spectors", a rip-roaring supernatural, action-adventure rife with terrifying monsters, sinister cults, and a team of oddballs out to save the world.
Armed with a mystical knife and a prosthetic multi-tool-gatling-gun, Reginald and Debby are the only people stopping evil cults from breaking the barrier between realities.
However, when they find a lab full of human test subjects, they realize the cults' experiments date back to the 1930s and that Reginald's own father was involved.
Jumping between the 1930s and the modern day, a trio of supernatural investigators band together to stop a cult from resurrecting ancient evils, "Spectors" - a chilling and inherently fascination story of a decades-long mission that spans generations of monster hunters as they combat the bumps in the night. If you're a fan of supernatural period pieces and cult conspiracies, this is the book for you!
Critique: Original, exceptional, brilliantly illustrated, and compelling, "Spectors" is a fun and fascinating read from cover to cover. While of special and particular appeal to fans of paranormal fantasy themed graphic novels, this paperback comic book style edition of "Spectors" from Titan Comics is also readily available for personal reading lists in
Editorial Note #1: Shannon Eric Denton (https://shannondenton.com) is an award-winning storyteller, director, artist, and writer who has worked on numerous projects for many notable companies such as Marvel Entertainment, Cartoon Network, Image Comics and many others. He currently runs Monster Forge Productions.
Editorial Note #3: David Hartman (www.sideshowmonkey.com) is a prolific producer, illustrator and director on shows like Transformers and the film Phantasm Ravager. He is a Spectrum Award-winning artist, and his artwork adorns numerous comic books, music albums, games, and magazines. He is a frequent artistic collaborator with Rob Zombie and has his own line of horror masks with Trick-Or-Treat Studios.
Dickie Does America
Pieter De Poortere
www.pieterdepoortere.com
Flare Books
https://www.catalystpress.org/blank-6-1
9781963511123, $24.95, PB, 220pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dickie-Does-America/dp/1963511123
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dickie-does-america-pieter-de-poortere/1146201271
Synopsis: Imagine Charlie Brown dropping out of highschool, moving to Belgium, and developing a bit of a drinking problem. Meet Dickie, a Belgian yokel with good intentions but dubious critical thinking skills, navigating a modern world with inadequate emotional intelligence. Like the football yanked out from under Charlie, he always ends up on the wrong side of every situation.
"Dickie Does America" by author/illustrated Pieter De Poortere is satirical graphic novel that skewers modern society, shining an uncomfortable light into the dark recesses of our civilization, where our individual, well-meaning choices conflict with our culture's values and morals. It's the dark humor of The Far Side and the social/political satire of The Simpsons, a sophisticated humor wrapped in disarmingly simple illustrations with unending tragic consequences for our favorite antihero.
"Dickie Does America" will cause you to laugh out loud while simultaneously blushing -- hoping no one will ask you to explain what is so funny.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, iconoclastic, and laugh-out-loud funny from cover to cover, "Dickie Does America" is a unique, one-of-a-kind, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library graphic novel collections for readers with a a ribald sense of humor.
Editorial Note: Pieter De Poortere (www.pieterdepoortere.com) is the award winning illustrator and author of the Dickie comics. He was born and lives in Ghent, Belgium and is a Dutch speaking European. He has written and directed a cartoon series on Adult Swim and his work has been published in magazines, newspapers and books.
The Audiobook Shelf
Robin Hood and the Heretic Prince
Angus Donald, author
Mike Rogers, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750556286, $116.95 / $99.41, CD, (10 Hours 10 Minutes)
9780750556293, $116.95 / $99.41, MP3-CD, (10 Hours 10 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/robin%20hood%20and%20the%20heretic%20prince
Synopsis: AD 1209: When a robbery in Sherwood goes wrong, Robin Hood, Sir Alan Dale and a handful of their outlaw friends are forced to flee their homes to escape the wrath of a vengeful King John and his iron-hearted Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
After travelling to the Languedoc, a land of good food, fine wine, elegant love poetry and religious tolerance, the Sherwood men find themselves caught up in a blood-soaked crusade launched by Pope Innocent III. Robin Hood and his band become mercenaries in the employ of the Count of Toulouse, tasked with protecting his people, whom the Pope has condemned to death as Cathar heretics.
At the Castle of Beziers, besieged by an army of fanatical Catholic crusaders, the Sherwood heroes vow to hold its walls against these northern French knights until the Heavens fall. But one member of their company has other ideas!
Critique: A part of author Angus Donald's 'Outlaw Chronicles' series of medieval adventures, this complete and unabridged audio book edition of "Robin Hood and the Heretic Prince" from Ulverscroft Audio is capably and deftly brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience by the narrative talents of Mike Rogers. A brilliant and entertaining contribution to the growing library of Robin Hood myths, legends and stories, "Robin Hood and the Heretic Prince" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community/public library historical action/adventure themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note: Angus Donald (https://angusdonaldbooks.com) is the author of the Outlaw Chronicles, a series of twelve novels set in the 12th/13th centuries and featuring a gangster-ish Robin Hood and his loyal lieutenant Sir Alan Dale. Angus has also written the Holcroft Blood trilogy about a mildly autistic 17th-century artillery officer, son of notorious Crown Jewel thief Colonel Thomas Blood, and the five-book Viking Fire Born series, which kicks off with The Last Berserker. His latest novel, Templar Traitor, is the first in the Mongol Knight trilogy published by Canelo Adventure and based on the extraordinary true story of an Englishman who fought for Genghis Khan. He is always happy to chat to readers on Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
Operation Berlin
Michael Ridpath
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807030025, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (9 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781807030032, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (9 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781807030100, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/operation%20berlin
Synopsis: Berlin, 1930. -- Historian Archie Laverick, scarred mentally and physically by the Great War, travels to Berlin to research a famed Prussian general. His quiet study is shattered when he crosses paths with Esme Carmichael, a spirited young American intent on making her name as a foreign correspondent.
When a shooting at a Saxon castle leaves a young Jewish woman accused of murder, Archie and Esme are drawn into a perilous hunt for the truth.
Their investigation cuts through the glittering facades and lingering scars of a nation still reeling from war -- where resentment simmers, political alliances shift, and the first shadows of a new conflict fall across Europe.
Amid whispers of blackmail and betrayal, the pair must navigate intrigue and danger to unmask a killer hiding in plain sight.
Critique: A riveting and deftly crafted novel by Michael Ridpath, "Operation Berlin" is now available as a complete and unabridged audio book that is brought to life in a very special 'theatre of the mind' experience by the narrative storytelling talents of Simon Mattacks. Of special appeal to fans of 20th Century historical suspense thrillers, "Operation Berlin" is very highly recommended for both personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Michael Ridpath is the author of over 20 crime novels and thrillers which are listing online at Book Series in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/michael-ridpath
Editorial Note #2: There is an extensive online listing of books narrated by Simon Mattacks at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16142312.Simon_Mattacks
A Midsummer Murder
Kate Wells, author
Helen Keeley, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836781509, $116.95 / $99.41, CD (8 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781836781516, $116.95 / $99.41, MP3-CD (8 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781836781561, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/a%20midsummer%20murder
Synopsis: Jude Gray is delighted to hear that her friend Kerry is setting up a wellness retreat with her new boyfriend. If anyone deserves to find peace and happiness, it's Kerry and a retreat at the foot of the Malvern Hills sounds perfect. So Jude (as any good friend would) offers to pitch in.
But the appearance of charismatic keynote speaker Inigo Sage sets Jude's instincts on edge. With his mystical mantras and too-perfect smile, he strikes her as more showman than spiritual guide. Still, he keeps the guests happy, and with a few unexpected extra arrivals, Jude and Kerry certainly have their hands full.
When a fatal accident shatters the peace, the weekend of relaxation descends into anything but tranquility. And Jude learns that Inigo's connections to many of those at the retreat go back decades, and their shared secrets have been deeply buried.
As tensions flare and old resentments bubble to the surface, can Jude find the truth before someone else gets hurt?
Critique: Of particular interest to fans of suspense/thriller themed 'whodunnit' murder mysteries involving an amateur female sleuth and set in a small town, "A Midsummer Murder" by novelist Kate Wells is now available as a complete and unabridged audio book, capably and professional narrated by vocal actor Helen Keeley. Deftly scripted and performed, "A Midsummer Murder" is an ideal addition to personal and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Kate Wells (https://www.katewellscrime.co.uk) is the author of the Malvern Farm Mystery series for adults. She also writes books for children as Kate Poels.
Editorial Note #2: There is an extensive online listing of books narrated by Helen Keeley at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17214937.Helen_Keeley
Sacrilege
Keith Moray, author
John Telfer, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837034369, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (8 Hours 50 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/Sacrilege
Synopsis: Marske, 1361. Sir Ralph de Mandeville with his assistants Peter and Merek have recently come from Reeth to hold a court session in Marske but are pulled away at the news of a most heinous crime having been discovered further down the River Swale.
A boat has been found, floating down the river. Inside is a truly horrifying scene - the body of a nun, her wrists cut and her hands fixed in the sign of benediction... As Ralph uses his astute skills of inspection, his mind asks a most difficult question - is this self-murder or murder most foul? Were her last moments spent in benediction prayer... or malediction warning? With both Marrick Priory and Easby Abbey within a stone's throw of Marske, it appears something is not quite right in the house of God...
When the body of a priest is found mutilated as if by a wild animal, the villagers fear the nun's body has opened the gates and let loose a monster from Hell... but Ralph starts to wonder if something much more human is at the root of these evils.
As he follows the grim clues, he fears he knows where this miserable sacrilegious journey will end. The question is, can he catch the murderer and prevent more grisly deaths - his own included?
Critique: With his 'Ralph De Mandeville Mystery' series, author Keith Moray reveals himself as a master of the medieval murder mystery genre. His latest novel, "Sacrilege" is a true suspense thriller that is brought to life with the storytelling talents of professional narrator John Telfer in this complete and unabridged audio book edition from Boldwood Books. Fascinating, fun, and highly recommended, "Sacrilege" is an ideal addition to personal and community library mystery/suspense historical murder mystery audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Keith Moray (https://keithmorayauthor.com) is a part-time doctor, medical journalist and novelist.
Editorial Note #2: There is an extensive online listing of books narrated by John Telfer at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2777803.John_Telfer
Storm of Mercia
M.J. Porter, author
Sean Barrett, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836175292, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (10 Hours)
9781836175308, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (10 Hours)
9781836175353, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/storm%20of%20mercia
Synopsis: Wessex, AD836 -- The Viking raiders' devastation has been halted once more by the shields of Mercia as opposed to Wessex. But their whereabouts are unknown.
King Wiglaf of Mercia is keen to ensure the Viking raiders are swept from his shared border with Wessex but these Viking ships are quick and difficult to track and Icel is once more deployed with Ealdorman Aelfstan warriors to do his King's bidding. However, Icel's quest is beset with many more obstacles and it's not all about the sea and shield.
Worrying news from home overshadows Icel's every deadly encounter. Will the storms of war keep him away or has he time to make one more desperate journey back to Tamworth?
With raging seas driving him ever further from Mercia's shores, and the threat of a new conspiracy against the Mercian kingship will Icel overpower the sands of time, or will he be defeated by his deadliest nemesis yet?
Critique: An absolute 'must' for the legions of Viking historical novel fans, "Storm of Mercia" is part of M.J. Porter's 'The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles' series is brought to life in a complete and unabridged audio book edition featuring the professional and effective storytelling talents of narrator Sean Berrett. A memorably fascinating story of British Antiquity in a time of Viking, Saxon, Dane, Angle, and British struggles for control of what the Roman's had left behind, "Storm of Merica" is an unequivocally recommended selection for personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: M J Porter (https://www.mjporterauthor.com) is the acclaimed author of historical fiction set in early age of the English, the Saxons and the Vikings (set as a whole before the Norman Conquest), as well as five 20th-century historical mysteries and a fantasy.
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of book narrated by Sean Barrett available at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/sean-barrett-narrated
Woden's Vengeance
Donovan Cook, author
Sean Barrett and David Thorpe, narrators
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836563402, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (10 Hours 45 Minutes)
9781836563419, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (10 Hours 45 Minutes)
9781836563464, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/woden's%20vengeance
Synopsis: Prince Vortimer has imprisoned his father, King Vortigern - The High King of Britain. With Woden's spear, Vortimer believes God has chosen him to lead an army south to banish the Jutes once and for all from Britain's shores. Triumphant after the first battle, Prince Vortimer lays siege to the Jutes, but the war is far from over.
In a desperate fight for survival, Octa and the Jutish warlords, Hengist and Horsa, are trapped on Thanet, their island home, as Prince Vortimer's army surrounds them. With dwindling numbers, their only hope is to send for reinforcements, but winter is upon them, and the journey will be perilous.
In a race against time and his own wishes, Octa leads the expedition to recruit Saxon and Jutish warriors. But will they follow young Octa the Coward? To prove himself, Octa must confront his past and seek vengeance on those who wronged his family, all while being mindful of Woden's wrath.
Can Octa stand strong as the fires of war rage around him? And will warriors pledge their allegiance to a man known as Octa the Coward?
Critique: A deftly crafted story set in an historical time and setting of Viking war, bloodshed, betrayal, and conquest with sword and spear, axe and shields, "Woden's Vengeance" is the third installment in author Donovan Cook's 'The First Kingdom Series'. Narrator Sean Barrett's exceptional performance brings this riveting story and its characters to life in a very special theatre of the mind experience for the listeners. These complete and unabridged audio book editions are especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series, drawing inspiration from Norse mythology and a deep passion for medieval history, Donovan's writing blends historical accuracy with gripping adventure.
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of book narrated by Sean Barrett available at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/sean-barrett-narrated
Tribune and the Sword
Adam Lofthouse, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836785453, $130.95 / $111.31, CD (11 Hours 20 Minutes)
9781836785460, $130.95 / $111.31, MP3-CD (11 Hours 20 Minutes)
9781836785514, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/tribune%20and%20the%20sword
Synopsis: A part of the Shadow of Rome series by historical novelist Adam Lofthouse, "Tribune and the Sword" is set in 383 AD when Flavius Maximus declared himself emperor and crossed into Gaul. A story of Roman era combat, betrayal, and military friendships in a time when Rome was beginning to decline as an empire.
Critique: Brought vividly to life by the impressive storytelling skills of narrator David Thorpe, this complete and unabridged CD and MP3-CD audio book editions from Boldwood Books of "Tribune and the Sword" by Adam Lofthouse will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular pick for community library. Two other highly recommended titles in the simply outstanding Shadow of Rome audio book series from Boldwood Books includes "Wolf and the Crown" and "Eagle and the Flame". The next book in the series, "Barbarian and the Throne" is scheduled for release in August, 2026.
Editorial Note #1: Residing in Kent, UK, Adam Lofthouse has for many years held a passion for the ancient world. After ten years of immersing himself in stories of the battles that forged our history, he decided to have a go at writing one for himself. He is the author of the Path of Nemesis trilogy and the Enemy of the Empire trilogy.
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe available at Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18994915.David_Thorpe)
The Library CD Shelf
Awakening
Chris Andrew
chrisandrewmusic.live
Chronograph Records
chronographrecords.com
$TBA CD / $12.99 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://chrisandrewmusic.bandcamp.com/album/awakening
Awakening is a solo piano album composed by pianist Chris Andrew, except for two tracks created by other music artists. Andrew's piano playing is a rapturous experience. The smoothly flowing music beckons the listener to embark on a journey through carefully crafted melody, harmony, and rhythm. Introspective, creative, and inspirational, Awakening is highly recommended for both personal and public library music collections. The tracks are Out the Door; Choro Para Oscar; Awakening; Minority (Gigi Gryce); Coastal Mist; Digging; Reverence; Letters for Millie; In My Mind; Like Someone in Love (Van Heusen/Burke); and Illumination.
Through the Thought Horizon
David Helpling and Scott Reich
Spotted Peccary
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://davidhelpling.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-thought-horizon
Through the Thought Horizon is an original, ambient electronic music album featuring piano, guitar, and synthesizer melding into a quiescent tribute to sacred spaces. Beautiful, rejuvenating, and mind-expanding, Through the Thought Horizon is highly recommended for personal and public library collections. The tracks are The Simplest of Miracles; Into Our First World; Source of the Longest River; Shadows, Stars and Dreams; Breath of a Flower; Dream of the Last Morning; Fallen Skies, Remember Me; The Primordial Tower; and Through the Thought Horizon.
Bern
Roy Hargrove
Time Traveler Recordings
$19.98 CD / $5.99 MP3
Amazon CD
https://www.amazon.com/Bern-Roy-Hargrove/dp/B0GM846HW6
Amazon MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GP9XRT29
Roy Anthony Hargrove (1969-2018) was a legendary, Grammy-award winning trumpeter and bandleader. Bern is a previously unreleased performance of Hargrove and an all-star quintet, released by Time Traveler Recordings in partnership with the Roy Hargrove estate. Originally recorded on May 4, 2000 at International Jazzfestival Bern in Switzerland, Bern showcases Hargrove's incredible mastery of the trumpet and flugelhorn; the other, highly talented members of the ensemble are Sherman Irby on alto saxophone, Larry Willis on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums. Bern is a treasure rescued from the archives, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections, and also makes an excellent gift for jazz connoisseurs! The tracks are Stranded; Depth; Never Let Me Go; Caryisms; and Circus.
The Button Jar
Yvonne Rogers
yvonnerogersmusic.com
Pyroclastic Records
pyroclasticrecords.com
$18.00 CD / $12.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://yvonnerogers.bandcamp.com/album/the-button-jar
Pianist and composer Yvonne Rogers presents The Button Jar, a new progressive jazz solo piano album of original music inspired by her childhood in rural Maine. Inspired by a stockpile of mundane buttons that Yvonne's mother kept for crafting or creativity, The Button Jar embodies the wonders and delights of childhood discoveries. A beautiful album through and through, The Button Jar is a choice pick for both personal and public library music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are Luster; The Button Jar; Cloud Chorale, Scatter and Sort; Monkey's Fist; Avid Risks; Little Dance; Thread the Needle; Linear Gel; Puzzle Building; The Craft Room; Mismatch; First Attempt; and Exhale.
Terra
Phil Haynes
philhaynes.com
Corner Store Jazz
$TBA CD / $15.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://philhaynesmusic.bandcamp.com/album/terra
Drummer/composer Phil Haynes, guitarist Ben Monder, and saxophonist Peyton Pleninger present Terra, an original jazz album showcasing the trio's incredible talent. Created as an hour-long group improvisation recorded live on stage, Terra is an audacious, stream-of-consciousness tour that invites the listener to stretch the limits of their imagination. Bold, daring, and adventurous, Terra is a choice pick for connoisseurs of masterful improvisation. Highly recommended! The tracks are Moonrise Aurora Starlit Meteor; Vision Quest Three Visitors; Skylark; and Borealis Showers Dreams Dawn.
Colors of Time
Sergio Pereira
www.sergiopereira.world
Sergio Pereira Music
$TBA CD / $9.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://sergiopereira.bandcamp.com/album/colors-of-time
Brazilian guitarist, vocalist, and composer Sergio Pereira presents Colors of Time, a jazz album that integrates the Brazilian traditions of bossa nova and samba into Pereira's original songs. A grand array of masterful performers lend their talents on trumpet, flutes, piano, bass, clarinet, trombone, violin, cello, vocals, and more to enrich the heights and depths of this multifaceted album. Colors of Time is a treasure for personal and public library world music collections, highly recommended! The tracks are So They Sleep; Dreams; Colors of Time; Brightness of You; Up the Hill; The Clock is Ticking; Keep Shining; and Rain Fall.
This Is Now
Pete Mills, et. al.
www.petemills.com
Mighty Ernie Records 1003
$10.00 CD / $9.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://petemills1.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-now
This Is Now is a jazz/swing album of original songs by Toronto-born saxophonist Pete Mills (the final song is composed by Billy Strayhorn). Pete Mills showcases his talent on the tenor saxophone along with consummate music artists Kenny Banks Jr. on piano, Pete McCann on electric and acoustic guitar, Martin Wind on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums. A visionary creation performed with verve and gusto, This Is Now immerses the listener in the moment and is a choice pick for connoisseurs of the genre. Highly recommended! The tracks are This is Now; Sunset STX; Daddies; Up to Go Down; Bird Lives; Exit Strategy; 3 Kisses; Don't Stomp on My Dream; Window Shopping; Sliver of Silver; Boubar; and U.M.M.G (Billy Strayhorn).
Picc Pocket
Erica von Kleist
ericavonkleist.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $12.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://ericavonkleist.bandcamp.com/album/picc-pocket
Picc Pocket is a jazz album showcasing Erica von Kleist's incredible talent for the piccolo flute. All songs are Erica's original compositions, crafted to reveal the depths and highlights of this versatile, remarkable, and often overlooked instrument. Supported by Yago Vazquez on piano, Noriko Ueda on bass, Anton Kot on drums, Jennifer Krupa on trombone, and John Ellis on tenor sax, Erica takes the listener on a whirlwind musical tour with a dash of tongue-in-cheek lightheartedness. Picc Pocket is highly recommended, especially for jazz connoisseurs in search of something inventive and standout! The tracks are We Know How to Picc 'Em; Let Me Picc Your Brain; Bone 2 Picc (featuring Jennifer Krupa on trombone); Picc & Choose; Picc Up Lines (featuring John Ellis on tenor saxophone); and Picc a Peck.
Live at the Blue Llama
David Janeway Trio
davidjaneway.com
SteepleChase Productions
$24.46 CD / $12.90 MP3
Amazon CD
https://www.amazon.com/Live-Blue-Llama-David-Janeway/dp/B0GN9SD18P
Amazon MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZKV7Z2V
The David Janeway Trio consists of David Janeway on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. Together they present Live at the Blue Llama, a jazz album capturing their on-stage performance of two original songs by Janeway and eight songs by other creators. Live at the Blue Llama showcases the passion and the artistic intensity of the moment, in a memorable performance highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are All the Things You Are (Jerome Kern); A Child is Born (Thad Jones); Forward Motion (David Janeway); Sweet and Lovely (Gus Arnheim); Gardenia (Gary Peacock); K's Shuffle (David Janeway); Star Crossed Lovers (Billy Strayhorn); You and the Night and the Music (Arthur Schwartz); I Should Care (Sammy Cahn); and Search for Peace/Blues on the Corner (McCoy Tyner).
Threads of Fate
James McGowan Ensemble
jamesmcgowan.ca
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.00 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://jamesjmcgowan.bandcamp.com/album/threads-of-fate
The James McGowan Ensemble consists of fourteen strikingly talented performers on piano, saxophones, clarinets, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, tuba, violin, viola, cello, bass, and drums. Together they bring to life pianist, bandleader, and composer James McGowan's original jazz-rock fusion songs. Three of the eighteen tracks are further enriched with original poetry by four gifted writers, shaping the musical narrative of the album. Threads of Fate is resonant, reminiscent of both string chamber music and orchestra even as it draws upon the inventive freedom of modern jazz. An extraordinary balance of classic and avant-garde creativity, Threads of Fate is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs in search of something new! The tracks are Threads of Fate; On Your Own; Lost in the Labyrinth; Goddesses of Fate; Battle for the Thread of Life; Alone in the Dark; Second Chance; Temptation; Illusion of Love; Obedience or Freedom; Acceptance of Fate; People Pleaser; Protagonist Tango; Fight Amongst Ourselves; Marionettes; Soliloquy; The Minotaur - Revolution; and Strength in Community.
Mezzanine
Greenhouse Ensemble
greenhouse-ensemble.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CAD CD / $10.00 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://greenhouseensemble.bandcamp.com/album/mezzanine
Quebec's Greenhouse Ensemble consists of seven talented performers combining their expertise in music composition, vocals, violin, trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, guitars, upright and electric bass, drums, and more. Together they present Mezzanine, a captivating jazz album of original, collaboratively composed songs. Elements of traditional Quebec folk music thread through these resonant, reflective songs. Mezzanine is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of original music, and a choice pick for setting an atmosphere of creativity and inspiration. The tracks are Integration; Variations sur une turlute; Nikki; Astree; Parenthese I; Diomede; A Whole Step Away; Parenthese II; Reset; Bergere; and La p'tite toune a Rox.
First Time Around
Vladimir Redzic
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $12.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://vladimirredzic.bandcamp.com/album/first-time-around
First Time Around is an album of classic Great American Songbook hits performed by Vladimir Redzic on guitar, Steve Ash on piano, Jonathan Meyer and Neal Miner on bass, Steve Little on drums, and special guest Ale Nunez on vocals for track 5, "These Foolish Things". Other songs also feature elegant vocal performances, in this slice of Americana heyday for everyday listening. First Time Around also makes an excellent gift, especially for connoisseurs of classic musicals! The tracks are I've Got a Crush on You (G. Gershwin/I. Gershwin); With a Song in My Heart (R. Rodgers/L. Hart); Blue Gardenia (L. Lee/B. Russell); Bishop's Gambit (V. Redzic); These Foolish Things (J. Strachey/H. Link/H. Marvell); Chasin' the Bird (C. Parker); How Long Has This Been Going On? (G. Gershwin/I. Gershwin); Thou Swell (R. Rodgers/L. Hart); I'm in the Mood for Love (J. McHugh/D. Fields); and I Didn't Know What Time It Was (R. Rodgers/L. Hart).
Les Poles Volume 1
Alexis Martin Ensemble
alexismartinmusique.com
Privately Published
$20.00 CAD CD / $9.00 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://alexismartin1.bandcamp.com/album/les-p-les-volume-1-2
The Alexis Martin Ensemble consists of seven members performing on a wide variety of instruments, including drums, keyboards, trumpet, bugle, trombone, saxophones, clarinet, flute, piano, cello, bass, and more. Les Poles Volume 1 is their masterful performance of songs composed by Alexis Martin. The music embodies the album's theme of transformation - just as Earth's magnetic poles shift over time, Les Poles Volume 1 weaves soundscapes that fluidly change to reflect a multilayered emotional journey. The contemplative songs include a celebration of the birth of a human child; a tribute to the joy of learning new things; a memorable impression of the natural beauty encountered on France's west coast; and much more. Les Poles Volume 1 is a treasure for connoisseurs of groundbreaking original music, highly recommended. The tracks are Entre le boom et l'echo; Novembre; Apprends-moi; Le glissement de poles; La dune du Pilat; C'est ton ame, ou il pleut?; and Pembina.
The Architecture Shelf
Seeking Abundance
Alan Ricks & Sierra Bainbridge
Axiomatic Editions
c/o ORO Editions
www.oroeditions.com
9781966515029, $50.00, HC, 360pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Abundance-Design-Ecology-Flourishing/dp/1966515022
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seeking-abundance-sierra-bainbridge/1147188837
Synopsis: Regenerative design is a way of building that heals our planet and our communities by halting biodiversity loss, reversing climate change, and improving social equity.
Over the last decade, the nonprofit design practice MASS has proven that we can yield positive social, environmental, and economic results through a series of projects in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
With the publication of "Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet" the authors and contributors eloquently argue for reducing the harm our building activities wage in our environments and that we can (and must) help people and the planet thrive together.
The proof? -- MASS' projects represent a coherent and replicable philosophy that responds to local ecologies and transforms lives. Deftly co-edited by Sierra Bainbridge and Alan Ricks, "Seeking Abundance" is a profusely illustrated and groundbreaking new volume whose contributors informatively examines how the power of multidisciplinary collaboration, regenerative practices, and community engagement can actively contribute to a healthier, more harmonious world.
Critique: This large format (9 x 2 x 11 inches, 2.6) hardcover edition of "Seeking Abundance: Design, Ecology and a Flourishing Planet" from Axiomatic Editions will prove an enduringly poplar addition to personal, professional, community, and college university library Regional Architecture collections and supplemental Sustainability/Green Design Architecture curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Alan Ricks is Co-Executive Director and Founding Principal and Sierra Bainbridge is a Senior Principal and Managing Director of MASS Design Group, a design firm that focuses on creating spaces that foster human flourishing while considering the needs of the environment. Their work spans a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, and conservation, with a commitment to using architecture as a force for positive change.
The Parenting Shelf
The Miswired Child
Dr. Kimberly Idoko
https://drkimberlyidoko.com
Alcyone Books
https://alcyonebooks.com
9798994340608, $24.99, HC, 180pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Miswired-Child-Dr-Kimberly-Idoko/dp/B0GVGC3P5Y
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-miswired-child-kimberly-idoko/1149794203
Synopsis: Your child didn't change overnight. The systems didn't fail all at once.
Before diagnosis, there is a loss of rhythm and a narrowing tolerance. A child's developing brain is forced to expend more energy to achieve the same function. These early shifts are biological warning signs of a nervous system under pressure.
With the publication of "The Miswired Child: How Modern Childhood Harms The Brain", Dr. Kimberly Idoko exposes what unfolds beneath symptoms that are routinely misread. She traces how neurological load accumulates inside the developing brain, then shows how modern systems compound it: Big Food that destabilizes physiology. Big Pharma that suppresses signals without asking why. Big Medicine that waits for collapse. Big Government that enforces delay. Big Media that profits from confusion.
Clear-eyed and unsentimental, "The Miswired Child" by neurologist Kimberly Idoko reveals why delay is never neutral, and why a parent's noticing of pattern and loss may be the only data that arrives in time.
Critique: An informative introduction for parents and members of the medical community with an interest in the learning disorders found in children of all ages, "The Miswired Child: How Modern Childhood Harms The Brain" by Dr. Kimberly Idoko is especially noteworthy for its 'reader friendly' organization and presentation for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject. While this hardcover edition of "The Miswired Child" from Alcyone Books is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Parenting collections and supplemental Nervous System Disease curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for parents, teachers, caregivers, and school counselors that "The Miswired Child" is also readily available in paperback (9798994340615, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Kimberly Idoko (https://drkimberlyidoko.com) is a Yale-, Penn-, Columbia-, and Stanford-educated neurologist and attorney who works with families navigating neurodevelopmental differences. She brings a rare combination of clinical neuroscience, systems literacy, and lived experience as a mother to the question parents are rarely given time to ask: what is actually happening inside my child's brain? She is also a board-certified physician who cares for thousands of patients each year. Additionally, she founded Special Parent Coach, where she helps parents interpret early neurological signs and understand how modern systems shape outcomes.
The Mathematics Shelf
Everyday Life is Full of Math
Jun Mitani
CRC Press
c/o Routledge
https://www.routledge.com
9781041135388, $126.99, HC, 210pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Life-Peters-Recreational-Mathematics/dp/1041135386
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everyday-life-is-full-of-math-jun-mitani/1148301599
Synopsis: With the publication of "Everyday Life is Full of Math", Professor Jun Mitani explores how mathematics appears in our ordinary lives daily. It presents math in a fun and beautiful way using knowledge at the junior high and high school level. It is written for general readers, not for experts.
"Everyday Life is Full of Math" avoids difficult math and instead focuses on how new ways of thinking and careful observation can reveal interesting math ideas. It is divided into 33 topics. These include familiar recreational math like tournament games, magic squares, and math tricks, as well as unique ideas like the geometry of origami and toy train tracks.
Some of the topics in "Everyday Life is Full of Math" may be unfamiliar to readers outside Japan, as they are based on things Professor Mitani has observed in daily life in Japan. However, this is also one of the unique features of "Everyday Life is Full of Math". It offers readers a glimpse into everyday life in Japan. The goal is to help readers feel closer to math, rather than to provide deep academic content.
"Everyday Life is Full of Math" is:
Easy to understand with junior high or high school level math knowledge.
Introduces math found in real life, like origami.
Includes many topics based on the author's popular social media posts.
Connects math topics with hands-on activities and experiences.
Helps readers see the world in a new way through a "mathematical way of thinking".
Focuses on intuitive and visual understanding, not difficult formulas or theories.
Provide links (with QR codes) to puzzle apps developed by Professor Mitani
Critique: An original and ideal introduction for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of mathematics as exemplified in the ordinary aspects of daily life, "Everyday Life is Full of Math" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, highschool, and college/university library Mathematics collections and supplemental Introductory Applied Mathematics curriculum studies lists. It should be noted by students, academia, and anyone with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Everyday Life is Full of Math" from CRC Press is also readily available in paperback (9781041133490, $32.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.14).
Editorial Note: Jun Mitani (https://mitani.cs.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/id_writer.html) is a professor of Information and Systems at University of Tsukuba, JAPAN. He received his Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tokyo in 2004. He has been present post since April 2015. His research interests center on computer graphics, particularly geometric modeling techniques and their application to origami design. The origami artworks created by him have features that are three-dimensional shapes with smooth curved surfaces. His main books are "3D Origami Art (2016)" and "Curved-Folding Origami Design (2019)". His unique origami has been well received around the world and he had received invitations to hold workshops and exhibitions in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Israel and many other countries. His work had inspired the design of the trophy for the Player of the Match winner of each game at the Rugby World Cup 2019.
The Art Shelf
The Secrets of Painting
Lachlan Goudie
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500025116, $50.00, HC, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Painting-Evolution-Materials-Techniques/dp/0500025118
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secrets-of-painting-lachlan-goudie/1149277377
Synopsis: When looking at a work of art, the first question that painter Lachlan Goudie considers is not why but how was it created?
Goudie knows from experience that masterpieces don't simply emerge from an artist's studio. They are the result of a long tussle between dirty hands and crushed pigment, hog's-hair brushes and linseed oil, rabbit-skin glue and pulverized chalk. Great paintings are the product of a struggle involving artists and their materials, one that pushes the practitioner to the very limits of technical ability.
Above all else, the secrets of painting lie in the physical elements from which an image is crafted. The nature of these elements has changed over time and across continents. And as each generation of painters exploits the new materials and technical innovations of their era, they define the essence of their work and shift the course of art history.
Goudie traces this story all the way back to the original "big bang" in the story of art: the very first painting pigments, made from charcoal and minerals, and used to paint extraordinary art on the walls of the caves at Chauvet thirty-six thousand years ago. He goes on to explore the impact of numerous new inventions and discoveries over the centuries, including ink, fresco, egg tempera, oil paint, canvas, watercolor, gouache, impasto, tubes of manufactured oil paint, collage, household gloss, acrylic, digital media, and AI. Each chapter focuses on a technical turning point, as embodied in the work of artists including Giotto, Artemisia Gentileschi, Alma Thomas, Anselm Kiefer, David Hockney, and many more.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of 220 color illustrations, eight pages of Notes, a five page Selected Bibliography, a two-page listing of Acknowledgments, and an four page Index, "The Secrets of Painting: The Hidden Art of the Masterpiece from Prehistory to Today" is a comprehensive, informative, and engaging history of painting from neolithic antiquity as told through the eyes and hands-on insights of a contemporary and practicing artist. Exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this hardcover edition of "The Secrets of Painting" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Art History/Appreciation collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Lachlan Goudie (https://lachlangoudie.com) is a Scottish painter and arts broadcaster. He has presented many BBC documentaries and is the author of "The Story of Scottish Art".
Birth Flowers in Watercolor
Kristin Van Leuven
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Birth-Flowers-Watercolor-Creative-Sketches_No/dp/157715696X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/birth-flowers-in-watercolor-kristin-van-leuven/1148072071
Synopsis: "Birth Flowers in Watercolor" is a beautifully illustrated guide to painting the symbolic flowers of each birth month. Artist and author Kristin Van Leuven walks you through 24 flower tutorials (two per month) using step-by-step instructions and tips that make watercolor accessible to everyone.
Each flower corresponds to a birth month, from carnations and snowdrops in January to holly and narcissus in December. Whether you're new to painting or a seasoned pro, "Birth Flowers in Watercolor" has everything you need to make personalized artwork to gift or display -- including a premium watercolor pad with 24 pre-printed floral sketches. There's no need to draw first -- simply pick your flower and start painting.
Inside "Birth Flowers in Watercolor, you will find:
Step-by-step watercolor lessons for 24 birth flowers
Pre-printed sketches on high-quality watercolor paper
QR Codes for easy-to-follow paint-alongs with Kristin
Tips and techniques for creating vibrant floral compositions
Inspiration for meaningful, personalized gifts and keepsakes
Discover the meanings behind and paint these birth month flowers:
January: carnation and snowdrop
February: violet and primrose
March: daffodil and cherry blossom
April: daisy and sweet pea
May: hawthorn and lily of the valley
June: rose and honeysuckle
July: larkspur and water lily
August: poppy and gladiolus
September: morning glory and aster
October: cosmos and marigold
November: chrysanthemum and peony
December: holly and narcissus
Critique: "Birth Flowers in Watercolor: A Creative Guide to Painting Personal Floral Art for Every Month - Includes Watercolor Pad with Sketches - No Drawing Required!" by artist and art instructor Kristin Van Leuven brings together art and sentiment in truly 'user friendly' instructional art guide. Whether you are celebrating your own special month or gifting someone theirs, "Birth Flowers in Watercolor" makes painting a personal expression of love, memory, and creativity. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, art school, and college/university library Art Instructional Reference collections, it should be noted for art students and novice artists that this trade paperback edition (8.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.60(d)) of "Birth Flowers in Watercolor" from Walter Foster Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.03).
Editorial Note: Kristin Van Leuven (www.lovelypeople.bigcartel.com) is a native Arizonan who loves to paint. What began as a hobby that served as a distraction from real life has become a career via Hello Lovely People, Kristin's online art shop that sells her prints, portraits, clothing, and more. She is the author of Modern Watercolor, Your Year in Art: Watercolor, and Art Made Easy: Easy Watercolor -- all from Walter Foster Publishing. Kristin enjoys making art for people's homes and sees loveliness in all people.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
From Pain to Peace
Mel Harkrader Pine
https://melpineauthor.com
Prospecta Press
https://eastonstudiopress.com/prospecta-press
9781632261786, $18.00, PB, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Peace-Trauma-Tragedy-Compassion/dp/1632261782
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-pain-to-peace-mel-harkrader-pine/1149676856
Synopsis: "From Pain to Peace: How Trauma and Tragedy Teach Us Compassion and Wisdom" is the powerful spiritual memoir of Mel Pine -- a Buddhist practitioner with nearly eight decades of life experience. In the page of "From Pain to Peace" Mel opens his heart to share how a lifetime of traumas became stepping stones to wisdom, compassion, and ultimately, joy.
From early childhood losses to violent crises, from caring for loved ones with mental illness to confronting his family's Holocaust history, Pine's journey is raw, honest, and deeply human. Yet "From Pain to Peace" isn't a story of mere survival -- rather it is a testament to transformation.
Alternating between memoir chapters and "Spiritual Interludes," Pine deftly weaves Buddhist teachings with hard-won life lessons, showing how concepts like impermanence, equanimity, and self-compassion become practical tools for healing.
"From Pain to Peace" offers a hopeful message: The path to peace is available to everyone.
So whether you are navigating your own grief, seeking spiritual guidance, or curious about how one man turned tragedy into grace, "From Pain to Peace" speaks to the universal longing for healing and wholeness.
Critique: Exceptional, eloquent, deeply personal but with a universal resonance, "From Pain to Peace: How Trauma and Tragedy Teach Us Compassion and Wisdom" is singularly extraordinary and an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Biography/Memoir collections and the personal reading lists of those with an interest in Tibetan Buddhism, love, loss, and the psychology of trauma. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "From Pain to Peace: How Trauma and Tragedy Teach Us Compassion and Wisdom" from Prospecta Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Mel Pine (https://melpineauthor.com) has as his end-of-life mission the sharing of the wisdom he has gained over almost eight decades of life and four decades of Buddhist practice to relieve the suffering of others. He is a seasoned writer, Buddhist practitioner, and spiritual communicator with six decades of experience in clear nonfiction writing. Through his blogs and teachings, he has cultivated a substantial following across the United States and internationally, offering accessible teachings and practices drawn from his extensive spiritual journey and Buddhist practice.
The Monk's Mindset
Sam Yo
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonepublishing.com
9798212435994, $29.99, HC, 230pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Monks-Mindset-Finding-Stillness-Moving/dp/B0FQ84PXPC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-monks-mindset-sam-yo/1148298119
Synopsis: From West End stages to a Thai monastery and now the global Peloton platform, Sam Yo has lived many lives -- and learned that peace isn't something we chase; it's something we create.
With the publication of "The Monk's Mindset: Finding Stillness in a World That Won't Stop Moving", former Buddhist monk and renowned Peloton instructor Sam Yo draws upon his years of experience and expertise to share the transformative lessons that helped him move from chaos to clarity. Drawing on his monastic training, meditation practice, and experiences as a performer and coach, he reveals how anyone can weave ancient Buddhist wisdom into modern life to find calm, focus, and purpose, even in a world that never slows down.
Through vivid storytelling and reflective practices, Sam explores how to:
Align your four dimensions (body, mind, heart, and spirit) for lasting balance and well-being.
Channel your energy wisely with Right Effort -- learning when to move, when to rest, and when to simply be.
Repair your story and free yourself from limiting beliefs.
Calm a restless mind with his bubble practice for managing overwhelm and uncertainty.
Listen deeply by emptying your cup -- a mindful communication practice that nurtures true presence.
Live with intention through short monk's mindset moments that fit any schedule.
Each individual chapter comprising "The Monk's Mindset" blends memoir and modern mindfulness with practical habits, reflection prompts, and affirmations to help you reconnect with your inner strength, deepen emotional awareness, and cultivate lasting peace.
Whether you're seeking clarity, navigating change, or simply trying to slow down, "The Monk's Mindset" offers a practical tool kit for mindfulness, self-discovery, resilience, and spiritual growth and reminds you that the stillness you seek has been within you all along.
Critique: Of exceptional value as an informative and inspiring introduction to a Buddhist approach to meditation, personal transformation, and happiness, "The Monk's Mindset: Finding Stillness in a World That Won't Stop Moving" by Sam You is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library Buddhism collections and supplemental Buddhist Studies curriculum lists. An engagingly presented personal life story of a contemporary Buddhist monk, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Monk's Mindset" from Blackstone Publishing is also readily available to students, academia, practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Buddhism is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Sam Yo (https://www.yoiamsamyo.com) is a Londoner of Thai descent who has dedicated his life to helping others achieve their physical and mindset potential. A graduate of the Laban Center with a degree in movement and dance, a certified Pilates instructor, a NASM personal trainer, and an ordained Buddhist monk, he is now a Peloton instructor with a massive and devoted following. His media presence is multiplied by appearances in publications such as People, Today, and The Washington Post. Sam has also been featured in promotional materials for brands such as LEGO and on podcasts and radio programs.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Breaking Through
Allen Parr
Thomas Nelson Publishers
www.thomasnelson.com
9781400239795, $29.99, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Through-Practical-Biblical-Freedom/dp/1400239796
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-through-allen-parr/1149520577
Synopsis: Jesus loves to set people free. So why do we feel stuck? Why do mental barriers, fear, bad habits, and toxic thoughts keep us trapped even as we search for Jesus's abundant life?
We all struggle with barriers between us and God, but these barriers are different depending on our unique experiences, circumstances, and challenges. Some of us struggle with mental barriers - faith doesn't make sense yet. Some deal with habitual sin. Others battle with past trauma or even dark spiritual experiences holding us in bondage. These strongholds need to be understood and met with simple, achievable strategies that fit our struggle. Then we will find the freedom to which we've been called.
"Breaking Through: How Ordinary Believers Experience Extraordinary Freedom" by Allen Parr equips us with strategies for finding joy-filled living, clarity of heart and mind, and deep connection with God.
Step into a more intentional, peaceful life as you: Identify the specific mental, spiritual, and generational walls that imprison you; Sort through myths about deliverance and celebrate what "being delivered" really means; Learn how specific discipleship practices bring the power of Jesus into your unique challenges; Leave behind shame, emotional wounds, and spiritual confusion; and Embrace a vision of faith and freedom as you draw closer to God.
Spiritual freedom is not a vague idea or something available only to some people. It is a ready-for-the-taking gift of God that you can experience right now. "Breaking Through: How Ordinary Believers Experience Extraordinary Freedom" offers a dynamic, provocative, and practical path to lasting spiritual freedom and a well-ordered life from a Christian perspective.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, inspired and inspiring, "Breaking Through: How Ordinary Believers Experience Extraordinary Freedom" is highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in Christian discipleship, spiritual growth, and theological apologists.
The Business Shelf
Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau
Ken Lizotte
HarperCollins Leadership
https://www.harpercollins.com
9781400253838, $22.99, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Walden-Hire-Business-Lessons-Thoreau/dp/1400253837
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/walden-for-hire-ken-lizotte/1147732327
Synopsis: You may be surprised by the hidden business lessons of a man better known for Transcendentalism and "Civil Disobedience." Henry David Thoreau has come to be defined primarily through the lenses of writer, environmentalist, thinker, surveyor, and activist. But a deeper look into his life reveals Thoreau as a creative and eclectic thought leader with timeless contributions in the business arena that are as profound as his impact in other disciplines.
Like so much else that Thoreau attempted in his life, when opportunities arose in his professional life, Thoreau not only proved himself more than capable at just about anything he put his mind to (from innovations in farming and science to writing and public speaking) but he did things in ways that were inventive and unconventional, often yielding highly-successful results.
With the publication of "Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau", author Ken Lizotte draws out the hidden business insights we can all learn from through Thoreau's life and the body of his work, bringing to light how his natural curiosity and problem-solving skills drove multi successful business enterprises and an enduring legacy.
Critique: Offering a unique perspective from an unusual source, "Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau" by Ken Lizotte is an exceptionally well written, organized and 'reader friendly' compendium of sound advice, unexpected insight, and a simply fascinating and thought-provoking read from cover to cover. A highly prized and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Business/Entrepreneurship collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for MBA students, academia, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau" from HarperCollins Leadership is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Ken Lizotte CMC is Founder/CEO of Emerson Consulting Group Inc, a consulting firm helping establish thought leadership to professionals of all types. Author of eight books and editor of two more, Ken is also a past columnist for the Huffington Post, Money Inc., the American Management Association, and Boston Magazine.
Editorial Note: Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 - May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book "Walden", a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" (originally published as "Resistance to Civil Government"), an argument in favor of citizen disobedience against an unjust state.
How Change Really Works
Julia Dhar, Kristy Ellmer, and Philip Jameson, authors
Harvard Business Review Press
http://hbr.org/books
9798892792110, $35.00, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Change-Really-Works-Science-Based/dp/B0FHBXYSLZ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-change-really-works-julia-dhar/1147809173
Synopsis: Market volatility. AI. Regulatory uncertainty. Geopolitical risk. Business leaders and advisors know they must adapt faster than ever -- yet most transformation programs still fail to deliver their expected outcomes, with enormous costs to companies, shareholders, and the broader economy.
But some companies do succeed. With the publication of "How Change Really Works: Seven Science-Based Principles for Transforming Your Organization", Boston Consulting Group experts Julia Dhar, Kristy R. Ellmer, and Philip Jameson collaborate to show that these successes aren't random-- that they are connected by a common set of principles and practices.
Interweaving rich examples, decades of research in behavioral science, interviews with executives and employees, and their own experience leading change, Dhar, Ellmer, and Jameson offer seven principles that form the core of a truly human-centered approach to successful organizational change.
Admonitions such as "Get true agreement, not false alignment"; "Give people agency, not just involvement"; and "Expect take up to be earned, not automatic" are some of the principles that offer a fresh look at what it takes to really change an organization.
The second part of "How Change Really Workds" moves into execution mode, providing a five-phase guide (informed by science and packed with tips, checklists, and hacks) that will help your transformation beat the odds and succeed.
Change doesn't fail because people resist; it fails because leaders misunderstand how people really change. Whether you are launching a new change program or stuck in a stalled one, "How Change Really Works" is your essential DIY guide.
Critique: Deftly organized into two major sections (Seven Principles for Successful Chang & Putting the Principles to Work), "How Change Really Works: Seven Science-Based Principles for Transforming Your Organization" is enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a Preface (Why We Wrote This Book), an eighteen page Introduction (The Distance Between Us and Them), a two page Afterword (Change Is a Choice), a four page Appendix (Reference Guides), a two page Glossary, sixteen pages of Notes, and a ten page Index.
Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "How Change Really Works" is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Business Management and Workplace Culture collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies list. It should be noted for MBA studies, academia, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "How Change Really Works" from the Harvard Business Review is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: Julia Dhar is a global authority on behavioral science in leadership and organizational change. A Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and founder of its Behavioral Science Lab, she advises Fortune 100 companies and governments on how to make better decisions under pressure.
Editorial Note #2: Kristy R. Ellmer is a global authority on transformation. A Managing Director and Partner at BCG, she is the global lead, emeritus, for Culture and Change Management and leads the firm's North America Transformation practice and global Behavioral Science team. She guides organizations through their largest and most complex changes, delivering multibillion-dollar value.
Editorial Note #3: Philip Jameson is a senior expert in organizational change at BCG, where he serves companies undertaking transformation. He is a classical musician and was Chief of Staff for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Philip draws on his passions for economics and group decision-making to help leaders navigate complexity.
The Gardening Shelf
Eat Your Garden: Edimentals as a Beautiful, Low-Effort Way to Grow Food
Harry Holding
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645023340, $34.95, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Your-Garden-Edimentals-Low-Effort/dp/1645023346
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eat-your-garden-harry-holding/1148079385
Synopsis: "Eat Your Garden: Edimentals as a Beautiful, Low-Effort Way to Grow Food", by award-winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden designer Harry Holding, is the first gardening book to specifically focus on a style of edible gardening that is lower in effort, greater in beauty and less demanding of space than the traditional kitchen garden or vegetable plot.
"Eat Your Garden" is a grow-your-own instructional guide with a difference: edimentals are plants that are both edible and ornamental. Some offer bountiful harvests and great flavours, others are more unusual, and then there are plants that earn their place in the garden because they are so joyful.
Edimentals can be woven into existing gardens and across different planting styles, whether formal borders, cottage gardens or meadows, and in naturalistic or minimalist designs. Harry emphasizes resilient, low-maintenance perennials for a more sustainable way to grow your own food. From familiar plants, such as fennel and wild strawberry, to ostrich fern and king's spear, Harry shows you how to create a foraging experience on your own doorstep.
Harry's pioneering design principles are drawn from permaculture, food forests, agroforestry, edible meadows and market gardens, which he brings to every garden from rural to suburban, city gardens, balconies and containers.
"Eat Your Garden" features:
Design plans for spaces from courtyards to borders
Plant profiles organised by structure and layer
A guide to creating biodiverse plant communities and mixes
Harvesting advice for year-round cropping
Over 150 stunning colour photographs
Critique: Original, exceptional, and thoroughly 'reader/gardener' friendly in organization and presentation, "Eat Your Garden: Edimentals as a Beautiful, Low-Effort Way to Grow Food" is a unique and inspiring 'how to' introduction to selecting and cultivating an impressive variety of edible plants as part of a homeowner's garden. Plants that are as attractive as they are nutritious. Beautifully illustrated in full color throughout, "Eat Your Garden" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a ten page Introduction, four pages of Notes, and a fifteen page Index. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal/professional reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Gardening & Ecology collections, it should be noted for agricultural students, academia, home gardeners, and non- specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Eat Your Garden" from Chelsea Green Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99).
Editorial Note: Harry Holding (https://harryholding.co.uk) is a leading voice in contemporary garden design and a pioneer of the edimental movement -- the fusion of edible and ornamental planting. Since founding Harry Holding Studio in 2016, he has been named among House & Garden's Top 50 Garden & Landscape Designers and received multiple accolades from the RHS, the Society of Garden & Landscape Designers and other industry bodies. Harry's work spans private gardens, public landscapes and international commissions, including a dedicated area of the new Shuttleworth Botanical Garden on the Isle of Man and an area of the new Eden Project in Morecambe. In 2025, the British Library selected him as one of ten international designers to contribute to Gardens of the Future, for which he envisioned a Future Food & Medicine Garden exploring sustainable community food systems. Harry is also a regular tutor at the London College of Garden Design, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The Interior Design Shelf
Scandi Modern: Calm, Cosy Living
Reena Simon & Rebecca Lawson
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846015984, $39.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Scandi-Modern-Style-Everyday-Living/dp/1846015987
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scandi-modern-reena-simon/1149208944
Synopsis: Co-authored by interior designers Reena Simon and Rebecca Lawson, "Scandi Modern: Calm, Cosy Living" is an inspiring guide to creating a home that feels calm, cozy and intentional. Grounded in the principles of good Scandinavian design, "Scandi Modern" deftly explores how light, texture, natural materials and curated detail shape spaces that bring out the best in the way we live now.
This visually impressive study moves from the key foundations of Scandi Modern into clear, room-by-room guidance, offering practical advice on layout, flow, furnishings and the everyday rituals that make a home feel inviting.
Thoughtful, accessible and rooted in real living, "Scandi Modern" offers a fresh perspective on calm, cozy living.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography, this large format (8.75 x 0.81 x 9.25 inches, 2.99 pounds) hardcover 'coffee-table style' edition of "Scandi Modern: Calm, Cosy Living" from Mitchell Beazley is a pleasure to simply browse through taking in the images supporting an informed and informative descriptive commentary. Inspiring, fascinating, and original, "Scandi Modern: Calm, Cosy Living" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Interior Design & Home Decorations/Home Decor collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, interior designers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Scandi Modern: Calm, Cosy Living" by Rebecca Lawson and Reena Simon is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note #1: Reena Simon (https://reenasimon.com) is a founder, author and Creative Director working at the intersection of home, culture and modern family life. She is the creator of The Intentional Home(TM), a philosophy rooted in the belief that homes should hold our rituals, not just our things.
Editorial Note #2: Rebecca Lawson's work sits at the intersection of sustainability, design, and calm, considered spaces. Head of Sustainability at a global, design-led brand and founder of the interiors platform Malmo and Moss. Her work focuses on how Scandinavian-inspired interiors can support wellbeing and foster connection and calm in everyday life. In 2020, she co-authored Scandi Rustic with Reena Simon. She can be followed online: @malmo_and_moss
The Automotive Shelf
All the Ferraris
Serge Bellu
Cassell
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781788406413, $60.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/All-Ferraris-Ferrari-Complete-Models/dp/1788406419
All the Ferraris is the Ferrari bible, a complete guide to over 600 models, and the only Ferrari book needed for the enthusiast seeking a comprehensive guide to all of the models and Ferrari history. This oversized presentation is packed with color photos of every model Ferrari has ever produced, alongside history, details of their craftsmanship, and archival documents.
A chronological arrangement makes it easy to look up specific models - or readers can simply absorb the entire progression of Ferrari creations over the years as historian Serge Bellu creates a powerful survey of Ferrari's changing designs, technology, and trends.
The Travel Shelf
52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest
Kara Patajo
Sasquatch Books
www.sasquatchbooks.com
9781632175939, $24.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/52-Weekends-Pacific-Northwest-Year-Round/dp/1632175932
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/52-weekends-in-the-pacific-northwest-kara-patajo/1147830064
Synopsis: With the publication of "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest: A Local's Curated Guide to Year-Round Getaways" by Kara Patajo, travelers and vacationers can plan weekend adventures for experiencing the Pacific Northwest a beautifully illustrated, informative, and definitive guide for 52 perfect weekend getaways.
From misty coastal retreats to sun-drenched eastern vineyards, snow-covered mountain escapes to vibrant urban adventures, "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest: A Local's Curated Guide to Year-Round Getaways" is a premium and inspiring DIY travel planning book that offers a year's worth of curated Pacific Northwest itineraries organized by season.
"52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest" covers:
Major hubs like Seattle, Portland, and Bend
Charming, picturesque towns like Leavenworth, Anacortes, and Cannon Beach
Stunning natural landscapes like Mount Rainier National Park, Crater Lake National Park, and the Olympic Peninsula
And More!
Each weekend plan includes insider recommendations for where to stay, eat, and explore, with hidden gems and practical tips you won't find in typical travel guides. Full color photography captures the region's diverse landscapes and seasonal transformations, while personal anecdotes and local insights create an experience that feels like exploring with a knowledgeable friend.
Whether you're a longtime resident looking to rediscover your backyard or a visitor seeking authentic experiences beyond the tourist trail, "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest" provides required for unforgettable Pacific Northwest adventures all year round.
Critique: The ideal DIY travel planning guide to exploring the Pacific Northwest one weekend at a time, "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest: A Local's Curated Guide to Year-Round Getaways" by Kara Patajo is an extraordinary, informative, and inherently interesting travel guide that is impressively reader/user friendly in organization and presentation. Ideal for the armchair traveler and on-site visitor alike, "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Travel Guide collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest" is also readily available from Sasquatch Books in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Kara Patajo (https://yournorthwestiebestie.com) is a lifelong Washingtonian and the creator behind Your Northwestie Bestie, a trusted resource for Pacific Northwest travel with over 30,000 followers across social media platforms. A graduate of the University of Washington with degrees in Communication and Political Science, Kara has contributed to respected regional publications including 425, 425 Business, South Sound, and South Sound Business. She has served as an ambassador for Visit Bellevue since 2020, creating monthly travel vlogs showcasing outdoor adventures and hidden gems throughout the region.
Mountaineers Books
www.mountaineersbooks.org
Mountaineers Books has some 700+ travel, outdoor recreation, sustainable lifestyle, and conservation themed titles in print. Three of there newest publications include:
Day Hiking: Oregon Coast - 3rd Edition
Bonnie Henderson
9781680516746, $24.95 PB & Kindle, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Oregon-Coast-Bonnie-Henderson/dp/1680516744
Featuring 74 hikes, 41 beach walks, and all-new color photos, this newly updated and expanded third edition of "Day Hiking: Oregon Coast" also includes detailed beach descriptions with access points, facilities, and emergency info.
Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 3rd Edition
Craig Romano
9781680518085, $24.95 PB & Kindle, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Olympic-Peninsula-Craig-Romano/dp/1680518089
Featuring the largest temperate rainforest in the Lower 48, miles of rugged coastline, snowcapped peaks, crystal-clear alpine lakes, rushing rivers, sprawling wildflower meadows, plus astonishing biodiversity, the Olympic Peninsula is an unparalleled hiking destination.
This newly updated and expanded third edition of "Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula" offers:
Detailed and easy-to-follow maps, route descriptions, driving instructions, and trailhead GPS locations
Quality, crowd level, and difficulty ratings for all trails
At-a-glance chart to compare and select outings
Quick-reference icons for bird watching, old-growth forests, wildflowers, suitability for kids and/or dogs, and more
Options for extending your trip and backpacking
This new third edition of Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula takes you there with 136 trails ranging from gentle forest loops to tough mountain treks.
Day Hiking Snoqualmie Pass
Tami Asars
9781680517033, $24.95, PB & Kindle, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Snoqualmie-Pass-Tami-Asars/dp/1680517031
Between Seattle and Ellensburg lies the perfect escape from the daily grind: beautiful, bountiful Snoqualmie Pass. With sparkling alpine lakes, towering forests, rolling hills, and rugged peaks, this region of the Cascades offers something for hikers of every ability level.
With Detailed and easy-to-follow route descriptions, maps, driving instructions, and trailhead GPS locations, Quality and difficulty ratings for all trails, At-a-glance chart to compare and select outings, Quick-reference icons for bird watching, wildlife, wildflowers, waterfalls, suitability for kids and/or dogs, Options to extend your hike and more, also featured are 126 handpicked trails, making "Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Pass" by Tami Asars an essential DIY guide to exploring this captivating and accessible landscape.
Enjoy the quiet charm of the Issaquah Alps and discover some new favorites along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River or around North Bend. Farther up the pass, trek to a tumbling waterfall or skyhigh rocky summit. On the drier eastern slopes, surround yourself with spring wildflowers or fall larches when snow blankets higher elevations.
Critique: Each of these three outstanding titles from the Mountaineers Books 'Day Hiking' series are profusely illustrated with full color photos, offer a wealth of useful maps, and are highly portable (5 x 0.9 x 7 inches). Each one is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Travel Guide collections. Of special note is that 1% of proceeds of the sales of all three of these new "Day Hiking" series titles will go to benefit Trailkeepers of Oregon.
Editorial Note #1: Bonnie Henderson (https://bonniehendersonwrites.com) is author of two guidebooks, Day Hiking: Oregon Coast -- 3nd Edition and Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon 2nd Edition, as well as the critically acclaimed The Next Tsunami: Living on a Restless Coast, and a Oregon Book Awards finalist for Strand: An Odyssey of Pacific Ocean Debris.
Editorial Note #2: Craig Romano (www.craigromano.com) is a prolific and award-winning author, an ardent conservationist, and a Northwest trails and hiking expert. He hikes, runs ultra-marathons, paddles, and bikes and has written for more than two dozen publications including Northwest Travel and Life and Washington Trails; and for numerous tourism publications and websites. He provides weekly content for Hikeoftheweek.com and is co-host of the Washington State Hiking podcast.
Editorial Note #3: Tami Asars (www.tamiasars.com) is an outdoor writer and nature photographer living in the Cascade foothills of Washington with her husband, Vilnis, and her rough collie, Scout. She is the author of four hiking guides, including Hiking the Wonderland Trail and Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Washington, as well as a contributor for outdoor publications and online hiking resources. Her work has appeared in several magazines, including Alaska Airlines, City Dog, Washington Trails, and Washington Magazine.
The Self-Help Shelf
Creative Optimum Self: Transform Your Life and Your World
Costantino Delli
COS Books
9780979623721. $18.00, PB, 157pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Optimum-Self-Transform-Collection/dp/0979623723
Synopsis: Most of us move through life as the actor in every scene -- reacting to circumstances and navigating the highs and lows of experience. Yet with greater awareness, something begins to shift. You step back from the stage and begin to observe the story of your life as it unfolds.
The primary message of "Creative Optimum Self: Transform Your Life and Your World " by Costantino Delli is that you become both the actor in the moment and the observer behind the camera.
"Creative Optimum Self" is reflective and grounded work in which Delli reveals how inner clarity reorganizes outer results. Drawing from lived experience and decades of reflection, "Creative Optimum Self" presents a disciplined architecture for integrating who you are with how you live, work, and relate to the world.
At the heart of "Creative Optimum Self" is a practical structure designed to align awareness with execution. The journey unfolds through ten stages (five Inner Steps and five Outer Steps) guiding you toward a life rooted in presence, responsibility, and steady self-observation.
The Inner Steps cultivate clarity through reflection, embodied awareness, and a deepening relationship with the intelligence within.
The Outer Steps translate that clarity into action through completion, relational stewardship, warmth, gratitude, and disciplined leadership.
At the center of this process is what the author calls Integrated Being Intelligence - the alignment of thought, feeling, and action that emerges when awareness becomes intentional and embodied.
As this awareness deepens, life reveals itself differently.
Moments gain meaning.
Choices become clearer.
Relationships grow more intentional.
Over time, you begin to see your life unfolding scene by scene - aware of the role you are playing and the larger awareness observing it.
You begin to experience your life as a lens through which existence observes itself -- your eyes and ears quietly becoming part of how the universe comes to know its own story.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thought-ful, life enhancing, life changing, "Creative Optimum Self: Transform Your Life and Your World" by Costantino Delli is an extraordinary and unique approach to self-transformation and self-knowledge. An extraordinary and recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as professional, and community library Self- Help/Self Help and Applied Psychology collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Creative Optimum Self: Transform Your Life and Your World" from COS Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Costantino Delli is the founder of the COS philosophy and the architect of Integrated Being and Leadership Intelligence. There is an online listing of his books at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1317542.Costantino_Delli
48 Answers for My Son: An Architecture of Integrated Leadership Intelligence
Costantino Delli
COS Books
9780979623745, $21.00 PB / $9.99 Kindle, 225pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Answers-Son-Architecture-Integrated-Intelligence/dp/097962374X
Synopsis: With the publication of "48 Answers for My Son: An Architecture of Integrated Leadership Intelligence", author Costantino Delli offers a rare fusion of cinematic memoir and applied philosophy -- a life examined through forty-eight decisive moments that reveal a coherent architecture of leadership, responsibility, and becoming.
Structured as forty-eight Q&A scenes (each paired with reflection and key takeaways) "48 Answers for My Son" unfolds as both narrative and transmission, grounded by photographs from real moments with each moment stands on its own. Together, they form a pattern: how a life is shaped, tested, and integrated.
Costantino Delli's journey begins in Taranto, Italy.
A child survives a life-threatening surgery. An immigrant learns to navigate a new world. A young man rises through the intensity of Wall Street and enterprise leadership. A creative chapter unfolds in Hollywood. A son becomes a caregiver. A man stands alone at midnight -- questioning everything, and realizing that the same architecture that built a career must now sustain a soul.
Through these lived scenes, Delli reveals something deeper than ambition: an inner architecture that determines whether a person fractures under pressure or rises with coherence.
What distinguishes this work is its experience is that "48 Answers for My Son" offers two reading paths. Read straight through, it unfolds as a cinematic memoir -- intimate and complete.
Read with the Reflections and Key Takeaways and it becomes a disciplined leadership framework with each moment distilled.
Both approaches are fully realized and over time, a pattern becomes visible: leadership is not a title -- it is the result of accumulated decisions, aligned awareness, and lived responsibility.
By the final chapters, the architecture behind Delli's life is revealed -- offering a transferable model of Integrated Leadership Intelligence, where inner awareness and external execution operate as one coherent system.
"48 Answers for My Son" is more than just a memoir. It is an example of a disciplined synthesis of life and philosophy -- bridging experience and application. For readers seeking not only inspiration, but understanding (not only story, but clarity) Delli offers something rare: A way to see your life as it unfolds, and the awareness to shape it with intention.
Critique: A deft blending of personal memoir, leadership skills instructional, and a DIY self-help/self-improvement manual, "48 Answers for My Son: An Architecture of Integrated Leadership Intelligence" is original, deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Biography/Memoir, Leadership/Motivation, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition from COS Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Costantino Delli is the founder of the COS philosophy and the architect of Integrated Being and Leadership Intelligence. There is an online listing of his books at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1317542.Costantino_Delli
Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind
David Hanscom, MD
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781645023401, $24.95, PB, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Calm-Your-Body-Heal-Mind/dp/1645023400
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/calm-your-body-heal-your-mind-david-hanscom-md/1148177932
Synopsis: Who among us has not experienced periods of high anxiety, persistent stress, obsessive ruminations, or recurrent intrusive thoughts? The longer these "repetitive unpleasant thoughts" (RUTs) go untreated, the greater the intensity and number of associated painful symptoms, which can lead to more serious illness.
With the publication of "Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind: Transcend Pain, Anxiety, Anger, and Repetitive Unwanted Thoughts", Dr. David Hanscom draws from the fields of neurology, psychology, basic science, social psychology, and clinical medical research to explain the physiology of mental pain and presents a unique four-part "dynamic healing" program to help your brain regenerate and repair.
The key is learning to regulate your nervous system by cultivating what Dr. Hanscom calls "safety physiology". Instead of being overwhelmed by your thoughts, you can gain a greater capacity to enjoy life and live it on your own terms.
Methods and techniques presented in "Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind" include:
Separating from negative thoughts through mindfulness, meditation, and expressive writing.
"Turning down the heat" of anger, which is hyperactivated anxiety and neuroinflammation.
Softening the ego and its cognitive distortions.
Nurturing creativity and joy to rewire neural circuitry.
With uncommon clarity and compassion, Dr. Hanscom explains the science behind these interventions and offers practical tools and an integrated plan for rewiring the brain to relieve pain. Illustrating the scientific research with case studies from his own practice, along with stories from his own recovery from "the abyss" of RUTs, "Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind" offers effective strategies and tremendous hope for healing.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented for the benefit of the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the medical and physiological aspects of psychology and pain management medicine/pharmacology, "Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind: Transcend Pain, Anxiety, Anger, and Repetitive Unwanted Thoughts" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self- Help/Self-Improvement collections and supplemental Psychology/Psychiatry curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this trade paperback edition of "Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind" is also readily available from the Chelsea Green Publishing Company in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: David Hanscom, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon who practiced complex spine surgery for thirty-two years in Seattle, Washington, and Sun Valley, Idaho. His expertise in healing chronic mental and physical pain emerged from his relentless search for answers to his own challenges with chronic pain and recurring intrusive thoughts. As he applied what he was learning to his spine practice, many of his surgical patients began to heal. He presented the healing principles he learned in Back in Control: A Surgeon's Roadmap out of Chronic Pain, published in 2012, with a second edition in 2016. Dr. Hanscom quit his clinical practice in 2019 to bring his healing concepts into mainstream awareness. He is a guest on TV and radio programs spearheading efforts to define chronic illness, a regular contributor to Psychology Today, and a sought-after speaker at medical conferences worldwide.
The Four Connections
Anne Kertz Kernion
Loyola Press
www.loyolapress.com
9780829456271, $19.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Four-Connections-Flourish-Aligning-Beliefs/dp/0829456279
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-four-connections-anne-kertz-kernion/1147948086
Synopsis: Relying on the latest neuroscience, spiritual traditions, and her own lived experience, with the publication of "The Four Connections: How to Flourish by Aligning Your Beliefs, Body, Brain, and Bonds ", Anne Kertz Kernion shows how genuine flourishing can occur when we tend to our beliefs, bodies, brains, and personal bonds by making informed choices and deliberate changes.
Kernion's integrative framework is rooted in research, spirituality, and practical reflection that honors the complexity of being human. She helps us recognize that although we may see our beliefs, actions, thoughts, and relationships as fragmented or disconnected, they are in fact intricately woven into the tapestry of our lives.
"The Four Connections" teaches the reader how to:
Reflect on how beliefs shape meaning and guide daily choices.
Explore embodiment as a spiritual, emotional, and mindful practice.
Reframe your thinking to facilitate clarity, presence, and compassion.
Deepen relationship bonds that ground and sustain authentic community.
Whatever your background or tradition, "The Four Connections" is an accessible helpmate as you create a life characterized by wholeness, health, and happiness.
Critique: Informative, thought-provoking, insightful, eloquent, "The Four Connections: How to Flourish by Aligning Your Beliefs, Body, Brain, and Bonds" is an extraordinary, personally and spiritually transformative, life enhancing study that thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation making it an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Four Connections" from Loyola Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Anne Kertz Kernion (https://cardsbyanne.com) is a public speaker, a retreat leader, and an author known for her expertise in neuroscience, spirituality, and wellness. A former college professor with a graduate degree in theology and a background in science and engineering, Anne brings a rare mix of intellectual depth and spiritual warmth to her writing and teaching. Anne is also a certified yoga instructor and the founder of Cards by Anne, a popular line of spiritual greeting cards.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The Fairy Courts: From Folklore to Fiction
Morgan Daimler
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803418384, $15.95, PB, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Courts-Folklore-Fiction/dp/1803418389
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-fairy-courts-morgan-daimler/1147379366
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Fairy Courts", folklorist Morgan Daimler presents an in-depth exploration of fairies ranging from the original Scottish to modern fiction, while mapping out beliefs and how they have evolved.
"The Fairy Courts" covers the social structure of fairies, the history of the Scottish Seelie and Unseelie courts, the fairy courts outside Scotland, and it offers a look at how fairy courts are being adapted today in fiction and belief.
The Seelie and Unseelie courts have become a staple in fiction and a common idea in pop culture, yet their origins and how they were and are understood in Scottish folklore have become obscure.
"The Fairy Courts" discusses the history of belief as it is traced from the 1500s to today, concluding with a chapter about the ways that folk belief and anecdotes show us how a human might survive in a fairy court.
Critique: Absolutely essential reading for anyone with an interest in the history and folklore of the fairy folk, "The Fairy Courts" is a fascinating and informative study by Morgan Daimler. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Fairy Courts" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Mythology/Folklore collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers that this paperback edition of "The Fairy Courts" from Moon Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Morgan Daimler (https://irishpagan.school/morgan-daimler) is an author and folklorist. She is a prolific writer, having published more than a dozen books under Moon Books alone, and she is one of the world's foremost experts on all things Fairy. There is a listing of her books at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3492746.Morgan_Daimler
The Four Selves Oracle
Toni Savory, author
Carrie Paris, illustrator
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578638932, $32.95, Card Deck, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Four-Selves-Oracle-Integrating-Full-Color/dp/1578638933
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-four-selves-oracle-toni-savory/1147729637
Synopsis: "The Four Selves Oracle: Pathways to Integrating Shadow and Light" is a card deck whose use offers a deeper understanding of what makes you uniquely you. Prepare to embark on a journey of self-discovery where you will learn how to identify the triggers that keep you stuck in repetitive patterns and hold you back from achieving that elusive "something more."
With a focus on integrating your light and shadow, "The Four Selves Oracle" offers an accessible, healing perspective on how your thoughts, emotions, and body interact to influence your daily life.
With "The Four Selves Oracle" card deck you will discover you're not just one Self but a symphony of four: the Physical, Conscious, Subconscious, and Superconscious.
The thirty-six cards are separated into sixteen "shadow" cards, sixteen "light" cards, and four "neutral" cards where each has a description that reveals its meaning, and unlocks your inner song of wholeness, clarity, and peace. The guidebook presents a clear system for reading the cards in such a way as to clearly see shadow aspects, light aspects, and pathways to find balance.
"The Four Selves Oracle" isn't merely just a deck of tarot style cards; it is a gateway to understanding yourself on a deeper level, enabling you to take action and embrace the true divine source within you. Get ready to unlock your potential and live your best, most superconscious life!
Critique: "The Four Selves Oracle: Pathways to Integrating Shadow and Light" is deluxe boxed set comprised 36 gilt-edged cards and which includes a 160-page full-color guidebook. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, style, appearance and presentation, and an ideal choice for those new to oracle decks and their function/use, "The Four Selves Oracle" is an exemplary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical Studies collections.
Editorial Note #1: Toni Savory (www.cardgeek.co.uk) grew up in Sheffield and now lives in Northern Ireland. She is the founder of the World Divination Association. She is also the author of Siren's Song Oracle, winner of Best Deck Release, World Divination Association 2023. She has studied and researched the traditional systems of Lenormand, Kipper, and Gypsy cards in England, France, and Germany. Additionally she is the author of The Card Geek's Guide to Kipper Cards.
Editorial Note #2: Carrie Paris (https://carrieparis.com) has a passion for divination and ancient ceremonial rites that invoke the spirit of divining communities. Carrie received a master's degree in cultural study of cosmology and divination from the University of Kent, UK. She is the author of The Relative Tarot, The Beloved Dead oracle, and The Sirens' Song Lenormand and Kipper card set as well as coauthor of The Ofrenda Oracle with Nancy Hendrickson and The Lenormand Revolution deck with Roz Foster. Carrie offers classes and divination services to clients in the US, Asia, and Europe.
The Criminology Shelf
Transnational Environmental Crime
Lorraine Elliott
Edward Elgar Publishing
www.e-elgar.com
9781035374359, $139.21, HC, 210pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Transnational-Environmental-Crime-International-Political/dp/1035374358
Synopsis: With the publication of "Transnational Environmental Crime: An International Political Economy of Illicit Markets and Criminal Networks", Lorraine Elliott (Professor Emerita of International Relations, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Australia) investigates the global markets, supply chains, and networks of criminality that make transnational environmental crime (TEC) a highly lucrative business. Three case studies are at the core of this analysis: the illicit market in ozone-depleting substances, timber trafficking, and the international illegal wildlife trade.
Through an innovative international political economy (IPE) lens, Elliott shows how TEC enterprise functions through illicit commodity chains and production networks that are shaped as much by material factors of supply, production and labour as by criminal practices. She demonstrates the nature and extent of fluid, porous and co-constituting links between licit and illicit economies.
Finally, she points to the importance of a political economy of the everyday to understand how local spaces and local actors are embedded in global TEC markets and supply chains.
"Transnational Environmental Crime" is a valuable resource for scholars and students of international relations, international political economy, criminology, political and conservation ecology, economic geography and economic sociology. The evidence-based insights into TEC markets and trade, commodity chains and production networks that comprise "Transnational Environmental Crime" will also find a readership in international and non-governmental organizations with a TEC research and policy focus.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study, "Transnational Environmental Crime: An International Political Economy of Illicit Markets and Criminal Networks" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented -- making it an ideal informational resource for students, academia, political activists, governmental policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject. This hardcover edition of "Transnational Environmental Crime: An International Political Economy of Illicit Markets and Criminal Networks" is a unique unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Environmental & International Crime collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Lorraine Elliott is Professor Emerita, Department of International Relations, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Australia.
What They Stole: A Familicide Rooted in Intercountry Adoption
Paige Towers
University of Iowa Press
https://uipress.uiowa.edu
9781685970673, $27.50, PB, 390pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-They-Stole-Familicide-Intercountry/dp/1685970672
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-they-stole-paige-towers/1148709894
Synopsis: In 1955, following the devastation of the Korean War, Bertha and Harry Holt made headlines for adopting eight Korean children. Driven by evangelical convictions and emboldened by a special act of Congress, the couple founded the Holt Adoption Program, which would facilitate the migration of tens of thousands of Korean children to the United States over the following decades.
The Sueppels were among the families profoundly shaped by the legacy of the Holt Adoption Program. To their suburban Iowa City community, Steven and Sheryl Sueppel were kind and charitable, humble yet magnetic -- seemingly ideal candidates to adopt.
But in 2008, when Steven found himself facing federal embezzlement and money laundering charges, he murdered Sheryl and their adopted children before ending his own life.
With the publication of "What They Stole: A Familicide Rooted in Intercountry Adoption", author Paige Towers traces the interwoven histories of the Holts and the Sueppels, exploring the deeper, often hidden complexities of intercountry adoption: the ethical gray zones, the influences of religion and race, and the global inequalities that made such large-scale child migration possible.
Meticulously researched and sensitive with its storytelling, "What They Stole" informatively examines how good intentions can coexist with systemic harm -- and how the consequences of systems like the Holts' can reverberate across generations.
Critique: An original, informative, detailed and deftly crafted study from start to finish, "What They Stole: A Familicide Rooted in Intercountry Adoption" is an extraordinary history of a specific crime and its resonating relevance with respect to the social and cultural issues that are unavoidable in the adoption of children from foreign countries with respect to American values, expectations, and related issues. An extraordinary story told with total candor and honesty, this hardcover edition of "What They Stole" from the Iowa University Press is an unreservedly pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library True Crime collections and supplemental International Adoption curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Paige Towers (https://www.paigetowers.com) is also author of The Sound of Undoing: A Memoir in Essays. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, McSweeney's, and Harvard Review.
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