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Reviewer's Choice
The Cuba We Lost
Genie Milgrom
https://geniemilgrom.com
Independently Published
9798188537555, $20.00, PB, 287pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cuba-We-Lost-Witnesses-Freedom/dp/B0HCN8SBYN
Synopsis: "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last Days of Freedom, 1959 through 1962" by
Genie Milgrom is a
collective eyewitness testament and history to what has become known as Cuba's Golden Exile --
and what it was like to
watch your country disappear.
Between 1959 and 1962 hundreds of thousands of Cuban families were forced to make heart
wrenching decisions that
would forever alter their lives and the lives of their families. Families were separated. Homes,
businesses, schools and
religious institutions were transformed overnight. Childhoods were interrupted and ended too
soon. Uncertainty, fear and
hope became part of everyday life.
"The Cuba We Lost" preserves those memories before they are lost to the world forever. Through
many testimonies, men
and women who lived these events as children and young adults recount what they saw and how
they felt and more than
that, how they survived one of the most dramatic periods in Cuban history. As they tell their
stories, they weave in the
memories and experiences of their parents and grandparents creating an intimate portrait of a
country im transition and
families forced to flee to exile.
The stories told are not political statements nor are they historical arguments. They are deeply
personal memories of
schools, friendships, parks and dolls being yanked from their hands. Some left via Operation
Pedro Pan and others escaped
via different personal routes. All carried with them memories of a homeland they would never
see in the same way
again.
Interwoven throughout "The Cuba We Lost" are historical notes that place each testimony within
the unfolding events of
the Cuban revolution, so as to give the reader a context to the date of departure.
Whether you are Cuban, a descendant of Cuban exiles, a student of history , or a person that
values memories of human
interest, "The Cuba We Lost" offers you a window into a yesteryear world that now
vanished.
For the generations of the future, "The Cuba We Lost" is more than just a collection of memories
-- it is a recording of the
story of Cuba's Golden Exile.
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking history of a particular time in Cuba's history
marked by revolution,
regime change, and consequences of the miliary imposition of Communism on an island nation.
Emotionally engaging and
intellectually informative, "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last Days of Freedom, 1959
through 1962" by Genie
Milgrom is a riveting read from start to finish and a unique, unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional,
community, and college/university library 20th Century Cuban History collections and
supplemental American/Cuban
History 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 "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last
Days of Freedom, 1959
through 1962" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Genie Milgrom (https://geniemilgrom.com) is a Cuban-born author, filmmaker,
genealogist, and historical
preservationist whose work explores memory, identity, exile, and histories in danger of being
lost.
Born in Havana into a Roman Catholic family of Spanish ancestry, she documented an unbroken
maternal lineage
spanning 22 generations to 1405 in pre-Inquisition Spain and Portugal. That extraordinary
journey inspired her books My
15 Grandmothers, How I Found My 15 Grandmothers: A Step-by-Step Guide, and Pyre to Fire,
as well as the documentary
film Between the Stone and the Flower. She has lectured internationally and continues often with
global speaking and
lectures.
In "The Cuba We Lost", Milgrom turns her preservationist's eye toward the country of her birth,
gathering the firsthand
memories of those who experienced the final days of Cuban freedom and the upheaval that
followed between 1959 and
1962.
Her work has been featured in The Jerusalem Post, The Miami Herald, and other publications
worldwide. Her honors
include the State of Florida Genealogy Award and the Medal of the Four Sephardic Synagogues
of Jerusalem for her
decades of work recovering Sephardic memory.
Across her books, films, research, and lectures, Milgrom is dedicated to preserving the voices of
the past so they will not
be lost to future generations.
He Feeds Dinosaurs
Daniel Dow & Kristan Dow
Bearers of the Name Press
9798996824014, $32.99, HC, 174pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/He-Feeds-Dinosaurs-Autism-Couldnt/dp/B0H9Z8S6PH
Synopsis: Elijah Dow did not breathe on his own for the first seven minutes of his life. His father
stood watching the team
try to keep him alive until he finally made a sound. Before his parents left the hospital, the
doctors warned them that
autism was possible. They warned them the day he was born -- about a boy who would grow up
to run toward strangers
with his arms open.
Elijah is now nine. He draws chalk maps up and down his street, runs to meet every passing golf
cart, and takes archery
classes on Saturday.
"He Feeds Dinosaurs: An Autism Memoir of a Birth Injury and a Boy the Word Couldn't Hold"
by Daniel and Kristan
Dow is the fascinating story of that boy as told by his father and his mother. It is also a quiet,
devastating argument about a
word that was never big enough to hold him.
What happened to Elijah has a name: hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. HIE is well known as a
cause of cerebral palsy
and seizures, and far less discussed as one of the roads that can lead to an autism diagnosis --
though the research
connecting the two is real. The word he was finally handed opened every door and explained
nothing.
He gets better. Not all at once, and not into someone else -- slowly, unevenly, and because people
kept showing up.
Therapists who sat on the floor with him. A teacher who gave him jobs. A mother with a finger
moving under each word,
an hour before bed, until her son could read.
"He Feeds Dinosaurs" is a 'must read' for anyone with a special needs child, or a child born in
distress (such as a cord,
meconium, or an NICU stay). If you later met a word that didn't quite fit, you are not imagining
the gap between them.
Critique: Informative, insightful, heartfelt, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "He
Feeds Dinosaurs: An
Autism Memoir of a Birth Injury and a Boy the Word Couldn't Hold" is the extraordinary story
about an extraordinary boy
born to extraordinary parents. Of special and particular value to readers with an interest parenting
a special need child, "He
Feeds Dinosaurs" is a unique, very special, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
professional, community,
and college/university library Parenting collections and supplemental Autism curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Daniel Dow is a software engineer. At twenty he was a high-school dropout,
addicted to drugs, living on a
mattress on the floor of a garage. He taught himself into a career in technology -- and years later,
an hour before bed with a
finger moving under each word, taught his son to read. He lives in rural Florida with his wife
Kristan, Elijah, and Elijah's
younger brother, Isaiah -- who, when asked who his best friend is, says Elijah.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and History
Constance Hays Matsumoto
www.matsumotobooks.com
How2conquer Press
9781945783463, $25.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fact-Fiction-Inspired-Family-History/dp/194578346X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fact-fiction-constance-hays-matsumoto/1150211413
Synopsis: With the publication of "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and
History", Constance
Hays Matsumoto has created a simple and encouraging guide that offers a relatable story map for
writers who are sitting on
a historical fiction story but don't know where to start.
Connie was that person -- until she wasn't. With no MFA, no background in creative writing, not
even a journal to her
name, she wrote "Of White Ashes", an award-winning novel inspired by her family's remarkable
World War II stories.
With delightful candor, Connie shares how she embraced novel writing by learning the craft,
creating helpful techniques,
and asking repeatedly, "Wait, how do you do that?" Offering personal story, practical writing
advice, visuals, and a healthy
dose of humility, Connie shows how she turned confusion into confidence and how you can,
too.
Your story and voice matter. Give a close reading to "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel
Inspired by Family and
History" and then just dive in, get messy, and write the novel that only you can create!
Critique: Simply stated, "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and History"
by Constance 'Connie'
Matsumoto is the most 'reader/user/writer' friendly 'how-to' instruction guide and DIY manual.
Real world practical,
motivational, inspiring, impressively organized and presented, "Fact & Fiction" is an ideal
introduction for the
inexperienced, novice beginner who is aspiring to turn their life experiences and family histories
into novels that are
compelling, engaging, and entertaining reads from start to finish -- and which can be
unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists and community library fiction collections. This paperback edition of "Fact
& Fiction" from
How2Conquer Press is an ideal and strongly recommended pick for personal, professional,
community, and
college/university library Writing/Publishing collections and supplemental Creative Writing
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Constance Hays Matsumoto (www.matsumotobooks.com) is a former corporate
executive who embraced
creative writing to create her award-winning, debut historical novel, Of White Ashes (Loyola
University MD, 2023).
Connie earned her B.A. from Notre Dame of MD University and M.S. from Johns Hopkins
University. She is an engaged
literary citizen, serving as the President of the Women's National Book Association Mid-Atlantic
Chapter and is a member
of the Authors Guild, Eastern Shore Writers' Association, and Historical Novel Society.
Previously, she served on the
Board of Directors of the Maryland Writers' Association and as President of the Baltimore
Chapter.
The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide
Marisa Solis & Elizabeth Dougherty
https://marisasolis.com
Collective Book Studio
https://thecollectivebook.studio
9781685551278, $24.95, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Expert-Author-Guide-Nonfiction/dp/1685551270
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-complete-expert-to-author-guide-marisa-solis/11487570
57
Synopsis: Whether you are a consultant, coach, educator, healthcare provider, or entrepreneur,
writing a book can expand
your influence and help more people benefit from your ideas.
With the publication of "The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your
Nonfiction Book", co-
authors Marisa Solis and Elizabeth Dougherty provides a practical, step-by-step roadmap for
moving from concept to
finished manuscript without getting stuck along the way.
Marisa and Elizabeth are veteran editors and book coaches who have guided hundreds of
nonfiction books from idea to
publication, this hands-on guide walks you through every stage of the writing process with clarity
and confidence.
"The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide" an essential resource providing:
A Clear Road Map for Writing Your Book: Follow a proven framework that takes you from
initial idea to completed
manuscript with manageable, actionable steps.
Step-by-Step Guidance for Experts and Professionals: If your profession involves helping people
improve their lives, turn
your knowledge into an advice-based nonfiction book.
25 Practical Exercises and Writing Tools: Writing prompts, preformatted templates, and market
analysis exercises help
you clarify your message and stay focused.
Expert Structuring of Your Book with Confidence: Develop your advice-based book's premise,
fine-tune your framework,
and strengthen your table of contents upfront -- making writing faster and less stressful.
Navigation of the Publishing Process: Write a book proposal, explore publishing paths, and build
the platform needed to
reach your audience.
If you've been thinking about writing a book but aren't sure where to start or how to finish, "The
Complete
Expert-to-Author Guide" will give you the structure, strategy, and support to bring your book to
life -- and
publication.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader/user'
friendly in presentation,
"The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book" is an
ideal and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Writing/Publishing collections
and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for aspiring authors that this
hardcover edition of "The
Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book" from The
Collective Book Studio is
also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: Marisa Solis (https://marisasolis.com) is a book coach, developmental editor,
and cofounder of Book
Structure Pros, a boutique editorial services company. Since her start in travel guidebook
publishing in 1999, she has
worked on more than 500 nonfiction books. Her specialties are self-help and wellness.
Editorial Note #2: Elizabeth Dougherty (https://www.bestbookeditor.com) is a book coach,
developmental editor, and
cofounder of Book Structure Pros. She has worked in publishing since 1988 and was an
executive editor at Weldon Owen.
Her focus is on parenting, health and wellness, and women's leadership. Elizabeth holds a
master's from Northwestern's
Medill School of Journalism.
The Education Shelf
H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching
Kyle W. Elsbernd
www.thehelpsystem.org
Independently Published
9798182206969, $14.99, PB, 100pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/L-P-Ethos-Pathos-Transform-Teaching/dp/B0H6H8ZBWZ
Synopsis: THE HAMMER
A plumber fixes a leaky pipe with a single strike and charges the homeowner $200.
"Two hundred dollars to swing a hammer?"
"No. I charged $1 to swing the hammer. $199 because I knew where to hit."
When it comes to public education, most teachers (and students) don't know where to hit.
Burdened by thousands of
techniques, they lose sight of both the big picture and the small details. They get stuck in the
mushy middle.
Instead of "write more details," we want the right details.
Instead of "love," we want mini Goldendoodles curled up at our feet.
Instead of graduation speeches full of inspiring platitudes, we want Rocky getting up off the
canvas.
With the publication of "H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching: A
Practical Field Guide to
Better Writing, Speaking, and Thinking", author Kyle W. Elsbernd begins with classroom stories
and moves to practical
models that help students organize and express their own stories.
Whether it's organizing essays (ARABIA model), structuring arguments (DAD Theses), or
improving writing (Level 1-5
details), the lessons extend beyond the English classroom to art, business, history, math, music,
sports, and technical
education.
"H.E.L.P." is a system that helps teachers and students of every age know where to hit.
Critique: Impressively original, exceptionally informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
style, organization and
presentation, "H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching: A Practical
Field Guide to Better
Writing, Speaking, and Thinking" will prove immensely useful for K-12 classroom teachers and
aides, and is an ideal DIY
instructional guide for home schooling parents. This paperback edition of "H.E.L.P. How Ethos,
Logos, and Pathos
Transform Your Teaching: A Practical Field Guide to Better Writing, Speaking, and Thinking" is
an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, school district,
community and college/university
library K-12 Educational Instruction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kyle W. Elsbernd is a veteran high school English, speech, and theater teacher
with over 30 years of
classroom experience in Colorado and Wisconsin. "H.E.L.P." is his toolbox -- in a portable,
practical, and highly readable
format. Further resources available at his website: www.thehelpsystem.org
When Everyone Reads
Kwame Alexander
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330916771, $36.99, PB, 184pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-Everyone-Reads-Alexanders-Inspiring/dp/B0G1HYHCL4
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-everyone-reads-kwame-alexander/1148720915
Synopsis: With the publication of "When Everyone Reads: Kwame Alexander's Guide to
Inspiring a Lifelong Love of
Books", educator Kwame Alexander offers K-12 teachers organic, creative ways to center
reading across the school day
and make it joyful for students and teachers alike.
An award-winning children's author, Kwame Alexander draws upon his experience and expertise
to provide easy-to-use
grade-band strategies, QR-linked videos, and reproducible tools -- making this Reading
Development curriculum resource
essential for turning all learners into lifelong book lovers.
The Features include low-prep ideas for busy teachers, real-life stories from educators about what
works, quotes from
authors and celebrities, curated book lists, as well as:
Real-world solutions supported by research and teacher testimony
Inclusive, joyful literacy practices that transcend test-prep culture
Academic instruction to real life through storytelling, identity, and creativity
The solutions in these pages get to the heart of what excites children about reading, as well as
showing classroom teachers
how to keep that spark burning in older students, too.
"When Everyone Reads: Kwame Alexander's Guide to Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Books" is
perfect for getting everyone
involved in building a culture of lifelong reading.
Critique: A life long love of books can be instiller in young readers and adaptable to elementary
school, middle school,
high school, and home-school reading development curriculums at every level. Thoroughly
'teacher friendly' in
organization, presentation, and ideal for homeschooling parents, "When Everyone Reads:
Kwame Alexander's Guide to
Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Books" is an essential pick for personal, professional, school
district, and college/university
library Teacher Training: Literacy collections and curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, publisher, Emmy Award winning producer
and a the author of 45
books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night; Black Star; The Door of No Return; J vs. K, an
illustrated novel penned with
Jerry Craft; the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes;
Becoming Muhammad Ali
(co-authored with James Patterson); and The Undefeated, a Newbery Honor and Caldecott
Medal-winning picture book
illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Write Thing, second edition
Kwame Alexander
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330923564, $36.99, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Write-Thing-Alexanders-Inspiring-Student/dp/B0G1HW7HX6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-write-thing-kwame-alexander/1148720914
Synopsis: Empower students with lessons that promote authentic self-expression and a love for
writing
With the publication of a newly updated and expanded second edition of "The Write Thing:
Kwame Alexander's Guide for
Inspiring Student Writers", Newbery Medal winning author Kwame Alexander shows you how
to inspire students and
make writing engaging and fun.
With curriculum style workbook, K-12 classroom teachers will empower their students to
discover their voices through
writing and publishing. By combining creative expression with the real-world experience of
producing published works,
this resource nurtures confidence, literacy skills, and a sense of ownership in young writers.
"The Write Thing" is organized into three sections (Writing, Publishing, and Presenting) and
emphasizes poetry as an
accessible entry point for all. It also offers an inspiring look at the practice of writing along with
a practical framework that
includes more than 25 step-by-step lessons and mini-lessons, student writing samples, and
teacher reflections. You will
also find QR codes linking to online videos -- some designed to help educators and others for
classroom use with students.
With these valuable resources, you can build a writing culture that helps students find their
voices.
Additionally, this newly published Second Edition of "The Write Thing" features guidance on
expanding beyond poetry to
other genres; new approaches, success stories, and tips from experts; and Share Your Story
writing ideas for today's
classrooms. Part how-to and part inspiration, "The Write Thing" supports educators in promoting
self-expression and a
love of writing.
"The Write Thing: 2nd Edition includes more than 25 step-by-step lessons and mini-lessons for
different forms of poetry;
features easy-to-use content such as Quick Tips, success stories, publishing templates and videos
(via QR codes); Provides
guidance for engaging reluctant writers and supporting English language learners; Centers
student publishing as a core
instructional element to motivate learners.
Use Kwame Alexander's classroom-tested and student-approved workshop model to guide
students as they develop
creativity, confidence, and a love of writing.
Critique: This trade paperback (7.25 x 0.44 x 9.25 inches, 1.1 pounds) edition of "The Write
Thing: Kwame Alexander's
Guide for Inspiring Student Writers, Second Edition" is extraordinary, deftly crafted, and
thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization, presentation, and style. While unreservedly recommended for K-12 Creative
Writing curriculums and
college/university library Educational Instruction: Writing curriculum studies lists, it should be
noted for students,
teachers, and home-schooling parents that it is also available from Shell Education in a digital
book format (Kindle,
$29.22).
Editorial Note: Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, publisher, Emmy Award winning producer
and a the author of 45
books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night; Black Star; The Door of No Return; J vs. K, an
illustrated novel penned with
Jerry Craft; the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes;
Becoming Muhammad Ali
(co-authored with James Patterson); and The Undefeated, a Newbery Honor and Caldecott
Medal-winning picture book
illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
Teaching Social Studies Today, third edition
Kathleen N. Kopp
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330928774, $34.99, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Social-Studies-Today-Third/dp/B0G1HRKBP8
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/teaching-social-studies-today-third-edition-kathleen-n-kopp/1148720916
Synopsis: An easy-to-use resource for bringing effective, standards-aligned social studies
instruction to diverse K-12
classrooms, "Teaching Social Studies Today" by educator Kathleen Kopp is a K-12 professional
resource packed with
classroom-ready activities, inquiry-based lessons, and online resources. Included are
inquiry-based teaching strategies that
reflect the National Council for the Social Studies C3 standards and incorporate research on how
to engage all types of
learners. This newly updated Third Edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today" has an expanded
focus on the importance
of teaching social studies -- along with new examples that reflect today's classrooms.
With lessons focusing on interdisciplinary connections, primary sources, and media literacy, this
new third edition of
"Teaching Social Studies Today" from Shell Education provides meaningful guidance on helping
students master content
and embrace civic engagement. Also included are tips for differentiating instruction for multiple
learning needs, including
English language learners, readers who are struggling, advanced and neurodivergent learners, and
hybrid/remote
learners.
This new third edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today":
Aligns with C3 Framework and research-based pedagogy
Emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, and real-world connections
Includes reproducible organizers, reflection prompts, and step-by-step model lessons
Provides assessment rubrics, formative checks, and performance tasks
Both novice and seasoned classroom teachers alike will appreciate this supportive, easy-to-use
resource for building civic
engagement and critical thinking in K - 12 social studies curriculum for the classroom.
Critique: With the publication of this newly updated and expanded third edition of "Teaching
Social Studies Today" and
drawing from her 32 year career as a classroom teacher and curriculum specialist, along with
contemporary advancements
in teaching social studies on a K-12 level, Kathleen Kopp has created an essential, informative,
and thoroughly
'reader/teacher friendly' curriculum building instructional guide and reference guide that is ideal
for in-serive teacher
training workshops and an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, school
district, and
college/university library K-12 Social Studies Lesson Planning Instruction collections. It should
be noted for
college/university education students, academia, K-12 classroom teachers and school district
curriculum planners that this
paperback edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today: 3rd Edition" from Shell Education is also
readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $34.99).
Editorial Note: Kathleen N. Kopp, M.S.Ed., taught elementary school for over 32 years, serving
as a classroom teacher,
teacher on special assignment, and curriculum specialist. She presents at local, state, and national
conferences for
educators. In addition, Ms. Kopp develops instructional materials and has been awarded a
Learning(R) Magazine Teachers'
Choice Award and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational
Publishers. She is the
coauthor of What the Science of Reading Says about Reading Comprehension and Content
Knowledge. There is an online
listing of books by Kathleen N. Kopp at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3038575.KATHLEEN_N_KOPP
The Parenting Shelf
Your Brain Loves Patterns
Kim Feller, M.Ed.
https://www.fellerschool.org
Independently Published
9798255868537, $14.99, PB, 106pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Brain-Loves-Patterns-Dyslexia/dp/B0GX2PXDZN
Author's Website
https://www.fellerschool.org/your-brain-loves-patterns
Synopsis: What if your child's reading struggle isn't a disability -- but a mismatch between how
they're taught and how
their brain works?
If your bright, curious child is falling behind in reading, you've probably been told to "wait and
see" or "just practice more
at home." Meanwhile, you watch their confidence shrink and their frustration grow.
Here's what most schools won't tell you: your child's brain is wired for patterns. We've been
teaching them to guess.
With the publication of "Your Brain Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the
Science of Reading", veteran
reading specialist and dyslexia expert Kim Feller shares what she learned after years of watching
smart children struggle
under well-meaning but ineffective reading instruction. Trained in Balanced Literacy and the
three-cueing system, Kim did
everything she was told to do -- until she realized her students weren't actually learning to
read.
Instead they were learning to be good guessers.
Through powerful classroom stories and clear explanations, Kim reveals why many struggling
readers (especially those
with dyslexia) don't need more memorization or more exposure to books. They need explicit,
systematic instruction that
teaches them the logic of English.
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" explains why English is far more logical and pattern-based than
you've been told. It also
covers:
The difference between guessing strategies and real decoding
Why "balanced literacy" fails pattern-recognition brains
What brain research shows about how struggling readers build new pathways
Early warning signs of dyslexia you shouldn't ignore
Why timing matters -- and why early intervention is critical
Specific questions to ask teachers and schools
How to advocate confidently for instruction that actually works
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" is not a workbook. It's not a curriculum. And it's not a book about
lowering expectations.
Rather it is a clear and empowering guide to understanding how your child's brain works -- and
how to match instruction to
their strengths.
Kim has seen children go from non-readers to confident decoders in a matter of weeks when the
method finally fits the
brain. When pattern-recognition thinkers are taught through patterns, everything changes -- not
just reading skills, but
identity, confidence, and joy.
If someone has whispered the word dyslexia and you're not sure what to do next...
If your child can explain a movie plot in detail but can't read the word cat...
If you know in your gut something isn't working...
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" will help you understand why -- and what to do about it.
Your child isn't broken. They are just wired differently. And when we teach to that wiring instead
of against it, struggling
young readers become strategic thinkers.
Critique: Original, iconoclastic, groundbreaking, and critically important, high priority reading
for any parent with an child
who struggles with reading or who is informed by school or counseling authorities that their child
is dyslexic, "Your Brain
Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the Science of Reading" by Kim Feller
(President and Head of the Feller
School for Dyslexia) is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library
parenting, dyslexia, and education/reading collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
It should be noted for
parents, teachers, school counselors, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest
in the subject that this
paperback edition of "Your Brain Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the Science
of Reading" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Kim Feller is an educator and the founder of Feller School, a specialty K-6 school
in Madison, Wisconsin,
dedicated to students with dyslexia and related learning differences. (www.fellerschool.org)
The Economic Studies Shelf
The Entropy Trap: What Physics Knows that Markets Don't
Mickey M. Maini
Independently Published
9798195114008, $39.99, HC, 245pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Entropy-Trap-Physics-Knows-Markets/dp/B0H1ZP7NZX
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Entropy Trap: What Physics Knows that Markets Don't",
Mickey M. Maini
explains why some periods in history are not normal cycles, but moments when the system itself
begins to change.
Financial systems, currencies, political orders, and societies can appear stable for years while
stress builds underneath.
Then, like an erupting volcano, the change appears sudden even though the pressure was building
for a long time.
In "The Entropy Trap" the unique lens is science as Maini uses ideas from physics and complex
systems (such as stress,
velocity, acceleration, instability, and phase transitions) to understand markets and society. The
argument is that traditional
economics works well in stable periods, but during rare transition periods we need better
instruments to measure whether
the system is still returning to normal or moving into a new state.
The thesis is tested across six major historical transitions over roughly 3,000 years, including
ancient empires, monetary
breakdowns, and modern financial resets. The striking point is that very different societies often
followed a similar pattern:
trust weakens, debt or promises grow, interventions become larger, politics becomes unstable,
and eventually the old
system reorganizes into a new one.
"The Entropy Trap" is not a doomsday book. Rather it is a navigation book. It will enable the
reader think more clearly
about the next 5 - 10 years: money, markets, AI, energy, geopolitics, gold, real assets, and the
skills and decisions that may
matter in a changing world.
Critique: An original, seminal, deftly crafted, and groundbreaking study, "The Entropy Trap:
What Physics Knows that
Markets Don't" by Mickey M. Maini will prove of immense value to readers with an interest in
macroeconomics, systems
theory, and investment portfolio management. Impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "The Entropy
Trap" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community,
corporate, and
college/university library Financial Management/Economic Theory collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists.
It should be noted for students, academia, financial investment managers, economists,
governmental economic policy
makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover
edition of "The Entropy Trap"
is also readily available in paperback (9798186546474, $29.99) and in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Mickey M. Maini (https://solsticelabs.com) has had four careers. A Wharton and
Penn Engineering dual
graduate, he started in investment banking, in senior roles at Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank.
He then ran an
emerging-markets conglomerate as CEO, scaling it from roughly $100 million to over $5 billion.
He later served as an
Adjunct Professor in the policy and technology program at one of Asia's leading schools of
public policy. Each career was
a re-invention, not a promotion. A dismantling and a rebuilding. That pattern became the
research: systems under stress do
not adjust little by little. They reorganize into something new. Today he runs his family office
and Solstice Laboratory, an
independent research lab in Dubai that applies physics to markets and geopolitics. It studies the
moments when systems
stop moving in cycles and change state. He thinks about entropy more than is probably
healthy!
The Cookbook Shelf
Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals
Taste of Home Editorial Staff
Taste of Home (Publisher)
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889771807, $26.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Protein-Packed-Meals/dp/B0FWZZK7C5
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taste-of-home-protein-packed-meals-taste-of-home/1150799
663
Synopsis: "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals" is a culinary compendium comprised of more
than 260 high-protein
recipes that are ideal for family dining, healthy dinners for all occasions, as well as 30-minute &
5-ingredient meals,
including air Fryer & slow cooker recipes. The recipes range from a Turkey Ginger Noodle Soup;
Mexi-Stroni Soup; and
Pork Souvlaki; to Baked Salmon Cakes; Tomato-Garlic Lentil Bowls, and Strawberry-Lime
Quinoa Parfaits.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography showcasing
finished dishes, "Taste
of Home Protein Packed Meals" is inspiring to browse through and ideal for planning memorable
meals with. Thoroughly
'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals"
will prove a welcome and
enduringly popular pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections.
It should be noted that
this hardcover edition of "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals" is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
Editorial Note: Taste of Home is America's #1 food/lifestyle brand, inspiring togetherness
through cooking, baking and
entertaining. Featuring recipes shared by today's home cooks, Taste of Home magazine has
hundreds of thousands of
subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand
specials. The brand's web site
is a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and
more. Taste of Home has more
than 7 million fans on Facebook, 2.1 million followers on Instagram, 2.7 million Pinterest
followers and receives more
than 28 million unique monthly visitors. Visit Taste of Home on Facebook, Instagram and
Pinterest to learn more.
Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes
Akino Ogata
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805319826, $19.99, HC, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Japanese-Cooking-Delicious-Homestyle/dp/4805319828
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/effortless-japanese-cooking-akino-ogata/1149079777
Synopsis: Cooking delicious Japanese food is easy with Akino Ogata, creator of the popular
English-language "Kitchen
Princess Bamboo" YouTube channel -- where her signature tips and cooking lessons have earned
her over 400,000
subscribers.
In recipes packed with tips, tricks and foolproof step-by-step instructions, with the publication of
"Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes", Akino shows how to prepare over 100 of her
favorite homestyle dishes,
whatever your experience level.
"Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes" has everything you need to
succeed even if you've
never cooked Japanese before, including:
Secrets for taking classic like tempura and sushi to next-level tastiness
Hacks for recreating restaurant favorites like Curry Udon and Japanese Hamburger Steaks
Key seasoning ratios that let you cook Japanese food with confidence
Ingredients that are affordable and easy to find
Homemade sauces like Teriyaki and Ponzu that taste so much better than store-bought
Bonus recipes available via QR codes -- And much more!
Tucked in between her original recipes, Akino also shares inspiring stories of her journey to
becoming an accomplished
cook and memories from a lifetime of enthusiastic eating. Her friendly, positive approach to
food, and life, is simply
irresistible!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished
dishes, "Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes" is an ideal introduction to Japanese cuisine --
especially for those new to its
creation and presentation. Of special note is the section devoted to Mochimochi Fuwafusa
(Japanese Sweets & Drinks).
Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious
Homestyle Recipes" will prove to be a prized pick for personal, professional, and community
library Japanese Cusines
cookbook collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious
Homestyle Recipes" from Tuttle Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: Akino Ogata (https://princessbamboo.com) is a professional pastry chef and the
creator of Kitchen Princess
Bamboo, a YouTube channel where she shares authentic Japanese home cooking, family
favorites and trending recipes
with over 370,000 subscribers from around the world. She spent part of her childhood on remote
Amami Island, where she
developed an appreciation for natural, seasonal ingredients, and now lives in Nara, Japan.
Akino's mission is to show food
lovers around the world that cooking Japanese is easy, nourishing and super delicious.
Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich
Walter Ishizuka
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805320471, $22.00, HC, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sando-Japanese-Sandwich-Walter-Ishizuka/dp/4805320478
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sando-walter-ishizuka/1149079769
Synopsis: The recipes comprising "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" elevate the
humble sandwich to the status of
a culinary art by Japanese master chef Walter Ishizuka.
The Japanese sando is both humble and refined, embodying Japanese culinary excellence and
flavor at its very best. For
Chef Ishizuka of Yabai Sando (the trendiest sando restaurant in France), these cult classics evoke
the flavors of his
childhood.
This unique and groundbreaking cookbook allows any kitchen cook to create dozens of
Ishizuka's amazing sando recipes,
including:
The Classic Tonkatsu Pork Cutlet Sando: A crispy pork cutlet with tangy Ginger Wasabi
Sauce
The Wagyu Beef Sando: Chef Ishizuka's signature sandwich with spicy Wasabi Sriracha Mayo
and tangy-sweet pickled red
onions
Truffle Grilled Cheese Sando: Melted cheddar dressed with umami-rich Truffle Mayo
Lobster Sando: Freshly steamed lobster complemented by Citrus, Mint and Ginger Mayo
Smoked Salmon & Wakame Sando: Fluffy charcoal Shokupan Bread with Coriander Sauce
Chocolate Hazelnut Sando: A sinfully rich chocolate delight with orange praline paste
Plus many other exciting recipes!
Of special note is Chef Ishizuka's inclusion of a recipe for his delicate Shokupan Bread (a must
for an authentic sando) and
his flavorful "secret dressings" such as Yuzu Aioli, Ginger Wasabi Mayo, Horseradish Curry
Cream and many more. There
are also recipes for Tempura and Miso Soup, rice and Japanese pickles. Plus, tips for buying and
working with the key
ingredients needed to make sandos as delicious as they look.
Critique: Original, beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography, thoroughly
'kitchen cook friendly' in
organization and presentation, as well as a simple pleasure to browse through and plan unique
Japanese sandwich themed
menus with, "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" by Chef Walter Ishizuka is an
extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Japanese
cuisine cookbook collections.
It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" from
Tuttle Publishing is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.90).
Editorial Note: Chef Walter Ishizuka (www.facebook.com/Chefwalterishizuka) is the founder
and CEO of Yabai Sando, a
gourmet sandwich restaurant in Paris. He is the former head chef of the Rivie brasserie at The
Hoxton, Paris and worked
for over 20 years in Michelin-starred restaurants like l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges - Paul
Bocuse in Lyon, The Ritz in
Paris and The Connaught in London. At Yabai Sando, he offers gourmet versions of the cult
Japanese sandwiches that are
now sweeping the globe. His goal is to offer quality comfort foods that remind him of his
childhood. Excellence and
eco-responsibility are his mantras. Sensitive to the cause of sustainability, he fine-tunes each
recipe to reduce its
environmental impact as much as possible.
A Tuscan Table: Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes from Italy
Luca Calvani
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846017285, $34.99, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tuscan-Table-Seasonal-Vegetarian-Recipes/dp/1846017289
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-tuscan-table-luca-calvani/1149465808
Synopsis: "A Tuscan Table: Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes from Italy" by Luca Calvani is a simply
gorgeous, seasonal,
vegetable-forward guide to Tuscan cooking -- illustrated with color photography taken in the
splendid Le Guisciane villa in
Tuscany.
"A Tuscan Table" is a kind of culinary love letter celebrating cooking and eating together in the
Tuscan countryside,
Tuscany is a love letter to seasonality, to the beauty of simple pleasures and the power of
gathering. Tuscany features a
year of seasonal recipes all shot throughout the year at author Luca Calvani's boutique Tuscan
villa Le Guisciane, set in the
heart of the Tuscan countryside.
From pappa al pomodoro to tiramisu, the maltagliati of Nonna Dina to Nonna Ottavia's ragu
reimagined, the cecina from
summers in Versilia and warm Sunday tables full of laughter and memories; "A Tuscan Table" is
a more than just another
Italian cuisine themed cookbook, it is a celebration of how to live and eat together.
The chapters and recipes comprising "A Tuscan Table" include:
Fundamentals: cecina, three flavor focaccia, pesto three ways
Autumn: pumpkin gnocchi with Gorgonzola, pappa con pomodoro, baked eggs
Winter: pasta e fagioli, minestrone bread, pumpkin pie
Spring: filo pastry sticks with feta, asparagus and spinach, lasagne, Florentine risotto
Summer: summer panzanella, tiramisu, scarpaccia
Critique: A pleasure to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "A Tuscan Table:
Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes
from Italy" is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation. Each palate
pleasing, appetite satisfying,
and authentically Tuscan vegetarian recipe is wonderfully showcased along with informative
commentary in a seaonal
timeline throughout the year. "A Tuscan Table" is additionally enhanced with the inclusion of an
informative Prologue,
three commentaries (Life, Love and Cooking; The Garden: A Sanctuary for the Soul; The House,
The Dachshunds and the
Bees), and a four page Index of Recipes. Eloquent, elegant, and seasonally themed, "A Tuscan
Table" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Ethnic/Italian
& Vegetarian Cookbook
collections.
Editorial Note: Luca Calvani (https://grokipedia.com/page/Luca_Calvani) cultivates a passion for
hospitality and
gastronomy. He co-hosted Italy's Come Dine with Me and made ravioli with Alan Carr in BBC's
Amanda and Alan's
Italian Job. In the Tuscan hills, together with his husband Alessandro Franchini, he runs the
farmhouse "Le Gusciane,",
which has been featured in Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue Italia and Style Corriere. Luca
personally oversees the kitchen at
Le Gusciane and the recipes born around those fires are collected in "Tuscan at Heart", his first
book.
The American History Shelf
Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900
Matthew Bernstein
University of North Texas Press
www.untpress.unt.edu
9798898290115, $34.95, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Crimewave-Murder-Mayhem-West-1850-1900/dp/B0GYBXXW5N
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crimewave-matthew-bernstein/1149983386
Synopsis: When on May 12, 1848, Sam Brannan walked down San Francisco's Market Street,
holding high a bottle of gold
dust and shouting, "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!" he initiated the great California
Gold Rush. As
prospectors flooded into California, they also caused a surge in crime. With the publication of
"Crimewave: Murder and
Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900" author, educator and historian Matt Bernstein presents
twenty-four of the most
audacious and chaotic incidents in the Far West, bringing to light stories from frontier California
that have too long
remained hidden.
Benjamin Franklin Washington, great-grandnephew of George Washington himself, fought in the
Sacramento Riot of 1850
and participated in a duel against a rival newspaper editor in San Francisco.
Lucius Fairchild, who would become a Civil War hero, witnessed the rise of a vigilance
committee in San Andreas and its
deadly aftermath.
Charles Cora, a New Orleans gambler, helped spark the largest vigilance committee in American
history when he gunned
down a US marshal on a crowded San Francisco street.
The gold in the streams and mountains attracted prospectors, but criminals found other ways to
enrich themselves.
Through crooked games of chance, highway robbery, outright assassination, and schemes so
devious they almost defy the
imagination, the men and women that rushed to California brought the best and worst elements to
a land already inhabited
by wolves, mountain lions, and grizzly bears.
The result was a cultural phenomenon, the Wild West in California, a story rich with bloodshed,
betrayal, and naked
ambition. As the Gold Rush gave way to the Civil War, the silver seventies, and the close of the
frontier, the violence only
increased. Every day proved a gamble. But that didn't stop men from taking outrageous chances,
for the promise of riches
often outweighed the risk, so long as one was quick on the draw.
Critique: Real Ameican history that is as vividly action/adventure themed as any western novel,
"Crimewave: Murder and
Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900" is a simply fascinating and informative read from start to
finish. Informative
enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Introduction (The Far West), a Prologue
(The Greatest Flood in
the Gold Rush), an Epilogue ("A Wonderful Fleeting Dream"), a two page listing of
Acknowledgments, thirty-four pages
of Endnotes, a ten page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem
in the Far West,
1850-1900" is a seminal and groundbreaking study that is unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional,
community, and college/university library American History collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem in the Far West,
1850-1900" from the
University of North Texas Press is also available to students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers with an interest
in the subject in a digital book format (Kindle, $27.96).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Matthew Bernsetin at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21275124.Matthew_Bernstein
The Military History Shelf
Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944
Antonio J. Munoz
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781036138400, $39.59, HC, 538pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Against-Partisans-Operation-Bagration/dp/1036138380
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hitlers-war-against-the-partisans-during-operation-bagration-antonio-j-munoz/1148476324
Synopsis: After the disastrous Battle of Kursk in July 1943, the Soviets went on the offensive. A
series of counterattacks
began all along the Eastern Front that would eventually lead the Red Army to the Nazi capital in
less than two years. One
of these, Operation Bagration, was fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944, resulting in the
largest defeat in German
military history.
Coordinating with these huge Soviet forces were the partisans, who would be instrumental in
destroying rail lines, lines of
communication, German munitions and supply depots behind the German lines before the Red
Army would make its
attack. Quite often increased partisan activity behind the lines indicated to the Germans exactly
where the next Red Army
offensive would be launched.
By the beginning of 1944 it was clear to all but the most naive or the most fanatical that
Germany's back was against the
wall; for the Wehrmacht, the war in the East was not going well. One did not need to see the
calamities happening to the
Ostheer (the German eastern army) on the front lines to realize this. All one had to do was to
look at the rising partisan
threat and the growing chaos behind the German lines to appreciate that fact.
From the German point of view, something drastic had to be done. In the spring of 1944, the
Germans launched a series of
new anti-partisan offensives in their rear areas. The intention was to eliminate the partisan threat
that was not only helping
to impede the arrival of men and materiel to the front but was also a threat to German forces in
case they needed to
withdraw. Nowhere was this more of a clear and present danger to German forces than in
Belarus, where some 180,000
guerrillas were now operating. Indeed, entire regions of the German rear area were totally
controlled by the partisans.
By the time that Stalin initiated the Bagration offensive, the fight behind the lines had become a
war within a war. With the
publication of "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and
Summer of 1944", and drawing
on hundreds of archive documents, Dr. Antonio J. Munoz examines in detail this kaleidoscope of
bitter fighting, heartless
cruelty and danger, as the last year of the partisan war in the Soviet Union unfolded.
Critique: With meticulous scholarship and an impressive attention to detail, Dr. Antonio J.
Munoz has produced "Hitler's
War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944", a seminal
and groundbreaking study
of a special element in the World War II European conflict that substantially helped to overthrow
the Third Reich -- the
Eastern Front Partisans. Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of
maps, tables, figures, plates, a
Preface (History, Recurrence and the Limits of Analogy), an Author's Note (Conceptual and
Analytical Framework, and
ten Appendices, twenty pages of Notes, a twenty-three page Bibliography, a five page Name
Index, and a nineteen page
Unit Index. "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer
of 1944" is a major and
unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library World War II
history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students,
academia, and military
history buffs that this hardcover edition of "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation
Bagration: Spring and
Summer of 1944" from Frontline Books is also readily available for personal reading lists in a
digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99).
Editorial Note: Dr Antonio J. Munoz is a professor of history at Farmingdale State College in
Long Island, New York. The
is an online listing of books by Dr. Munoz on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/228409.Antonio_J_Mu_oz
Damn Fine Soldiers
Scott Rutter & Matthew Paul
Stackpole Books
c/o Globe Pequot
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493096992, $26.95, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Damn-Fine-Soldiers-Infantry-Baghdad/dp/1493096990
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/damn-fine-soldiers-scott-e-rutter/1148560453
Synopsis: 2100 hours, 20 March 2003, Western Kuwait.
Missiles streaked the night sky like the Fourth of July as American fighting vehicles revved and
rattled near the Iraqi
border. Distant fires flickered on the horizon. Jittery soldiers reported unidentified objects they
thought were enemy tanks.
The ground war in Iraq was fifteen hours old, and after more than a month in Kuwait, Task Force
2-7 stood ready to enter
the fray - to breach the border and race toward their objective 400 miles away: Baghdad. During
the next three weeks, the
2-7 would fight a series of eight battles culminating in the capture of Saddam International
Airport and the thrust into the
heart of Iraq's capital.
Lieutenant Colonel Scott Rutter commanded Task Force 2-7 - an aggressive battalion-sized outfit
built to pack a punch
while advancing fast - and then-Captain Matt Paul led a mortar platoon under him. Damn Fine
Soldiers is their firsthand
account of the 2-7's thundering drive up the Iraqi desert during the opening phase of Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Beginning
with the tense, uncertain moments when the task force rumbled into Iraq and swung its left hook
along the Euphrates
River, Rutter and Paul vividly narrate the 2-7's march through a landscape haunted by the
landmarks of ancient
Mesopotamia and littered with debris from Desert Storm a dozen years earlier.
From As Samawah to the Karbala Gap, from Saddam Airport to Baghdad, Task Force 2-7 waged
a daring ground
campaign that shocked and awed every bit as much as the massive aerial bombardment that
preceded it. With the special
grit and determination of the U.S. Army, the 2-7 fought its way north, battling a motley
assortment of Iraqi Republican
Guard, special forces, and militia busting bunkers, demolishing enemy tanks, searching cars and
buses, braving snipers,
ambushes, boobytraps, and suicide bombers, enduring sand, sun, and heat, and dealing with the
inevitable loss of good
soldiers, one of whom would be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Visceral and reflective, "Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the
21-Day Attack to
Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare" by Scott E. Rutter and Matthew C. Paul" is an
unfiltered account of modern war,
told from the tip of the spear that drove deep into Iraq in March and April 2003. A modern
military history that is more
than a collaborative memoir by two commanders who led from the front, it is also testimony and
tribute to the fighting
spirit of the American soldier.
Critique: A deftly written history of the men and events comprising the American military action
that was to topple the
murderous regime of Saddam Hussain, "Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7
Infantry and the 21-Day
Attack to Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare" is an extraordinarily informative and
inherently fascinating read from
start to finish. Occasionally illustrated with B/W images, and featuring a two page listing of
Awards & Medals, and a five
page Glossary of Terms, "Damn Fine Soldiers" is an exceptional account that is both intensely
personal and with a
universal resonance. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library
Military History/Biography collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Damn
Fine Soldiers" from
Stackpole Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note #1: Lt. Col. Scott Rutter was one of the most visible soldiers of the first phase of
the Iraq War, where he
received the Silver Star for his leadership of Task Force 2-7. During his more than twenty-year
career in the U.S. Army, he
served in air assault, mechanized, and intelligence assignments. As a company commander
during Operation Desert Storm
in 1991, he earned the Bronze Star. After his retirement in 2004, he became a war correspondent
for Fox News and
covered events on the ground in Iraq, including the Battle of Fallujah. He has also appeared on
CNN and MSNBC as a
military analyst. A board member of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Rutter now
spends much of his time
as a speaker and advocate for service members, veterans, and their families.
Editorial Note #2: Col. Matthew Paul spent ten years as a platoon leader and company
commander in various U.S. Army
units. After serving in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division's Task Force 2-7, he returned with the
101st Airborne Division in
2006 to train Iraqi Security Forces and conduct counterinsurgency operations. Colonel Paul
remains on active duty with the
U.S. Army Acquisition Corps.
The Civil War History Shelf
Unparalleled Horror
Sean Michael Chick & John F. Schmutz
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217797, $16.99, PB, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unparalleled-Horror-Battles-Jerusalem-Emerging/dp/1611217792
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unparalleled-horror-sean-michael-chick/1148428265
Synopsis: The shattered battlefront at Petersburg exposes how strategic missteps and political
pressure shaped a pivotal
American Civil War engagement and its grim consequences.
After the first attempt to storm Petersburg failed on June 15-18, 1864, Ulysses S. Grant decided
to try again. War
weariness grew in the North. Gold shot up in price. Radical Republicans schemed to replace
Abraham Lincoln. The
Democrats delayed their nominating convention, confident that Grant would be no nearer to
victory. With Atlanta still in
Confederate hands, the pressure on Grant was immense.
On June 20, Grant ordered George Meade to swing out to the west and cut off the railroads
leading to Petersburg, while he
unleashed his cavalry on Robert E. Lee's communications. The Federals suffered a stunning
defeat at Jerusalem Plank
Road, and Confederate horsemen ravaged Grant's cavalry. Grant settled for a siege while still
searching for a chance to
strike.
Grant saw that chance in Ambrose Burnside's mine.
For weeks, IX Corps dug a mine under P. G. T. Beauregard's front, planning to blow a literal hole
in the Confederate
works. Despite mockery from George Meade and others, Burnside's men had the mine ready by
July 30. By then, Lee had
much of his army at Deep Bottom, opposing Grant's latest offensive. It seemed Petersburg would
fall, and with it, Lincoln's
reelection all but decided. Instead, the attack failed.
Warren Wilkinson of the 57th Massachusetts called the Crater "a scene of unparalleled horror -
in places, the
panic-stricken soldiers were so tightly packed together that they could not move or even raise
their arms to defend
themselves." When it was over, one of the most horrific battles of the Civil War had ended, and
Grant was no closer to
Petersburg.
With the publication of "Unparalleled Horror: The Battles of Jerusalem Plank Road and the
Crater, June 19 - July 31,
1864", co-authors Sean Michael Chick and John F. Schmutz portray the weeks after the June 18.
The informatively
compelling narrative considers Grant's and Lee's evolving reactions to a situation neither man
wanted. Lee saw Grant's
eventual victory as a "mere question of time," while Grant was under tremendous pressure to
deliver a victory that would
secure Lincoln another term. The result was a series of Federal disasters, although Lee lacked the
strength to pry Grant
away from Petersburg, thereby leaving both sides in a stalemate as the summer of 1864 wore on
and the presidential
election loomed.
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking study of one of the most politically important
battles of the American
Civil War, "Unparalleled Horror: The Battles of Jerusalem Plank Road and the Crater, June 19 -
July 31, 1864" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition for personal, professional, community,
and college/university
library American Civil War History collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and
non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Unparalleled Horror" from
Savas Beatie is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Sean Michael Chick on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12540304.Sean_Michael_Chick
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books by John F. Schmutz on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2317584.John_F_Schmutz
The Boy Generals
Adolfo Ovies
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217902, $34.95, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Generals-Shenandoah-Surrender-Appomattox/dp/1611217903
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boy-generals-volume-3-adolfo-ovies/1150098931
Synopsis: The third title in author/historian Adolfo Ovies' Civil War trilogy, "The Boy Generals:
George Custer, Wesley
Merritt, and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, from the Shenandoah Valley to the
Surrender at Appomattox" races
from the Shenandoah Valley to Appomattox with the rapidity of a headlong cavalry charge. The
turbulent events of the
closing months of the Civil War serve as a backdrop for the increasingly dysfunctional (and
bitter) relationship between
George Armstrong Custer and Wesley Merritt.
The flamboyant Custer and the stoic Merritt were bound to clash. "The Boy Generals" scrutinizes
their methods of
discipline, their exercise of authority, and their "spirited rivalry". It was an association that
progressed from distaste to
acrimony and finally to outright insubordination on Custer's part.
Custer (the boy cavalier) was a firm believer in the shock value of the mounted charge. Merritt
maintained that the horse
was but a means of transporting the trooper to the battlefield, where he would fight on foot with
his carbine.
The difference in their tactical philosophies was highlighted by the bloody battles that ensued
after Philip H. Sheridan's
ascension to command Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. Meticulously researched
chapters based on
significant firsthand archival sources narrate the actions of the cavalry at Winchester, Tom's
Brook, Cedar Creek, and
Waynesboro.
"The Boy Generals" is an uncompromising examination of the darker aspects of the way the war
in the Valley unfolded.
General Ulysses S. Grant's orders to Sheridan to "eat out Virginia clear and clean" fell on the
shoulders of these two "boy
generals." The brutality of the irregular warfare that lurked in the rear of the Army of the
Shenandoah is addressed in a
blow-by-blow accounting of depredations and retaliations. Sheridan's troopers rejoined Grant's
army around Richmond.
Following the breakthrough at Petersburg on April 2, 1865, Sheridan's cavalry struck west. The
battles of Dinwiddie
Courthouse (March 31), Five Forks (April 1), and Sailor's Creek (April 6) -- the latter referred to
as "Black Thursday" in
the annals of the Army of Northern Virginia -- and paved the way for the eventual surrender of
Robert E. Lee's Virginia
army.
"The Boy Generals" captures Merritt and Custer as they ride the crest of a wave of glory in one of
the most dysfunctional
yet influential relationships in the Army of the Potomac. It is impossible to fully understand
cavalry operations in the
Eastern Theater without understanding the dynamic between these two commanders.
Critique: An original, meticulous, exhaustively comprehensive, and seminal study of the impact
of George Armstrong
Custer and Wesley Merritt is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal,
professional, community, and
college/university library American Civil War History/Biography collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, it should be noted for the personal reading
lists of students, academia,
dedicated Civil War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
this hardcover edition of
"The Boy Generals: George Custer, Wesley Merritt, and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac,
from the Shenandoah
Valley to the Surrender at Appomattox" from Savas Beatie is also readily available in a digital
book format (Kindle,
$20.99).
Editorial Note: Adolfo Ovies has vivid memories of watching the movie They Died with Their
Boots On while a young
boy in Cuba, which starred the roguish Errol Flynn as Custer, with subtitles in Spanish. In 1960,
the Ovies family migrated
to the United States, making their home in Connecticut. With Gettysburg just a short distance
away, the ten-year-old
Adolfo made his first trip to the battlefield. It turned out to be one of the most impactful
moments of his life. The Boy
Generals trilogy springs from his lifetime passion for the Civil War, and George Custer's role in
particular. Ovies serves on
the Board of Directors of the Little Big Horn Association, where he champions Custer's role in
the Civil War. He is an
active member of the Miami Civil War Round Table and serves as the administrator of the
group's Facebook page.
The Psychology Shelf
The Psychology of Alienated Children
Richard A. Warshak
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
https://www.ccthomas.com
9780398094836, $44.95, HC, 528pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/PSYCHOLOGY-ALIENATED-CHILDREN-Children-Parents/dp/039
8094837
Synopsis: "The Psychology of Alienated Children: When Children Reject Parents" is compilation
of selected writings by
respected scholar and author Richard Warshak that will help professionals and parents dealing
with the issue of parental
alienation.
Written in a clear, accessible style with minimal professional jargon, the fifteen chapters
comprising "The Psychology of
Alienated Children" represent a cross-section of his contributions to understanding, evaluating,
preventing, and intervening
in cases of parental alienation. The chapters are arranged in chronological order, offering readers
a window into the
evolution of Warshak's thinking over time.
In this edition of "The Psychology of Alienated Children" a new introduction and commentary
precede each chapter. In
some, behind-the-scenes stories are recounted. In others, Professor Warshak reflects on the
paper's key contributions, its
reception, or its influence on how judges, lawyers, and therapists approach the issue of parental
alienation.
"The Psychology of Alienated Children" then concludes with an epilogue that presents Professor
Warshak's perspective on
his roles as historian, current observer, and futurist. Predictions for the field are shared and
suggestions offered to guide
future scholarship and practice.
This study will serve as a helpful resource for professionals and parents alike, especially those
working to protect children
from becoming the unintended casualties of their parents' conflicts.
Critique: Exceptional, informative, insightful, thought-provoking, "The Psychology of Alienated
Children: When Children
Reject Parents" by Professor Richard D. Warshak is an truly extraordinary, impressively
meticulous, thoroughly
comprehensive, and deftly crafted study that is especially and unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, and
college/university library Parenting & Child Psychology collections and supplemental Family
Counseling curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Richard Warshak (www.warshak.com) is one the world's most respected
authorities on divorce and
child custody. He has written three books, dozens of academic journal articles and chapters, and
several Op-ed columns. A
graduate of Cornell University and former Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of
Texas Southwestern
Medical Center, Dr. Warshak's work is featured in media worldwide including NBC Today, ABC
20/20, CBS Early Show,
CNN, CTV, FOX & Friends, CourtTV, New York Times, USA Today, Macleans, Washington
Post, London Sunday
Telegraph, Toronto Star, SEMANA, National Public Radio, Time, and a PBS documentary. He
has an online personal
blog, "Plutoverse" at www.warshak.com/blog.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Boys Bars Becoming
Huck Smith
https://huckysmith.com
Quick Draw Press
9798234056320, $14.99, PB, 291pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Bars-Becoming-Huck-Smith/dp/B0GWWPCVQB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boys-bars-becoming-huck-smith/1149860860
Synopsis: Some of us found ourselves in rooms with sticky floors.
Dollar drinks. Music loud enough to feel in your sternum. Strangers who became your people
before you even knew their
names. A world before the apps, before the algorithms, before you had to optimize yourself for
someone else's
checklist.
We are human first. Gay second. And "Boys Bars Becoming" is about the human underneath the
labels.
"Boys Bars Becoming" is a collection of essays by Huck Smith about gay men of a certain age --
who he and they were in
those rooms, who he and they became outside of them, and who he and they are still trying to
figure out how to be.
It a collection of memoir anecdotes about the bars that shaped the and the ones that disappeared.
The friendships that were
held and the ones that quietly went dry. The fathers and mothers who made them, failed them,
loved them, or left them
guessing. The grief they carried, the bodies they survived in, the men they chased, and the
particular loneliness of knowing
exactly what you want and still not being sure how to let yourself have it.
Funny, honest, reckless, and occasionally devastating, "Boys Bars Becoming" is for those readers
who have ever had to
strip away an old version of themselves to find out who they actually are.
Critique: Original, authentic, informative, insightful, and an inherently fascinating read from start
to finish, "Boys Bars
Becoming" by Huck Smith is a compendium of stories about what it was (and so often continues
to be) the gay experience
in America for men. A unique blend of self-help, psychology, humor, LGBTQ+ memoirs, and
gay biographical anecdotes,
"Boys Bars Becoming" is an unreservedly recommended acquisition for community and
college/university library
LGBTQ+ Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental LGBTQ+ History curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Huck Smith (https://huckysmith.com) is a writer whose work explores identity,
relationships, family, grief,
survival, and the quiet contradictions that shape everyday life. His essays often land somewhere
between self-awareness
and self-sabotage, with equal parts humor, honesty, and emotional damage handled irresponsibly
well.
Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood
Francis DiClemente
Toplight Books
c/o McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476699790, $25.00, PB, 251pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stunted-Delayed-Manhood-Francis-DiClemente/dp/1476699798
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stunted-francis-diclemente/1149231715
Synopsis: "Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" is a coming-of-age memoir spanning the
1980s and 1990s and
follows Francis DiClemente's experience of adolescence and early adulthood in a body that
struggled to develop.
Diagnosed with a rare brain tumor that led to hypopituitarism, DiClemente remained physically
underdeveloped while his
peers matured into young adults. As he navigated relationships and sexuality in college, it
became evident that his
prolonged experience with physical nonconformity fueled isolation, self-doubt, and shame.
"Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" explores the effects of his condition on schooling,
intimacy, and emerging
adulthood, examining how physical differences shape identity formation. It reframes masculinity
not as a function of
physical development but as an ethical and emotional practice grounded in empathy, resilience,
and responsibility.
Contributing to conversations on embodiment and self-acceptance, the work offers insight into
the experience of living at
odds with timelines of growth and belonging.
Critique: Deftly crafted, inherently candid, impressively informative, "Stunted: A Memoir of
Delayed Manhood" by
Francis DiClemente is a unique memoir that while intensely personal will have a universal
resonance with his readers. Of
particular interest to readers with an interest in stories about someone having to deal with cancer,
"Stunted: A Memoir of
Delayed Manhood" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and
college/university library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that this paperback
edition of "Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" from Toplight Books is also readily
available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $17.99),
Editorial Note: Francis DiClemente is the author of numerous poetry collections. His blog can be
found at
www.francisdiclemente.com. There is an online listing of his books on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4792079.Francis_DiClemente
You Don't Know Jack
Jack R. Taylor
CJ Publishings
9798996935406, $21.99, PB, 692pp
9798996935420, $9.99, Kindle, 773pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Dont-Know-Jack-forty-two-ebook/dp/B0HBXQQTCN
Synopsis: Jack R. Taylor survived a childhood without love. Success still couldn't save him.
Born during the Great
Depression to a sixteen-year-old mother who beat him with wooden clothes hangers and never
once told him she loved
him, Taylor learned early how to survive without stability, affection, or guidance.
By midlife, he had played Stanford football, earned an MBA, helped build a thriving real estate
company during the rise of
Silicon Valley, and achieved the kind of success most people spend a lifetime chasing. But
beneath it all were childhood
wounds, destructive compulsions, and a private battle that threatened everything he had
built.
The at the age of forty-two, Jack walked away from the business of making money and began his
life again.
Spanning nine decades, "You Don't Know Jack: Dropping out! Life Anew at Forty-Two" follows
one man through four
fathers, street fights, football fields, Stanford, Silicon Valley, marriage, infidelity, sixteen years
of therapy, business
triumphs, devastating losses, unexpected mentors, and the long road toward forgiveness.
In his memoir, Jack recalls confronting the painful connection between growing up without a
mother's love and his
compulsive pursuit of women. He reveals how ambition and achievement became armor, why
professional success could
not heal him, and how the right people arrived at improbable moments to redirect his life. Part
business memoir, part
mental health catharsis, and part meditation on later-life re-invention, "You Don't Know Jack" is
an intensely personal
story about:
How childhood neglect can echo through an entire life
Why men often hide pain behind success, sex, achievement, and control
How mentors can change the trajectory of a life
What it takes to stop passing destructive family patterns to the next generation
Why starting over in your forties, or at any age, is still possible
"You Don't Know Jack" is the sweeping and personal story of an improbable American life with
the message for its readers
that it is never too late to understand what shaped you, make peace with what happened, and
begin again.
Critique: An intensely personal memoir that will have a universal resonance among its readers,
"You Don't Know Jack:
Dropping out! Life Anew at Forty-Two" is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary life lived
out under extraordinary
circumstances. Jack R. Taylor has a genuinely impress flair for the kind of descriptive
storytelling style that is ideal for
fully engaging the reader's attention from start to finish. Thoughtful, informative, insightful,
dramatic, "You Don't Know
Jack" from C.J. Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists
and community library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections.
PR: Jack R. Taylor (www.jackdroppingout.com) was born in San Diego in 1935 and raised
across a string of schools and
homes with guidance from numerous mentors. Jack went on to earn a football scholarship to
Stanford University, where he
received his BA in Education, followed by an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of
Business. He built a successful
career in real estate and finance, co-founding Sutter Hill Development Company and Cypress
Properties and leading the
development of more than thirty shopping centers across California and Nevada. He later served
for seven years as
chairman of the finance committee for the Stanford Athletic Board. Since retiring from business,
Jack has lived a life
defined by exploration, including sailing the Hawaiian Islands aboard his own boat and scuba
diving from the Great
Barrier Reef to Puget Sound.
Grappling With Ghosts
James Harvey
www.grapplingwithghosts.com
Lulu Publishing
www.lulu.com
9781300960829, $24.95, PB, 276pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Grappling-Ghosts-Childhood-Memories-Postwar/dp/1300960825
Synopsis: From time as a child growing up in an orphanage to an adult writing speeches for
presidents, James Harvey has
traveled a rocky road to live out the American dream.
A memoir of his childhood, with the publication of "Grappling With Ghosts: Childhood
Memories from Postwar Ireland
and London" Harvey recreates the strange and remote realities of the daily struggles of life in
post-war rural Ireland and
bomb-shattered London.
The Ireland of Harvey's childhood was just 30 years removed from 700 years of British
domination and had scarcely
emerged from the 19th century. It remained a "priest-ridden, God-forsaken race", in James
Joyce's acerbic description.
London, meanwhile, shrouded in fog and greasy coal soot with armless and legless veterans
everywhere you turned, was
the epicenter of an exhausted debtor nation, still clinging to an image of British exceptionalism
as a young Queen
Elizabeth took the throne and the empire circled the drain.
"Grappling With Ghosts" is a truly engaging memoir revealing the struggles of the Harveys in
both Irish history and British
snobbery as the family fought for a place in the world amidst the alcohol-fueled domestic
violence so common in Ireland's
"33rd county", the Kilburn area bordering London's Paddington and St. John's Wood
neighborhoods.
"Grappling With Ghosts" also takes the reader from the day in 1944 when Harvey and his twin
brother were delivered by
their grandmother in a thatched Irish cottage to the day in 1958 when the family climbed aboard a
plane for a 14-hour,
non-stop flight from London to New York.
Critique: Occasionally illustrated with historical B/W photos, "Grappling With Ghosts:
Childhood Memories from Postwar
Ireland and London" by James Harvey is a deftly crafted and inherently fascinating memoir of a
man and his family that
will hold special appeal to readers with an interest in 20th Century Irish/British and American
Immigrant histories and
biographies. Exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Grappling With
Ghosts" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university
library 20th Century
Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback
edition of "Grappling With
Ghosts" from Lulu Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note: James Harvey, husband and father, has been a bartender, truck driver, boxer,
public speaker, university
official, and presidential speechwriter. A native of Donegal, Ireland, he was educated in England,
Ireland, and the United
States. Early in his professional career, he served on the staff of the U.S. Congress and as a
lobbyist for the Carter White
House. A graduate of Villanova University, he has trained school superintendents in the United
States, lectured on
education all over the world, and holds a master's degree in history from the University of
Pittsburgh and a doctorate from
Seattle University.
The General Fiction Shelf
Showing Up
Lo Orsini
https://lo-orsini.com
Yellow Labrador Books
9798990736115, $9.99, PB, 178pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Showing-Up-Lynn-Orsini/dp/B0FR3S2M1B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/showing-up-lynn-orsini/1147665588
Syopsis: Gia Giordano lives by three rules: work hard, be kind, and help others.
But this summer, those principles are about to be pushed to the limit.
A beloved high school guidance counselor, Gia heads to Deer Valley, Utah for a long-overdue
vacation with her big,
chaotic Italian family-and to celebrate her 40th birthday in style. Confident, funny, and secretly
craving a little attention for
once, she's planned the ultimate birthday bash to mark the milestone.
But everything comes crashing down when her brother Dominic drops a bombshell: he's getting
married. This weekend. In
Deer Valley. With the whole family. To a woman, Bridget, whom only half of the family has ever
met.
Just like that, Gia's birthday is bumped for a wedding no one knew was happening-and worse,
everyone's too excited to
notice her heartbreak.
Refusing to fade into the background, Gia rallies her niece and nephews to help secretly reboot
her party plans. But the
deeper she dives into her mission, the more she finds herself bending the very values she's built
her life on. Her
well-meaning parents are too busy with wedding chaos to notice the drama unfolding, and her
sister Valentina urges her to
let it go-maybe a wedding isn't such a bad thing!?
As the celebration Gia dreamed of slips further away, she must decide what matters most:
standing her ground, or standing
by her family.
Critique: An original and fun read from start to finish, "Showing Up" showcases author Lo
Orsini's genuine flair for the
kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is laced with humor and raises family
themed fiction to an
impressive level of literary excellence. While this paperback edition of "Showing Up" from
Yellow Labrador Books is an
especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary American
General Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Showing Up" is also available in a
digital book format
(Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Lo Orsini (https://lo-orsini.com) is a self-published author with a passion for
contemporary American
fiction, crafting stories that delve into the heart of humor and family dynamics. "Showing Up" is
her first novel and reflects
the complexities and quirks of everyday life, offering readers relatable and heartfelt characters
and narratives that resonate
across generations.
The Heart of a Champion
Alexis Minnich
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977284709, $21.95, PB, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Champion-Book-Amateur-Dreams/dp/1977284701
Synopsis: For Lou, horses have never been just a hobby. They have been her safe place, her
identity, her greatest joy, and
sometimes her greatest heartbreak.
Lou finally feels as though years of hard work are paying off. Alongside her beloved horse Jack,
she begins the show
season riding better than ever, chasing the kind of jumper rounds she once only dreamed about.
For the first time,
confidence replaces doubt, and it feels like the future they worked so hard for is finally within
reach.
Then everything begins to change.
As Jack's soundness and overall well-being slowly decline, the plans Lou built her life around
begin slipping away. What
follows is an emotional and deeply honest journey through uncertainty, disappointment, fear, and
the quiet grief that comes
with loving a horse you cannot fix. Forced to rethink her goals, her confidence, and even her
identity as a rider, Lou leans
heavily on the friendships, barn family, and horses that continue to carry her forward when she
no longer knows where the
path leads.
Critique: An impressively original, exceptional, and deftly crafted novel, "The Heart of a
Champion" by author and adult
amateur equestian Alexis Minnich is the second title in the her 'Amateur Dreams Series' and
offers the reader a realistic
behind-the-scenes look at the genuine and authentic equestrian world from the perspective of an
adult amateur rider
balancing work, finances, relationships, ambition, self-doubt, and the enormous emotional
weight of loving horses so
completely. Along with an inherently interesting story is an honest reality of early mornings,
show nerves, setbacks,
sacrifices, barn drama, unexpected joy, and the emotional bond between horse and rider. "The
Heart of a Champion is
ultimately a story about perseverance, healing, friendship, and learning that sometimes the
greatest victories happen far
outside the show ring. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal
reading lists and community
library contemporary fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition from
Outskirts Press is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Alexis Minnich, a Regulatory and Food Safety Manager in her professional life,
combines her experience
as an adult amateur equestrian along with her life-long passion for horses and brings to life the
semi-autobiographic series
Amateur Dreams. She currently resides in Northeast Ohio, close to her friends and family whom
she loves spending time
with. When she is not working, at home with friends or family, you will find Alexis at the barn or
in the show ring.
Not Enough Words
Anthony Bradshaw
C & C Publishing Company
https://www.candcpublishingcompany.com
9798231762446, $12.99, PB, 206pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Enough-Words-Hurricane-Helene/dp/B0FND2V8D2
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-enough-words-anthony-bradshaw/1148004789
Synopsis: "Not Enough Words" by Anthony Bradshaw is a novel about the people in a close knit,
small town community
in the mountains who must grapple with the destructive force of Hurricane Helene.
In the wake of this natural disaster, a diverse cast (including the earnest pastor Wesley, a grieving
young man Thad, and
several community members) is forced to confront personal loss, lingering guilt, strained
relationships, and spiritual
doubts. Amid the chaos of broken infrastructure and emotional turmoil, they must find ways to
rebuild their lives through
faith, community support, and individual healing.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting and memorable read from
start to finish, author
Anthony Bradshaw's genuine and remarkable flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling style brings his
novel, "There Are No Words", 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 "There Are No Words" from the C & C
Publishing Company is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Anthony Bradsha on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49282817.Anthony_Bradshaw
The Last Catamount
Mark Lavine
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747124, $17.95, PB, 116pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Catamount-Mark-Lavine/dp/B0GWLN5M7Y
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-catamount-mark-lavine/1149866061
Synopsis: Set deep in Vermont's Green Mountains, "The Last Catamount" is an original story by
novelist Mark Lavine that
blends wilderness adventure, local history, and a unique perspective on the interplay between
instinct and an emerging
sense of self-awareness in the minds of wild animals.
"The Last Catamount" is voiced by both main characters -- a retired man pursuing the art of trail
making, and a catamount
mother desperate to feed her two starving cubs. Sharing the same patch of remote wilderness, the
two dance around each
other from a distance until forces beyond their control bring them together.
Of special note is the enhancement of this deftly crafted novel with the inclusion of numerous
color photographs that
showcase the beauty of wild Vermont.
Here is a sample of author Mark Lavine's distinctive and engaging storytelling style:
This afternoon, for the first time in two months, I leave the den because I hear it coming and I
want to watch, from a
distance. It's still there now, repeatedly bending over to rip out small plants, but it doesn't eat
them. Instead, it tosses them
aside. Is it leaving them there to eat later? Does it know that bending over like that, with such
predictable timing, makes it
a ridiculously easy target? Occasionally, it whacks above at a tree branch or bends one back and
forth until it falls to the
ground. Then it just tosses the branch into the woods. Whatever it's doing, it remains upright and
utterly unafraid. At odd
times, it stops and looks around, but it doesn't appear to be scouting for prey. It acts and moves as
if it's the top predator,
and I have to respect that, even though it's size, strength, and movement suggest an easy kill.
Maybe that's what Ud was
trying to tell me, that the Other must have a hidden and deadly weapon.
There aren't very many of those kinds of animals around here, but they do exist, and my body not
only knows they exist but
also knows the best way of dealing with them. It's a built-in mechanism. First of all, we take a lot
of time, days even, to
carefully observe any animal that we've never killed before. We know to be wary of camouflaged
threats. Snakes, skunks,
and porcupines are examples of these kinds of animals. The technique is to watch first, then
approach slowly. While still at
least two leaps away, it's important to make a quick move to prompt a reaction, so if it really does
have a hidden weapon, it
will deploy it prematurely, while you are still at a safe distance. While it's true that such a move
reveals your location and
spoils the immediate hunt, getting the information is more important. Then, if no hidden threat is
triggered, you can hunt
the prey in the usual manner.
That's probably the reason Ud warned me off the Other that day; he was trying to tell me that
they're off-limits because
they have hidden weapons. But there was something else in his eyes, a feeling, a deeper fear of
the Other itself that went
beyond just our own danger from its immediate response to an attack. Because Ud's look was not
routine. It wasn't a
reminder to test for the threat at two leaps. It said we need to leave now, and never since have I
come within three giant
leaps of the Other.
But today I am watching, from several leaps away, yes, but I am watching, and it's only because
of the awful sounds of my
starving littles.
Critique: A brilliantly scripted and intriguing read from cover to cover, "The Last Catamount" is
a carefully crafted novel
that will hold a very special and enduring appeal to readers with an interest in original
anthropomorphic stories involving
the interplay and life experiences of sentient wildlife and humans. This paperback edition of "The
Last Catamount" is a
prime and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction
collections and personal
reading lists.
Editorial Note: Catamount Mountain Press (is a small, independent book publisher located in
Vermont.
(https://www.catamountmountainpress.com)
In & Out of Folsom
Duzeet Madeer
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747100, $19.95, PB, 334pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Out-Folsom-Duzeet-Madeer/dp/B0GX2SDXPG
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-out-of-folsom-duzeet-madeer/1149898706
Synopsis: A botched heist got him in and a brilliant escape got him out. But it was what he
learned along the way that got
him home?
"In & Out of Folsom" is more than just another heist, capture, and escape themed novel. Author
Duzeet Madeer's genuine
flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style will create a very special
resonance with the reader.
Here is an example:
Excerpt from chapter 22 (Downriver):
...Now I get it. We've got a head start, and for the first time, I allow myself to consider the
possibility that we just might
actually get away with it. I lean my head out the window and watch the corn fields fly by in an
ecstatic blur, the hot wind in
my face blasting into me a reminder that I'm now on the outside. It's then that it hits me: freedom
is not a definition.
Freedom is a feeling. It's not some minimum set of allowed choices or some defined area within
which you're permitted to
operate. It's a feeling. Freedom is a feeling. It's the exhilaration that rushes into the wake of an
unburdening. It's not
experienced by those who know they're free because they live in a free country. It's not
experienced by those who depend
upon others to remove their chains, at a time and place of the other's choosing and under
other-dictated circumstances and
rules. Now I realize why I couldn't accept their offer of release. I would have missed out on my
real freedom, the kind that's
known only to those who have freed themselves...
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, exceptional, and a truly memorable read from start to finish, the
narrative skills of
novelist Duzeet Madeer raises "In & Out of Folsom" to an impressive level of literary excellence.
"In & Out of Folsom" is
an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community
library collections.
Editorial Note: Duzeet Madeer is also the author of "From the Remains of the Melting Pot"
(Catamount Mountain Press,
9798994747100, $19.95, PB, 334pp).
Lost Secrets of the Scottish Castle
Jane Lovering
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835332818, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/lost%20secrets%20of%20the%20scottish%20castle
Synopsis: When Perdita McKell's brother Lennox asks her for help to fund his hairbrained
scheme to renovate a
tumbledown Scottish castle, she fears it will only end in disaster. But a lifetime of sister guilt,
complicated family
relationships and a general sense of malaise are enough for her to ignore her instincts.
The castle in question, Dunaire Castle, was the seventeenth-century home to their ancestor, the
Earl George McKell, so
Perdita can understand Lennox's romantic notion that they should be the rightful owners and the
ones to love it back to life.
Slowly and in ways Perdita could never have expected, Dunaire Castle begins to reveal its
secrets; secrets and choices that
have shaped the lives of generations of her family.
As the McKell story opens up to her, Perdita realises that it's in her hands to change the course of
history and with it the
course of her own life -- if only she can work out how.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun read from cover to cover, with the publication of this
large print paperback
edition of "Lost Secrets of the Scottish Castle", author and storyteller Jane Lovering tells the
intriguing and deftly crafted
story of a Scottish castle, one family's links to the past, and a love story that will linger in the
mind and memory of the
reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Jane Lovering at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/jane-lovering
Straight Out of Gitmo
Victoria Montes
Bee Herd Publishing
9798996181803, $9.95, PB, 184pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Out-Gitmo-Victoria-Montes/dp/B0HDW6XK2T
Synopsis: Annabell Pearson came to Guantanamo Bay to teach physics, not to stand trial for
killing an iguana.
But when Henry, the island's beloved protected iguana, dies after colliding with Annabell's
bicycle, she finds herself
charged with hit-and-run homicide.
Annabell becomes trapped in a media firestorm fueled by conspiracy theories, outrageous
witnesses, the notoriety of Naval
Base Guantanamo Bay, and Michelle Gunner, an ambitious reporter determined to turn the
bizarre case into national
news.
Critique: "Straight Out of Gitmo" by Victoria Montes, is a deftly crafted and wickedly
outrageous satire on the themes of
fame, outrage, and the absurdity of modern life. Author Victoria Montes aptly demonstrates
(along with a flair for the
wickedly funny) the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the
satirical fiction genre.
While especially recommended for community library Contemporary Humorous Fiction
collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Straight Out of Gitmo" from Bee Herd
Publishing is also currently
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Victoria Montes on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1138190.Victoria_Montes
The Mechanicals
Trevor Payne
https://www.trevorpayne.info
Unsolicited Press
https://www.unsolicitedpress.com
9781963115819, $22.95, PB, 230pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanicals-Trevor-Payne-ebook/dp/B0H8KC7MX3
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mechanicals-trevor-payne/1150290501
Synopsis: Jackie and Norman's life together begins not with certainty but with an accident. An
unplanned pregnancy pulls
the two young people into a shared future long before either of them is prepared for it, forcing
them to navigate the
unpredictable mechanics of love, family, and adulthood.
Through their unsettled twenties and unconventional thirties, Jackie and Norman learn to
improvise a life together while
struggling to understand what commitment really demands. Norman works as a feature writer for
the men's magazine
Voyeur, where he befriends Guy Roche, a charismatic and brutally disciplined MMA champion
whose world view both
fascinates and unsettles him.
When Guy dies unexpectedly, Norman and Jackie are drawn into the complicated aftermath of
his life. Helping Guy's
family sort through his estate introduces them to Natasha, Guy's widow and a former adult film
star who has developed her
own pragmatic philosophy about survival, intimacy, and the strange ways people construct
meaning from chaos.
Through their growing friendship with Natasha, Jackie and Norman begin to see their own
relationship more clearly. What
once seemed accidental begins to reveal itself as something built slowly through compromise,
curiosity, and
endurance.
Part love story, part meditation on adulthood, The Mechanicals is a sharp, often funny
exploration of how people build
relationships in a world where nothing arrives according to plan.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish,
"The Mechanicals"
showcases author Tevor Payne's undeniable gift for the kind of philosophy imbued, character and
narrative driven
storytelling style that will hold a very special appeal for readers who appreciate a mixed martial
arts and psychological
themed novel of life, love, and relationships. While unexceptionally and unreservedly
recommended for community and
college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists
that this paperback edition of "The Mechanicals" from Unsolicited Press is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Editorial Note: Tevor Payne (https://www.trevorpayne.info) was born in Toronto and raised in
Ottawa, Canada. He holds
an English degree from Stanford University and an MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University,
where he began writing the
manuscript that would become The Mechanicals. Payne taught public high school English for
twenty-seven years before
leaving the profession and relocating from the Philadelphia suburbs to New York City, where he
now writes full-time.
In Search of Rohan Chang
Lincoln Lee
Beacon 5 Points
9781945316029, $27.99, HC, 378pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Search-Rohan-Chang-Lincoln-Lee/dp/1945316020
Christian Rising Press
https://www.beacon5points.com/book-inner-page
Synopsis: 1997. New York City
Seventeen-year-old Rohan Chang is just trying to survive high school, dodge expectations, and
navigate the gritty, neon-lit
streets of late-90s Manhattan. He's an invisible kid in a world that demands conformity -- until
one night changes
everything.
A terrifying event ignites an ancient, supernatural force within him. Overnight, Rohan transforms
from a nobody into
something unimaginable. The power is real. And now everyone wants a piece of him.
Meanwhile, a serial killer stalks the city.
Rohan's mind is a battlefield. To protect the people he loves, he must master wild new abilities,
outsmart deadly enemies,
and defy the stereotypes that threaten to define him. In the end, what does it truly cost to be a
hero?
Critique: A superhero in the making story by Lincoln Lee, "In Search of Rohan Chang" is a fun
and riveting read from start
to finish. Lee's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is
ideal for the superhero genre
and will prove to be an immediately and enduringly popular pick for community library
superhero fantasy themed YA
Fiction collections for ages 14 and up. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of teenage
and young adult
superhero fans that this hardcover edition of "In Search of Rohan Chang" from Christian Rising
Press is also readily
available in paperback (9781945316128, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Lincoln Lee on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/555330.Lincoln_Lee
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Strawberry Moon
Amber Hoyem
Independently Published
9798196866074, $22.99, HC, 331pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Strawberry-Light-Shadow-Amber-Hoyem/dp/B0H46GTCQK
Synopsis: In 1630s Massachusetts (a world of brutal winters, fragile alliances, and rising
violence) Sarah is caught between
the two identities the colony refuses to let her hold at once.
When Puritan soldiers destroy Merrymount and seize her English father, she is forced into her
mother's Massachusetts
village, where she is both welcomed and quietly set apart. To one world she is Sarah. To the
other, Kimi. In neither does
she fully belong.
Across the river, John Whipple arrives from England as an indentured servant, bound to labor
under harsh authority in a
land that offers him no standing -- only survival.
When smallpox and a hurricane bring their lives together in the same fragile world, Sarah and
John form a bond that
neither English law nor Indigenous expectation can accept. But in a colony defined by fear,
purity, and rising violence,
even small connections carry consequences.
As the Pequot War erupts and the world around them fractures into brutality, both are forced to
confront what survival
demands -- and what belonging costs.
Separated by circumstance and shaped by loss, each must decide whether identity is something
inherited... or something
chosen?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Strawberry
Moon" launches author
Amber Hoyem's new 'The Light and Shadow' historical fiction series. With a genuine flair for the
kind of character and
narrative driven storytelling style that raises her novel to an impressive level of literary
excellence and reader engagement,
"Strawberry Moon" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading
lists and community library
Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for readers with an interest in American
Historical Romance Fiction that
this hardcover edition of "Strawberry Moon" is also readily available in paperback
(9798196990960, $15.99) and in a
digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Amber Hoyem is a former secondary educator whose 2015 descent into
genealogical research opened a
door into early American history and the quiet, persistent stories preserved in family records.
What began as a curiosity
became a years-long pursuit of emotional and historical truth -- one that eventually led her to
ancestral ties with John and
Sarah Whipple and the scattered archival traces that sparked her novel, "Strawberry Moon".
From the Remains of the Melting Pot
Duzeet Madeer
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747117, $19.95, PB, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Remains-Melting-Pot-Duzeet-Madeer/dp/B0GX2JY94M
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-the-remains-of-the-melting-pot-duzeet-madeer/1150814250
Synopsis: UCLA.1955.
Blue skies are stirring with the first breezes of a powerful and long overdue storm that's about to
sweep the country. Not
even the UCLA (a bucolic Southern California university) can escape the rising tension, as three
new students from sharply
different backgrounds soon discover. They form an unlikely but strengthening friendship, and
before long this bond
becomes their best protection against the unexpected threats that lie ahead.
Author Duzeet Madeer's novel, "From the Remains of the Melting Pot" is framed by the college
setting of a major
California campus and accurately describes the social and cultural issues of an emerging Baby
Boom generation coming of
age in the '50s and celebrates the resilience of friendships in the face of looming chaos. Duzeet
Madeer's storytelling style
is perfectly suited to the full engagement of the reader. Here is an example of his narrative style
and expertise:
Excerpt from Chapter 15:
"Yeah, you stay the hell away from his sister," added Jerrod, in what had to be the biggest fuckup
in a long line of fuckups
he'd been stringing together all day. James didn't respond, hoping it might somehow slide by
unnoticed, but that was
unlikely. There was no one to blame but himself, of course, since he knew from the start that
Jerrod was unreliable, but
he'd been left with no other options. He didn't run in the kind of circles that would offer him
choices for a job like this, or
that could follow through on threats like the one he'd just made, for that matter.
"We're going to leave now, so if you thought we were going to cut you, now is the time to relax.
But if there's a next time,
it won't be me and it'll get ugly, that's for sure. So you both think about that, for the good of the
baby, right?"
He felt bad about mentioning the baby at all, but this was his one chance to scare the guy off, and
after all, it was his
sister's safety he was trying to protect here. Fortunately, Jerrod kept his mouth shut and they both
turned and walked
toward the still wide-open front door. Aside from that one glaring mistake, James thought it had
gone about as well as he
could have expected and was looking forward to debriefing his sister at her place later in the day.
As he crossed the
threshold of the doorway and stepped into the brilliant sunshine, he could never have imagined
that this reunion would be
years away.
Critique: Exceptional, extraordinary, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover,
"From the Remains of the
Melting Pot" is 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. This paperback edition of "From the Remains of the
Melting Pot" from
Catamount Mountain Press is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for both
personal reading lists, as
well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: Duzeet Madeer is also the author of "In and Out of Folsom" (Catamount
Mountain Press, 9798994747100,
$19.95, PB, 334pp).
The Bootlegger's Daughter: A San Francisco Tale
Joseph Andrew Cerny
Independently Published
9798993547527, $24.99, HC, 355pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bootleggers-Daughter-San-Francisco-Tale/dp/B0G231Y9YJ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bootleggers-daughter-joseph-andrew-cerny/1148837693
Synopsis: Although a work of fiction, "The Bootlegger's Daughter: A San Francisco Tale" by
Joseph Andrew Cerny is
inspired by and based upon a remarkable and true story transporting readers to the vibrant,
turbulent streets of early
twentieth-century San Francisco, where opportunity and hardship walked hand in hand.
Born to Irish immigrant parents in a San Francisco still rebuilding from the devastating 1906
earthquake, young Ann White
comes of age during some of America's most transformative decades.
As Prohibition takes hold, her father turns to bootlegging to support the family, drawing Ann into
the hidden world of
Prohibition-era bootlegging of hidden whiskey, whispered secrets, and difficult choices.
What begins as a childhood in a hardworking Irish immigrant family soon becomes a journey
through the Spanish Flu
pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, and the ever-changing landscape of San
Francisco.
Rich with historical detail and unforgettable characters, "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is sweeping
family saga explores
resilience, sacrifice, love, and the enduring strength of a woman determined to persevere through
life's greatest
challenges.
From the hidden corners of Prohibition-era speakeasies to the hopes and heartbreaks of a family
striving for a better future,
"The Bootlegger's Daughter" is an inspiring tale of courage, heritage, and survival that will stay
with readers long after the
final page.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and an inherently engaging read from start to finish, "The
Bootlegger's Daughter: A San
Francisco Tale" showcases author Joseph Andrew Cerny's impressive style of character and
narrative driven storytelling
and a writing style that lifts his historical novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. All
the more impressive when
considering that "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is Cerny's debut as a novelist, this is one of those
stories that will linger in
the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf.
"The Bootlegger's
Daughter" is an especially and unreservedly pick for community library Historical Fiction
collections. It should be noted
for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is also
available in paperback
(9798993547510, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Joseph Cerny was born in San Francisco and is a descendant of several
bootleggers. In 1988, after
graduating from the University of California, San Diego, with degrees, including one in
American History, he attended Old
Dominion/Eastern Virginia Medical School and graduated in 1992. After a career as a family
physician spanning nearly
thirty years, Cerny is now a volunteer for Placer County Museums in Northern California. He
dresses up in period clothing
and gives tours of old- town Auburn, a former Gold Rush town, in the foothills of the Sierra
Mountains. He also gives
tours of Bernhard House, an old hotel converted into a home, with wine-making complexes on
the property.
Blueland
Robert Jaxx
https://www.robertjaxx.com
Waterstone Press
c/o Voyage Books
9798234016201, $15.99, PB, 274pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Blueland-Robert-Jaxx/dp/B0H91BPG5G
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blueland-robert-jaxx/1150841809
Synopsis: April 1865.
Before the Civil War draws its final breath, Captain Alden Zur deserts the Union Army with
three hardened soldiers: men
fleeing the brutality of what they've seen, haunted by what they've done. With his family in tow,
Alden leads them west --
not in search of hope, but distance from a nation unraveling.
The journey is unforgiving. Hunger gnaws. Violence stalks. Lawlessness erodes any semblance
of order. Trust becomes a
gamble, mercy a risk, and with every mile, Alden and his men are driven to choices that strip
away what remains of their
souls.
In the wilds of Colorado, they find Blueland, a place brimming with opportunity, but only for
those willing to fight for it.
Winters bite hard, rivalries turn deadly, and justice is carved out at gunpoint. Here, they build
lives from dust and blood,
raising families in a land that demands everything and forgives nothing.
"Blueland" by Robert Jaxx is a novel about honor, loyalty, and friendship forged on the razor's
edge between civilization
and savagery -- and where the war doesn't end.
It simply moves west.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, a simply fascinating and fully engaging read from start to
finish, "Blueland" showcases
author Robert Jaxx genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style
that is ideal for the
historical fiction genre. A compelling novel of drama set in the turbulent times of a yesteryear
American west, "Blueland"
is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal
reading lists that this paperback edition of "Blueland" from Waterstone Press is also currently
available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $2.99 / B&N $0.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Jaxx (https://www.robertjaxx.com) is the author of the thriller, Sunset
House, released in 2019, as
well as the psychological thriller, Swan, released in 2020 - winner of the 8th annual Beverly Hills
Book Awards, The
Allbooks Review Awards, and the 2021 Pinnacle Book Awards for Best Fiction.
The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A Telling
Dr. Leroy Lowe
Independently Published
9798187678136, $24.99, HC, 319pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Stone-Light-Magdala-Telling/dp/B0HB77Q5M1
Synopsis: Now, at the end of a long life, an old woman sets it down the story of herself -- the
whole of it, unflinching, the
way it truly was.
Mary of Magdala remembers the bright town on the lake where she was a child, and everything
the years took from it: a
brother lost to a Roman cross, a mother lost to grief, a town that decided what she was and closed
its doors against her. She
remembers the long dark that followed -- and the day a teacher from Nazareth looked at her,
really looked, and did not turn
away.
What comes after is the road, and the women who walked it, and a love that remade her. It is the
hill where the men
scattered and she would not move. It is a garden at first light, the sound of her own name spoken
aloud, and the impossible
morning she was sent to carry into a world not ready to believe that a woman had seen it
first.
Although a work of Christian fiction, "The Black Stone and the Light" by Leroy Lowe gives the
Gospel's most overlooked
witness her own voice at last -- tender and honest story about grief, doubt, and being disbelieved,
and, in the end,
profoundly consoling. Of special note is the Scripture deftly woven through an imagined life that
will interest anyone who
has ever sensed there was more to the story of Mary Magdalene than we were told in our Sunday
School classes.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, compelling, and an inherently fascinating read from start to
finish, author Leroy Lowe
demonstrates a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is
ideal for the Christian
Historical Fiction genre. A female Gospel figure who has been a controversial subject to Church
authorities and members
of the Christian community from antiquity down to the present day, Mary of Magala (also known
as Mary Magdalene) is
brought vividly to life in the pages of "The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A
Telling". While unreservedly
recommended for community library Christian themed Historical Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal
reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A
Telling" is also available
in paperback (9798187626748, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Leroy Lowe is a Canadian scientist and author who has spent a lifetime moving
between worlds that rarely
meet. He is currently directing the creation of the Global Research Action Network for
Discovery, which aspires to become
the largest international research network in the world. He has always been a voracious reader of
non-fiction, and over
many years Lowe has studied the canonical texts of the world's great faiths, returning again and
again to the New
Testament. It is from that long attention that his first book, "The Black Stone and the Light"
evolved.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale
Giorgio Cittadini
Independently Published
9798293644650, $20.00, HC, 194pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ariel-Beyond-Genoese-Giorgio-Cittadini/dp/B0FK5JR7MJ
Synopsis: "Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale" by Giorgio Cittadini is a philosophical novel that
blurs the boundaries
between reality and fantasy, time and eternity, through the extraordinary encounter between
Damian (a scientist
disillusioned by the predictability of his discipline) and Ariel, the spirit of the air immortalized
by Shakespeare.
When Ariel appears in Damian's life after four hundred and fifteen years of wandering, a
profound dialogue begins.
Haunted by the relentless passage of time and a longing to transcend the limits of human
existence, Damian finds in Ariel a
reflective companion who leads him through essential questions: Can time be outwitted? Can the
ghosts of the past take
form? Where does illusion end and reality begin?
Their conversations (ranging from philosophy to theology, from the nature of time to the art of
magic) forge a bond that
surpasses the master-servant dynamic. Ariel's otherworldly insight and his power to summon
parallel realms spark
Damian's inner transformation, forcing him to confront his obsessions and accept life's
immutable laws.
The novel unfolds in lyrical moments (such as the ritual of preparing coffee, a metaphor for
perfection in the everyday) and
in sharp reflections on the human condition. As past and present intertwine, and figures like
Wallis and Helga drift through
the narrative bearing echoes of alternate lives, the reader is invited to question the very fabric of
reality.
"Ariel and Beyond" blends the richness of European literary tradition with a contemporary
sensibility, offering a
meditation on love, death, memory, and the search for meaning in a universe ruled by indifferent
laws. More than one
man's philosophical journey, "Ariel and Beyond" is a meditation on solitude, time, desire, and the
invisible threads that
connect us.
"Ariel and Beyond" is a novel for readers who value the elegance of ideas, the music of language,
and the quiet beauty of
closely observed moments.
Critique: Original, eloquent, deftly crafted, "Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale" is a flawless
blending of fantasy,
philosophy, and commentary on the human condition that will resonate among readers who
appreciate how the character
and narrative driven storytelling style of poet/author Giorgio Cittadini has raised his unique novel
to an impressive level of
literary excellence. While an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and
college/university library
Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Ariel and Beyond:
A Genoese Tale" is also
readily available in paperback (9798292590545, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.00).
Editorial Note: In 1985, Giorgio Cittadini published his first collection of poems, La gioia di
cercare (The Joy of Seeking),
followed in 1988 by Il pensiero del coccio (The Thought of the Shard). In 1989, his poetry
collection La morte di Mirsilo
(The Death of Myrsilus) was awarded the prestigious Rhegium Julii Prize.
His novel Ariele e dopo (Ariel and After, 1999) was translated into Romanian by tefan Damian.
In 1999, he published a
translation of the celebrated poem Anabase by Saint-John Perse, accompanied by an extensive
Reading Guide to the Work.
Selected poems, translated into French, appeared in 2009 in the literary journals La Revue des
Archers and Phoenix.
In 2016 he published, in close collaboration with French semiologist and writer Joelle Gardes, a
translation of the
Provencal poems by Saint-John Perse - Chronique and Chant pour un Equinoxe. In 2019, he
released the collection of
poems Residui di tuono (Echoes of Thunder), which received third prize in the Intercontinental
Literary Arts Competition
Le Nove Muse. In 2022, he curated a new translation of Anabase, complete with a critical
apparatus detailing its historical,
structuralist, and poetic aspects. In 2023, he published a revised and expanded edition of Ariele e
dopo - Il giorno del
Bagatto (Ariel and After - The Magician's Day).
In 2025, a selection of his poems was included in the anthology I Poeti di Ponte Vecchio. In
2025, he published two new
collections: Poesie Disperse (Uncollected Poems), a retrospective poetic journey spanning four
decades, and Moments for
E., a bilingual Italian - English edition exploring the intimate geography of affection and
memory.
Inside Henry Cato
Katharine English
https://kenglish.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901743577, $19.99, PB, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Henry-Cato-Katharine-English/dp/B0HCHF37MC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inside-henry-cato-katharine-english/1150947478
Synopsis: All Henry Cato wants is to belong. But he was born to a woman who saw the world as
a series of stains to be
scrubbed clean -- and young Henry as the deepest stain of all. In a root cellar deep below the
Kansas topsoil, he does
penance for being different, nurturing a secret obsession with shoes he was never meant to
wear.
In 1967, with nothing but a sharp eye for detail, a talent for thievery, and a desperate need for
belonging, Henry flees to
San Francisco. There, Del, a charismatic Texas oil heir, exploits Henry's taboo fascination and
catapults him to cult
stardom. For the first time, Henry feels seen - but the persona that promises liberation becomes a
gilded cage.
When he escapes to the gritty, industrial playground of New York City's Meatpacking District,
Henry must navigate
predators, fame, and reinvention -- and reconcile the boy who still feels like a forgery with the
person he is becoming. Or
risk losing himself entirely.
"Inside Henry Cato" is author Katharine English's bold, compassionate exploration of identity,
sexuality, and the tactile
language of shoes. It is the story of a survivor learning to stand in the light of an ambiguous
world.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and compelling 'coming of age' novel by Katharine English,
"Inside Henry Cato" will
create a distinct resonance with readers who themselves spend their adolescence and young adult
hood in the 70s. With an
effective and engaging narrative style of storytelling, (and all the more impressive when
considering that it is her debut as a
novelist) author Katharine English raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence.
While this paperback
edition of "Inside Henry Cato" from Atmosphere Press is especially and unreservedly
recommended for personal reading
lists and community library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be
noted that it is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Katharine English (https://kenglish.com) spent years at the intersection of
emerging technology and human
behavior -- helping organizations navigate the gap between disruptive capability and the cultures
required to sustain it.
Katharine completed an MLA in writing and leaned fully into her creative life. Now, as a novelist
and essayist based in
New York City, she's spent the better part of her life paying close attention to people -- what they
want, what they're afraid
of, and the stories they tell themselves to get through the day. She also writes essays and fiction
for her Substack newsletter
Nobody Famous where she also explores the overlooked people and quiet scenes of city life --
the moments when what we
passed right by turns out to be something extraordinary.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Of Flaw and Scorn
Vera Bell
https://www.verabellauthor.com
Timebound Publishing
9798994680520, $25.99, HC, 308pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Flaw-Scorn-Enemies-Lovers-Historical/dp/B0GQ95RKGZ
Synopsis: Irish coast, 795 A.D.
While gathering wild strawberries near her fishing village, thirteen-year-old Brigit stumbles into
the path of a young
Viking warrior, Reidar. A night terror come alive, the heathen boy is part of a Norse horde
descended on Ireland beneath
the cover of night. Eager for conquest and glory on his first raid, Reidar takes Brigit captive. But
when her terror stirs an
overwhelming compassion, he defies his father and saves her from his own people as they raze
her village. This
unexpected act of mercy sears Brigit's memory into his soul and becomes his Great Flaw.
Seven years later, the Vikings storm the Irish keep where Brigit is trapped in a loveless marriage.
Amid the raid, their
young warlord sets his sights on Brigit. Her faith, once her anchor, has withered under years of
loss and hardship, and her
Great Scorn for Norsemen and all who wronged her has become her only armor.
Yet her defenses crumble as she wrestles with a dangerous attraction to her enemy. Bound to her
captor's will and
surrounded by savagery, Brigit fights to preserve her dignity and fading faith as she clings to the
memory of the boy who
once spared her. But the man Reidar has become a hardened warrior, sworn to vengeance and
shackled by blood feud.
Both are doomed to ruin unless they open their hearts to the one power greater than the Flaw and
Scorn that bind
them.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted historical novel of forbidden love, heartbreaking loss, and
ultimately redeeming
faith amid 8th Century Viking and Irish conflicts, "Of Flaw and Scorn" showcases author Vera
Bell's impressive and
exceptional flair for the kind of riveting and character driven storytelling style that is ideal for the
historical romance/action
genre. Of special appeal to readers with an interest in Viking and Christian themed historical
romance, "Of Flaw and
Scorn" is unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. It
should be noted for personal
reading lists that this hardcover edition for "Of Flaw and Scorn" from Timebound Publishing is
also available in paperback
(9798994680513, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Vera Bell (https://www.verabellauthor.com) is a Georgia Author of the Year
nominee and a recipient of
multiple literary awards. Though her faith journey began in childhood, a series of transformative
events led her to embrace
Christ, reshaping the stories she feels called to tell. After writing a secular historical romance
trilogy, she now creates from
a place grounded in deeper purpose. She can be followed on social media @verabellauthor
The Western Fiction Shelf
Easy Money
J. D. Sandon
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857542, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 304pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444857542
Synopsis: Easy money comes hard when the price is blood!
Zacatecas was the stumbling block that barred Pancho Villa's advance on Mexico City. The
Federale garrison was fighting
his bandit army to a standstill. But word came of howitzers stored in Tampico, and Villa called
on the four men he trusted
most to bring him guns -- The Gringos.
What they didn't know was that the whole deal was a trap -- an elaborate plan to destroy them.
And when the jaws swung
shut, they were left to escape the way they knew best... by fighting clear!
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and inherently fascinating western by a true
master of the genre, this large
print paperback edition from the Linford Western Library of "Easy Money" by J. D. Sandon is
now available and
unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated western action/adventure
stories fans and community
library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by J. D. Sandon available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/j-d-sandon
Hang The Man High
Cole Sheldon
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857559, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 208pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/uk/search/9781444857559
Synopsis: Who could have possibly wanted to kill Jacob King? The rancher was universally
admired, and had done great
work for the town of Destiny Creek. Who hated him enough to put three bullets in his back?
The town had made up its mind about Luke Wainwright's guilt. The trial was a sham, and the
hanging was set for just
twenty-four hours' time.
There wasn't much Jonah Jones could do to help, recovering from a gunshot wound. So
everything hinged on Shane
Preston being able to expose the real killer in time to prevent the hanging. But then Shane was
shot too!
Critique: Another original and riveting read for dedicated western action/adventure fans, this
large print paperback edition
from the Linford Western Library of "Hang The Man High" by Cole Sheldon will prove to be an
extraordinarily welcome
and popular pick for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Cole Sheldon at Fantastic Fiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/cole-shelton
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Echoes of Fortune: Knights of the Golden Circle
David R. Leng
https://davidlengauthor.com
White Publishing
9798991093187, $27.99, HC, $19.99 PB, 460pp
ASIN: B0H46XN5CG, $5.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Fortune-Knights-Golden-Circle-ebook/dp/B0H46XN5CG
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/echoes-of-fortune-david-leng/1150781845
Synopsis: When Professor Jack Sullivan is asked to decode a cipher from the American Civil
War's final days, he expects a
historical curiosity. Instead, he uncovers a thread Jefferson Davis died protecting, a secret never
meant to resurface.
Jack, his fiancee Emma Wilson, and former SEAL Steve Johnson are pulled into a hunt more
dangerous than any Civil
War battlefield. From Washington's archives to the back alleys of New Orleans, from the coast of
Mexico to the shadowed
ridges of Arkansas, every trail leads deeper into the world of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a
brotherhood long believed
defunct.
But the Knights didn't disappear. They became patient.
For 160 years they studied what force could never win. They embedded themselves in the
institutions Americans trust, and
waited for the moment when they wouldn't need to seize power. They would be invited to take
it.
Now their heirs have risen. A cartel is running weapons north while a cyberattack probes the
power grid, and a senator
climbs toward power on the fear both create. And every clue Jack follows was placed there for
him, by people who already
know how his mind works.
He was never hunting the treasure. He was being led to it.
Priya Patel, a Homeland cyber analyst, joins him. Four days remain to break a design older than
anyone imagined, before
the trap closes around everyone he loves.
Some secrets don't stay buried. They grow roots!
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The
Knights of the Golden
Circle" is part of author David Leng's historical action packed fictional adventure series 'Echoes
of Fortune". Leng's
impressively distinctive and effective flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling style is ideally suited
political/conspiracy themed thriller. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both
personal reading lists and
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of
"The Knights of the
Golden Circle" from White Publishing is also currently available in paperback (from Barnes &
Noble) and in a digital
book format (from Amazon).
Editorial Note #1: The Knights of the Golden Circle were a real post-Civil War era secret
society, that spread through the
South and deep into Union territory. It's members were ound by blood oaths and driven by a plan
to build a slave empire
that reached into Mexico. Historians can document this. What they cannot agree on is what came
next. While some say the
order died with the Confederacy. Others follow money that never stopped moving and family
names that held their
influence long after the shooting had stopped.
Editorial Note #2: Davie R. Leng (https://davidlengauthor.com) grew up in southwestern
Pennsylvania, where American
history is not something taught in classrooms. It is something you drive past on the way to work.
The hills around
Pittsburgh hold the bones of the French and Indian War. The fields of western Maryland whisper
of Braddock's
catastrophic defeat. The rivers carry stories that textbooks condensed into a single
paragraph.
David spent decades absorbing those stories, and then started telling his own. The Echoes of
Fortune series is the result:
historical conspiracy thrillers built on the real buried secrets of American history, filtered through
decades of research,
personal exploration, and a deep belief that the past is never quite as settled as we've been
told.
Ripples In Their Wake: A Thriller
Brian Hand
https://www.brianhand.com
Timelines Publishing
9798994794937, $34.99, HC, Dust Jacket, 373pp
9798994794920, $29.99, HC, Case Laminate
9798994794906, $19.99, PB
9798994794913, $9.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ripples-Their-Wake-Brian-Hand-ebook/dp/B0GXV4Y182
Synopsis: With the sale of a startup poised to revive his career, Ry Birk's future is finally within
reach -- until the echoes of
a decades-old plane crash threaten everything he's worked to rebuild. Ry and his tightly knit
circle of childhood friends
have spent years guarding a shared past of guilt, silence, and moral compromise. Now that past
has come looking for
them.
As the line between justice and vengeance blurs, Ry finds himself trapped in a web of
long-buried secrets, where every
answer reveals another lie. He soon discovers that some debts are never forgotten -- and that
someone is willing to kill to
settle them.
A psychological thriller set in contemporary Chicago, "Ripples In Their Wake" is a story of
tested loyalties, impossible
choices, and the devastating consequences of a past that refuses to stay buried.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a simply riveting read for fans of deftly crafted suspense
thrillers from start to finish,
"Ripples In Their Wake" showcases author Brian Hand's impressive flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven
storytelling style that emotionally and intellectually engages the reader's attention from cover to
cover. "Ripples In Their
Wake" from Timelines Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists and community
library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. This hardcover edition of "Ripples In Their
Wake" is also readily
available in paperback and in a digital book format.
Editorial Note: Brian Hand (https://www.brianhand.com) writes psychological thrillers that
explore ambition, loyalty,
moral compromise, and the lasting consequences of impossible choices. His fiction is inspired by
four decades of building
companies, investing in entrepreneurs, and observing how power, ambition, and hidden motives
shape people's lives. Brian
lives and writes in Chicago, a city that serves as more than a backdrop in his fiction. He is
currently at work on his next
novel.
Blood Rituals: A Van Hazard Mystery
Douglas J. Ostling
Cryptic Glyph Press
www.crypticglyphpress.com
9798992980134, $15.99, PB, 388pp
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-rituals-douglas-j-ostling/1150509191
Synopsis: "Blood Rituals" by Douglas Ostling is a dark, twisty mystery suspense thriller of a read
in which resolute
insurance investigator Van Hazard is hired to recover an ancient Mayan manuscript that's left a
bloody trail from Mexico to
Manhattan.
The Xibalba Codex is stolen from a murdered curator before its unveiling in a New York
museum. The chief suspects
include a pair of bitter rivals with links to the priceless artifact: the mercurial tomb robber with a
mysterious past who
found it in a Yucatan jungle temple, and an eccentric scholar and descendant of Mayan shaman
priests who believes he's
the manuscript's rightful custodian. Hazard's unwavering pursuit of the Codex is hindered by a
treacherous ring of
antiquities traffickers, the beguiling lure of a haunted old flame, and the festering wrath of an
overdue debt dead set on
final reckoning.
It should be noted that "Blood Rituals" is a stand-alone entry in author Douglas Ostling's Van
Hazard mystery series
featuring the volatile investigator's exploits recovering lost and stolen art. Hazard is a man at war
with personal demons
and an increasingly unhinged world. Kyoko Dunne, his fearless partner in crime-solving, usually
keeps him from going
over the edge, but this time he'll have to survive a deadly curse to collect his fee.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Blood Rituals"
aptly showcases author
Douglas Ostling's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style
that is ideal for the
action/adventure genre. Especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists
of suspense/thriller fans,
this paperback edition of "Blood Rituals" from Cryptic Glyph Press will prove an immediate and
enduringly popular pick
for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Cryptic Glyph Press is a small, independent publishing house and offspring of
author Douglas J. Ostling.
It's current raison d'etre centers around The Van Hazard Mystery Series, featuring the
uncompromising fictional
investigator's cases finding lost and stolen art and his insistence the nefarious characters he
pursues in the shadows are held
to account.
The Secret of the Lantern Keepers
Jenni Keer
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836560968, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20secret%20of%20the%20lantern%20keepers
Synopsis: Set in a Victorian lunatic asylum on the bleak Cornish moors, "The Secret of the
Lantern Keepers is the first
novel in a gripping historical trilogy by Jenni Kerr and introduces the astonishing Averly
triplets.
When Edith Averly is sent to investigate a murder at Green Briar Lunatic Asylum, a rambling
gothic institution on the
edge of the Cornish moors, she's horrified to realise that in order to infiltrate the asylum, she'll
have to pretend to be mad
herself...
Several weeks before her arrival, her beloved father stipulates in his will that his reclusive but
strangely-gifted daughters
must live apart from each other for a whole year in order to retain their family home. As a further
condition of their
inheritance, he assigns them each a crime that he was unable to solve during his recent years of
armchair detecting.
The eldest sister, Edith, can see echoes of violent events from the past. So when she is sent to the
remote Cornish asylum
where the brutal murder of Dr Hawkins took place seven years ago - she is quickly overwhelmed
by her disturbing visions
and begins to fear for her both her sanity and her safety...
Because Green Briar is a place that asks more questions than it answers. Such as, why is the
darkly-handsome new doctor
in charge unable to meet her eye? Where do the patients keep disappearing to? And who are the
Lantern Keepers and what
are the secrets they keep?
Only Edith can find out... if Dr Hawkins' killer doesn't find her first!
Critique: A fun and fascinating read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition of
"The Secret of the Lantern
Keepers" by novelist Jenni Keer is very highly recommended for both the personal reading lists
of dedicated historical
mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this
edition of "The Secret of
the Lantern Keepers" is also readily available from Boldwood Books in a CD and MP3-CD audio
book formats ($116.95 /
$99.41, 9 Hours 42 Minutes) and narrated by Helen Keeley.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Jenni Keer at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/jenni-keer
A Hunt for Justice
John Pilkington
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807346102, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/A%20Hunt%20for%20Justice
Synopsis: England, 1617.
Susanna Cobbett, teenage daughter of a powerful Worcester landowner, is found dead in a
gloomy woodland pond which
has an evil reputation as the Witching Pool. The girl is said to have drowned herself, driven to
madness by local widow
Agnes Mason, who is arrested on a charge of witchcraft. If found guilty, she will hang at the next
Assizes.
But Justice Belstrang, shrewd ex-magistrate and sceptic, does not believe a word of it. And when
Agnes's family beg him
to help, he finds himself caught up in an ever-darkening mystery.
With the help of his friend and fellow sceptic Doctor Boyd, Belstrang unravels the terrible crimes
that have lain hidden
behind the doors of the great manor of Ebbfield.
Belstrang must confront and apprehend his suspect - and risk his own life in the attempt.
Critique: "A Hunt for Justice" is the second title in author John Pilkington's riveting 'Justice
Belstrang Mystery' series.
With meticulous attention to historical background details and an inherently fascinating murder
mystery plot riddled with
surprises and unexpected twists, "A Hunt for Justice" is an original and inherently gripping read
from start to finish and
highly recommended for both the personal reading lists of historical mystery fans and community
library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by John Pilkington at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/john-pilkington-historical-fiction
The Village Detectives and the Deadly Brew
Fiona Walker
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835619612, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781835619551, $111.95 / $95.16, CD, (9 Hours 54 Minutes)
9781835619568, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 54 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20village%20detectives%20and%20the%20deadl
y%20brew
Synopsis: When handsome, former-rugby-playing, pub landlord Mil asks Juno Mulligan for a
favor, she immediately says
yes.
Although she's initially disappointed that the favor doesn't involve any sort of romantic
shenanigans, Juno is reminded that
she does love investigating mysteries. And perhaps it is just her destiny to choose crime-fighting
over
afternoon-delighting?
It's an interesting case. Mil needs Juno and their fellow Village Detective, Phoebe Fredericks, to
investigate a targeted
campaign against the local Wyche Craft Brewery, now run by his friend, Ashleigh Wyche, a
former-Lioness. A series of
recent near-misses and attempts at sabotaging her property are surely no coincidence?
Then a body is discovered in the tap room, which quickly proves they were right to suspect
there's more than just a
vendetta brewing... And if they're to prevent another murder, they need to find out whether
they've got the bottle to hunt
down another killer...
Critique: A fun read for cozy mystery fans from start to finish, this large print paperback edition
of "The Village Detectives
and the Deadly Brew" by novelist Fiona Walker is an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick
for both personal reading
lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this edition of
"The Village Detectives
and the Deadly Brew" from Boldwood Books is also available in a complete and unabridged
audio book format (CD &
MP3-CD) narrated by Christine Mackie.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Fiona Walker at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/fiona-walker
How to Kidnap a Fake Date
Effie Campbell
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807437602, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781807437527, $93.95 / $79.86, CD (7 Hours 35 Minutes)
9781807437534, $93.95 / $79.86, MP3-CD (7 Hours 35 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/how%20to%20kidnap%20a%20fake%20date
Synopsis: Sweet Maggie Hamilton comes from a long line of people paid to professionally end
lives. Unfortunately,
Maggie is a family failure. She's now 29 years old with a kill count that is a deeply embarrassing
zero.
So when her father decides to marry her off to her psychotic ex at thirty to help her take over the
family business, Maggie
hatches a plan for the world's worst fake relationship to buy some time.
Which is where broad-shouldered, bad-tempered, offensively attractive Roman Ellis comes in.
Maggie's neighbour, who is
about as interested in her as he is in a slow, painful death.
But Maggie isn't offering him a choice. With Roman tied to the passenger seat, she's taking him
as her plus one to her
father's second wedding in the Highlands.
All Maggie has to do is survive the week without dying, murdering anyone or letting anyone in a
house of professional
killers know that her serious long-term boyfriend is actually her hostage.
Unfortunately for her, Roman isn't going to make it that easy.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, and laced with dark humor, "How to Kidnap a Fake
Date" by Effie Campbell is a
wicked funny and fun read from start to finish. Of special interest to fans of the dark and
murderous RomCom genre, this
large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is an extraordinary and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal
reading lists and community library mystery and romance collections. It should be noted that
"How to Kidnap a Fake Date"
is also readily available as a complete and unabridged CD and MP3-CD audio books ($93.95 /
$79.86) narrated by Helen
Farrell.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Effie Campbell at Book Notification:
https://www.booknotification.com/authors/effie-campbell
Death at the Village Garden Party
Debby Young
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835185933, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/death%20at%20the%20village%20garden%20party
Synopsis: Bunting. Fairground rides. Music. Murder. What more could you want from a garden
party?
Alice Carroll is happily settled in the Cotswold village of Little Pride, running her beloved
Curiosity Shop and cautiously
planning the next chapter with her partner, Robert. So when Robert buys the neighbouring Cold
Bottom estate, Alice offers
to help him win over its eccentric residents by reviving the village's once-loved summer garden
party.
But between grumbling fairground workers, gloomy villagers and a downpour that would
dampen anyone's bunting, the
day doesn't quite go to plan.
Then a guest stumbles into the marquee - and he's dead before his body hits the ground.
Can Alice untangle old rivalries and strange secrets to find the killer? Or will Cold Bottom's
fresh start end in another
funeral.
Critique: A deftly crafted and fun read from start to finish, "Death at the Village Garden Party" is
a masterfully crafted
cozy mystery by Debbie Young -- a master of the genre. Memorable characters, unexpected plot
twists, and a great
'whodunnit' reveal, this large print paperback edition of "Death at the Village Garden Party" will
prove a welcome and
enduringly popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal
reading lists of dedicated
cozy mystery fans everywhere. It should be noted that "Death at the Village Garden Party" is also
available in a CD and
MP3-CD audio book format ($93.95 / $79.86, 6 Hours 41 Minutes) narrated by Willow
Nash.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Debbie Young at Books Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/debbie-young
Beyond Good and Evil and Murder
Billy Warren
Billy Warren Books
9798991356145, $30.00, HC, 352pp
9798991356145, $20.00, PB, 352pp
9798991356152, $9.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Good-Evil-Murder-Brooklyn/dp/B0HBZ95D37
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-good-and-evil-and-murder-billy-warren/1151026028
Synopsis: "Beyond Good and Evil and Murder" by novelist Billy Warren is a dark noir murder
mystery set in a South
Brooklyn neighborhood where one out of ten cops is working for the mob.
It's an evil world for good people to endure. Murderous events are set in motion at Coney Island
on October 25, 1969 when
a bookie is run down by a train. Ten miles away, a tavern party is providing the locals with
airtight alibis.
Months later, another neighborhood bookie is murdered in the same place using the same odd
weapon-a speeding train. Of
course, a party is happening once again in the same tavern.
To solve these murders, a bartender and a priest form an unlikely partnership. To complicate
matters further, our duo
uncovers a secret society that may have been rescuing victims of exploitation for decades,
perhaps even centuries. Were
they angels, knights, or vigilantes?
With the publication of "Beyond Good and Evil and Murder", author Billy Warren challenges the
reader with two complex
whodunit murder mysteries while confronting conventional notions of what is good and what is
evil. Readers may enjoy
multiple reads to gather all the details of this intriguing plot.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a riveting read from start to finish, "Beyond Good and Evil
and Murder" showcases
Billy Warren's genuinely impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling style that is ideal for the
suspense thriller murder mystery genre. Especially recommended for the personal reading lists of
historical mystery fans,
"Beyond Good and Evil and Murder" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick
for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Billy Warren was born and raised in a South Brooklyn neighborhood under the
shadow of the local Polish
Catholic church and the watchful gaze of the Statue of Liberty. He is a 2nd generation Polish
American whose ancestors
immigrated to America around 1910. He is a graduate of City College of New York BS '75, and
San Jose State U. MA '81.
He remains grateful and proud of his Brooklyn heritage and public school education. He has had
diverse professional
experiences that include being an air traffic controller, spinal cord injury therapist, medical
technical writer, and healthcare
executive. Today, he writes historical literary fiction full time and is the author of "Fathers and
Sons and Other Village
Idiots".
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Menticulous
James Te Ronde
www.jamesteronde.com
Mindshaft Publishing
ISBN TBA, Price TBA, Format TBA, Page Count TBA
PrePublication Review: August 3, 2026
Publication Release Date: November 10, 2026
Author's Website
https://jamesteronde.com/menticulous
Synopsis: Broke and desperate, logic-minded software engineer Cooper Timm is thrown a
lifeline: a staggering salary to
resurrect the world's most advanced virtual reality supercomputer. But by the end of his first day
on the job, a team
member is found brutally slaughtered. Cooper's CEO blames the death on a corporate conspiracy.
Cooper isn't so sure
about that... but the hallucinations are making it hard to focus.
As Cooper and his ex-BFF, Leslie Wang, decipher clues left by the system's deceased creator,
they unravel ancient math
equations hidden in the system's source code, leading them to a terrifying truth: the VR system
isn't just simulating reality;
it's bending it.
Time is running out. Darkness is closing in. It's becoming increasingly difficult to know what's
real, what's virtual, and
what's merely a hallucination. This time... Cooper will need more than logic to rewrite the laws
of physics and save
himself, the woman he loves... and perhaps even humanity... from the Menticulous.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a compulsive page-turner of a read from start to finish,
"Menticulous" by James Te
Ronde showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of imaginative, character, and narrative
driven storytelling style
that is ideal for a science fiction novel. Deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and impressively
memorable, "Menticulous"
is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists of science
fiction fans and community
library Science Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: James Te Ronde has built an extensive career designing and implementing global
computer systems. His
interests include theoretical physics, brain science, and religious philosophy. He's also a musician
and enjoys the
occasional craft beer. When the situation calls for it, he is prone to posing for an awkward photo
and writing a short bio
about himself. He lives with his wife somewhere in the woodlands of Wisconsin. "Menticulous"
is his first novel.
There Be Dragon
Michael Tars
www.MikeTars.com
BookBaby
9798317834708, $18.95, PB, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/There-Be-Dragon-Lord-Chronicles/dp/B0H8XG59NY
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-be-dragon-michael-tars/1150587656
Synopsis: When the people of magical Kalador prayed for a savior, they summoned Kwe -- a
battle-scarred soldier from a
futuristic Earth who is plagued by memories of his violent past. He's told that an ancient Dragon's
spirit resides within him
and that together they're destined to protect the realm from hungry demigods plotting Kalador's
demise.
Now, voices of several Dragons crowd Kwe's mind, each with their own agenda, all threatening
to take over. Cut-throat
court politics and strange magic, assassination attempts and threats of imminent war are bad
enough; it's worse to fall in
love when romance is impossible. Though try explaining that to the amorous dragon
within...
Common-born Kira didn't expect to become the Chosen. Now she must bind the new Lord
Dragon's soul to Kalador. If
only he'd see not just her duty, but also her love.
With threats multiplying, and Kira's life on the line, Kwe's only choice is to embrace the dragons
-- without losing himself
in the process. He might be a pawn in some demigod's secret game, but he won't be broken or
controlled.
With a nefarious demigod plotting from the bottom of the ocean, will Kwe's newfound
Dragon powers and battlefield experience be enough to keep the country and those he loves
safe?
Critique: "There Be Dragon" by Michael Tars is an impressively original, deftly crafted, epic
fantasy set in a world of
magic, greedy demigods, dark prophesies, hazardous romance, and featuring a unique hero and
heroine. From start to
finish, "There Be Dragon" is a fun and riveting read that will hold strong appeal for fans of heroic
fantasy and is an
unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library
action/adventure themed Fantasy Fiction
collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "There Be Dragon" from BookBaby
is also readily available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Michael Tars (www.MikeTars.com) holds a doctorate degree in biophysics and a
master's in business
administration. Besides his career in science, while in Russia, Michael worked as a translator of
science fiction and fantasy
novels, including works of Anne McCaffrey, C.S. Lewis, Edmund Cooper, Christopher Rowley,
Kevin Anderson, and
others. After moving with his family to the United States, Michael kept working in life sciences,
first as an academic
researcher, then managing the company that he'd founded. "There Be Dragon" is his debut as a
novelist.
Odyssey of the Dark Realm
C. E. Lovick
https://celovick.com
Dark Autumn Publishing
9798985937244, $22.99, 399pp
9798985933727, $14.99, PB,
9798985937251, $3.99, Kindle
Publishing Release Date: October 31, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9FJJPHJ
Synopsis: Halloween night should have been a victory for the Light. Instead, Elias Blackstone
and his best friends, Jess and
Charlie, are left with unanswered questions. Their two elderly friends, Professor Quincy and
Millie, the White Witch, have
vanished without a trace.While the teens search for clues, the truth grows far darker.
Dr. Viktor Corvinus is more determined than ever. More than that, he has claimed the Devil's
Pearl. With its infernal
power, he begins constructing the Black Gate, a cursed gateway meant to unleash Satan upon the
world.
But Corvinus draws his strength from more than the Pearl. The Dark Realm itself fuels his
growing power.
Outmatched in the real world as the light begins to fade, a desperate choice is made. Elias and his
friends are sent into the
Dark Realm, where they are granted new powers and an impossible mission.
They must trek across its perilous landscape, endure its savagery, free their friends and families
imprisoned within, and
destroy the hellscape -- only then can they strike at the heart of Corvinus's power and give
humanity a fighting chance.
Time is running out. The Black Gate is rising. If they fail, darkness will reign --and humanity
will fall!
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and a fun read from start to finish, "Odyssey of the
Dark Realm: is Book
Two of the Monarch Mystery Series by author/illustrator C. E. Lovick. Impressively showcasing
Lovick's genuine flair for
the kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style, "Odyssey of the Dark Realm" is
heroic fantasy fiction at its
very best. While especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of
dedicated action/adventure
fantasy fans and community library Epic Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted that this
hardcover edition of
"Odyssey of the Dark Realm" from Dark Autumn Publishing is also readily available in
paperback and in a digital book
format (Kindle).
Editorial Note: C.E. Lovick (https://celovick.com) has pursued a long career in music, touring
and recording with rock
bands for nearly two decades. He recently received a BA in English from the University of
Colorado, Denver, and
continues to write novels and standalone works while living in Littleton, Colorado, with his
family and their cat,
Kitty.
Hunted
Zara Cox
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807344030, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/zara%20cox
Synopsis: When your lines run dry, the sun shall rise upon your ruin.
The night her father offered her to the world's most powerful vampire to settle a debt, Lyra
Hannigan's life turned to ash.
Knowing he would come to claim her, one thing became certain: Lyra needed to disappear.
Six years later, Don Valentin Moretti, ruler of New York and one of the legendary Five Blood, is
bound by an ancient
curse. With his immortality at risk, his hunt for his elusive fated mate turns ruthless and
deadly.
Eira Cross has built a life as the supernatural underworld's bounty hunter, stitched together from
secrets and sheer will.
Careful. Untraceable. Untouchable. Until a summons drags her into Moretti's Tower -- and a
vampire whose attention feels
like a blade at her throat.
Valentin offers a bargain: help him find Lyra, and he'll give Eira freedom. But as the hunt
deepens, desire ignites, the line
between hunter and prey blurs, and the truth surges closer. With the curse tightening its grip, time
is running out. When
loyalties detonate, the monster Eira feared most may be the only one who can save her... or
destroy her.
Critique: "Hunted" is the first book in the Five Blood Thrones vampire themed fantasy series by
Zara Cox. A fun and
fascinating read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is
a 'must' for dedicated
vampire fiction fans and will prove a welcome and popular pick for personal reading lists and
community library Fantasy
Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Hunted" is also available in a CD and MP3-CE audio
book formats ($104.95 /
$89.21, 7 Hours 54 Minutes) co-narrated by William Macleod and Ruby Alexander.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Zara Cox at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/zara-cox
The Hexing Miss Helena
Darcy McGuire
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806565641, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781806565665, $104.95 / $89.21, CD, (9 Hours 10 Minutes)
9781806565634, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 10 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Hexing%20Miss%20Helena
Synopsis: In gaslit Victorian England, reputation is everything -- and Lady Cynthia Burrows has
perfected hers. A flawless
hostess. A dutiful wife. A paragon of the beau monde. Until her husband is found murdered and
Cynthia becomes the most
scandalous suspect of the Season.
With society sharpening its knives, Cynthia turns to the formidable Blair family-rumored witches
who move through polite
society with dangerous ease to help clear her name.
Among them is Helena Blair: sharp-witted, fiercely independent, and blessed with the power to
read minds. Until she
meets Cynthia. For the first time in her life, Helena hears nothing at all. Could it be that this
captivating yet infuriating
woman has untapped powers, or she's masking her guilt?
As the investigation unfolds, Cynthia's carefully controlled world begins to unravel. And it's not
long before the heat
between them threatens to ignite something far more dangerous than gossip. But giving into their
desires could ruin
everything. To survive, they must risk their hearts before the truth hexes them!
Critique: An original and exceptional blending of fantasy and mystery, "The Hexing Miss
Helena" by novelist Darcy
McGuire is a deftly crafted and simply riveting read from cover to cover. A part of the author's
'Society of Scandalous
Witches' series and a 'must' for fans of historical romance novels, 'whodunnit' murder mysteries,
and then combined with
imaginative fantasy, this large print paperback edition of "The Hexing Miss Helena" from
Boldwood Books is a welcome
and recommended addition to both personal reading lists and community library
Mystery/Suspense & Historical Fantasy
collections. It should be noted that "The Hexing Miss Helena" is also available as a complete and
unabridged audio book
(CD & MP3-CD) narrated by Laura Kirman.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Darcy McGuire at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/darcy-mcguire
The Final Steep
A. K. Hayat
Steep House Press
https://www.steephousepress.com
9789948626947, $17.99, PB, 405pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Steep-Athergard-Trilogy/dp/994862694X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-final-steep-a-k-hayat/1149855328
Synopsis: "The Final Steep" is the story of a murdered prince with seven days before he becomes
a monster and a woman
who is an outcast necromancer who might be his only hope.
Teyra Tepes brews tea for the dead. Kicked out of the Academy for feeling too much, she scrapes
by running a crumbling
tea shop in Athergard's poorest district, helping ordinary ghosts say their final goodbyes.
Her quiet life shatters when a stranger walks out of the rain: a solid ghost with a royal signet ring
and no memory of his
death. His name is Ash. He's the lost Thornwick prince, murdered five years ago in a conspiracy
that stole the throne. His
spirit is destabilizing. In seven days, his soul will tear itself apart into a violent, mindless
poltergeist.
To save him, Teyra must break every rule the Academy taught her. But a ruthless underworld
boss known as the Moth is
tracking their every move, the woman who killed Ash wants him back, and an ancient darkness is
waking beneath the city
streets. With time running out and her forbidden magic devouring her from the inside, Teyra
faces a choice no
necromancer should have to make: walk away and survive, or hold on and lose everything that
makes her human.
"The Final Steep" by A. K. Hayat is a slow-burn fantasy romance populated with morally grey
characters, and set in a
gothic worlds where the dead don't stay quiet.
Critique: "The Final Steep" is the first book in The Athergard Trilogy by A. K. Hayat. An
original gothic 'romantasy' of tea,
ghosts, and the dangerous weight of caring too much, Hayat's imaginative and distinctive
storytelling style is ideal for the
gothic fantasy genre that is a deft blending of action, adventure, ghosts, necromancers and magic.
A fun and fantastic read
from cover to cover, and available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$4.99), "The Final Steep"
will prove a highly prized and enduringly popular pick for community library Fantasy Fiction
collections.
Editorial Note: A. K. Hayat writes speculative fiction shaped by expansive worlds, dangerous
love, and the hidden cost of
survival. Drawn to stories where beauty and ruin coexist, Hayat builds immersive worlds that
shift in genre, voice, and
perspective to follow each character into the story only they can tell. The way in changes every
time. In Hayat's fiction,
power always comes with a price, memory is never simple, and even small acts of tenderness can
become catastrophic. A.
K. Hayat prefers to let the work speak for itself.
Malanthia: The Dark Violet
A. K. Hayat
Steep House Press
https://www.steephousepress.com
9789948627005, $24.99, PB, 559pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Malanthia-Dark-Violet-Binding-Velundra/dp/9948627008
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/malanthia-a-k-hayat/1150065372
Synopsis: She was fifteen when they took her from the kitchen.
Malanthia Duvenne had grown up in a village of violets, warm bread, and small mercies. Then a
carriage arrives with a
serpent on the door, and the girl who pressed flowers into books is taken north to Stonemouth
Keep -- where the Greythorn
regime trains children to become instruments.
Five years later, she has a new name.
She is now Seraphine, Commander of the Queen's Guard, and is everything the Keep intended:
precise, disciplined, and
deadly. She has been taught to read a room, control a body, bury a past, and turn love into
weakness before it can
begin.
Then they send her to kill the man she loves.
Ash is everything her training did not prepare her for -- direct, open, and good in a way that slips
past every wall the
regime built inside her. He does not know what she is. He does not know what she has been
ordered to do. And when he
places a silver ring in her hand, the weapon the regime forged begins to crack.
She has seven days. The prophecy says he must die. The blade is waiting. The red dress is being
fitted.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, set in the world of The Binding of Velundra, and a fun read
from start to finish,
"Malanthia: The Dark Violet" by A. K. Hayat is novel of dark fantasy and romance. In the
author's words, "about the
architecture of conditioning, the cost of obedience, and the thing that breaks when a weapon
learns to love its target".
Hayat's remarkable flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal
for the epic fantasy genre
and unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be
noted for the personal
reading lists of dedicated 'romantasy' fans that this paperback edition of "Malanthia: The Dark
Violet" from Sleep House
Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: A. K. Hayat writes speculative fiction shaped by expansive worlds, dangerous
love, and the hidden cost of
survival. Drawn to stories where beauty and ruin coexist, Hayat builds immersive worlds that
shift in genre, voice, and
perspective to follow each character into the story only they can tell. The way in changes every
time. In Hayat's fiction,
power always comes with a price, memory is never simple, and even small acts of tenderness can
become catastrophic. A.
K. Hayat prefers to let the work speak for itself.
What's Bred in the Bone
Jan S. Gephardt
https://jansgephardt.com
Weird Sisters Publishing
https://weirdsisterspublishing.com
9781950748006, $22.99, PB, 492pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Bred-Bone-Bones-Trilogy/dp/1950748006
Synopsis: XK9 Rex is forensic equipment. That's what the XK9 Project calls him. That's what his
police department calls
him. That's what the law calls him.
He is a bio-engineered police dog with a vocalizer that lets him speak, a nose that can read the
past, and a mind sharp
enough to question everything. But none of that matters if no one is required to listen to
him.
When a ship explodes in the spaceport's dock, Rex detects a crucial clue at the scene. But his
human partner is critically
injured and can't help him. The official investigation is stalled. And the one person who most
needs to listen to him doesn't
even know Rex exists.
So Rex does something forensic equipment is not supposed to do. He acts on his own.
What this action reveals forces the Police Chief to confront a shattering truth: that his department
has been tricked into
trafficking in sapient beings. That the XK9 Project has been hiding the dogs' true nature. And
that Rex and his packmates
are not equipment at all.
They are people.
Now Rex must convince the government of Orangeboro to recognize what he already knows to
be true. Because if they do
not, the XK9 Project will make sure no one ever has to listen to a dog again.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a fun read for dog lovers and science fiction
fans alike, "What's Bred in
the Bone" launches author Jan Gephardt's new series 'The XK9 "Bones" Trilogy'. Demonstrating
Jan Gephardt's genuine
flair for the kind of imaginative, character and narrative storytelling style that is especially
effective for the
action/adventure and thriller themed science fiction genre, "What's Bred in the Bone" is an
especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that this
paperback edition of "What's Bred in the Bone" from Weird Sisters Publishing is also available
in a digital book format
(Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Jan S. Gephardt (https://jansgephardt.com) is a writer, artist, publisher, and
longtime science fiction fan.
Her "XK9" books feature a pack of super-smart, bio-engineered police dogs who struggle to
establish themselves as full
citizens of the space station where they live, while solving crimes and sniffing out bad guys. She
and her sister G. S.
Norwood are the founders and co-owners of Weird Sisters Publishing LLC.
The Tatagonian Code
Alan Felyk
https://alanfelyk.com
Independently Published
ASIN: B0HGF5KC1Y, $15.99, PB, 342pp
ASIN: B0HGB5Q2DF, $4.99, Kindle Edition
Publishing Release Date: November 15, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGB5Q2DF
Synopsis: Humanity's cosmic purge is underway -- and Earth's only hope is extremely
underqualified.
Daniel Cadence thought he had enough problems -- his fiancee left him, he's been assigned to
write the memoir of a
brain-addled backup guitarist, and he hates the physical trainer at the gym. But that was before he
discovered the horrifying
truth: humanity is living in a massive cosmic simulation controlled by an inscrutable race of
astral beings called the
Tatagonians.
Even worse, their species has fractured in two. While the Energetics use human hosts to
experience the sensory world of
Earth, the ruthless Cybortics purge and reboot civilization every 200,000 years.
Now, the clock on the latest wipeout is running out.
Teaming up with rogue scientists from Pullman Laboratories and bound to "Gofer" (a bizarre,
sentient Energetic capable of
bending reality across multiverses) Daniel is handed an impossible mission: infiltrate and destroy
the Cybortic stronghold
in another universe before humanity disappears one more time.
Critique: Original, imaginatively clever, deftly crafted, and a fun read for dedicated science
fiction fans from start to finish,
"The Tatagonian Code" by Alan Felyk is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists and
community library Science Fiction collections. Of special note is author Alan Felyk's genuine
flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the action/adventure science fiction
genre.
Editorial Note: Alan Felyk (https://alanfelyk.com) has been a groundskeeper, ditch digger, road
crew member, waiter,
surveyor, houseboy, and taxi driver -- all of which provided him a perfect background for a
career in journalism as a
newspaper writer/editor and a publications manager for a space systems company. He is also the
author of "Damaged Right
Out Of The Box", a humorous and wistful review of personal experiences, and "Damaged
Beyond All Recognition", a
novel inspired by the writings of Kurt Vonnegut.
The Coloring Book Shelf
Strange Seas: Coloring the Secret Lives of Ocean Creatures
Tracy Harmon
Independently Published
9798199102377, $14.99, PB, 82pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Seas-Coloring-Secret-Creatures/dp/B0H4CPBFDZ
Synopsis: "Strange Seas" by visual storyteller Tracy Harmon is an all-ages, hand-drawn coloring
book in which every
illustration is an offbeat reimagining of a real ocean science fact. The back of this unique
coloring book includes the
science that inspired each illustration, along with sources for readers who want to learn
more.
Critique: A unique, fun and informative approach to learning about marine life, "Strange Seas" is
unreservedly
recommended to the attention of those with an interest in a DIY educational activity, natural
history, and animal themed
coloring book. Highly recommended for personal, family, K-12 classroom curriculums, marine
wildlife themed
collections, "Strange Seas" is suitable for ages 5 to 85!
Editorial Note: Tracy Harmon is an artist and author with a love of animals, ocean science, and
playful visual storytelling.
Her work combines hand-drawn illustration with curiosity about the natural world, creating art
that is whimsical,
educational, and fun to explore. Her coloring book "Strange Seas" turns strange-but-true marine
facts into humorous ocean
scenes designed to make colorists of all ages smile and wonder about the life beneath the
waves.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round Table
Paul S. Newman, author
Bob Fujitani, illustrator
Fantagraphics
www.fantagraphics.com
9798875001666, $49.99, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Valiant-Peril-Round-Table/dp/B0FDZ94192
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-valiant-paul-s-newman/1147696105
Fantagraphics
https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/prince-valiant
Synopsis: It was a singular honor when Bob Fujitani was tapped to draw the comic book
adaptation of Prince Valiant, the
big-budget 20th Century-Fox movie starring Robert Wagner. No one had ever before been
permitted to draw Hal Foster's
classic. Then Fujitani and veteran scripter Paul S. Newman were asked to do another (and
another) until they had
completed a solid run of six more original issues. Unseen after more than 70 years, With the
publication of "Prince
Valiant: Peril of the Round Table", Fantagraphics returns this rare run of all seven Prince Valiant
comic books to print for
the first time.
"Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round Table" features seven spectacular adventures, with all the
scope, majesty, and chivalry
of the thrilling days of King Arthur. Follow Valiant as he starts out as a squire to a knight of the
Round Table and falls in
love, only to see his beloved Aleta betrothed to another. Six more high-adventure quests and
battles round out this volume,
all lovingly restored from the original printings for a new generation of readers.
Critique: This large format (8.9 x 1.2 x 11.7 inches, 3.04 pounds) hardcover edition of "Prince
Valiant: Peril of the Round
Table" by the team of Paul S. Newman (Author) and Bob Fujitani (Illustrator), is an
extraordinary, time-lost graphic heroic
fantasy that will introduce Prince Valient (one of the yesteryear comic strip/comic book icons) to
the current generation of
appreciative readers. Beautifully reproduced by Fantagraphics in full color, "Prince Valiant: Peril
of the Round Table" is a
fun read that is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an editorial
introduction 'A Valiant
Odyssey: from Sunday Page to Moe Screen to Comic Book' by Wolfgang J. Fuchs, 'The Comic
Book Quests of a Comic
Book Prince' by Uwe Baumann, 'Restoration Notes' by J. Michael Catron, and more! "Prince
Valiant: Peril of the Round
Table" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as
community and college/university
library Graphic Novel collections.
Editorial Note #1: Paul S. Newman (1924-1999) is credited in the Guinness Book of World
Records as the world's most
prolific comic book writer (more than 4,100 stories). He began writing comics in 1947 for DC
and later wrote for, among
others, Avon, Fawcett, Hillman, St. John, Ziff Davis, and Marvel Comics' two predecessor
companies, Timely and Atlas.
For Dell/Gold Key, he wrote Turok, Son of Stone, The Lone Ranger, and the comic-book
adaptation of the Beatles'
animated feature Yellow Submarine.
Editorial Note #2: Robert "Bob" Fujitani (1921-2020) began drawing comic books in the early
1940s. In the 1950s and
1960s, he became the primary ghost artist at times on such newspaper strips as Mandrake the
Magician and Flash Gordon.
He worked anonymously or pseudonymously in part because of World War II-era anti-Japanese
prejudice. In the 1960s, he
drew notable runs on such comic books as Turok, Son of Stone; Lassie; and Doctor Solar, Man
of the Atom. He drew
seven issues of Dell's Prince Valiant in the 1950s, the first artist after Hal Foster to draw that
iconic character for print.
Fujitani retired from comics in 2005 and continued to paint.
The Audiobook Shelf
757
M. J. Porter, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806585809, $130.95 / $111.31, CD (12 Hours 38 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/757
Synopsis: Mercia, 757 A.D.
A king will fall. A king will rise. But first, civil war will rage.
King Aethelbald's forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate
heir despite his insatiable
bedchamber antics.
Offa must stand hostage to his family's good behaviour, when his father missteps in removing his
mother from
Aethelbald's bed. Shockingly, his younger sister now replaces her.
But the king isn't finished with his denigration of Offa's noble House. When his parents are
traitorously killed, Offa's
resentment grows, compounded by the ridicule heaped on him by King Aethelbald's oathsworn
warriors.
With the king's health deteriorating, the matter of the succession becomes paramount. There are
plenty who share a claim
to the kingship.
Discord threatens to fracture the mighty realm, and those with sword and shield, seax and spear
are prepared to risk it all to
be the future king of Mercia.
Critique: Medieval historical fiction at its action/adventure best, "757" (part of the House of
Mercia Chronicles by MJ
Porter) is brought to life by the impressive narrative storytelling skills of David Thorpe in the
complete and unabridged CD
and MP3-CD editions from Boldwood Books. An ideal and highly recommended addition to
personal lists and community
library Historical Fiction themed audio book collections, it should be noted that "757" is also
available in a large print
paperback edition as well.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by M. J. Porter at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/m-j-porter
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=David+Thorpe
Arthur: The Chronicles of Arthur
Peter Gibbons, author
Sean Barrett, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835182741, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (11 Hours 4 Minutes)
9781835182758, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (11 Hours 4 Minutes)
9781835182802, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/arthur
Synopsis: The fate of dark age Britain once more hangs in the balance...
After years of fragile peace, the legendary warlord Arthur Pendragon is forced back into the
bloody crucible of war to save
Britain once more from Saxon invaders.
His greatest battle, however, is not on the field, it is a fight for his own soul.
When deep seated betrayals shatter his world, Arthur must abandon his throne and his people. He
must decide whether to
remain a broken mercenary in exile or return to confront a Britain ruled by his vengeful enemies
and torn apart by savage
armies.
Can Arthur succeed and become a legend? Will his courage, Excalibur's might and Merlin's
cunning be enough to save
Britain from the Saxon hordes hell bent on its destruction?
Critique: Accomplished narrator Sean Berrett brinks this riveting story of King Arthur by gifted
novelist Peter Gibbns
brilliantly to life in a complete and unabridged "Arthur: The Chronicles of Arthur" audio book
edition from Boldwood
Books. A 'must' for dedicated fans of medieval British action/adventure tales taking place just
after the withdrawal of
Roman troops from Britain and at the invasions of the Saxons, "Arthur" will prove to be an
extraordinary and welcome
addition to personal and community library King Arthur themed historical fiction audio book
collections. It should be
noted that this CD and MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood Books is also available in a large
print paperback
edition.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Peter Gibbons at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/peter-gibbons
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Sean Barret at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Sean+Barrett
The Exodus Key
Rob Jones, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806000500, $93.95 / $79.86, CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806000517, $93.95 / $79.86, MP3-CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806000562, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20exodus%20key
Synopsis: An ancient secret. A missing plague. A billionaire's twisted vision for a new
Eden.
When a terrified informant is gunned down in front of HARPA Director Jim Gates, he leaves
behind a terrifying
revelation: a missing, original chapter from the Book of Exodus has been discovered. This
ancient parchment details a
forgotten eleventh plague -- a bacterium of unimaginable lethality that was hidden thousands of
years ago.
Now, Ulrich Faust, the world's richest and most dangerous man, is determined to claim the
plague for himself. The only
thing between him and his apocalyptic plan is archaeologist Max Hunter, Special Agent Amy
Fox, and rest of the elite
HARPA team...
From the shadowy crypts of Seville to the bustling souks of Marrakech and the mysterious tombs
of Egypt, the elite
HARPA team must race against the clock. Can they stop Faust before he can unleash a biblical
devastation that will end
the world as we know it?
Critique: A masterpiece of a suspense thriller from start to finish, the complete and unabridged
audio book edition from
Boldwood Books of "The Exodus Key" by Rob Jones is vividly narrated by the storytelling
narrative gifts of seasoned
vocal actor Simon Mattacks. Offering a true 'theatre of the mind' experience, "The Exodus Key"
is unreservedly
recommended for community library audio book collections. "The Exodus Key" is also available
from Boldwood Books in
a large print paperback edition.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Rob Jones at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rob-jones
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Simon Mattacks at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Simon+Mattacks
Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament
Martin Davies, author
Gemma Lawrence, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750553155, $111.95 / $95.16, CD, (10 Hours, 11 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/mrs%20hudson%20and%20the%20lazarus%20testame
nt
Synopsis: A man is accidentally knocked down outside 221B Baker Street by a carriage. His
dying words claim he has
seen a man rise from the grave.
At the same time, a visitor arrives with a mystery of unparalleled international importance. The
Viscount Wrexham is
missing, presumed dead, in strange circumstances.
In the North, rumours stir of a dead man haunting the moors. Broomheath Hall is beset by
ghostly lights and spectres.
What does it all mean? Can arcane knowledge bring people back from the dead?
The redoubtable Mrs Hudson (Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper and the Great Detective's best-kept
secret) and her assistant
Flotsam are once again thrown into dark adventure full of gripping twists and murderous
intrigue. Together with Holmes
and Dr Watson, they must race against the forces of darkness to uncover the truth behind the
mysterious document known
as the Lazarus Testament.
Critique: A brilliant series of mysteries that enlarge the Sherlock Holmes canon, "Mrs Hudson
and the Lazarus Testament"
by Martin Davis is the latest in the 'A Holmes & Hudson Mystery' series and is brought to life in
a true 'theatre of the mind'
listening experience by the exceptional storytelling skills of Gemma Lawrence. A 'must' for the
legions of Sherlock
Holmes fans and fans of mysteries featuring amateur female sleuths, this complete and
unabridged audio book edition from
Ulverscroft is available for personal lists and community library audio book collections in a CD
and an MP3-CD
format.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Martin Davies at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/martin-davies
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Gemma Lawrence on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Gemma-Lawrence
A Land Aflame
Ben Kane, author
Phillip Stevens, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750555920, $130.95 / $111.31, CD, (11 Hours 43 Minutes)
Synopsis: 211 BC.
Hannibal's struggle against the Romans in Italy continues, but the Carthaginians have been
utterly defeated in Sicily.
Fleeing the island to Spain, Hanno and Aurelia are shipwrecked, and taken prisoner by local
tribesmen. Unless they escape,
a life of slavery and brutal treatment awaits.
Aurelia's brother Quintus is posted with his comrades to Spain, where a new commander (Scipio)
has been given the task
of defeating the Carthaginian generals who hold sway over most of the peninsula. Here, on the
third front, there will be
marches of incredible endurance, epic sieges and huge set piece battles.
The very outcome of the war hangs in the balance. Who will emerge victorious, Rome or
Carthage? Only the gods can
tell.
Critique: Although a riveting work of historical action/adventure between the Romans and the
Carthaginians, with "A
Land Aflame" novelist Ben Kane paid attention to including accurate historical details as a
backdrop to his riveting tale. In
this superbly produced and unabridged audio book edition of "A Land Aflame", narrator Phillip
Stevens does full justice in
his own storytelling style from start to finish. Available in both a CD and an MP3-CD format
from Ulverscroft Audio, "A
Land Aflame" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular pick for
personal and community library
Historical Action/Adventure themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Ben Kane available at Book Series in
Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/ben-kane
Editorial Note #2: There is an oline listing of books narrated by Phillip Stevens at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Philip+Stevens
The Unicorn Murders
Carter Dickson, author
John Telfer, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750559072, $104.95 / $89.21, CD, (8 Hours 15 Minutes)
9780750559089, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD, (8 Hours 15 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20unicorn%20murders
Synopsis: The diplomat Sir George Ramsden is returning to Britain from France with the
mysterious 'unicorn' in tow. The
legendary thief Flamande has declared that he will be on the same flight as Ramsden, in disguise,
and that the unicorn will
be his. His arch-rival and head of the Surete Nationale, Gasquet, has assured the public that he
too will be on the plane to
thwart his nemesis.
Meanwhile, holidaying in Paris, the ex-spy Kenwood Blake runs into Evelyn Cheyne and is
swept into a perilous chase
ending at the Chateau de l'Ile on a stormy night. Here, Ramsden's plane has made an emergency
landing, and Henry
Merrivale has joined the party.
When the castle is cut off by the flooding river, the stage is set for a battle of wits between two
masters of disguise in
Flamande and Gasquet, as a bizarre and seemingly impossible murder among the party casts
suspicion in every direction --
and the mystery of the unicorn is revealed.
Carter Dickson's brilliantly intricate mystery was first published in Britain in 1936; it remains a
testament to his unique
talent for wrangling audacious levels of devilishness into a masterpiece.
Critique: Narrator John Telfer's storytelling skills do complete justice to Carter Dickson (one of
the pen names used by the
late John Dickson Carr) deftly crafter murder mysteries for which he was so famed. Complete,
unabridged, and now
bringing "The Unicorn Murders" to a new generation of appreciative murder mystery fans, and is
an unreservedly
recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections in either a
CD or an MP3-CD format
from Ulverscroft Audio as well.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by John Dickson Carr (1906 - 1977) at
Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/john-dickson-carr
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by John Telfer at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=John+Telfer
Blood Hunt
Tom Bale, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806565948, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 58 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/blood%20hunt
Synopsis: Former detective Joe Clayton didn't go looking for trouble, but sometimes trouble
found him.
Joe thought the dangers of his undercover career were now behind him. He was wrong. One grey
October morning, while
working in a quiet Bristol street, he hears the voice of the man who has sworn to destroy
him.
Minutes later Joe is running for his life... again. Desperate for sanctuary, he heads for the small
Cornish town of Trelennan,
and the home of Fiona Bamber, widow of a former police colleague. But Fiona reacts strangely
to his arrival, and gradually
Joe discovers that Trelennan is far from the idyllic, law-abiding resort it claims to be.
The town is in the grip of one man. Leon Race does not welcome strangers, especially ex-cops
who start asking questions
about missing women. Soon Joe is caught up in another undercover role, but as he penetrates the
web of secrets that
ensnares the town's elite, his own secret is at risk of discovery. And all the time his old enemy is
circling...
Critique: As a storyteller, Tom Bale is a master of the suspense thriller mystery genre and his
deftly crafted and simply
riveting novel, "Blood Hunt" has been brought vividly to life through the narrative skills of
Simon Mattacks in this
complete and unabridged MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood Books. A prized and popular
pick for the growing legions
of Tom Bale fans and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections, it
should be noted that "Blood
Hunt" is also available in a CD format (9781806565863, $111.95 / $95.16) and in a large print
paperback edition
(9781806565870, $43.50 / $36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Tom Bale at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/tom-bale
Editorial Note #2: There is an onlikne listing of books narrated by Simon Mattacks at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Simon+Mattacks
While Nobody Is Watching
Michelle Dunne, author
Jacqueline Milne, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807034641, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 55 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/while%20nobody%20is%20watching
Synopsis: Three years ago, a semi-inflated football and a curious little girl changed everything.
One explosion. Two
bodies. A lifetime of guilt. Now, Corporal Lindsey Ryan spends her days saving the city of
Cork's troubled youth -- and her
nights fighting a private war against the demons in her head.
Lindsey is certain she's being watched. Her doctors call it PTSD. Her friends call it a relapse. But
as the "accidents" mount
and the blurred lines of her reality begin to bleed, Lindsey realizes the threat isn't just in her
mind. Someone is hunting her.
Someone who wants to finish what started in the Golan Heights.
In a world of blue helmets and blackouts, the most dangerous enemy is the one you never see
coming. And this time, they
won't stop until the job is done.
They called it peacekeeping. But for Lindsey Ryan, the war never ended.
Critique: A deftly crafted suspense thriller of a read from start to finish, "While Nobody Is
Watching", author Michelle
Dunne's riveting novel is now available as a complete and unabridged MP3-CD audio book
dramatically narrated by
storytelling talents of vocal actresses Jacqueline Milne. "While Nobody Is Watching" is an
especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book
collections. It should be
noted that "While Nobody Is Watching" from Boldwood Books is also available in a CD format
(9781807034634, $111.95
/ $95.16) and in a large print paperback edition (9781807034719, $43.50$ / 36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Michelle Dunne at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/michelle-dunne
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Jacqueline Milne at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Jacqueline+Milne
Death Hollow
Rob Sinclair, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837032174, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (10 Hours 22 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/death%20hollow
Synopsis: Some towns survive by keeping secrets. Some men survive by breaking them.
Simon Peake was only supposed to pass by Red Hollow -- not through it. But when his truck
breaks down on the outskirts
of the old gold-mining town, he has no choice but to stay. Red Hollow is a place clinging to its
heralded past, ruled by
powerful men and quiet fear. When a local girl goes missing, the town closes ranks, and silence
becomes a form of
protection.
Peake knows the signs. Corruption hiding behind smiles. When Peake starts asking questions, the
answers lead deep into
the hollowed-out ridge above the town -- into abandoned mine tunnels where the scars of
violence still streak the rock, and
ghosts are said to roam.
But ghosts don't scare Simon Peake.
He pushes where no one else will, his approach as swift and brutal as anything the town can
throw back at him. As secrets
surface and Red Hollow begins to tear itself apart, Peake makes a decision: he won't just expose
the rot -- he'll burn it out
at its source!
Critique: A part of author Rob Sinclair's 'Simon Peake Thriller' series, this MP3-CD audio book
edition "Death Hollow"
achieves a true 'theatre of the mind' experience through the masterful narrative storytelling skills
of David Thorpe.
Complete and unabridged, "Death Hollow" from Boldwood Books will prove an impressively
popular pick for the personal
lists of dedicated suspense thriller fans and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio
book collections. It should
be noted that "Death Hollow" is also available in a CD format (9781837032167, $111.95/$95.16)
and in large print
paperback edition (9781837032228, $43.50 / $36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Rob Sinclair at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rob-sinclair
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=David+Thorpe&_ssoLoop=1
The Library CD Shelf
The Tulsa Sessions
Kent Blazy
kentblazy.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBZF6T4M
The Tulsa Sessions is a new album by hit country music songwriter, singer, and guitarist Kent
Blazy, recorded in the
legendary Church Studio of Tulsa, Oklahoma. All songs are Kent Blazy's original compositions
except for "Once Upon A
Rhyme", which is co-written by Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. The Tulsa Sessions was
deliberately recorded with no
artificial enhancements, no Auto-Tune, no Pro Tools fixes; just pure performance in the moment.
The Tulsa Sessions is a
treasure for connoisseurs of original country music, highly recommended for both personal and
public library collections,
and also makes an excellent gift! The tracks are Any Given Day; Nobody Loves Me Like You
Do; Everything You Are;
Nothing Like Anything; Firsts; Good Times Are Coming; Once Upon a Rhyme; Sunshine Girl;
Footsteps of Dylan Perfect
for Me; and Life Is.
American Jazz Institute Presents Between Friends
Jeff Colella and Putter Smith
jeffcolella.com
American Jazz Institute
$16.99 CD
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Friends-Jeff-Colella/dp/B0H3HJ4ZNK
American Jazz Institute Presents Between Friends is a new duo album by extraordinarily talented
pianist Jeff Colella and
masterful bassist Putter Smith. Featuring a mix of original compositions and classic favorites,
Between Friends showcases
the duo's magnificent flair for coordinated improvisation. Between Friends is a choice pick for
personal and public library
jazz collections, and also makes an excellent gift for any occasion! Highly recommended. The
tracks are For Us; Anam
Cara; Laurie; Voyage; Locomotive; Isfahan; Catastrophe Loops; A Prayer For The World; The
Glide; and We Will Meet
Again.
The Philosophy Shelf
Art and Its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory
Brian Elliott and Stephen David Ross, editors
State University of New York Press
www.sunypress.edu
9798855805475, $51.95, PB, 608pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Its-Significance-Anthology-Aesthetic/dp/B0FKL6PXTC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-and-its-significance-brian-elliott/1147936612
State University of New York Press
https://sunypress.edu/Books/A/Art-and-Its-Significance
Synopsis: A topical, art-practice focused anthology that caters to diverse interests in aesthetics,
"Art and Its Significance:
An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory" is a highly engaging and readable anthology which ranges
from ancient Greek writing
on epic and theater to contemporary issues relating to how art is impacted by augmented reality
technologies.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Brian Elliott (Editor), Stephen David Ross (Editor),
this collection offers a firm
foundation in classic and modern aesthetics as represented by a diverse range of authors from
Plato and Aristotle to Judith
Butler, Jacques Ranciere, and Mary Devereaux.
Its thematic organization allows readers to focus on particular topics and genres and make
connections between different
approaches to a wide range of artistic expression. Each article is introduced with details on the
author and a summary of
the main arguments offered in the text.
Additional section introductions help the reader to understanding how the grouped texts relate to
one another. This
anthology does not assume prior knowledge of philosophy or aesthetics and is well suited to
college course use.
Critique: This updated and expanded fourth edition of "Art and Its Significance: An Anthology
of Aesthetic Theory" co-
edited by Professors Brian Elliott and Stephen David Ross is exceptionally well organized and
presented, making it an
ideal choice/selection for Philosophy Aesthetics and Arts/Photography Criticism curriculum
textbook studies lists. It
should be noted for the personal reading lists of philosophy and art students, academia, and
non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Art and Its Significance: An
Anthology of Aesthetic Theory"
from the State University of New York Press (SUNY) is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $47.45).
Editorial Note #1: Brian Elliott (https://philpeople.org/profiles/brian-elliott-1) is a faculty
member in the Philosophy
Department at Oregon State University. His publications include Benjamin for Architects;
Natural Catastrophe: Climate
Change and Neoliberal Governance; and A Child's Place in Nature: Towards a Pedagogy for the
Anthropocene. Stephen
David Ross is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Comparative Literature, SUNY
Binghamton. He is the author of
numerous works, including Un-Forgetting: Re-Calling Time Lost; The Gift of Self: Shattering
Emptiness, Betrayal; and
The Gift of Property: Having the Good / Betraying Genitivity, Economy and Ecology, an Ethic of
the Earth, all published
by SUNY Press.
Editorial Note #2: Stephen David Ross is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy,
Interpretation, and Culture, and of
Comparative Literature at Binghamton University. He received an undergraduate degree in
mathematics at Columbia
University. He then discovered his deep love for philosophy and has been writing about it ever
since. He has published
more than 20 books. (https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/5610986)
Before the Labels
Siobhan Bridget Kennedy
Align 111, LLC
https://human-centeredphilosophy.com
9798996098712, $24.99, HC, 162pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Labels-labels-ourselves-other/dp/B0H9CF8Y3X
Synopsis: Some books offer answers. The most memorable ones inspire better questions.
Before you were old enough to choose for yourself, you inherited beliefs, labels, opinions,
traditions, and assumptions
about the world around you. But how many of them are truly yours?
With the publication of "Before the Labels: The labels we give ourselves, and the ones we give
each other... ", author
Siobhan Bridget Kennedy deftly explores the conversations most people avoid: lying and
honesty, judgment and
forgiveness, faith beyond religion, divorce, death, intuition, enabling versus supporting, and the
difficult truths that shape
every human life. Rather than telling you what to think, she invites you to think more deeply for
yourself.
Built around powerful, stand-alone chapters drawn from real-life experiences, "Before the
Labels" is a thought-provoking
blend of life philosophy, personal growth, spirituality outside religion, and human connection
allows you to begin
wherever your curiosity leads. Open to any chapter and discover an idea that challenges,
unsettles, or affirms something
you've always believed.
"Before the Labels" isn't a book about choosing sides. It's about looking beyond the labels we've
inherited and finding the
courage to ask better questions. You may not agree with every chapter. But chances are, you'll
keep thinking about them
long after you've turned the final page.
"Before the Labels" will challenge what you've been taught, teach you to trust your instincts, and
find the wisdom that
exists before the labels.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thought-provoking, iconoclastic, "Before the Labels: The labels
we give ourselves, and the
ones we give each other..." by Siobhan Bridget Kennedy will prove of immense relevance to
readers with an interest in
Transcendentalism, Humanist, and Religious Philosophy. Exceptionally well written and
thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Before the Labels" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended acquisition for
personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Philosophy
collections and supplemental
curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the
subject that this hardcover edition of "Before the Labels" from Align 111 LLC is also readily
available in paperback
(9798996098705, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: These ideas built up for years by Siobhan Bridget Kennedy went into an
anonymous Substack with no
name attached and nobody watching. But people found it anyway. Now it has been published in
book form as "Before the
Labels" -- this time with her name on it.
The International Studies Shelf
Between Hope & Fear
Marc Schulman
Israel Academic Press
https://israelacademicpress.com
9781885881946, $45.00, HC, 981pp
9781885881939, $29.99, PB, 981pp
9781885881960, $9.99, Kindle, 981pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/BETWEEN-HOPE-FEAR-Politics-Reinvention-ebook/dp/B0HDD189
2N
Synopsis: In 1993, Israelis dared to imagine peace. Thirty years later, they woke to the deadliest
day in their history.
"Between Hope & Fear: Israel from Oslo to October 7: Politics, War, and Reinvention" by Marc
Schulman is the story of
what happened in between.
From the handshake on the White House lawn to the sirens of October 7 and the wars that
followed, Schulman tells the
story of modern Israel's most consequential era: three decades in which the country buried a
prime minister, fought two
intifadas and a dozen wars, absorbed a million immigrants, and somehow built one of the most
dynamic economies on
earth while rockets fell on its cities.
Schulman (an historian who spent ten years as a Newsweek columnist and now writes the Tel
Aviv Diary newsletter and
appears regularly on i24News), chronicles each year as it was lived from his home in Tel Aviv:
the assassination of
Yitzhak Rabin, the suicide bombings and the security barrier, the disengagement from Gaza, the
rise of Benjamin
Netanyahu, the startup-nation boom, the judicial crisis that brought hundreds of thousands into
the streets, and then
October 7, 2023, with the massacre, the hostages, the war on seven fronts, and the confrontation
with Iran that
followed.
Alongside the year-by-year narrative of politics, wars, and a society under strain runs a second
story: the explosive rise of
Israel's high-tech economy, built floor by floor while the ground shook.
Written from inside the story, in a city where Schulman counted the seconds between siren and
interception, "Between
Hope & Fear" is neither polemic nor eulogy. It is the account of a nation that lived, year by year,
between hope and
fear.
Critique: Detailed, documented, informative and insightful, "Between Hope & Fear: Israel from
Oslo to October 7:
Politics, War, and Reinvention" is an extraordinary contribution to understanding the modern
history of Israel from an
eyewitness perspective. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Between
Hope & Fear" from the
Israel Academic Press is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal,
professional, community, and
college/university library Israeli & Palestinian History collections and supplemental
Contemporary Middle East
International Relations curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Marc Schulman (https://marcschulman.com) is an historian who has spent four
decades making history
accessible in print, on screen, and online. He is the founder and editor of HistoryCentral, one of
the web's oldest and
largest history sites, and the author of History of American Presidential Elections: From George
Washington to Joseph
Biden, along with numerous works on American history, naval history, and the presidency. A
pioneer of educational
technology, he created his first multimedia history (a biography of John F. Kennedy) in 1992, and
was among the earliest
developers of history apps for the iPhone and iPad.
Since returning to Israel in 2011, Schulman has chronicled Israeli politics and life from his home
in Tel Aviv: for ten years
as a Newsweek columnist, and today in his independent newsletter and podcast, Tel Aviv Diary.
He appears regularly as a
commentator on i24NEWS. His newest book, Between Hope and Fear: Israel from Oslo to
October 7, tells the story of
Israel's last three decades from inside them. He holds a BA and MA from Columbia
University.
The Business Shelf
The Governed Enterprise
Robin Horstmann
https://www.robinhorstmann.com
R&B Carthage Press
9798996062027, $39.99, HC, 469pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Governed-Enterprise-Governance-Playbook-Consumer/dp/B0H8LVR
RYD
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-governed-enterprise-robin-horstmann/1150835350
Synopsis: Your company is already running AI. But it is not running AI governance.
Marketing is drafting copy in ChatGPT. Procurement is piloting agents that can place orders.
Your software vendors have
embedded AI in systems you approved years ago. None of it waited for a policy. And the gap
between what your company
has deployed and what it can actually oversee is where your real risk lives: the next recall, the
next data leak, the next
regulatory finding.
With the publication of "The Governed Enterprise: An AI Governance Playbook for Consumer
Goods", Robin Horstmann
has created a working playbook for the executives accountable when AI acts on its own -- the
CIO, the General Counsel,
the VP of Operations, the CFO. Horstmann is a thirty-year enterprise technology leader with deep
experience in consumer
goods manufacturing environments, it translates AI governance out of the compliance binder and
onto the plant floor, the
co-manufacturer contract, and the board agenda.
"The Governed Enterprise" is not about slowing AI down. It is about deploying AI reliably
enough to extend its authority,
capture the value at scale, and keep the trust of the retailers, regulators, and consumers who make
the business
possible.
"The Governed Enterprise" covers:
How to give an agentic AI real spending authority without writing a blank check - circuit
breakers, kill switches, and spend
authority matrices built for supply chains, not slide decks
Why undeclared allergens become an AI problem the moment a co-manufacturer substitutes an
ingredient, and how to
govern the vendors operating on your behalf
What the Samsung data leak and the Knight Capital collapse teach every CPG leader before they
authorize their next
deployment
A maturity model to locate exactly where your organization stands on AI risk today
Specific next steps at the close of every chapter -- written to be acted on this quarter, not
admired
The regulatory timeline is set. The liability is already in court. Build the governance capability
now, while it is still a
competitive choice rather than a crisis response. As Horstmann reveals:
"Governance is not the cost of being responsible. It is how you win."
Critique: Timely, informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The
Governed Enterprise: An
AI Governance Playbook for Consumer Goods" by Robin Horstmann is an ideal introduction for
corporate executives on
the risks, advantages, and optimal uses of AI in commerce with respect to critically important
issues of security,
information systems and AI governance of corporate manufacturing, information and data
delivery. A seminal and
groundbreaking study, "The Governed Enterprise" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, community,
and college/university Business Management & AI collections and supplemental MBA
curriculum studies lists. It should
be noted for MBA students, academia, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the
subject that this hardcover edition of "The Governed Enterprise" is also available from R&B
Carthage Press in paperback
(9798996062003, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Robin Horstmann (https://www.robinhorstmann.com) is a technology leader in
consumer packaged goods,
currently implementing agentic AI for accounting and manufacturing and building the
foundations it runs on. While
earning the IAPP's Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional credential, she looked for a
governance reference
written for consumer goods and found only frameworks built for banks, insurers, and general
enterprise. She wrote the
playbook afterward. Her certifications cover AI governance (AIGP), AI security (AAISM), risk
and IT controls (CRISC),
information security (CISM), data privacy (CDPSE), and delivery (PMP).
The Art Shelf
Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese Art
Andreas Marks
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805320327, $29.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Greatest-Battles-Warriors-Depicted/dp/480532032X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/samurai-andreas-marks/1149079773
Synopsis: With the publication of "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in
Japanese Art", art historian
Andreas Marks describes the momentous battles in Japanese history and the renowned Samurai
who fought them, as seen
in over 300 great works of art by leading artists, including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa
Hiroshige and Utagawa
Kunisada. Dr. Marks has scoured museum archives and private collections worldwide to present
the finest prints and
colored folded screen paintings depicting the dramatic events and personalities that shaped Japan
as a nation.
Dr. Marks includes descriptions and striking visual images of over 50 battles and 75 great
warriors, including:
The Battle of Dannoura (1185): The final battle of the Genpei War, in which Minamoto forces
led by Yoshitsune defeated
the Taira fleet led by Tomomori. Emperor Antoku and many Taira committed suicide, spelling an
end to the clan and
ushering in the Kamakura shogunate.
The Battle of Okehazama (1560): A decisive battle where Oda Nobunaga's samurai were
outnumbered but managed to
defeat Imagawa Yoshimoto's larger army. This victory was achieved through a surprise attack in
driving rain and led to the
final downfall of the Imagawa clan in the Tokai region.
The Battle of Nagashino (1575): Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga unite to defeat Takeda
Katsuyori. They employ
innovative tactics, revolutionizing Japanese warfare to secure a decisive victory against the
formidable Takeda clan.
The Battle of Sekigahara (1600): The greatest and bloodiest battle in Japanese history, in which
Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern
Army defeated the Toyotomi clan's Western Army, leading to the establishment of the Tokugawa
Shogunate which unified
and ruled Japan for over 250 years.
"Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese Art" is richly-illustrated
volume that will be of special
interest to military history buffs and fans of the Emmy award-winning Shogun TV series,
providing coverage of the epic
battles, weaponry and armor to be featured in the upcoming 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and
Warriors: Depicted in
Japanese Art" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a six page
Introduction (The Rich
Visual Record of Samurai Battles and Heroes), a Bibliography, Notes, Acknowledgements, and
Picture Credits. Beginning
with a chapter focused on mythological heroes and the early history of the Samurai, to The Heian
Period (794-1192), The
Kamakura and Nanbokucho Periods (1192-1392), The Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama Periods
(1467-1603), The Edo
Period and the End of the Samurai Era (1603-1877), "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and
Warriors: Depicted in Japanese
Art" is an inherently fascinating and fully informative and illustrated history of the Japanese
Samurai and unreservedly
recommended as a prized pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Japanese History &
Art collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Andreas Marks received his PhD from Leiden University with a dissertation
on 19th-century actor
prints. Since 2013, he has been the Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and
Director of the Clark
Center for Japanese Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. His research has earned the
International Ukiyo-e Society
Award and the International Fine Print Dealers Association's top book award twice (2018 and
2022). In 2024, he received a
commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contributions to promoting
Japanese culture. He is the
author of almost 30 books, including Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and
Masterworks: 1680-1900 and
Japanese Yokai and Other Supernatural Beings: Authentic Paintings and Prints of 100 Ghosts,
Demons, Monsters and
Magicians.
Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism
Daniel Birnbaum and Cecile Debray
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080148292, $85.00, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cahiers-dArt-Modernism-Daniel-Birnbaum/dp/208014829X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cahiers-dart-daniel-birnbaum/1149787696
Synopsis: Founded in Paris in 1926 as a publishing house, gallery, and art journal, Cahiers d'Art
quickly established itself
as a vital platform for the most influential artists, poets, and critical thinkers of the twentieth
century.
From the earliest issues of La Revue, the editors championed trailblazing artists such as Henri
Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and
Wassily Kandinsky. Over time, it expanded to feature renowned artists, writers, thinkers, and
photographers, including
Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, Samuel Beckett, Jacques Lacan,
Georges Bataille, and
Dora Maar, reinforcing the journal's reputation as a groundbreaking visual and intellectual
forum.
Since its relaunch in 2012, Cahiers d'Art has revitalized its seminal journal and gallery
exhibitions, bridging historical
figures like Alexander Calder with contemporary voices such as Arthur Jafa, Gabriel Orozco,
Hiroshi Sugimoto, and
Rosemarie Trockel.
Co-authored by Daniel Birnbaum and Cecile Debray, "Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism"
is centenary volume
celebrates the significance of modernism and the crucial role Cahiers d'Art played in the
dissemination of modern art.
Critique: As a premire art magazine, Cahiers d'Art fostered innovation within the European
avant-garde for a century.
"Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism " is a profusely illustrated and impressively informative
retrospective work that
celebrates its vision and contributions to the ever evolving world of art. Profusely illustrated
throughout, this large format
(9.87 x 0.98 x 12.62 inches, 1.25 pounds) hardcover edition of "Cahiers d'Art: A Century of
Modernism" from Flammarion
is a singularly unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and
college/university library Art History & Criticism collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Daniel Birnbaum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Birnbaum), curator
and art critic, is former
director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm.
Editorial Note #2: Cecile Debray (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9cile_Debray) is
president of the Musee
National Picasso in Paris.
Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay
Edited by Paul Perrin
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080447210, $40.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Impressionism-Mus%C3%A9e-dOrsay-Masterpieces-Artists/dp/20804
47211
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impressionism-at-the-musee-dorsay-musee-dorsay/1149787
646
Synopsis: Compiled with commentary from the Musee D'Orsay and deftly edited by Paul Perrin,
"Impressionism at the
Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" is an authoritative and beautifully
illustrated volume that offers
an informative introduction to impressionism through one hundred iconic works from the
exceptional Musee d'Orsay
collection. When the impressionists first showed their work, it shook the art world. The
movement went on to transform
Western art and remains the most popular art period to this day.
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" is a beautifully
produced volume in
which the fundamental principles at the heart of the Impressionist Art movement are unfurled
through ten key dates and ten
central themes favored by the Impressionist painters, including intimacy, landscapes, interiors,
and the interplay of
light.
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" also features
concise biographies of
renowned artists (Manet, Monet, Morisot, Cassatt, Gonzales, Degas, Renoir, Sisley, Caillebotte,
Pissarro, Bazille,
Cezanne, and Bracquemond) and highlights of their work accompanied by in-depth commentary
from art historians
complete this essential reference.
Critique: The large format (9.74 x 1.21 x 11.27 inches, 1.25 pounds) hard cover, coffee-table
style edition of
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates", published by
Flammarion, is
informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a four page Introduction
(The Musee d'Orsay's
Impressionist Collection), a chronological arranged chapters on the artists and their art, a five
page Listing of Artworks,
one page of Endnotes, and a one page listing of Credits. Exceptional, impressive, informative,
"Impressionism at the
Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" an ideal and unreservedly
recommended acquisition for
personal, professional, community, and college/university library European Art History
collections and supplemental
Impressionist Art curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: The Musee d'Orsay houses the world's largest and growing collection of
Impressionist paintings,
featuring a wealth of masterpieces. Recent acquisitions include major works by pioneering
female painters such as Marie
Bracquemond, Mary Cassatt, and Eva Gonzales.
Editorial Note #2: Paul Perrin is director of conservation and collections at the Musee d'Orsay. A
French art historian and
heritage curator specialized in nineteenth-century art, and impressionist and academic painting,
he has co-curated
exhibitions including Frederic Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism.
Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890
Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080151797, $45.00, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Monet-Giverny-Before-Lilies-1883-1890/dp/2080151797
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/monet-in-giverny-cyrille-sciama/1149787656
Synopsis: Co-authored by museum curators Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre, "Monet in
Giverny: Before the Water
Lilies, 1883-1890" from Flammarion is a richly illustrated study that sheds light on a previously
under-explored chapter of
Monet's life and career -- those formative years he spent discovering and capturing the beauty of
Giverny and his home
there, leading up to his signature water lily studies.
Long before his own garden bloomed were the surrounding fields, hills, trees, light, and villages
he encountered as he
explored the region captivated him. Far from isolated in this bucolic setting, Monet became ever
more connected to the
world of art, enriching his energy and imagination.
"Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890" reveals the conditions that shaped one
of the most prolific
Impressionist artists of all time as Monet spend these formative years producing a series of
paintings of poppies, poplars,
meadows and hills, river banks -- all part of a landscape shaped by rain and mist, sunlight and
shifting skies.
Published in collaboration with the Musee des Impressionnismes Giverny, "Monet in Giverny:
Before the Water Lilies,
1883-1890" encompasses over sixty works in dazzling color and detail, providing fresh insights
and untold perspectives,
retracing the steps that led to Monet's status as a global cultural icon. The wide and thematic
selection of works includes
some little-known treasures from private collections and illustrates the development of the master
painter's talent.
Critique: Simply stated, "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890" is a seminal
and groundbreaking study
that is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the life and work of Oscar-Claude Monet
(14 November 1840 - 5
December 1926) and the Impressionist Art movement. Profusely and beautifully illustrated,
informative and insightful
commentaries, this hardcover edition of "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890"
by collaborative co-
authors Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre is a seminal and unreservedly recommended addition
to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Impressionist Art History/Biography collections in
general and supplemental
Monet curriculum studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note #1: Cyrille Sciama is chief heritage curator and director of the Musee des
Impressionnismes Giverny.
Editorial Note #2: Marie Delbarre is a research assistant at the Musee d'Orsay.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses
Fiza Pathan
Freedom with Pluralism
https://fizapathanpublishing.us
9788194055891, $55.99, HC, 660pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Echoes-Short-Story-Analyses/dp/819405589X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/literary-echoes-fiza-pathan/1150749316
Synopsis: Two hundred stories. Two hundred acts of attention. One scholar's decade-long
conversation with the world's
storytellers.
With the publication of "Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses", Fiza Pathan has created a
landmark literary reference
volume comprised of two hundred in-depth analyses of the short story, which were gathered from
classical antiquity to the
present, and from across the world's literary traditions. "Literary Echoes" is for anyone who
believes, as Fiza Pathan does,
that the short story format stands among the supreme achievements of the human
imagination.
The range of this literary compendium is truly extraordinary. From the Russian masters -
Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy,
Gorky, Bunin (whose stories chart the depths of the human soul), to the full sweep of the
American tradition beginning
with a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, and running through Mark Twain, Stephen Crane,
Jack London, Willa Cather,
F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and Shirley Jackson, to the modern
masters representing
nearly two and a half centuries of American short fiction spread out across the 250 years of
independence the United States
celebrates this very year.
From there "Literary Echoes" goes on to range across the globe: the British and Irish - Wilde,
Kipling, Woolf, Joyce, Saki,
Maugham, Graham Greene, Roald Dahl, M. R. James; the luminous Indian tradition -
Rabindranath Tagore, R. K.
Narayan, Ruskin Bond, Premchand, Saadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chughtai, Khushwant Singh;
and singular voices from
every continent - Yukio Mishima (whose dazzling "Three Million Yen" is among the collection's
gems), Shusaku Endo,
Stefan Zweig, Rainer Maria Rilke, Cesare Pavese, Dino Buzzati, Knut Hamsun, Ivo Andric,
Tadeusz Borowski, Ben Okri,
Nadine Gordimer, V. S. Naipaul, and Hans Christian Andersen.
Critique: A masterpiece of literary criticism and analysis by award winning novelist and short
story author Fiza Pathan,
"Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses" is an inherently fascinating, occasionally iconoclastic,
and always thought-
provoking read from start to finish. Of special and particular interest to readers with an interest in
the short story as a
literary art form and format, "Literary Echoes" is exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization
and presentation. While and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library American Literary
Fiction Criticism and Analysis collections and supplemental Creative Writing studies lists, it
should be noted for students,
academia, aspiring short story writers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the
subject that this hardcover
edition of "Literary Echoes" from Freedom with Pluralism is also readily available in paperback
(9788194055860, $40.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Fiza Pathan (https://insaneowl.com/feed) has a bachelor's degree in arts from the
University of Mumbai,
where she majored in history and sociology with a first class. She also has a bachelor's degree in
education, again with a
first class, her special subjects being English and history. Fiza has written and published
seventeen award-winning books
and short stories, which reflect her interest in furthering the cause of education and in
championing social issues. In over
seventy literary competitions, she has placed either as winner or finalist, chief among them being:
2020 DBW Awards;
2020 Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards; 2018 DBW Awards; Killer Nashville 2018
Silver Falchion Award;
2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards; 2018 Book Viral Millennium Book Awards; Readers'
Favorite Book Awards; Reader
Views Literary Awards; Eric Hoffer Book Award; Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book Awards;
Mom's Choice Awards;
Literary Classics Book Awards; and Dan Poynter's Global E-Book Awards. She writes novels
and short stories in most
genres and can be followed on Twitter @FizaPathan
The Genealogy Shelf
Researching Your Civil War Ancestor
J. L. D. Woodruff
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217926, $26.95, HC, 228pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Researching-Your-Civil-Ancestor-Understanding/dp/161121792X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/researching-your-civil-war-ancestor-j-l-d-laurie-woodruff/11
49498999
Synopsis: There is no better place to start researching the wartime experiences and postwar lives
of your Civil War
ancestors than the pension files held at the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA) in Washington,
D.C.
Opening a Federal Civil War pension file is like unlocking a treasure chest that, in most cases,
has been untouched for
more than 150 years. J. L. D. (Laurie) Woodruff's "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor: A
Guide to Understanding Civil
War Pension Files and Legislation" is a step-by-step guide to finding and unlocking this priceless
information.
These pension files are essential for understanding your family history or the lived experiences of
individual soldiers
during and after the war. They reveal detailed information about the soldier, his wife, and his
children: What happened to
him during the war? How did it affect his health and life afterward? When and where was he
born, and when did he die?
What were his children's names and dates of birth? When and where did the soldier and his wife
marry? Where did they
live? What did he do for a living?
Once you begin exploring these files you will notice how dramatically their contents vary from
one veteran to the next, so
a new questions emerge. Why was this Surgeon's Report required? Why did this veteran have to
list his children and wife
in a bureau questionnaire? Why did the bureau reject this request for a pension increase, or
approve that one and raise the
monthly payment from $8 to $12? Why did a notary public submit an affidavit describing family
records from a
Bible?
Answering these questions and dozens of others require a solid grasp of the federal legislation
that shaped the Civil War
pension system from 1861 to 1958. With the publication of "Researching Your Civil War
Ancestor", Laurie Woodruff
provides the answers to all that and more.
"Researching Your Civil War Ancestor" begins with a concise history of the pension system and
a description (with
examples) of the documents typically found in these files. Next, it explains how to locate your
ancestor's pension files and
obtain copies of their complete contents through various methods. Finally, it guides readers on
accessing and interpreting
Civil War pension legislation. Every public act passed by Congress from 1861 to 1958 that
addressed Civil War pensions
is summarized, with links provided to the original texts online.
The key to unlocking your Civil War ancestor's history is waiting inside "Researching Your Civil
War Ancestor".
Critique: Original, unique, comprehensive, 'real world practical', and thoroughly 'reader/user'
friendly, "Researching Your
Civil War Ancestor: A Guide to Understanding Civil War Pension Files and Legislation" by J. L.
D. (Laurie) Woodruff is
the ideal DIY instructional guide and 'how to' manual for aspiring and experienced genealogists
wanting to research those
of their ancestors that saw service in the American Civil War. This large format paperback
edition of "Researching Your
Civil War Ancestor" from Savas Beaties is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Genealogy instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: With a BA in Politics and Economics from Oxford University, Laurie Woodruff
retired from a career in
public accounting in Canada and spent six months at Virginia Tech working with Professors
James A. (Bud) Robertson
and William C. (Jack) Davis. With their guidance, he designed, implemented, and currently
manages the Essential Civil
War Curriculum (www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com). Now a project of the Center for Civil
War Studies at Virginia
Tech, the Essential Civil War Curriculum website contains a definitive list of more than 300
topics that every student of
the Civil War should study, produced by today's foremost Civil War historians. Laurie is a
member of the Sons of Union
Veterans of the Civil War and has researched more than 125 of his family members who served
in the Civil War.
The Mythology Shelf
The Ancient Moon Goddess
Dale O'Neal and Arthur W. Waters
The Master Game Press
9798992019636, $29.99, HC, 350pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Moon-Goddess-Patriarchy-Christianity/dp/B0FR9V5F7M
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Ancient Moon Goddess: Crushed by Patriarchy, Buried
by Judaism, Hidden in
Christianity", co-authors Dale O'Neal and Arthur Waters deliver a compelling narrative with
striking images that connects
ancient Goddess worship to the beliefs and practices of modern religions, particularly Judaism
and Christianity.
"The Ancient Moon Goddess" reveals how a Stone Age misconception about conception gave
rise to the civilization of the
Moon Goddess. Her world was then crushed by a patriarchal civilization grounded in an equally
flawed idea about
conception. "The Ancient Moon Goddess" calls for a complementary relationship between the
sexes based on the correct
view of conception as readers will:
Discover what convinced the Ancients that the Moon was a real woman.
Learn why sex was central to Goddess worship.
Discover how patriarchy threw over the long-established matriarchy.
Learn why Stone-agers ate their gods and kings.
See how the death and resurrection of the Goddess and Jesus mirror each other.
"The Ancient Moon Goddess" builds on the work of iconic mythologist Joseph Campbell,
scientist and futurist Riane
Eisler, and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas. It shows how our Stone Age ancestors constructed a
Goddess-centered culture
based on a magical view of the cosmos, which to them seemed self-evident.
There is no question that for many readers "The Ancient Moon Goddess" will be disruptive. To
put it mildly. It is
unsettling for some to learn how patriarchy crushed the Goddess; how Judaism buried her; and
how Christianity hides
her.
Critique: Deftly crafted, impressively informative, and a simply fascinating read from start to
finish, "The Ancient Moon
Goddess" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition and addition to
personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Mythology/New Age collections and supplemental
History of Religion/Christian
Theological Anthropology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and
non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Ancient Moon Goddess"
from The Master Game
Press is also readily in paperback (9798992019605, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Dr. Dale O'Neal is an author, clinical psychologist, former minister and music
minister, and a lifelong
student of ancient history and mythology.
Editorial Note #2: Arthur Waters has been a writer, editor, freelancer, a student of English
literature, and a lawyer.
Mythology has fascinated him since childhood.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home
Rob Martin and Kat Martin
Storybuilders Faith
https://www.raisingtheremnant.org/book
9798898330842, $18.99, PB, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Remnant-Stories-Tools-Parents/dp/B0H6YKFV4L
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raising-the-remnant-rob-martin/1150503248
Synopsis: "I want my kids to love Jesus, but I don't feel qualified to lead them."
In their twenty years of teaching, parenting, and leading children's ministry, co-authors Rob and
Kat Martin encountered
this heartfelt problem over and over: Parents want and need resources to help them disciple their
own children. Not just on
Sunday mornings at church, but every day at home.
Through funny and honest parenting stories, biblical insight from the book of Daniel, and the
practical R.E.M.N.A.N.T.
framework, "Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home"
empowers ordinary moms and
dads (and from a Christian perspective) to confidently build biblical rhythms for their
families.
God intentionally chose you to be the parent of your child, and He will equip you for your
purpose. Are you ready to
answer the high calling of parenthood?
Critique: Exceptional well written, impressively effective, and thoroughly 'parent friendly' in
organization and
presentation, "Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home" by
co-authors Rob and Kat
Martin is informative, insightful, practical, and inspiring. An ideal DIY instructional manual for
parenting (and
grandparenting) from a Christian Values perspective, "Raising the Remnant" is especially
commended to the attention of
parents, grandparents, caregivers, Christian family counselors, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the
subject of Christian Family Values and Parenting. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that this paperback edition
of "Raising the Remnant" from Storybuilders Faith is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Rob and Kat Martin are the founders of Raising the Remnant, a ministry
dedicated to equipping parents to
share Jesus at home through practical, everyday discipleship. Together they bring more than two
decades of combined
experience in education, children's ministry, church leadership, and curriculum development.
Rob's background in business
leadership and church planting, paired with Kat's experience as an educator, children's ministry
director, and curriculum
writer, uniquely equips them to help parents confidently lead their families in faith. Married for
more than seventeen years
and parents of three, they are passionate about helping families build a lasting legacy of faith in a
culture that increasingly
pulls children away from biblical truth. Raising the Remnant is their first book together.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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