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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
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.
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 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 Cookbook Shelf
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.
The Education Shelf
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 American History Shelf
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 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 Wildlife Shelf
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
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
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
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
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 Mystery/Suspense Shelf
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
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 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
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 Music CD Shelf
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 Buddhist Studies Shelf
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 Art Shelf
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 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 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
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.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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