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Able Greenspan's Bookshelf
How People Learn: A New Model of Learning and Cognition
Nick Shackleton-Jones
Kogan Page Inc.
www.koganpage.com
9781398628809, $65.00, HC, 312pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-People-Learn-Cognition-Performance/dp/1398628808
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-people-learn-nick-shackleton-jones/1149914779
Synopsis: With the publication of this newly updated and revised third edition of "How People Learn: A New Model of Learning and Cognition", Nick Shackleton-Jones gives mid-career learning and development professionals, educators and instructional designers the tools to create impactful, evidence-based and future-ready learning experiences.
"How People Learn" offers a new paradigm for understanding how to make a difference. Drawing on neuroscience, cognitive psychology, philosophy and first-hand experience designing learning for organizations around the world, "How People Learn" reveals what truly happens when people learn, and how to use that insight to design training that drives measurable performance improvement.
Built around the proven 5Di model, it shows how to define, design and deploy learning that fits seamlessly into real workflows and supports learning in the flow of work.
Reader will discover:
How AI is similar/dissimilar to humans, and how we teach machines (and humans) to learn
How to create immersive, scenario-based experiences that mirror real-world challenges
How to build user-centered, performance-driven learning solutions that last
Why experience design, not content delivery, is the future of learning
How to change minds and behaviors and why rational argument is almost never the right tool
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this newly updated and expanded third edition "How People Learn: A New Model of Learning and Cognition" by Nick Shackleton-Jones" will hold a special and particular interest to psychologists, HR leaders, educators and non-specialist general readers who are simply interested in understanding what makes people tick. It will help its readers to design learning that inspires, engages and delivers real results. The themes covered by "How People Learn" include: learning design, L&D strategy, workplace learning, performance improvement, neuroscience, human behaviour, cognitive science, education. Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Human Resources & Leadership collections and supplemental MBR curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and corporate executives, that this hardcover third edition of "How People Learn" is also available in paperback (9781398628786, $38.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $38.99).
Editorial Note: Nick Shackleton-Jones is HR Director, Talent & Learning at Deloitte, UK. His work focuses on building a better experience for employees and improving organizational performance. He was previously the Director of Learning and Performance Innovation at PA Consulting Group and Director of Learning Innovation and Technology at BP. He has also held senior roles in L&D at Siemens Communications and the BBC. He is based in Reading, UK.
Able Greenspan
Reviewer
Diane Donovan's Bookshelf
And Slavery No More
Stan Haynes
SMH Publishing
9781737766971, $12.99 paperback/$6.99 e-book
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-No-More-Novel-ebook/dp/B0H4DJWMF3
And Slavery No More returns to Stan Haynes' prior 19th century historical novel settings with a story set in 1862 which considers the Civil War's events, impact, and participants.
Readers encounter a vividly-portrayed Abraham Lincoln and the people who swirl around him as the plot focuses on strategies in managing military forces, and behind-the-scenes and upfront negotiations and arguments which ultimately affected the course of leaders and the war.
Stan Haynes evolves these scenarios using personal approaches that delve deeply into matters of political divide and negotiations. This brings these times and their issues to life, as in this example of Lincoln's reflection in the outcome of just one discourse:
"My purpose was to convince them, as leaders of the Negro community, that colonization is in the best interests of their people. I was blunt with them, maybe too blunt. Told them that this danged war is because of their being here. That their race has suffered, and will continue to suffer, from living among us, while our race has and will, in the future, suffer by their presence. Told 'em that we needn't discuss whether it is right or it is wrong, but that it is best, for both of us, to be separated. That this option in Central America is a good one for all, and that they should support it."
"I read that their response was less than enthusiastic."
"To say the least. Resisted it mightily. Said their people have been here, just like us, for more than two centuries, and have earned a right to stay. That here is the only home they, their parents and grandparents, have ever known. Accused me of just wanting to be rid of them. Imagine that."
Four fictional characters (Lincoln's friend and advisor, a newspaper reporter, a Confederate officer, and a Union soldier) introduce very different perspectives through these arguments, providing an unusually well-rounded series of confrontations and realizations as the war goes on and its goals shift.
Haynes is particularly adept at integrating the thoughts, influences, and ultimate impact of these diverse trains of thought into a plot which explores and depicts the course of changing social and political norms in the advent of a world- and paradigm-changing civil war.
The result is a powerful discourse that libraries and readers will want to consider essential to any deeper understanding of military might and social impact. Replete with moments of vivid, stark realization, And Slavery No More, more so than most Civil War novels, brings to life the underlying threads of influence upon these times.
Of Beginnings and Ends
S. K. Kruse
skkruse.com
Deuxmers, LLC
9781944521264, $14.95
Author's Website
https://www.skkruse.com/of-beginnings-and-ends
The opening of this story maintains that anyone could have written this account of an inner journey. In fact, S. K. Kruse's thought-provoking and humorous portrait of Everywoman Evy and her soul-searching quest is a riveting philosophical, spiritual, and psychological saga that many writers could not have produced.
When Evy attempts to rescue a grief-stricken man, she's propelled into the Hall of Beginnings and Ends, where she encounters the choices of transformation or ennui, with each pathway in the hall leading to a different outcome and challenge.
The threads of humor which balance the seriousness of Evy's quests appear at unexpected moments and places to offer not just comic relief, but satisfying contrasts to her encounters:
"There are other tailor shops along the way where a person could get a look at you if they really wanted to, but I wouldn't worry about it - there are things hidden so deep in each of us that even you can't possibly know yet why you chose half the stuff you did."
"Well, that's a relief," Evy said, looking around to see if anyone was checking her out in the window.
From the admonition to arm herself with as much self-knowledge as possible in the course of her journeys to experiences with individuals who inject philosophical reflections into her growth process, readers will appreciate Evy's many forays into the unexpected. These often conclude with equally novel messages about progression and expectation:
"But where will I end up?" Evy hollered.
And Betty hollered back, "Wherever you need to be!"
From "profound failures of love" to confronting sadness and horror in the world and herself, readers follow Evy's revelations as she contemplates assuming a greater role in the universe by making different choices.
Libraries interested in literary, philosophical, spiritual stories of transformation and magic will find Of Beginnings and Ends an appealing story. It will appeal both to intellectual thinkers and everyday general interest readers.
Packed with encounters with self-inspection, Of Beginnings and Ends will also attract book clubs interested in novels with underlying messages about change and consequences - topics certain to spark much debate over choices and life perceptions.
The Mask of the Storyteller
Jeff Zelkowitz
https://jeffzelkowitz.com
EurekaSignal Press
9798995521501, $19.95 Paperback/ $4.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H7SQ4Y8G
Fantasy readers interested in tales of adventure that open with a theft and evolve into a quest story that tests the hearts and minds of young adults will find The Mask of the Storyteller replete with many compelling moments. The teens are charged with traversing a melting polar ice cap to seek the truth about a conspiracy.
Aggie Brown thwarts the attempted theft of an Inuit mask, leading her and fellow classmate, hockey star Tommy Tulugaq, to embark on a journey to find answers. This involves baring their souls to one another and participating in an effort that makes demands above and beyond their daily lives.
Readers can expect encounters with monsters of all kinds, probes of moral and ethical behaviors and perceptions, and reflections on greed, wealth, and power. These weave into the teens' venture, depicting vivid, action-packed confrontations:
"This is mindless cruelty, this destruction."
"No, this cruelty has a purpose. Now you have seen what I can do. You have the power to stop it. Give me what I want, the mask, the island, the powers of the Anernerk. All of it."
These scenarios embody picture-in-picture portraits as the stories, individuals, and motivations unfold in layers in a dilemma that holds world-changing ramifications.
Jeff Zelkowitz's depictions of characters' encounters with Indigenous and other worlds creates a powerful set of inspections that also embraces how Aggie and Tommy are challenged and changed by their mission, one another, and the events that shake their perceptions of their psyches and purposes. At times, circumstances divide them as each struggles to maintain equilibrium in the face of impossible challenges:
She was alone again, alone and angry at her tears.
Dreams filled with stories as vivid as the reality they confront permeate a tale of adventure that will reach a wide age range, making The Mask of the Storyteller broadly appealing to readers interested in fantasy embedded with thrilling moments of tension and discovery.
Replete with insights about friendship, commitment, purpose, and courage, The Mask of the Storyteller is a powerful tale filled with reflections about modern issues, climate change, magic, and love that libraries and readers will appreciate.
A Caregiver's Guide to Palliative Medicine
George J. Taylor, M.D.
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901741627, $19.99 Paperback; $28.99 Hardcover; $8.99 ebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Caregivers-Guide-Palliative-Medicine/dp/B0GZHX9G9S
A Caregiver's Guide to Palliative Medicine reviews the logic, pharmacology, and objectives of palliative medicine - a subject often part of medical and caregiver guides, but which typically receives little in-depth focus.
Not only does Dr. George J. Taylor review the methodology of palliative care, but he takes an even deeper dive into its applications to typical end-of-life diseases, from cancer to heart, neurologic, and liver and kidney disease - right up to and including nursing home care.
Chapters unfold not a singular path to palliative care, but a multi-branched approach that reviews common hospice and palliative applications. More importantly, he delves into the medical rationale for each:
When the hospice nurse detects increasing fluid retention - the weight is rising or there is more edema or shortness of breath - raising the Bumex or Demadex dose works as well as giving IV Lasix. Note that once in the circulation, Lasix, Bumex, and Demadex are equally potent. The issue is getting the diuretic from the gut into the circulation. Use of these more effective diuretics is the essential step that can prevent hospital admission.
As chapters reveal diverse approaches tailored for different diseases and managing symptoms and conditions, caregivers receive in-depth access to articles, research, proven methods, and, best of all, receive a better understanding of why various treatments are applied at the end of life.
This enables the non-medical professional insights into typical routines and choices, allowing caregivers to recognize symptoms, understand their management, and adjust their own caregiving routines with better knowledge of medical choices, impact, and monitoring requirements.
The result is a "must have" reference for any general-interest or medical library and anyone involved in caregiving on any level, whether it be for a loved one or as a profession.
Dr. Taylor's emphasis on applied palliative care routines provides information not easily accessible to the general-interest caregiver, making A Caregiver's Guide to Palliative Medicine essential reading.
Hard Things
Marc Hopkins
https://hardthingsbook.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901742426, $16.99 Paperback; $29.99 Hardcover; $8.99 ebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Things-Marc-Hopkins/dp/B0GYQL3KG8
Hard Things traverses Marc Hopkins' participation in the Bigfoot 200-mile ultramarathon with an eye to exploring inner and outer challenges as he navigates running through the Cascade Mountains and his own approaches to life, both physical and mental.
He pushes through physical challenges by building endurance while at the same time considering the anxiety which has motivated him to tackle seemingly impossible life obstacles. The connection between endurance and anxiety evolves as Hopkins races through the world and reflects upon his connections to it:
The trees welcomed me, ancient sentinels that had survived fires and countless Pacific storms. Every now and then, I would reach out a hand and gently slide my hand along the bark as I eased by, imagining energy exchanged, always receiving more than I gave. This ritual had formed early in my trail running, and the practice really helped late in a trail race. When I was tired and hurting, if I connected with a tree like this, I would get a small boost to revive me for a brief moment. Perhaps all that time alone in the woods brought out the pagan in me. It paired well with my adopted PNW flannel and beard.
Fueled by memories of joys of various wilderness environments, running, and mental challenges, Hard Things is a memoir that is easy to imbibe. It's reflective of nature and the follies and musings of humans as Hopkins embarks on hundreds of miles of marathon running and thinking.
Readers can vicariously follow his evolutionary process and run in his footsteps as a sense of place, purpose, and perspective weaves into these movements to create bigger pictures of achievement, hope, and belief.
Hopkins uses the memoir of his run to create a running psychological network of transformation offering many unexpected revelations, holding surprises for readers who might have anticipated more of a focus on physical endurance, but proving delightful for anyone looking for something deeper:
I'd spent a lifetime holding emotions back. They got in the way, caused worry, didn't make me feel good. Rather than suffer pain, I'd learned to bury feelings deep in the moment, later rationalizing them, alone, into something manageable. This way, I appeared strong, my feelings didn't bother anyone, and I survived. I endured. What if I let my feelings out? I answered myself immediately, without even a second's pause. That would be wrong. The response was so instinctual, I almost didn't hear it. In my head, I was automatically labeling feelings right and wrong. Joy and happiness were acceptable, within reason. Fear and anger were not. There wasn't a place for "wrong" feelings in my life, so I held onto them. Let them go.
This is why libraries choosing Hard Things to add to their memoir or sports collections will want to highly recommend the story beyond these audiences. The hard things Hopkins reveals don't just come from physical training, but mental shifts.
In this, Hard Things runs right into unexpected territory to reveal powerful notes of discovery suitable not just for sports and memoir readers, but book clubs, psychology discussion groups, and anyone interested in personal growth.
Life After Eve
Cassie Eickhoff
Ink & Origin
9798995863007, $17.95 Paperback/$1.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Eve-Cassie-Eickhoff/dp/B0H59HT6PN
Life After Eve is a novel that opens with Eve Jensen's foray to Nebraska. She hasn't been home in seventeen years, so her return portends many realizations and changes as she navigates familiar and unfamiliar territory and faces the truth: that she's only been motivated to return home because of her mother's death.
She'd thought her mother had nothing, but Eve has inherited her mom's bookstore, Another Story - though her mother's will stipulates that she must return home to claim her inheritance.
Her first discovery is basic:
Who was this woman? Eve certainly didn't know that version of her mother.
What follows is a year in which Eve is challenged to stay in one place to decide what she wants from life, her mother's last wishes forcing her into uprooting "her great life in Chicago and coming back here - the place that had her scratching and clawing to leave all those years ago."
As she discovers that her mother was unable to live her best life without her daughter, Eve confronts her past choices, embarks on a journey with attorney Adam Desmond, and is drawn into the drama of the impact her absence has had on a mother who was trying to change and reconcile her relationships without her daughter's knowledge.
Cassie Eickhoff draws together these two seemingly disparate characters of Adam and Eve, creating a story of new beginnings and surprising confrontations that lead each in unexpected directions of maturity and purpose that many readers won't see coming.
The story unfolds a rich tapestry of mother/child relationship choices as it examines the fine line between love and hate and how these choices ripple into other lives.
Librarians and readers seeking powerful inspections of past and present connections will find Life After Eve a compelling saga of silence, courage, love, growth, and the motivations behind drives for success and achievement.
All these facets and more make Life After Eve an excellent read that's also highly recommended for women's reading group discussions.
The Great Awakening
Blake Anderson
https://blakeandersonauthor.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901742020, $16.99 Paperback; $29.99 Hardcover; $8.99 ebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Awakening-Blake-Anderson/dp/B0GZSLMGGW
Imagine a worldwide shared dream which changes humanity's perspective. The Great Awakening posits such an event and opens with Raymond Brunson's realization that he is home and has just had not just a dream, but a life-shaking experience.
A mysterious light portending to be love has appeared to him, imparting an acute new flavor of the world when he awakens to find everything has changed. Like a newborn, he feels physically and mentally alive for the first time - and like other human beings, the connections built by this newfound awareness ripple into the world as he finds that Veronica, too, has had this world-changing vision.
Not only the presence, but the impact of this awakening emerges to change society... but not everyone has experienced or enjoys its benefits. Some are left behind in the drive for enlightened behavior and social organization - and in these individuals, the pain of humanity still exists.
The Unawakened are motivated to find out the truth behind this Awakening and its promise of nirvana. What they find reveals something not benevolent, but malevolent, as the story unfolds.
Blake Anderson's story operates powerfully on many levels. Spiritual, social, political, and psychological forces entwine as the Awakening spreads its tendrils throughout the world. Those who can't benefit from its light question its wellspring and intentions.
Readers receive a mystery, thriller, spiritual and social inspection, and a gripping tale of the human race under siege and transformation.
Libraries seeking crossover novels that can appeal to an especially wide audience, from sci-fi and thriller readers to those who enjoy tales of spiritual and social possibility, will find The Great Awakening unexpected, deeply moving, and easy to highly recommend.
Twisted Flip
M.E. Bakos
MEBooks
https://mebakos.wixsite.com/author
9798986788951, $15.95 Paperback/$4.99 eBook
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/TWISTED-FLIP-Home-Renovator-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0H4YN6PBT
Twisted Flip adds to the Home Renovator mystery series with a new home improvement novel of intrigue, opening with a bang of attraction that neatly summarizes Home Rehab Specialist Katelyn Baxter's angst about life:
I whacked the wall with all the force I could muster using a sledgehammer. It was too much. My marriage to Don Williams was in limbo. The hunky, cobalt-blue eyed, blondish fox had returned to sheriff's duties. Eddy Pascal, my devilishly handsome ex, was living in my old townhouse. Don's housekeeper, Esther, had taken leave to care for her ill sister, leaving an enormous mansion for us to clean and cook. Even Boots, my rescue cat, was difficult, peeing indiscriminately and having zoomies at 3:00 in the morning.
This introductory salvo of overwhelm in Minnesota embraces even more challenges when Katelyn moves from keeping her acquisition of a new Cape Cod home secret from her almost-husband to facing unprecedented issues from a home flip.
A murder investigation goes far beyond home management, renovation, or buying and selling, pulling Katelyn and her readers into community personalities and dilemmas. These steep the home-flipping process with a sense of dangerous past and present threats that come with an added dose of angst.
From squatters in the basement to strange visitors, a murder involving a clown and a bride, and crank calls containing threats, Katelyn marries home renovation efforts with a nose for sleuthing that uncovers undercurrents of unrest in the neighborhood.
As arson attempts and other events force her to reconsider her efforts and perceptions, readers follow Katelyn into the world of home flipping. Intrigue nicely pairs small town sentiments with bigger life challenges and murderous intentions.
As in the other investigative titles in this evolving series, M.E. Bakos captures newcomers and prior fans alike with vivid scenes of confrontation, realization, and the unexpected. These elements, combined with interactions with neighbors and community, keep the tension high, the pace satisfying, and the outcomes thoroughly unpredictable.
Librarians either seeing popularity with other books in the series or encountering M.E. Bakos for the first time will appreciate how Twisted Flip will attract readers interested in a fine mystery paired with home renovation and community special interests.
This Blood Runs Deep
K. Reed
Rath Publishing
9798950805001, $18.99 (paperback)/$4.99 (ebook)
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GX2Y7H51
Readers of young adult horror interested in immersive experiences and tales of the unexpected will find all these elements and more in This Blood Runs Deep. The tale opens with the corpse of a fox in a cornfield. First-person narrator Josie is not a child, and this isn't the first corpse she's seen - but there's something especially foul and wrong with this one.
Her increasing involvement in different forms of demise that go beyond a single animal's death introduces a special form of horror into her life as she and her sibling discover neighbor Samuel and his wife Eleanor (Josie's sister) dead, torn apart like "cornered prey."
What evolves is a bloodbath of discovery, impossibilities, and deadly danger. Murder House embraces a special brand of community involvement and horror that immerses not just the surviving family, but everyone around them, in a series of confrontations. Could the killer be a girl of Josie's own age?
As one of the Fairview kids who are post-high school and somewhat on their own, Shaly enters adulthood cognizant of the impact these events have on her life, but still unaware that the horror is not over, but ongoing.
The Fairview community comes to life under K. Reed's hand and through Shaly's eyes as family life grows, guilt rises, and a friendship with Cass is tested by a dead body.
K. Reed shifts the story between "then and now", different characters and relationships, the blend of new and old unfolding events embedding the progression of this special brand of horror with life. The focus on impact, consequence, and choice runs fine threads of discovery and connection throughout these shifting chapters and characters in a story that neatly segues Josie's early discovery with the lives of Lem Robertson, Cass, baby Oliver, and others.
The result is an immersive horror piece that mature teens to adult readers will find involving. It's packed with not just satisfying twists, but characters whose lives shift, intersect, and move forward and backwards in time.
Librarians seeking a YA horror tale replete with interpersonal challenges and revelations will find This Blood Runs Deep evocative, thought-provoking, and powerful:
My whole life has been an endless cycle of seasons that run into one another like diluted paint. I've nothing to wait for, and nothing to remove me from my situation. All I have is the farm and my family, and life has shown me, quite thoroughly, that the latter is never promised.
Swallow Hell
Robert Wallace
Exclusive
9781836888598, $14.78 Paperback/$8.06 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/SWALLOW-HELL-survival-redemption-REAL-LIFE/dp/1836888597
Swallow Hell is a memoir of survival and recovery that takes true events and weaves them into a chronicle of struggle. It opens with Robert Wallace's enlistment in the British Army in search of structure and purpose and follows his subsequent honorable discharge, PTSD, and a world that moved into alien territory while he was away, engaged in battles:
Britain had changed. We were now part of the European Union, and the streets felt different - more crowded, more complex, more distant. I wasn't just trying to adapt to civilian life; I was trying to adapt to a new Britain. One that felt unfamiliar and, at times, unwelcoming.
As his experiences unfold into a special form of addictive hell leads him to be incarcerated in Europe and confrontations with not only authorities but himself, stark passages of realization permeate a saga replete with reflective, thought-provoking moments:
Every decision, every escape, every moment of weakness had led me here. And now, there was nowhere left to run.
Wallace presents his observations and experiences in staccato, short sentences which are captivating:
That's when I realised how big this prison really was. A supermax. Three compounds - foreigners, Turkish nationals, and youth. All patrolled by armed guards. All humming with tension.
His insights into bipolar challenges, manipulation and desperation, and the quasi-freedom of sedation provide unusual glimpses into the nature of hell, drugs, imprisonment, and freedom. This will prompt readers and book clubs alike to consider the rudiments of sobriety and freedom which lead to life-altering choices.
The result is a powerful memoir of unflinching examination that is very highly recommended reading for a wide range of audiences, from those interested in European prisons and power plays and alliances between inmates to the culture of addiction and sobriety that come full circle for Wallace and many others in his position.
Readers battling their own addiction, trauma, and pain will especially find Swallow Hell a blueprint for recovery and change which ultimately offers hope and assessments of opportunity:
That moment came for me like a whisper, not a shout. A quiet knowing that if I didn't walk away from the past, I'd never stop dragging it into the present.
Cutting Loose
Aimee Zaring
https://www.aimeezaring.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901742754, $18.99 Paperback; $9.99 ebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Loose-Journey-Survival-Embodied/dp/B0H3M3QBJT
Cutting Loose: My Journey From Survival Mode to Embodied Flow is a memoir of family interaction, healing, and choices that, more than other books about recovery, pinpoint the roots of compulsive behavior patterns and their impact on all kinds of relationships.
Its focus is on blending a memoir of experience with an approach to applying somatic healing for self-regulation, and it weaves these circumstances into a broader analysis of relationship-building approaches that will especially appeal to women who have intentionally chosen solitary lives.
Aimee Zaring paints the portrait of her life choices with compelling insights into these motivations and their results:
Ever since my seventeen-year childless marriage ended four years earlier, I had relished my solitude. I still marveled at not having to continually adjust to another's moods, needs, desires, or schedule. But I sensed that Tom, a fifty-one-year-old father to two children under the age of five, was beginning to crave more than a part-time girlfriend. Maybe I was beginning to calculate what I would have to give up and take on if our relationship continued its forward trajectory.
But my tears ran deeper than that. I was a forty-four-year-old woman without my security blanket. I couldn't engage in the one behavior I relied on to quiet every anxious thought or painful feeling - at least not with Tom beside me almost every minute. Not even the bathrooms offered an escape. The fluorescent lighting was too harsh. The mirrors were too large, too close. Too honest.
The account documents society's struggle to find middle grounds of compromise and health and the applications of a "window of tolerance" which "describes the optimal zone of arousal in which an individual can function effectively in daily life and comfortably experience, process, and integrate a range of emotions and manage everyday stressors." As it embraces a better way of understanding how nervous systems can be calmed or stimulated, Cutting Loose offers a powerful reflection on how awareness is built, revised responses can build different neural pathways of possibility, and lessons and exercises from a range of disciplines (such as Feldenkrais) can help identify and change patterns.
These elements make Cutting Loose more than a memoir alone, but a workbook of revised possibilities and life patterns that offers readers new options for change.
Libraries can highly recommend Cutting Loose to readers and book clubs interested in not just personal accounts of growth and evolution, but the programs and options that work best for affecting and changing life patterns.
Packed with intersections of personal, political, and psychological change, Cutting Loose is a winning blend of opportunities that readers will find encouraging and enlightening.
From Lab to Life: How AI Works in China
Collin Hogue-Spears
https://collinhoguespears.ai
Gatekeeper Press
https://gatekeeperpress.com
9781662969553, $19.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lab-Life-How-Works-China/dp/1662976046
From Lab to Life: How AI Works in China will appeal to a wide audience, from business professionals and policy-makers to AI governance practitioners, executives evaluating China market entry or partnerships, and compliance leaders tracking how AI regulation actually operates in China.
Collin Hogue-Spears is a technology executive whose background includes AI governance and regulatory authorization. His focus on compliance in China, how decision frameworks are drawn by Chinese AI firms developing models for AI deployment, and his history of fifteen years of Chinese AI development makes for a technical, yet engrossing study. This holds many implications for better understanding AI's function and development not just in China, but around the world.
The account opens with a historical review of China's early ventures into AI territory, pointing out the nation's initial and groundbreaking moves, made long before the rest of the world absorbed AI's full potential:
China deployed production-scale AI systems years before anyone recognized them as such. By the time the phrase "artificial intelligence" entered public discourse, Baidu's infrastructure processed billions of transactions daily, the data pipelines fed ever-larger models, and the engineering teams solved problems at scales their Western counterparts had not yet attempted.
The analysis progresses to consider the research and deployment efforts, regulatory responses and processes, and results of large and small firms in China, moving historical developments into the realm of government/business transactions and interactions that business readers will find especially revealing:
The enforcement timing reflected more than pure regulatory logic; it coincided with a broader recalibration of the relationship between platforms and the state, as platforms' infrastructure role outpaced the governance frameworks meant to manage them. Whatever drove the timing, the operational lesson held: multi-agency governance could enforce, and enforce fast.
Footnoted references allow researchers the ability to follow the threads of these decisions, developments, and deployments with their business, social, political, and regulatory ramifications:
Cross-cultural research from Stanford's SPARQ lab found Chinese respondents viewed it as "less important to control AI and more important to connect with AI."[29] The pattern reflects lived experience with state-driven technological modernization, not naivete.
From Lab to Life: How AI Works in China takes a deep dive into history, cause and consequence, government and business interactions, and AI's evolutionary process as it impacts human vision and achievement.
Readers who enter this discussion with some degree of prior knowledge about China's business, technological, and political systems will be especially impressed at how these and other forces dovetail to create new insights into how AI is developed and perceived.
Librarians seeking business, AI technology, and political science books to highly recommend to patrons interested in AI's progression in general and China's involvements in particular will find Lab to Life: How AI Works in China the perfect blend of science, policy-making influences, and probe into Chinese systems and affairs.
Foundation: A Guide to Successful & Profitable Writing
Barry M. Willis
Cresting Wave Publishing LLC
9781956048346, $24.95 Hardcover/$9.99 Paperback/$2.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Foundation-Guide-Successful-Profitable-Writing/dp/1956048340
Foundation: A Guide to Successful & Profitable Writing: (And to Everything You Didn't Learn in English Class) breaks the rules - some of the rules of standard English teachings about writing, that is. In so doing, Foundation sets new standards for writing for the ear and attractive results, offering a creative focus to successful rule-bending that can result in superior writing.
Important observations emerge in the course of examining a range of writing-related choices and opportunities, from understanding the difference between exposure and exploitation to employing AI without compromising a writer's style.
Unlike other guides to using language more effectively, Barry M. Willis attends to various kinds of writing and their particular challenges, from handling press releases, ghostwriting, and grammar to knowing when and how to break the rules which confine and limit writing.
Writers who well recall and employ traditional rules of writing will be pleased to learn how to reconsider and break them:
The Star Trek mission statement, "To boldly go where no one has gone before," has been criticized many times by grammarians who insist that it's wrong because inserting the adverb boldly between to and go yields a so-called "split infinitive." While Captain Kirk of the starship Enterprise might have been more correct to state "To go boldly where no one has gone before," it might not have the same dramatic impact. Scriptwriters for Star Trek were probably well aware of how they were structuring the captain's bold statement.
Don't worry about splitting infinitives because every native speaker of English splits them all the time.
Examples blend real-world experience with editorial jobs and concerns, judgment calls in applying rules to writing, and a lively historical review of how grammar standards came to be:
Centuries ago, the use of double or stacked negatives was commonplace in English, but it fell out of fashion due to the insistence of grammarians trained in logic. Their persuasive argument was that two negative elements canceled each other, so that I ain't got none should be interpreted as I have some.
The result is unexpectedly lively, especially considering its topic (grammar, English language, and writing acuity). Foundation draws unusual, important links between the process of writing and its impact on readers.
Writers at all stages of honing their craft will appreciate Foundation: A Guide to Successful & Profitable Writing's ability to reconsider the basics in a lively, involving approach that is not just informative, but engrossing.
Book clubs and creative writing groups and classes, in particular, will relish its unique voice and passion, as well as its considerations of writer's quandaries and broader topics that don't appear in most books about this finer art form.
Frostbite
Rachel Nee Hall
Cresting Wave Publishing LLC
9781956048407, $16.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Frostbite-Rachel-Nee-Hall/dp/1956048405
Frostbite was written to help kids analyze and express difficult emotional experiences, addressing responses to a parent's sudden absence in the home and other emotional traumas.
Two little penguins and a first-person cheery invitation open the story with a confession:
Maria looks sad today because she is confused and afraid. And to be honest, I am too.
These penguins were born in Antarctica and loved their beautiful home - but it became too dangerous for them to live there, so they packed up and traveled to the Arctic Circle to create a new life.
Gorgeous, good-sized illustrations accompany a survey of the challenges involved in recreating a new life, making new friends in a foreign environment, and handling threats from shifting social and political milieus outside the home which can result in a parent's absence or worse.
Kids thus receive tools for considering and handling their emotions in a new way, with the cartoon-like penguins and Arctic/Antarctic environment serving as a backdrop for exercises that promote calming, strength, resilience, and courage.
Elementary-level librarians, child psychologists, and read-aloud adults can employ this book's lessons in various ways, helping kids perform the easy exercises to better cope with their changing world and trauma.
Frostbite may look like a simple children's picture book story on its surface, but it contains all the essential ingredients for adaptation, survival, and positivity that kids need in order to adapt to a sometimes-dangerous world that can enter one's home without notice and change everything.
Its lessons allow a younger audience than usual to consider elements of adaptation and how to survive scary times and help others in the process.
Yucatan Blue
David Poyer
Northampton House Press
https://northampton-house.com
9781950668410, $19.95 Paperback/$7.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/YUCATAN-BLUE-Galloway-Underwater-Adventure/dp/195066841X
Joining David Poyer's other "Blue" thriller novels is Yucatan Blue, a study in escape, redemption, and new challenges as Tiller Galloway, the protagonist of previous adventures, flees to Cancun, Mexico after the IRS begins questioning his fortunes and finances. There, he becomes involved in a dangerous archaeological cave diving study in the company of July Toll.
As they search for the truth of what led to the collapse of Mayan civilization around AD 900, the answer seems to lie not in the usual jungle milieu, but deep beneath a lake where a sunken temple complex offers answers to those courageous enough to brave its lightless waters.
Meanwhile, the waters of political conflict boil on land where looters and corruption abound. Tiller and Max undertake the rigors of deep rebreather diving while confronting forces that encourage the release of a dangerous evil back into the world, which has its roots in Mayan history.
Poyer creates a powerfully atmospheric series of encounters that is spiced by deep diving challenges and personal and political confrontations. As a murder further clouds objectives and survival tactics, readers enjoy a fast-paced adventure that rivals any Indiana Jones story of discovery, injecting interpersonal challenges that deepen emotional connections to physical tests:
"Are you in a bad mood?" The question he hadn't wanted to ask when she was actually at the wheel.
She shook her head, squinting through the windshield. "It's nothing... no, hell yeah, I'm mad. But not at you. Mostly at myself. How I keep getting mixed up with hombres I shouldn't be involved with."
"If that's aimed at me, not sure I deserve it." But he was sort of feeling the same way. Remembering how he'd abandoned his family, years before... how dangerous this might be getting... how he didn't know where he was going, really, with a blackness ahead as deep as the uttermost reaches of a cenote. Maybe it was better for her not to get stuck on him. Maybe he was a Jonah. For women, anyway.
The result is a riveting thriller that benefits from Poyer's background as a diver, sailor, and marine engineer. The realistic, thoroughly engrossing story is packed with satisfying twists and moments of life-threatening realizations that readers won't see coming.
Lawton Passage
Tim Duning
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901742877, $32.99 Hardcover; $19.99 Paperback; $8.99 ebook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lawton-Passage-Tim-Duning/dp/B0H3WV4RQ4
Lawton Passage is the first-person coming-of-age story of Southern boy Liam, who navigates his family, childhood, and memories, coming full-circle forty years later to consider the ultimate impact of these times and his early years.
From the start, Tim Duning captures a storyteller's vivid descriptions and drama as he laces together the entire family's guidance and progression, starting with his father's efforts:
Dad penned a record of the good stuff - awards and adventures that had been the collective family's bounty that year. And then Dad would occasionally throw in a dash of Christianity as both a reminder and encouragement of the good moral values represented by our family legacy, like he did in 1970.
Family values and the Marlowe family name, experiences, and decisions are narrated with the effervescent hand of a storyteller intent on capturing the underlying impact of daily life:
I consider this tale to be in keeping with the maxim: Necessity is the mother of non-convention. Highway disrespect? Nah. The road deserved it. Linus, Smiley, Chien, Tish... it was payback for all those years of pet friends crumpled into roadkill. Deviant, natural, and evanescent. All in one. Think of it as disappearing ink worthy of a spy novel.
The passage of time and hindsight accompany astute considerations of shifting worldviews and changing relationships:
My illicit party days of going down the road had fallen by the wayside long, long ago. Forty-one years, that was how long ago it had been since Lewis and I were at his place in Memphis working on his Poli-Sci term paper.
Duning's ability to intersect narrative stories with bigger-picture opportunities for reflection creates a literary, absorbing novel that will appeal whether readers are attracted to a coming-of-age saga, a reflection on bygone years, a narrative of family and friendship changes, or its Southern atmosphere.
All these elements weave into a sense of 1960s and '70s Tennessee that is vivid and expansive.
Libraries that choose Lawton Passage for its attraction as a leisure read, a book club selection, or for patrons holding special interest in Tennessee or Southern childhoods will relish how the story evolves with a storyteller's hand to capture the passage of time and its lasting influences in a vivid, thoroughly absorbing manner.
The Mustard Seed
Ruben Rodriguez Ferreira
One Flock Books
https://oneflockbooks.com
9781972626016, $11.99
One Flock Books
https://oneflockbooks.com/products/the-mustard-seed
The Mustard Seed is a picture book parable of planting a seed and observing the wonders that grow from it. While the tiny seed's beginnings are unremarkable, amazing things quickly emerge, ranging from "Flowers, and more flowers. A bee. Two butterflies" to "Grass, songs, and colors."
The tree which emerges from this simple beginning gives much to the world: "In its branches, sustenance. In its roots, a home." Indeed, one little seed holds the power to change the world.
Adults who read The Mustard Seed to kids will want to use this parable as a teachable opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics with the very young, from the interconnectedness of the world to the impact the smallest beginning can have on the biggest things in life.
Though very simple in its perspective and short in its presentation, the parable offers vast opportunities beyond its diminutive stature, teaching joy in small things as it grows big ideas for young listeners.
This is why read-aloud adults and elementary-level librarians should consider The Mustard Seed an appealing winner. Its ability to introduce bigger-picture thinking to the youngest of minds makes it uniquely appealing.
Finding the Road Rebels
Doreen Frances
https://doreenfrances.com
Trampoline Press
www.trampolinepress.com
9798999550415, Paperback $18.95; Hardback $26.95; Ebook $8.99
Author's Website
https://doreenfrances.com/memoir
Finding the Road Rebels: Fast Cars, Family Secrets, and the Road to the Truth is a memoir that follows a search for a biological father and answers, and reveals a ten-year odyssey in which Doreen Frances chased threads of information to learn about her father and the identity he bequeathed her before he was killed in a hot rod wreck.
Frances was a year old when the man died, and four when her stepfather legally adopted her. Her early childhood memories didn't include her father, who denied his fatherhood. She was eight before she really formed the questions that would lead her, in adulthood, to search out answers.
From the trauma of learning about her adoption to handling fighting parents and the mystery surrounding her past, Frances creates a probe not just into her own roots, but concepts and impacts of parenting, lifestyle choices, and ideals of family connection:
I had to laugh. My father was a real-life Arthur Fonzarelli. Who knew? But that didn't make him the "dad" type. Fonzie wasn't about diapers and midnight feedings.
As her journey leads her into the world of auto racing, motorcycles, and the ways that loved ones can keep secrets, readers receive a multifaceted memoir that moves between family ties and the world of illegitimacy, rebels, and the lives which surrounded her father:
I felt a lump rise in my throat. Glenn, now in his sixties, was suddenly a teenager again. And I was fifteen, hearing about my father's subtle kindness. I felt a wave of protectiveness toward Glenn. And I wondered, would my father have protected me too?
Anyone who has been abandoned by a parent or has embarked on a search through family secrecy for the truth will find Finding the Road Rebels a gripping saga of discovery that operates on many different levels.
Librarians choosing Finding the Road Rebels for their collections will especially appreciate the opportunity to high recommend it to patrons interested in the intersection of family affairs, social and cultural influences, and paternal and maternal choices in raising, committing to, or setting aside family.
The story's ability to weave a compelling blend of discovery, recovery, and new realizations brings readers along on a rollicking ride through life choices that are thought-provoking and evocative, as appealing to book club and reader groups as it will be to individuals.
The Heart of A Special Education Teacher
Dr. Vevian D. Salahid
Independently Published
9798199078139, $23.99 Hardcover/$18.99 Paperback/$6.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Special-Education-Teacher-Resilience/dp/B0H3H9BNT6
The Heart of A Special Education Teacher: A Journey of Resilience, Inclusion, and Purpose will appeal to memoir and education teachers alike with its blend of a teacher's experiences and reflections on the challenges and joys of teaching kids with special needs.
Unlike more general stories about teaching, The Heart of A Special Education Teacher delves into the underlying lessons of working with special needs individuals which imparts insights on patience, compassion and inclusion practices.
Dr. Vevian D. Salahid's concurrent journey as an immigrant from the Philippines to the U.S. lends an extra layer of insights as readers learn of her growing commitment to and training in education, then how this translates to her venture into the special needs community and teaching.
She points out that achieving an effective classroom is only the beginning of community and school involvement in the process of inclusiveness:
Building a Special Education program in the community was only the beginning of the journey. The greater challenge came afterward - changing the way people viewed children with disabilities. In many communities, misunderstanding often grows from lack of awareness. Children with learning disabilities, developmental delays, and behavioral challenges were frequently judged before they were understood.
Even more importantly, Dr. Salahid injects the realities of working in an environment that is as emotionally charged as it is educationally challenging:
There were days when I ended work emotionally drained before even reaching my car. There were moments when I felt physically and emotionally alone inside the classroom. When support staff stepped out for breaks and no replacement arrived, I carried the responsibility of monitoring every behavior, emotional escalation, safety concern, and instructional need by myself. Those moments were overwhelming because behavior classrooms require constant vigilance. Even a few seconds of distraction could become dangerous very quickly.
Her connections between heart and learning and her juxtaposition of personal and career achievements makes for a multifaceted memoir that ultimately reviews the processes, challenges, and adaptations necessary to bring the ideal of inclusiveness and educational opportunities alive not just for students, but the teachers and parents who oversee them.
This is why librarians, educators, parents, and all manner of general-interest readers will find The Heart of A Special Education Teacher attractive and compelling.
Packed with powerful insights about why these endeavors prove "more than a profession," The Heart of A Special Education Teacher will serve as an inspiration to both up-and-coming teachers and those in the trenches who will here find validation of their efforts and results, and acknowledgement of the importance of their work.
Benjamin Bookmark: The Secret Life of Bookmarks
Marielle Rebbechi
Brindlemere Books
https://www.benjaminbookmark.com
9798998550201 $9.99
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/benjamin-bookmark-marielle-rebbechi/1150090701
Benjamin Bookmark: The Secret Life of Bookmarks is the fun chapter book story of a novice bookmark who doesn't seem to know his place in life. Quietly staying put is not his style, and so Benjamin breaks some rules, even though he's at the start of his bookmarking career, and scoffs at the teachings he receives in bookmark school.
Humor runs through his reflections and efforts to change his career and add some excitement to his life:
"Well, bookmark is a bit... ordinary, don't you think? I've come up with some better job names. Top of my list are story progress monitor, reading journey assistant, and page location specialist."
When he's assigned to the Tide Pools book and becomes separated from it, Benjamin must step outside his perception of himself and his future to problem-solve as he confronts challenges that test his commitment to becoming a great bookmark.
Black and white illustrations by Trish Heully mark an adventure spanning more than 100 pages of action and insight.
It represents an engaging chapter book for developing readers, filling its pages with delightful drawings enhanced by a fun character and his uncommon dilemmas.
Elementary-level libraries, adults reading aloud with children, and chapter book readers will find Benjamin Bookmark: The Secret Life of Bookmarks whimsical, inviting, and just plain fun.
Waiting on the Sun
Steven Petrosky
Independently Published
9798996559503, $24.99 Hardcover/$15.99 Paperback/$7.99 eBook
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Waiting-Sun-Steven-Petrosky/dp/B0H6C41CV6
So this is what it feels like to be handed an expiration date.
The same countdown his father had lived with. Every breath measured. Every heartbeat a subtraction. A faint melody drifted through his mind - a Bob Marley tune: "Redemption Song." He couldn't recall the lyrics, but the rhythm matched the ache in his chest. A song about freedom. About endings. About what's left when time runs out.
Waiting on the Sun opens with Sam in the doctor's office receiving bad news about a disease which will kill him in a year or less. How will he live with this knowledge? It's a bittersweet journey of goodbyes, embraces, and new eyes on a world which has both changed and yet somehow remains much the same.
From how he tells loved ones to journeys which lead to new realizations and shifts, Sam, along with his lifelong friends, embarks on a life-changing trip to Jamaica that mirrors much of how he is feeling about his revised circumstances:
Winston turned down the music, his voice calm but edged with caution. "All right, everyone, we're headin' into de more challengin' part of de journey. Dese roads can be a bit tricky. But don't worry, yuh're in de capable hands of Dwayne, de best driver in Jamaica. Him made dis trip to Nine Mile many times." Dwayne nodded, eyes steady on the winding path ahead. Sam watched him closely. The man looked serene. The road didn't.
There, his life-altering encounter with Obeah healer Atabei changes his approach to illness, end-of-life, and new possibilities as she transmits hope and tactics to live the time he has left with clarity and not in a drug-induced haze.
Important life topics accompany his choices, from the impact of genetics on future generations and the price of these decisions to assessments of risk-taking and the consequences of well-meaning family:
"It's not a curse. It's a risk. And risks don't erase love."
Steven Petrosky's novel juxtaposes rare joys, unexpected strengths and realizations, and support systems that make, reveal, and ultimately heal life scars. It is a story of fragile promises, great expectations and realizations, and bitter truths that somehow come together to create bigger-picture thinking and opportunities for union, love, and joy.
Readers can expect an emotional roller coaster of emotions that trace the ups and downs of life's wild ride with the intimacy and fervor of family and individuals under siege. They also can welcome the changing hearts and minds of individuals who ultimately act from love and strength.
Librarians that choose Waiting on the Sun for their collections can highly recommend it as enlightening, ultimately uplifting reading for those who appreciate sagas of discovery and transformation.
Replete with miracles big and small and the impact of children born of loss, the entire story is a reminder that life ultimately goes on under all kinds of constrictions, conditions, and involvements and, like a sunflower, ever reaches for the sky.
Diane C. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
Donovan's Literary Services
donovansliteraryservices.com
Gary Roen's Bookshelf
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future Volume 42
Edited by Jody Lynn Nye
www.writersofthefuture.com
Galaxy Press
https://galaxypress.com
9781619869004, $22.95 pbk, $9.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ron-Hubbard-Presents-Writers-Future/dp/1619869004
The 42nd Volume of "Writers Of The Future" that many never thought would amount to anything, continues the trend setting series with its solid legs in the publishing industry introducing new talents in both art and prose on their way to greater heights with new wonderful stories and stunning art pieces. Like previous installments there is fresh fiction, commentaries by established authors Lary Niven, noted artist, author Brian C. Hailes, Jody Lynn Nye, and Hubbard. The combined talents of the participants here, can only help them rise to the top of their careers. "Writers of the Future" maintains an open door for emerging talent into the field of science fiction fantasy that has contributed more talent than any other source to the genre.
The contribution of L. Ron Hubbard is overwhelming that continues to dominate the field of science fiction to be a starting place for so many contributors who have gone on to bigger and better things as well as members in many different ways long after their submissions were used in whatever edition. "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future Volume 42" is the better place for fans to enjoy fresh individuals starting out.
Scary Movie Night
Miranda Smith
Bantam
c/o Penguin Random House
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780593983195 $30.00 HC / $13.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Scary-Movie-Night-Miranda-Smith/dp/059398319X
"Scary Movie Night" is lots more than a good mystery. It becomes obvious a short time into the beautifully written story that its fun reading on many different levels. Tippy has had a stressful life for a while. Now she is making changes. Just as she is ending the relationship with her fiance, a close friend decides to hold a special 35th birthday celebration. To attend everyone must be in costume as characters from scary movies. Strange things happen where it's a question who will be living when its all over. This is fun enough but the novel is also a tribute to director Alfred Hitchcock with many commentaries by Tippy whose name is part of the love of this classic figure of film. "Scary Movie Night" possibly will influence readers to find ways to view the classic flicks with new interest
Certainty: A Novel
John Twelve Hawks
Doubleday
c/o Penguin Random House
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9780385551205 $35.00 HC / $1.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Certainty-Novel-John-Twelve-Hawks/dp/0385551207
"Certainty: A Novel" is a first-class science fiction novel, tackling a current social issue. 10-year-old Kate is an adopted child who has problems fitting in, not sure why in a town in Maine. She learns that two officers of government services are coming for her because an algorithm has established, she is a threat to society. She picks up Zeno, her stuffed seal toy that is an AI interactive device, also her best friend, who tells her she must run and stay hidden, to go to New York, to find a particular person. "Certainty" is a speedy jaunt, as Kate learns who she can trust, and those she can't as she works her way with Zeno to accomplish her goal. Fans of great fiction of different genres should read and enjoy "Certainty" for its memorable story.
The Quiet
Barnaby Martin
Pan Macmillan
https://www.panmacmillan.com
9781035051502, $27.99 HC / $11.99 Kindle
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-quiet-barnaby-martin/1144964180
"The Quiet" is a powerful new work in the science fiction genre that grabs the reader to the last page. Officials of the new society in the future have issued decrees that everyone must follow. If a couple or a woman has a child and it exhibits certain chrematistics it must be turned over to authorities. Isaac son of Hannah fits the profile. Hannah defies the edict. Now she and Isaac must go underground to survive. They begin a journey through a whole different world to stay alive. "The Quiet" tackles so many social issues of today while also its very reminiscent of the classic novel "Logan's Run."
Vengeance
Rick Campbell
St Martin's Press
https://stmartinspress.com
9781250277121, $32.00 HC / $13.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Vengeance-Trident-Deception-Rick-Campbell/dp/1250277124
"Vengeance" could not be more timely in its appearance in the world of publishing with its complicated story that includes Iran flexing it muscle once again. As well there are two characters who have grudges for their own reasons against the United States government for what they believe are the right reasons. Throw on a US conflict with the Russian navy and you have the rollercoaster suspenseful techno thriller that never lets up until the final page where you're all done
Rick Campbell has always placed the reader in center of his naval universe with solid writing, believable characters and strong development of his complicated plots.
Spasm
Robin Cook
Putnam
c/o Penguin Random House
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
9798217044931, $32.00 HC / $14.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spasm-Stapleton-Laurie-Montgomery-Novel/dp/B0DZWQTWL6
Robin Cook has always delivered a great medical thriller, and "Spasm" excels, as one of his best. In the small community of Essex Falls New York State, a perfectly healthy pest control worker dies mysteriously, from an unknown cause while there are also sudden cases of what appears to be Alzheimer's. Robert Neilson family doctor and coroner is overwhelmed so he asks a former medical school classmate to come and assist him. He gets two experts instead of one who begin to trace down the clues to reveal the outbreak is man made. The people who created it have a more sinister plan in mind. The researchers must race against time to bring them down before they are able to release their invention "Spasm" is rapid fire excitement to the end.
Day Trips From Tampa Bay: Getaway Ideas For The Local Traveler
Anne W. Anderson, author
Globe Pequot Publishing
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493084050, $22.95 pbk / $16.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Trips%C2%AE-Tampa-Bay-Traveler/dp/1493084054
If you are planning a trip to the Tampa Bay area, you need to pick up a copy of "Day Trips From Tampa Bay" to know many of the lesser-known highlights of the state of Florida. Some of the cities are St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Ocala, Orlando, Kissimmee, and Mt Dora. Here are some things to include in your adventure. The Dali Museum, St Pete Pier, Bok Tower and gardens, horse farm tours, and The Columbia, Restaurant should top the list. There are plenty of other things to see and do including Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. It is surprising though the author does not include Daytona Beach and Kenndey Space Center as well as anything in Brevard, Seminole, and Volusia counties. They all are such great day trips that have been left out. Otherwise," Day Trips From Tampa Bay is a good resource for tourists to and residents of Florida to experience more of what the state has to offer.
Monsters Are The Worst
Alex Willan
Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781665988599, $19.99 HC / $10.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1665988592
The Worst series sets its sights on another target in "Monsters Are The Worst" Gilbert the Goblin is now telling why monsters do not make good house pets or companions. Some of the reasons are, they do not learn things very well, they take up too much room, they try to eat just about anything in front of the including books, friends and neighbors that are not really things to eat and the amount of food they do consume make them very undesirable to have around. Gilbert the Goblin continues to evaluate things about monsters that make the whole situation very interesting. "Monsters Are The Worst" is fun reading for all ages to enjoy Gilbert the Goblins perceptions of something else in the world he has to deal with.
Gary Roen
Senior Reviewer
Helen Dumont's Bookshelf
Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective
Jean Kelly Widner
Mystic Publishers
https://mysticpublishersinc.com
9781957374123, $32.99, HC, 485pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Adoption-Paradox-Putting-Perspective/dp/1957374128
Synopsis: Adoption impacts countless families worldwide, yet the voices of those directly involved (especially adoptees, the central focus of the process) are rarely highlighted.
With the publication of "Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective" by Jean Kelly Widner draws upon the interviews nearly one hundred individuals with responses that range from domestic, international, and transracial adoptions, (as well as foster care), along with adoptive and birth parents, therapists, experts, and allies.
These instructively informative narratives reveal both the love and the emotional costs borne by everyone affected, exposing adoption as a complex and challenging experience.
Healing is possible with the right support, but addressing adoption's hidden issues requires activism to confront unethical practices that lack oversight. The moving stories comprising "Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective" shed light on unaddressed pain and systemic flaws, and is a clarion call for a more transparent and compassionate approach to adoption for all who are involved.
Critique: A seminal, deftly crafted, and groundbreaking study, "Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective" by Jean Kelly Widner is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Parenting & Adoption collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective" from Mystic Publishers is available for students, academia, social workers, counselors, adoptive parents, couples considering adoption, adult aged adopted children, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject in a paperback edition (9781957374000, $26.44) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jean Kelly Widner (https://adoptionparadox.com) is a domestic adoptee born in 1965 and raised in Washington State. After having a mostly positive adoption experience growing up, she now shares her story, as it continues to evolve navigating adoption's complexities. Jean is an award winning author, a marketing consultant, and joint venture affiliate marketing expert. With her husband she has built and sold two e-commerce companies. She is the owner of a local news and information blog in her small town, which expanded her love of storytelling and writing. Jean is also a member of a local Rotary Club and volunteers with the Adoption Knowledge Affiliates organization.
Helen Dumont
Reviewer
John Taylor's Bookshelf
You Know Why
J. T. Ellison
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662535925, $28.99, HC, 479pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Know-Why-J-T-Ellison/dp/1662535929
Synopsis: It's the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation (and life as she knows it) begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey's first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden's motives and Trey's true past.
Brooklyn has her own dark history she'd rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap -- laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted suspense thriller of a read from start to finish, "You Know Why" showcases author J. T. Ellison's distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the modern noir genre. A compelling and compulsively page turner, "You Know Why" is especially commended to the attention of readers with an interest in conspiracy themed thrillers and police procedural mysteries. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "You Know Why" from Thames & Hudson is also readily available in paperback (9781662535918, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: J.T. Ellison (https://www.jtellison.com) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of psychological suspense, including the Lt. Taylor Jackson series, the Dr. Samantha Owens series, and numerous acclaimed stand-alones. She is the Emmy Award - winning cohost of A Word on Words, the literary television series on PBS. A dedicated voice in the writing community, she also publishes The Creative Edge, a newsletter and blog for writers navigating the craft and business of fiction.
John Taylor
Reviewer
Kathryn Atwood's Bookshelf
Stress Can Kill You: Don't Let It.
Renate M. Roeder
ISBN TBA, Price TBA, Format (TBA), 228 pages
Pre-Publication Review
Renate M. Roeder's interest in the issue of stress is personal: following her dysfunctional childhood, Roeder landed a series of high-pressure careers, some of which went bust and all leaving her seriously frazzled. Determined to find her way to healing, she thoroughly studied the science of stress before spending decades testing different methods to combat it in her own life.
The result is this book, the introduction which states the following:
"If you are tired of feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, or constantly on edge, you've come to the right place. You don't need more willpower. You don't need to become a different person. You simply need to teach your body what safety feels like again."
"Stress Can Kill You: Don't Let It." consists of a 30-day program in which the reader is encouraged to learn new habits, and each chapter is organized around the following five headings:
"The Problem"
"The Stress Response"
"The Solution"
"The Science Behind It"
"The Exercise"
Roeder posits that while most of us no longer face daily life-threatening situations, our stress can be constant:
"Rumination and worry have become by far the most dominant stressors we suffer from today - threats that do not even exist. They are fictional fabrications created by the mind."
The whole book could be summarized as a battle between the nervous system which reacts and the mind which can control it if it has the tools; automatic feelings which devolve into stress vs. deliberate acts begun in the mind.
In my opinion, the strongest part of each chapter is "The Science Behind It," which adds a depth and solidity to Roeder's claims, almost as if she is cleverly inserting the bibliography into the text.
Roeder's research is very thorough and provided information that I found quite enlightening. For instance, while I knew that clutter caused me low grade stress, I always chalked it up to my upbringing, not realizing that it had a name:
"The Zeigarnik effect is running in your cluttered room right now. Every pile of papers, files, and folders. Every unanswered message. Every object out of place. Every unread email sitting in an inbox that has not been managed in three weeks. Each one of these items sends a small, persistent signal that something remains unfinished. One open issue barely registers. But a room full of them - an office, a desk, a kitchen, a car, a digital inbox - creates a continuous low-frequency broadcast that the nervous system receives, accurately, as a background threat. The nervous system was built for a world in which unfinished business usually meant danger..."
I thoroughly enjoyed Roeder's pithy statements about the nervous system, usually presented in standalone paragraphs:
"The nervous system does not understand memory. It understands load."
"The nervous system seeks familiarity. The mind must break the pattern."
"The nervous system understands patterns. When the pattern breaks, the alarm returns."
"The nervous system relaxes when it detects resilience. Not permanence."
"The nervous system does not need certainty. It needs options."
While the general thrust of this book is excellent, occasionally Roeder uses an example that doesn't seem to fit, or isn't explained well enough to allow this reader, at least, to understand its inclusion. For instance, in the "Day 27: Losses" chapter, subtitled as "The nervous system reads financial security as safety," Roeder includes a story about her estranged father, who first refused to pay child support:
"Though he was not prosecuted. He never did anything wrong. Except he left his profession the minute my mother filed for divorce. He did not want to pay her another penny. Nor did he want to pay child support.
"From one moment to the next, my mother and I - and my father in another city - went from professional middle-class to poor as church mice. So I engaged a lawyer to write him a letter. That was enough. My father began to pay me. Every month. And I never saw the courtroom again.
"That is how quickly the ground can move. One refusal. One missing payment. Everything changes. You feel it. Like being at sea without a raft. No ground under you. No structure holding you. Nothing to push against. Nothing to hold you up. Just water in every direction."
But since he did wind up paying for child support, how does this story support the thrust of the chapter?
Another questionable choice of stories is found in the chapter titled "Play," subtitled as "The nervous system stands down when the rules change." Here Roeder relates how, on a trip to Egypt, she was chosen to be the additional wife of a local. It's a fascinatingly weird tale but why Roeder included it in a chapter about the importance of having fun was unclear to me.
"Stress Can Kill You: Don't Let It." is full of pithy wisdom and workable solutions, combined with accessibly presented scientific findings. It has the obvious tone of having been written by someone who has been there and who earnestly desires to share her painfully acquired knowledge with others.
The Slaver's Apprentice: A Novel
Jonathan Bryant
Northampton House Press
https://northampton-house.com
9781950668373, $TBA, 229pp, print
9781950668380, $TBA, ebook
Pre-publication Review
It is July 1818, and deep within the bowels of the ironically named slave ship, "Liberty," Malachi, the 15-year-old protagonist of "The Slaver's Apprentice" attempts to steady a swaying lamp above the corpse of an African slave so that first mate Clarke can get a closer look. A rope has been embedded into the dead slave's neck, bringing Clarke to the following conclusion:
"Hell and damnation," he said. He took a moment to collect himself. "Malachi, leave the light with me and go tell the Captain what you've seen. Tell him we have a murderer on board."
Malachi finds Captain Stewart in deep discussion with the Boatswain. The boy relays Clarke's suspicions. The captain casually attributes the death to suicide. When Malachi doesn't buy this conclusion, the captain slaps him.
How did this earnest young man land on a slave ship? In chapter two we discover his backstory: Malachi's mother died in childbirth while his father was off at war, and when his father died, Malachi's guardian robbed him of his inheritance and indentured him to the captain of this slave ship.
Chapter three opens with a comet in the sky. Its presence is interpreted as a harbinger of evil throughout the book, and author Jonathan Bryant embeds it into his plot in a fascinating way:
"That comet and you were shipwrecked. And now this comet and you are shipwrecked. Do you think they are warnings? Do they mean something?"
'Aye. They means that the world continues regardless. We are trifles, and like comets, trapped in orbits we can't change.'"
Or can they?
Yes, there is great evil ahead for the slaves and the crew in this story, not only because the ship's purpose is the sale of human beings, but because the captain is a thoroughly malicious man, not only toward the slaves and his crew but to anyone else who sails across his pathway. Is he more evil, more guilty than those who work on "Liberty"? Bryant skillfully illustrates that even when completely ensconced in the mindset of their time, there were some with at least an ambivalent attitude towards slavery who were inclined to show mercy when they could.
Malachi makes the most headway in this regard, which brings me to an issue I had with the story; I felt that the young man's transformation from indifferent bystander to ardent abolitionist was too sudden. Yes, he was raised with a slave as a companion, and yes, in a sense, his indentured servitude gives him the capacity to understand a slave's predicament, and yes, the hideous punishment the evil captain doles out to him for standing up for the slaves at one point obliterates the loyalty the boy once felt for the older man. But the following paragraphs, featured early on the story, seem a bit jarring, almost as if Malachi was reading from a fact sheet:
"There were scores of other ships black-birding. Many of their sailors and captives had surely died. There were those in Africa who captured victims through war and kidnapping. There was a vast system of plantations that demanded ever more workers. Customers in America, Europe, Africa, and China demanded cotton, indigo, sugar, tobacco, and coffee grown cheaply. Silver and gold flowed, bringing in merchants and ship owners and bankers and lawyers.
All part of a worldwide killing machine. One that made fortunes for a powerful few. That built empires and commerce. How much easier to cry murder over one or two deaths. How much easier to blame one man. Call him a monster and feel righteous for hanging him. Meanwhile, an entire monstrous system, spanning the Atlantic, starved and tortured and killed. All for profit.
How could one stop such a monstrous machine?"
If the novel had been written in third person, the above might have worked but because it's in first person, Malachi, in my opinion, comes to his epiphany far too quickly and armed with far too many facts.
But apart from that quibble, "The Slaver's Apprentice" is a phenomenally enjoyable book. Jonathan Bryant has brilliantly brought to life the detailed world of early 19th century shipping and his plot points make for a heart-stopping read. Will Malachi discover who is murdering the slaves? Will he find agency for himself and if so, will he extend it to others? Will the crew conduct a mutiny against their evil captain? If so, who will live and who will die? And will the slaves survive murder and disease only to be sold? Or will they obtain their freedom?
Readers will surely keep turning the pages to discover the answers to these questions in this excellent historical fiction.
Your Only Best Hope: Stories
E.G. Silverman
High Frequency Press
https://www.highfrequencypress.com
9781962931632, $25.00, HC, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Only-Best-Hope-Stories/dp/1962931633
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-only-best-hope-e-g-silverman/1150754528
The titular story in E.G. Silverman's collection features a third-year university student named Albert who, when asked by the professor of a seminar in Contemporary Fiction why he signed up for the class, responds with complete honesty: his football teammates assured him that it would be "a gut," that is, "an easy one. One that doesn't take a lot of work."
The snooty professor invites the other students to mock Albert, but when a brainy young woman named Brandi is asked to give her reason for being there, she defends Albert's response as being perfectly in sync with the principles of the seminar:
"At its essence, the craft of fiction is employing artifice as a tool to synthesize honesty. The whole point of inventing stories is to forge a convincing method of demonstrating a verity. Which brings us to the observation that as we've gone around the room today, only one of us has been honest..."
The narrative fast-forwards. After decades of marriage, Brandi is being consumed by cancer while Albert is wracked with guilt because Brandi's alteration secretly disgusts him. The story ends with the two of them having an unconventional and unforgettable conversation about the theme of the story - complete truth - that is equal parts startling, moving, and beautiful.
One might say that Silverman's entire collection follows this theme. Not all his stories are as brilliantly structured or as moving as "Your Only Best Hope," but they all represent on some level what the character, Brandi, expounds when she says, "what makes contemporary fiction different and appealing is its honesty." Whether it's a young bartender in a dead town begging her older depressed divorced lover to make her a permanent part of his life; a rock star at a local pizza place, toying with fans who aren't sure if he is who he seems to be; or an aimless widower living in an island paradise previously chosen by his wife and himself, Silverman's characters all experience epiphanies; some startling, others ordinary, but all of them realistic.
Silverman's opening lines are also worth mentioning for their attention-grabbing power. For instance, consider the first line of "Beacon Home":
"Bush Jr. is President, the housing market is booming with no end in sight, Iraq is a disaster, and I'm about to have breakfast with the first woman I had sex with, thirty-some years since I last saw or spoke to her."
Or "To Smile in a Dream":
"As Karl Garland walked the beach, it was a glorious day, and he knew he should be happy."
"Your Only Best Hope" is a quietly brilliant set of tales illuminating the discovery of truth in the lives of ordinary people.
Editorial Note: E.G. Silverman's short story collections have been finalists, semi-finalists, or long-listed for the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, Ohio State University's Non/Fiction Collection Prize, Snake Nation Press's Serena McDonald Kennedy Award, Livingston Press's Tartts First Fiction Award (The University of West Alabama), and Regal House Publishing's W.S. Porter Prize. His novels have been finalists for Black Lawrence Press's Big Moose Prize, Columbus State University's D.L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence, and Callisto Gaia Press's Joshua Tree Novel Prize, and a semi-finalist for the Blue Mountain Novel Award. His short stories and novel excerpts have appeared in Prairie Schooner, Confrontation, Beloit Fiction Journal, South Dakota Review, Harpur Palate, 2 Bridges Review, Fugue, Berkeley Fiction Review, Painted Bride Quarterly, and many other literary magazines. He's studied with Brian Morton, Sheila Kohler, Carol DeChellis Hill, Jonathan Baumbach, Elizabeth Hand, and others.
Thin Places: Portraits, Prayers and Liminal Grace
Arthur Thomas Lee
Plain Sight Publishing
c/o Cedar Fort Publishing & Media
https://www.cedarfort.com
9781462151165, $23.99 PB, $8.99 Kindle, 249pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Thin-Places-Portraits-Prayers-Liminal/dp/1462151167
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thin-places-arthur-thomas-lee/1150081408
One epigraph at the beginning of Arthur Thomas Lee's essay collection, "Thin Places: Portraits, Prayers and Liminal Grace," is a verse from the book of Matthew which seems particularly well-chosen for this collection: "When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in?" For "Thin Places" might almost be called a celebration of strangers who, when Lee encounters them, become for him not only an epiphany, but something of a prayer.
Lee observes people from every conceivable angle, imbuing each with value: names inscribed in old books; a telephone conversation with an AT&T rep; a confused old woman to whom he gives temporary assistance; a young man he sees singing his heart out in his car at a stoplight. No encounter, and no individual is too insignificant to escape Lee's notice because each, in his consideration, reflects the richness of the human experience.
I loved the way Lee masterfully connects the ordinary to the extraordinary. For instance, in one essay, he likens the rubies found in Idaho's West Central Mountains to a woman with a feisty spirit and a fascinating history. He brings home the comparison in the last lines:
"...when it's especially cold at night, she digs a hole in the ground, then pulls the earth on top of her like a blanket. Because it is warm under the surface, in the depths, where precious gems are formed. Amen."
In another essay, books become a metaphor for a lifespan:
"And only once was I really aware of the last page turning - as I watched the man after whom I was named slip from his bed on earth, then into the arms of that great Librarian in the Sky."
"I remember how his face turned blank, that final silent page, if you will. And how the nurse cried when she said he was gone, that it was over: The End. And how, between the seams, I knew she was wrong - that I had just read one of the best books ever written, and that in some other place, his story, a new story, was just beginning."
"But dear God, how I wish I'd read more voraciously. How I wish I'd turned more corners inward. How I wish I'd highlighted more of his days. Amen."
As seen above, all Lee's essays end with an "amen," as if each epiphany he experiences has been elevated to a prayer. This book is not necessarily a call to the divine, though; it is more humanist in tone with a touch of sacred belief, the latter including a nod to a variety of religions. For example, in explaining the title of his collection, Lee mentions how the ancient Celts referred to "thin places" as the moments or geographic locations when one comes near to the divine presence, that is, when distractions are stripped away. He then goes on to relate a situation when, during a devastating emotional blow, he shut himself in a closet and begged God for direction. True to Lee's theme of connecting spiritual and physical elements as well as always observing the little things, he tells readers that when he opened his eyes he noticed a sliver of light in that dark closet. A thin place.
Sandwiched between each essay is a smaller thought, a sort of Haiku-ish observation, and many of them, like Haiku, are based on nature:
"five house finches, bosoms burning,
followed by the fawn, dove, muskrat,
bee, and ant - this morning's solemn
assembly not after the manner of man"
"about the seagull nearby
with a french fry in its beak:
man, life is good - and I
am without words to speak"
"When fall leaves fall, do the
empty branches miss them?
Do they too wonder how on
earth they'll make it alone?"
"Thin Places" is a compelling collection of essays and poems that invites the reader to slow down and observe the profound truths and the fascinating people hiding in plain sight.
Author bio:
Editorial Note: Arthur Thomas Lee came into the world near the end of 1979. He closed the decade out, he likes to say, like a tiny sprig of cilantro atop an already-well-seasoned chili. Washington-born and -raised, he currently resides in Idaho, surrounded by nature. He has a degree in English from BYU - Idaho. He is a full-time dad. He has, over the years, been lucky in writing and business but even luckier in love. With the benefit of hindsight, he says, we are all able to look back and recognize moments when our lives changed for the better. That was true for him in 2003 when his son Benjamin was born, then again in 2005 when Parker came along, a third time the moment Jacob entered this life in 2007, and yet again in 2011 when he held Andrew for the first time. He thought he could not get any luckier. Then he did. After a period of heartache and hardship, he met Renee. She was not in his life, he says, and then, one day, suddenly, she was. That, too, became true for her three kids (Amber, Logan, and Ella). Arthur and Renee married in 2024, finding purpose in the paths preceding their union, and a set of hands to hold along the path that lies ahead. And that is really all that matters. Onward!
Resistance: An Anthology of Overcoming
Brenton Brock and Dr. Elijah Zehyoue, editors
Awatum Press
https://www.awatumpress.co
9798998632433, $24.95 hc
Pre-Publication Review
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Resistance-Anthology-Overcoming-Sursum-Serires/dp/B0H48C2P1J
Like its sister volume, "The Philosophy of Overcoming," "Resistance: An Anthology" tells the tale of Spanish civilians fighting against Napoleonic occupation. But in its introductory material, the latter book mentions additional uprisings: Robert the Bruce, who won Scottish independence from England; Bohemian farmers who fought the Knights of the Crusades during the Hussite Wars; and Queen Nanny who led the Jamaican Maroons to victory over the English. The last sentence of the introduction sheds light on why these victories might be mentioned:
"Resistance always starts and ends with the everyday folk, their resolve, and their stories, which is what we wished to compile in this literary volume with our selected contributors."
While both volumes slant decidedly leftward, "Resistance" does so in a more internal way. For example, in the poem, "On the Day You Were Born," Rachel Terefet, acutely aware of spiraling political chaos, puts a pause on that consideration to ponder the beauty of a single new life:
"Yet, here you are, my little dove,
a sudden bolt of light,
life, when life seems impossible.
innocent of all this, and yet, our inheritor,
hope hidden in hands
tiny as bird feet."
"White Cotton" describes the grotesque photo-op staged by then-U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who posed for rolling cameras in a tight-fitting white shirt in front of an El Salvadorian prison filled with shirtless, heavily tattooed migrants accused of conducting gang activity in the U.S. The poem, written by Marjorie Gowdy, lands in a particularly personal spot when it connects Noem's attire to the white cotton scarves worn by Argentine mothers protesting the disappearance of their sons.
The short story, "Problem Child," takes a poignant look at the emotional pain of being considered different in a world where everyone else seems to belong. Regina Rae Weiss drops anxiety-inducing hints about the abuse suffered by the story's protagonist, Carla, and her mother, inviting the reader to race through the plot, which is virtually impossible as Weiss's breathtaking prose demands a slower read. Case in point (and a bit of a spoiler), Carla finds relief from her emotional pain in the natural world, and it is in this environment - not, unfortunately, with the idiotic school psychiatrist -- where she discovers a healthy sense of self:
"The days were warm now. Life poked up everywhere on Carla's walks, each time new wonders emerging. In March, tiny white snowdrops had thrust through last year's leaves. In April, velvet fern fronds emerged over mudflats. Today, thousands of knotted leaf buds unfurled on the bushes surrounding her, on the waving limbs overhead, each different from the one beside it, each transmitting life, nurturing her, letting her know who she was, whispering where she belonged."
D.J. Murphy's stunning poetry set ponders the unique internal pain suffered by people of goodwill, and the idea of unintentional harm is poignantly expressed in his work, "Emotional Triage":
"...I tuck first aid pads
under my pillow
to still my mind on nights
when anxious dreams echo abrasions
my words etched on others,
scarring only me.
Yet the wounds that never mend
are from bandages I did not offer others,
moments I withheld words
that might have eased their pain.
Each night they shake the bunker
I can never finish digging."
Murphy is introspective in all the best ways, and his writing gives a unique slant to this collection; he is self-aware enough to realize that even well-intentioned individuals whose opinions check all the morally correct boxes can sometimes be part of the problem:
"Of Owls and Men I Never Knew"
"...Hoquiam trails me
as I leave town, questioning
why my filtered lens of first impressions
cannot see truth behind facade,
why I mistake a town's survival for neglect,
why I file people in familiar folders-
quick to protect flora and fauna
yet deaf to the plight of people muted
under my headline-scrolling thumb."
B.E. Nugent's moving story, "Dedicated," features the quiet fight of a father who, against the dictates of the church, seeks to bury his stillborn child in the family plot. And Jane Berger Herschlag's raw, brilliant poems illustrate how easily parents become oppressors instead of protectors when a father's sexual abuse, along with a mother's criminal lack of curiosity, leaves lasting wounds in the soul of a daughter now grown.
While "The Philosophy of Resistance" and "Resistance: An Anthology" both invite readers to consider various avenues of fighting injustice, the two are as different as a post-graduate lecture in leftist politics and a poetry reading; one is a scholarly, heavily footnoted collective call to action while the other considers the same topic in a far more accessible manner. And perhaps the idea this volume presents is that the way forward into a political fight is first learning to work within a much smaller space.
"Resistance: An Anthology" is a passionate, personal, often beautiful collection of creative writing featuring a wide range of emotions on the topic of maintaining internal freedom in the face of overwhelming odds.
Beyond Grimm: Stories and Rhymes from the Dark Corners of Fairyland (Not for Children)
Alan S. Kessler
Illustrated by Kali Kahn
Rootstock Publishing
www.rootstockpublishing.com
9781578693313, $19.99, PB, 134pp
9781578692279, $TBA, HC, 134pp
Publishing Release Date: October 1, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Grimm-Stories-Fairyland-Children/dp/1578693314
Most of the stories collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were cautionary tales that were more than a little rough around the edges. For instance, Cinderella's stepsisters chop off parts of their feet in a bloody attempt to fit into the glass slipper and later have their eyes pecked out by birds who clearly know who the bad guys are.
While Disney toned down these tales, making them kid-friendly, Alan Kessler has gone in the opposite direction, warning readers in the subtitle of his book, "Beyond Grimm," that his work is not for children, and utilizing ancient tales and poems as a springboard for his own twisted takes. If the essence of humor is surprise, Kessler's work could be described as shockingly funny with touches of horror, irreverence, and snark.
"Little Red Riding Hood" becomes "Little Red," an angry teenager who kills living creatures for fun and tries to persuade the wolf to eat Grandmother instead of her, telling him precisely how he could work it out. The wolf decides to ingest Little Red instead, but she survives (in a manner of speaking) to marry the woodcutter who rescued her, while the wolf and grandma become a couple.
In "The Four Little Pigs," a so-called Berkshire Pig uses class warfare to argue that the Big Bad Wolf should eat the three wealthy, privileged pigs, but number four winds up becoming supper instead.
Kessler also does his own take on nursery rhymes. "Ring Around," becomes a song featuring Catholics and Protestants both being killed, and the children in "The Old Woman's Shoe" meet a grisly (but not graphic) end. In "Little Miss," a girl who had been eating curds and whey is delighted to add a spider to her meal.
There are many "happily ever after" tales here, but not in the traditional sense of "boy meets girl, boy marries girl." I don't want to give the entire story away, but let's just say that in "The Dark Tower," Rapunzel winds up far happier (and far more alive) than does the prince.
Kessler is not only skilled at putting a brilliant, dark twist on a tale, but he can beautifully string a sentence together, as is obvious in the opening sentence of "Four Little Pigs":
"Disdainful of night, considering it nothing more than the opaque residue left after daylight ends, the sun showed its continuing celestial power by searing the darkening sky with streaks of crimson."
Perhaps the most beautiful writing is found in a paragraph within the "Survivalist":
"She didn't answer but, in her dreams, floated into the pastureland where she had laid her eggs among flowers, swirled down to hear their hearts beating in each pod, rose again, rising higher, below, her grasshopper children riding on a patchwork of colors she had never seen, the smell in the sky of new grass and clover all the food she would ever need... The moon was taller than in the warm times, its broken pieces were also brighter lights in the night. All this connected to the beauty she couldn't explain but knew her waking flight without wings was but a shadow of this wonderful dream."
Kali Kahn's offbeat illustrations perfectly compliment Kessler's twisted takes on ancient stories and poems, creating in "Beyond Grimm" a winning collection for fairy tale afficionados, fans of well-written light horror, and lovers of dark humor.
Editorial Note: Alan S. Kessler was born in Columbus, Ohio. He is a lifelong Ohio State Buckeye fan (mostly football and basketball), and also a fan of the Cleveland Browns who have been rebuilding since 1964, the year the team last won a league championship. The darkness in his writing is partly caused by the pain the Browns have caused him over the years (smile). Kessler is married, has four children, three grandchildren, and a dog, Brownie. He is a vegetarian but if available, will gladly eat a few White Castle burgers, the thin patty with 5 holes drilled through it making the meat almost nonexistent. In addition to his novels and short stories, Kessler is a published poet, playwright, soccer coach, and 6th degree black belt.
In his novels and short stories, Kessler creates complex, marginalized, and often flawed characters in stories exploring the nature of good and evil and the corrosive effect of racism, abuse, and social injustice. His writing is influenced by childhood pain. As he stated in a blurb about his most personal novel, Shadowlands: "I was born in a small town in Ohio. The Midwest is associated with wholesomeness and family values. I know from personal experience this isn't always the case. Those corn fields often hide more within them than the sound of the wind."
The past can cripple, but for Kessler it created a writer; one who has empathy for even his imperfect characters who are neither good nor bad but inhabit the gray area in-between. His writing is both dark and hopeful with forgiveness and understanding woven into the worlds he creates. No one is judged...Except the truly evil. Alan S. Kessler believes in social justice and retribution toward those who oppress the powerless and harm the innocent.
The Surrogates: A Love Beyond Design
Dany Twomey
https://danytwomey.com
Independently Published
9798250114738, $14.99, PB, 480pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Surrogates-Part-One-Dany-Twomey/dp/B0GTB5XVKJ
Cory Peters is living in his late sister's apartment when a TV commercial captures his attention: For a price, customers of BioNova Prime can hire a human surrogate to eat, sleep, and/or exercise for them. BioNova's tagline is: "Empowering Lives, One Experience at a Time."
As Cory heads for work, we learn through his musings that his deceased sister worked as a surrogate and that he has been employed for the past five years by the same company, BioNova, as a maintenance technician in surrogate technology. But his sister's death has made him distrustful of and disgusted with his employer.
Before he can even get his car out of the garage, Cory is assigned to visit a home in a wealthy neighborhood. A woman almost too beautiful to be real opens the door and leads Cory to her broken SyncWave, the device that connects paying customers to the surrogate system via a Bluetooth. She is Emma Lovett, adult daughter of BioNova Prime's CEO.
Emma is rude and impatient with Cory as he tries to fix her SyncWave. Her offensive behavior collides with Cory's disgust for BioNova and his raw sorrow for his sister who, Cory is certain, died while surrogating for a rich entitled individual like Emma. They have words and Emma threatens to have her father fire Cory:
"Cory stood up fast, the chair scraping behind him. 'Do it! Go ahead and call him!' he exploded. 'You think I care, after everything I've lost?'
"He stepped forward, eyes blazing, refusing to back down. They were nearly toe to toe now, two storms colliding, neither willing to yield."
When he arrives at the BioNova offices, Cory is surprised to discover that he is still employed. But soon, something else occupies his mind: His two friends, Jessica and Billy, lead him to understand that something is very wrong at BioNova in general (customers are coming down with identical symptoms) and specifically (technicians are being sent to the Lovett home far too often).
Meanwhile, Emma is being pressured by her father to become a Digital Branding Specialist for the company so that she can get her reluctant feet wet and eventually take over the business. Emma becomes even less interested in working for BioNova when she discovers one of the female surrogates, a close acquaintance of Cory's, in an unconscious state. She helps the young woman and they immediately connect.
How will this new friendship affect Cory and Emma's fractious connection? What is going on at BioNova? And why are technicians constantly being sent to the Lovett residence to fix their SyncWave device? Readers will be compelled to burn through the pages of "The Surrogates" to find the answers to these questions. The immensely compelling plot is beautifully constructed, Twomey's characterizations are flawless, and her skill with the English language is quite stunning. "The Surrogates" is a mystery, a dystopian novel, with a bit of coming-of-age sensibility thrown in, all wrapped up in one brilliant package.
And its messages seem quite timely: the destructive potential of technology, class division, income inequality. So I was disappointed (but sadly, not surprised) when I learned that multiple literary agents rejected Twomey's query for "The Surrogates." Here's hoping it will become one of those wild "I made it without traditional publishing" stories because if any novel deserves to have a wide audience, it's this one.
Editorial Note: Dany Twomey worked in IT for 20 years and holds a bachelor's degree in English. Even though she had always been fascinated by telling stories, she never thought I could pursue this long-lost dream until life forced her to take a break. The past 8 years working in IT in San Francisco is what inspired her to write her first novel.
Love Language: Two Languages, One Home
Christine Ko
Sorra Books
http://shaherazadshelves.com
9781960323507, $11.99, PB, 220pp
9781960323514, $5.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Language-Christine-Ko/dp/1960323504
I don't even think
to think
I might not fit in.
Me, a girl
with tan skin
and long braided hair
in shorts and a T-shirt.
I don't know (yet)
that I
am different
from the girls
born here.
So begins "Love Language," Christina Ko's beautiful middle grade novel-in-verse, which tells the story of an ethnically Korean girl born in the United States who moves to Korea with her family.
As the protagonist finds herself gently plunged into this new world, she realizes that Korean culture is very much connected to its language, of which she has much to learn:
Language (un-uh; ),
that mother tongue,
a key
that unlocks
culture,
history,
a pattern of thinking,
like degrees of kinship,
second mothers,
and belonging.
One aspect of the book's title comes tenderly to life when the protagonist visits her grandmother, an elderly woman who has had a stroke. Although the encounter has nothing to do with language, since the grandmother cannot speak, the girl gains a striking sense of belonging which had previously eluded her:
But when I am with her,
my mother's mother,
she squeezes my hand tight
with the fingers
of her left hand,
her elbow close to mine,
smiling her toothless grin,
holding me
fast
to this place.
This is jeong ( ),
her eyes and her touch sending me a song
of belonging,
and this is how
I start to believe
in motherland.
The protagonist is a perceptive, curious child, and the reader is invited into her thought processes and experiences on this fascinating, poignant journey of identity and culture. In very few words, Ko has accessed, with great understatement, the thoughts, feelings, and reactions of a child striving to find herself between two worlds. Young people of many different cultures will no doubt be moved by and relate to this beautifully written book.
Editorial Note: Christine Ko lives in New Haven, Connecticut, where she's never far from a good book or a piece of chocolate. She believes deeply in the power of stories to entertain, change, and connect us to one another. With her son, Owen, she is the author of a picture book, Sound Switch Wonder. She is also a practicing physician, with her first nonfiction book being How to Improve Doctor- Patient Connection: Using Psychology to Optimize Healthcare Interactions.
Tommy's War
Roger Pepper
https://www.rogerthomaspepper.com
Trekker Press
9798276939407, $9.99 PB, $2.99 Kindle, 458pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tommys-War-Roger-Thomas-Pepper/dp/B0G5132LCB
"Tommy's War" opens with the receipt of an email, addressed to Dr. Thomas Parker. The sender is Anna Apollonato, an elderly woman who worked for the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps during the Second World War. She writes that she would like to meet Dr. Parker and present him with information on his father, George Parker.
When Dr. Parker flies out from the United States to meet Apollonato in a small Greek village, she shows him his father's grave and tells him that he was part of a special military unit of the British Army, a Battalion of the Northampton regiment called the Vikings, who were renowned for their fighting valor. Apollonato understands that the doctor is a writer and urges him to publish the story of his father because, she says, "it could help people come to terms with the devastation at home and on the battlefield that comes with war."
Dr. Parker agrees, and the result is "Tommy's War," a compelling dual-timeline novel that mixes fact with fiction and which is based on author Roger Pepper's own childhood and his father's military service.
Pepper's writing is quite immersive, and it is fascinatingly poignant to read how the war affected children, even those in relative safety like Tommy:
"When Mum took us to nearby Sutton to see Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the wicked queen scared the daylights out of me. The Pathe newsreel the Cinema showed before Snow White was scary, too. British soldiers and tanks charged across a desert lit by thundering guns shooting fire and flame into the night sky. I had to clap my hands over my ears and close my eyes. That night, I had a scary dream of the wicked queen trying to cram a poisoned apple into my mouth. I fell out of bed with a thud early the following morning. Mum helped me to my feet and took me downstairs to the living room sofa. She'd started making breakfast but took the time to comfort me, slid her arm around me, and squeezed.
"I had a nightmare."
"Was it the wicked queen?"
"Some of it."
Mum nudged me with an elbow. "Which dwarf did you think was best?"
"Dopey."
"That's better, you're almost smiling. Stay where you are. I'll get us some warm milk."
But the emotive center of Tommy's life is the longing he holds for his dashing, loving father. Given that Pepper wrote these chapters from historical and personal accounts, the skill with which he brings his father's experiences to life on the page is exceptional, especially action scenes like this one which describe Parker's participation in the Second Battle of El Alamein:
"Parker needed to get his men moving again and keep the enemy on the defensive. "Form a line," he said to the men gathered around him and waited a minute for them to get into position. "Let's go blast some Jerries out of their trench." Raising his voice, he shouted, "Charge," and raced ahead with O'Rourke, who fired his Bren from his hip while he fired bursts with the Beretta, aiming at a machine gun nest that opened fire from the opposing trench. Tracer bullets flashed toward them, and Parker felt the wind from them zipping past his head. Pounding forward, he felt invincible. In his element, he didn't care about anything except keeping his men and himself alive."
George Parker's skill in the heat of battle earns him a military promotion, which begins to alter his identity. The tension in the story now becomes watching this man drift away from his family: a wife struggling to make ends meet, a daughter, and a son who longs for his father.
Utilizing third person to tell George Parker's story while switching to first person for Tommy's is an effective way of making a clear distinction between the two halves of this novel. Pepper's challenge was not only to convert his father's detailed military records into a narrative, but also to reveal what might have been going through George Parker's head. Pepper accomplishes this very well; the sections representing his father's story are just as vivid as his chapters detailing his own childhood memories.
"Tommy's War" is a thoroughly compelling book on many fronts. The reader will ache for the spunky but vulnerable boy who is trying to make sense of war on the homefront and whose longing for his missing father is palpable. And through a combination of meticulous historical research and compelling writing, the reader will be plunged into the war enveloping that father's attention, drawing his life ever further from home.
This will be a compelling read for lovers of well-written, personal historical fiction, as well as WWII buffs interested in the English home front, the battles of the British army, and the irrevocable alteration that war can bring.
Editorial Note: Mainstream author Roger Pepper left a successful career in science to pursue his lifelong ambition to become a novelist. An Associate of the British Institution of Metallurgists, Roger attended postgraduate studies at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Ph.D. Roger is the coauthor of a patent on the development of the metal composite material used for the antenna of the Hubble Space Telescope. He began writing in his spare time while serving as the Director of Research of an Aerospace Materials Company in the United States.
His memoir, My Father the Viking, won 3rd Prize in the 2006 Linda Joy Myers Memoir Competition of the National League of American Pen Women, an open competition for published and unpublished works. He received an Honorable Mention for an earlier version of the first 50 pages of The Brothers Cro-Magnon from a contest run by the Speculative Literature Foundation.
He is the author of four novels: No Man's Sons, Tommy's War, Ice, and Davide. Roger is also member of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. He is a co-organizer of the Portland Writers Group (480 members) and spent several years as the host of some of their monthly writing workshops. Tess Gerritsen acknowledged him in her bestselling medical thriller, Harvest, for providing research materials.
With friends from the Appalachian Mountain Club, Roger hiked in the Austrian and Italian Alps,
traveled in France and Israel, and trekked in the Kangchenjunga and Annapurna Himalayan regions of Nepal, the Tien Shan [mountains/Mountains] of the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. He writes full-time and lives in Maine.
Kathryn Atwood, Senior Reviewer
https://kathrynjatwood.com
Mary Cowper's Bookshelf
Dragons of The Deep: Origins & Lore
Dave Stone
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781917704748, $19.95, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Deep-Origins-Dave-Stone/dp/1917704747
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragons-of-the-deep-dave-stone/1148559787
Synopsis: With the publication of "Dragons of The Deep: Origins & Lore", Dave Stone investigates dragon myths and legends from Ireland, Scotland and across the globe, seeking to untangle their mythological threads.
Seeding folkloric tales and ancient myths with a wealth of information, this book details various dragon cults, revealing that serpent and dragon worship were indistinguishable but follow similar tropes wherever they're found, proposing that the dragon is, perhaps, most iconically linked to the worship of water and, in turn with ancient animist worldviews. "Dragons of The Deep: Origins & Lore" addresses the reasons the dragon motif, as a uniting motif, speaks to us -- not only as people borne by different tribal movements but also as a common humanity but also exploring its relevance in today's fast-paced, and ever-changing world.
Critique: Original, exceptional, fascinating, informed and informative, "Dragons of The Deep: Origins & Lore" by Dave Stone must be considered an unreservedly recommended and essential acquisition for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Dragon themed Mythology & Folklore collections. A compelling read from start to finish, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Dragons of The Deep: Origins & Lore" from Moon Books is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Since 2003, Dave Stone has run a small craft business carving stone. During this time, he has researched the historical and mythological subject matter from which he takes his inspiration: Celtic, Norse, Old Europe. He writes weekly articles on a Substack page and has self-published a book about Celtic Gods and Goddesses. He lives in Lochmaben, Scotland. (https://thepagancollective.com/2026/03/31/dave-stone-meet-the-author)
Mary Cowper
Reviewer
Micah Andrew's Bookshelf
Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures
Randy Mosher
University of Chicago Press
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226848198, $35.00, HC, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Tasting-Brain-Approach-Pleasures/dp/0226848191
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-tasting-brain-randy-mosher/1148226698
Synopsis: Our foodscape has never been more adventurous, but fully experiencing the subtleties of complex cheeses, wines, or cocktails can be challenging. No longer!
With the publication of "Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures", food writer and expert Randy Mosher assures us that we can all become master tasters by learning more about the brilliant ways our bodies translate smell, taste, and mouth-feel into flavor -- without needing to know everything about terroir, varietals, or exotic ingredients.
In "Your Tasting Brain", Mosher shares a road map to send us on our tasting journey, one that connects the worlds of science and art. Our bodies are more finely tuned tasting machines than we realize, Mosher explains. Even a simple grasp of how our senses interact with the world can enhance our culinary delight-- and Mosher offers us a tantalizing framework, from how our brain processes, categorizes, and rewards (or punishes) encounters with chemicals in food, all the way to how aromas and flavors spur us to language, emotion, and creativity.
Overflowing with scientific insight and practical advice, "Your Tasting Brain" is an appetizing guide for anyone looking to enhance the pleasures they find in food through attention, curiosity, and practice.
Critique: Original, exceptional, informative, fascinating, "Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures" by Randy Mosher will hold an immense appeal for readers with an interest in wine tasting and the medical, physiological, and psychological aspects of how taste becomes flavor, and flavor can evoke emotion and meaning into our consumption of food. An insightful and thought-provoking read from start to finish, "Your Tasting Brain" is a unique and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community and college/university library collections. It should be noted for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Your Tasting Brain" from the University of Chicago Press is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.22).
Editorial Note: Randy Mosher (https://randymosher.com) is a food writer and creative consultant who teaches at the Siebel Institute of Technology brewing school. He is the author of five books, including Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink. He is currently a minority partner in two Chicago-area breweries.
Micah Andrew
Reviewer
Michael Dunford's Bookshelf
Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research
Darren Lipomi
Buckland Creek Press
https://www.bucklandcreekpress.com
9798995796909, $12.99, PB, 154pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Nonfiction-Behind-University-Research/dp/B0GYGLG37B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/science-nonfiction-darren-lipomi/1149979510
Synopsis: Every year, the United States spends roughly $60 billion (about 1 percent of the federal budget) on university based research. Though this research has far-reaching effects and benefits the public at large, most people are unaware of the inner workings of academic research. Who bears the risk for new discoveries? What role do graduate students play in innovation? What are the shortcomings of academic research, and can the system be fixed?
With the publication of "Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research", Professor Darren J. Lipomi, a scientist and educator, offers readers an insider's perspective of scientific discovery in academia.
Drawing on two decades of experience in elite labs and universities, he reveals a system few outsiders ever see. By examining his own career trajectory (from humble beginnings to prestigious universities like Harvard and Stanford to academic leadership) Lipomi illustrates the impact that incentives, power, and politics have on knowledge production.
"Science Nonfiction" also captures both the ingenuity and absurdities of life in the lab with which Professor Lipomi sheds light on the often-overlooked human side of scientific research, purporting that while the system is certainly imperfect, there is hope for a better future. Indeed, even with its immense flaws, academic research represents a significant societal investment in the future.
As this investment faces greater scrutiny, limitations, and political interference, understanding the utility of academic research becomes more important than ever before.
Critique: Original, informative, deftly written, organized and presented, "Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research" by Professor Darren J. Lipomi is a timely and critically important contribution to our on-going national discussion about the role of Federally funded and university based research -- especially when public support and confidence is being eroded by increasing claims of such research being of questionable value in terms of a return on investment. Of immense relevance to readers concerned with supporting university based research, "Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research" is also an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library educator/scientist biographies and memoir collections. It should be noted for students, academic, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Science Nonfiction: Behind the Scenes in University Research" from the Buckland Creek Press is also readily available in paperback (9798995796916, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Darren J. Lipomi, PhD, is chair and professor of chemical and sustainability engineering at University of Rochester. Lipomi earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry with a minor in physics as a Beckman Scholar at Boston University in 2005, and in 2010, he attained his PhD in chemistry at Harvard University, working alongside Professor George M. Whitesides.
His research interests include molecular engineering of electronic and electroactive polymers, particularly the mechanical properties of semiconducting polymers for flexible solar cells, biomechanical sensors, and phenomena that occur at the intersection of materials chemistry with human perception and cognition.
He is the recipient of the AFOSR Young Investigator award, the NIH Director's New Innovator Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the NSF BRITE-Pivot award.
He also hosts a podcast, Molecular Podcasting with Darren Lipomi, which has an associated YouTube channel, Darren_Lipomi. These platforms serve as valuable resources to students, postdocs, and other early-career researchers. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Lipomi)
Michael Dunford
Reviewer
Paul Vogel's Bookshelf
In Defense of Marxism
Leon Trotsky
Pathfinder Press
www.pathfinderpress.com
9781604882247, $15.00, PB, 422pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Defense-Marxism-Leon-Trotsky/dp/1604882247
Pathfinder Press
https://www.pathfinderpress.com/products/in-defense-of-marxism
Synopsis: At the start of the second world imperialist slaughter, exiled Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky led the majority leadership of the US Socialist Workers Party to victory in a decisive political struggle. Under pressure from the US capitalists' accelerating war drive, a minority in the leadership were buckling. They were abandoning Marxism.
"In Defense of Marxism" is a compendium of articles and letters that are not only a record of Trotsky's leadership of that fight in 1939-40. They are an education in the materialist foundations of Marxism, the cornerstone of revolutionary class consciousness and action for workers today.
Trotsky sharply poses (and answers) what remains the decisive question for working people the world over: What is the class character and composition of the political leadership the working class must forge to prepare for coming revolutionary battles?
As conflicts intensify among the world's dominant capitalist powers, the rulers are once again dragging humanity toward social catastrophes, fascist dictatorships, another Holocaust for the Jews, and a nuclear World War III.
This is the world in which the lessons of Trotsky's "In Defense of Marxism" are needed more than ever.
Critique: Timely and timeless, this newly published paperback edition of "In Defense of Marxism" by Leon Trotsky is a fundamental and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Marxism themed political science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. This new edition of "In Defense of Marxism" from Pathfinder Press is especially relevant for the personal reading lists of political science students, academia, political activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Marxism, Socialism, and Communism philosophy and history.
Editorial Note #1: Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) was part of the central leadership forged by Bolshevik party leader V.I. Lenin that organized the revolutionary conquest of power by workers and peasants in Russia in October 1917. Trotsky commanded the Red Army, was a founding leader of the Communist International, and of communists in the Soviet Union and worldwide who fought to continue Lenin's proletarian internationalist course. He continued that struggle from exile after being deported in 1929. Trotsky was murdered in Mexico in 1940 by Stalin's secret police.
Editorial Note #2: Since the early 1930s Pathfinder and its predecessors have translated, published, and kept in print Trotsky's principal works. These include:
The Third International after Lenin (1996)
In Defense of Marxism (1995)
History of the Russian Revolution (1980)
The Revolution Betrayed (1972)
The First Five Years of the Communist International (two volumes, 1972)
Writings of Leon Trotsky, 1929-40 (14 volumes)
Paul T. Vogel
Reviewer
S.A. Gorden's Bookshelf
Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers (Three Dog Mysteries Book 1)
Jann Franklin
Independently Published
9798307176375 $12.99 pbk
B0DT54173H $2.99 Kindle, 259 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beds-Breakfasts-Blockers-Three-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0DT54173H
Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers is a cozy mystery that is three quarters character study and one quarter cozy. Nearly every character in the story is so quirky and extreme you are astounded by the antics.
Ro Bergeron has been raised by doting grandparents and, when they die, she decides to convert the family home into a dog-friendly bed and breakfast. She ignores the fact that she doesn't own any pets, can only heat water for coffee and tea and has no idea how to run a business. A couple of days before her B&B opens, she decides to foster three rambunctious dogs who start digging up her yard. Her very elderly great aunts, Min and Win Rascoe, hear about a local murder and drag her into an amateur investigation. Her first customers at the B&B are true crime junkies and join in. Her friends and relatives try to help her learn how to cook.
Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers is a comedy of errors that will either astound and confuse or make you laugh till your sides hurt. The cozy mystery is secondary to the story. If you are a reader focused on the mystery, the story might be too much character and too little mystery. If you need a comedic break, you will love Beds, Breakfasts, & Beta Blockers. For those between the two extremes, your enjoyment will be a tossup.
Moonshine Mesa
A W Baldwin
Independently Published
9798988489511, $15.35 pbk
B0CDZHZWMC, $0.99 Kindle, 300 pages
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Moonshine-Mesa-W-Baldwin-ebook/dp/B0CDZHZWMC
Moonshine Mesa is an action/thriller mystery set in a great location. It has everything needed for a great story but seems to lack the nearly undefinable spark to make it a must read.
Moonshine Mesa is named that by the locals because it has good spring water and is large enough to hide moonshine stills. The current moonshiner using the mesa is known by the name Relic. As he travels across the mesa, he comes across dead bees and follows the insects to a dead crow and finally a dead man. Relic is spotted by the deceased man by archeology students and the local deputy sheriff starts looking for him. At the same time an apprentice in a nearby law firm is tasked to help install new pressure gages at an old oil pumping site on the mesa. The young man stumbles across a million-dollar scam at the site and hitmen are sent to eliminate him. Relic, the apprentice, deputy sheriff and hitmen all converge on the isolated mesa.
Moonshine Mesa is a solid action/thriller but it doesn't stand out. It is recommended for readers who like action/thrillers with a touch of mystery set in a majestic location. If you enjoy stories set in the mesa country of the Southwest, it is a must read.
S.A. Gorden
Senior Reviewer
Suzie Housley's Bookshelf
ShadowBane: A Schism of Souls, Book 1
Cal Logan
HammerBlow Publishing
9798990237926, $21.99, HC, 529pp
9781734270882, $15.99, PB, 519pp
9798990237919, $3.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/ShadowBane-Schism-Souls-Book-1/dp/B0DGK4FZV4
Synopsis: Set in a richly imagined world where demons threaten humanity's survival, ShadowBane introduces readers to Shura and her brother Jin, elite demon hunters descended from an extraordinary bloodline.
Joined by their fiercely loyal tiger companion, Feng, they face terrifying enemies while carrying the weight of protecting a kingdom that often takes their sacrifices for granted. As ancient legends resurface, every battle reveals new dangers, forcing the siblings to confront not only powerful enemies, but the truths hidden within their own heritage.
Critique: Fantasy readers are always searching for a story that feels fresh while still delivering the excitement that defines the genre. Cal Logan accomplishes exactly that with ShadowBane. Rather than relying on familiar fantasy formulas, he creates a world inspired by Eastern mythology, layered with history, tradition, and believable characters whose struggles quickly become the reader's own.
From the opening chapters, the story moves with confidence. Logan knows when to let the action explode across the page and when to slow the pace long enough for readers to understand the emotional cost, his characters carry. Every battle matter because the people fighting them matter.
Shura immediately stands out as a heroine defined as much by compassion as by courage. Her protective nature, quiet determination, and willingness to sacrifice for those she loves make her easy to admire. Her relationship with Jin provides the emotional foundation of the novel. Their sibling bond never feels forced or overly sentimental. Instead, it reflects the trust that develops after years of surviving impossible circumstances together.
Equally memorable is Feng, whose presence adds another dimension to the story. More than simply a powerful companion, he becomes an integral part of the family's dynamics. Readers who appreciate well-developed animal characters will quickly understand why he becomes one of the novel's most unforgettable personalities.
One of Logan's greatest accomplishments is the depth of his world-building. Every province, legend, and cultural detail feels intentional rather than decorative. The Japanese-inspired influences give the setting its own identity without overwhelming readers unfamiliar with the traditions that helped shape it. Instead of simply describing a fantasy world, Logan allows readers to experience it alongside the characters.
Combat scenes are energetic and vividly written, yet they never overshadow the story itself. They serve the larger narrative by revealing character, advancing the plot, and continually raising the stakes. Even quieter moments carry purpose, providing insight into relationships and the burdens each character shoulders.
At over five hundred pages, ShadowBane asks readers to invest their attention, but that investment pays dividends. The complexity of the mythology, political landscape, and character relationships unfolds naturally, rewarding those who enjoy immersive fantasy with a story that grows richer with every chapter.
Cal Logan has laid a solid foundation for what promises to be an exciting series. ShadowBane combines memorable characters, imaginative storytelling, and exceptional world-building into an adventure that will appeal to readers who appreciate epic fantasy with heart and action. This is a strong opening novel that leaves readers eager to discover where the journey leads next.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy epic fantasy, dark fantasy, Japanese-inspired mythology, heroic adventures, and character-driven storytelling.
Murder Takes the Reins (Book 2, A Willie Adams Mystery)
Gayle Carline
Dancing Corgi Press
9781943654352, $38.70 HC, $3.99 Kindle, 295pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Takes-Reins-Willie-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0H1JLX1NZ
Synopsis: A horse show was supposed to offer Willie Adams a welcome escape from life's disappointments. Instead, an emotional breakup quickly overshadows murder when they find the woman at the center of the conflict dead inside the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.
Having been one of the last people to argue with the victim, Willie suddenly finds herself under the watchful eye of homicide detectives - including Detective Lucas Macy, a man with whom she now shares an unexpected personal connection.
Determined to clear her name, Willie follows the evidence through the close-knit equestrian community, discovering that nearly everyone surrounding the victim has something to hide.
Critique: Gayle Carline has a remarkable talent for creating mysteries that feel as genuine as they are suspenseful. Murder Takes the Reins is a fine example of her ability to weave believable characters, emotional complexity, and a carefully constructed investigation into a story that is difficult to put down.
Rather than relying on nonstop action, Carline allows the mystery to unfold naturally. Every conversation, every relationship, and every clue contributes to the larger puzzle. Carline invites readers to investigate alongside Willie Adams, allowing them to make discoveries at the same pace she does. The result is a mystery that rewards careful reading instead of relying on shock value alone.
Willie continues to be one of the series' greatest strengths. She is intelligent without being arrogant, compassionate without appearing naive, and determined without crossing into implausibility. Her emotional journey feels authentic as she balances heartbreak, suspicion, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth. Readers will value that she bases her decisions on common sense instead of fabricated drama.
Equally compelling is Detective Lucas Macy. His professionalism never overshadows his humanity, creating a believable partnership built on mutual respect and undeniable chemistry. Their relationship develops with patience and restraint, enhancing the story without distracting from the murder investigation.
The equestrian setting deserves special recognition. Carline writes with the confidence of someone who genuinely understands horses and the people devoted to them. The barns, competitions, tack rooms, trainers, and daily routines become more than scenery - they create an immersive environment that shapes both the mystery and its characters. Readers unfamiliar with the horse world will find themselves comfortably guided through it, while experienced equestrians will recognize countless authentic details.
The supporting cast also shows equal development. Each character brings personal motivations, hidden resentments, and believable flaws that make virtually everyone a plausible suspect. As the investigation progresses, the motives become increasingly layered, keeping readers questioning every assumption until the final chapters.
What distinguishes Murder Takes the Reins is its emotional balance. Alongside the suspense is a thoughtful exploration of grief, trust, forgiveness, and the courage required to begin again after life's unexpected disappointments. These quieter moments give the novel depth while making the characters feel remarkably real.
Carline's writing is polished, engaging, and refreshingly free of unnecessary complexity. The dialogue flows naturally, the pacing remains steady throughout, and the author places the clues with enough subtlety to challenge even seasoned mystery readers without ever feeling unfair.
Highly recommended for public library mystery collections, Murder Takes the Reins will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy traditional mysteries featuring intelligent amateur sleuths, richly developed characters, and distinctive settings.
Gayle Carline has delivered another rewarding installment in the Willie Adams Mystery series that combines heart, humor, and suspense into a thoroughly satisfying read. This latest adventure shows exactly why the series continues to earn loyal readers with every new release.
In Defense of My Faith
Mahesh "Max" Ganorkar
Truly Peaceful Inc.
9798218288006, $TBA, PB/Kindle TBA, 264pp
Publishing Release Date: September 3, 2026
Synopsis: Mahesh "Max" Ganorkar offers readers a personal look at Hinduism through the lens of his own life experiences. Drawing upon his upbringing in India, his journey to America, and his experiences as a husband, father, businessman, and political candidate, he explains the values, traditions, and beliefs that have shaped his faith.
His goal is not to debate religion but to encourage greater understanding while sharing why religious liberty and constitutional protections matter deeply to him. Throughout the book, Ganorkar combines personal stories with discussions about Hindu customs, American ideals, and the importance of respectful dialogue among people of different faiths and backgrounds.
Critique: Books that open the door to understanding another culture always leave a lasting impression, and In Defense of My Faith does exactly that. Mahesh "Max" Ganorkar invites readers into his world with honesty, sincerity, and an obvious passion for both his faith and the freedoms he believes allow people of every religion to live without fear of discrimination.
What I appreciated most was that the author never assumed readers had prior knowledge of Hinduism. Instead, he patiently explains traditions, beliefs, and customs in language that is welcoming rather than overwhelming. His conversational approach makes even unfamiliar topics easy to understand, allowing readers to focus on learning instead of trying to decipher complicated religious terminology.
The memoir elements are equally engaging. Ganorkar's journey from rural India to building a life in America gives the book its emotional heart. His stories about family, hard work, and perseverance create a genuine connection with readers and help explain why his convictions are so deeply rooted. Rather than simply presenting facts, he allows readers to understand the experiences that shaped his worldview.
The latter portions of the book venture into discussions surrounding politics, constitutional freedoms, and religious liberty. These chapters clearly reflect the author's personal beliefs and experiences. Some readers may agree wholeheartedly, while others may reach different conclusions. Regardless of where one stands politically, the book encourages thoughtful consideration of how faith, culture, and civic life intersect.
One quality I especially admire is Ganorkar's willingness to address difficult subjects that many people avoid discussing. His desire to build bridges through education rather than misunderstanding remains clear from beginning to end. Readers who approach the book with an open mind will come away with a broader appreciation of Hindu traditions and a greater understanding of the experiences of religious minorities in America.
In Defense of My Faith is more than a discussion of one religion. It is the story of one man's journey, his deeply held convictions, and his hope that respectful conversations can replace assumptions with understanding. Readers will discover a heartfelt work that encourages reflection long after they turn the last page, whether they pick up this book to learn about Hinduism, explore another culture, or simply enjoy a thoughtful personal narrative.
Highly recommended for readers interested in comparative religion, cultural diversity, memoirs, and contemporary discussions surrounding faith and religious freedom.
Lost In The Surf
Derrick Credito
Wandering Bohemian Press
https://bookshop.org/shop/wanderingbohemianpress
9798986641928, $18.99, PB, 236pp
9798986641935, $4.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Surf-Derrick-Credito/dp/B0GZMWTKMK
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-in-the-surf-derrick-credito/1150215275
Synopsis: Lost In The Surf follows Wes Levine, a man loss, survival, and the emotional aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami has quietly shaped whose life. Now living in Amsterdam as the owner of a successful sandwich cafe, Wes has built a comfortable routine that keeps painful memories at bay. His world changed unexpectedly when a woman from his past reveals he has a nineteen-year-old son he never knew existed. What follows is not only a journey toward fatherhood but also a deeply personal search for healing, forgiveness, and the courage to embrace a future that had once seemed impossible.
Critique: Derrick Credito offers a novel filled with emotion, revealing how life's most significant surprises frequently emerge when we believe our narratives have concluded. While the novel begins with the familiar rhythm of everyday life in Amsterdam, it quickly evolves into a heartfelt exploration of family, second chances, and emotional restoration.
What impressed me most was Credito's ability to develop authentic relationships. Wes is a believable protagonist whose emotional struggles never feel forced or exaggerated. His gradual transition from uncertainty to embracing fatherhood unfolds naturally, allowing readers to experience every victory and setback alongside him. The interactions between Wes and his newly discovered son, Zen, are especially compelling. Their conversations carry the awkwardness, hope, and tenderness that would realistically accompany such an extraordinary revelation.
The international setting is another strength. Amsterdam becomes far more than a backdrop; its neighborhoods, cafes, canals, and beaches give the novel a distinctive personality. The multicultural cast broadens the story while reinforcing themes of acceptance, identity, and belonging.
Credito also handles difficult subjects - including trauma, grief, and fractured families - with sensitivity. Rather than relying on melodrama, he allows quiet moments and honest dialogue to reveal the emotional weight carried by his characters. The lingering effects of the tsunami remain an important thread throughout the novel, reminding readers that healing is rarely immediate but often unfolds one relationship at a time.
The pacing balances introspective moments with engaging plot developments, making it easy to become invested in the characters' futures. Readers who enjoy contemporary fiction centered on family relationships, emotional redemption, and character growth will find much to appreciate here.
Lost In The Surf is ultimately a hopeful story about discovering that it is never too late to build meaningful relationships or redefine the course of one's life. Derrick Credito has crafted a thoughtful novel that leaves readers reflecting on forgiveness, resilience, and the enduring power of family. It is a rewarding read for those who enjoy emotionally driven literary fiction with memorable characters and genuine heart.
A large print paperback edition is forthcoming.
The St. Paul Phantom: The Gibbons Brothers' Fight for Glory, Volume I
Gerard Gibbons
https://drgerardgibbons.com
Fight For Glory Press
9798995115014, $24.99, PB, 534pp
9798218782092,$9.99 Kindle
Publishing Release Date: September 26, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/St-Paul-Phantom-Gibbons-Brothers/dp/B0GWLXX1MX
Synopsis: Mike Gibbons may not be a household name today, but Gerard Gibbons makes a convincing case that he should be. The St. Paul Phantom follows the remarkable rise of Mike and his younger brother Tommy from the working-class neighborhoods of St. Paul to the highest levels of professional boxing during the sport's Golden Age.
Along the way, readers witness an America undergoing enormous change, where immigration, industry, war, and opportunity shaped both the nation and the people determined to leave their mark. Drawing from decades of family archives and historical research, the author tells a story that extends well beyond the boxing ring.
Critique: Gerard Gibbons has written far more than a sports biography. He has preserved a piece of American history that deserves to be remembered.
What impressed me most was how naturally the research flowed into the story. The research never feels like it is forcing dates and facts upon the reader just because it uncovered them. Instead, every newspaper clipping, family letter, photograph, and historical detail strengthen the narrative and helps readers understand the people behind the accomplishments.
The boxing scenes are exciting, but they are not the reason this book succeeds. The strongest moments happen outside the ring. Watching two brothers build their reputations through discipline, loyalty, and perseverance gives the story its emotional weight. Their victories matter because Gerard Gibbons first makes readers care about the men earning them.
I also appreciated the way the author captures early twentieth-century America. St. Paul becomes more than a setting. It feels like a living community filled with immigrants chasing opportunity, neighborhood rivalries, political change, and families determined to create a better future. Historical figures appear throughout the book, but they never overshadow the Gibbons family. Instead, they remind readers just how connected these men were to some of the defining moments of their generation.
The visual presentation deserves recognition as well. The historical photographs, illustrations, and detailed cast of characters make this a volume readers will return to more than once. They provide valuable context without interrupting the flow of the story, something many historical works struggle to accomplish.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its accessibility. Readers do not need to know anything about boxing to enjoy it. The sport provides the framework, but the story is ultimately about family, resilience, sacrifice, and pursuiting excellence. Those themes are timeless.
It is easy to understand why Gerard Gibbons spent years researching this project. His passion for his family's legacy is clear on every page, yet he avoids turning the book into a simple family remembrance. Instead, he offers readers a carefully documented historical narrative that is both informative and genuinely engaging.
The St. Paul Phantom is an outstanding contribution to sports history and American biography. Readers who appreciate well-researched nonfiction, compelling historical storytelling, and unforgettable true-life characters will find this to be a rewarding read. It is a book that informs, entertains, and reminds us that some of history's greatest stories simply need the right person to tell them.
Unladylike: A Mythopoetic Reclamation of Love
Regina Louise
She Said So Press
https://shesaidsopress.com
9780692782439, $17.0, PB, 184pp
9798218201890, $6.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unladylike-Mythopoetic-Reclamation-Regina-Louise/dp/B0H1PZT85W
Synopsis: In Unladylike: A Mythopoetic Reclamation of Love, Regina Louise opens her heart and invites readers into a deeply personal journey of loss, survival, forgiveness, and healing.
Through poetry, she shares memories of childhood abandonment, foster care, difficult relationships, and the long road toward discovering that genuine love begins with accepting yourself. The arrangement of the collection thoughtfully allows each poem to build upon the last until readers reach a place of hope, resilience, and renewal.
Critique: There are some books you simply read, and then there are books that quietly stay with you long after you've closed the cover. Unladylike is one of those rare collections.
Regina Louise writes with remarkable honesty. There is no attempt to soften life's painful moments or make them easier to digest. Instead, she tells her story exactly as she lived it, and that sincerity makes this collection so powerful.
While the poems explore difficult subjects - including abandonment, trauma, race, identity, and broken relationships - they never leave the reader without hope. Even during the darkest moments, there is a quiet reminder that healing is possible. That balance makes this book especially meaningful.
I appreciated how naturally the collection unfolded. Rather than feeling like individual poems gathered into a single volume, each piece feels connected to the next. As I continued reading, it felt less like reading poetry and more like walking beside the author as she reclaimed pieces of herself that life had tried to take away.
Several poems are memorable. "Hope Is a Rope" beautifully illustrates the determination it takes to keep climbing even when life offers little encouragement. "Recipe for a Child Marked 'Other'" is unforgettable, using creativity to expose the heartbreaking realities of how children can sometimes become labels instead of individuals. These are the kinds of poems that encourage readers to pause, reflect, and perhaps even see their own experiences differently.
What I found especially refreshing is that Regina Louise never asks for sympathy. Instead, she offers something far more meaningful - understanding. She reminds readers that our past may shape us, but it does not have to determine where we are going. There is strength throughout these pages, but it is a quiet strength built through perseverance, self-reflection, and faith in the possibility of a better tomorrow.
This is not a book to rush through. I stopped often, rereading passages and reflecting on the emotions they stirred. Every reader will probably discover a different poem that speaks directly to them because the themes of wanting to belong, searching for acceptance, and learning to value yourself are universal.
Readers who enjoy contemporary poetry, memoir, women's literature, and stories of personal growth will find much to appreciate here. Libraries, book clubs, counselors, and educators will also discover this collection to be an excellent resource for thoughtful discussion about resilience, identity, and emotional healing.
Regina Louise has created more than a poetry collection. She has created an invitation - for readers to examine their own stories with honesty, extend themselves grace, and believe that even life's deepest wounds can become the beginning of something beautiful.
Unladylike: A Mythopoetic Reclamation of Love is an inspiring collection that encourages readers to embrace their own journeys with courage, compassion, and hope. This collection makes a memorable addition to contemporary poetry, and it will continue to resonate long after the last page is turned.
Guardians of Destiny (Stone of Souls Trilogy, Book One)
Louise Briony Hallam
Louise Briony Hallam Pty Ltd. (Publisher)
9781764082402, $14.99 PB, $0.99 Kindle, 543pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Guardians-Destiny-Stone-Souls-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0FPT1WNQQ
Synopsis: The peaceful world of Asteria is unraveling as the ancient force of Chaos awakens once again. Destiny, the realm's future guardian, understands that restoring the balance between Light and Darkness requires finding the long-lost Third Guardian. Entrusted with that mission, Alora and Dorien leave behind the immortal realm and enter the unpredictable world of mortals, where forgotten memories, dangerous enemies, and impossible decisions threaten not only their quest but the survival of the entire kingdom.
As their journey unfolds, they discover that courage, sacrifice, and destiny are inseparable companions in a battle that has been centuries in the making.
Critique: Epic fantasy succeeds when readers believe they have stepped into a world that exists beyond the pages of a book. Louise Briony Hallam accomplishes exactly that in Guardians of Destiny. From the opening chapters, Asteria feels less like an imagined setting and more like a living civilization shaped by history, myth, and enduring conflict.
What impressed me most was the amount of care devoted to the world itself. Every kingdom, legend, and magical element serves a purpose within the larger narrative. Rather than overwhelming readers with unnecessary detail, Hallam gradually reveals the history of Asteria in ways that deepen the story and reward attentive reading. The mythology becomes a foundation that supports the novel instead of distracting from it.
The heart of the novel, however, belongs to its characters. Alora and Dorien are not flawless heroes destined for easy victories. Each carries doubts, responsibilities, and emotional burdens that make their journey believable. Their growing understanding of one another develops naturally, adding warmth and humanity to a story filled with larger-than-life stakes. Watching them struggle with duty while rediscovering fragments of their forgotten past creates an emotional thread that keeps the pages turning.
Hallam also shows an impressive ability to balance action with quieter moments of reflection. The adventure never loses sight of the personal cost of the decisions her characters must make. Those quieter passages allow readers to connect with the Guardians on a deeper level before the story returns to its escalating conflicts.
The descriptive writing deserves special recognition. Hallam has a remarkable eye for detail, creating landscapes that are vivid without becoming excessive. Ancient forests, hidden caverns, towering mountains, and mystical realms unfold with cinematic clarity, allowing readers to become fully immersed in the journey. Considerable planning has gone into every aspect of this fantasy world.
Although the novel introduces a substantial cast of characters and an intricate mythology, patient readers will appreciate how each piece gradually finds its place within the larger story. By the closing chapters, the various storylines converge, leaving enough unanswered questions to create genuine anticipation for the next installment of the trilogy.
Guardians of Destiny is a confident debut to the Stone of Souls Trilogy. Louise Briony Hallam shows a strong command of fantasy storytelling while creating memorable characters and a richly developed world that invites further exploration. Readers who enjoy epic fantasy grounded in enduring themes of courage, loyalty, sacrifice, and hope will find this to be a rewarding beginning to what promises to be an engaging series.
Highly recommended for fantasy collections and readers who appreciate immersive world-building and character-driven adventures.
Murder at the Faust: Book 7 Sydney Lockhart Mystery
Kathleen Kaska
Anamcara Press
https://anamcara-press.com
9781960462862, $23.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 280 pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Faust-Sydney-Lockhart-Mystery/dp/1960462865
Anamcara Press
https://anamcara-press.com/product/murder-at-the-faust
Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of 1950s Texas, Murder at the Faust follows Sydney Lockhart, an independent and quick-thinking private investigator carving out her place in a profession dominated by men. Newly engaged to Austin police detective Ralph Dixon, Sydney is juggling romance, ambition, and the demands of her growing detective agency.
Her life takes a sudden turn when what should be a joyful season violence interrupts. A mysterious fire damages the agency's office, and soon after, investigators find a murdered man in New Braunfels. Milton Sweetwater's killer savagely killed and discarded him in the Guadalupe River. Matters become deeply personal when evidence links Sydney directly to the crime, placing her under suspicion and forcing her to confront the case head-on.
Determined to clear her name, Sydney teams up with Dixon to uncover the truth. Their search exposes a complex trail of secrets involving false identities, hidden relationships, and moral corruption. Along the way, they encounter a colorful mix of characters and navigate shadowy nightspots, close-knit communities, and reluctant authorities. The story weaves classic mystery tension with wit, warmth, and thoughtful insight into the expectations placed on women during the era.
Critique: Murder at the Faust displays sharp dialogue, evocative settings, and a strong narrative voice. It's a book that delivers a well-paced and absorbing mystery. Sydney Lockhart emerges as a compelling protagonist - smart, fearless, and refreshingly human - who anchors the story with both charm and resolve.
Kathleen Kaska shows a confident command of historical mystery storytelling, crafting a novel that lingers well beyond its final pages. Fans of period crime fiction and stories centered on strong female leads will find this book especially rewarding. Murder at the Faust is an engaging and satisfying read that leaves readers eager for the next installment in the Sydney Lockhart series.
Funny Things Happen - Inspired by the Outlandish TV Show Reno 911
Brooklyn Marie
Rogue Books
9798218782177, $16.95 PB 352 pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Funny-Things-Happen-Polyamorous-Outlandish/dp/B0H365HY2L
Synopsis: Madison, a recently divorced writer, isn't looking for complications when she runs into Hunter Scott in an airport. Their encounter begins with easy laughter and the charged nostalgia that only comes from unfinished love. Within moments, the spark that once defined their relationship flares back to life.
Hunter is still as charismatic and self-assured as Madison remembers - confident, captivating, and dangerously familiar. Years ago, he was the one who slipped through her fingers. Now, fate seems to offer a second chance.
But that second chance comes with an unexpected twist.
Hunter reveals that his life has taken a different path - one that includes a committed polyamorous partnership with two women. And he doesn't just want Madison back in his life - he wants her to become part of it.
Suddenly, Madison stands at the crossroads of desire and self-discovery. Drawn to Hunter's magnetic pull yet uncertain about redefining love on such unconventional terms, she must confront her own boundaries, insecurities, and long-held beliefs about what partnership truly means.
Critique: Funny Things Happen is a daring romantic comedy that blends sharp humor with emotional complexity. With a tone that feels bold, playful, and slightly outrageous, the novel explores modern relationships through quick-witted dialogue and layered character dynamics.
Brooklyn Marie crafts a story that doesn't shy away from tough questions. Beneath the flirtation and heat lies a thoughtful examination of trust, consent, jealousy, and the courage it takes to define happiness for yourself. The banter is lively, the romantic tension palpable, and the emotional stakes very real.
What makes the book stand out is Madison's internal journey. Her struggle isn't just about romance - it's about identity, dignity, and choice. The story challenges traditional ideas of "happily ever after" while still honoring emotional authenticity and personal agency.
At its heart, Funny Things Happen asks a provocative question: Can love flourish outside the boundaries society sets for it? With humor, heart, and a fearless perspective, this book delivers an entertaining and thought-provoking ride that lingers long after the last page.
Reweaving What Matters: Practical Tools for Workplace Transformation
Kathy Coffey Solberg
Creative Courage Press
https://creativecouragepress.com
9781959921103 (Paperback), $TBA, 209pp
9781959921110 (ebook), $TBA
Creative Courage Press
https://creativecouragepress.com/our-books/reweaving-what-matters
Synopsis: In Reweaving What Matters, leadership consultant Kathy Coffey Solberg challenges the long-held assumption that organizational change begins with creating something new. Instead, she argues that meaningful transformation starts by examining the systems already in place.
Drawing inspiration from the art of weaving, Solberg introduces a thoughtful framework built around two complementary phases - "Unweaving" and "Reweaving" - designed to help leaders identify ineffective workplace patterns before intentionally creating healthier, more sustainable organizational cultures.
Throughout the book, she blends personal experience, leadership principles, practical exercises, and reflective tools that encourage readers to become active participants in reshaping the environments in which they work.
Critique: There is no shortage of books promising to revolutionize leadership or reinvent workplace culture. Kathy Coffey Solberg wisely resists that temptation. Rather than offering another collection of motivational slogans or management trends, she delivers something considerably more enduring - a reflective guide that asks readers to slow down, question assumptions, and examine the invisible structures that quietly shape every organization.
The weaving metaphor could easily have become repetitive in less capable hands. Instead, it serves as the book's defining strength. Solberg returns to it with consistency and purpose, allowing readers to visualize organizational systems in ways that are surprisingly accessible. The concepts of warp and weft become memorable illustrations of the relationship between institutional structure and daily workplace behavior, transforming what could have been abstract organizational theory into tangible, practical understanding.
One of the book's greatest accomplishments lies in its balance between philosophy and application. Solberg adequately explores why organizations become trapped in unhealthy patterns before introducing practical methods for moving beyond them. The "Notice, Clarify, Act" and "Envision, Structure, Weave" frameworks unfold naturally, allowing readers to absorb each concept without feeling overwhelmed. The author's own message, that meaningful change cannot be rushed, is reflected in this deliberate pacing.
Equally impressive is Solberg's authentic voice. She writes less like a corporate consultant delivering a seminar and more like an experienced mentor inviting readers into an ongoing conversation. The author seamlessly weaves personal stories into the narrative, providing credibility without overshadowing the larger message. Her reflections on discovering weaving, organizational fatigue, and the importance of examining foundations before pursuing solutions lend emotional depth that a good deal of leadership books cannot achieve.
The workbook elements and downloadable resources deserve particular recognition. Rather than simply presenting concepts for readers to admire, Solberg repeatedly encourages active engagement through structured reflection and practical exercises. These tools transform the book from a passive reading experience into a resource that organizational leaders, executive coaches, nonprofit directors, and business owners can revisit long after the final chapter has been completed.
Literarily, the manuscript shows thoughtful organization and excellent continuity. Each chapter builds logically upon the previous one, allowing readers to deepen their understanding gradually without repetition. The prose is polished and inviting, balancing professional expertise with approachable language that welcomes readers regardless of their leadership background.
Perhaps the book's most refreshing quality is its refusal to promise instant transformation. Solberg openly acknowledges that organizational change is demanding, often uncomfortable work requiring patience, humility, and sustained commitment. That honesty gives the book uncommon credibility. Readers seeking simplistic formulas may find themselves challenged, but those willing to engage thoughtfully with the material will discover a framework capable of influencing both workplace culture and personal leadership philosophy.
Reweaving What Matters stands apart from many contemporary business titles because it addresses the human dimension of organizational life rather than focusing solely on productivity metrics or strategic planning. Solberg reminds readers they build healthy systems one relationship, one conversation, and one intentional decision at a time. In an era when workplace exhaustion has become commonplace, her emphasis on restoring meaning alongside performance feels both timely and necessary.
Highly recommended for executives, organizational leaders, nonprofit professionals, leadership coaches, human resource specialists, and anyone committed to building workplaces where people contribute with purpose instead of merely enduring the workday.
Kathy Coffey Solberg has produced a thoughtful, compassionate, and remarkably practical guide that will remain relevant long after today's leadership trends have faded.
Mama Strangelove
Elizabeth Grimm, Ph.D.
Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing
http://www.wymacpublishing.com
9781954332065, $24.00, PB, 172pp
B0GWXMM5C6, $8.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mama-Strangelove-Satirical-Parenting-International-ebook/dp/B0GWXMM5C6
Synopsis: With the publication of "Mama Strangelove: A Satirical Guide to Modern Parenting Through International Relations Theories", Elizabeth Grimm, Ph.D., offers an unconventional exploration of modern parenting by viewing family life through the strategic lens of international relations.
Blending memoir, political science, and observational humor, she examines familiar domestic challenges - from bedtime negotiations to sibling rivalries - as though they were diplomatic crises, military campaigns, or geopolitical conflicts.
The result is a witty, thought-provoking work that encourages parents to laugh at life's daily upheavals while discovering unexpected wisdom within them.
Critique: Originality is becoming increasingly difficult to find in parenting literature. Advice often arrives wrapped in reassuring promises, predictable checklists, and familiar philosophies that leave readers feeling as though they have visited the same conversation countless times before.
Mama Strangelove immediately steps away from that crowded landscape. Elizabeth Grimm doesn't simply offer another parenting perspective; she invents an entirely new framework through which readers can view the beautiful disorder of raising children.
That inventive premise would amount to little without an author capable of sustaining it. Grimm succeeds because she never treats the concept as a gimmick. Her academic expertise lends credibility, yet it is her willingness to laugh at herself that gives the narrative its warmth. She writes with the confidence of a scholar and the humility of a parent who has discovered that no amount of professional knowledge completely prepares someone for the unpredictable logic of a determined toddler.
What lingers long after individual chapters have ended is not merely the humor but the remarkable ease with which Grimm transforms intimidating political theories into surprisingly familiar household experiences. Ideas that routinely challenge university students become immediately recognizable when viewed through spilled cereal, bedtime resistance, disappearing shoes, playground negotiations, and the delicate diplomacy required to divide the last serving of dessert. Readers may begin the book expecting comedy but leave having absorbed a meaningful introduction to international relations almost by accident.
The strongest nonfiction possesses a distinctive voice that cannot be mistaken for anyone else's. Grimm has found hers. Her observations feel spontaneous rather than manufactured, allowing wit to emerge naturally from situations many parents know all too well. She recognizes the absurdity without exaggerating it, trusting readers to appreciate the irony themselves. That restraint makes the comedy considerably sharper.
Equally rewarding is the emotional honesty woven beneath the laughter. Parenting is presented neither as sentimental perfection nor endless exhaustion. Instead, Grimm captures the complicated middle ground where affection, frustration, uncertainty, pride, and resilience coexist. Those quieter moments provide the book with emotional weight, ensuring it resonates beyond its clever central metaphor.
The structure reflects careful craftsmanship. Each chapter introduces a political principle before gradually illustrating its relevance through lived experience. Rather than interrupting the narrative, the academic material enriches it, creating an engaging rhythm that continually alternates between reflection and amusement. Readers are never overwhelmed with theory because every concept serves the larger purpose of illuminating family life.
Perhaps the book's greatest achievement is its refusal to underestimate its audience. Grimm assumes readers are curious enough to appreciate sophisticated ideas while remaining eager to laugh at themselves. That confidence creates a reading experience that is both intellectually satisfying and thoroughly entertaining.
If there is a reservation, it rests only in the specialized historical references that occasionally ask readers to pause for context. Yet even these moments contribute to the work's distinctive character, encouraging discovery rather than creating distance.
Books that successfully combine scholarship with humor are uncommon. Books that accomplish the feat while remaining approachable are even rarer. Mama Strangelove belongs comfortably within that small company.
Elizabeth Grimm has produced a work that is refreshingly original, consistently engaging, and unexpectedly insightful - a book that reminds us that diplomacy sometimes begins not across negotiating tables but across the family dinner table.
For readers weary of formulaic parenting manuals, Mama Strangelove offers something genuinely refreshing. It entertains, challenges, and rewards thoughtful reading, making it a standout recommendation for public library collections, academic libraries, parenting collections, and anyone who appreciates intelligent humor anchored by perceptive observation.
The Rancher
Vivian Thomas
Publisher: TBA
ISBN: TBA, Kindle Price: TBA, Paperback Price: TBA
Approximately 167 manuscript pages
Publishing Release Date: Fall 2026
Synopsis: Returning home is rarely simple, especially when grief arrives carrying unanswered questions.
Following her father's unexpected death, Laura Cain leaves behind the successful life she has built in Washington and returns to Kent, Colorado, intending only to settle the estate, organize the family business, and quietly move forward.
Instead, she finds herself pulled back into the rhythms of the town she once couldn't wait to leave. The future of her parents' beloved restaurant hangs in the balance just as Brand Covington, an ambitious ranch owner from Wyoming, purchases the area's largest cattle operation. His arrival unsettles neighboring ranchers, fuels rumors throughout the community, and places Laura directly in the path of a man whose confidence proves as formidable as his reputation.
As business obligations force the two together, first impressions slowly give way to understanding. Beneath their spirited disagreements lies a shared devotion to hard work, loyalty, and preserving the people and places that define Kent. Their journey becomes one of healing, discovery, and learning that the life left behind may still hold the greatest promise.
Critique: Vivian Thomas understands one of fiction's greatest truths: memorable stories are rarely driven by plot alone. People whose hopes, disappointments, and quiet triumphs feel genuine carry them. The Rancher succeeds because its emotional center never loses sight of that principle.
The story introduces Laura Cain as a capable professional who is determined to fulfill her responsibilities before returning to the life she carefully built elsewhere. What makes her compelling is not flawless confidence, but the vulnerability hidden beneath it. Loss, responsibility, and uncertainty color every decision. Rather than presenting a heroine who instantly embraces change, Thomas allows Laura to wrestle honestly with the tension between obligation and independence. That emotional authenticity anchors the novel from beginning to end.
The relationship between Laura and Brand Covington develops with refreshing restraint. Their initial encounters crackle with friction, yet those exchanges serve a larger purpose than simple romantic banter. Each confrontation gradually reveals another layer of personality, inviting readers to reconsider their assumptions alongside the characters themselves. Thomas wisely avoids rushing the emotional progression, allowing trust to emerge naturally through shared experiences instead of dramatic declarations.
Brand proves especially rewarding as the story unfolds. At first glance he appears every bit the self-assured outsider whose financial success threatens the balance of a close-knit ranching community. Yet beneath that commanding exterior lies a thoughtful businessman whose long-term vision extends well beyond personal ambition. His motivations unfold gradually, rewarding patient readers with a protagonist whose actions consistently carry greater depth than first impressions suggest.
The novel's greatest strength, however, may be its portrait of small-town life. Kent never functions as a decorative backdrop. It breathes with its own identity through familiar faces, longstanding friendships, neighborhood traditions, and the everyday conversations that shape community life. Characters such as Rosa, Lucille, Mayor Brown, Otis, Carrie, Scott, and the hardworking ranch employees contribute meaningfully to the narrative rather than simply filling space between scenes. Their presence reminds readers that ordinary people, whose lives quietly intersect, build every thriving community.
Thomas also deserves recognition for the novel's measured pacing. Contemporary romance often relies on manufactured misunderstandings or unnecessary emotional turbulence to sustain interest. Here, conflict grows from believable circumstances - family obligations, economic uncertainty, differing perspectives, and the challenge of earning another person's confidence. Because these obstacles arise organically, the emotional payoff carries greater weight.
Equally noteworthy is Thomas's attention to atmosphere. From weathered storefronts and bustling cafes to sprawling ranch lands stretching beneath expansive western skies, each setting possesses enough sensory detail to become an active participant in the story. The landscape influences livelihoods, relationships, and daily routines, reinforcing the authenticity that distinguishes the novel from more formulaic Western romances.
Perhaps the novel's most appealing quality is its quiet optimism. Without becoming sentimental, Thomas explores how communities evolve, how grief slowly gives way to purpose, and how unexpected opportunities often emerge from life's most difficult seasons. Themes of stewardship, resilience, forgiveness, and belonging are woven into the narrative with subtle confidence rather than heavy-handed symbolism, allowing readers to draw their own emotional connections.
The prose itself reflects the straightforward honesty of its setting. Conversations feel natural, descriptions remain purposeful, and the narrative maintains an inviting readability that encourages readers to linger rather than rush toward the conclusion. Thomas shows an appreciation for character-driven storytelling, trusting relationships and emotional growth to sustain the novel instead of relying on artificial twists or melodrama.
For readers who appreciate contemporary western romance grounded in authentic relationships, richly realized communities, and emotionally satisfying storytelling, The Rancher offers an enjoyable and rewarding reading experience. Vivian Thomas has crafted more than a romance; she has created a heartfelt portrait of home, heritage, and the unexpected ways life's detours can lead us exactly where we belong. It is a novel that will resonate with readers long after the final page has been turned.
Osprey Gold
Thomas Lion
Lion's Share Books
9781662970191, $20.00 PB, $9.99 Kindle, 354pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Osprey-Gold-Thomas-Lion/dp/1662970196
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/osprey-gold-thomas-lion/1150028707
Synopsis: Thomas Lyon returns to Washington State's Osprey Mountain expecting to introduce the woman he loves to his family and revisit the landscape that shaped his youth. Instead, he discovers that home has changed in ways he never expected.
A mysterious neighboring sanctuary, fractured family relationships, hidden agendas, environmental conflict, and long-buried secrets transform what should have been a joyful reunion into a dangerous journey of discovery.
As old loyalties challenge him and new enemies arise, Thomas must determine how much of his past he is willing to face to safeguard the future he hopes to create.
Critique: Some novels entertain, while others transport readers so completely that the setting lingers in memory long after the final chapter has been closed. Thomas Lion's Osprey Gold belongs firmly in the latter category. The rugged mountains, sprawling vineyards, dense forests, and pristine waterways of Washington State are not simply picturesque scenery - they shape the story, influence every decision, and become as unforgettable as the people who inhabit them.
Lion wastes little time establishing an atmosphere where beauty and danger exist side by side. A seemingly peaceful mountain community gradually reveals itself to be layered with unresolved history, uneasy alliances, and secrets waiting for the right moment to surface. The resulting tension develops patiently, allowing readers to become invested in both the mystery unfolding before them and the emotional journeys experienced by the characters.
Thomas Lyon is an engaging and thoroughly believable protagonist. His return home is far more than a physical journey; it becomes an examination of identity, forgiveness, and the complicated bonds that tie people to both family and place. Rather than portraying him as either hero or victim, Lion allows Thomas to carry the imperfections and emotional scars that make him feel genuinely human. His personal growth unfolds naturally, rewarding readers who appreciate character-driven fiction.
Kathryn Collins provides an equally memorable presence. Her warmth, intelligence, and distinctly New Zealand perspective offers a refreshing contrast to the emotional baggage surrounding Thomas's homecoming. Their relationship develops with sincerity instead of sentimentality, allowing quiet moments of humor, tenderness, and mutual respect to balance the novel's steadily escalating suspense.
Perhaps the novel's greatest accomplishment lies in its remarkable sense of place. The author describes the vineyards, osprey nesting grounds, mountain roads, wildlife, and changing seasons with the confidence of someone intimately familiar with the region. Nature serves as far more than a decorative backdrop; it reflects the emotional undercurrents of the story while reinforcing themes of stewardship, belonging, and renewal. Readers who appreciate environmental fiction will find much to admire, yet these elements never overwhelm the central narrative.
Lion also shows considerable skill in balancing multiple storylines. The author weaves family drama, psychological suspense, romance, environmental issues, political divisions, and mystery together with impressive control. Lesser novels often lose focus when juggling many themes, but Osprey Gold remains cohesive because each thread ultimately serves the larger story rather than competing for attention.
Equally noteworthy is the author's ear for dialogue. Conversations reveal personality, deepen relationships, and frequently provide subtle clues that reward attentive readers. Moments of gentle humor soften emotionally charged scenes without diminishing their impact, creating an authentic rhythm that mirrors real-life family interactions.
While the novel occasionally lingers over descriptive passages, these moments ultimately strengthen the immersive quality of the reading experience. Rather than rushing from one dramatic event to the next, Lion allows readers to absorb the emotional and physical landscape, making the inevitable moments of conflict even more powerful.
At its heart, Osprey Gold is a novel about coming home - not simply to a place, but to truth, reconciliation, and self-discovery. It is an intelligently crafted story that combines literary depth with compelling suspense while offering thoughtful reflections on family, legacy, environmental responsibility, and the enduring influence of the places that shape our lives.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-centered suspense with literary depth, Osprey Gold will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction where memorable settings, emotional authenticity, and carefully layered storytelling combine to create an exceptionally satisfying reading experience.
This book is an excellent addition to contemporary fiction collections in community and public libraries. It is also a rewarding selection for book clubs that want a novel sparking meaningful discussion long after they finish reading it.
The Perfection Campaign: A Daughter's Search for Acceptance
Jill Vanneman
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896363262, $17.99 PB, $12.99 Kindle, 290pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Campaign-Daughters-Search-Acceptance-ebook/dp/B0FXBPLB8S
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-perfection-campaign-jill-vanneman/1148560703
Synopsis: Growing up in a family where achievement, appearance, and public perception carried tremendous weight, Jill Vanneman spent decades trying to become the daughter she believed her parents expected. Instead, she discovered that the relentless pursuit of perfection often leaves little room for authenticity.
The Perfection Campaign traces her deeply personal journey from childhood through adulthood as she confronts family expectations, embraces her identity as a lesbian, examines the emotional scars left by shame, and ultimately learns that genuine acceptance begins from within rather than through the approval of others.
Critique: Few memoirs explore the emotional architecture of perfectionism with the depth, honesty, and introspection found in The Perfection Campaign. Jill Vanneman examines how subtle criticism, unspoken expectations, and the desire to please can quietly shape a person's identity long before they recognize the cost.
The memoir opens with extraordinary immediacy through a pivotal conversation during a family car ride. What begins as an ordinary exchange quickly develops into one of the defining moments of the author's life as she reveals her sexual orientation to her parents. The emotional intensity of the scene immediately establishes the book's central conflict - not simply one of acceptance, but of belonging within a family whose definition of success leaves little room for imperfection.
Rather than portraying her parents as one-dimensional antagonists, Vanneman presents them with remarkable nuance. They are shown as accomplished, civic-minded individuals who genuinely believed they were preparing their daughter for success, yet whose methods unintentionally fostered shame instead of confidence. This balanced perspective gives the memoir emotional credibility and allows readers to appreciate the complexities of family relationships where love and criticism often coexist.
Equally compelling is the author's willingness to examine her own emotional landscape. She candidly discusses childhood medical challenges, struggles with body image, the search for identity, and the lingering effects of constantly measuring herself against impossible standards. These experiences unfold naturally rather than feeling episodic, allowing readers to witness how one life experience influences the next until a larger portrait of resilience emerges.
One of the memoir's greatest strengths lies in its thoughtful exploration of shame. Instead of reducing the subject to simple psychological observations, Vanneman illustrates how shame becomes woven into everyday interactions, influencing decisions, relationships, and self-worth. The narrative's emotional heartbeat becomes the gradual movement toward self-compassion, culminating in a satisfying realization that authenticity must be embraced instead of earning acceptance through perfection.
Vanneman's prose is reflective without becoming sentimental. She balances emotional vulnerability with moments of humor, insight, and historical context, creating a memoir that feels conversational while maintaining literary sophistication. Her recollections possess the clarity of someone who has spent years thoughtfully examining the past rather than attempting to rewrite it.
The memoir's pacing deserves particular praise. The author weaves personal memories with broader cultural changes surrounding LGBTQ+ acceptance, creating a narrative that is simultaneously intimate and historically significant. Readers witness not only one woman's evolution but also the changing landscape in which that evolution became possible.
The Perfection Campaign will resonate with a remarkably broad audience. While LGBTQ+ readers will undoubtedly recognize aspects of their own journeys, anyone who has struggled with parental expectations, perfectionism, self-doubt, or the lifelong pursuit of approval will discover meaningful reflections within these pages. The memoir ultimately transcends identity politics to become a universal story about finding the courage to live authentically.
Honest, insightful, and emotionally rewarding, The Perfection Campaign transforms deeply personal experiences into a compelling exploration of resilience, family, identity, and healing. It is a memoir that invites reflection long after the final page has been turned and is especially recommended for memoir collections, LGBTQ+ studies, psychology collections, and readers interested in stories of personal transformation.
Vintage Poetry and Wicca: "The Veteran's Bride"
Trudy Carmany
Self Published
9798243339094, $TBA, PB & Kindle, 140pp
Prepublication Review
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Poetry-Wicca-Veterans-Bride/dp/B0GHFBBKB8
Synopsis: What begins as an examination of an overlooked nineteenth-century volume of Civil War poetry develops into an ambitious exploration of literary symbolism, folklore, women's history, and the spiritual traditions that have shaped Western culture.
Trudy Carmany revisits her great-grandmother Alta Isadore Gould's The Veteran's Bride and Other Poems, presenting a thought-provoking interpretation that suggests the poetry contains symbolic patterns reflecting beliefs that would later emerge within modern Wicca.
Alongside its literary analysis, the book offers historical context, family history, and a fresh appreciation for a forgotten American woman writer whose work deserves renewed attention.
Critique: Some books simply revisit literary history. Others invite readers to look beyond the printed words and reconsider what generations ago may have quietly woven into a text. Vintage Poetry and Wicca: "The Veteran's Bride" belongs to the latter category.
Drawing upon years of independent research, Trudy Carmany examines the poetry of Alta Isadore Gould with remarkable persistence and intellectual curiosity. Rather than accepting Gould's Civil War verse at face value, Carmany searches for recurring imagery, symbolic patterns, and historical influences that suggest deeper thematic currents flowing beneath the surface. Whether readers ultimately agree with every conclusion is almost secondary to the fascinating scholarly journey that unfolds.
One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its interdisciplinary approach. Literary criticism seamlessly blends with folklore, mythology, feminist history, religious studies, and nineteenth-century American culture. Carmany demonstrates an impressive ability to connect historical documents, family archives, artwork, and literary interpretation into a cohesive narrative that continually encourages readers to think beyond conventional literary analysis.
The discussion surrounding The Veteran's Bride is particularly compelling. By exploring recurring images of nature, seasonal cycles, celestial symbolism, and gender archetypes, Carmany presents an interpretation that transforms what initially appears to be sentimental Civil War poetry into a far richer work of symbolic storytelling. Even readers unfamiliar with Wiccan traditions will appreciate how thoroughly the author explains her reasoning while providing a historical context that makes her analysis accessible.
Equally engaging is the author's obvious passion for preserving her family's literary legacy. Biographical details about Alta Isadore Gould enhance the emotional depth, enabling readers to better understand the environment where the original poems were created. Instead of merely documenting history, Carmany restores visibility to an author who has remained largely absent from mainstream literary discussions.
The volume also benefits from historical photographs, illustrations, and archival materials that enrich the reading experience. These visual elements complement the text rather than distract from it, helping readers appreciate both the historical setting and the author's investigative process.
Because the subject spans multiple academic disciplines, portions of the book require thoughtful reading. Yet readers willing to invest that attention will discover an engaging study that rewards curiosity and encourages further exploration of literary symbolism, American history, and women's contributions to literature.
Vintage Poetry and Wicca: "The Veteran's Bride" is an impressive work of literary scholarship that succeeds both as historical investigation and as an invitation to reconsider overlooked voices from America's literary past. It offers meaningful insight for readers interested in Civil War literature, literary criticism, folklore, women's studies, mythology, religious history, and independent historical research. Carmany's dedication to uncovering hidden layers within her great-grandmother's work results in a distinctive and memorable contribution to contemporary literary studies.
Highly recommended for academic libraries, university collections, literary historians, students of folklore and mythology, and readers who enjoy discovering fresh perspectives on neglected works of American literature.
Landslide
Lisa M. Brammer
Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC
https://www.moonshinecovepublishing.com/index.html
9781966687030, $20.00, PB, 268pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Landslide-Lisa-M-Brammer/dp/1966687036
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/landslide-lisa-m-brammer/1149704814
Synopsis: Life can change in an instant, and for Maggie MacClery, that moment arrives with a phone call no spouse ever wants to receive. Her husband, Sully, suffered critical injuries in a devastating accident, leaving him in a coma. This forces Maggie to confront responsibilities she has spent decades allowing others to shoulder. As uncertainty becomes her constant companion, she discovers that surviving tragedy requires far more than hope - it demands courage she never realized she possessed.
Through alternating timelines, readers witness both the foundation of Maggie and Sully's enduring marriage and the heartbreaking reality of the present. The author skillfully interweaves memories of youthful romance, shared dreams, and decades of family life with Maggie's struggle to navigate medical decisions, financial responsibilities, and the well-intentioned interference of her adult children. Each chapter reveals another layer of a woman who slowly realizes that she can achieve personal growth at any age, and that reinvention can begin at any stage of life.
Critique: Lisa M. Brammer delivers a heartfelt work of women's fiction that examines the emotional landscape of marriage, family, identity, and resilience with remarkable authenticity. Though the novel opens with the trauma of Sully's accident, Maggie truly owns the story. The author details how Maggie, a woman whose carefully structured life unexpectedly dismantled, must discover strengths long hidden beneath years of routine and quiet sacrifice.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its realistic portrayal of long-term marriage. Rather than presenting an idealized relationship, Brammer explores the subtle ways couples naturally settle into familiar roles over decades together. Maggie has always depended upon Sully's steady leadership, never imagining circumstances that would require her to become the family's decision-maker. Watching her gradually develop confidence while honoring the love she shares with her husband creates an emotionally satisfying character arc that feels both believable and inspiring.
The alternating "Now" and "Then" chapters provide exceptional narrative balance. Flashbacks reveal the playful beginnings of Maggie and Sully's relationship, allowing readers to understand the depth of their emotional connection before tragedy strikes. These glimpses into their courtship, early marriage, and shared dreams enrich the present-day storyline, making every difficult hospital visit and uncertain prognosis resonate with even greater emotional weight. Rather than interrupting the pacing, these transitions deepen the reader's investment in the characters.
Brammer also excels in portraying family relationships with honesty. Maggie's adult children genuinely love their mother, yet their desire to protect her often unintentionally diminishes her confidence. Their interactions reflect situations many families experience when illness suddenly shifts long-established family dynamics. Instead of creating simplistic heroes or villains, the author presents each family member as imperfect, compassionate, and realistically human.
Equally compelling is the supporting cast. Friends, neighbors, medical professionals, and extended family each contribute meaningful moments that reinforce the novel's themes of community, compassion, and perseverance. These secondary characters never overshadow Maggie's journey; instead, they provide opportunities for her continued personal growth while illustrating how unexpected kindness often appears during life's most difficult seasons.
Brammer's prose is warm, conversational, and emotionally accessible. She shows an excellent ear for dialogue, allowing conversations to unfold naturally without unnecessary exposition. Humor quietly surfaces throughout the novel, offering welcome moments of relief that prevent the heavier subject matter from becoming overwhelming. This careful emotional balance allows readers to experience sorrow, hope, laughter, and triumph alongside Maggie.
Perhaps the novel's most memorable accomplishment is its exploration of identity during midlife. Society often portrays personal transformation as the domain of younger protagonists, yet Landslide reminds readers that self-discovery has no expiration date. Maggie's evolution from hesitant caregiver to confident decision-maker serves as an uplifting testament to the resilience that often lies dormant until life's greatest challenges demand it.
Women's fiction enthusiasts, book clubs, and readers who appreciate emotionally driven family dramas will find much to discuss within these pages. Themes of marriage, caregiving, independence, aging, and second chances provide abundant material for thoughtful conversation long after the final chapter has been read.
Beautifully written and emotionally rewarding, Landslide is an inspiring reminder that while life's unexpected upheavals may alter the landscape we know, they can also uncover strengths we never realized we possessed. Lisa M. Brammer has crafted an engaging debut that celebrates perseverance, enduring love, and the remarkable courage required to rediscover oneself when life takes an unforeseen turn. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven women's fiction filled with emotional depth, authentic relationships, and hopeful transformation.
A Warrior's Cry: The Court-Martial of Zachary Pines (An A. J. Hawke Legal Thriller)
Donald E. McInnis
J & E Publications
9798998829321, PB, $18.95, 310pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Cry-Court-Martial-Zachary-Thriller/dp/B0H2Y3YBFZ
Synopsis: When Navy SEAL Zachary Pines returns from a classified mission, he faces the unthinkable: a court-martial for the death of one of his own teammates. With national security secrets hanging over every aspect of the case, civilian attorney Andrew "A.J." Hawke reluctantly enters the unfamiliar world of military law to defend the man who once saved his life.
As the proceedings unfold, Hawke discovers the courtroom is only one battlefield in a much larger conflict involving military command, political influence, constitutional authority, and the tough realities of modern warfare. Every revelation raises new questions, forcing readers to examine where duty ends and justice begins.
Critique: Donald E. McInnis has earned a reputation for crafting legal thrillers that entertain while encouraging readers to think beyond the courtroom, and A Warrior's Cry continues that tradition with confidence and precision. This latest A.J. Hawke novel delivers an absorbing legal drama while exploring timely questions about military ethics, leadership, accountability, and the enduring struggle to balance national security with the rule of law.
What immediately distinguishes this novel is its authenticity. McInnis writes with the assurance of someone who understands both legal procedure and the weight of decisions made under extraordinary circumstances. Rather than relying solely on dramatic courtroom confrontations, he carefully builds a story in which every witness, every piece of evidence, and every legal strategy contributes to an increasingly complex portrait of justice under pressure.
The military backdrop provides far more than action sequences. It becomes an essential part of the novel's moral framework. Readers gain an appreciation for the enormous responsibility carried by those serving in elite military units, where split-second decisions can determine not only individual lives but international stability. McInnis never loses sight of the human element beneath the uniforms, allowing his characters' fears, loyalties, and convictions to resonate throughout the narrative.
Andrew "A.J." Hawke remains one of the novel's greatest strengths. His willingness to defend a friend despite overwhelming obstacles reflects both personal integrity and professional courage. Hawke approaches the case with persistence rather than arrogance, earning readers' respect as he navigates unfamiliar legal territory. His determination transforms what could have been a conventional courtroom drama into a compelling search for truth.
Equally impressive is the author's ability to maintain suspense without sacrificing credibility. The investigation unfolds naturally, revealing new layers of information that continually reshape the reader's understanding of events. Political tensions, classified operations, and constitutional questions enrich the story without overwhelming its central focus on the individuals whose lives have been forever altered by a single mission.
McInnis also deserves recognition for presenting military personnel with dignity and complexity. His characters are neither idealized heroes nor convenient villains. Instead, they are portrayed as dedicated professionals confronted with impossible choices, making their struggles both believable and emotionally engaging. This balanced approach allows readers to appreciate the personal sacrifices demanded by military service while contemplating the difficult ethical questions that accompany modern warfare.
The pacing remains consistently engaging from beginning to end. Moments of high-intensity action are balanced with thoughtful courtroom exchanges and carefully developed character interactions, creating a narrative that never feels rushed or repetitive. Even readers unfamiliar with military procedures or legal terminology will find the story accessible because McInnis explains complex concepts through the natural progression of the plot rather than lengthy exposition.
Perhaps the novel's greatest accomplishment is its willingness to encourage thoughtful reflection. Beyond its suspenseful storyline lies a broader conversation about leadership, honor, constitutional responsibility, and the cost of defending democratic principles in an increasingly uncertain world. These themes elevate the novel beyond traditional legal suspense and provide readers with much to consider long after the final chapter.
Donald E. McInnis continues to demonstrate why his A.J. Hawke series has earned a loyal following among readers who appreciate intelligent, character-driven legal fiction. A Warrior's Cry successfully combines military realism, courtroom intrigue, and meaningful ethical exploration into a thoroughly satisfying reading experience. It is a novel that will appeal equally to fans of legal thrillers, military fiction, and stories where justice depends as much upon courage and conviction as it does upon the letter of the law.
Highly recommended for community library collections, legal thriller enthusiasts, military fiction readers, and anyone who appreciates suspense grounded in realistic legal and constitutional issues. Once again, Donald E. McInnis produced a thoughtful, engaging novel. The novel reminds readers that the greatest battles occur in the pursuit of truth and justice, not on the battlefield itself.
Marvelous Jackson
Laura Anne Bird
Orange Hat Publishing
https://www.orangehatpublishing.com
9781645387664, $22.95, HC, 270pp
9781645386919, $14.95, PB
9781645386964, $6.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Marvelous-Jackson-Laura-Anne-Bird/dp/1645386910
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/marvelous-jackson-laura-anne-bird/1145627674
Synopsis: Life changes in an instant for Jackson "Jack" Wilson after the heartbreaking loss of his mother. Once a caring and spirited young boy, Jack now masks his grief with anger, poor decisions, and constant trips to the principal's office. One more suspension could cost him everything, forcing him to confront the hard truth that he no longer recognizes the person he has become.
When an unlikely friendship develops with Theo Porter, Jack discovers that healing often starts in the most unexpected places. Through baking, family, and genuine acts of kindness, he slowly rediscovers confidence, purpose, and the joy that grief had stolen from him. Jack realizes that changing one's life requires finding the way back to one's true self, not becoming a new person.
Critique: Every so often, I come across a story that quietly works its way into my heart. Marvelous Jackson is one of those books.
Laura Anne Bird has written far more than a middle-grade novel. She has created an honest and compassionate story about loss, second chances, and the remarkable resilience found within young people. Jack's journey feels authentic because it doesn't happen overnight. His setbacks, frustrations, and victories unfold naturally, making his transformation believable and deeply rewarding.
As I turned each page, I cheered for Jack. His grief is raw, his emotions are genuine, and his struggles mirror what many young readers experience when life suddenly changes. Rather than offering simple solutions, Bird reminds us that healing comes through patience, encouragement, and the people willing to believe in us when we struggle to believe in ourselves.
Theo quickly became one of my favorite characters. Theo's kindness never seems forced or unrealistic. Instead, he offers Jack exactly what every child deserves - a friend who sees potential instead of problems. Their friendship becomes the heart of the novel and beautifully shows how one caring person can change another person's future.
The family relationships are equally compelling. Jack's father is grieving while trying to hold life together, making their relationship both tender and realistic. Their shared love of food and cooking becomes a bridge back to one another, illustrating how everyday moments often become our greatest source of healing.
One of the most delightful surprises was the role baking plays throughout the story. The kitchen becomes more than a place to prepare food - it becomes a place where they honor memories, rebuild confidence, and quietly regain hope. The kitchen becomes more than a place to prepare food - it becomes a place where they honor memories, rebuild confidence, and quietly regain hope. Readers who enjoy cooking or baking will especially appreciate how these moments enrich the story without ever overshadowing its emotional depth.
Laura Anne Bird also deserves recognition for tackling difficult subjects with remarkable sensitivity. The author seamlessly weaves grief, bullying, forgiveness, friendship, and personal accountability into the narrative, creating meaningful conversations for families, classrooms, and book clubs.
Marvelous Jackson is the novel that stays with readers long after the final chapter. It reminds us that no mistake has to define a young person's future and that sometimes the smallest acts of kindness create the biggest changes.
Highly recommended for middle-grade readers, parents, teachers, school counselors, librarians, and anyone who enjoys uplifting stories filled with heart, hope, and unforgettable characters. Laura Anne Bird has written a novel that will encourage readers to believe that even after life's hardest seasons, brighter days are still waiting just around the corner.
Editorial Note: Recommended for ages 10-12 years old.
The Kaleidoscope World: A Randy-Amanda Adventure
Linda Mackenzie
Creative Health & Spirit
9798994874905, $14.95 PB, $8.95 Kindle, 229pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope-World-Randy-Amanda-Adventure-ebook
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-kaleidoscope-world-linda-mackenzie/1149831505
Synopsis: Randy has always felt like he doesn't quite fit in. Shy, compassionate, and often misunderstood by the neighborhood children, he finds comfort in the friendship of Amanda, an imaginative girl whose curiosity often leads them toward the unexpected. Their ordinary lives take an extraordinary turn after an encounter with the mysterious Melinda and an enormous magical kaleidoscope that becomes the gateway to an astonishing world where every decision, every emotion, and every thought shapes the journey ahead.
Their adventure carries them through enchanted forests, mysterious deserts, hidden castles, and encounters with unforgettable characters - both friend and foe. Along the way, Randy and Amanda discover that true courage is not measured by physical strength, but by compassion, perseverance, and the willingness to believe in themselves even when faced with overwhelming obstacles.
Critique: Few children's fantasy novels manage to entertain while quietly nurturing emotional growth, but Linda Mackenzie's The Kaleidoscope World accomplishes both with remarkable success. What initially appears to be a whimsical fantasy soon unfolds into a thoughtful coming-of-age adventure that encourages readers to examine how their attitudes, choices, and relationships influence the world around them.
From the opening pages, Randy emerges as a character many young readers will immediately recognize. His struggle to fit in, combined with his gentle heart and unwavering kindness, makes him an authentic and sympathetic protagonist. Amanda provides the perfect balance with her fearless curiosity, infectious enthusiasm, and unwavering loyalty. Together they create a friendship that feels genuine rather than manufactured, allowing readers to invest emotionally in every challenge they face.
Mackenzie's greatest accomplishment is the imaginative world she has created. Rather than relying solely on magical creatures and fantastical settings, she constructs a landscape where thoughts, emotions, and intentions become tangible forces that shape every encounter. The fantasy elements never exist merely for spectacle; each location and each character serve a larger purpose in helping Randy and Amanda mature emotionally while discovering strengths they never realized they possessed.
The supporting cast adds considerable depth to the story. Melinda serves as both guide and mentor without overshadowing the young heroes, while the colorful inhabitants of the Kaleidoscope World each contribute meaningful lessons that naturally emerge through the unfolding adventure. Even the story's darker moments are carefully balanced with hope, humor, and compassion, ensuring younger readers remain engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
Equally impressive is Mackenzie's vivid visual storytelling. Every new destination is richly imagined, inviting readers to picture shimmering landscapes, mysterious pathways, magical creatures, and breathtaking scenery that continually expands the boundaries of the imagination. The pacing remains consistently engaging, with each chapter introducing fresh discoveries while maintaining the momentum of the larger quest.
What distinguishes The Kaleidoscope World from many contemporary middle-grade fantasies is its heart. The story gently explores themes of self-confidence, empathy, forgiveness, perseverance, and personal responsibility without interrupting the adventure to deliver obvious moral lessons. Instead, these values arise naturally through the experiences of the characters, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions while remaining completely immersed in the story.
Parents, teachers, librarians, and homeschool educators will especially appreciate the thoughtful discussion questions and supplemental materials included following the novel. These additions transform an enjoyable fantasy into an excellent resource for classroom conversations, family reading, literature circles, and character-building discussions.
Linda Mackenzie has crafted more than an entertaining fantasy adventure. She has written a story that reminds readers that courage often begins with kindness, that friendship can become life's greatest source of strength, and that hope remains one of the most powerful forces we possess. Long after the final page is turned, Randy and Amanda's remarkable journey continues to resonate, encouraging readers to view both themselves and the world around them with renewed optimism.
Highly recommended for middle-grade readers, school and public library collections, educators seeking discussion-worthy fiction, and families looking for an imaginative adventure that inspires as much as it entertains. This is a memorable fantasy that deserves a place alongside today's strongest character-driven juvenile adventures.
Editorial Note: Recommended reading ages 9-13 years old.
A Snow Day for the Grumpy Queen Ant
Trudy Jan Last
Self -Published
$TBA paperback / $TBA Kindle, 18 pp.
Publishing release: Date: TBA
Synopsis: A winter blizzard leaves the Queen Ant trapped inside her anthill, and her sour mood quickly spreads throughout the colony. While two devoted guards struggle to satisfy their demanding ruler, an unexpected invention offers a surprising solution that transforms an ordinary snow day into an unforgettable adventure.
Filled with humor, lively personalities, and imaginative problem-solving, this picture book gently reminds young readers that even the grumpiest day can take a joyful turn when creativity and cooperation come together.
Critique: Few things test one's patience quite like being forced indoors when adventure waits just outside the door. That universal childhood frustration becomes the foundation of Trudy Jan Last's imaginative picture book, A Snow Day for the Greedy and Grumpy, a lighthearted story that blends playful humor with meaningful lessons about attitude, friendship, and the rewards of looking at problems from a different perspective.
The story immediately establishes a wonderfully exaggerated heroine. The Queen Ant is delightfully impossible - bossy, impatient, and convinced the world should revolve around her wishes. Rather than making her unlikeable, Last gives her enough comic charm that readers can't help but smile at her dramatic reactions.
Young audiences often enjoy characters who are a little larger than life, and the Queen's exaggerated personality creates opportunities for laughter while quietly illustrating that poor attitudes rarely solve difficult situations.
Balancing the Queen's commanding presence are Mike and Stan, two loyal guards whose constant bickering injects energy into every scene they share. Their exchanges feel reminiscent of classic comic duos, providing just enough gentle conflict to keep the story moving while never overshadowing its heart. Their determination to improve the Queen's miserable day eventually shows that ingenuity often succeeds where complaints cannot.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its celebration of imagination. The invention of winter clothing designed specifically for ants is delightfully unexpected, allowing fantasy and practicality to meet in a way that young readers readily accept. Children naturally embrace make-believe, and Last uses that sense of wonder to encourage creative thinking instead of simply presenting a straightforward moral lesson.
Equally appealing are the bright digital illustrations that fill every page with expressive characters and cheerful visual humor. The oversized facial expressions, vibrant winter landscapes, and amusing details encourage children to linger over each illustration, making the artwork an important storytelling partner rather than simple decoration. The illustrations establish each character's personality and invite young audiences into the Queen Ant's unusual world, even before someone reads the words aloud.
Parents, teachers, and librarians will also appreciate how naturally the story opens conversations about emotional self-control, cooperation, respectful communication, and finding positive solutions during frustrating moments. These lessons emerge through the characters' experiences rather than through direct instruction, allowing children to arrive at their own conclusions while simply enjoying the adventure.
Perfect for preschool through early elementary classrooms, library collections, and family read-aloud time, A Snow Day for the Greedy and Grumpy possesses the warmth that encourages repeated visits. Each reading reveals another humorous expression, another playful detail hidden within the illustrations, or another opportunity to discuss kindness and teamwork.
Trudy Jan Last has created a thoroughly enjoyable picture book that entertains while quietly nurturing social and emotional growth. With its memorable cast, inventive premise, and cheerful artwork, A Snow Day for the Greedy and Grumpy earns a confident recommendation for children's collections seeking stories that combine laughter, imagination, and gentle character-building in equal measure.
Editorial Note: Recommended for ages 4-10 years old.
Suzie Housley, Senior Reviewer
https://housleysliteraryservices.com
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
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