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California Bookwatch

Volume 19, Number 10 October 2024 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Political Science Shelf International Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Biography/Memoir Shelf General Fiction Shelf
Historical Fiction Shelf Literary Fiction Shelf Romantic Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Self-Help Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Surviving the Warming
Lorin R. Robinson, PhD
Open Books
https://www.open-bks.com
9781948498774, $19.95 Paperback/$9.95 eBook

https://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/surviving-the-warming/order.html

Surviving the Warming: Strategies for Americans is an excellent addition to the reading lists of individuals and libraries that have seen a plethora of books about the political and scientific impact of global change, but less about the personal impact of living with a legacy that future generations will have to face.

While predicting that global warming will ultimately change civilization as we know it, Lorin R. Robinson offers hope on how the world can be reconstructed and how humanity can continue -- and this is a source of strength that differentiates Surviving the Warming from other books on the subject.

From how climate change will shift populations around the world, changing how and where food is grown and distributed, to employment outlooks and the case for moving off-grid as much as possible, Robinson considers not only 'how did this happen?' but, more importantly, assesses survival strategies based on his analysis of how individuals and families can respond to climate crisis.

A prerequisite to appreciating just how far Robinson goes in addressing this problem lies in the acknowledgment of the presence and power of climate change, which is already changing the world now, and will do so even more radically in the future. The coming years will not only challenge where and how we live, but also underlying values associated with consumption, distribution and living conditions.

Robinson asserts that people must be realistic and reduce expectations in order to accept global warming's growing limitations. The mantra he suggests to use in developing viable lifestyles is 'simplicity, self-reliance and sustainability'.

Robinson does more than present and assess all these issues. He provides keen insights into how adjustments can be made now, considering their resulting impact on socioeconomic and political milieus. All this makes Surviving the Warming a powerful standout in climate change literature, contrasting the worldwide and society-wide changes to come with how adults can today assure that their kids and grandkids cultivate the kinds of thinking and survival skills that will assure a high quality of life and flexibility in thinking. Its focus on multi-generational families goes a long way in translating traditional thinking into future planning.

The value of this approach is simply priceless. Surviving the Warming is a highly recommended 'must read' for anyone interested in future thinking, shifting events, and helping kids develop the kinds of skills that will assure their survival in this challenging future world.


The Political Science Shelf

Politics, Principle and Standing Up to Donald Trump
Kristen Renwick Monroe
Ethics International Press Ltd.
https://ethicspress.com
9781804415245, $118.95 Hardcover/$38.95 Paperback, 460pp

https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Principle-Standing-Donald-Trump/dp/1804415243

Politics, Principle and Standing Up to Donald Trump, written by a political science professor with thirteen student coauthors, examines Republicans who oppose Trump, focusing on their ethical questions and concerns surrounding Trump and his politics of hate. As such, it offers a more wide-ranging consideration than competing analyses of Donald Trump, one emphasizing the political milieu of his actions, belief system, and those who either defy or agree with his actions and vision.

It's hard to recommend yet another Donald Trump treatise because so much has been written on the man that sounds too similar. But Kristen Renwick Monroe successfully crafts a dialogue that stands above and beyond most considerations, provoking voters to debate, action, and new political and ethical insights about Trump, the Republican Party, and shifting American politics as a whole.

This wide-ranging embrace of so many contrasts represents the perfect blend of analysis and controversy. This gives added value in flavoring its subject with the overlay of moral analysis, which is present in the introductory chapter's analysis of what the modern Republican Party is doing by choosing to support Trump: Is Trump an aberration, someone unique who has upended traditional Republican Party politics? Do the current battles reflect a redefining of what it means to be a Republican, a struggle for the heart and soul of the Grand Old Party, as some have suggested? Is Trump reshaping Republican conservatism, or is he abandoning ideological principles altogether, making loyalty to Trump the defining characteristic of being a Republican? Or is something even deeper at work here? Does the MAGA movement signal a threat to democracy, a national shift toward populism with an authoritarian bent?

Any consideration of moral courage within the Republican Party must begin by addressing these questions in order to provide a historical context within which we can then construct a thoughtful if skeptical, objective, analysis of Republicans who challenge Donald Trump. Each chapter centers on a key individual who have raised different kinds of ethical challenges to Trump. The book considers the disparate attitudes, beliefs, moral foundations, and the impact of their choices on the overall support or negation of democratic principle in general and Trump in particular.

Readers thus receive more in-depth rationales and debates than is allowed in the usual Trump coverage. Information is presented in personal reflections, interviews, and attitudes designed to enlighten audiences about the moral and ethical foundations that are being shaken not only within Trump and political circles, but throughout American politics and society.

Having a book that encourages such reflections and debates among its readers is key to a more in-depth appreciation of moral and ethical issues as they operate in society as a whole. A quote by interviewee Miles Taylor is illustrative: "There is a quiet resistance within the administration of people choosing to put country first. But the real difference will be made by everyday citizens rising above politics, reaching across the aisle, and resolving to shed the labels in favor of a single one: Americans."

This is why even collections already feeling overburdened by the plethora of Trump titles on the market will find it not just attractive, but necessary to acquire Politics, Principle and Standing Up to Donald Trump. The process of defying charismatic or bullying behaviors receives a probe that will prove essential reading for a wide audience, from classrooms at the high school to college level to book club reading groups interested in moral and ethical boundaries.


The International Studies Shelf

Chinese Satire
Compiled and Edited by Xiuwu R. Liu
Hermit Studio
9798987005545, $25.00 Hardcover/$9.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Satire-Quotations-Xiuwu-Liu/dp/B0BFTYQ24L

Chinese Satire: Sources and Quotations began as a teacher's compilation for a college course in Chinese satire, but its publication in book form will reach a wider audience interested in the mechanics and culture of Chinese wit and commentary. Xiuwu R. Liu compiles a virtual treasure trove of proverbs, sayings, political and social commentary, organized in selections that range from historical writings to contemporary reflections. These quotes and notes provide satisfying insights especially suitable for not just classroom debate, but book club discussion groups.

One example comes from 'The Plum in the Golden Vase, or, Chin P'ing Mei': As I was saying, in the future, you ought to amend the reckless way you go about your business. As the sayings go:

On first meeting one should express no more than
three-tenths of one's thoughts;
Never under any circumstances should one disclose
the whole content of one's heart.
Even one's wife may harbor duplicitous intent,
Not to mention people in the world at large. (Yueh-niang) (ch. 72)

Accompanying clarifications and explanations of the context and background of the writers allow Westerners access to the underlying literary, historical, social, and cultural influences which directed original writer observations and perspectives. Xiuwu R. Liu compiled these from his philosophical collection Deflating Human Beings: Sources and Quotations from Around the World.

A new appendix includes sources saved over the years, plus most of those introduced in sixteen histories of and reference works in Chinese literature in English (including in translation). Translation and online references conclude the value of a gathering which is highly recommended not only for university settings where students of Chinese history, philosophy, and culture will find much to discuss, but for general audiences interested in the origins and mechanics of satirical observation in general and its incarnation in Chinese culture in particular.

Libraries that choose Chinese Satire for its wide-ranging and authoritative, scholarly coverage will find it a fine study in Chinese tradition.


The Music Shelf

Abba All the Songs
Benoit Clerc
Cassel
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781788404822, $60.00 HC, $30.99 Kindle, 528pp

https://www.amazon.com/Abba-All-Songs-Story-Behind/dp/1788404823

Abba All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track is not for the casual reader, but is a top recommendation for authoritative pop music libraries and those that harbor a special and deep interest in the rock group Abba. Such an audience will find this 528-page survey definitive.

Its song-by-song, track-by-track analysis pairs black and white and color photos (some common, others rare) with behind-the-scenes discussions of Abba's evolution and albums. Its length represents decades of research. Of course, more than a casual interest in either pop music history or Abba in particular is required, in order to appreciate this definitive volume.

Libraries and readers with such an attraction will find the presentation definitive, lively, and packed with facts even avid Abba fans may not already know. All these elements make Abba All the Songs a 'must have' for anyone seeking an in-depth history.


The Biography/Memoir Shelf

The Iraq I Knew Book 1: Into the Storm
Col. Burl W. Randolph Jr.
MyWingman, LLC Publishing
https://mywingmanllc.com
9798848848533, $19.95 Paperback/$5.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Iraq-Knew-Hussein-Weapons-Destruction/dp/B0D5WJ3D9Y

Why should readers already well versed in military operations in Iraq choose The Iraq I Knew: From Saddam Hussein to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) to Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI): Into the Storm? Quite simply, because it adds elements of military and social observation to expand reader concepts of the peoples, culture, and social and military clashes that permeate both that nation and the experiences of those who served in Iraq and participated in battles.

Audiences interested in military experience (especially civilians who may hold relatively little familiarity with the rigors and demands of military life) will find a 'you are here' atmosphere permeates the story as they follow Col. Burl W. Randolph Jr. into Iraq.

Chapters discuss self-care in the face of pre-deployment and deployment, explore the daily tasks and experiences of war, and cover transitioning back to civilian life when still experiencing the automatic survival responses of battle.

Perhaps the finest moments of The Iraq I Knew take place within Randolph's experiences with multiple tours of duty in Iraq, where each return introduced him to many different milieus and people that layered into the complexity that constitutes Iraq.

These repeated returns and their differences, in turn, forced Randolph to change in unexpected ways, in response. Combat veterans with multiple deployments under their belts (or, who are facing such) will thus find many insights that are unique to this book. They are seldom explored in such detail elsewhere, despite the plethora of "I was in the war" veteran memoirs on the market today.

Randolph provides clarity to his readers by capturing not just events, but the psychological changes they demand and bring to the military table: We needed to be agile to advance against the enemy when we had the initiative. You may be sitting for two hours, traveling for three hours, stationary for an hour, then engaged in battle tracking for the next four hours, so you have an irregular sleep cycle. Knowing when to shutdown was a critical skill that would serve me well while navigating an uncertain future.

The dual focus of Randolph's experiences both within the military, in Iraq, and back home create added value for those who would consider the various incarnations and impact of military PTSD and repeated requirements to adjust to impossible situations that even exist once back home: The drug and alcohol behaviors were more immediate manifestations of the deployment, and so were other behaviors. Throughout the cities of Killeen, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove, there were thefts, robberies, and even armed robberies attributed to Soldiers. Arguments, fights, occurrences of disrespect, and even drug dealing within the unit were all parts of the haunted homecoming we endured while trying to return to normalcy.

With its potential to prove eye-opening and educational to military people, their families, and civilians alike, The Iraq I Knew transcends any identification as a military autobiography, a story of PTSD, or an exploration of Iraq's many faces alone. All these facets are why The Iraq I Knew is especially and highly recommended for general-interest libraries, as well as military-oriented collections. Discussion groups, whether consisting of vets or civilians, will find it holds many insights and much material for debate and discussion.

Bones: Anorexia, Anxiety and My Path to Self-Love
Robyn Shumer with Natasha Stoynoff
DartFrog Books LLC
www.DartFrogBooks.com
9781961624818, $25.99 Hardcover/$15.99 Paperback/$5.99 eBook, 294pp

https://www.amazon.com/Bones-Anorexia-Anxiety-Path-Self-Love/dp/196162480X

Bones: Anorexia, Anxiety and My Path to Self-Love is a memoir that delivers a one-two punch of recovery and discovery. It joins many other memoirs about struggles with anorexia, but is delivered with a difference - Robyn Shumer addresses underlying cultural paradigms about weight and acceptance that gives her personal story further depth. Her account of mental illness, coming of age, and perceiving and handling life challenges (albeit, sometimes not in a healthy way) gives readers in-the-moment experiences that delve into the basic question: why starve?

Like a good storyteller, Robyn Shumer dramatizes and captures the nuances of her life, synthesizing her life experiences into ideals and reactions that, under her hand, make complete sense; if not to a small child grappling with big problems, then to adults who might wonder how anorexic tendencies grow. Personal journals formed the backbone of her foray into the past, and are likely the reason why her exploration assumes an immediacy and intimacy not to be found in many similar-sounding memoirs about mental illness or eating disorders.

From the time eight-year-old Shumer first stepped on a scale and acknowledged her preoccupation with weight, readers are drawn into an obsession which developed against all odds and reality: I carefully stepped onto the metal platform, spacing my bare feet evenly for the best weight distribution. And with a deep breath, I made my quiet plea: Dear God, please, please don't let the number be in the forties. I don't want to be fat. Had I said it out loud for my mother and the doctor to hear, they would have told me I was crazy, that what I was praying for made no sense. I was an active, athletic kid and had always been underweight for my age and height, always the skinniest among my friends and the tiniest in the class picture.

Also much more impactful than most coming-of-age memoirs is the clash between childhood experience and adult encounters. Sex raises an ugly head and further prompts a focus on maintaining a low weight and high control of impossible adult situations. Shumer's descriptions of such encounters are powerfully rendered: Back in our classroom, the principal, Mr. Bruno, showed up at the door in his trademark polyester plaid pants. My throat tightened. He'd come for me; I was sure of it. The librarian must have overheard our sex talk and tattled. Before he even motioned to me, I'd already gathered my Hello Kitty backpack and risen from my seat.

As she grows up to discover women who are "true leaders," whose actions and countenances pave the way for her own growth, readers receive a vivid discussion. These embrace mother/daughter perceptions and interactions, a child and young woman's views on adult power and purpose, and a process of struggling with and conquering mental illness moment by moment. The entire memoir is enlightening and revealing.

Book club discussion groups and psychology groups centered on coming-of-age experiences, anorexia, or women's empowerment will find much to discuss in Bones, which synthesizes the concerns and logic of a young woman who struggles with her own condition, family, and world pressures. This is no story for the faint of heart. The candid intimacy of the author's life is revealed, right down to the bones of contention and disturbance. These, in turn, link to and explore common misconceptions about eating disorders which will prove essential reading and debate material for a wide audience. Under her hand, food isn't just a source of comfort. It's the impetus for distress and anguish, as well.

Libraries interested in memoirs about not just anorexia, but mental health will find Bones an appropriate and powerful acquisition. It stands above others with a tone and perspective that tackles growing up, motherhood, and the life lessons and perceptions we transmit to ourselves and those around us.


The General Fiction Shelf

The Tin Whistle
Kathleen Shoop
Independently Published
www.kshoop.com
9798573389844, $10.24 Paperback/$2.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Tin-Whistle-Kathleen-Shoop/dp/B08QLY97Z6

Christmas stories for kids abound, but less common are tales for adults that the entire family and all ages can enjoy. Such is The Tin Whistle, a tale of orphans, growth, hope, and how an act of kindles in childhood translates to new realizations in adulthood. Though the tale opens in 1854, when Jewish orphan Jacob Gusky awaits Santa's visit at his orphanage in Manhattan, it doesn't reside there. The unexpected gift of a tin whistle and events that move Jacob from childhood to a successful adulthood with a family and department store business moves the tale into new arenas as it follows the ongoing influence of the whistle and its renewed appearance decades later.

As far as holiday tales go, The Tin Whistle evolves a set of insights on extravagance, kindness, emotional connections, and unexpected intersections between poverty and wealth which successfully reveals how the latter concepts are represented not only by material largess, but psychological and philosophical growth and perspective.

The concurrent story of Frannie, forced to give up her daughter Molly when poverty impacts her child-rearing ability, dovetails nicely with the life Jacob has built as an adult, creating moments of inspection and realization which prove not just insightful, but engrossing: She reached up and cupped the man's face. "Your health has me worried. I worry you've become obsessed. And though my heart soars at the notion, the extravagance-" "The only extravagance is if we don't do it. Keeping so much when..."

Shoop's ability to contrast poverty and wealth in ways which encourage revised perspectives on both in her readers is part of what lends The Tin Whistle a rich depth that many holiday stories lack. Her other strength lies in playing out the threads of interpersonal connection which link past and future, divergent focuses on wealth acquisition and dissemination, and the changing viewpoint of a man who comes to perceive alternate incarnations of kindness and giving in new ways. Is there such a thing as 'enough' when it comes to giving?

The many themes The Tin Whistle embraces will provoke book club reading group discussions, interest among library patrons seeking a different kind of holiday read, and families who can use it as a read-aloud to foster discussion and newfound understanding of giving, wealth, and life meaning. All these facets make The Tin Whistle a winning library acquisition, highly recommended for patrons seeking stories that embed, revise, and analyze the true holiday spirit.

The Christmas Coat
Kathleen Shoop
Independently Published
www.Kshoop.com
9781711321882, $9.99 Paperback/$2.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Coat-Kathleen-Shoop/dp/1711321885

The first book in Kathleen Shoop's holiday 'Tis the Season' series, The Christmas Coat, captures the holiday spirit in a diverse manner akin to the first series title The Tin Whistle, but with different characters, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. As in The Tin Whistle, the protagonist Elliot Ebberts has achieved success as an adult. Despite his progress, however, he is cranky. Business and family duties collide one day and his special 'lucky coat' goes missing, further causing angst and issues as Elliot faces life without it.

As in the famous Dickens story, this protagonist has confused material wealth with success. However, he has built a loving family amidst his drive for lavish displays which he believes translates to love. Trapped in his mental marriage of wealth, job success, and life achievement perception, Elliot is ripe for a fall as the holiday imposes new demand and challenges his busy schedule.

Shoop presents this disparity of values in a vivid manner from the story's opening lines: The noise. Dear God, the voices. Teen boys - the shifting vocal tenors, the girls, squealing instead of simply talking. They wouldn't shut up and Elliot Ebberts couldn't hear his own thoughts. And it was nearly Christmas, dammit. The happiest time of the year, yet all he felt was tension tangling in his belly. As Shoop draws readers into the increasingly challenging quandaries of Elliot's past and present, more threads of poverty, wealth, kindness and value are revealed that tie into bigger picture thinking that families and book clubs, in particular, will find important for read-aloud discussion: His mind flew to his parents back in Fresno. They'd kept his bank account stocked, but the money that flowed from them to him never did a thing to lift him out of the depression that kept him from holding a job. He didn't need money. He needed purpose. And apparently a freakishly weird coat. He'd been given the job. And inside him, somewhere at the center of the darkness was a seed of... something... he couldn't define it or label it but it was there. For the first time he thought somehow he might keep this job. He wasn't going to screw it up. As far as holiday reading goes,

The Christmas Coat is an important survey that encourages deeper-level thought about a variety of topics ranging from action and inaction to giving, kindness, love, and community connection. All these features make The Christmas Coat a top recommendation for libraries seeking to build not just a strong kids' section of holiday materials, but vivid stories adults can use to consider their own definitions of success and life purpose.

The Drift That Follows Will Be Gradual
Alan Rifkin
Open Books
https://open-bks.com
9781948598798, $19.95 Paperback/$9.95 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Drift-That-Follows-Will-Gradual/dp/1948598795

The Drift That Follows Will Be Gradual is a novel that builds on Alan Rifkin's debut collection Signal Hill. Its novel-in-stories format focuses on the aging life and world of Richard Leviton, who finds his shifting years from the 1980s to the 2000s carry him through divorce, the loss of his home, financial instability, and cultural change so challenging that he now feels rootless and lost. He has neither the tools nor the bandwidth to help his son Philip anchor his own shifting life. And so the two dance between aging, homelessness, and Los Angeles cultural drift in a manner that both binds and separates them from their lives and each other.

As the stories evolve, Alan Rifkin creates a sharp series of life observations that embrace generational and cultural differences and transformations in an evocative, thought-provoking manner filled with contrasts and revelations: Did anyone else see? Would Leviton himself - a newly divorced father, suddenly nearing forty - ever again have space to dream like a writer? It had happened so quickly, this passing of the torch.

Readers who choose this novel for its wide-reaching events and cross-comparisons will be surprised and delighted to find that the characters of Richard and Philip create rich observations of irony and challenge embedded in everyday life experience. These insights quite often assume an almost poetic delivery: The street was quiet, the world unchanged, even brutally so - birdsong and foliage, and beauty with all the justness simply sucked out of it. The interconnected story structure builds excellent tension, characterization, and a progressive sense of discovery that is reinforced by these shifts in perspective and place.

Libraries seeking literary explorations of Los Angeles culture, aging, and ongoing life purpose challenges will find The Drift That Follows Will Be Gradual's ability to build episodes that interlock with ease and insight make for an attractive recommendation to patrons who enjoy strong tales of literary, psychological, and cultural revelations.

Dear Eliza
Andrea J. Stein
https://www.andreajstein.com
Flashpoint Books
c/o Girl Friday Productions
www.girlfridaybooks.com
9781959411703, $18.95 Paperback/$9.49 ebook

https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Eliza-Andrea-J-Stein/dp/1959411705

How many people hear from a dead parent ten years after their demise? Not many. Certainly, Eliza didn't predict that her father's death would rock her world with a letter written by her deceased mother, who gave instructions it be delivered to her upon her father's demise.

Dear Eliza outlines a scenario in which Eliza grapples with shocking news that affects not just her knowledge and choices, but her entire family. Unexpected help (and romance) arise when her brother's best friend Josh tries to help.

What makes a family? Eliza confronts many new realizations as she grows to understand not just the meaning and impact of her mother's choices, but how they translate into her own life, affecting her sense of identity.

Readers interested in questions of genetic and environmental heritage and influences, Jewish culture and inheritances, and family truths will find that all these facets intersect with Eliza's own process of self-acceptance and facing challenges.

Andrea J. Stein is particularly adept at portraying the reflective process which accompanies choices to confront, reveal, or keep family secrets -- especially as they change outcomes and relationships: She wasn't at all sure she could count on him taking her side in this, especially if it meant airing the family's dirty laundry in public. The insights come not just from Eliza, but supportive characters who join her journey of discovery:

"Stop being so hard on yourself, E. You've been through a lot." He paused his foot rub. "And when it comes to your relationships with people, you have to decide for yourself what's right. If you want to talk to Scott, talk to him. Let him tell you to leave him out of it, if that's what he wants."

The result is a powerful tale of inheritance, control, secrecy, and family connection that will provide juicy food for thought, provoking discussion in reading groups looking for novels about Jewish culture, family legacy, and the impact of Jewish heritage. Libraries will want to recommend Dear Eliza to patrons grappling with their own family legacies and secrets. Its inviting tone and progressive unfolding of events that transform relationships, and realistic scenarios are not just revealing, but utterly compelling.


The Historical Fiction Shelf

The Mask Hunter
Anna Wilmans
Pantera Books
www.pantera-books.com
9798990748002, $19.95

https://www.amazon.com/Mask-Hunter-Anna-Wilmans/dp/B0D8GT9X5L

The Mask Hunter represents historical fiction married with a touch of fantasy extrapolation by author Anna Wilmans. It contains real events driven by projections and probabilities that embrace ethical and legal issues surrounding grave robbing and more. From museum purchases and old warriors who interact in Roman times to issues surrounding antiques smuggling efforts and the mystery and legend of a fictional funerary mask of Alexander the Great, Wilmans interweaves fact and fiction so seamlessly that readers won't be able to discern the difference between the two.

While purists may dismiss these qualities as diminishing the novel's historical value, general-interest readers will find these techniques succeed in drawing them into the milieu of the antiquities trade, smuggling processes, modern-day dilemmas faced by those who would either preserve or profit from relics.

The blend of intrigue and real topics of debate and discussion creates a moving story that centers on former archaeologist Parthi Guthrie's descent into the dark side of historical collection when she becomes involved in finding out what really happened to the famed Mask of Alexander.

As the story winds between history and antiques smuggling, intrigue and tension are built into characters that vie for control of their pasts and present. The injection of ethical dilemmas in documentation, discovery, and fact-gathering is particularly thought-provoking as the mystery unfolds: "My dear, I am the chief authority on your project. As I just told you, the other committee members wouldn't know a votive from an amphora handle. You can pretty much write what you want." How could this be? How could the great scholar advocate fabrication of scientific data? "Look, the degree is what is important. Once you have it, you can go on and really learn about your subject. This dissertation thing is only a formality."

As political and psychological motivations emerge for acquiring and studying the Mask of Alexander, readers are treated to a host of insights and revelations that keep the story supercharged with passion, purpose, and pain.

Wilmans is also especially masterful at employing the first person to its greatest benefit to capture atmosphere as well as intrigue: The same smell of urine that I remembered from visits in the past assailed my nostrils. This had always been a popular pit stop for people too lazy to find a proper bagno. The building itself, and all it symbolized, had always held a morbid fascination for me. It was a microcosm of the Roman Empire, the site that inspired the term "bread and circuses" to describe the reason for the fall of this once-great civilization.

This creates a satisfying draw that moves the novel's attraction beyond fans of historical fiction alone, into the realm of mystery and discovery that lends it an all-embracing countenance. The result is a story that is thoroughly engrossing and very highly recommended for libraries seeking multifaceted reads that move beyond genre borders to attract general-interest audiences.


The Literary Fiction Shelf

Best Climate Change Stories
Ron Sauder, editor
Secant Publishing
www.secantpublishing.com
9798990356238, $8.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Climate-Change-Stories-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0D8JZ5PG5

Best Climate Change Stories both stands out from the crowd of growing cli-fi reads and expands the definition of climate impact by gathering powerful, uncommon accounts of individuals who face climate challenges in very different ways. This is because their experiences of said changes are also very different, depending on their geographic location and psychological profiles.

Thirty-four original short stories craft diverse and divergent scenarios that focus not so much on the science of world changes as the psychology of how human beings respond to impacts in their own lives. This focus represents the strength of an admirable collection that considers both individual and community challenges alike.

Another notable difference between this anthology and similar-sounding books is that it represents an unusual collaborative effort stemming from an international contest sponsored by the Book Bin, an independent bookstore in Onley, Virginia, and Secant Publishing, an independent publisher in Salisbury, Maryland. Contributors from the UK, the Netherlands, the US, Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Ireland, and South Africa add wide-ranging diversity to these experiences which gives the basic foundations of the book added value and impact.

Take 'Bitter Almonds' by Andrea Dejean, for one example. Here, the changes a gardener observes in a passion that experiences shifting seasons and accompanying challenges to maintain the garden's life evolves into a consideration of what will really remain - or matter - in the end: Where were the violets that somehow usually managed to emerge from between the roots of the roses? Native to the area, they were one of the few things that grew unbidden in the poor soil of their yard, but perhaps she had smothered them to death, spreading hopeful handfuls of enriched earth around the recalcitrant roses after dragging the body-heavy bags of "special: rose beds" from her car.

Compare this succinct observation with Cedric Rose's 'Brownian Motion,' in which a young adult on the cusp of adult concerns considers a conservationist spirit at odds with a shifting environment filled with toxic bacterial and equally toxic human attitudes towards nature. Each story poses a thought-provoking scenario firmly rooted in individual lives and impacts. Each will prompt not only food for thought, but vivid discussions in book groups and classrooms interested in considering climate change impact in different ways.

Libraries that pick Best Climate Change Stories won't be disappointed. The 'best' promise is more than fulfilled in a collection that stands out from any other.


The Romantic Fiction Shelf

I Paint the Sky
Laura Kemp
Lost Meridian Press
9798990658806, $14.45 Paper/$4.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/I-Paint-Sky-Laura-Kemp/dp/B0D4JDJJ9N

I Paint the Sky is a historical romance novel that tells of nineteen-year-old Emily, who marries a man she barely knows, becomes pregnant, then discovers his dark, violent nature. While trapped
by the bonds of holy matrimony, Emily decides to flee on the Oregon Trail to seek refuge with
her uncle and aunt in the Black Hills. The last thing she needed to encounter was another man.
Caleb is a dangerous attraction, though, who harbors his own pain and determination not to repeat patterns of the past.

Laura Kemp moves her perspective between the victimized Emily and the oppressor who feels victimized by her hate, husband Marvin. These shifting perspectives lend understanding to the story as each character feels justified and vindicated in their disparate pursuits and special interests.

Women who have experienced stalking and marital violence may be triggered by this story, but its depth of characterization, historical backdrop, and solid attention to exploring the psychology of oppressor and victim alike gives it a depth that ultimately makes it a recommended healing tool even as Emily's bid for freedom goes awry.

Kemp is particularly strong in her descriptions of the Oregon Trail's challenges and the efforts of her characters to move past their heritages into better lives against all odds. The tension is well-developed, while the contrasts between Emily's past and Caleb's determination to transform his future with different choices and behaviors and the shadow cast by a relentless husband who won't let her go creates a triangle of intrigue and interplays that are engrossing, featuring unexpected twists and turns.

Sexual encounters are graphically but realistically described, making the overall tone and progression of I Paint the Sky compelling. Libraries interested in acquiring historical fiction based on women's changing lives in the face of new opportunities and hardships will find I Paint the Sky a fitting collection addition. It can also be highly recommended to historical novel fans, readers of women's fiction and experience, romance enthusiasts, and book clubs seeking discussion material surrounding Oregon Trail experiences and new opportunities for women.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

If You Can't Run
John Marks
Independently Published
9798334659315, $14.99 PB, $3.99 Kindle, 291pp

https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Run-John-Marks/dp/B0DCGPJTNK

If You Can't Run is a novel about legal and political struggles. It opens with a confrontation by Judd which points out the clash between legal intention, realities, and personal moral and ethical codes: "It was bad news, to be sure, the toughest kind that OLS attorneys sometimes must bear - telling a legislator, in so many words, that his pet political project would likely falter under the scrutiny of the judicial branch. For Judd, the task was especially difficult in cases like this one, when beneath the apolitical demeanor his job required, he wholeheartedly supported the policy aim of the problematic bill."

The issue is about to take an even more personal turn as Judd faces an active shooter who takes aim at not just legislation, but legislators and consulting attorneys. During the madhouse riot that ensues, Judd recalls one piece of advice for surviving such an event: "If you can't run, hide. If you can't hide, fight." And so he does. He can't run, so he MUST fight -- and that's the crux of a story built upon legal and personal struggles over firearms, crime, ninja attackers, and situations that test all of Judd's skills -- not just his legal prowess.

The nature of that fight and Judd's choices in the aftermath of the event receives a close inspection. John Marks highlights the dovetailing clash of political, legal, and personal pivot points and special interests. As the Capitol shooting takes center stage and Judd confronts demons and impossible new realities about institutions he'd once held relatively sacred, he absorbs new truths. These include revised insights on media pursuits, reporting tactics, definitions of what it means to be a hero (and why one person is often singled out from a group's contributions), and the rigors of Tennessee law and political special interests. All these lead him to question his own ideals and legal beliefs. Judd's experiences both mirror and contrast with many issues swirling in modern American society, from gun rights to rationales for employing firearms in a variety of scenarios.

Readers who choose If You Can't Run anticipating (from other creations by John Marks) a sense of mystery and intrigue will find there's added value from the social, political, and psychological inspections which are built into the story, forcing protagonist Judd to confront his deepest motivations and beliefs. "Expertise in the law does not necessarily give one expertise in the political gamesmanship that goes into making it." This, Judd must cultivate in his own time and way. The tension is nicely played out, the contrast between personal and political motivation reveals numerous surprises and revelations, and Judd's special brand of expertise and discovery drives a plot that is thought-provoking and engrossing.

If You Can't Run is an immersive, sterling experience especially recommended for readers who like a murder mystery that incorporates social and political dilemmas into a twisting plot. Easy to recommend; hard to put down.

City Gone Askew
Matt Cost
Encircle Publications
https://encirclepub.com
9781645995449, $27.99, HC, 304pp
9781645995432, $17.99 PB, $6.99 Kindle, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/City-Askew-Brooklyn-Ballo-Mystery/dp/1645995445

City Gone Askew returns readers to the 1920s Brooklyn milieu of previous 8 Ballo adventures as it follows the Hungarian PI's latest challenges and colorful friends and enemies. Here, 8 rubs shoulders with famous people (think Dorothy Parker and Coleman Hawkins), experiencing dangerous associations as he investigates a wife's conviction that her husband was murdered. 8 finds himself pulled into a secret eugenics movement, a stolen ancient relic, and mysterious German operatives who threaten him.

Vivid confrontations are supported by strong characterization and dialogue, highlighting both tensions in the moment and the bigger-picture special interests of all characters: Bugsy pulled a pistol from a holster under his suit jacket. It looked to be a Walker Colt, not as efficient as some of the more modern guns, but certainly intimidating, most likely why the man carried it. He pointed the long barrel into the side of 8's head. I don't much like the word no," Bugsy breathed.

8 knew that the man-child gangster wasn't beyond pulling the trigger. He turned his head so that the barrel was at his forehead. "You got three seconds to pull that trigger or put that gat away before I stick it up your ass,' he said.

As 8 sports authentic Klan outfits for his task of infiltrating various groups to get at the truth and carries out his charge of burrowing beneath facades to find out who the real Karl Vogel was, he finds his relatively straightforward assignment rapidly becoming far more complicated. As steeped as the story is in 1920s Brooklyn, it requires no prior knowledge in order for readers to appreciate the tensions and culture which swirl around 8's milieu and his mandate.

Matt Cost seamlessly weaves all references into the story in a manner which imparts knowledge without interrupting the mystery's lure. Additionally, his ability to add historical details which are intriguing, adding value to his reader's knowledge base and experience, are part of what makes 8's story shine: 8 had picked up three authentic Klan outfits for them to wear as well as white gloves for Pearle. It turned out you couldn't just get a sheet and do a bit of sewing on that and add a pillowcase over your head but had to purchase it through the purser.

The Klan uniforms and the bric-a-brac of various offices was a money-maker for the Klan leaders, often quite lucrative. This was not the only thing different about the Klan of today from its origins in the aftermath of the Civil War. While Black people were still targeted now in the '20s, the scope had broadened to include Catholics, especially the Irish and Italians, and the Jews.

Cost's attention to building this tension, revealing special cultural and social details, and probing some of the underlying political clashes of the times makes for a story that is thoroughly engrossing, filled with satisfying twists, turns, and insights, and hard to put down.

Libraries that have either seen prior patron interest in 8 Ballo's world or who look for mysteries replete with atmospheric as well as meteoric twists and turns will find City Gone Askew a superior PI story, worthy of acquisition and recommendation to book clubs and individuals alike.

Desert Reunion
Michael Craft
www.michaelcraft.com
Questover Press
9798218375942, $6.99 Kindle, $17.99 paperback, $28.99 hardcover

https://www.michaelcraft.com/buy.html

Desert Reunion adds another tale of intrigue to a blossoming series that revolves around mature gay investigator Dante O'Donnell and his sidekick Jazz Friendly (a black female ex-cop who once almost jailed him, but since has found Dante to be resourceful and purposeful in ways she lacks). These seemingly disparate misfits join forces on their latest case involving Zola Lorinsky, who stands accused of murder. Their mission is to uncover the truth and clear her name. But this effort involves a foray into Palm Springs culture, lifestyles, and carefully hidden secrets that they must expose first, to gain justice.

Their step-by-step consideration of methods and madnesses will attract readers interested in a thorough, progressive buildup of murder possibilities. They are served up spiced with dialogue and interactions that heighten the tension: "Arcie scrunched her brow. "What's 'posset'?" I told her, "It's like a custard. Richard Gibbs made a batch yesterday, here, and then let it refrigerate overnight, to be served as dessert today. But it couldn't have been 'poisoned,' not in the classic sense, because Wendy's husband said he tried some this morning, and he's fine."

"Meaning," said Jazz, "if the recipe was spiked with something, it was lethal only to Wendy -- which would prove the intent to kill."

Wendy's death leads to questions of love, affection, and intention... and so Jazz and Dante find the truth mired in revelations and insights that challenge them personally, as well: "I asked, 'But just to clarify: He was, in fact, openly gay, right?' 'Definitely. And that's my whole point in dredging this up. Right now, you see, he's my aunt Heather's main squeeze, and he has these major plans to spend her money on his wacky Institute for Wishful Thinking -- as I like to call it. So he really can't afford to let Heather find out that he's gay or 'bi' or anything not focused on her.'"

When ironic events swirl around a second murder that introduces even more questions, Dante and Jazz move ever closer to a truth that will rock their worlds, testing both their investigative prowess and personal values.

As in his other Dante and Jazz mysteries, Michael Craft threads his plot with insights into the gay community, lives changed by schemes and subterfuge, and a murder that tests not only problem-solving skills, but moral and ethical boundaries. Prior readers (as well as newcomers) will find Desert Reunion lively and thought-provoking. Its characters excel in three-dimensional depictions that reflect not only their perspectives, but the dilemmas and dreams of an entire community.

Libraries will want to highly recommend Desert Reunion to book clubs interested in mysteries that simmer with tension and social and psychological discovery.

The Orphan Girl
David Nees
https://www.davidnees.com
Independently Published
9798327146563, $14.99 Paperback/$3.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Girl-Book-Stone-Assassin/dp/B0D63MD81L

The Orphan Girl is the ninth book in the Dan Stone Assassin series, opening with a family attacked and killed in Mexico -- all but a child, who just so happens to be Dan Stone's young friend.

From the moment the two men stalk and murder the family to Dan's increasing consideration of legacies and limitations which buffet his loved ones and those around him, David Nees contributes another wide-ranging thriller packed with subplots supported by astute dialogues and psychological insights: "And what a hell of a family we are," Dan said. He took a long swig of his bourbon. "An old spinster man who probably needs a housemaid to help him take care of himself, an overworked spymaster who runs covert ops all over the world, and that's her life and a professional assassin." He looked at the others. "We make a hell of a family. We going to raise her to be a female assassin?" "Don't even joke about it," Jane said. Her tone was sharp. "Black humor. But we've got to admit we have a problem with no obvious solution."

Dan admits that normalcy is more than missing from his life, given his job and the ongoing onslaughts of nefarious influences. But, can he provide a legacy of stability to a young person that he, himself, does not have? As a core mission is deluged with cross-purposes that seem to thwart its objectives, Dan is challenged on many sides to evolve a new paradigm of values and survival skills that operate despite political pulls and shady influences.

One of Nees's strengths in the other Dan Stone thrillers in general and The Orphan Girl in particular lies in his ability to cast a wide net of intrigue and subplots. He then draws them all together against a backdrop of personal objective that keeps the characters and their experiences vivid. The unexpected twists and turns of plot as Dan navigates both familiar and unfamiliar territory will keep even seasoned thriller readers (and past Stone fans) on their toes. The underlying moral and ethical inquiries into the job of assassin and survivor are intriguing adjuncts to the action-packed story.

All these elements are why libraries should consider The Orphan Girl to be either a fine stand-alone thriller acquisition or a fitting series enhancement, recommendable to patrons and reading groups interested in discourses that are captivating and thought-provoking.

The Righteous Arrows
Brian J. Morra
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798888242827, $31.95, HC, 3280pp
9798888242803, $20.95 Paperback, $7.90 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Arrows-Cold-Thriller-Archers/dp/B0CTR1YYF4

The Righteous Arrows is a novel of military intrigue. It returns characters Kevin Cattani and his fellow intelligence officer, Soviet Ivan Levchenko, to new action-packed tension as their separate missions drive them apart and onto a collision course.

This "novel of retribution" opens with a cast of supporting characters and background information, assuring that newcomers who lack experience with the duo's prior adventures in The Able Archers aren't lost. Events swell to embrace the actions and counteractions of two dedicated spies whose efforts to support their separate nations result in espionage and military maneuvers. These portend a deadly future not just for America and the Soviet Union, but the world.

Brian J. Morra excels in creating tension and suspense in his story, from the start: Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to be a spook, or if you prefer, an intelligence officer, a spy, an international man of mystery. This started for me as a fantastic dream - a means of escape for someone desperately seeking a way out of a boring existence in a dead-end town. I never actually thought such a silly pipedream would come true. Was I driven by patriotism? A thirst for adventure? A chance to see the world? Or simply the need for a steady paycheck? The answer is probably "all of the above."

The tale builds a steady nonstop staccato blend of action and insight that keeps the characters realistic, their political convictions absorbing, and their confrontations unpredictable. Interspersed with this action are involvements with family and friends that lend an equally realistic depth to Kevin's life, ambitions, and influences.

From treachery to mischief-making in Moscow, Morra's story seamlessly moves between America, Afghanistan, and other international milieus. This sends readers on a perilous journey through the first-person descriptions of military man Kevin, who experiences one of the most deadly and challenging actions in his career.

Libraries and readers seeking tales of military engagements and intrigue that moves beyond the scope of the traditional thriller focus to dive, not just delve, into international waters of political and cultural influence will find plenty to like and celebrate in The Righteous Arrows. It marries history, mystery, and psychological revelations in a convincing manner to keep readers thoroughly engrossed and discussing issues of leadership and political impact.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Daughter of Sekhmet
Abigail Keyes
https://www.akeyeswriting.com
c/o Thousand Acre Books
Armin Lear Press
www.arminlear.com
9781963271355, $24.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook

https://www.akeyeswriting.com/abigail-keyes-author-novelist

Daughter of Sekhmet melds history with fantasy and will especially delight young adult readers interested in ancient Egyptian society. Terminology gleaned from ancient Egypt for deities and places are presented in a glossary meant to stream a reader's understanding from the start. That doesn't mean that Daughter of Sekhmet is unduly complex, however, despite the daunting appearance of a glossary before the novel even opens.

Those who persevere will quickly find that action cemented by first-person experience is powerful from the opening lines of this story: With a swift swing of my fighting staff, I send my opponent to the ground. I hover the end of my weapon over his face, not daring to look away. One last strike, and I could end him.

Modeled as a three-part series, Daughter of Sekhmet surveys the politics, social undercurrents, and clashes in an Egyptian world where women's status is treated quite differently and where protagonist Sati chafes at restrictions to her combative and determined nature: With a grumble, I step back and twist my rough linen shendyt back to center. Well, truth be told, it's not really mine. It belongs to Iti. And it doesn't quite fit me. It's not a garment meant for women. But the dresses Mawat would have me wear are too delicate for fighting.

As the Great God, the Great Royal Wife, and other characters emerge, the intersections between Sati and other members of her world shift and grow. From her debut as an appointed scribe to General Setankh to terrible truths about plots over succession to the throne, the power of the pen that Sati wields as deftly as a sword, and struggles with the Fire of the Powerful One, divergent forces invading her heart emerge.

Abigail Keyes crafts a powerful setting and character in ancient Egypt affairs and Sati's world. Her attention to building an inquisitive, proactive, powerful female protagonist who closely examines and participates in her world will be especially compelling to readers seeking not just early historical settings, but the perceptions and actions of women who refuse to settle comfortably into their social positions. These elements meld with political insights to create a story that is hard to either predict or put down.

Libraries seeking acquisitions highly recommendable to history or women's fiction readers and book clubs, as well as its intended YA audience, will find Daughter of Sekhmet solid in its backdrop and psychology. Its ability to move through this world through realistic experiences and perceptions drives a journey nicely rooted in compelling personal and political mandates for change.

The Forbidden Summoning
Tim Rayborn
https://timrayborn.com
Thousand Acres
c/o Armin Lear Press
https://arminlear.com
9781963271331, $27.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Summoning-Book-Dark-Renewal-ebook/dp/B0DHV3LTK5

Readers of epic high fantasy well know there is much to choose from in this genre; but for complex and alluring deep reads, the availability list whittles down.

Tim Rayborn is able to construct worlds with a hand to psychological and atmospheric build-ups which are engrossing from his story's opening lines: "The earth bleeds." In a dark and cold stone chamber, a figure sat in mid-air, his legs crossed, his long grey robe trailing to the floor. With cruel eyes, he gazed into an orb of pulsing light floating above his outstretched palms. Scrying into its center, he beheld the rumbling that shook a far-away barren landscape, its ground splitting open along the seams of ancient land-wounds. Primal energies born of a loathsome magic disgorged, stinging the surface of the ruined plains. Shadowy, swirling mists poured forth, free after centuries of imprisonment. The process begun of loosing disaster upon the world in the prologue segues into the first chapter, where Dorinen faces a shadowy entity that eludes them. It's not only vanished, but it's taken their friends.

As Rayborn builds these characters, so he concurrently injects a 'you are here' attention to their surroundings: The frigid, damp, pre-dawn air filled her nose, but it seemed off. She sensed a foulness, like burnt hair and scorched flesh, weaving through the aromas of dew and moss, leaf and wood. She paused and committed this pungent stench to her memory. These seemingly-small details lead to a story that is steeped in attraction and compelling horror that creates an immersive experience as Dorinen faces her greatest terrors and finds her mettle and abilities as a monster slayer tested.

On the verge of finally confronting her enemy and losing the battle and her life, Dorinen is saved by a strange figure dressed in purple that seems able to control the beast. How can a "colorful dandy" clothed in velvet and joviality do what her seasoned sword cannot? He's not only a killer, but a healer. Known by many names, Dorinen knows him as a legendary figure to her people who seemed more myth than reality -- until Ramwin stands in front of her in the flesh with all his powerful magical abilities.

Rayborn doesn't just focus on a singular protagonist, but introduces a host of players in ensuing chapters. There's Andra, a magical lyre player on the cusp of graduating from arts college, who employs music like a finely tuned force. She's still learning to hone its power, but her abilities give her an edge in what is to come and the journey she will undertake. Psychological surprises about Andra's interests will pique reader interest as her character evolves.

There is monk and friend Narick, whose support and friendship helps Andra in many ways - especially when he joins her on her journey and influences her developing musical ability to heal, and confront danger.

Rayborn's literary gift lies in cementing characters within a backdrop of magic which they both take for granted and are challenged to employ in the best ways possible. His portraits of magical gems and their cost, a reclusive noble family's role in raising the deadly Vordlai, and evolving relationships as Andra, Dorinen, Mylth, and Narick journey together and find their abilities and special interests connecting them in unexpected ways makes for thoroughly engrossing reading.

Especially delightful is a progressive series of challenges that requires the characters to step up individually as well as part of a group effort.

Libraries and readers seeking high fantasy that features outstanding performances from its characters, interlocked lives and mandates for growth and change, and a quest that promotes different ways of viewing the world will find The Forbidden Summoning exceptionally vivid, compelling reading that's hard to either predict or put down. Even more satisfying to note is that additional books will appear in the series. This should particularly delight libraries and readers who enjoy this book and will look for more.

Halcyon Dreamworlds
Lee Baldwin
Baldwin Books
B017PUJJZE, $2.99

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017PUJJZE

Readers of detective investigations, hard sci-fi, and cyberpunk will find Halcyon Dreamworlds: An Avatar Paradise of Seduction and Death a riveting study in how these influences combine to create an out-of-the-box plot with elements of thriller tension.

It should be mentioned here that Halcyon Dreamworlds introduces The Catapult of Singularity series with a bang, opening with an Arizona detective's murder investigation that quickly segues into a mind-bending futuristic story of mental control and intentions to steal all the real estate in New York City, thanks to a murderous computer simulation that challenges not only the psyche, but every player's life.

How can a detective solve murders which take place in another reality? That's only one of the questions driving the fast-paced action of Halcyon Dreamworlds, building a satisfying contrast between reality and "real dreamworlds" which reaches out to capture the lives of individual participants... and even orchestrate their deaths.

Cyberpunk fans and gamers will especially appreciate the intersection of realities that Lee Baldwin delivers in his vivid story. A host of characters' special interests coalesce in this shifting landscape of seduction and danger, brought to life by descriptions supercharged with insight, possibility, and physical and mental revelation: "Beatrice! I feel you! Your lips. Your little tongue. Everything." Logan's mind first struggles to right itself, but with eyes closed, she surrenders completely. She knows not where Logan ends and Yuri begins. Doesn't know if her arms hold Beatrice or SacredPetal. It no longer matters. They are two star-girls, young and alive in extravagant new reality, all whispered endearments, stroking hands and breathless hearts.

Readers may also find their own ideas of reality tested as characters dip into avatars and revelations about the lure of Dreamworlds and its impact on their lives: Go on Dreamworlds without Petal's gold spider cap? Unthinkable! She's too damn hooked on her goddess-dream of being Yuri, tasting things, loving things, the warmth of SacredPetal's living body. She watches kids in the mall wearing fake spiders in their role play, sees the convincing and pervasive lie: each American life belongs to the Dreamworlds.

More so than most cyberpunk or hard sci-fi writers, Baldwin cultivates the ability to inject deeper-level life thinking into his story. This will give even seasoned sci-fi readers pause for thought about technological attractions and the possibly dangerous lure of an all-too-real alternate reality.

Those who imbibe of Halcyon Dreamworlds need to buckle their seatbelts for a rollicking ride through technological, psychological, philosophical, and shifting worlds. More than entertainment alone, it encourages questions about real world values, perceptions, and future possibilities in entertainment and living. This is why sci-fi book clubs will be particularly interested in this story, which segues among gripping contrasts of romance, discovery, and mind-stretching truths to keep both characters and readers thinking.

Libraries that select Halcyon Dreamworlds will find it a top recommendation for fans of William Gibson and others who have produced revolutionary sci-fi art to expand the genre's boundaries and the reader's mind.

Stormflower
Keegan Kozinski & Tristen Kozinski
Crooked House Publishing
9780998244075, $3.99 eBook

https://www.amazon.com/Stormflower-Tristen-Kozinski-ebook/dp/B0D5MJVHCK

Stormflower follows the life and efforts of Jade to redeem herself after poor choices result in the betrayal of the Redeemers, the death of her brother, and the loss of everything she held dear in life. All she wants to do now is lick her wounds, hide with her secrets, and rest. Unfortunately, sitting on the sidelines is not her destiny, because Jade may be the only person in the world able to solve the rise of plagues and new deadly dangers set on destroying everything.

The first note to make about the story is the attention Keegan and Tristen Kozinski give to building atmosphere and a sense of place that cements Jade in her cocoon of reflective comfort: The sound of the rain surrounded her, thunderous in its deluge and soothing in its rhythm. She lay curled within her blankets, swaddled, warm, bleary in her fresh waking, and cuddling a stuffed fish. The air smelled of lavender, tempting her back to unconsciousness and the cotton candy colors of her dreams. She might have heeded it. Should have heeded it. But she knew her house, knew its silences and sounds and functions, knew it from the tiles underfoot to the floor above she never used.

This not only sets the stage for events to come, but creates a fine contrast between refuge and risks that Jade is forced to confront as she is pulled out of her personal hell to enter a worldwide challenge that she's already played a major role in creating.

As the story unfolds, readers traverse city-complexes and mazes where the number of reverants is on the rise. Jade uncovers more and more strangeness as she confronts the legacy of her past and disparate possibilities of changing the future.

Another major plus to the story is its action-packed scenes, which permeate twists and turns of plot with supercharged tension and nonstop actions, paired with revelations: The closest Purifiers crowded around her, Serras was screaming over the earpiece, demanding what was wrong, but Jade could barely hear her. She curled tight between the seat bases, clutching her ears, her face, and sobbing. Memories and hallucinations filled her world and her mind, a parade of everyone she had killed, topping off (every time) with her brother.

These variable scenarios embed the story with puzzles, surprises, and shifting demands that Jade faces in the course of her strange journey. All these forces exact a toll that places her in a dual position of power and uncertainty as she employs her courage and knowledge in new ways.

The threads of psychological revelation that permeate the action with intrigue and discovery make Stormflower a passionately involving saga. It is complex in its world-building, attractive in its main protagonist's flaws and struggles, and hard to put down. Will Jade ever be free of her interior and exterior troubles? The compromise she is forced to make in the course of her pursuits raises many questions which conclude in somewhat of a cliffhanger, portending further books.

Libraries interested in stories that sizzle with action and concurrent psychological depth will find Stormflower a deep draw for sci-fi and fantasy readers seeking a world-changing story that's evocatively different from most genre reads.


The Self-Help Shelf

Mind Training
Ravinder Kaur Taylor & Eldon Taylor
R.K. Books
c/o Progressive Awareness Research, Inc.
9781620003879, $24.95 PB, $8.99 Kindle, 396pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mind-training-ravinder-k-taylor/1145980335

Mind Training: The Science of Self-Empowerment will attract psychology, self-help, science, and general-interest libraries and collections with its survey of the ability of the mind to craft patterns of positive thinking that help troubleshoot life perspectives. After exploring the science of brain operations, latest research, and how the mind reacts to life events, Ravinder Kaur Taylor & Eldon Taylor tackle the heart of issues surrounding change -- how to retrain and redirect the mind to make more positive choices.

Discussions of subliminal and subconscious controls and methods are particularly enlightening as the survey considers different forms of bias and influence, the "tall" but achievable goal of changing one's personality to better empower transformative thinking.

Case history examples come from research as well as personal lives, reinforcing the theory and practical results of mind training techniques as well as the potential of these techniques to change belief systems as a whole.

Mind Training will find its place in two primary collections: on the desks and reading lists of science and psychology theorists with a special interest in self-help and empowerment; and in the hands of readers committed to doing the work to better understand past patterns of reaction and the potential for actively transforming their future.

This is also why Mind Training: The Science of Self-Empowerment is a top, recommended pick for libraries building general-interest to science and psychology holdings, and especially for both individual use and book club or psychology group discussions on topics of transformation, empowerment, and better understanding the link between scientific concept and actuality.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
www.midwestbookreview.com

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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