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Reviewer's Choice
The Time Of The Seventh Angel
David Gurr
Independently Published
http://www.davidgurr.ca
9781067581602, $14.99, PB, 362pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Time-Seventh-Angel-David-Gurr/dp/106758160X
Synopsis: A mysterious figure appears at a church in Ukraine 45 years ago. Worshippers believe he might be the reincarnation of their National Poet, Taras Shevchenko. Or, because he has somehow also just breached a Soviet Nuclear Command Center, a CIA Agent. Or, after the same impossibility happens in the US, a Russian "mole".
All sides wish to manipulate him. Ukrainians pray he will lead them to freedom. Big Banking and Religion want to co-opt him. An equally enigmatic figure hidden at the deepest level of Washington's spy world believes the biblical Book of Revelation is the code behind what drives him.
In a final countdown for humanity, the unravelling of these prophecies could produce a cure for cancer or trigger thermonuclear war to bring about "the Purified America of Thomas Jefferson"-- live on top-rated satellite TV.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, compelling and an inherently riveting read from start to finish, "The Time of the Seventh Angel" by David Gurr will be of particular interest to readers with an interest in apocalyptic suspense thriller geopolitical cliff hangers with the fate of all humanity hanging in the balance. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Time of the Seventh Angel" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: David Gurr is the author of Troika, which was short-listed for the prestigious CWA British Silver Dagger (1979). Also, the Canadian Governor General's Literary Award (for The Ring Master, 1987), and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Caribbean and Canada, 1990, for The Voice of the Crane).
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Locked Out
Byron K. Veasey
https://byronveasey.com
Independently Published
9798199359887, $35.34, HC, 235pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/Locked-Out-Strategies-Senior-Level-Professionals/dp/B0H3HCXY2S
Synopsis: You have the experience. You have the credentials. So why aren't you receiving callbacks? The answer isn't you. It's a system stacked against Black professionals before a single human being reads your name.
With the publication of "Locked Out: Proven Strategies to Navigate ATS Filters, Overcome Workplace Bias, and Win Senior-Level Roles in a Shifting Job Market for Black Professionals", Byron K. Veasey reveals the Triple Barrier (algorithmic filtering, unconscious bias, and the systematic dismantling of DEI infrastructure) and provides Black mid-career tech professionals with a precise, research-backed playbook to overcome all three.
This is not generic career advice. It is written specifically for you as an African/American professional.
If you have 10+ years in engineering, data science, product management, or technical leadership and your search is taking longer than your qualifications justify, "Locked Out" names why -- and shows you exactly what to do.
"Locked Out" includes:
The four-pattern silence framework to diagnose which barrier is costing you interviews
The 7 rules of ATS-optimized resume writing and a 13-point rebuild checklist
A keyword architecture system built for senior-level tech roles
How to access the hidden job market where 70-80% of senior positions are filled before they're posted
A guide to AfroTech, BPTN, NSBE, and the Black professional networks that generate advocacy-level referrals
Strategies to navigate bias in the interview room, including the culture fit trap
A five-step salary negotiation framework anchored to market data - not your salary history
A scored Stay, Pivot, or Leave decision matrix
Five pillars of long-term career resilience to reduce the cost of the next disruption
The research is upon which "Locked Out" is documented. The barriers are real. The tools are all here. "Locked Out" turns what has felt like personal failure into strategic precision -- and replaces silence with a plan.
Critique: Exceptional, extraordinary, 'real world' practical, comprehensively informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Locked Out: Proven Strategies to Navigate ATS Filters, Overcome Workplace Bias, and Win Senior-Level Roles in a Shifting Job Market for Black Professionals" is unreservedly recommended reading of job searching Black professionals in tech enabling resume optimization and overcoming racial bias in hiring, hidden job market networking strategy, salary negotiation for Black professionals, DEI rollback career strategy, and as a contemporary mid-career tech job search guide. While strongly recommended as an essential addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Jobs/Careers collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Locked Out" is also readily available from Amazon in paperback (9798199354493, $26.20), and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.86).
Editorial Note: Byron K. Veasey (https://byronveasey.com) is a writer, career strategist, and data quality engineering leader whose work explores the emotional, psychological, and professional landscapes people navigate during periods of transition. Recognizing that sudden career disruption is as much a neurological event as a logistical one, his writing blends clarity, humanity, and deep empathy -- giving language to experiences many feel but rarely articulate. He provides the tactical and psychological blueprints professionals need to execute a true career reset.
The Cookbook Shelf
Executive Eats
Adam Kingl and Jakub Radzikowski, authors
Practical Inspiration Publishing
https://practicalinspiration.com
9781788609388, $29.99, HC, 280pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Executive-Eats-cookbook-better-working/dp/1788609387
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/executive-eats-jakub-leszek-radzikowski/1148176872
Synopsis: Co-authored by Dr. Jakub Leszek Radzikowski and Adam Kingl, "Executive Eats: The cookbook for a better working life" is an impressive compendium of DIY recipes and features occasional B/W illustrations by Alana Patchett.
From sustained energy to improved focus and mood, each chapter comprising this extraordinary cookbook pairs the latest nutritional research with practical culinary applications, offering readers scientifically backed recipes designed to address the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives.
Whether you need a morning boost, an afternoon pick-me-up or a calming meal after a stressful day, you will have a deeper understanding of why certain foods can enhance your mental and physical states.
But "Executive Eats" is more than just a collection of recipes; it is also a tool to help you make mindful, informed decisions about your diet. Blending culinary expertise with scientific rigor, this cookbook equips you with the knowledge and recipes to nourish both your body and mind.
Critique: Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Executive Eats: The cookbook for a better working life" by co-authors Jakub Leszek Radzikowski and Adam Kingl is extraordinarily informative and an ideal resource for planning palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, health inducing menus. While an exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, family, and community library nutrition and special diet themed cookbook collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Executive Eats: The cookbook for a better working life" from Practical Inspirational Publishing is also readily available in paperback (9781788609395, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Dr Jakub Radzikowski is an educator, scientist and culinary professional. With a PhD in Molecular Systems Biology from the University of Groningen and a Grand Diplome from Le Cordon Bleu London, Jakub has built a unique career that spans both the academic and culinary worlds. Jakub's experience includes working in Michelin-starred kitchens, such as Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, and other fine-dining restaurants. He also worked at Kitchen Theory, where he explored the creative side of food through modernist culinary techniques and food design, including conceptual, evidence-based menu creation, culinary research, and concept development for Siemens, The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission, Ambiente, and others.
Editorial Note #2: Adam Kingl (www.adamkingl.com) is a speaker, educator and adviser, as well as the author of Next Generation Leadership and Sparking Success -- the latter shortlisted for the Business Book Awards. Adam is Adjunct Faculty at the University College London School of Management, Hult Ashridge, affiliate faculty at London Business School, the Hanken-Stockholm Schools of Economics, the Moller Institute at the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London. Previously, Adam was the Executive Director of Thought Leadership and Learning Solutions for London Business School for almost a decade. Adam trained at Le Cordon Bleu in California and cooked in an Italian trattoria. He holds degrees from London Business School, UCLA and Yale. He lives in London.
The Political Science Shelf
Negotiating With Trump
Peter D. Johnston
Strategic Influence Publishing
9780980942170, $24.95, PB, 348pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/NEGOTIATING-TRUMP-LESSONS-INFLUENCE-BARGAINERS/dp/0980942179
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/negotiating-with-trump-peter-d-johnston/1150213538
Synopsis: With the publication of "Negotiating with Trump: Lessons on Power, Influence, and Dealing with Extreme Bargainers", negotiation expert Peter D. Johnston delivers a compelling exploration of how Donald Trump (one of the most polarizing figures of our time) uses influence to achieve his goals -- and what it means for the rest of us.
Drawing on decades of experience advising corporations, governments, entrepreneurs, and celebrities, Johnston uses Donald Trump as a real-world case study to break down the psychology, strategies, and tactics behind both successful and unsuccessful high-stakes negotiations.
From anchoring and loss aversion to authority and reciprocity, "Negotiating with Trump" reveals what drives us to act as human beings -- and how Trump has leveraged these forces to rise, persuade, and dominate across business and politics.
Through engaging examples ranging from Iran, and trade, to negotiations over new presidential planes, Johnston equips his readers with the mindset, insights, and tools to negotiate directly or indirectly with Donald Trump whether you are a world leader, a business person, or a citizen simply hoping to affect the course of your country's future.
But this isn't just a book about Trump.
It is also a practical guide for anyone who faces difficult conversations, high-pressure deals, or challenging personalities. Johnston shows what works, what fails, and how you can negotiate more effectively in your own life.
"Negotiating with Trump" covers:
The psychological principles that drive decision-making and influence
Why understanding personality types can prove so helpful in negotiations
The strengths and blind spots behind Trump's negotiation style
Proven strategies for handling aggressive or "extreme" negotiators like Trump
A practical framework you can apply to your own negotiations immediately
Whether you admire him, oppose him, or simply want to better understand him, "Negotiating with Trump" offers rare insights into the mechanics of influence at the highest levels.
Critique: Timely, exceptional, impressively well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Negotiating with Trump: Lessons on Power, Influence, and Dealing with Extreme Bargainers" by Peter D. Johnston is an informative, insightful, and inherently fascinating read from start to finish. Well worth reading for its insights into Donald Trump's personality driven communication style, his use of threats and flattery, lies and sycophants, bribes and kickbacks as negotiating tools, is essential to understanding his astonishing success against incredible odds, criminal court setbacks, and near total control of a major American political party.
As for successfully negotiating with Trump -- on offer is the historical analogy of England's chancellor, Neville Chamberlain, coming back after negotiating with Adolph Hitler in September of 1938 waving a piece of paper and proclaiming 'Peace in Our Time'.
While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), this paperback edition of "Negotiating with Trump: Lessons on Power, Influence, and Dealing with Extreme Bargainers" is a highly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Political Science & Media Communications collections and supplemental Donald J. Trump Administration curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Peter D. Johnston is an international negotiation expert, a leading advisor, thinker, practitioner, and negotiation speaker. His bestselling book, "Negotiating with Giants," relays lessons from his advisory work, research, and history's most difficult negotiations, ranging from trade deals and hostage-takings to the achievement of Magna Carta. He is also the author of "Negotiating with Trump" (June 2026) and the award-winning novel, "Weapons of Peace" (2019). His negotiation results have been formally recognized by the US Government for their positive economic and social impact, domestically and abroad. He is the Managing Director of Negotiation Advice International (NAI).
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
The Missing Child
Paul T. O'Connor
Torchflame Books
https://torchflamebooks.com
9781611530964, $29.99, HC, 280pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Child-Life-Lived-Missed/dp/1611530962
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-missing-child-paul-t-oconnor/1149565108
Synopsis: Driven by haunting questions about his mother's adoption and mysterious past, Paul T. O'Connor embarked on a journey to uncover the truth about Charlotte's life. From an orphanage in Connecticut to her placement with a middle-aged couple, Charlotte's personal life story is one of overcoming adversity, chasing dreams, and building a better future.
Through his investigation, Paul gained a deeper understanding of his mother -- not just as the woman who raised him, but as a girl, teen, and woman who faced incredible challenges with unwavering strength. The heartfelt narrative laid out in the pages of "The Missing Child: The Life She Lived and a Life She Missed" spans decades and locations, revealing the inspiring legacy of a woman who climbed out of poverty, raised two successful children, and never gave up on her dreams.
Critique: The result of meticulous and exhaustive research, impressively well written, organized and presented, and especially commended to the attention of readers with an interest in family histories, untold stories, and tales of resilience, "The Missing Child" by Paul T. O'Connor is a moving tribute to the power of love, determination, and the human spirit. While this hardcover edition of "The Missing Child" from Torchflame Books is an unreservedly pick for community and college/university library American Women's Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that is also available in paperback (9781611530964, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Paul T. O'Connor (https://www.ocolumn.com) spent more than forty years in journalism, covering North Carolina politics through his column and has appeared on on CNN, C-Span, and public radio. He taught for thirty years at UNC-Chapel Hill's journalism school, mentoring students now thriving in journalism nationwide. A New Haven, Conn., native, he holds degrees from Notre Dame and the University of Minnesota. He currently resides in Durham, N.C., with his wife and son.
Stay Thirsty: A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure
Mark Haertzen & Mike E. Brown, authors
Old Stone Press
https://oldstonepress.com
9781938462832, $39.95, PB, 574pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Thirsty-Entrepreneurs-Success-Failure/dp/1938462831
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stay-thirsty-mark-haertzen/1149424685
Synopsis: The business section of any bookstore is full of biographies that celebrate celebrity billionaires and superstar CEOs. While such stories can be motivational, they tend to gloss over the gritty details and therefore are not all that relatable or useful to the everyday businessperson.
That's where "Stay Thirsty: A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure", Mark Haertzen's memoir is different. Think of Mark as the serial entrepreneur next door (an ordinary guy who, by most standards, achieved extraordinary success) which is what makes his story so interesting, relevant, and practical.
"Stay Thirsty" chronicles Mark's 60-year entrepreneurial journey, which began at the age of 6, with refreshing honesty and humility. His most significant venture, Rocket Man, serves as the primary case study for his thoughts and reflections. He covers the company's 31-year life cycle in vivid (and sometimes painful) detail -- from a startup launched with a prototype he built in his garage to a global manufacturer and exporter of beverage dispensing equipment with sales in 65 countries.
Mark then recounts the company's bold, strategic pivot to become a leading provider of walking vendors for the stadium foodservice industry, hawking beer and other drinks at 75 venues from Delaware to California -- including appearances at the NCAA Final Four, World Series and multiple Super Bowls, and Kentucky Derbies.
Few memoirs give such a raw, unfiltered account of the risks and struggles involved in building businesses and the impact they have on one's life and family. Mark describes not only his biggest wins, but also the gut-wrenching failures and insecurities he overcame to achieve them in a decades-long transformation from an impulsive and instinct-driven "born" entrepreneur into a logical, data-driven business leader.
He also explores the important role mentors and partners played in his accomplishments, reinforcing his belief that entrepreneurship is a team sport.
Full of instructive insights, "Stay Thirsty" is both a celebration of entrepreneurial ambition and a call to accept the risk, take the plunge, and write your own story.
Critique: Occasionally enhanced with the inclusion of B/W illustrations, an informative Prologue and Introduction, a two page listing of Additional Reading, and a twenty-two page Index, "Stay Thirsty: A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure" by Mark Haertzen (with the assistance of Mike. E. Brown) is an impressively detailed, comprehensive and deeply personal story of a dedicated entrepreneur through all the ups and downs of his personal and professional life. His successes were phenomenal, his failures instructive. His deftly crafted memoir is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library American Entrepreneurial Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Stay Thirsty" from Old Stone Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Mark Haertzen is a native of Lexington, Kentucky and a graduate of the University of Kentucky. During his 60-year entrepreneurial journey, Haertzen conceived more than fifty businesses, inventions, concepts, and charitable endeavors, some of which ended well and others that didn't. They include a drive-thru coffee shop, marketing service, real estate brokerage firm, residential subdivision, technology company, appliance manufacturer, line of cocktail mixes, board game, and a chain of self-storage facilities. Rocket Man, Inc. was his most significant venture and Stay Thirsty is his most recent endeavor.
Editorial Note #2: Mike E. Brown, (a.k.a. Browny), a freelance writer in Louisville, KY, helped Mark write this book. Brown has won numerous awards, including more than 80 ADDY's during his diverse career. As a contributor to Stay Thirsty, Mike brought his own passion for entrepreneurship to the project.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Return of the Nish
Tyson Stewart
Cormorant Books
https://www.cormorantbooks.com
9781770868380, $24.95, PB, 238pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Return-Nish-Tyson-Stewart/dp/1770868380
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-return-of-the-nish-tyson-stewart/1148487489
Synopsis: Gerry Smith grew up fifty-five kilometres from Temagami, the hometown of his long-absent father, Dale King, but he didn't know the once-legendary hockey player. Even after Gerry, as an adult, reconnects with the Anishinaabe relatives on his dad's side of the family, Dale remains a mystery -- a missing puzzle piece.
It's not until Gerry's in his late twenties, struggling with divorce and debts, raising a young son of his own, that Dale finally drops back into his life. In a sports bar in Toronto, Dale pitches a lucrative but illicit business venture, setting in motion an unlikely partnership that will test how far both father and son will go in the name of family. As Gerry tries to make sense of the man behind the myth, he soon realizes that all he thought he knew about his father (and about himself) is only a fraction of the whole story.
Critique: Tyson Stewart draws on both Anishinaabe storytelling and film noir influences, in his debut novel, "The Return of the Nish" in a deftly crafted exploration of the heartbreaking tragedy of lost opportunities, the cyclical nature of time, and how people and places return to us in new lights -- especially when we least expected it. As an author, Tyson Stewart demonstrates an impressively genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages the reader from start to finish. A novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Return of the Nish" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Return of the Nish" from Cormorant Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Tyson Stewart is an author of the Teme-Augama Anishnabai and an associate professor of Indigenous Studies at Nipissing University. He has delivered numerous lectures and presentations on Indigenous noir in media, exploring the genre's historical influences and the concept of biskaabiiyang (returning to ourselves).
The Very Unremarkable Life of Mrs. Etty Bloom
Talya Jankovits
https://talyajankovits.com
RIZE
9781963869774, $21.99, PB, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Very-Unremarkable-Life-Mrs-Bloom/dp/196386977X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-very-unremarkable-life-of-mrs-etty-bloom-talya-jankovits/1148020644
Synopsis: In the insulated Hasidic community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, tradition and cultural norms are as sacred as religion. Childhood friendships are cultivated to climb social ladders, matchmakers dictate futures, and young girls are primed for marriage and motherhood.
So, when Etty Greenberger, a headstrong redhead and the only child of Holocaust survivors, commits one ugly and thoughtless act, she believes she has sabotaged her opportunity to secure a desirable match. So reluctantly, she agrees to marry Benji Bloom, a fishmonger's son far below her marital aspirations, becoming Mrs. Etty Bloom.
With each passing year, Etty grows further from the life she had hoped for, filled with disappointment and delusions of grandeur. As she grapples with loss, grief, and the challenges of motherhood. But she also discovers friendship, love, and joy in the most unexpected places.
It may take a lifetime, but Etty Bloom finally learns that an unremarkable life can be remarkable after all.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging, intellectually compelling, "The Very Unremarkable Life of Mrs. Etty Bloom" by Talya Jankovits is most remarkable in how the author's character and narrative driven storytelling style raises her novel to an impressive and memorable level of literary excellence. One of those books whose story will linger in the mind of the reader long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Very Unremarkable Life of Mrs. Etty Bloom" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of those with an interest in contemporary Jewish literary fiction that this paperback edition of "The Very Unremarkable Life of Mrs. Etty Bloom" from RIZE is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: Talya Jankovits (https://talyajankovits.com) is the author of the poetry collection, girl woman wife mother. Her essays, fiction, and poetry have appeared in many publications. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband and their four daughters. "The Very Unremarkable Life of Mrs. Etty Bloom" is her debut as a novelist
Suing the Vatican: Balancing the Scales of Justice
S. M. Sebastian
Make a Difference Publications
https://makingadifferencepublications.org/index.htm
9780976524649, $19.99, PB, 387pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Suing-Vatican-Balancing-Justice-Expanded/dp/0976524643
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/suing-the-vatican-s-m-sebastian/1149254827
Synopsis: The trial is fictional. The evidence is not. And when a disgraced priest and a broken lawyer join forces to drag the Vatican into open court, faith itself goes on trial.
Father Charles Murphy, a convicted pedophile dying behind bars, believes he's received one last message from God: Sue the Vatican -- for making him a monster. To do it, he turns to Vincent Vance, the ex-prosecutor who once destroyed him -- now a burned-out addict with nothing left to lose.
Their case unleashes a firestorm that tears through pulpits, prisons, and courtrooms, exposing secrets the Roman Catholic Church has buried for centuries. As the world watches, both men are forced to confront a truth far more dangerous than guilt or innocence.
Some sins don't stay buried. Some justice comes with a price. "Suing the Vatican: Balancing the Scales of Justice" is an unholy collision of power, truth, and redemption -- where the battle for justice may cost far more than either man can survive.
Critique: Although a compelling and emotionally engaging work of fiction, "Suing the Vatican: Balancing the Scales of Justice" by S.M. Sebastian is inspired by and based upon real events that disclose one of the darkest and most damaging secrets of the Roman Catholic Church and one that continues to resonate today -- pedophile priests and the church's decades of cover-up to the detriment of thousands of Catholic children and their families. A deftly crafted legal suspense thriller drawing upon by historical evidence and court/church records, "Suing the Vatican" is a simply riveting and memorable read from start to finish. While a recommended acquisition for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Suing the Vatican" from Make a Difference Publications is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Changing Cadence: Friendship, Football and the Art of Transition
Andra Douglas
ampliFLY
9781733583527, $18.00, PB, 388pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Changing-Cadence-Friendship-Football-Transition/dp/1733583521
Synopsis: Although a work of fiction, "Changing Cadence: Friendship, Football and the Art of Transition" by Andra Douglas is based on a true story.
Life transitions are viewed through the character of Christine, a middle-aged athlete and entertainment industry executive living in New York City. She has reluctantly aged out of being the quarterback of the New York Sharks, the most storied team in the little-known women's tackle football league, but she is still the team's owner. With big decisions staring her down after an illustrious 20-year career, she has come to terms with selling the team, but only after negotiating one more year before it is turned over to the new owners.
Meanwhile, back on the literal ranch in rural, central Florida, Christine's mother Dorothy, the matriarch of Christine's ranching family, embarks on a life-changing passage when she moves from her lifelong home on 'The Hill,' to The Commons, a nearby assisted living complex. Many in the complex have spent their entire lives in small town Zephyrhills and know each other well (the good and the bad) and are collectively experiencing their childhood all over again.
As word gets out that Christine (whom they have known since she was born) is selling her beloved women's tackle football team and they will be playing their last season, the semi-nosey, semi-bored group at The Commons decides to follow the Sharks through Facetime chats and streaming games in the complex's movie room.
Showcasing a captivating season of hilarity and poignance as Christine travels back and forth between the team in NYC and The Commons in Zephyrhills, Florida, witnessing the unlikely bond that forms between the young, fast-talking New York City female athletes and the often crusty octogenarians in a small, deeply southern Florida town, "Changing Cadence" is a head-on collision of "Old Florida" and the "Greatest City in the World."
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and an inherently fascinating, thought-provoking, and memorable read from start to finish, "Changing Cadence: Friendship, Football and the Art of Transition" by Andra Douglas will be of particular interest and relevance to women readers who have ever questioned their station in life, felt the onslaught of age and ageism or struggled to find peace of mind in fickle times. This trade paperback edition of "Changing Cadence" from ampliFLY is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary Women's Fiction.
Editorial Note: A native of central Florida and a graduate of Florida State University and Pratt Institute, Andra Douglas (https://andradouglasart.com) has been a National Champion athlete in rugby and as a quarterback in women's tackle football, a Vice President/Creative Director at Atlantic Records/Time Warner, the founder of the Fins Up! Foundation for Female Athletes, a non-profit that benefits at-risk teens, the owner of the two-time national champion New York Sharks Women's Pro Football team for 19 years, an inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and a known artist.
28°N 84°E
Malcolm Ward
Independently Published
9798325141096, $10.99, PB, 360pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/28%C2%B0N-84%C2%B0-Malcolm-Richard-Ward/dp/B0D7SNYND6
Synopsis: "28°N 84°E" by Malcolm Ward follows the remarkable journey of a world-weary musician, Daniel Bontempo, whose life is completely turned on its head following an ill-advised liaison and a catastrophic air crash.
A subsequent series of bizzare events leaves Daniel questioning his own preconceptions and re-evaluating his life.
Set against the stunning and dangerous backdrop of the Himalayas of the 1990's, "28°N 84°E" is both an adventure story and a love story, that challenges the premise of received wisdom, as it follows a flawed man whose only constant has been his 12-string guitar and his love of 1970's singer-songwriters.
Critique: Impressively original and deftly crafted, it should be noted that "28°N 84°E" is author Malcolm Ward's debut as a novelist and showcases his remarkable and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that deftly blends action/adventure with male angst and romance. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Action/Adventure Fiction collections, this paperback edition of "28°N 84°E" is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: In an eclectic (chaotic?) working life Malcolm Ward has variously flown in helicopters, driven taxis, distributed condoms, x-rayed fractures, lectured on exercise, advised on government policy, published strip cartoons and research articles, and somehow, to his own astonishment, produced two amazing children. This latter no doubt helped by marrying (again to his astonishment) his beautiful, and remarkably patient, wife Susie, with whom he now enjoys his slightly less chaotic retirement in South Wales.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Can't Find My Way Home
Ray Deptula
https://raydeptulaauthor.com
Speaking Volumes, LLC
9798890224170, $16.95, PB, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3RCNGLZ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cant-find-my-way-home-ray-deptula/1150270015
Synopsis: Jack has deserted the British Army during the Battle of Monmouth after killing his drunken commanding officer in self-defense. He finds refuge with a wealthy landowner in Annapolis, who offers Jack the hand of his daughter if he will serve as a surrogate in the Continental Army, along with the slave, Custis.
Jack and Custis endure the harsh winter of 1780-81 at Washington's army encampment in New Jersey. When spring arrives, they are swept into the Battle of Camden, where the Continental forces are decimated by the British. The unlikely pair become separated from their army and must survive together, lost in the inhospitable and volatile south, where trust is non-existent and where Custis' value as a commodity tests Jack's ability to lead them back home.
Critique: Original, impressively well written, and a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "Can't Find My Way Home" by Ray Deptula is a singular and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. As an author, Deptula's genuine flair for character and narrative driven storytelling style and attention to historical detail is exemplary and thoroughly reader engaging. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Can't Find My Way Home" from Speaking Volumes is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Ray Deptula (https://raydeptulaauthor.com) is a native of Wells, Maine, and a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. He spent 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot and a political-military office in Europe. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island with a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. Those Damned Yankees is the first series of books Ray has published, having conceived of it while taking a Revolutionary War elective course at the Naval War College.
Women's Freedom: The Dawn of Possibilities
Barbara Becker Holstein
www.enchantedself.com
Russell M. Holstein (Publisher)
9798218862565, $12.00, PB, 346pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Womens-Freedom-Barbara-Becker-Holstein/dp/B0G255V8D7
Synopsis: Madison and Ginger are two young women about to enter college in the fall of 1960. They are eager to leave their own homes and excited to be on their own. They are in for a number of surprises.
They soon find themselves in a crazy whirlwind of adventures - some quirky and whimsical, others tinged with humor, suspense, and a great deal of romance. While a work of fiction, "Women's Freedom: The Dawn of Possibilities" by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is grounded in reality and well may evoke the reader's own memories of those days.
The 1960's were an era when the social norms regulating what women could do were changing. From new beginnings to the weighty decisions of carrying a child or making heart-wrenching choices, the cultural landscape then was a curious mix of options that often felt both daunting and surreal.
Critique: Set in the 1960's, Women's Freedom: The Dawn of Possibilities brings to life an era of American societal transformation, marked by increased legal rights and access to education for women, as well as the invention of the birth control pill - although if the pill failed, a woman's only options were giving birth or undergoing a dangerous back alley abortion. Women's Freedom demonstrates how women gained increased agency over their own lives through the interconnected stories of two fictional young college women, including their romances, their mistakes, and their highest aspirations. A deftly crafted novel of love, change, and suspense, Women's Freedom is an unreservedly recommended pick for highschool and community library Historical Fiction collections for readers age 16 and up.
Editorial Note: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein (www.enchantedself.com) been a psychologist in private practice for over twenty five years. In the course of working with her clients, she originated the idea of THE ENCHANTED SELF, a positive psychology therapy where she teaches people how to recognize and utilize their strengths, talents, skills and even lost potential.
Adelaide: Painter of the Revolution
Janell Strube
Acorn Publishing
https://www.acornpublishingllc.com
9798885281355, $17.99, PB, 418pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ad%C3%A9la%C3%AFde-Painter-Revolution-Janell-Strube/dp/B0G1SNNL9B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adelaide-janell-strube/1148377783
Synopsis: In a time and world where women are seen but rarely heard, Adelaide Labille-Guiard refuses to be silenced.
The daughter of Parisian shopkeepers, Adelaide dreams not of marriage or titles but of earning a place among the masters of French art. With Queen Marie Antoinette on the throne and a spirit of change in the air, anything seems possible. But as revolution brews and powerful forces conspire to deny her success, Adelaide faces an impossible choice: protect her life or fight for a legacy that will outlast her.
Critique: Although a deftly crafted work of historical fiction, "Adelaide: Painter of the Revolution" by author Janell Strube is inspired by the true story of one of the first women to be admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. An inherently engaging novel of ambition, courage, and resilience in a troubled time of national military conflict and male dominance in the arts, "Adelaide: Painter of the Revolution" showcases an extraordinary and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that exemplifies Janell Strube's imaginative talents as a novelist and raises her work of historical fiction to an impressive level of literary excellence. A fun and fascinating read from start to finish, "Adelaide: Painter of the Revolution" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Adelaide: Painter of the Revolution" from Acorn Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Janell Strube (https://janellstrube.com) is an award-winning poet, novelist, and memoirist.
The LGBTQ Fiction Shelf
Wanted Boys
S. E. McPherson
Metaltail Press
https://www.facebook.com/people/Metaltail-Press/61571875752146
9798992254365, $29.99, HC, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wanted-Boys-S-McPherson/dp/B0GSSVWPVC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wanted-boys-s-e-mcpherson/1149686713
Synopsis: Logan technically doesn't exist. He is terrified of the Black Lapels and their Swordsman church, who imprisoned his parents for bearing an unlicensed, "unnatural", child.
When Logan is taken to a home for unwanted boys, he meets Jace -- a master liar who isn't afraid of anything. Their world wants them to become Swordsmen and soldiers. All they want is a life together where neither has to hide.
Logan is afraid he'll die hiding from soldiers who believe he shouldn't exist. Jace is afraid of nothing -- he thinks he and Logan can live peacefully in love together.
They're both wrong.
Critique: Original, exceptional, "Wanted Boys" by S. E. McPherson is a deftly crafted dystopia where found family is the only thing that can save the lives of two boys who are destined to change the world. As a novelist, McPherson's has a genuine flair for the kind of character and and imaginatively driven storytelling style that makes a simply riveting and inherently fascinating read from start to finish. While highly recommended for personal reading lists and community, and college/university library LGBTQ+ Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Wanted Boys" from Metaltail Press is also available in paperback (9798992254372, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: S. E. McPherson (https://freshfiction.com/author.php?id=56185) has been a writer of fantasy and speculative fiction since they were eight years old, binding books with a hole punch and tied yarn. Their debut novel "A King's Trust" was named to Kirkus Reviews' Top 100 Best Indie Books of 2025 and Best LGBTQ+ Indies of 2025.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Acadian Shorelines
Patrick d'Entremont
https://patrickdentremont.com
OC Publishing
https://ocpublishing.ca
9781989833636, $18.99, PB, 350pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Acadian-Shorelines-Patrick-DEntremont/dp/1989833632
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/acadian-shorelines-patrick-dentremont/1150063370
Synopsis: "Acadian Shorelines" by novelist Patrick d'Entremont relays the hijinks and heartaches of teenager Tommy Breau growing up in the late 1960s in a small Acadian fishing village in Nova Scotia, where American radio broadcasts of pop music, world news, and baseball come in more clearly than the Habs games from Montreal.
Hilarious and heart-breaking in equal measure and featuring a rich cast of smart but clueless friends, wished-for girlfriends, and a loving if strict family, "Acadian Shorelines" has the adult Tommy looking back and wondering whether the French Catholic upbringing he was so eager to escape may have been the best years of his life.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Acadian Shorelines" is author Patrick d'Entremont's debut as a novelist, this original and compelling 'coming-of-age' story of a boy as seen and reflected upon by who is now an adult is inherently fascinating and memorable read from start to finish. While a truly exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick for both personal reading lists and community library General Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Acadian Shorelines" from OC Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Patrick d'Entremont (https://patrickdentremont.com) is a former newspaper and magazine columnist who now writes novels set in rural Nova Scotia and are based on his childhood growing up in the 1960s. Patrick grew up in West Pubnico, a fishing community in the Acadian region founded in1653, where descendants of the original families continue to live to this day. He hopes his coming-of-age stories reflect how growing up in this milieu shaped who he became as an adult and resonates with many people -- whether or not of Acadian descent. Patrick lives in Halifax, Canada, with his wife, Cindy.
Heavy Metal is a Sin
Harrison Rose Tate
www.harrisonrosetate.com
ECS
9798998773761, $12.99, PB, 156pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Metal-Sin-Based-Story/dp/B0FDCR3H82
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heavy-metal-is-a-sin-harrison-rose-tate/1147761100
Synopsis: When Elena's father dies under mysterious circumstances, she finds herself face to face with his only living relative; an uncle she has never met.
The eulogy he delivers detonates, tearing open a silence forged decades ago and left behind like a scorched shell. Off-script and unfiltered, he reopens wounds and heals others in the same breath.
"Heavy Metal is a Sin" begins in rural America's postwar factories, where Hollywood dreams and promiscuity collide with poverty and hard labor. It moves through homelessness and the crucible of the Vietnam war. In a world heavy with welding torches, religious fundamentalism, and moral doubt, sparks fly. Loyalties are tested. Dancing is the devil's work. The flames of loss burn hotter than any metal.
Critique: Although a work of fiction "Heavy Metal is a Sin" by Harrison Rose Tate is based on a true story. Original, exceptional, emotionally engaging and intellectually absorbing, "Heavy Metal is a Sin" is an inherently fascinating read from start to finish. The author's genuine flair for the kind of deftly crafted and narrative driven storytelling style raises "Heavy Metal is a Sin" to an impressive level of literary excellence. This paperback edition of "Heavy Metal is a Sin" from ECS is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Harrison Rose Tate (www.harrisonrosetate.com/harrisonrosetate) is a systems thinker, technologist, and author whose work explores the intersection of cognition, philosophy, culture, and code. With a professional background in IT leadership, system architecture, and organizational strategy, she brings firsthand insight into the recursive logic of the digital world and its effects on human identity, presence, and autonomy.
The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things (fiction)
Craig S. Thurmond
Peace In Progress Media
https://www.peaceinprogressmedia.com
9798195185695, $22.95, HC, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Night-Worker-Weight-Small-Things/dp/B0GZBQ8MPD
Synopsis: J.C. Borum is not a cop, not a priest, and not a hero in the traditional sense. He is a worker sent into homes, hospitals, shelters, back rooms, and broken families at the worst moments of people's lives. His job is to assess danger, protect the vulnerable, document the truth, and make decisions that may haunt him long after the night ends.
Based on the true case experiences of the author, "The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" by Craig S. Thurmond pulls readers into the difficult terrain of child abuse, elder neglect, domestic violence, addiction, poverty, mental illness, family betrayal, and institutional failure. The names, genders, locations, and identifying details have been changed, but the emotional weight of the work remains intact.
"The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" is not a sanitized story about helping people. It is about the cost of seeing too much, knowing too much, and still showing up.
For readers drawn to realistic fiction, social justice, trauma-informed storytelling, protective services, and the unseen labor of social workers, "The Night Worker" offers a powerful look at what happens when the most vulnerable people in society are left behind -- and someone has to answer the call.
Critique: Although a deftly crafted work of fiction, "The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" is based on the true life social worker experiences of its author, Craig S. Thurmond. Emotionally engaging, compelling, and memorable, "The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for community library African American Urban Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for fans of mystery and suspense that this hardcover edition of "The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" is also readily available in paperback (9798195183424, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Craig S. Thurmond, MSW, is a writer, retired social casework specialist, retired licensed clinical social worker, and former public servant whose work is grounded in lived experience, professional practice, and a deep commitment to community endurance. With a background in social work and years of service in demanding systems of care and protection, he brings both compassion and rigor to his writing.
The Night Worker 2: Sins of the Father (fiction)
Craig S. Thurmond
Peace In Progress Media
https://www.peaceinprogressmedia.com
9798196132797, $21.99, HC, 334pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/NIGHT-WORKER-SINS-FATHER/dp/B0H14TDL6D
Synopsis: J.C. Borum has learned that some families do not hide the truth with silence alone. They hide it with reputation, loyalty, fear, careful explanations, and the kind of influence that makes people hesitate before asking the next question.
As the case at the center of "The Night Worker 2: Sins of the Father" deepens, J.C. is pulled further into a world where the official story no longer holds, and every answer seems to lead toward another locked door. What began as a troubling protective-services investigation now reaches into family history, institutional pressure, county politics, and the dangerous space between what people know and what they are willing to say.
Working across Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services, J.C. continues to move through homes, offices, records, interviews, and courtrooms, following the small details others would rather dismiss. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more resistance he faces from people who have something to lose.
Shaped by his own childhood and by years of protective-services work, J.C. understands that love and harm can live in the same house. He also knows that the most damaging secrets are often protected by people who believe they are preserving the family, the system, or themselves.
Critique: A compelling, compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "The Night Worker 2: Sins of the Father" is particularly impressive when considering that it is a work of fiction, it is inspired by author Craig S. Thurmond's real life experiences as a social worker. A fascinating drama that brings the story in begun in "The Night Worker: The Weight of Small Things" to (in the justified works of the author) 'a memorable conclusion in a protective-services procedural about trauma, loyalty, silence, power, and the cost of refusing to accept the version of events that makes everyone comfortable'. It should be noted that author Craig Thurmond's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style lifts both his books to an impressive level of literary excellence. Highly recommended for community library African American Literary Fiction and Mystery/Suspense collections, "The Night Worker 2: Sins of the Father" is also readily available for personal reading lists in paperback (9798196130861, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Craig S. Thurmond, MSW, is a writer, retired social casework specialist, retired licensed clinical social worker, and former public servant whose work is grounded in lived experience, professional practice, and a deep commitment to community endurance. With a background in social work and years of service in demanding systems of care and protection, he brings both compassion and rigor to his writing.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Cyber Sanction
Nick Gretener
www.nicholasgretener.com
Qualitas Classics
9781897093160, $19.95, PB, 500pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cyber-Sanction-LawForce-Novel/dp/1897093160
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cyber-sanction-nicholas-gretener/1148855504
Synopsis: In a world where power no longer lies in armies or arsenals, but in algorithms and access, the next great war will be fought across digital frontiers.
When the Boston First Bank implodes in a mysterious cyberattack, the financial aftershocks threaten to upend the global economy. The evidence leads to Helvex Financial, a Swiss banking giant-yet deeper still to Zhonghua Capital, a covert Chinese state holding company intent on reshaping the world's financial order.
Enter LawForce, a task force of elite lawyers with full U.S. governmental support created to defend justice where traditional systems fail. At its helm stands Steve Shane, a lawyer driven by conscience, and Jonathan Hendrix, the U.S. Attorney General, whose vision for LawForce blurs the line between legality and warfare.
From Zurich war rooms to Washington boardrooms, from the shadowed servers of Helvex Financial to the mountain passes of Switzerland, "The Cyber Sanction" hurtles toward a reckoning where truth, technology, and justice collide. Blending the tension of a legal thriller with the precision of a geopolitical espionage novel, "The Cyber Sanction" is a searing exploration of digital warfare, accountability, and the moral cost of justice in an interconnected cyber world.
"The Cyber Sanction" -- where justice goes global, and every byte can kill.
Critique: A deftly blended novel of action, adventure, suspense, and believable extrapolations of current events that include the globalization of finance and the emergence of AI, "The Cyber Sanction" by Nicholas Gretener is a simply riveting read from start to finish. Gretener's impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for an original technothriller, making "The Cyber Sanction" an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Cyber Sanction" from Qualitas Classics is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Nick Gretener (www.nicholasgretener.com) is a retired lawyer and engineer. He splits his time between Calgary, Canada; Wengen, Switzerland; and Maui, USA. He can usually be found writing on his laptop somewhere, skiing down a piste, hiking up a mountain, or rafting down a river in canyon country. He is convinced that if people read more, the world would be a better place. It doesn't always have to be heavy. Read something that will stretch your mind, then enjoy a beach read. Rinse and repeat.
A Wave of Breath
Tess Collins
http://www.tesscollins.com
BearCat Press
https://www.bearcatpress.com
9781937356491, $28.00, HC, 306pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wave-Breath-Tess-Collins/dp/1937356493
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wave-of-breath-tess-collins/1149719760
Synopsis: In the wake of a national calamity known only as The Water Event, Brooklyn Tremain launches herself across a shattered America in pursuit of Martin Siriso -- the man she loves and the man she refuses to lose. Was he swallowed by the chaos, or is he running from the forces that thrive on catastrophe?
Armed only with a cryptic message and fragments of a quantum device Martin helped build, Brooklyn is thrust into a conflict far larger than survival. As she pushes through danger, devotion, and the razor edge between life and death, she discovers that the truth she seeks could tear the world open once more.
Critique: An original, compelling, and masterfully crafted suspense thriller of a read from start to finish, "A Wave of Breath" showcases author Tess Collins' impressive and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that keeps her readers rapt and compulsive page-turning attention from cover to cover. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Suspense/Thriller Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "A Wave of Breath" from BearCat Press is also available in (9781937356507, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Tess Collins (http://www.tesscollins.com) spent her younger years in a one-room Carnegie Library, reading around the room. Her ambition to become a writer took her to the University of Kentucky, where she majored in journalism and creative writing, and eventually to a Ph.D. from The Union Institute and University, with a focus on theatre management and producing. She is the author of eight novels and a non-fiction book on theater management.
Kauai Spies and Bald-faced Lies, Kent and Katcha II
Larry & Rosemary Mild
Magic Island Literary Works
https://www.magicile.com
9798986386430, $14.95, PB, 266pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kauai-Spies-Bald-faced-Lies-Katcha/dp/B0GWM6546Y
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kauai-spies-and-bald-faced-lies-kent-and-katcha-ii-larry-and-rosemary-mild/1149863739
Synopsis: American spy Kent Brukner and his lover escape from Russia. Now, five years have passed. Kent is a Honolulu lawyer, and Katcha, his Russian immigrant wife, is an American citizen, a college student, and mother to their son, Paulie.
Kent is asked to prepare a partnership agreement for a startup company building a new secret missile-tracking recorder for the U.S. military on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Then then the Chief Financial Officer's son is kidnapped. The ransom is not for money, but for the plans and specifications of the new recorder. Is there a mole in the company? A domestic terrorist? Kent works with the FBI to expose the spy and rescue the kidnapped son.
Meanwhile, Katcha's immigrant friends are entangled in an ugly legal mess caused by the New York City murder of their business partner.
Can Kent help them while he's still spy chasing?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a compelling read from start to finish, "Kauai Spies and Bald-faced Lies, Kent and Katcha II" by the husband and wife team of Larry and Rosemary Mild is a fun and fascinating read from cover to cover. Of special interest to fans of suspense thriller spy and murder mystery novels, "Kauai Spies and Bald-faced Lies, Kent and Katcha II" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Kauai Spies and Bald-faced Lies, Kent and Katcha II" from Magic Island Literary Works is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Coauthors, Rosemary and Larry Mild write cozy mysteries, adventure/thrillers, short stories, articles, and essays. Their marriage has not only withstood the loss of their daughter Miriam to terrorism, but the daily test of writing back to back in the same room. Rosemary is a career writer and editor. Larry is an electrical engineer turned writer. Both are members of Mystery Writers of America, Inc., Hawaii Fiction Writers, and Sisters In Crime (Larry is a Mister in Crime). They are both former members of Maryland Writers' Association and available for book talks and book clubs.
The Book of Ruth
A. J. Bialo
https://www.ajbialo.com
Bialo Publications
9780983041436, $18.95, PB, 453pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Ruth-J-Bialo/dp/0983041431
Synopsis: It's 1978, the year of three popes and Cardinal Joshua Argus has his eye on becoming the next Pope at any cost. To achieve his goal, he must do two things: make sure there is a vacancy for the position and clean up his past to avoid a scandalous ascension to the papacy.
Standing in his way is a young homicide detective named Kathryn Krol who is the first woman to be promoted to the Syracuse Police Department Detective Squad. As she begins her new job with a skeptical new partner, she just wants to focus on being the best detective she can be while trying to win the respect of her fellow all male detective squad.
But Kathryn will quickly be put to the test when she and her partner, Angelo Marcello, begin to investigate a series of ritual murders being perpetrated in Syracuse, New York. As their investigation continues, they eventually uncover the sinister plot of the cardinal who wants to be pope. Unfortunately, by the time they make the connection between the murders and Cardinal Argus, they find that the cardinal is now safely at the Vatican in Rome.
As they try to regroup, they are left wondering if they could still be able to stop him before he commits the ultimate murder from inside the Vatican.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, compelling read from start to finish, "The Book of Ruth" by A. J. Bialo will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in suspense thriller murder mysteries featuring a serial killer conspiracy. As an author, A. J. Bialo demonstrates as genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative drive storytelling style that makes "The Book of Ruth" a simply fascinating and compulsive read from cover to cover and a welcome, recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Book of Ruth" from Bialo Publications is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.95).
Editorial Note: A. J. Bialo (https://www.ajbialo.com) is also the author of "A Moment in Time" (9780983041429, $13.00 PB, $7.00 Kindle).
The Druggist
Mark Vickery
Independently Published
9798992759136, $9.99, PB, 135pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Druggist-Inside-Murder-Castle-Holmes/dp/B0GSJTB6FH
Synopsis: It's the era of Jack the Ripper, of mean, polluted streets, derby hats, hansom cabs and curlicued mustaches.
In 1890s Chicago, no one suspects Dr H.H. Holmes of being a serial killing psychopath, least of all his dutiful handyman, Ben Pitezel. Ben gets himself in Holmes' good graces, assisting him on insurance scams, which helps Ben provide comfortably for his wife and growing family.
But when a beautiful young blonde co-worker goes missing from Holmes' shop, and especially when Ben witnesses Holmes' torture dungeon in the basement of the "Murder Castle", he begins to understand Holmes' devious nature.
But is it too late to stop him?
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a thriller of a read from start to finish, "The Druggist: Inside the Murder Castle of Dr. H.H. Holmes" by Mark Vickery showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is idea for the mystery/suspense genre. While unreservedly recommend for personal reading lists and community library collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Druggist" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Mark Vickery has been a professional writer for more than 20 years, and "The Druggist" is his second novella, following 2025's "AI Blinked," which he co-wrote with Mark Zinski. He writes a twice-daily column for an investment research firm, is an optioned screenwriter with a top screenwriting prize, has written stage plays given public readings in Chicago and New Orleans, and is an accomplished songwriter. His books are listed online at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54983636.Mark_Vickery
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Icefall: The Rise of the Nine
Michael Newman and Jon Land, authors
www.michaelnewmanauthor.com
Permuted Press
https://permutedpress.com
9798895656891, $19.99, PB, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Icefall-Rise-Nine-Michael-Newman/dp/B0GCWSLNPB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/icefall-michael-newman/1149047739
Synopsis: An alien ship crashed into Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier 150,000 years ago and froze within the ice... until glacial melting thawed out its deadly inhabitants in the present day.
Kai and Jules Bevins, both professors of astrobiology at Caltech, are roused from their home and whisked away to the site where a special division of the army has taken charge. But not before something escaped through a breach in the hull.
Meanwhile, a pair of Alaska state troopers locate a missing Amazon driver fifteen miles away on the Juneau Icefield and trace his movements to a nearby village with a population of less than fifty. Arriving in town, they are greeted by the bodies of villagers who were killed in an impossible, horrific way.
Thousands of miles away, under a remote archaeological find in Pakistan, the Nine (a team of superbeings placed on Earth a million years ago by intergalactic colonizers that seeded our planet to create human life) are lifted from their long slumber. The kind of threat they've been waiting for has finally come.
The Nine find unexpected allies culled from the ancient history of their home world in the form of a teenage boy and godlike entity. All this leads to a confrontation on a volcanic island that will determine the fate of civilization, even as the Nine uncover the shattering truth behind their own tragic paths and learn of a much greater battle to come.
Will they be enough to stem the apocalyptic menace threatening all of mankind?
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a fun read for dedicated science fiction fans from start to finish, "Icefall: The Rise of the Nine" by co-authors Michael Newman and Jon Land will prove to a an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal reading lists and community/public library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Icefall: The Rise of the Nine" from Permuted Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Michael Newman (www.michaelnewmanauthor.com) is a storyteller whose fascination with science, technology, and the human spirit drives his debut novel, "Icefall". A lifelong creator of companies and ideas, Newman brings the precision of a strategist and the imagination of a world-builder to his writing.
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books by Jon Land available at Books Series in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/jon-land
The Christian Studies Shelf
A God-Shaped Mind: The Neuroscientific Path to Spiritual Maturity
Charles Coker
Forefront Books
https://www.forefrontbooks.com
9781637635483, $28.00, HC, 368pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/God-Shaped-Mind-Neuroscientific-Spiritual-Maturity/dp/1637635486
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-god-shaped-mind-chuck-coker-phd-sphr/1148988597
Synopsis: As millennials empty the pews, Generation Z is taking their place. Coming to Christ in record numbers, this inspiring movement marks both opportunity and urgency. Dr. Chuck Coker believes this moment calls for more than conversion; it calls for growth.
For decades, Coker has studied spiritual maturity, coaching pastors and leaders on how to help believers develop lasting faith. With the publication of "A God-Shaped Mind: The Neuroscientific Path to Spiritual Maturity", he makes a compelling case that spiritual maturity is not only good for your soul, it is also good for your brain!
Blending groundbreaking neuroscience with timeless biblical truth, Coker reveals how God designed our brains to grow biologically, socially, and spiritually. Concepts like neuroplasticity, epigenetic changes, and emotional intelligence don't compete with Scripture; they confirm it. The same processes that shape our minds also shape our faith. Without continued growth, our spiritual lives can remain as undeveloped as an infant's, unable to walk, speak, or make an impact.
In the pages of "A God-Shaped Mind", Coker guides readers through each stage of spiritual development, from spiritual infant to spiritual parent, using scripture and scientific evidence to reveal what's happening in the brain and heart at each stage and how God prepares us for the next one.
Whether you're a new believer or simply feel stuck in your faith, "A God-Shaped Mind" will educate, encourage, and equip you to grow into all God designed you to be -- renewed in mind, strengthened in purpose, and transformed for a lifetime of walking with Him.
Critique: An original and unique approach to blending human psychology with religious beliefs, to spiritual growth and Christian discipleship, "A God-Shaped Mind: The Neuroscientific Path to Spiritual Maturity" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, clerical, church, seminary, and college/university library Contemporary Christian Studies collections. It should be noted for clergy, seminary students, theologians, and individual members of the Christian community that hardcover edition of "A God-Shaped Mind" from Forefront Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Charles "Chuck" Coker, PhD, DMin, SPHR, is the founder and CEO of LifeThrive Performance Systems, an organization dedicated to helping individuals and teams realize their God-given potential through emotional intelligence, spiritual formation, and personal development. With more than thirty-five years of experience in corporate leadership, academic teaching, and ministry consulting, Dr. Coker has trained thousands of leaders across business, education, and faith communities.
Dimensions of Faith
Steve Donaldson
Cascade Books
c/o Wipf and Stock Publishers
https://wipfandstock.com
9781498220071, $66.00, HC, 300pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dimensions-Faith-Understanding-through-Religion/dp/1498220053
Synopsis: With the publication of "Dimensions of Faith: Understanding Faith through the Lens of Science and Religion", cognitive scientist Steve Donaldson takes readers on a journey from the world of assumptions, set minds, widely varying beliefs, and popular misconceptions to an understanding of the true essence and role of faith as the natural and inevitable product of brains.
Using numerous illustrations and examples, Professor Donaldson shows how faith is necessitated by a variety of unavoidable limitations, exposes the myth of a divide between faith and critical thinking, provides practical advice for crafting coherent beliefs, and explains why there can never be such a place as "Factland".
Along the way he also takes a special look at religious faith-evaluating its attributes, exploring its relation to other manifestations of faith, investigating whether God has done his job well enough to warrant the faith placed in him, and pondering how truth seekers can sometimes end up in very different places.
Critique: Eloquent, iconoclastic, deftly crafted, insightful, thought-provoking, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Dimensions of Faith: Understanding Faith through the Lens of Science and Religion" by Professor Steve Donaldson will prove of immense relevance to readers with an interest in Christian theology and the contemporary relationship between science and religion. Erudite and informative, "Dimensions of Faith" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, church, seminary, community, and college/university library Christian themed science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists clergy, seminary students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Dimensions of Faith" from Cascade Books is also available in paperback (9781498220057, $38.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Steve Donaldson, PhD, is Professor and Computer Science Program Director at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He also codirects the Computational Biology program, teaches in the Science and Religion and University Fellows Honors programs, and is one of the cofounders of the Samford Center for Science and Religion. His research interests include cognition, models of intelligence, autonomous systems, self-organization and emergence, and the interface of science and religion.
The Self-Help Shelf
The Procrastination Solution
Bobby L. Butler
Bridge Publishers, LLC
9798993298115, $27.99, HC, 140pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Procrastination-Solution-Self-Imposed-Unstoppable-Productivity/dp/B0G2X1HV38
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-procrastination-solution-bobby-l-butler/1149670012
Synopsis: Do you stare at your to-do list feeling paralyzed, knowing exactly what needs to be done but unable to make yourself start? Are you tired of promising yourself "I'll do it tomorrow" only to watch deadlines slip by? Does the weight of unfinished projects follow you everywhere -- stealing your confidence at work and your peace of mind at home?
The central message of "The Procrastination Solution: Daily Strategies to Take Immediate Action to Overcome Self-Imposed Delays, Build Consistent Momentum, and Create Unstoppable Productivity" by Bobby Butler is that you are re not broken, lazy, or lacking willpower.
You're simply human, caught in patterns that neuroscience shows are normal responses to overwhelm, perfectionism, and decision fatigue.
"The Procrastination Solution" isn't just another theory. It is a toolbox of 107+ practical solutions designed for real life including messy schedules, demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and everyday chaos.
With "The Procrastination Solution" you will:
Discover Your Procrastination Type: Take the Procrastination Profile assessment to identify whether you're a Perfectionist, Overwhelmed Avoider, Thrill-Seeker, or Decision Paralysis type -- then get strategies matched to your brain.
Spot Your Triggers, Build Your Toolkit: Go beyond surface symptoms to understand the biological and emotional roots of your procrastination.
Have 107+ Modular Strategies: Select the tool or tools that fit your existing routine. Each can be implemented in minutes -- no rigid system required.
Be Shame-Free and Science-Backed: Includes specialized guidance for remote workers, parents, and neurodivergent readers including those with ADHD.
Access Free Companion Resources: Procrastination assessment, distractions audit, and anti-procrastination toolkit included.
Critique: Original, exceptional, 'real world' practical, impressively well written, thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "The Procrastination Solution: Daily Strategies to Take Immediate Action to Overcome Self-Imposed Delays, Build Consistent Momentum, and Create Unstoppable Productivity" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collection. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Procrastination Solution" from Bridge Publishers is also readily available in paperback (9798993298108, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Bobby L. Butler brings over 40 years of professional sales, business ownership, and leadership development experience to his writing. His expertise spans seven industries (including FinTech, eCommerce, Learning and Development, and Telecommunications) working with organizations from startups to global enterprises. Bobby is the author of Sales Producer (a time and territory management workbook), and The Sales Mentor: Professional Sales 101 & 102 For The Development Years (2003). He has also developed 29 sales, management, leadership, and customer service training programs throughout his career. Although of retirement age, Bobby is dedicated to "giving back" by sharing the knowledge, skills, and insights he's gained from decades of real-world success. His books and articles address the specific needs, challenges, and aspirations of professionals seeking practical, actionable guidance in self-help, sales development, and leadership.
You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late
Ilene Berns-Zare, PsyD
MSI Press
http://msipress.com
9781957354958, $19.95, PB, 252pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Not-Too-Late-Possibilities/dp/195735495X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/youre-not-too-old-and-its-not-too-late-ilene-berns-zare/1149335537
Synopsis: Specifically and intentionally designed to be an accessible 52-week companion, "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late: Weekly Practices of Meaning, Mindfulness, and New Possibilities at Midlife and Beyond" by Ilene Berns-Zare is an inspiring and aspirational DIY guide invites Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to re-imagine aging with confidence, vitality, and purpose.
Drawing on research-informed tools and practical reflections, "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late" encourages readers to tap into inner strengths, embrace meaningful shifts, and discover everyday "ah-ha" moments that spark renewal.
Whether you seek greater wellbeing, deeper meaning, or renewed fulfillment from midlife through older adulthood, "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late" is uplifting resource reminds us that aging well is an active journey-and that the best chapters may still lie ahead.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late: Weekly Practices of Meaning, Mindfulness, and New Possibilities at Midlife and Beyond" by psychologist and educator Ilene Berns-Zare will prove to be extraordinarily accessible and of maximum value to the non-specialist general reader dealing with the stress of a midlife crisis or seeking to enrich their enjoyment of life in their later years. Insightful, motivational, and 'real world' practical, "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections and supplemental Aging/Longevity curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late" from MSI Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ilene Berns-Zare is a life and leadership coach, psychologist, educator, and author who helps people navigate their lives with resilience, meaning, mindfulness and well-being, including the adventures of adulthood and growing older. Ilene writes the monthly blog Flourish and Thrive for Psychology Today. She is an adjunct faculty for Georgetown University's Institute for Transformational Leadership and a facilitator for the Wise Aging program, a national initiative.
The Criminology Shelf
A Soul on Trial
Robin Cutler
https://robinrcutler.com
View Tree Press
9780997482331, $16.99, PB, 462pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Trial-Mystery-Twentieth-Century/dp/0997482338
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-soul-on-trial-robin-r-cutler/1111631169
Synopsis: Secrets, Spirits, Scandal, and a Nation Watching
When Marine Corps Lieutenant James N. Sutton died in a brawl in 1907, his mother, his sister and his ghost all challenged the Navy's suicide verdict. By 1909, Rosa Sutton's crusade to save her son's soul from the stigma of a mortal sin had become a national sensation. Marine combat hero Judge Advocate Henry Leonard would prove the perfect foil for Mrs. Sutton.
But soon newspapers across America weighed in on "one of the most remarkable inquiries of its kind" in the history of the Navy; millions of citizens now had a stake in Rosa's cause.
What really happened to "Jimmie" Sutton? For most people, that became less important than his mother's right to know.
Critique: "A Soul on Trial: A Marine Corps Mystery at the Turn of the Twentieth Century" by Robin R. Cutler showcases an infamous yesteryear true crime incident that at the time simply fascinated the country. Though Marine Corps Lieutenant James N. Sutton was dead, his devout Catholic mother pushed for a trial that would essentially judge his soul - did he commit the terrible sin of suicide, or was his death really a homicide? A compelling read from start to finish, "A Soul on Trial" is an exceptionally well researched, detailed, documented and absorbing account. While an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library True Crime collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of true crime fans that this paperback edition of "A Soul on Trial" from View Tree Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Robin R. Cutler (https://robinrcutler.com) is an historian, blogger, and filmmaker who has worked outside of academia for most of her career.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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