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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Future Build: How Construction Can Heal Our Planet
Will Arnold
Bloomsbury Sigma
c/o Bloomsbury Publishing
www.bloomsbury.com
9781399429542, $28.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Build-Construction-Heal-Planet/dp/139942954X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/future-build-will-arnold/1149767024
Synopsis: Construction shapes the world we live in, but also leaves one of the heaviest footprints on our planet. From the
relentless heat of cement kilns to the towering steel and concrete skeletons of our cities, "Future Build: How Construction
Can Heal Our Planet" by structural engineer Will Arnold reveals how our dependence on five key materials has led to
soaring carbon emissions, waste and ecological destruction.
But it doesn't have to be this way. when"Future Build" offers a bold vision for change, revealing how every stage of
construction (from design to demolition) can be transformed for the better.
Through a global journey of pioneering projects and groundbreaking innovations, Arnold showcases buildings that do more
than just minimize harm: they actively heal the planet. From schools built of bamboo, to concrete floors designed with
plant-like efficiency and houses made from waste, a better future is not only possible, it is already being built!
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking study, "Future Build: How Construction Can Heal Our Planet" by Will
Arnold will hold a very special appeal for readers with an interest in the environment and ecosystem impacts with respect to
concrete material engineering, architectural design, and sustainability/green design issues. An extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library collections and
supplemental Architectural Science/Technology studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Future Build"
from Bloomsbury Sigma is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.60).
Editorial Note: Will Arnold (https://www.futurebuildbook.com) is a multiple award-winning environmentalist and structural
engineer, and a visiting professor at the University of Bath. He is best known for his work around policy, standards and
guidance related to the sustainable use of construction materials.
The Hobbit Years
Josh Bottomly
https://joshbottomly.org
Privately Published
Pre-Publication Manuscript
GoodReads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2869412.Josh_Bottomly
Synopsis: "The Hobbit Years: Fourteen Meditations On Middle-Earth and Middle-Age" by academician and life long J.R.R.
Tolkien fan Josh Bottomly is a series of Tolkien/Hobbit tinged commentaries on growing older, and in that context,
exploring character, love, loneliness, fear, wisdom and more. It all started when Josh, at the age of 50, suddenly realized that
this was also the age of Frodo Baggins when his great adventure/journey began.
Critique: The articulate and eloquent meditations/commentaries that comprise "The Hobbit Years: Fourteen Meditations On
Middle-Earth and Middle-Age" by Josh Bottomly are original, insightful, thoughtful, thought-provoking, and make for a fun
and compelling read from start to finish. Showcasing Josh's genuine flair for the kind of humor laden and entertaining
storytelling style that fully engages the reader from start to finish, "The Hobbit Years" is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections.
Editorial Note: Josh Bottomly has dedicated twenty-six years to education, making significant contributions as a teacher,
coach, and administrator at two high-profile independent schools in Oklahoma City. He is also the author of "Educastrophe"
(Telos Books, 9798304166010, $15.99 HC, $11.80 PB, $2.99 Kindle). He speaks nationally and internationally on
education, leadership, and college admissions. Josh holds a B.A. in English Education and an M.A. in English
Literature.
The Library Science Shelf
Public Libraries and Homelessness: A Practical Guide
Kavan P. Stafford
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783307760, $42.99, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Public-Libraries-Homelessness-Practical-Guide/dp/1783307765
Synopsis: As homelessness increases across the UK and in other parts of the world, public libraries, as one of the only
places in society in which one can exist without the expectation of paying for the privilege, have become a key safe space
for homeless individuals.
This has, however, led to growing tensions between library users and increasingly overworked and overstretched staff, who
are expected to do more with ever-tightening budgets.
"Public Libraries and Homelessness: A Practical Guide" is a much needed, agenda-setting study that examines the topic of
public libraries and homelessness, and explores how public libraries can remain welcoming towards homeless users while
also dealing with staff concerns.
Drawing on an in-depth qualitative study completed by public library staff from across the UK, "Public Libraries and
Homelessness: A Practical Guide" covers
The history and state of homelessness in libraries
The needs of homeless library users
Barriers facing homeless library users from library staff and wider society
The value of social workers and external organizations
Public library policies
Approaches to changing staff and societal attitudes to homeless library users
Critique: A timely and 'real world practical' instructional guide addressing a pressing aspect (the role played by community
libraries) concerning to the growing population of the urban homeless, "Public Libraries and Homelessness: A Practical
Guide" by librarian Kavan P. Stafford is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community,
and college/university library 'Library Science' collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. An ideal in-service
training manual for library staff members, "Public Libraries and Homelessness: A Practical Guide" is also readily available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $40.84).
Editorial Note: Kavan P. Stafford is a Senior Librarian at NHS Lanarkshire and worked for several years in Glasgow's
public libraries. He is on the board of CILIPS and is the chair of the CILIPS Council. In 2023, he was included in the CILIP
125 list of the next generation of library leaders, and in 2024, he was shortlisted for Scottish Library and Information
Professional of the Year for his work on homelessness in Glasgow Libraries. He has presented on the topic of public
libraries and homelessness at national conferences and has written about the issue for publications like The Big Issue.
The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries
John Cox
Facet Publishing
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783306909, $66.99, PB, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Positioning-Academic-Libraries-Development/dp/1783306904
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries: Global Challenges, Local Politics and
Strategy Development", academic librarian John Cox explores the influence exerted by trends in higher education and the
wider world on the position of academic libraries, alongside an analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats.
"The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries" provides an essential foundation for effective library strategy formulation
and positioning in a highly dynamic and competitive environment. Examining a complex mix of global volatility, campus
uncertainty, societal change, and technological shifts, all generating new pressures and opportunities, "The Strategic
Positioning of Academic Libraries" is a practical guide to understanding the situation of academic libraries and advancing
their positioning in parent institutions.
"The Strategic Positioning of Academic Libraries" is comprised of chapters covering:
The historical evolution of academic library positioning
The global political, economic, social and technological context
The changing higher education environment
An in-depth SWOT analysis of academic libraries
Positioning strategies for successful academic libraries
An academic library positioning toolkit
Critique: Informed and informative, and with a specific focus on academic libraries and library systems, "The Strategic
Positioning of Academic Libraries: Global Challenges, Local Politics and Strategy Development" is a seminal and detailed
study that is a fundamental and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library's Library Science collection and supplemental Library Science curriculum studies lists. It should
be noted for library science students, librarians, and academia, that this paperback edition of "The Strategic Positioning of
Academic Libraries: Global Challenges, Local Politics and Strategy Development" from Facet Publishing is also available
in a hardcover edition (9781783306916, $154.34) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $72.00).
Editorial Note: John Cox is University Librarian at the University of Galway in Ireland, a post he has held since 2009. He
has 30 years of experience at leadership level, dating back to 1993 when he became Head of the Information Service at the
Wellcome Centre for Medical Science, based at the Wellcome Trust. Projects led include planning for a new library
building at the University of Galway, digitization of the Abbey and Gate Theatre archives, and Irish consortium negotiations
with publishers.
The Cookbook Shelf
Gather Around My Table
Kay Chun
Alfred A. Knopf
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
9780593537404, 304pp
Synopsis: Where does a great recipe come from? For chef and food writer Kay Chun, it's all about the inspiration. And to a
lifelong New Yorker, inspiration is all around.
Drawing from a global pantry of ingredients (the Korean influences she grew up with and the many flavors that have shaped
her) she shares fresh yet familiar dishes the whole family will love.
"Gather Around My Table: Simple, Flavorful Recipes from My Global Pantry" embraces cooking without boundaries:
dumplings are tossed with butter and Parmesan rather than soy sauce; doenjang steps in for tomato paste, caramelized to add
complexity and richness to sauces; kimchi seasoning creates a punchy salad dressing. These are flavor-forward recipes for
every day of the week.
In Kay Chun's hands, the question "What's for dinner?" will never have a boring answer again.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes, "Gather Around My
Table: Simple, Flavorful Recipes from My Global Pantry" is a an inspirational delight to browse through, and an
extraordinary and 'kitchen cook friendly' resource for planning memorable menus with. Each recipes features a succinct
commentary by Kay Chun. a clearly defined listing of ingredients, an estimate of the number of servings, and a step-by-step
presentation of preparation and cooking instructions. An original, unique, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
family, professional, and community library Ethnic/Korean cookbook collections, it should be noted that this hardcover
edition of "Gather Around My Table: Simple, Flavorful Recipes from My Global Pantry" is also available from Alfred A.
Knopf in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note: Kay Chun is a chef, writer, and culinary consultant. She is a regular contributor to NYT Cooking and has
been an editor at several food publications, notably Gourmet, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Real Simple. Her restaurant,
Share, received accolades from The New York Times, New York, and Time Out for her market-driven globally inspired
cooking. She also specializes in innovative food product development for consumer packaged goods brands.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Forward Only: A Memoir
David Watson
Forward Only Publishing
9798234158253, $24.99, HC, 257pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Forward-Only-Memoir-David-Watson/dp/B0HCLVGRK1
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forward-only-david-watson/1150979010
Synopsis: How far can you run before the past finally catches you?
"Forward Only: The True Story of Redemption Against All Odds" is the true life story of David Watson who was a boy
raised by his grandparents in small-town Texas and whose life changed forever when he lost his grandfather -- the man he
looked up to most at the age of twelve.
With grief became rebellion. Rebellion became running. What followed was a journey across states and countries, through
arrests, juvenile custody, foreign jail cells, years in federal prison, devastating loss, and consequences David could no longer
escape.
But "Forward Only" isn't simply a story about crime or incarceration. It's about the boy who came before it all. The
grandparents who gave him a home. The loss that changed him. The choices that followed. And the moment a man who had
spent much of his life running finally had to confront himself.
David doesn't ask the reader to excuse his decisions. He confronts them -- the damage they caused, the people they affected,
and the price that eventually had to be paid.
"Forward Only" is a raw memoir of family, grief, survival, consequences, accountability, second chances, and redemption as
it ranges from a small-town Texas to life on the run, from foreign jail cells to federal prison. "Forward Only" is the story
behind the headlines -- and the long road back for David Watson who learned that you can run from your past, you can run
from consequences, you can even run from yourself.
But eventually, there is only one direction left -- Forward!
Critique: Impressively candid, exceptionally insightful, extraordinarily well written, and a truly compelling read from start
to finish, "Forward Only: The True Story of Redemption Against All Odds" by David Watson is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. With a special appeal to readers with an interest in true life crime
and redemption stories, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Forward Only" is also readily available from
Forward Only Publishing in paperback (9798234162861, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: David Watson is a Texas author, entrepreneur, and founder of the Redemption Foundation. Raised by his
grandparents in North Texas, his life changed forever at twelve when he lost his grandfather -- the man who raised him.
What followed was a turbulent journey across the United States and beyond, through arrests, foreign jail cells, devastating
loss, and ultimately more than seven years in federal prison.
Rather than hide from his past, David chose to confront it. His memoir, "Forward Only: The True Story of Redemption
Against All Odds", is an unfiltered account of consequences, accountability, family, loss, second chances, and redemption.
Today, David uses the lessons of his past through writing and community work to encourage others (especially young
people) to understand that their worst decisions do not have to define their future.
Who We Choose to Be: Lessons from Life
Gillian Silverthorn
https://www.gilliansilverthorn.com
Chapeltown Books
https://www.chapeltownpublishing.uk
9781915762412, $10.46, PB, 90pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Who-We-Choose-Lessons-Life/dp/1915762413
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-we-choose-to-be-lessons-from-life-gillian-silverthorn/1149918026
The Bridgetown Cafe Bookshop
https://www.thebridgetowncafebooksshop.co.uk/2026/04/who-we-choose-to-beby-gillian.html
Synopsis: "Who We Choose to Be: Lessons from Life" by Gillian Silverthorn is comprised of intensely personal snippets of
his life from childhood through to soberiatry at sixty.
This intensely personal and impressively candid memoir takes us on a bittersweet journey of childhood and teenage
memories through to the frustration and disillusionment of being thrown into adulthood where we can lose the magic we
once knew.
Gillian's inspiring story also shows us how alcohol dependency can affect anyone, and what starts as a confidence booster
and fun with friends can quickly move to a coping mechanism and a secret solitary daily habit. It's an honest account of
brave vulnerability.
"Who We Choose to Be" is a genuine, relatable courageous journey as Gillian's recognition of being alcohol-dependent
leads to a decision to embrace sobriety and live life to the full. Gillian makes us question the path we are on. Ultimately we
all must go through the same, be it love or loss, and decide who we choose to be from those lessons we learn.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Who We Choose to
Be: Lessons from Life" by Gillian Silverthorn will be of substantial interest and value to readers with an interest in alcohol
addiction and recovery. An informative and compelling life story from start to finish, "Who We Choose to Be: Lessons from
Life" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library alcohol/addition themed Contemporary American Biography/Memoir Collections. It should be noted that this
paperback edition of "Who We Choose to Be: Lessons from Life" from Chapeltown Books is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Gillian Silverthorn (https://www.gilliansilverthorn.com) also writes short stories, with several published in
CafeLit, including "The Barn" and "Cwmbran Swan". Her story "Inside" was selected for the Best of CafeLit
anthology.
No One's Coming to Save You: The Escape of David Rhoiney
Ed William
Infinite Books
https://infinitebooks.com
9781964378251, $27.95, HC, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/No-Ones-Coming-Save-You/dp/1964378257
Synopsis: David Rhoiney had no one when his father drove off one morning never to return. David was left to become the
man his manic-depressive mother needs. David was five years old.
Compton, Oakland, Long Beach: no matter where they turn, fear and hunger wait. Long nights in the homeless shelter.
Drive-by shootings. Strangers in overalls dragging his mother away. As his world collapses, David loses hope. No one is
coming to save him.
But he can save himself.
When basketball throws him a lifeline, David grabs it. So begins an unlikely journey, one that carries him from living in a
Volkswagen Jetta onto the basketball courts of Division I, through the halls of the Naval Academy, into the corridors of
national intelligence, and under the watchtowers of Guantanamo Bay. At last, scalpel in hand, David reaches the operating
room, where he can finally become the man his family needs. But at what cost? And is he too late?
"No One's Coming to Save You: The Escape of David Rhoiney" Is the unconventional true life story that biographer Ed
William takes you inside the life and times of David Rhoiney. You will see what he saw, hear what he heard, feel what he
felt.
"No One's Coming to Save You: The Escape of David Rhoiney" is a gritty portrait of poverty and the promise of re-
invention in America. It is a living testament to what it takes to save yourself.
Critique: Candid, insightful, riveting, "No One's Coming to Save You: The Escape of David Rhoiney" by Ed William will
be of a very special appeal to readers with an interest in African-American contemporary biographies. Exceptionally well
written, "No One's Coming to Save You" is intensely personal but has a universal resonance -- making it an unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library African-American Biography/Memoir
collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "No One's Coming to Save You" from Infinite Books is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ed William spent the first few years of his working life as a lawyer, until a premature midlife crisis led to a
career change just before he turned 30. He has worked as a freelance writer and editor ever since. Far too much of his time is
spent watching movies, which he writes about in his weekly newsletter, Rough Cuts. He lives in Bristol, England, with his
wife and young daughter.
The General Fiction Shelf
The Lion's Den
Frank B. Atkinson
https://www.frankatkinson.com
Magneto Books
https://www.magnetobooks.com
9798986195537, $19.50, PB, 500pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lions-Den-Frank-B-Atkinson/dp/B0H853QCNT
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lions-den-frank-b-atkinson/1136586096
Synopsis: More damn politics.
That's nineteen-year-old Daniel McGuire's first thought as he stands in his old high school gym, newly orphaned after his
parents die in a car crash following a campaign event. When Congressman Ned Nevers shows up to pay his respects,
Danny's reaction throws the "Golden Boy of Virginia Politics" off script. Nevers doesn't forget Danny's moxie.
Years later, a legislative crisis pulls Danny back into Nevers' orbit. He watches the Senator spiral, speaks truth again, and
joins the team. Together, they barnstorm the Commonwealth, battle-tested and hungry for purpose, riding all the way to the
Governor's Mansion. Danny finally believes politics can be an engine for good.
Then tragedy strikes Nevers. Friends turn to enemies. Crooked operatives seize power. And Danny walks alone into the
lion's den -- a State Capitol now run by his nemesis, Bart Bell, an unscrupulous politician with mob ties and a drug
habit.
Danny confronts the newly sworn-in Governor Bell, convinced he orchestrated Nevers' death. Bell cracks, overdoses and
suddenly, Danny is Acting Governor of Virginia -- implicated, hunted, and forced to choose what kind of power he'll
wield.
Critique Deftly crafted, original, exceptional, and showcasing author Frank B. Atkinson's genuine flair for the kind of
character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes his novel timely, believable, and a compelling read from start to
finish, "The Lion's Den" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community
library Contemporary Political Fiction collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Lion's Den" from
Magneto Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Frank B. Atkinson (https://www.frankatkinson.com) is a lawyer, consultant, and author of two highly
acclaimed political histories, "The Dynamic Dominion" and Virginia in the Vanguard". He has served in the Justice
Department during the Reagan administration, shaped state policy as cabinet-level counselor to Governor George Allen and
chaired a national commission marking the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. "The Lion's Den" is his first
novel.
The Jackson River Bridge
Elliott Light
https://www.elliottlight.com
Independently Published
9798993476421, $27.99, HC, 222pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Jackson-River-Bridge-Elliott-Light/dp/B0G7QVQNZR
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-jackson-river-bridge-elliott-light/1143095619
Synopsis: Sixteen years old and desperate to escape the mother who tormented him, he leaves home. Then he gets on the
wrong bus.
On a moonlit bridge over the Jackson River, he encounters a monk-like figure. Another decision. In the quiet of an old
monastery, he finds people willing to accept him as he is.
But the world he escaped still wants him back -- and the new life he has found may depend on whether he can finally
confront it.
"The Jackson River Bridge" by Elliott Light is the story of a boy who runs away because he has no choice -- and discovers
that sometimes getting lost (and getting lucky) is the only way to find out where you belong.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and showcasing author Elliott Light's positive gift for the kind of character and narrative
driven storytelling style that makes for a fun and riveting read from start to finish. A prized pick for the personal reading
lists of those with an interest in deftly crafted coming-of-age novels and an unreservedly recommended addition to
highschool and community library YA Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Jackson
River Bridge" is also readily available in paperback (9798993476414, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$4.99).
Editorial Note: Elliott Light (https://www.elliottlight.com) spent three decades practicing law, including environmental,
energy, contract, telecommunications, and patent law. But he yearned to be a teller of stories that both entertain and
enlighten, and in 2002, his first book, Lonesome Song, was published. Chain Thinking (2003), The Gene Police (2018),
Throwaways (2020), and The Jackson River Bridge (2023) followed. The Last Rights was published in December of
2025.
Mama's Still Dead
Anne Davidson Keller
https://annedavidsonkeller.com
Rocky Dell Press
9798995902003, $19.95, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mamas-Still-Dead-Davidson-Keller/dp/B0HBRG6H7W
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mamas-still-dead-anne-davidson-keller/1151148792
Synopsis: Forty years old, separated, drowning in an unfinished neuroscience PhD, and raising a freaked-out ten-year-old
whose father treats their custody schedule like a loose suggestion -- Lily's life is in spectacular collapse. Her survival
strategy: Overwork, Snickers, and boxed cabernet that isn't going to drink itself.
When Mama materializes, Lily's first thought isn't miracle. It's brain tumor. But Mama is absolutely, inconveniently real.
Lily introduces her as long-lost Cousin Trish and wildly hopes for the best. Mama folds laundry. She bakes lasagna. She has
opinions. And shoulder pads.
Heartbreak and hilarity ensue: a ghost mother with catastrophic romantic strategies from 1989, a daughter white-knuckling
her way through separation, a dissertation committee member who should be reported to HR, and a little girl who takes to
her dead grandmother like a magnet to a fridge.
Underneath the chaos is a daughter who lost her mother too young and has never stopped needing her. And a secret about
Mama's death that nobody's been brave enough to tell her.
"Mama's Still Dead" is a witty, fierce, and unexpectedly moving novel by Anne Davidson Keller is about the mothers we
lose, the messes we make, and the stubborn, glorious work of becoming the woman we want to be.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted blending of fantasy, romance, parenting and divorce, "Mama's Still Dead" is a
wickedly funny and inherently compelling read from start to finish. As an author Anne Davidson Keller exhibits and
impressive character and narrative driven storytelling style that brings her story to life in a kind of 'theatre of the mind'
experience for the reader. While unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary
Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Mama's Still Dead" from Rocky Dell Press is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Anne Davidson Keller (https://annedavidsonkeller.com) is the author of "Empty Chairs," which was read
aloud in 2018 on Wisconsin Public Radio's Chapter-A-Day, a program continuous since 1937. Born and raised in North
Carolina, Anne's education and background are in psychology and clinical social work. Her career in psychotherapy fostered
an innate fascination with individual character and family relationships, and has deepened her empathy for the wide range of
human experience. She has spent her adult life with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Seventh City of Refuge
John Whittier Treat
https://www.johnwhittiertreat.com
Phylum Press
https://phylumpress.ca
9781067832308, $15.99, PB, 286pp
9781067832322, $9.25, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Seventh-City-Refuge-John-Treat-ebook/dp/B0HKLHCRY8
Synopsis: "Sure, Conor was free to do whatever. He'd carve out who he'd be and how he'd live. Still, he existed in a world
where freedom didn't eliminate necessity. Like right now, in this bed, with this trick. He needed what was going to happen
to happen. Choices were ancient history."
Conor's methamphetamine habit has gotten out of control, which is just the way he likes it. His belief that life only happens
if you take risks keeps himself and his partner, Pete, a recovering alcoholic, in constant danger of falling off the edge into
the depths of their vices. After witnessing a tragic death on the Santa Monica Pier, Pete suggests they move from Los
Angeles to restart in rural Washington, where they can either start anew -- or take the fall.
Enter Jim and Angie: dog-breeders and doomsday preppers, whose dedication to eliminating the risks of life clashes with
Conor and Pete's own strategies for survival. As the young men find themselves growing closer to the preppers, they
discover that starting again isn't as easy as it sounds. Stumbling through relapses, new friendships, and sexual indiscretions,
the pair struggle to find their footing, before the choices of their pasts catch up to them.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a compelling read from cover to cover, "The Seventh City of Refuge" is an
extraordinary novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished and set back upon
the shelf. Author John Whittier Treat's natural and impressively flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling style raises his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While an especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Contemporary Literary
Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Seventh City of Refuge" from Phylum Press is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.25).
Editorial Note: John Whittier Treat (https://www.johnwhittiertreat.com) has lived in the Pacific Northwest for over forty
years. His fiction has won the Christopher Hewitt Prize, and been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His novel The Rise and
Fall of the Yellow House, was a finalist for the 2016 Lambda Prize for Best Gay Fiction. A novella, Maid Service, was
published in 2020 and his second novel, First Consonants, was published by Jaded Ibis Press in 2022. His opinion pieces
have appeared in the New York Times and the Huffington Post.
Awakening (Back to the Universe Book 1)
Harris Whiteheaven
Whiteheaven Books
ASIN: B0HMFN7PJ6, $0.99 Kindle, 285pp, 766 KB
Pre-Publication Review
Publishing Release Date: January 19, 2027
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Back-Universe-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0HMFN7PJ6
Synopsis: You call it personality. You defend it. You say, "This is who I am." But what if what you call your self was never
truly yours -- only something built, cultivated, and fed upon by forces you do not yet understand?
A violent motorcycle crash tears the veil of reality: for a few inconceivable moments, Odysseus touches an energy field, and
the Entities that inhabit it. When ordinary reality returns, his logic, his lifelong shield, files the experience away as
hallucination.
Then, in Barcelona, a complete stranger, without warning, without explanation, blows cigar smoke into his face, and the
world he thought he knew begins to collapse. He is Ioannis: a man of no certain age who laughs at the wrong moments,
answers questions with riddles, and disappears when you need him most. Unpredictable as weather, precise as a surgeon.
Behind his games lies a complete architecture of reality, and a strict mandate from a formless power he calls only the
Employer.
Under his guidance, Odysseus's perception is utterly dismantled. From the pyramids of Teotihuacan to the Samaria Gorge in
Crete, from the shifting sands of the Thar Desert to the frozen caves of the Himalayas, he is led toward a revelation that
changes everything: what feeds on fear, attachment, and the endless inner dialogue is far more real than he ever
imagined.
There is only one way to break free from this prison, and it is not a matter of logic. Odysseus must confront his own
madness, learn to outwit the system itself, and claim the Seed of Freedom -- before awakening costs him his sanity.
There are no sins. There is only captivity -- and the possibility of Return.
Critique: Original, metaphysical, and exceptionally well written by an author with a genuine flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven storytelling style that renders "Back to the Universe -- Awakening" by Harris Whiteheaven is a
compelling and thought-provoking read from start to finish. With an imaginative resonance that will especially appeal to
readers with an interest in philosophical constructs applied in the variability of perception played out in this unique and
inherently fascinating novel, "Back to the Universe -- Awakening" from Whiteheaven Books is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections.
Editorial Note: Harris Whiteheaven was born in Australia and raised in Greece. "Awakening" is his debut as a novelist and
draws on years of inner exploration and journeys from Mexico to the Himalayas. It is the first volume of his 'Back to the
Universe' trilogy.
The Legacy of Jaarqub the Atlantean
Dr. Philip Jamieson
Independently Published
9781764952002, $3.45, Kindle, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Jaarqub-Atlantean-Philip-Jamieson-ebook/dp/B0HL46DTV4
Synopsis: Long forgotten secrets of Atlantis and Lemuria are revealed in "The Legacy of Jaarqub the Atlantean", an
engaging story of spiritual awakening told across three intersecting timelines and spanning thousands of years by Dr. Philip
Jamieson.
This short novel is a deftly crafted work of speculative fiction that was inspired by spiritual, cultural, scientific and scholarly
themes. "The Legacy of Jaarqub the Atlantean" follows the transformative journey of ambitious, quirky anthropologist
Jamie Tawnhill and his three friends, Reiki Master and holistic health practitioner Tiana Raymond, skeptical geologist Sarah
Rosans and spiritually inclined legal academic Paul Mannix.
Revelations about long forgotten civilizations and peoples of the ancient past reveal deeper truths about humanity's
interconnected relationship with other animals and the underlying reality that if we are to survive, we must accept that we
are all part of one natural world, one unity.
Critique: Impressively original, thought-provoking, inherently fascinating, exceptionally well written, and a simply
compelling read from start to finish, "The Legacy of Jaarqub the Atlantean" by Dr. Philip Jamieson is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended addition to community library Speculative Fiction collections, as well as an ideal pick for the
personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in Atlantean/Lemurian themed stories of ancient cultures with a
contemporary universal resonance.
Editorial Note: Dr Philip Jamieson (https://innerscribe.home.blog/author/gaphjam) is a retired former academic and
researcher who now pursues his interests in ancient cultures, mythology, animal welfare, spirituality and the environment.
With undergraduate degrees in Law (First Class Honours) and Arts (majoring in Anthropology), his interdisciplinary
doctorate crossed the fields of history, philosophy and law. A cross-pollinator of ideas, he has been widely published over
the past 40 years across a range of disciplines and interests, contributing to numerous journals and magazines including
Ancient Origins, Nexus and New Dawn. Born in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, he is honoured to have been initiated (to the
first stage) into the local Tolai community. Based in Australia, he has been a frequent traveller in pursuit of his quest for
greater understanding.
Gruntwork
Luke Sweeney
https://lukebensweeney.com
Brandylane Publishers
www.brandylanepublishers.com
9781966369523, $18.95, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Gruntwork-Luke-Sweeney/dp/1966369522
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gruntwork-luke-sweeney/1150302687
Synopsis: After losing their house to foreclosure, Edwin and his wife, Mallory, abandon their artistic lives and move to
Richmond, Virginia. This fresh start proves challenging when Edwin is hired as an entry-level corporate insurance employee
and is paired with a new field representative named Anton Spiros, who hates their company's role in the exploitation of
laborers. Eventually, Spiros's erratic behavior and sense of justice envelop the two men in a dangerous scheme to avenge the
working class.
While Edwin tries to stop Spiros from exacting violent revenge, his marriage stretches to a breaking point. Combining love,
death, and kidnapping, the surprising and suspenseful climax of "Gruntwork" asks the question how far will someone go to
determine his place in life?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, thought-provoking, and an inherently compelling read from start to finish, "Gruntwork" by
Luke Sweeney showcases his genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that full engages
the reader and raises his novel of suspense and family to an impressive level of literary excellence. One of those novels that
will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf,
"Gruntwork" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Fiction collections.
It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Gruntwork" is also readily available from
Brandylane Publishers in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Luke Sweeney (https://lukebensweeney.com) is a novel and short story writer based in Richmond, Virginia.
He graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida with a B.A. in philosophy.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Daughter of the Burning Hills
Timothy J. Winings
Asgitisdi Publishers
9798997605711, $27.99, HC, 293pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Burning-Hills-Timothy-Winings/dp/B0HFF4FCG5
Synopsis: "Daughter of the Burning Hills" by Timothy Winings is the story of an eight-year-old Cherokee girl who has
known little of revolution or cultural clash in her brief life.
Now the enemy has attacked her village and are determined to leave nothing but blackened ash upon the earth that she loves.
Of all the people that she has ever known, only she and her mother survive, spared only because they may be of some value
as slaves.
Crushed by shock, Tsiskwa cannot imagine how new friendships and the depth of her resilience will see her through seven
years of dodging death by disease, militia, and smugglers before facing an impossible test against her own people.
Critique: An original and compelling tale as seen through the eyes and experiences of an eight your old Native American
girl, "Daughter of the Burning Hills" is a deftly crafted and inherently fascinating story -- and one that will linger in the
mind and memory of the reader long after the novel is finished and set back upon the shelf. While an unreservedly
recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this
Native American themed novel by Timothy Winings is also readily available from Asgitisdi Publishers in paperback
(9798997605704, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Timothy J. Winings (https://www.timothyjwinings.com) is a former naval aviator and land surveyor. Tim
has been honing his literary skills for over a decade. He has always enjoyed learning about history, which has translated into
becoming his family's unofficial genealogist. That, in turn, inspired him to compose his fictional stories around real-life
tales of long-past members of his family. His goal is not only to entertain his readers but to bolster their curiosity about the
wonderful and insightful histories that nourish their own family trees.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Temperament
K. Aurum
Independently Published
https://wroteabook.org/authors/k-aurum
9798188907136, $12.99, PB, 168pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Temperament-novella-K-Aurum/dp/B0HBKRJPH9
Synopsis: Jon Finn was a violinist before a stroke stole his right side and his voice. The experimental device his doctors
offer is a quiet miracle: it restores his hand, his speech, his playing. His recovery astonishes the hospital. His bowing has
never been cleaner. He and the woman he loves have never fought less.
And, note by note, word by word, he is vanishing.
The implant doesn't take his life. It takes his self: smoothing the edges, finishing the sentences, choosing the notes he used
to reach for. Everyone sees a man restored. Only Jon feels his own wanting drain away.
Spare, unsettling, and quietly devastating, "Temperament" is a debut novella by K. Aurum about identity, illness, and the
hidden cost of being made better; a story that grows shorter and quieter as its narrator disappears.
"Temperment" lingers where medicine can't answer the question: When everything you can do remains, and only the you is
gone, is that still you?
Critique: Original, imaginative, deftly crafted, and especially appropriate for readers with an interest in medical/disability
themed metaphysical fiction, "Temperament" showcases author K. Aurum's genuine flair for the kind of character and
narrative driven storytelling style that raises his novella to an impressive level of literary excellence. Also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), this paperback edition of "Temperament" is unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: K. Aurum is a practicing physician and computer engineer who is obsessed with medicine, music, tech,
games, and books. One day he is perfecting his chess openings, the next drilling holes in wood to build a virtual pinball
cabinet. Now, somehow, he's writing books of his own!
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
A Warrior's Way
Tamsyn Quinn
Linford Romance Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444862683, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 360pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444862683
Synopsis: 6th-century Britain.
Torin's and Callum's villages are on the brink of war. Both face a bigger threat from the Saxons and Picts, and recognize that
they waste precious men and land in border raids, so a peace pact is sought.
Callum proposes a marriage between his niece Keena and Torin. However, Keena suspects Callum of having killed her
father in order to take over her village. Meanwhile, Torin has sworn he will never let a woman rule his heart and ruin his
life.
Though both desire peace, neither wants the marriage. But duty requires personal sacrifice.
Critique: A deftly crafted historical romance set in sixth century Britain, this large print paperback edition of "A Warrior's
Way" by author Tamsyn Quinn is an original, deftly written, and fascinating read from cover to cover. Showcasing Quinn's
genuine flair for a character and narrative driven storytelling style that is well suited to an historical romance laced with
suspense, conflict, plaid out against a medieval background, "A Warrior's Way" is a solid pick for personal reading lists and
community library Historical Romance Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Tamsyn Quinn on FantasticFicton at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/tamsyn-muir
The Earl's Bride
Fenella J. Miller
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781808273810, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781808273810
Synopsis: When Sofia Brotherton's father dies, she and her sisters are left facing ruin.
They can't believe their good luck when Sofia finds a position in fashionable Bath. It seems the perfect solution. But Sofia's
carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray with the appearance of the formidable Earl of Avon. James Brotherton is
wealthy, powerful, accustomed to obedience - and is their new guardian. And he has no intention of allowing his wards to
fend for themselves.
Sofia has spent her life relying on nobody but herself. Independent, outspoken and fiercely protective of those she loves, she
refuses to be managed by any man -- even one as infuriatingly handsome as the earl.
As sparks fly and tempers flare, Sofia finds herself drawn into the glittering world of Avon Court, where hidden secrets,
unexpected dangers and family loyalties threaten to change everything. Yet the greatest danger of all may be the growing
attraction neither she nor James can ignore.
Can two stubborn hearts overcome their differences, before pride costs them the one thing they never expected to find...
love?
Critique: An original and fun read for historical romance fans from start to finish, "The Earl's Bride" by novelist Fenella J.
Miller is now available in a large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books. The stuff of which Hallmark Channel
Movies are made, "The Earl's Bride" is unreservedly recommended for inclusion on the personal reading lists of dedicated
romance fans and certain to be an enduringly popular pick for community library Historical Romance collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Fenella J. Miller at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/fenella-j-miller
What Mends the Heart
Karen A. Wyle
https://karenawyle.com
Oblique Angles Press
9781955696050, $13.99, PB, 286pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/What-Mends-Heart-Karen-Wyle/dp/1955696055
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-mends-the-heart-karen-a-wyle/1151127265
Synopsis: Tailor and widower Stephen Millory is relieved to be leaving Green Pond -- even if only while Cowbird Creek's
tailor, Mr. Sherman, is out of town. Without Mary, Green Pond holds little besides painful memories.
Stephen expects to live in the rooms above Sherman's shop. But when he arrives in Cowbird Creek, two surprises await
him. Sherman has a sewing machine, which fascinates Stephen as nothing has since Mary's passing. And Sherman is so
small a man that Stephen cannot possibly fit in the man's custom-made bed. He will have to seek a room at Rebecca
Wheeler's boarding house.
Rebecca Wheeler enjoys taking care of people, and her boarders are amiable enough. She has no dreams of marriage, for
reasons she has avoided discussing even with friends. But she and Stephen are immediately drawn to each other, and the
attraction only grows.
Stephen is overcome with guilt at the idea of even contemplating a relationship with any woman but Mary. And Rebecca is
well aware that Stephen is still weighed down by grief.
Can they find their way through the obstacles surrounding each of them, before Stephen's time in Cowbird Creek comes to
an end?
Critique: An impressively original and fun read from start to finish for dedicated fans of romance novels, "What Mends The
Heart" by Karen A. Wyle showcases this author's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling
style expressly suited to the genre. While an unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community
library Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "What Mends The Heart" from
Oblique Angles Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Karen A. Wyle (https://karenawyle.com) is the author of thoughtful and compassionate fiction which
includes SF, historical romance, historical fiction, and fantasy. She has also collaborated with several wonderful illustrators
to produce picture books. Relying on her legal background, she has written one nonfiction resource, explaining American
law to authors, law students, and anyone else interested in better understanding the legal landscape. Wyle's voice is the
product of a lifetime spent reading both literary and genre fiction. Her personal history has led her to focus on
often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of
unfinished business.
The Western Fiction Shelf
The Apache Kid: Vanished Outlaw
W. Michael Farmer
Hat Creek
9798892991766, $32.99, HC, 294pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Apache-Kid-Vanished-Outlaw-Chronicles/dp/B0H3M8WWGJ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-apache-kid-w-michael-farmer/1150302766
Synopsis: At the turn of the twentieth century, the Apache Kid was a name whispered in fear along the United
States-Mexico border. Outlaw, warrior, and legend, he vanished in 1900 after a decade of bloodshed, accused of murders,
raids, and kidnappings that spread his infamy across two countries. But as stories of his death circulate, the truth remains
buried in the rugged mountains of northern Mexico.
As Mexico erupts into revolution in 1910, and Pancho Villa's war threatens to tear the country apart, the legend of the
Apache Kid grows. Rumors swirl of his secret rancho in Sonora, where he hides with his family, visiting his people in San
Carlos Reservation under cover of night. Others claim he died of tuberculosis, his body discovered in a cave. The White
Mountain Apache, who knew him best, believe he lives on, watching as his people disappeared from the Sierra Madre,
swallowed by the encroaching world of ranchers, miners, and soldiers.
Author W. Michael Farmer's western novel, "The Apache Kid: Vanished Outlaw" follows the intertwined fates of Kid and
those who seek to uncover his story. From hidden tribes to American invaders, from revolutionaries to fading cultures, this
historical novel explores the shifting sands of identity, survival, and the final chapter of the untamed Southwest.
When legends fade and history is rewritten, can the truth ever be known? Or will the Apache Kid remain a shadow, lost to
time?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a compelling read from start to finish, "The Apache Kid: Vanished Outlaw" is the
sequel to author Michael Farmer's The Apache Kid Chronicles series that began with "The Apache Kid: Army Apache
Scout". With an impressively talented, character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a compelling read
from start to finish, "The Apache Kid: Vanished Outlaw" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for the
personal reading lists of western novel fans and a prized addition to community library Western Fiction/Historical Fiction
collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Apache Kid: Vanished Outlaw" from Hat Creek is also
available in paperback (9798892991773, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: W. Michael Farmer combines fifteen-plus years of research into nineteenth-century Apache history and
culture with Southwest-living experience to fill his stories with a genuine sense of time and place. His novels have won
numerous awards, including three Will Rogers Gold and five Silver Medallions, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for
Literary, Adventure, Historical Fiction, a Non-Fiction New Mexico Book of the Year, and a Spur Finalist Award for Best
First Novel. His book series includes The Life and Times of Yellow Boy, Mescalero Apache, and Legends of the Desert.
His nonfiction books include Apacheria, True Stories of Apache Culture 1860-1920, and Geronimo, Prisoner of Lies. His
most recent novels are the award-winning The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty-Three years a Prisoner of War, The Iliad of
Geronimo, A Song of Blood and Fire, and Trini! Come! Geronimo's Captivity of Trinidad Verdin. The first book in the
Chato Saga, Desperate Warrior: Days of War, Days of Peace, Chato's Chiricahua Apache Legacy Volume One, won the
2024 Will Rogers Medallion Award Silver Medal for Traditional Western Fiction.
Cry For Vengeance
James A. Muir
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857597, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 272pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444857597
Synopsis: The Comanche wheeled his pony round and charged towards the man who stood between him and his dream of
war. The long war lance glinted bright in the afternoon sun, its razor-sharp tip pointing straight at the man's heart.
The man was called Matthew Gunn, though some called him Breed. And they avoided him, for Breed meant danger, an
avenging warrior who hated Indian and white man with equal ferocity.
Now he stood alone on the blood-stained sand and waited...
Critique: A simply riveting read from start to finish, "Cry For Vengeance" by author James A. Muir is the kind of novel that
they once made 'Spaghetti Western' movies from. A bloody tale of revenge against all odds for an unforgivable atrocity, this
large print paperback edition of "Cry For Vengeance" from the Linford Western Library is a highly recommended pick for
personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by the late Angus Wells (aka James A. Muir) available on
FantasticFiction -- https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/angus-wells
Retribution Range
Neil Hunter
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857580, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 208pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/uk/search/9781444857580
Synopsis: On their way home from the funeral of a friend, Ballard and McCall unwittingly cross the Circle-B range and find
themselves mistaken for rustlers. Tensions are high and McCall is forced to defend himself when a pair of zealous
cowhands bring their guns into play. One man ends up dead and another is wounded.
The Texans ride to Jericho to report the incident to the law. Before they know it, however, Ballard and McCall are caught up
in the local problems led by Celestine Blanchard, owner of the Circle-B, and her treacherous son Orrin.
Critique: Author Neil Hunter is a master of the action/adventure western novel. This large print paperback edition of
"Retribution Range" showcases his character and narrative driven storytelling style that provides the reader with a
compelling and fun read from cover to cover. This Linford Western Library paperback edition of "Retribution Range" is an
unreservedly recommended pick for the personal reading lists of dedicated western fans and will prove to be an enduringly
popular pick for community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Neil Hunter available on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/neil-hunter
West Of Man: Rebellion In The Age Of Dominion
Kevin Michael Flynn
Independently Published
www.westofman.com
9798997342203, $15.99, PB, 345pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/West-Man-Rebellion-Age-Dominion/dp/B0HGL9ZH48
Synopsis: "West Of Man" by Kevin Michael Flynn is an ambitious visionary novel that examines a fractured American
reality through a world caught between institutional control and the fight for individual freedom. An early twentieth century
backdrop creates an American landscape as mechanical and indiscriminate as levers of power that capture agency with
transactional efficiency.
Blending contemporary social engineering with the archetypal landscapes of the Western, "West Of Man" follows The
Carpenter, a workman whose resistance to an oppressive syndicate becomes a profound reckoning with violence, identity,
and fatherhood. He battles to preserve his independence and suffers the cost of resistance. His trials become rooted with his
son, Michael, caught within his father's ferocious rebellion.
The narrative moves between immigration, institutional violence, biblical reckoning, philosophical credence, Indigenous
culture and the physical and metaphysical worlds. Beyond the harsh urban environment, the story lands in a primordial
desert landscape known as The Plain. A proving ground of majestic power. Here, The Carpenter enters a path of
reconstruction. Tools, weapons, structures, and the natural cosmic order become part of a larger meditation on destruction
and renewal. Suffering does not simply lead to recovery. It demands transformation.
At its heart, "West Of Man" questions whether a person can fight oppression without becoming another form of
domineering power. It moves beyond the rugged individual, by demanding an understanding that freedom lives beyond the
self. Ultimately, The Carpenter's physical struggle turns inward to battle another enemy. Choice. The ability to protect
without possessing, to offer an inheritance without imposing a will, and to make room for another person's freedom. It is not
enough to ask what can be built after destruction. But what can be built with the remains. West Of Man exists not to destroy,
but to rebuild.
Of special note is a 15 page Bonus Content that includes plans and instructions for building a 12x16 Post and Beam
building.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thought-provoking, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "West Of Man" by Kevin
Michael Flynn will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the kind of speculative fiction that is an
extrapolated projection of current social, political, and technological conditions and cultural conflicts. As an author, "West
Of Man" showcases Flynn's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that raises his novel
to an impressive level of literary excellence. While unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library
Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition
of "West Of Man" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Kevin Michael Flynn has been a carpenter in New England for nearly two decades. He is an advocate for
open source engineering and for all things made well. "West Of Man" is his first novel. His next novel, "El Dorado" is
currently under construction.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Salt Widow
Teresa Crowe
Teresa Crowe Books
https://teresacrowebooks.com
9781971697017, $18.99, PB, 343pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Salt-Widow-Mystery/dp/197169701X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-salt-widow-teresa-crowe/1151284027
Synopsis: When Janessa "Nessa" Douglas inherits her grandmother's house in Mystic Beach on the Chesapeake Bay, she
intends to sell it and never look back. The locals still whisper about her grandmother, Elspeth, who wrote strange fairytales
about women who kept dangerous secrets.
When a college intern named Ivy Camden vanishes while studying those same folk tales, Nessa's plans are pulled out to sea.
Ivy's research hints that Elspeth's most infamous story, The Salt Widow, was not born of myth but of murder.
With help from her childhood friend, Nessa begins to unravel the buried history of the town: drowned girls, a power family's
cover-up, and a legacy of silence stretching back more than a century. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes her
grandmother's stories weren't warnings. They were confessions.
As storms roll in from the bay and old sins rise with the tide, Nessa must decide whether to flee from her family's darkness
or finish what the Salt Widow started.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a 'must' for all dedicated cozy mystery fans of 'whodunnit' murder
mysteries being solved by unlikely and amateur female sleuths, "The Salt Widow" also showcases author Teresa Crowe's
exceptional gift for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the genre. A fun read for
mystery fans from start to finish, "The Salt Widow" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal
reading lists and community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this paperback
edition of "The Salt Widow" from Teresa Crowe Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: Holding a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction degree from Goucher College, Teresa Crowe writes
true crime, mysteries, and psychological thrillers. Her writing reflects a deep understanding of the human psyche and the
intricate interplay between personal narratives and societal contexts. In her professional practice, Teresa is also a professor
of social work at Gallaudet University and works as a clinical social worker with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals at
Arundel Lodge, Inc., a community behavioral health clinic. Fluent in American Sign Language, she integrates the unique
perspectives and experiences of the Deaf community into her academic research and authorial endeavors. Her academic and
professional publications focus on social work, mental health, and resilience.
The Goat of Magalies
Julian Redwood
Independently Published
9798253578124, $17.99, PB, 195pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Goat-Magalies-Julian-Redwood/dp/B0GV5W6NN2
Synopsis: Marie thought she had left behind Magaliesburg and the isolated farm where she grew up beneath the weight of
faith, family secrets, and an older brother whose charm concealed something she could never quite understand.
She built a new life thousands of miles away in Taiwan. But when circumstances draw her back to South Africa, the old
tensions are waiting.
Something within the family has changed. Old loyalties no longer feel certain. Questions Marie thought she had buried
surfaced. And somewhere in the shadows of her childhood, the memory of a black-and-gray goat refuses to disappear.
As the familiar world around her grows more unsettling, Marie must decide whether the danger she senses is real -- or
whether the past has finally found a way back inside her head.
Because in Magaliesburg, coming home is easy. Leaving it behind is another matter entirely.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Goat of Magalies" by author Julian
Redwood is a deftly crafted South African psychological suspense thriller of a novel about family secrets, faith,
manipulation, and the dark inheritance of the past. As a novelist, Julian Redwood exhibits a genuine and impressive flair for
the kind of astute and character driven storytelling style that fully engages the reader from cover to cover. Unreservedly
recommended for personal reading lists and community library Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted that this
paperback edition of "The Goat of Magalies" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Julian Redwood writes suspense fiction that explores the raw, primal instincts hiding just beneath the polite
veneer of civilization. Born in South Africa and raised in the historic university town of Potchefstroom, Redwood now
shares his love for storytelling from Taiwan, where he divides his time between teaching and crafting intricate psychological
thrillers. At the heart of Redwood's writing is a deep curiosity about human nature. His stories examine hidden guilt, volatile
secrets, and the powerful ways the past can catch up with the present.
The Honourable Member for Murder
David Weir
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444864250, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 288pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444864250
Synopsis: Maxwell Murray's job is simple: keep his hapless boss Eliot Oakcroft (the MP for Middlebury-Mid) out of
trouble. It's a full-time occupation. But when Miranda Cley asks for help freeing her imprisoned mother, an ordinary day
turns extraordinary. Miranda's father was murdered -- or so everyone believes. The trouble is, she's just seen him alive!
Max and his assistant Diana Burton can't help wafting the scent of a possible career-making miscarriage of justice Eliot's
way, but as the mystery of Charlie Cley's disappearance unravels, they discover that some secrets are worth killing for.
Critique: Now available and highly recommended for both the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans and
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, this large print paperback edition of "The Honourable Member for
Murder" from Isis Large Print is a sharp and witty whodunnit from parliamentary insider and novelist David Weir, who,
drawing on years of experience in the chaotic and crumbling corridors of power, has created a genuinely riveting read from
start to finish.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by David Weir available on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/david-weir/westminster-mysteries
A Midnight Murder
Kate Wells
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836781660, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781836781660
Synopsis: Jude Gray is ready to ring in the New Year the proper way - at the local pub, surrounded by friends, neighbours
and the usual Malvern mix of good cheer.
But this year, all eyes are on the Merebrooks. Wealthy, enigmatic and woven into the fabric of Malvern for generations,
they've always been a family people talk about... and not just because of the scandalous murder of years gone by.
When a marriage proposal sends shockwaves through the already fractious clan, the atmosphere turns from celebratory to
strained. And then, as the clock strikes twelve and fireworks light up the sky, tragedy strikes. One of the Merebrooks is
found dead.
As suspicion falls on the feuding family, Jude finds herself drawn into yet another mystery. Because behind closed doors,
this family has been hiding secrets for years. And Jude is willing to bet someone is willing to kill to keep them buried -- at
any cost.
Critique: Kate Wells is a master of the cozy mystery genre. With this large print paperback edition of "A Midnight Murder"
from Boldwood Books, she once again demonstrates a brilliantly talented, character and narrative driven storytelling style
that brings her mysteries and plucky amateur female sleuth alive in a kind of 'theatre of the mind' experience for the reader --
making it a high value and recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Kate Wells available at FantasyFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/kate-wells
Murder at Bletchley Park
Christina Koning
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444863512, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 312pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444863512
Synopsis: Spring, 1941.
The Second World War has entered a dangerous phase, with British ships being torpedoed in the Atlantic and nightly
bombing raids on major ports. At Bletchley Park, top secret home of the nation's code-breakers, the race is on to crack the
German Enigma code and thus prevent further naval and military losses. This endeavour is suddenly very close to home for
Frederick Rowlands, blind veteran of the Great War, when his daughter, Margaret, who works at 'the Park' as a
cryptographer, is arrested on suspicion of betraying secrets to the enemy.
Then a young woman is found murdered, and Rowlands is drawn into a deadly battle of wits where he must decode a series
of clues that will lead him to the killer and enable him to discover the real traitor at Bletchley Park.
Critique: The eighth book in author Christina Koning's nine volume 'The Blind Detective Investigates' series, "Murder at
Bletchley Park" is a suspense thriller of an historical mystery featuring an amateur sleuth who was blinded in World War I
and is facing wanting/needing to solve a murder mystery in World War II. A deftly crafted and fun read for cozy mystery
fans, "Murder at Bletchley Park", this large print paperback edition from Isis Large Print is an extraordinary and
unreservedly recommended selection choice for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Christina Koning at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/christina-koning
Upon This Bank of Time: A Shakespearean Epic
James Driscoll
Independently Published
9798171100322, $24.99, HC, 543pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Upon-This-Bank-Time-Shakespearean/dp/B0HHM9FVZG
Synopsis: Spring 1984
Vince Kindel, a brilliant, charismatic Berkeley PhD candidate, vanishes.
His disappearance pulls his older brother Justin (an MIT astrophysicist) into a treacherous world of immense wealth, secret
intrigue, and murder. At the center stands San Francisco grande dame Alicia Comstock, one of the richest women in
America.
Old, formidable, and running out of time, Alicia sends Justin into Vince's department to ask the questions no one there
wants to answer.
Berkeley replies with grotesques: a pompous Shakespearean who pulls a knife on Justin when he mentions incest in King
Lear, and a bizarre Chaucer scholar orchestrating a ruthless vendetta against an acclaimed Black woman writer.
With Alicia's astute grandniece Amelie at his side, and Vince's bereaved lover playing Horatio to his Hamlet, Justin follows
a trail of lives crippled in silence. He will get his answer even if Alicia does not live to hear it.
But what he uncovers is larger than one disappearance: a culture war over what can be said, who will be silenced, and what
bureaucracy gets to bury.
Critique: An original, clever, fascinating, and deftly crafted, "Upon This Bank of Time: A Shakespearean Epic" by James
Driscoll will hold an immense appeal for readers with an interest in murder mysteries featuring an amateur sleuth, a good
deal of satire, and, above all, the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a fun read from start
to finish. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Upon This Bank of Time: A Shakespearean Epic" is
also readily available in paperback (9798170692743, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.49).
Editorial Note: James Driscoll earned his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Wisconsin -- Madison,
specializing in Shakespeare, and has published eight scholarly books and more than 100 articles. His books include Identity
in Shakespearean Drama, Shakespeare and Jung: The God in Time, Jung's Cartography of the Psyche, Shakespeare's
Identities, The Unfolding God of Jung and Milton, How AIDS Activists Challenged America, Jung and Marx: Two Icons
for our Age, and The Devil and Dr. Fauci.
The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder
Kelly Oliver
Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836175865, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20case%20of%20the%20christie%20honeymoon%20murder
Synopsis: Agatha Christie's latest book, The Seven Dials, has set the literary world alight. With a new marriage to Max
Mallowan and a honeymoon cruise down the Nile ahead, she's looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. But the publication
has also drawn the attention of the Secret Service, who have spotted strange coincidences within its pages.
When Eliza Baker, assistant to the secretary of the Detection Club, is asked to accompany Agatha Christie and her husband,
she reluctantly agrees, determined to help clear her friend's name. Yet her attention soon shifts to fellow passengers, the
Hardwicke family, who are celebrating a daughter's birthday aboard. And when a guest is found dead in his cabin, the idyllic
voyage takes a deadly turn.
As the steamer drifts upriver, Eliza and Theo must sift through polite smiles and private grievances to find the truth. Can
Eliza and Theo uncover the truth before the Nile claims its next victim?
Critique: Another 'Detection Club Mystery' by Kelly Oliver, "The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder" starring iconic
mystery writer Agatha Christie as the amateur female sleuth is a fun read from cover to cover. Kelly Oliver has a genuine
flair for the kind of 'whodunnit' murder mystery that does full justice to Agatha Christie's style of storytelling. This large
print paperback edition of "The Case of the Christie Honeymoon Murder" is a very strongly recommended pick for the
personal reading lists of cozy mystery novels and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Kelly Oliver on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/o/kelly-oliver
The Isle of Mull Murders
Daniel Sellers
Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806566785, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20isle%20of%20mull%20murders
Synopsis: Investigating a suspicious death at ancient Dumfala castle on the remote Isle of Mull is not what DI Anna
Vaughan had planned this Christmas. But when she receives the call on Christmas Eve, she is duty bound to make the
treacherous trip to investigate.
But it soon becomes clear the estate's obsessive owner, Robert Fairlie, is more concerned with safeguarding his lucrative
contract for a hit American TV show to be filmed at the castle than with the death of one of his employees. And as Anna
turns to the locals for answers, she's instead faced with an eclectic cast of suspects who seem no more welcoming than
Fairlie himself...
Trapped on the estate and cut off from mainland by a fierce winter blizzard, Anna and local DS Lachlan McKay are left
completely on their own to catch the killer and untangle the web of secrets that have shrouded this isolated community for
years. The question is, can Anna uncover the truth before more people lose their lives?
Critique: An ancient Scottish castle. A storm setting in for Christmas. A killer on the loose.
Original, exceptional, deftly crafted "The Isle of Mull Murders" by Daniel Sellers has all the makings for a a fun and
riveting read for cozy mystery fans in this latest addition to the author's 'The Scottish Highland Killings' series. This large
print paperback edition of "The Isle of Mull Murders" from Boldwood Books is an extraordinary and guaranteed popular
pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by David Sellers on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/daniel-sellers
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Blithe Spirits on the Pumpkin Path
Sharon Booth
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836568087, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/blithe%20spirits%20on%20the%20pumpkin%20path
Synopsis: Halloween is fast approaching, and in the beautiful Cotswold living history village of Rowan Vale, a day of
events is planned. There'll be pumpkin carving, apple bobbing... and a not-so traditional midnight seance.
The spirit medium will be Melissa, better known as 'Madam Mariska' on television's It's Haunted! But Melissa is keeping a
career-threatening secret: she's lost her ghost-whispering abilities, and it's her sister and general dogsbody assistant Verity
who she relies on to contact the spirits.
With the resident village ghosts going on strike in protest at the booking, and sibling rivalry at its highest, it's no wonder
Verity is unhappy, and her feelings aren't helped by her unexpected attraction to the calm and beautiful Mia.
Leaving her sister to the midnight seance, Verity follows an illuminated pumpkin path to the stone circle on the edge of the
village and does something very out of character... and which she hasn't a clue how to fix.
Has she just changed life - and afterlife - in Rowan Vale forever?
Critique: An original, exceptionally crafted, and fun read from cover to cover, "Blithe Spirits on the Pumpkin Path" by
novelist Sharon Booth is now available for personal reading lists and community library Fantasy Fiction collections in a
large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books. Clever, witty, imaginative, and a true delight for dedicated fans of
ghost themed fantasies, "Blithe Spirits on the Pumpkin Path" aptly showcases Booth's genuine flair for a humor laced and
narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for fantasy fiction.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Shaon Booth available on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/sharon-booth
Memory Mine
Gordon McKinney
https://gmackinney.com
PublishDrive
9798985736854, $14.99, PB, 195pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Mine-Gordon-MacKinney/dp/B0HL27CRN9
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/memory-mine-gordon-mackinney/1151632218
Synopsis: All Dalton Delacroix wants is to reunite with Anna at the NASA Mars colony.
But after a tragic accident, he finds himself commanding the spacecraft Epimetheus and its passengers: eight respected
scientists. Instead of in-transit hibernation, the group conducts lifesaving research in custom mobile labs. Good work and
food, and for downtime, a new mind-bending form of gaming.
But mid-journey, the crew begins to change in disturbing and violent ways. Memories betray. One death leads to another,
and the ship's digital assistant TINA is suspiciously quick with advice.
Can Dalton uncover the true purpose of the voyage and reach the woman he loves before everyone aboard is lost?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read for science fiction fans from cover to cover, "Memory Mine" by Gordon
MacKinney will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for personal reading lists and community library
Science Fiction collections. As an author, MacKinney has a genuine flair for the kind of imaginative and narrative driven
storytelling style that is ideal for a technothriller action/adventure novel. It should be noted that this paperback edition of
"Memory Mine" from PublishDrive is also readily available for dedicated science fiction fans in a digital book format
(Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Gordon MacKinney on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/gordon-macmillan
Claimed
Zara Cox
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807344146, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/claimed
Synopsis: Don Valentin Moretti, ruler of New York and one of the legendary Five Blood, has spent years searching for his
fated mate, never realizing she was hiding in plain sight.
Behind the identity of Eira Cross, Lyra has buried the truth of who she is. Trapped inside Moretti Tower, the dark,
undeniable pull between them becomes impossible to resist. But one bite ignites a reckoning. Because Eira's blood is laced
with poison and the clock is ticking on his immortality. The curse within Valentin is tightening its grip, sharpening his
urges, his hunger, his obsession. He's no longer content to hunt.
He intends to claim.
Every instinct tells Eira to run. Every secret tells her to hide. But the bond between them is already sinking its fangs into her.
She should fear her captor, yet she can't deny the dark truth.
Critique: A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from start to finish, "Claimed" is the second title in author Zara Cox's
acclaimed vampire series, 'The Five Blood Thrones'. From start to finish, Zara Cox once again demonstrates her genuine
flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for an action/adventure themed vampire
romance novel. "Claimed" will hold a very special appeal for fans of the vampire genre and this large print paperback
edition from Boldwood Books is especially recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Zara Cox on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/zara-cox
Time After Time
Clare Swatman
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781785130991, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/time%20after%20time
Synopsis: Robyn is heartbroken when her beloved mum dies unexpectedly and would give anything to turn back time. Then,
on New Year's Eve, a clock gifted to her by her best friend Aida, smashes to the floor. This was no ordinary clock; this one
contained a curse and a blessing, released as it broke.
Granted her impossible wish, Robyn wakes up the next morning to find it is January 1st again. She has been given the
ultimate gift -- a whole year to live over and a chance to stop her mother's passing before it happens.
But trying to cheat destiny comes with unexpected consequences. Soon, Robyn finds herself living the same year over again
until she can figure out how to change her fate. And when the universe throws her a wonderful curveball, her life is turned
upside down in the best way possible.
With the clock ticking towards another New Year's Eve, Robyn has a choice to make - say a final goodbye or embrace a
whole new future.
Critique: Original, imaginative, exceptionally well written, and a simply compelling read from cover to cover, this large
print paperback edition of Clare Swatman's deftly crafted fantasy novel "Time After Time" from Boldwood Books is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans and community
library Fantasy/Magical Realism collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Clare Swatman on FantasyFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/clare-swatman
The Enchanted Cherry Blossom Inn
Ella Cook
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807341169, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20enchanted%20cherry%20blossom%20inn
Synopsis: In the small town of Hudsbury, nothing stays ordinary for long! Magic quietly steers architect Jamie Collins' work
- blueprints shifting, lines redrawing themselves and plans remodeling to supernatural perfection. His latest project, an
accessible annex, puts him on a collision course with physio Amrita. Fiercely dedicated, Amrita has no patience for
impractical plans, and even less for infuriatingly handsome, arrogant strangers! But as they clash over designs, sparks
explode until romance unexpectedly grows...
But Hudsbury has secrets that it guards. Jamie knows the truth; Amrita doesn't... yet. With the help of mischievous pixies, a
talking albino magpie, and magical cherry blossoms which bloom out of season, the enchantments edge closer to the
surface. When Amrita begins to glimpse a world she'd never imagined and a power within herself she didn't know existed,
she and Jamie must decide whether their future can survive in a place where nothing... and no one, is quite what it
seems.
Critique: A brilliantly written blend of fantasy and romantic comedy, "The Enchanted Cherry Blossom Inn" by talented
author/storyteller Ella Cook is a fun read from cover to cover. This large print paperback edition of "The Enchanted Cherry
Blossom Inn" an unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Ella Cook at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/ella-cook
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Manga Classics: Little Women
Original text by Louisa May Alcott
Illustrations by Yoon Yi-hyun
Button Books
https://www.buttonbooks.us
9781787081949 $18.99 pbk
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Manga-Classics-Little-Literature-Brought/dp/178708194X
Synopsis: Manga Classics: Little Women brings a classic coming-of-age story to life as a full color graphic novel drawn in
the style of Japanese manga.
Enter the cozy, creative and colorful world of the March sisters as they each negotiate the path from childhood to
womanhood.
Meet beautiful, traditional and kind Meg; Jo, the rebellious tomboy writer; gentle and shy peacemaker Beth; and feisty artist
Amy, the baby of the family. The girls live in Massachusetts with their adored mother Marmee, in genteel poverty, while
their father is far away fighting in the American Civil War.
As the story unfolds, the girls meet new characters and must face the challenges and opportunities life will hold for them,
including marriage, work, domesticity and education. Travel with Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they leave girlhood behind to
become little women, in this classic of American realism that has become a perennial favorite for readers of all ages.
Critique: Manga Classics: Little Women is a graphic novel adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic coming-of-age tale of
four sisters who take care of one another and their neighbors in need, while their father is away fighting in the American
Civil War. Featuring smooth, appealing art drawn in the style of manga (Japanese comics) and enriched with eye-catching
soft colors, Little Women is a wonderful new way for readers of all ages to experience this classic "American girl" story.
Each of the four girls has a strikingly different personality; all of them must do what they can to support the family when
money is stretched thin, even though employment opportunities for girls and women were limited in the era. Although their
tempers sometimes fray into quarrels, they each strive for personal self-improvement as part of growing up and finding their
place in the world. Manga Classics: Little Women is worthy of the highest recommendation for public library, school
library, and personal graphic novel collections.
7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga
David A. Robertson, author
Scott B. Henderson, illustrator
HighWater Press
https://www.portageandmainpress.com/HighWater-Press
9781774920619, $29.00, PB, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/7-Generations-Plains-Cree-Saga/dp/1774920611
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/7-generations-david-a-robertson/1115692992
Synopsis: From David A. Robertson, the author of "The Misewa Saga" and "When We Were Alone" comes "7 Generations:
A Plains Cree Saga", a powerful young adult graphic novel that bridges the gap between history and the present. Collected
in a stunningly illustrated edition by Scott B. Henderson and featuring an informative Afterword by Cherie Dimaline, this
15th-anniversary omnibus, "7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga", follows one family's journey over three centuries,
exploring the enduring spirit of Indigenous culture and the complex layers of identity.
Through this epic narrative, a modern teenager named Edwin must confront the devastating realities of systemic racism, the
legacy of residential schools, and his own intense struggles with mental illness. As he uncovers the history of his ancestors,
Edwin undergoes an emotional and spiritual awakening, discovering that true healing lies in reclaiming his mental health,
family bonds, and traditional spirituality.
Edwin is struggling to feel connected to his family and his identity. Through the stories shared by his mother, Edwin
embarks on an epic journey through time, witnessing the legacy of the Plains Cree and their neighbours, the Siksikaitsitapi
(Blackfoot). As he learns about his ancestors, Edwin must confront the brutal realities of history -- from the devastation of
smallpox to the intergenerational trauma of residential schools.
The very special pecial 15th-anniversary edition of "7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga" features:
A Complete collection under one cover featuring all four original titles (Stone, Scars, Ends, and The Next Generation)
collected together in a single stunning graphic omnibus.
Enhanced visuals beautifully re-colored and re-lettered to bring the visceral illustrations to life for a new generation of
readers.
Exclusive content that includes an insightful new foreword by author David A. Robertson and a moving afterword by YA
author Cherie Dimaline (The Marrow Thieves).
Critique: Epic, original, vividly crafted, and an emotionally compelling read from start to finish, this Highwater Press 15th
Anniversary edition of "7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga" by author/storyteller David A. Robertson and artist/illustrator
Scott B. Henderson is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as highschool
and community library Native American/Indigenous People themed graphic novel collections.
Editorial Note #1: David A. Robertson (https://www.darobertson.ca) is a two-time winner of the Governor General's
Literary Award, and recipient of the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award and the Writer's Union of Canada Freedom
to Read Award. Among many other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, in 2026 David was nominated
for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. He has also received recognition for podcasting, public speaking, and
social advocacy, including being honoured with a Doctor of Letters by the University of Manitoba in 2023 and a Doctor of
Laws by the University of Lethbridge in 2025 for his outstanding contributions to the arts and society. David is a member of
Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg.
Editorial Note #2: Scott B. Henderson (https://scotthendersonart.wordpress.com) is a freelance illustrator, whose reputation
for cultural sensitivity and an openness to listen and learn has garnered a large body of work in collaboration with
Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ communities. His work spans several critically acclaimed graphic novels, including 7
Generations: A Plains Cree Saga (Indigenous history & Residential Schools); A Girl Called Echo series (Metis history); A
Blanket of Butterflies (2016 Eisner Nomination); a short story in Marvel Voices: Pride #1 (2022); and the post-apocalypse
graphic novel, Last Breeds (fall 2024). Scott is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. He resides in Winnipeg with his
partner.
The Audiobook Shelf
The Christmas Killer
Ross Greenwood, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Audio Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806587025, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (9 Hours 35 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Christmas%20Killer
Synopsis: The winter holidays finally look set to bring a white Christmas, but the beautiful snow hides horrors beneath.
When a man is found cruelly tortured and murdered, the Major Crimes team is already stretched thin through illness and
stunned by an internal corruption investigation.
DCI John Barton hesitantly leaves his sabbatical to take the case, immediately confronting the same dark secrets that forced
him away. The dead man was a loner and the perfect target, but when there is another savage murder, Barton begins to
suspect that the killer is delving into the victims' pasts for a very specific, terrifying reason. And time is running out.
As the blizzard isolates the city, Barton realizes they aren't pursuing a festive fanatic; they are hunting something far worse.
With the department gripped by ice and paranoia, Barton knows he is getting closer to the truth, but will he be fast
enough?
Because if he isn't, not everyone will make it home for Christmas.
Critique: "The Christmas Killer", author/storyteller Ross Greenwood's deftly crafted serial killer themed polic procedural
novel is now available in a complete and unabridged audio book edition that is superbly narrated by professional vocal actor
David Thorpe. Compelling and fully entertaining from start to finish, "The Christmas Killer" will prove to be an immediate
and enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections. It should be noted that
this MP3-CD edition of "The Christmas Killer" is also available in a CD format (9781806587018, $111.95 / $95.16) and in
a large print paperback edition (9781806587070, $43.50$36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Ross Greenwood at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/ross-greenwood
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=David+Thorpe
The Time of My Afterlife
Luch Mitchell, author
Narrated by Rosalind Steele & Alex Wingfield
Boldwood Audio Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807031886, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD (9 Hours 30 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Time%20of%20My%20Afterlife
Synopsis: Next-door neighbors Florence Hill and Clark Fielding have never got on -- not since they were at school. But
when a fatal road accident sends them both to the afterlife, they find themselves facing eternity together.
Until they're offered a second chance: the opportunity to return to their lives and change what they left behind.
Thrown back into the lives they thought they had lost, Florence and Clark are forced to confront difficult truths and the
people they have become. As they begin to see their past (and each other) differently, they're faced with a much bigger
question: if you were given another chance at life, what would you do with it?
Because sometimes starting again isn't about changing everything. It's about discovering what really matters.
Critique: A deftly crafted and original fantasy romance by author Lucy Mitchell, "The Time of My Afterlife" is now
available as a complete and unabridged audio book brilliantly narrated by talented vocal actors Rosalind Steele and Alex
Wingfield. Providing a truly impressive and entertaining 'theatre of the mind' experience from start to finish, this MP3-CD
edition of "The Time of My Afterlife" from Boldwood Audio Books is also available for personal and community library
Romance & Fantasy themed audio book collections in a CD format (9781807031879, $104.95 / $89.21). It should also be
noted that "The Time of My Afterlife" is also available in a large print paperback back edition (9781807031954, $43.50/
$36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Lucy Mitchell on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/lucy-mitchell
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Rosalind Steele on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Rosalind%C2%A0Steele
Editorial Note #3: There is an online listing of books narrated by Alex Wingfield on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Alex+Wingfield
Realm of the Wicked
Torri Heat, author
Narrated by Ava Blair & William Macleod
Boldwood Audio Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807950736, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD (9 Hours 45 Minutes)
9781807950729, $104.95 / $89.21, CD (9 Hours 45 Minutes)
9781807950798, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/realm%20of%20the%20wicked
Synopsis: When Stella's beloved younger sister Grace falls ill and is given just months to live, she will do anything in her
power to save her.
But she never expected the Devil to answer her prayer.
That night, Damien steps from the shadows of Stella's bedroom, devastatingly beautiful and terrifyingly powerful, ready to
collect the soul she was desperate enough to promise in exchange for her sister's life.
Dragged beyond the mortal world into the Fringe, a decadent realm suspended above Hell, Stella finds herself surrounded
by demons who wear silk and smiles like weapons, shadows that whisper secrets and Hell's ruthless Council, who are eager
to claim what she owes.
Every day in Damien's estate brings new dangers, and a dangerously intoxicating kind of protection. Charming, arrogant and
infuriatingly magnetic, Damien insists he can keep her safe... and maybe even save her soul.
Stella knows better than to trust him. He's dangerous, and his kingdom is built on deception. But worse than the lies is the
pull between them -- dark, irresistible and impossible to ignore.
And in the realm of the wicked, the only thing deadlier than losing your soul is losing your heart!
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and inherently fascinating romantic fantasy by author Torri Heat, this complete and
unabridged MP3-CD audio book edition of "Realm of the Wicked" from Boldwood Books is brilliantly narrated by the team
of Ava Blair and William Macleod. While also available from Boldwood Audio Books in a CD format and a large print
paperback edition, "Realm of the Wicked" is a solid and popular pick for Romantic Fantasy fans and community library
collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Torri Heat on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/torri-heat
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Ava Blair on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Ava+Blair
Editorial Note #3: There is an online listing of books narrated by William Macleod on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=William+MacLeod
The Teacup Dragon Sanctuary
Jessica Thorne, author
Helen Keeley, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807348748, $104.95 / $89.21, CD (7 Hours 35 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Teacup%20Dragon%20Sanctuary
Synopsis: When apothecary Portia Starling clashes with the Academy, she knows exactly how it will end. With her family's
notorious reputation, someone has to take the blame -- and it's going to be her. So, reluctantly, she retreats to Starling Island
(a place she hasn't considered home in years) to await news of her future.
Noah Turner has always dreamed of travelling north to study the great dragons of Elanholm. However, as a vet with no
magic, funding his research feels impossible. But when an opportunity arises to help at Iris Starling's dragon sanctuary, he
can't afford to turn it down. If he can prove himself there, he might finally reach his dream.
Portia and Noah immediately dislike one another. Noah assumes Portia is an entitled Academy poser, collecting dragons as
a trend, while Portia finds him bossy and overbearing. But with the lives of the poor, sickly rescue dragons on the line, can
they see past their differences?
Critique: A deftly crafted fantasy novel by Jessica Thorne, "The Teacup Dragon Sanctuary" is now a deftly crafted audio
book ably narrated by the storytelling talents of Helen Keeley. While especially and unreservedly recommended as an
addition to personal, highschool, and community library fantasy themed audio book collections, it should be noted that this
complete and unabridged CD edition of "The Teacup Dragon Sanctuary" is also readily available from Boldwood Books in
an MP3-CD format (9781807348755, $104.95 / $89.21) and as a large print paperback novel (9781807348823, $43.50 /
$36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Jessica Thorne on FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/jessica-thorne
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Helen Keeley on Audioble:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Helen+Keeley
Dragon Bound
M. J. Porter, author
Antonia Beamish, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807950286, $104.95 / $89.21, CD (9 Hours 45 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/Dragon%20Bound
Synopsis: The Long Night is ending. The dragon is waking.
Sereh is finally free -- but the frozen wilds are just as deadly as the life she left behind. When she saves a mysterious
stranger, she binds herself to a fate she doesn't understand.
Erann has secrets. About the cold. About the land. About why the world is changing.
As the Long Night lingers and something ancient stirs beneath the frozen land, survival means staying together. And their
fragile alliance turns into something neither of them can afford.
Because in a world of ice and fire, trust might be the spark that destroys them both.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted Norse fantasy by author M. J. Porter, "Dragon Bound" is now available as a
complete and unabridged audio book dramatically narrated by the impressively talented vocal actress Antonia Beamish.
Very highly recommended for community library fantasy themed audio book collections, it should be noted for dedicated
fantasy fans that this CD edition of "Dragon Bound" from Boldwood Books is also readily available in in an MP3-CD
format (9781807950293, $104.95 / $89.21) and in a large print paperback edition (9781807950354, $43.50 / $36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by M. J. Porter on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/m-j-porter
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Antonia Beamish on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Antonia+Beamish
Blood Oath
J. C. Duncan, author
Sean Barrett, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806566907, $116.95 / $99.41, CD (11 Hours 55 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/blood%20oath
Synopsis: Denmark, 982AD
At the end of the first millennium, the Baltic Sea knew a terror unlike any other: the Jomsvikings. Cast out by the rise of
Christianity, exiled warriors with no homeland who lived by selling their steel for silver. They showed no fear, offered no
mercy, and never fled from any foe.
A young boy called Vagn arrives at Jomsburg with nothing but a sword and a blood-sworn oath of vengeance. He comes to
find his grandfather, their leader, and seeks to join the brotherhood. His reward will be a life of war, and the promise of
revenge.
Once destined for lordship, Vagn finds his path shaped instead by loss and hardship. Death and grief guide him; steel and
pain forge him. Among fellow exiles and hardened warriors, he must endure brutal trials and prove himself worthy. For the
Jomsvikings are unmatched in battle, breakers of armies and kings. If he survives their tests, the path of revenge is his to
walk, and he'll know no life but war.
Critique: A riveting narrative by Sean Barrett brings "Blood Oath", author J. C. Duncan's latest novel of Viking vengeance
and retribution to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience. An absolute 'must' for the legions of Viking Age fans, and a
very highly recommended pick for community library historical action/adventure themed audio book collections, this
complete and unabridged CD audio book edition of "Blood Oath" is also readily available from Boldwood Books in a MP3-
CD format (9781806566891, $116.95 / $99.41) and in a large print paperback edition (9781806566563, $43.50 /
$36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by J. C. Duncan on FantasticFiction at:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/jc-duncan
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Sean Barrett on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Sean+Barrett
The Million Pound Radio Show: The Complete Series
Andy Hamilton & Nick Revell
Lesley Sharp, et al.
BBC Studios
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807846336, $144.95 / $123.21, CD (16 Hours 48 Minutes)
9781807846343, $144.95 / $123.21, MP3-CD (16 Hours 48 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Million%20Pound%20Radio%20Show
Synopsis: Showcasing vintage sharp-edged comedy from Andy Hamilton and Nick Revell (including the famous pirate
sketch) the expensive, expansive, fun-filled and frantic, cult classic The Million Pound Radio Show ran for 11 years
between 1985 and 1992, and won the 1991 British Comedy Award for Best Radio Comedy.
Included in "The Million Pound Radio Show: The Complete Series" are all five series and six Specials of this popular radio
series featuring a feast of quick-fire gags, stinging satire, comic chat and snappy sketches.
Get ready to chuckle as Captain Blackskull faces up to his mutinous crew; Snow White runs into a few problems with the
Seven Dwarves; 007 makes a few lifestyle changes and a chatty stegosaurus wonders where all the other dinosaurs have
disappeared off to. Plus, a determined GP attempts to break the world speed record for examining patients, a mafia Don tries
to teach his son-in-law about family business, and a double agent gets confused about whose side he's really on.
Then there is the hilarious history of Ancient Rome, science and the animal kingdom; finding out how to become a
successful politician and discover some diabolical ways to make money - as well as taking a twisted look at Gardeners'
Question Time, Desert Island Discs and Doctor Who...
And there's much more than just sketches to enjoy as Nick and Andy also poke fun at a host of well-known '80s and '90s
personalities, conduct a host of side-splitting spoof interviews and bowl us over with their lively banter.
Written by and starring Nick Revell and Andy Hamilton, with co-stars including Harry Enfield, Felicity Montagu and
Morwenna Banks, this sparkling comedy show won't make you a millionaire - but it will make you laugh out loud. NB:
Some of the language and humour on this recording reflects the era in which it was first broadcast.
Critique: Laugh out loud funny from start to finish, "The Million Pound Radio Show: The Complete Series" is a cultural
treasure and a welcome addition to personal and community library humor themed, 'radio classic' audio book collections
from the BBC Studios.
Editorial Note: Editorial Note: BBC Studios is a global media company borne of the BBC who make and distribute content
in their mission to inform, educate, and entertain. Their commercial success means that the profits that they generate go
back into the BBC to support their mission statement in the UK and around the world.
The Men From The Ministry: The Early Years: Series 1-3
Edward Taylor, author
Narrated by Deryck Guyler, Richard Murdoch, et al.
BBC Studios
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807846374, 136.95 / $116.41, CD (15 Hours 46 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Men%20from%20the%20Ministry
Synopsis: Featuring full cast BBC Radio Play productions, "The Men From The Ministry: The Early Years: Series 1-3" is
comprised of 32 episodes of the popular British Civil Services situation comedies featuring the exploits, conundrums, and
misadventures of the bureaucrats of the General Assistance Department. Available in both a CD and an MP3-CD format
from BBC Studios, "The Men From The Ministry: The Early Years: Series 1-3" is highly recommended for both personal
and community library humor themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note: Editorial Note: BBC Studios is a global media company borne of the BBC who make and distribute content
in their mission to inform, educate, and entertain. Their commercial success means that the profits that they generate go
back into the BBC to support their mission statement in the UK and around the world.
Who Shot Ada Tansey? & Other Thrillers
Peter Whalley, author
Narrated by David Calder, et al.
BBC Studios
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807846312, $136.95 / $116.41, CD (14 Hours 38 Minutes)
9781807846329, $136.95 / $116.41, MP3-CD (14 Hours 38 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/Who%20Shot%20Ada%20Tansey?
Synopsis: "Who Shot Ada Tansey? & Other Thrillers" is a complete and unabridged audio book comprised of a bumper
collection of radio thrillers from acclaimed scriptwriter Peter Whalley
Peter Whalley was Coronation Street's longest-serving writer, scripting 601 episodes between 1979 and 2014. His other
works included TV's Albion Market and Castles, 40 radio plays and 10 novels, and in 2009 he was presented with a Special
Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards.
Collected here are 14 of his finest radio crime dramas and thrillers, with full casts including Lee Ingleby, Joanne Froggatt,
Tracy Wiles, Robert Pickavance, Jason Done, Lyndsey Marshal, David Calder and Paula Tilbrook. Our opening play, The
Disappearance, is a compelling psychological thriller about a landlord and tenant who are not who they say they are, while
in The Trial, Molly finds that falling in love with a stranger has never been scarier.
In Who Shot Ada Tansey?, there's turmoil behind the scenes of a Northern soap opera when the leading lady is murdered,
and after a death at a dinner party, the remaining diners become suspects in The Absent Guest.
The Blackpool Detective follows actor-turned-PI Ben Lomax, as he takes over his father's investigation agency and is faced
with a serious case. A terrible lie is about to be revealed in The Test, as the reinvestigation of an old murder threatens to turn
John Newland's life upside down.
And in When Last I Saw You, the law's failure leads a desperate woman to impose her own justice. A man picks up a
female hitch-hiker in The Longest Journey - but both are concealing a secret.
Blackmail is the theme of the six-part mystery serial Letters of Introduction, whereas The Second Son centres around
identity, fraud and self-belief. When Lauren's estranged husband unexpectedly returns, his motives for walking out on her
become clear in Reasons for Leaving. Hoodlums finds a gang of bank robbers reunited after years in prison: but old age
hasn't blunted their criminal instincts. Nosy neighbours, a missing wife and a husband suspected of killing her are at the
heart of Neighbourhood Watch.
In Nearly Dead, an old man is murdered in a geriatric hospital. With the other residents lost in their own worlds, can DI
Halliwell fight through a fog of confusion to find the truth?
Critique: True gems of mystery/suspense thriller radio plays, the full theatrical productions comprising the CD and MP3-CD
editions of Peter Whalley's "Who Shot Ada Tansey? & Other Thrillers are a 14 member cast BBC Radio Dramas are certain
to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, community and college/university radio thriller themed
audio book collections.
Editorial Note: BBC Studios is a global media company borne of the BBC who make and distribute content in their mission
to inform, educate, and entertain. Their commercial success means that the profits that they generate go back into the BBC
to support their mission statement in the UK and around the world.
Doctor Who: The Companion Collection
David Collikngs, et al.
BBC Studios
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807846350, $173.95 / $147.86, CD (22 Hours 37 Minutes)
9781807846367, $173.95 / $147.86, CD (22 Hours 37 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/Doctor%20Who:%20The%20Companion%20Collection
Synopsis: The Doctor's companions take center stage in four exciting TV novelizations featuring the Fifth and Ninth
Doctors, plus a spin-off story featuring K9 and Sarah Jane Smith.
In Mawdryn Undead, by Peter Grimwade, the Doctor is reunited with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and meets Turlough, an
enigmatic public schoolboy.
In Terminus, by Stephen Gallagher, Nyssa falls into danger when the TARDIS merges with a drifting spaceship threatening
to endanger the entire Universe.
In Enlightenment, by Barbara Clegg, a final reckoning with the Black Guardian is on the cards for both the Doctor and
Turlough. In K9 & Company, by Terence Dudley, Sarah Jane Smith finds herself the recipient of a gift from the Doctor: the
dog-shaped automaton, K9.
In Rose, by Russell T Davies, Rose Tyler meets the Doctor whilst fleeing from Autons. Life for both of them will never be
the same again!
David Collings, Steven Pacey, John Leeson and Camille Coduri read these exciting adaptations of the BBC TV series.
Critique: Available as a complete and unabridged audio book in both a CD and an MP3-CD format, "Doctor Who: The
Companions Collection" is a fun 'theatre of the mind" experience that is especially and unreservedly recommended for the
legions of Doctor Who fans and community library Science Fiction themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note: BBC Studios is a global media company borne of the BBC who make and distribute content in their mission
to inform, educate, and entertain. Their commercial success means that the profits that they generate go back into the BBC
to support their mission statement in the UK and around the world.
Direct Action
Stephen Leather, author
Paul Thornley, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444861907, $130.95 / $111.31, CD (12 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781444861914, $130.95 / $111.31, MP3-CD (12 Hours 40 Minutes)
9781444861945, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 416pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/direct%20action
Synopsis: Violent criminals are walking free across the country, the result of sharp-suited defense lawyers and soft-touch
judges. The British justice system is falling part and the public have had enough.
Into that anger step the New Crusaders, a shadowy group that hunts down offenders who have slipped through the net and
delivers their own brand of punishment live across social media to millions of cheering followers. To some, they're heroes.
To the government, they're terrorists.
Dan "Spider" Shepherd of MI5 is brought in to shut them down. But as Shepherd digs deeper, he uncovers a far more
dangerous truth: the New Crusaders aren't driven by justice. They're being steered by hidden forces with an agenda that has
nothing to do with punishment - and everything to do with tearing the country apart.
If Shepherd fails, it won't just be the rule of law that collapses. -- It will be the country itself.
Critique: A deftly crafted story of vigilante justice, cultural espionage, and a suspense thriller of a story from start to finish,
"Direct Action" by Stephen Leather is now available from Ulverscroft Audio in a vivid rendition by the narrative
storytelling talents of Paul Thornley. An extraordinary and highly recommended pick for personal and community library
mystery/suspense themed audio book collections, it should be noted that "Direct Action" is also available from Ulverscroft
in an MP3-CD format and in a large print paperback edition.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Stephen Leather on FantasticFicton:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/stephen-leather
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Paul Thornley at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Paul+Thornley
The Library CD Shelf
The First Noel: Jazz Hymns for Christmas
Gwen Hughes
www.gwenhughes.com
Fairfield Records
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0H2FV8CYH
Singer, songwriter, producer, and touring artist Gwen Hughes presents The First Noel: Jazz Hymns for Christmas, a music
album that lives up to its title reimagining classic Christmas songs as smooth jazz, performed by Hughes dulcet vocals with
support from a talented ensemble of music artists on guitar, acoustic bass, piano, drums, and more. An empathetically
beautiful interpretation of long-beloved holiday favorites, The First Noel: Jazz Hymns for Christmas is a choice pick for
both personal and public library Christmas music collections. Highly recommended! The tracks are We Three Kings (John
Henry Hopkins Jr.); Patapan (Bernard de la Monnoye); The First Noel (William B. Sandys); I Saw Three Ships (traditional
English); A Child Is Born (Thad Jones/Alec Wilder);The Wexford Carol (traditional Irish); Angels We Have Heard On
High (James Chadwick); All Through the Night (traditional Welsh/Harold Boulton); Joy To The World (Isaac Watts);
There's A Song In The Air (Josiah Holland/Karl Harrington); and Go Tell It On The Mountain (traditional African-
American).
December Nights: The Holiday Sessions
Bryan Lubeck
www.BryanLubeck.com
Vineyard Music Productions
$TBA CD / $18.98 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HQ7LYDHK
December Nights: The Holiday Sessions is a double album of Spanish-influenced guitarist Bryan Lubeck's performances
and arrangements of Christmas season music, supported by Nick Bisesi on saxophone and flute, Neil Artwick on keyboard,
Nate Lacny on drums and percussion, Lewis Stahl on violin, Ted Yoder on hammered dulcimer, Ronnie Malley on oud, and
Felton Offard on electric guitar. An enthralling, fresh new way to experience classic carols and more, December Nights: The
Holiday Sessions is a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays, highly recommended especially for playing at Christmas
parties or simply to get into the holiday season. The tracks are Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas; Hark! The Herald
Angels Sing; Welcome Winter; Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella; Deck the Halls; We Three Kings; Silent Night; The
Christmas Song; Jingle Bells; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen; Carol of the Bells; Mary, Did You Know; The First Noel; O
Come, O Come Emmanuel; What Child Is This; and Go Tell It on the Mountain.
Waiting for Today
Victor Towle
https://www.victortowle.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $7.99 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGWP21T6
Waiting for Today is an album of original songs composed and performed by award-nominated music artist Victor Towle,
using various guitars - acoustic, electric, and guitar synthesizers - then engineered and mixed by Brian Hunter at The
Mousetrap Recording Studio in Denver, and mastered by David Glasser atAirshow Mastering in Boulder. The result is a
standout, resonant collection that invites the listener to experience a soundscape adventure of the mind. Waiting for Today is
a "must-have" for connoisseurs of original guitar music, highly recommended for both personal and public library music
collections. The tracks are Waiting for Today; Coffee In Tangier; Trying To Explain; Brisk Golden Walk; All That I Have
Left;Mellow Mischief; Lingering In The Long Shadows; Wondering Home; and Soft Furnishings.
Southern Isles Sketchbook
Rudy Adrian
Spotted Peccary
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://rudy-adrian.bandcamp.com/album/southern-isles-sketchbook
Southern Isles Sketchbook is an atmospheric, electronic music album by Rudy Adrian, created using Yamaha SY77 and
Montage synthesizers, sequenced on an Apple Macintosh Plus. Beautiful, contemplative, and inspired by the remote natural
splendor of the South Pacific, Southern Isles Sketchbook is ideal for fostering mental creativity, and highly recommended
especially for ambient electronic music connoisseurs. The tracks are Southern Isles; Tropical Beach; Sheltered Harbour; The
Silver Talisman; Foggy Day; Drifting Skies; It is Written in the Stars; Hilltop Walk; Portobello; Moorlands V (improvised
sketch); Moonlight; Memories of Orion (improvised sketch); Ancient Stones (improvised sketch); Ripples (improvised
sketch); Woestijn (improvised sketch); The Silver Apple, I (improvised sketch); The Silver Apple, II (improvised sketch);
Moonbeams (improvised sketch); Fields of Lavender (improvised sketch); and Southern Isles (improvised sketch).
Live at JazzAscona: The Music of Gregg Hill
Adonis Rose
gregghilljazz.com
Cold Plunge Records
coldplungerecords.com
$17.95 CD / $TBA digital
Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/us/album/live-at-jazzascona/6812155241
Gregg Hill Jazz
https://www.gregghilljazz.com/product-page/adonis-rose
New Orleans drummer, composer, producer, and educator Adonis Rose presents Live at JazzAscona: The Music of Gregg
Hill, a music album bringing together a seven-member music ensemble on drums, vocals, alto saxophone, trumpet, tenor
saxophone, piano, and acoustic bass to vibrantly perform music by master composer Gregg Hill and associates. Recorded at
the 42nd JazzAscona celebration in Switzerland, Live at JazzAscona: The Music of Gregg Hill is brimming with stage
excitement, and the next best thing to experiencing a world-class jazz concert in person. Highly recommended! The tracks
are First Impulse (Gregg Hill, lyrics by Philip Manuel); Tone Colors (Gregg Hill, lyrics by Philip Manuel); Bop Be (Keith
Jarrett); Cat's Cradle (Gregg Hill, lyrics by Philip Manuel); Melissa's Tune (Gregg Hill) and Lush Life (Billy
Strayhorn).
The Business Shelf
Nobody Assigned You This: How to Lead Whe n the Authority Isn't Yours
Joseph Mayeaux
Independently Published
9798234246073, $14.99, PB, 136pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Nobody-Assigned-You-This-Authority/dp/B0HL5QFNHH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nobody-assigned-you-this-joseph-mayeaux/1151481863
Synopsis: Why does everyone come to me? Not your boss. Not the person with the title. You.
You are the one people route around the org chart to find. The one they call before they call their supervisor. The one
leadership quietly asks for a read on a situation before making the call. Nobody assigned you this. You didn't apply for it,
negotiate for it, or put it on a resume. It just became true, one conversation at a time, and now you're doing something
everyone can see and nobody has a name for.
Most leadership books are written for people who already have a title. This one is written for you.
Drawing on twenty years leading without formal authority in the United States Air Force, and the same pattern tested again
in commercial aviation operations, with the publication of "Nobody Assigned You This: How to Lead When the Authority
Isn't Yours", experienced business leader Joseph Mayeaux names this pattern and gives it real structure for the first time. It
maps exactly how this kind of influence forms, what it quietly costs you, where it goes wrong when it's misread, and what
actually changes the day formal authority finally does arrive.
"Nobody Assigned You This" covers:
How trust actually forms between peers, and why it has almost nothing to do with rank or title.
The specific skill of translating leadership's intent downward without distorting it.
Why becoming a mirror for someone's thinking works better than handing them an answer.
How to hold loyalty in two directions at once, upward to leadership and sideways to peers, without betraying either.
What this role actually costs over the years, and what it eventually pays back.
How to deliberately grow someone else into the same role.
The real decision every informal leader eventually faces: whether to pursue formal authority at all, and why choosing to stay
exactly where you are can be the stronger choice.
The specific ways this pattern fails, and how to recognize them before they cost you the trust you've built
What changes the day the title finally does arrive.
This is not a framework to implement or a certification to earn. It's a mirror, a clear enough description of the role that if
you've ever wondered why people keep finding their way to your desk, you'll recognize yourself before the first chapter
ends.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Nobody Assigned
You This: How to Lead When the Authority Isn't Yours" by Joseph Mayeaux will prove especially relevant, useful, and
directly applicable for anyone finding themselves in a leadership, management, or supervisory position. It also explains in
comprehensive detail how informal leadership inevitably arises within development teams and can be utilized to the best
advantage. Informative, insightful, thought-provoking, and an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional,
corporate, community, and college/university library Business Management collections and supplemental MBA curriculum
studies lists, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Nobody Assigned You This: How to Lead When the
Authority Isn't Yours" is also available for business students, academia, business managers, corporate executives, and non-
specialist general readers with an interest in the subject is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$6.99).
Editorial Note: Joseph Mayeaux holds an MBA from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and is an operations
manager in aerospace manufacturing. He spent twenty years in the United States Air Force in aircraft maintenance, the last
five in senior enlisted leadership, where he first encountered the pattern his book is built around: becoming the person
people turn to for judgment and direction long before any title reflects it.
The Christian Studies Shelf
The Formed Soul: A Catholic Ascent to the Word
Pablo Voss
Capax Press
9781065824121, $29.99, HC, 308pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Formed-Soul-Catholic-Ascent-Word/dp/1065824122
Synopsis: For Christians, Biblical Scripture is the living Word of God. But a living thing can be read without being
received.
Rain on packed, sunbaked ground just runs off. The roots stay dry. Many readers come to Scripture the same way: gathering
information, checking interpretations, moving from passage to passage, and never once being changed. Familiarity with the
Bible is not the same as understanding it.
"The Formed Soul: A Catholic Ascent to the Word" by Pablo Voss is a formation, not a reading list. It orders ninety-four
works of philosophy, literature, theology, and mysticism so that each prepares the soul for the next, from Brother Lawrence
and Marcus Aurelius to Augustine, Dostoevsky, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Aquinas, and Dante. Nine phases lead
from self-mastery and virtue through suffering, conversion, crisis, and the dark night, into the great architectures of the faith
and the spiritual combat, out to the ancient wisdom traditions of the world, and then back to the Bible itself.
Why does a good God permit evil and suffering? "The Formed Soul" explores that question and answers it not with
argument alone, but with the witness of souls who went on loving Him through pain and darkness. The reader is called as
one of them.
"The Formed Soul" is comprised of:
Ninety-four works: eighty-nine across nine phases, and five in a closing section on Scripture and the Church, each with
guidance on what to watch for and why it sits where it does.
Twenty-four Scripture Gates that set the Bible itself at the turning points of the journey.
The Living Text: short, vivid introductions to every book of the Catholic Bible, Genesis to Revelation, with a suggested
order for reading it all the way through.
A second reading of the whole journey as a trial, answering the charge Satan lays against God in the Book of Job: that no
one loves Him except for reward.
Three ways in: the Full Ascent, the Formed Reader Pathway (twenty-one works), and the Expedited Core (eleven works, ten
of them free to read).
Fifteen appendices on reading difficult passages, praying Scripture through lectio divina, keeping a notebook for the whole
ascent, the Eastern Orthodox and wider Abrahamic traditions, humanity's long search for God, and walking the path with a
group.
Some will read "The Formed Soul" straight through as a guided tour of the great works of the Christian faith. Some will
begin with the Expedited Core. Some will follow it as a map for years. Every road begins where you are.
Written for Catholics and for any serious reader who wants more than information from the great books, "The Formed Soul"
sets no deadline. It asks only for a willing mind and a patient heart. All of this preparation serves one thing: a more faithful,
intelligent, and receptive encounter with the living Word.
Critique: Exceptionally well organized, informative, insightful, thought-provoking, and from a Catholic perspective, "The
Formed Soul: A Catholic Ascent to the Word" by Pablo Voss is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional, community, seminary, church, and college/university library Biblical Studies and Roman Catholic
Theology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for seminary students, clergy,
theologians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Formed
Soul" from Capax Press is also readily available in paperback (9781065824107, $19.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Pablo Voss wanted the Bible to be more than a book he knew. He wanted it to speak to his own life. He
found help in the great books of the faith, from Augustine and Aquinas to Dostoevsky and John of the Cross, and looked for
a guide that would use them to shape the reader, mind and soul. When he couldn't find one, he wrote "The Formed
Soul".
The Photography Shelf
This is Photography: The First 200 Years
Nathalie Herschdorfer, editor
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500030363, $55.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/This-Photography-First-200-Years/dp/B0GJ6Z6ZCK
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-is-photography-nathalie-herschdorfer/1149503112
Synopsis: Photography has not simply changed how we visually capture the world: it has changed how we view it,
restructuring our very ways of seeing. Compiled and edited by Nathalie Herschdorfer, "This is Photography: The First 200
Years" is an ambitious publication that is timed to coincide with the two-hundredth anniversary of the first-ever photograph,
and brings together photographs from leading image-makers (including Zanele Muholi, Man Ray, Barbara Kruger, and
Edward Steichen) alongside unexpected selections. "This is Photography: The First 200 Years" is an ultimate guide to the
magic and mystery of photography.
From the earliest nineteenth-century experiments in fixing light on paper, photography has blossomed and proliferated to a
point where some 1.9 trillion photographs are snapped annually. Photographs are now at the core of our image-dominated
culture. "This is Photography: The First 200 Years" carves a cohesive, compelling path through this dizzying mass of
information. Presented chronologically, the book showcases key photographs and objects year by year, each accompanied by
a short text entry offering historical, technical, or critical context. Interleaved throughout are longer thematic texts by
contributing writers, as well as extracts from the writings of photographers and major thinkers on the subject, bringing a
depth of understanding to the principal genres and developments in photography.
Alongside pivotal and instantly recognizable photographic works ranging from Eadweard Muybridge's motion studies to
Rosalind Franklin's DNA imaging, to the documentary work of Robert Frank and Cindy Sherman, "This is Photography:
The First 200 Years" records the objects, technical developments, exhibitions, and publications that have shaped the
medium, making this an essential resource for anyone interested in photography.
Critique: A panoramic celebration of two hundred years of photography, featuring the landmark photographs, inventions,
innovations, exhibitions, and publications that changed the way we see the world showcased with captions and commentary
in more than 270 historical and historic photos, "This is Photography: The First 200 Years" from Thames & Hudson is an
extraordinary and welcome acquisition for personal, professional, community, and college/university library History of
Photography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Nathalie Herschdorfer is an author and curator specializing in photography. She is the director of Photo
Elysee in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a curator with FEP (the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography). Her previous
publications include Man Ray: Liberating Photography, Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage, and Body: The Photography
Book.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts with Genuine Emotion
Kyle William Elsbernd
Independently Published
9798176348514, $19.99, HC, 100pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Staging-Timeless-Genuine-Emotion-L-P/dp/B0HKNTRV2H
Synopsis: Fast Eddie Felson is a pool hustler -- perhaps the greatest pool player there's every been. When he's on, the cue
feels like part of his arm. The pockets open up. He can't miss.
But something's holding him back -- his character.
Sarah sees it before he does. But she also sees the talent, the hunger -- and loves him for it.
Some people never discover that feeling. Others feel it. But they can't break through.
"Staging Timeless Acts with Genuine Emotion (Learning on Your Feet and Not on Your Seat)" by Kyle William Elsbernd is
about learning on your feet and not on your seat.
Through classic movies like The Hustler, plays, theater games, and improv, "S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts with
Genuine Emotion" explores what happens when words leave the page -- and perform.
Elsbernd's message is that "It's not the character you play, but the character you DISPLAY.
And sometimes, while playing someone else, you find yourself. On your feet.
Kyle Elsbernd is a veteran high school English and drama teacher in Wisconsin and "S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts
with Genuine Emotion" includes his new one-act play, 'Edward De Vere'. In this meta-theatrical comedy by the spirit of
Edward de Vere steps from behind the Shakespearean mask and directly into the spotlight. Able to freeze time, cross
centuries, command actors, and recruit an audience, Edward turns history into rehearsal and the stage into a living love letter
to theater itself. Ideal for one-act festivals, collegiate theater, and adventurous ensembles.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a compelling read from start to finish, "S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts with
Genuine Emotion" will hold an enduring value for readers with an interest in sixty minute historical ensemble comedy plays
that are ideal for the bare stage with minimal props. While this hardcover edition of "S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts
with Genuine Emotion" is unique and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, highschool, community, and
college/university library Contemporary Theatrical Studies collections, it should be noted for theatre students, the theatrical
professionals/teachers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject "S.T.A.G.E. - Staging Timeless Acts
with Genuine Emotion" is also readily available in paperback (9798175460385, $11.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Kyle W. Elsbernd is a high school English, speech, and theater teacher with more than thirty years of
experience in the public schools of Colorado and Wisconsin. His books, H.E.L.P., C.L.A.S.S., and S.T.A.G.E., grow out of
a career spent teaching writing, rhetoric, grammar, literature, and performance.
Elsbernd earned a B.A. in English and Scandinavian Studies from Luther College and an M.A. from Cardinal Stritch
University, where he became a certified Reading Specialist. He began his career at D'Evelyn Jr./Sr. High School, a
classics-based charter school in Colorado, and directed high school plays and musicals for more than a decade.
A musician, painter, and lifelong student of language, Elsbernd studied theater at Ronningen Folkehogskole in Oslo,
Norway, where he performed the lead role in the touring musical Barabbas. Fluent in Norwegian, he performs throughout
the Midwest with the Norwegian Bachelor Farmers.
The Sports Shelf
Hockey's Farcical Fans: Book SubTitle: College Fun in the Levity 1970s
Sid Bender
Peanut Butter Publishing
https://peanutbutterpublishing.com
9781598493979, $TBA Paperback
9781598493993, $TBA Hardcover
Prepublication Review
With the publication of "Hockey's Farcical Fans: Book SubTitle: College Fun in the Levity 1970s", author Sid Bender
recounts the antics of a legendary midwest college hockey super-fan group "The Farce".
Though influenced by the movie Slapshot and television's Muppet Show, the group's name is derived from the Star Wars
phrase "May the Force be with you". As opposed to Darth Vader's menacing black helmet, the group's trademark yellow
plastic, battery operated Radio Shack helmets were more aligned with "May the Farce be with you".
The spirit of farce served them well when the University of Michigan hockey captain took their stuffed Kermit the Frog
mascot, when they surprised the fans with a tandem-bicycle Zamboni and when they responded farcically to student
protestors from Iran in 1978 at a Jimmy Carter event in Duluth.
In a golden age of humor and college hockey, these and other exploits are recounted as the University of North Dakota
hockey team rose from the depths to become the 1980 NCAA hockey champion after previously contending with Herb
Brooks and the many midwest college hockey stars who went on to defeat the Soviets in 1980.
Critique: A fun, informative, and compelling read from start to finish and unreservedly recommended for personal and
community library College Sports & Hockey History collections", Hockey's Farcical Fans: Book SubTitle: College Fun in
the Levity 1970s" by Sid Bender is especially commended to the attention of dedicated hockey fans who appreciate this
classical story of a college underdog hockey team that would carve their own unique niche in hockey sports history. In
recounting this unique college hockey team's history, author Sid Bender's genuine flair for the kind of character and
narrative driven storytelling style will fully engage the reader's attention and make "Hockey's Farcical Fans" one of those
sports histories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf.
Editorial Note: Sid Bender is a lifelong hockey fan who had the good fortune to grow up in Grand Forks, North Dakota
where he was a student manager for the Grand Forks Central hockey team and a founding member of the Farce super-fan
group at the University of North Dakota in the late 1970s. His UND loyalty remained strong while he earned a graduate
degree at the University of Minnesota - undergraduate loyalty rules. And as part of his unofficial claim to Canadian
citizenship, before the Kraken NHL team started in Seattle, he and his family had an eleven game Vancouver Canuck ticket
package for seventeen years.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Deep Cuts of American Literature
Bruce Benway and James F. Broderick
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476696195, $39.95, PB, 258pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Cuts-American-Literature-Little-Known/dp/1476696195
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deep-cuts-of-american-literature-bruce-benway/1148597586
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/deep-cuts-of-american-literature
Synopsis: Co-authored by academicians Bruce Benway and James F. Broderick, "Deep Cuts of American Literature: A
Guide to Little-Known Works by Big-Name Writers" examines a selection of overlooked works by well-known American
literary figures. While many people are familiar with the major writings of such authors as Mark Twain, Toni Morrison, F.
Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and Richard Wright, many less celebrated novels, short stories, essays, and poems have
been left out of classroom discussions despite having much to offer readers.
Focusing on 70 works ranging from the colonial period to the present and reflecting a broad spectrum of styles, genres and
historical perspectives, "Deep Cuts of American Literature: A Guide to Little-Known Works by Big-Name Writers" situates
each text within its historical and biographical context while also highlighting its literary qualities and modern relevance.
The co-authors draw from archival material and author commentary, aiming to broaden readers' engagement with American
literature by centralizing works with under-recognized artistic merit and enduring significance.
Critique: From Robert Frost (West-Running Brook), Dorothy Parker (Big Blonde), J. D. Salinger (Nine Stories), and Maya
Angelou (Life Doesn't Frighten Me), to Thomas Pynchon (Against the Day), Jack Kerouac (Maggie Cassidy), Ezra Bound
(ABC of Reading), Edith Wharton (Summer), and more!, "Deep Cuts of American Literature: A Guide to Little-Known
Works by Big-Name Writers" is an ideal, informative, deftly crafted, and simply fascinating study that brings out from
obscurity a fascinating variety of relatively unknown literary works by a series of the greatest and best known writers of the
19th and 20th Century. "Deep Cuts of American Literature: A Guide to Little-Known Works by Big-Name Writers" is a
unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Literary
Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Deep Cuts of American Literature: A Guide to
Little-Known Works by Big-Name Writers" from McFarland & Company is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$25.99).
Editorial Note #1: Bruce Benway, PhD, has taught at La Sierra University and Linfield University. His writing has appeared
in Chicago Quarterly Review, Threepenny Review, Hunger Mountain and other publications.
Editorial Note #2: James F. Broderick, PhD, is a professor of English at New Jersey City University. He has written several
works of fiction and nonfiction, and his plays have been produced in New York City and northern New Jersey. His work has
appeared in several academic journals and literary magazines, in the U.S. and abroad.
The Self-Help Shelf
The Inner Remodel: Design A Life That Feels Like Home
Peter Kenney
Page & Pattern
www.PeterKenneyHolisticTherapy.com
9798999694409, $14.44, PB, 230pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Remodel-Design-Life-Feels/dp/B0GJPGFNDW
Synopsis: Ed Hu is an everyday human whose life needs work. He also has far less time than he thinks. He's on the couch,
scrolling past everything, when the thought arrives uninvited: I can't escape myself. Then his phone flashes orange.
It's the Help-Self Superstore. In the corner sits a box he doesn't remember ordering, smelling faintly of pine. Would you like
to go? He taps yes.
Inside, the aisles run to the horizon, and a man in a green apron named Mister P explains the situation: You are a
house.
The Entryway is how you present yourself. The Basement is where you stash what you won't deal with. The Living Room is
where you perform connection. The Attic holds the dreams you packed away. And the Study? That's where the Shouting Foe
lives -- the voice insisting you're behind, you've ruined it, it's too late.
The Foe isn't your enemy. It's fear in a blazer.
And at the end of every aisle, the Customer Service Desk turns to you with a reflection, a question, and one small tool.
"The Inner Remodel: Design A Life That Feels Like Home" by Peter Kenney closes with The Inner Remodel Blueprint
Workbook -- a full room-by-room companion with journal prompts, inner practices, and a mantra for every room of your
own house.
Because this isn't self-help. Self-help is secondhand -- someone else's ten steps delivered from a stage. This is your personal
and personalized DIY Help-Self. You walk the aisle. You pick up the hammer. Nobody else gets to build your inner home.
You don't have to fix the whole house in one day. Just choose a room and begin.
Critique: Offering a unique, exceptional, insightful, thought-provoking, and simply fascinating approach to a DIY self-
help/self-improvement instructional guide, "The Inner Remodel: Design A Life That Feels Like Home" by Peter Kenney is
truly extraordinary, motivationally inspiring, deftly crafted and thoroughly reader friendly in organization and presentation.
While also readily available from Page & Pattern in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), this paperback edition of "The
Inner Remodel" is an especially and unreservedly pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections and reading lists.
Editorial Note: Peter Kenney is a spiritual handyman trained at Duke University with over twenty years of experience
helping people move from stuck to unstoppable. His work blends practical mindfulness, inner awareness, and what he calls
Soul Stories -- because real transformation rarely comes from instruction alone, but from insight that lands in the body and
imagination.
Peter believes we're not broken -- we're often just misplaced, living in rooms we never chose. Through honest inner
renovation, he helps people reconnect with what's already whole, capable, and waiting to be reclaimed. His approach is
warm, grounded, and quietly radical: less about fixing yourself, and more about coming home to who you already are. An
avid storyteller, Peter also uses metaphor and play therapeutically with children, showing that healing doesn't always have to
be serious to be profound. His work is an invitation to clear the dust, open the windows, and rebuild from the inside
out.
This Too Will Pass: A Raw Story of Struggle, Surrender, and Formation
Matthew Miller
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977292636, $22.95, PB, 236pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/This-Too-Will-Pass-Surrender/dp/1977292631
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-too-will-pass-m-miller/1151321147
Synopsis: Some storms, physical or emotional, don't destroy you. They form you. "This Too Will Pass: A Raw Story of
Struggle, Surrender, and Formation" is the personal story of Matt Miller, a man who spent years trying to hold together a life
that kept breaking apart.
In the pages of "This Too Will Pass", readers are taken into a raw and deeply personal true story shaped by faith, hardship,
family, military service, loss, divorce, leadership, shame, and the difficult road toward healing. Written with emotional
honesty and reflective depth, this memoir follows one man through seasons where control failed, faith was tested, and
survival slowly gave way to something deeper.
There are wounds he could not ignore, choices he could not undo, questions about God he was not sure he wanted answered,
and pain that refused to stay buried. Through fractured relationships, the weight of responsibility, the cost of war, and the
quiet ache of regret, Matt is forced to confront not only what happened to him, but what was happening within him.
"This Too Will Pass" is not a story of easy answers or polished faith. Rather, it's a story about carrying too much for too
long, losing the illusion of control, and discovering that grace often meets people in the middle of the mess-not after they
have cleaned themselves up.
Blending elements of personal memoir, Christian nonfiction, inspirational writing, and spiritual growth, This Too Will Pass
speaks to readers who have wrestled with pain, questioned their faith, struggled with shame, endured broken relationships,
or wondered whether anything good could still come from the wreckage.
Recommended for mature teens and adults, "This Too Will Pass" contains serious themes including depression, divorce,
grief, war, spiritual struggle, and emotional hardship. It is especially suited for readers drawn to honest memoirs, faith-based
stories, military life reflections, personal growth, and true stories of endurance and inner change.
For anyone who has ever felt broken by a season they did not choose, "This Too Will Pass" offers a hard-earned reminder:
What breaks you does not have to be the end of you.
Critique: With an intense personal candor, "This Too Will Pass: A Raw Story of Struggle, Surrender, and Formation" by
Matthew Miller will hold a universal resonance with the readers. Part memoir, part self-help/self-improvement, self-survival
manual, "This Too Will Passt", with it Christian perspective, will prove a welcome, inspiring, and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library collections. It should be noted that this paperback
edition of "This Too Will Pass" from Outskirts Press is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book
format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Matthew Miller's memoir shaped by faith, hardship, family, and the long work of becoming whole. A retired
U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, Matthew writes from the perspective of a husband, father, and man still learning how grace
meets people in the middle of difficult seasons. His work invites readers to look honestly at pain, purpose, and the story still
being written within them. He lives in Texas with his family.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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