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Able Greenspan's Bookshelf
The Revolution Will Be a Poetic Act: African Culture and Decolonization
Mario Pinto de Andrade, author
Lanie Millar and Fabienne Moore, translators
Polity Books
www.politybooks.com
c/o Wiley Publishing Group
www.wiley.com
9781509559350, $64.95, HC, 244pp
https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Will-Poetic-Act-Decolonization/dp/1509559345
Synopsis: "The Revolution Will Be a Poetic Act: African Culture and Decolonization" is a collection of essays and speeches by Mario Pinto de Andrade (21 August 1928 - 26 August 1990), the Angolan literary critic, cultural theorist and political activist and one of Africa's most important 20th century intellectuals.
His writings think through the task of intellectual emancipation of colonized people, which he saw as predicated on the necessary project of political decolonization. As anti-colonial movements got underway, Andrade wrote extensively about the urgent necessity for Africans to turn away from European cultural and political models, arguing that communities emerging from colonization should focus on voices from within the designated communities, on self-representation, and on horizontal relationships among Black, African, and decolonizing peoples.
Andrade played a key role in theorizing the international reach of the revolutionary 20th century poetry and literature, Black cultural vindication, and African liberation. In his ethical commitment to moving away from focusing solely on the relationship between the colonial occupier and the colonized, he instead promoted ideas and actions that would construct mutual understanding among decolonizing communities.
Andrade's work offers models to rethink race and nation as analytic categories and is particularly relevant not only to scholars of African decolonization movements but to anyone engaged in contemporary conversations about race, belonging, and political community.
Critique: Eloquent, erudite, insightful, informative, iconoclastic, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and ably translated into English by Lanie Millar and Fabienne Moore, the publication of "The Revolution Will Be a Poetic Act: African Culture and Decolonization" by Angolan poet, essayist, and politician Mario Pinto de Andrade is a fitting memorial and a fascinating read. While this hardcover edition of "The Revolution Will Be a Poetic Act: African Culture and Decolonization" from Polity is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library African Politics & Political Science collections and supplemental African Colonialism/Post-Colonialism studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Revolution Will Be a Poetic Act: African Culture and Decolonization" is also available in paperback (9781509559350, $22.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.00).
Editorial Note: Mario Pinto de Andrade (1928-1990) was an Angolan poet, theorist, critic, essayist, and politician who wrote widely about national independence for colonized peoples.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1rio_Pinto_de_Andrade).
Able Greenspan
Reviewer
Diane Donovan's Bookshelf
Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens: Regarding Robberies and Racehorses
Elaine Mary Griffin
www.elainemarygriffin.com
Black Rose Writing
www.blackrosewriting.com
9781685136123, $19.95
https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Pleasure-Gardens-Regarding-Robberies-ebook/dp/B0DGVN4LX5
Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens: Regarding Robberies and Racehorses is a historical novel that opens with Counselor Lindsay Worthingham's mandate to young witness Chester Carter to write down his views of mind-boggling events he's experienced. Worthingham expected brevity, or possibly nothing... especially when time passes with no results. Two months later, Carter returns to the office with a thick stack of papers reflecting extraordinary insights. The lawyer discovers them to be a thoroughly unexpected chronicle of justice, redemption, and struggle.
Elaine Griffin crafts a compelling story using a first-person narrator's voice to capture the atmosphere that surrounds these events:
I reckon the robbers were gone long before we quit running after them. I finally caught up with the Sheriff, who had pulled up his horse at the bridge over the Schuylkill. The road continues beyond, but it's flanked by dense wood, and the Sheriff said he couldn't see the robbers anymore. I couldn't see them either, but I couldn't see much, and I couldn't hardly breathe, either.
Carter is all too happy to leave his usual paperwork assignments for the pursuit of justice, but as he becomes entangled in dilemmas he never saw coming, his exploration of banking and personal involvements immerse him in situations he's ill-equipped to understand, much less handle:
"They might've well stolen gold for what they got. We've no way of knowing which notes were stolen and which were rightful."
A coming-of-age story emerges as Chester is kissed by a lady, cursed by a frustrated sheriff, and challenged by Corinne. Horse racing, investigations, and requirements to testify on the side of justice in court proceedings create dilemmas over courses of action designed to remedy problems.
Will his involvements land him in jail, too? Will the connections between stolen bank notes and racetrack events draw him further into uncharted territory?
Elaine Griffin weaves her historical backdrop with the dialogues, personalities, and perspectives of characters whose motivations and interactions shine with realistic feelings.
Her ability to juxtapose Carter's growth and realizations with the kinds of choices that land him in untenable and unexpected situations creates a fine tension and suspense. These keep readers engaged in Carter's life, times, and ultimate redemption.
The story is delivered with an attractive focus on legal proceedings and impact. This approach will delight historical fiction readers who hold a special interest in judicial and courtroom tension.
Libraries seeking historical novels that combine elements of mystery, suspense, coming-of-age, and investigative prowess will appreciate all these elements and more in Shadows in the Pleasure Gardens.
It's No Fun Anymore
Brittany Micka-Foos
Apprentice House Press
https://apprenticehouse.com
9781627205856, $16.99 Paperback/$26.99 Hardcover/$6.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Its-Fun-Anymore-Brittany-Micka-Foos/dp/1627205853
It's No Fun Anymore features eight short stories about bodily trauma and recovery. Readers who anticipate the usual progression of assault, damage, grief, anger, and recovery will be surprised to note that these stories embrace these elements, but are not entirely defined by them. Each tale offers a different perspective on trauma and recovery that will prove eye-opening and surprising.
Take the opening story "The Experiment," for one example. Here, Leah and her husband devise a concept they call "The Experiment" as a solution to Leah's tendency to immerse her mind in possible horrors and their outcomes.
Leah's reading, through which she involves her husband in surprising new concepts, sets the stage for her next decisions:
"There is covert strength in submission. To observers, a magical woman is meek and demure, but inside her is the power of all creation. Just as her body nourishes her offspring, through her charms she cultivates her environment. Her childlike demeanor invokes an inborn need in a man to cherish, to protect. The result is a satisfying and secure domestic life."
The Experiment comes just in time to address a child's murder in the community. Through it, Leah's own life undergoes a sea change as she devises an escape plan that revitalizes a form of control she gave up when she gave birth to their first child:
How could she explain the whole of it? The shameful need to feel in control of something. Anything.
The events that ensue represent a dangerous foray into new possibilities and difficult decisions.
Contrast this with "Estate Sale," a first-person exploration of dreams and nightmares, disappearances, and Alzheimer's which buffet an estate sale attendee who reflects:
"It is a shame," I mutter to myself. "A goddamn shame what men do to their daughters."
Brittany Micka-Foos's stark, sterling, descriptive voice adds engrossing impact to these characters, employing atmospheric, rich language that is startling not just in its color, but its revelations:
Somewhere, my own father sits in a small house like this. My father, with hands like broken branches, who leers with his one good eye. Is he expecting me?
Does he wonder who will take care of him as his memory fades and his grip weakens? Does he clutch at his memories in the growing dark, or is he grateful to lose them?
My father is very sick and he needs me.
My father. His eye a globe, containing the world, reflecting me back to myself. He was always looking at me. And all I ever wanted was to be seen.
Libraries will want to very highly recommend this literary collection of women's experiences to reading groups that enjoy vivid debates about all kinds of issues surrounding motherhood, trauma, and male impacts on women's' lives.
Literary in its language, astute in its psychological contrasts and considerations, and hard-hitting in its diverse examples of women under psychological siege, It's No Fun Anymore is thoroughly engrossing and completely empowering.
Invaders of the Heartland
James Bultema
https://www.jamesbultema.com
P.D. Publishing
9798988075189, $17.99
https://www.amazon.com/Invaders-Heartland-James-Bultema/dp/B0F4HW62RK
Invaders of the Heartland opens with a bang - the Los Angeles Police Department's Gang and Narcotics Division Fugitive Detail is successfully tailing a bank robbery suspect with a hostage. All goes according to plan until Detective Jake Dalton kills the suspect and rescues the hostage, only to find his career on the line.
Disgusted with big-city politics, Jake returns home to the more sedate (crime-wise) atmosphere of Fairview, Oklahoma, only to find that the Chinese mafia has infiltrated the town. Combine federal indifference with local authority ennui and Jake feels like the only person actively engaged in taking them down.
James Bultema's fast-paced thriller about crime, home front threats, and a savvy detective's resistance of forces that change normal life makes for a thoroughly engrossing story that's hard to put down.
Action-packed scenes are cemented by moral and ethical values handed down from father to son. These also contribute to the bigger picture of law enforcement motives and experiences:
Jake wondered how his dad, Earl, would have handled the FID's grilling. His dad was gone now, but Jake would never forget the wisdom of the hardworking auto mechanic who had run a small repair shop in Fairview, Oklahoma, a quaint town of 2,342. Earl had taught him to have a strong work ethic and a practical, hands-on approach to problem-solving. Jake remembered how much his dad had valued perseverance and integrity - and how that had rubbed off on him.
Jake's political intersections from his new role as the town's chief of police are presented through dialogue, relationship-building processes, and insights that are realistic and compelling:
"Welcome, Jake," said the mayor from behind his desk. "It's nice to see you back in Fairview, and from what I hear on the street, you'll be staying."
Jake chuckled at the statement. "Thanks, Mayor Waterhouse. You sure can't hide anything from anybody in this town. But then, the ex-chief of police learned that the hard way."
As events progress and Jake finds himself unsupported and alone in his mission, readers will become thoroughly engrossed by the issues of criminal justice, personal redemption, and problem-solving which test Jake's mettle and perceptions.
Bultema also adds romance into Jake's world as both characters navigate big moves from their personal lives and visions of their futures:
The move from LA was stressful enough. Going from a bustling city of four million to a town of two thousand was definitely a culture shock.
Readers will especially appreciate the dilemmas which force Jake to consider the importance of home, connections, and new possibilities which place him in the crosshairs of action and intrigue.
Libraries seeking thrillers with strong components of romance and interpersonal relationship growth and development will welcome the many issues that emerge from Invaders of the Heartland. These redefine concepts of invaders, action-packed versus "unhurried" lifestyles, and what it costs to preserve love and life against all odds.
Readers who enjoy the intersection of personal and political challenges as Jake grows into his new job and arrives at a revised sense of home and life's importance will find Invaders of the Heartland action-packed, eye-opening, and filled with many thought-provoking moments of revelation.
More than a police procedural or investigative tale alone, the thriller marries with personal growth in a manner that creates a thoroughly compelling, memorable plot driven by characters forced to consider if small-time life is truly what they want.
Half Moon
Burt Mango
Independently Published
9798311131780, $14.99 Paperback/$.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Half-Moon-Burt-Mango/dp/B0DXKR63MN
Half Moon is the Western story of a strange young woman captured on the frontier who sports an unusual face: "one half white as salt, the other dark as a moonless sky."
Emmet and Doug have come upon her while scouting for nomads. They capture her, and Emmet is thwarted in an attempt to have his way with her by his Captain, who has saved her for some unknown purpose.
Oshke Mennit, another resident of this lawless world, finds his life inexplicably bound to that of a very odd young woman when he is offered a trade opportunity that portends riches if he can fulfill his side of a strange bargain. It seems like easy money, making him a courier well able to outrun the nomads in pursuit. But money is never easily made, as Oshke realizes through a series of strange twists of intention and discovery.
Burt Mango may set the scene in the old West, but its action and adventure employ more than formula writing. Oshke's mission is challenged not by nomads, but by the ambitions of his own people. He comes to know Amma and matters of his own heart that were previously hidden to him as events unfold.
Mango crafts a novella that is succinct, powerful, and injected with flavors beyond traditional Western landscapes and people. This adds to action flavored by intriguing concepts of crime, justice, and duty as Oshke and others face their hopes and fears and a beautiful (albeit strange) young woman drives many changes.
Libraries seeking uncommon Westerns that inject eerie characters with special interest and purposes will find Half Moon a compelling novella. It's especially recommended for readers of Western literature seeking satisfyingly different scenarios and characters.
Packed with revelations, unexpected twists, and action-packed adventure, Half Moon is a story delightful in its unexpected main character and the events which swirl around her to change lives, perceptions, and destinies.
Secrets of Whitney Portal Ranch
Shannon Cook
Independently Published
9798218626433, $18.99 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
In Secrets of Whitney Portal Ranch: In This Eden, Danger Grows Wild, retired L.A. detective RJ Kirk has had enough perps and perplexing cases to last a lifetime. His retirement to a remote California ranch below Mount Whitney, paired with his involvement in the medical marijuana business, seems just the ticket for more staid involvements, even if they do draw local law enforcement attention.
His legacy to his daughters proves more than a quiet life, however. They inherit a virtual rabbit warren of cartel involvements, intrigue, and mystery surrounding the truth about their father's choices.
Shannon Cook introduces RJ and builds his character, life, and psyche before moving on to his daughters' uncertain inheritance. This creates both an intriguing atmosphere surrounding his life and the need for readers to move from RJ to several characters affected by the impact of his choices.
Cook creates attention to Sienna and others through compelling dialogue and descriptions that juxtapose RJ's life and legacy with their inheritance's impact:
"Wait," Sienna replied, unable to tear her gaze from the photograph. "Not yet. We don't know the full story. There's more here than we understand. These files - they look old, but if we go to the police now, we might ruin whatever Dad was trying to do. We have to understand why Dad hid all this."
As truths emerge and Sienna and Bailey face dangers they'd never known existed because of their father's career and actions, readers are treated to an action-packed, thought-provoking thriller that evolves a cat-and-mouse game between the daughters as well their father's real legacy.
Dialogue keeps events fast-paced and realistic, characterization is compelling so that the daughters become as involving and realistic as their dad, and unexpected twists and turns keep readers on their toes.
All this emerges in rural California, drawing readers into a Western-style backdrop with issues rooted in modern times and crimes that pose not only challenges to survival, but moral and ethical dilemmas.
Perhaps one reason why Secrets of Whitney Portal Ranch feels especially compelling is because the novel holds its roots in a true crime scenario. Cook's father was an undercover detective and adventurer whose legacy shaped RJ's character. Many events in the novel, including his law enforcement past and especially those set on the ranch, are drawn from real life, embellished with drama and fictional tension that make the most of emotional ties and dilemmas.
The result is a tense buildup to a surprising confrontation that will keep readers on edge and thoroughly engaged.
Libraries will find it easy to recommend Secrets of Whitney Portal Ranch to those seeking vivid mysteries and local backdrops. Readers who choose it for its promise of thriller-style action will find much to love as the daughters edge into dangerous territory and find themselves reconsidering their father's real legacy.
Engrossingly realistic, Secrets of Whitney Portal Ranch is hard to put down. It lingers in the mind long after its family-reinforcing conclusion.
Framed: A Villain's Perspective on Social Media
Tim O'Hearn
https://www.tjohearn.com/links
Luscious Ventures LLC
9798992468113, $14.99 Paperback/$1.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW2X8YSK
Framed: A Villain's Perspective on Social Media is highly opinionated. Don't expect any punches to be pulled as Tim O'Hearn tackles the heady subject of social media and the internet, juxtaposing candid observations with an overlay of wry humor to soften the blows.
His delightful approach to examining and profiling rule-breakers, influencers, media personalities, and marketing theories runs from exposes of deepfake operations to probes of familiar social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and others involved in social manipulation and marketing.
The first chapter is a confessional that draws reader attention from its first admissions:
I bought my first batch of fake followers in 2012. Around that time, I decided to become a software engineer. Over the past ten years, my code, methodologies, and business ventures have been responsible for hundreds of millions of illicit automated engagements on Instagram.
This lends authority to O'Hearn's inspections as one of the instigators and leaders in the realm he analyzes, making Framed a notable standout from the beginning, as compared with "outsider" discourses on social media operations and topics.
Readers enjoy a deep dive into internet addictions, apps, Big Tech, and the elements that constitute a villain in a cyberworld environment where everything seems both allowable and achievable.
The challenge of creating such an expose as this is readily admitted from the start:
The villains and those generating massive revenue from services built on top of social media platforms have no incentive to talk. One scoundrel responded to an interview request with, "I'm good bro, hope the launch goes well."
It helps that O'Hearn has "been the puppeteer as well as the puppet," is willing to tell all, and thus unfolds an insider's perspective as well as assessments which reveal underlying influences on social media operations, creations, and objectives.
Chapters are thoroughly engaging, pairing his quirky sense of humor with serious experiences and examinations that blend personal experience with bigger picture thinking. In the interests of making this discourse accessible to a wider audience, O'Hearn narrows his focus to irony and the special circumstances of Instagram and its "platform misbehavior."
This allows readers to delve deeply into one popular social media site's operations, using it as an example of the kinds of villainy that likely occurs on other platforms, as well.
From algorithms and outright scams to underlying perceptions affecting user results, O'Hearn creates a history and memoir that is thoroughly involving and forces tech users (i.e. all readers) to think:
Search engines may be the ultimate reflection of credence in things perceived as difficult to build. They are respected, and their results are rarely questioned because it's mind-boggling to think they could be wrong.
Libraries and readers seeking vivid, engaging explorations of high tech ironies, oddities, history, and experience will want to place Framed: A Villain's Perspective on Social Media at the top of their reading lists.
Its attention to specific circumstances only an insider could know, its focus on moral, ethical, and business quandaries buffeting social media systems, and its exposure of creator intention and user experience force readers to think about delightful and frightening issues, making it a special recommendation for book clubs and social issues classrooms, as well as general-interest readers.
The Everest Enigma
Jeannette de Beauvoir
www.jeannettedebeauvoir.com
Beckett Books
c/o Homeport Press
9798992594201, $17.99 Paperback/$6.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Everest-Enigma-Abbie-Bradford-Mystery/dp/B0F18DWPF7
The Everest Enigma is an Abbie Bradford mystery that takes place in Nepal at the Everest Base Camp. It involves an investigation by a seasoned sleuth who saw her first body when she was nine years old, so is no stranger to death. Nor is international travel foreign to her, as she travels the world with her father.
Now she's an adult from a self-admitted "eccentric family" where "each has something wrong with them."
Her flaw? A penchant for trouble.
When her brother answered Emma Caulfield's ad seeking a research assistant for a journey to Nepal, Abbie doesn't expect that she'll be drawn into a mystery that demands every ounce of detective savvy.
Emma writes historical romances, and her in-person sojourn to Nepal to solidify the setting of her latest book seems to be fairly cut-and-dried to Abbie, who is still uncertain of where she wants to go in her position as an academic historian.
As she becomes immersed in the shifting weather and politics of the Nepal expedition, Abbie observes changes that buffet her knowledge base and expectations of not just her job and Everest, but the climbers who aspire to conquer its summit.
Descriptions of this atmosphere are realistically rendered:
The weather on the mountain can change literally from one moment to the next, from brilliant sunshine to howling winds, the light loose spindrift morphing into white-out conditions in minutes.
From the motivations of climbers around the world and confrontations which emerge on Everest to dangerous scenarios that develop from environment and man, readers receive an exciting story of intrigue and tension that develops nicely from the start and grows to embrace Nepal's background and Abbie's shifting position.
(Fictional) journal excerpts from George Mallory, a real-world figure who experienced the mountain in the 1920s, intersect with present-day attitudes and concerns to create a moving story. Jeannette de Beauvoir pays particular attention to capturing Mallory's 'voice' in these fictional representations via the letters he wrote.
Of special note is how these modern concerns have changed not only visitors to Everest, but those who guide them:
"Sherpas are trying to take away all garbage," said Dawa. "Now, the peoples all know about it. Before, no peoples know about it. Only the mountain. We take better care of her now."
Her portraits of trekking and climbing tourism realistically capture some of the issues of visitors to the area and the changes they introduce.
Libraries seeking a mystery nicely rooted in place and characters will welcome the heart-stopping confrontations and unexpected discoveries of The Everest Enigma.
Readers seeking an engrossing mystery will find that the real-world issues of Nepal that are introduced during the course of the story add value with vivid representations. These add depth to the thoroughly engrossing puzzle, making The Everest Enigma a highly recommended choice for a wide audience.
The Champagne Crush
Caroline O'Connell
SparkPress
c/o Spark Point Studio
www.gosparkpress.com
9781684633340, $17.99 for paperback, $9.99 for ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Champagne-Crush-Romance-Novel-Femmes/dp/1684633346
The Champagne Crush is a romance novel joining the 'Les Femme' series, and covers much more than the spark of romance between two people. It will delight romance readers seeking more psychological depth from romance stories, adding intrigue, unexpected revelations, and head-butting action into an evolving connection.
Catherine Reynolds has enjoyed a luxurious life thanks to her parents. But when they finally cut the purse strings, she is left floundering, searching for new ways of supporting her lavish needs. A job as a PR consultant for a champagne company seems just the ticket - except for a difficult company president who clashes with her affluent style.
Joined by business objectives, yet separated by personal perspectives, Catherine and Chris are forced to work together for the purpose of promoting the sparkling wine company's wares. This involves international travel and navigating an elite French atmosphere.
Suddenly, Catherine and Chris don't seem so different. Further rivalries emerge which force them to act, more appropriately, as though they are on the same side (which, actually, they are). This creates a better understanding that propels their initial disparagement in new directions that romance readers will appreciate.
Opposites traditionally attract. But when they don't, that doesn't mean love isn't possible. Part of Catherine's romance dilemma is that nobody seems to fulfill her vision of the ideal partner:
"What are you looking for?"
"For starters, someone who cherishes me and is attractive inside and out." Catherine gazed out the window. "Recently, I'm understanding it's important to find a guy who is passionate about his goals, has a worldview." She laughed. "And then, of course, he has to be good with kids and animals."
Caroline O'Connell creates a thoroughly engrossing story powered by expectations, realities, and professional and personal associations that come to a boiling head in the course of business conundrums.
She matches her characters' strong personalities as they butt heads, then come to realize that they may hold more in common than was first apparent.
The Champagne Crush is also adept at contrasting American and European culture, how differences can fit together to form a greater good, and how romance can blossom even in adversity.
Libraries seeking a romance that also contains cultural insights, psychological revelations, travel, and close considerations of shared life goals will find The Champagne Crush meets all these requirements with a heady, sparkling tone that is inviting.
Romance readers will, of course, predict the romantic component. What they won't see from the start (and so will find pleasantly surprising) are the cultural revelations that emerge from a foray into American/European business worlds, as well as the sabotage that Catherine and Chris must confront.
The story is delightfully rendered, firmly rooted in realistic atmospheres of France and America, and provides a satisfying outcome as Catherine and Chris edge closer towards realizing their dreams.
The Book of Devils
Rod Vick
Penmore Press LLC
https://www.penmorepress.com
9781957851907, $20.50 Paperback/$5.50 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Devils-Rod-Vick/dp/1957851902
In The Book of Devils, heroine Ricky Crowe has sacrificed many things, leaving her with scars despite her successful world-saving efforts. Some of these are psychological and internal. Others involve still being in the bull's-eye of sinister groups and billionaires convinced that her powers could fuel their special interests.
When she is kidnapped by one of these forces, Ricky discovers that being a survivor brings its own ongoing angst and attractions to life that doesn't always represent her best interests.
The book's prologue opens not with Ricky, but with Mason Crockett. Ricky has finally relinquished her guard to form a rare, important personal connection with another. Despite their budding intimacy, Mason feels that the bond they've created during the course of defeating evil is perhaps too fragile to last. He's right. Just because they saved the world together doesn't mean that she will come home to live with him.
As the story progresses, Ricky faces her own demons, from splinter groups, zealots, and fanatics to supernatural forces. She deals with her struggle over wanting to stay with Mason versus assuring her own safety (and his, as well) by leaving.
From the ongoing legacy and impact of a supernatural race that existed thousands of years prior to a foray into early Egypt, where Ricky pursues both her adversaries and peace, Rod Vick's heart stopping adventure presents readers with confrontations and realizations many won't see coming.
It should be cautioned that some graphic violence (i.e. torture) is part of Ricky's journey. Sensitive readers will want to look elsewhere, but Vick's descriptions are in keeping with the story's evolution and are designed to support it, not unduly create drama through shock and horror.
Libraries seeking fantasy adventures that traverse time and space to feature a powerful heroine determined to regain control of her life will find The Book of Devils a fine collection addition. Vick takes artistic license with the ancient Egyptian setting, which adds interest to the story.
Readers will find Ricky's journey and discoveries a powerfully alluring saga in which she navigates disparate forms of treachery, challenge, and relationship quandaries in pursuit of more than one goal.
The pairing of powerful protagonist and unexpected twists keeps the action and plot engrossing, making The Book of Devils an outstanding read. The impossible situations Ricky keeps barely escaping create a page-turner nearly impossible to put down.
Our Love Affair With Commercial Real Estate
Charles Feitel
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326347, $13.99 pb, $22.99 hc, $7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Affair-Commercial-Real-Estate/dp/B0F1DVSTDJ
Our Love Affair With Commercial Real Estate: How to Be Successful differs from the usual investment advice guide in that it narrows its focus to real estate opportunities that hold special attractions often missed in home-oriented investment approaches.
The world of commercial buying, selling, and leasing is not for the casual home flipper. These tips on changing one's career into a focus on commercial real estate assume that readers hold more than a casual interest in the subject.
That said, this audience rarely receives in-depth surveys of the ins and outs (and pitfalls) of commercial investing, much less a candid book that holds the feel of a "love affair" with commercial investing.
Enthusiasm and practicality blend in Our Love Affair With Commercial Real Estate in a manner designed to both attract excitement and attention and impart the basic pros and cons of a different approach to real estate.
Chapters address a myriad of subjects, from how to build and utilize key online platforms and apps to creating community relationships via participation on committees, associations with nonprofits, and more. Real estate agents may initially balk at the involvement level of some of this advice, but as Charles Feitel notes:
... it's essential to contribute to your industry, especially in your local market.
Tips also include psychological approaches and self-assessments which are key to commercial real estate connections and success:
Personal responsibility is crucial for achieving your personal and professional success. It involves discipline, hard work, and cultivating positive habits and relationships.
Pro Tip: When you hold yourself accountable, you are more likely to stay committed to your goals, face challenges head-on, and persist through setbacks.
The wide-ranging nature of Charles Feitel's approach embraces creativity and innovation on levels that will prove exciting to neo-professionals and those already used to the world of non-commercial real estate, offering many exciting options and reflections.
It's a rare pleasure to see a real estate book so personally enthusiastic about and engaged in its subject. This is why Our Love Affair With Commercial Real Estate is a standout, why it should be in any library where real estate topics and investments are of interest, and also why it should be on the reading list of anyone who would delve into a career that promises more than monetary riches alone.
Well-written, packed with professional insights, and savvy about the pros and cons of the commercial real estate world, Our Love Affair With Commercial Real Estate is a winning, top recommendation for a wide audience.
Twice Tested: A Story of Survival and Grace
Victor Hess
https://victorhess.com
Independently Published
9780999564080, $12.95
https://www.amazon.com/Twice-Tested-Story-Survival-Grace-ebook/dp/B0FBMLSYTJ
Twice Tested: A Story of Survival and Grace takes a deep dive into a year of Bill Northcutt's life, and is a top recommendation for memoir readers seeking inspirational stories of faith and survival.
The story documents author Victor Hess's foray into Northcutt's life, which was recounted to him through a series of over twelve interviews.
From Northcutt's search for a kidney and his determination to live a full life (including travel) despite the need for daily dialysis due to the hunting accident that changed his life and produced sixty years of experience, Hess captures a life fully lived. His story is packed with remarkable twists for audiences who don't need to have known Bill Northcutt in order to appreciate him.
The story reads like a novel, packed with high drama, psychological profiles of family and friends, and insights into the lasting impact Northcutt had on those around him.
It celebrates survival, adaptation, and resilience in a manner that transmits inspiration to readers also undergoing their own life challenges, creating an immersive experience through a "you are here" feel that follows Northcutt's efforts to remain engaged with life even when his was on the line:
It was a lovely, lively chaos, a welcome change from the monotony of days with nothing to focus on but his pain. Bill was happy, even as he felt his energy threatening to wane.
Readers will appreciate the shifting viewpoints between Bill's life, the surgeons who attempt to help him numerous times, other medical professionals, and family and friends who remain by his side for what turns out to be repeated odysseys through health challenges.
In many ways, Twice Tested is a saga documenting the human spirit's will to live and to forge a meaningful life even from impossible circumstances which often challenge survival itself.
Hess cultivates a warm, introspective tone that guides readers into not just Northcutt's life, but related subjects about physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological survival tactics. This, in turn, will encourage and inspire book clubs and reading groups with all kinds of discussion topics.
Libraries seeking memoirs of medical challenge, dubious recovery progression, and the impulse of one man to embrace life and the kindnesses of friends, family, and strangers alike will find Twice Tested not just inspirational, but haunting.
Its ability to take a seemingly singular story of survival and translate it to deeper-picture thinking about the consequences of staying alive makes for a story that will attract and influence readers seeking examples of hope and resilience under the most adverse of conditions.
It's just the ticket for surviving modern angst.
Soul Retrieval
Shanna McNair
www.shannamcnair.com
High Frequency Press
www.highfrequencypress.com
9781962931458, $40.00 Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Retrieval-Shanna-McNair/dp/1962931021
Soul Retrieval is a literary novel about Mary Dixon, who has overcome a family history of mental illness and abuse to evolve into a healthier person with better patterns of interacting with the world. Soul Retrieval introduces the journey that further challenges Mary to develop her writer's prowess via a French writing residency - despite the fact that she doesn't speak French.
En route to her new effort, she opens Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and receives an epiphany about her life, her perceptions of its value and purpose, and her future. This discovery sends her on the path of reviewing her traumas, her childhood, and her adult choices in a new light - all of which give a deep literary bow to The Prophet - which will be especially appreciated by fans of Gibran's poetic and spiritual classic.
Shanna McNair creates descriptions that are evocative and revealing, enhancing the dance between Gibran's original work and its structure and Mary's connections to his art and progression. This book's reimagining of The Prophet takes Gibran's world focus and self-discoveries and adds the twist of Mary's contemporary world and experiences.
The story even opens with a Gibran-style self-portrait, transmitting this entwined textual and artistic familiarity throughout Mary's story by profiling Shanna McNair's color artwork. The mirror offers two sides of the same reflection as these soul connections and similarities evolve parallel lives of spiritual and philosophical reflection.
Mary's re-read of The Prophet comes at the same time as she encounters all kinds of new people on her road to self-discovery. These move from "suspicious acquaintances to friends-in-bondage" as she investigates such related issues as power and privilege, cross-cultural connections encountered in the streets and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, and the impact of trauma on her life.
Mary observes:
Trauma is not the flag of my identity. And yet, I've nailed my colors to the mast.
Readers seeking a literary, psychological, spiritual journey that grounds its experiences in Gibran's influential masterpiece, yet moves away from it in unexpected ways, will relish Mary's journey and the discoveries embedded in Soul Retrieval.
All facets of life are reconsidered, from the basics of eating and drinking to clothes and homes and loftier thoughts surrounding freedom, pain, work, and life's meaning. Mary's reflections on her childhood and mental illness are particularly powerful reflections when steeped in Gibran's special style of inspection:
There is a lot of love between a mother and daughter. And between a daughter a father...A lot of love between Elliot and James and I. We had sickness in our home, that's all, that's all, all.
As a tale of survival, self-inspection, cross-cultural revelation, and a rich survey of spiritual truths and new beginnings, Soul Retrieval is a major attraction not just for general-interest libraries, but to readers seeking contemporary literary works outstanding in their descriptions and explorations... and especially in their connections to the always-meaningful Gibran.
Filled with a powerful narrative voice about awakenings, new realizations, growth, redemption, and purpose, Soul Retrieval's ability to provoke self-reflection and spark reading group discussions amongst literary, spiritual, and philosophical circles makes it a top recommendation. It cultivates an uncommon strength through hard-hitting reflections.
Iconoclast; or, the Death and Resurrection of Lazarus Keaton
Dave Walsh
https://dvewlsh.com
Powerbomb Press
9798218610760, $7.99 ebook, $21.99 paperback
https://links.dvewlsh.info/oyl6dzs9v9
https://www.amazon.com/Iconoclast-Death-Resurrection-Lazarus-Keaton/dp/B0DWYXCXYN
Iconoclast; or, the Death and Resurrection of Lazarus Keaton will attract readers of cyberpunk, mystery, and thriller stories with a crossover title difficult to neatly peg and satisfyingly complex in its plot.
These genre strengths emerge from the story's opening lines:
There was something perverse about riding the rails of the magtrain across the Atlantic on the way to investigate a derailment mass casualty incident. It was downright voyeuristic, and Lazarus couldn't help but be unsettled while he shifted in his comfortable vat-grown leather seat and gazed out the window while the train whipped along the tracks.
Lazarus is the lead field investigator of a large-scale disaster - a glorified futuristic claims adjustor for a company that uploads consciousness into a digital afterlife. His latest mission is to investigate a deadly train crash, but his encounter with a hair dresser whose last wish was to be granted sainthood threatens him with unwanted attention from the Vatican and his bosses, who realize that his latest mission should be suppressed, not promoted.
Unfortunately, Lazarus is not just in over his head, but is sufficiently intrigued to forge ahead despite obstacles and encouragements to set aside his latest assignment.
Joining forces with a local detective only introduces more conundrums and mystery as the two become embroiled in a plot that shakes the foundations of their world.
Readers may not anticipate the wry humor which is injected into this futuristic dilemma, but it emerges at unexpected moments to provoke laughter and introduce comic relief:
"Rico, I don't know what any of this means and I think that I may be in trouble. Did you know that I got called into a meeting with Eeekerpkerret?"
"Who?"
"One of our executives, really high up on the ladder, he's... he's..." He leaned back in and cupped his hands around his mouth, "a dolphin."
Delightful irony permeates a tale that revolves around intrigue, difficult decisions, issues of control and perception, and contrasts between those who have and those who do not:
"The difference between you and me, kid, is that you get to feel bad about that. I get to feel bad about having nothing." There was no way to candy coat it, as bad as he felt for the kid, he'd never know the struggles Bodie went through.
Various characters reflect on aspects of Lazarus's character. These also introduce satisfying reflections and dilemmas into the story, expanding Lazarus's psyche through different encounters:
At the heart of the matter, Lazarus was simply an overgrown child, something she alternated between wanting to destroy and shatter his fragile view of reality or let him live gleefully unaware of how ugly everything was. Although Silvia felt pangs of guilt for looking down upon him, this childlike wonder was dangerous when it went this far.
Even death won't halt his quest for truth ... or its impact on the world.
Dave Walsh creates a vivid, engrossing story in Iconoclast, crafting a world close to the dilemmas and shifting values of modern times.
With so many subplots, characters, and threads of discovery, the story may sound overly complex. But Walsh's attention to action-packed scenes, psychological and technological revelations, and surprises many readers won't see coming keeps the tale fast-paced, easily understandable, and hard to put down.
Libraries seeking a bridge between mystery's problem-solving focus, futuristic technology's allure and challenges, and the moral and ethical dilemmas of characters on the cusp of psychological revelation will find Iconoclast easy to recommend to a wide audience.
Filled with moments of discovery and underlying questions about feelings and what it means to be alive, Iconoclast is a powerful story for modern times. It uncovers the goodness in adversity and angst and introduces a powerful story of genetic experiments, survival tactics, and what it means to be (and stay) human.
The Hypomanic Toolbox
Todd Hagopian
EBITDA Publishing
9798992607208, $29.99 Hardcover
https://books.hypomanictoolbox.com/thehypomanictoolbox
The Hypomanic Toolbox: A Business Parable to Revolutionize Your Business Using Bipolar-Inspired Strategies belongs in any library and on the reading lists of those who would intersect bipolar psychology with business pursuits. Sound like a stretch? Surprisingly, it's not. It's a logical dovetailing of strengths that result in a truly revolutionary approach to redefining business strategies and success.
Todd Hagopian's own eventual diagnosis of bipolar disorder allowed him to make sense of the success-and-failure ups and downs of his business and personal life, but the meat of his discovery lies in progressive adjustments to decision-making based on this new knowledge.
Why should his epiphany prove so attractive to business readers? Because Hagopian didn't just accept and live with a bipolar diagnosis ... he used it to develop a unique formula for success that others need to know about and consider:
The Hypomanic Toolbox is for anyone who's ever felt like they had to choose between success and sanity. It's for the high-achievers, the dreamers, and the innovators who want to push their limits without pushing themselves over the edge. It's for people who want to get more done in less time so they can leave their peer group in the dust. It's for those who believe, as I do, that with the right tools, we can turn our greatest challenges into our greatest strengths.
Chapters review his creation, examining the tools in his tool kit as they present case history examples of their applications and circumstances that indicate their use ... but they don't employ the usual staid, methodical approach of nonfiction.
Hagopian presents these applications through the business confrontations and challenges of fictional character Jack Whelan, president of a struggling shopping cart manufacturing company who is "smart, hardworking, and dedicated, but he's running out of ideas and time."
When Jack encounters self-made billionaire Eugene Spark, who has bipolar disorder, he enjoys a new opportunity to revitalize his business and life approach through the tools Spark has applied to his own success.
Business novels offer readers a powerful opportunity to learn new, applied business principles while becoming absorbed in fictional characters and turns of events based on real-world experience.
This approach makes for a much more readable, hard-hitting book that packs in opportunities for reflection and better understanding of new business tools while pairing them with the engrossing story of one man's challenges and transformation:
"This is brilliant," Sarah said, her earlier stress melting away. "It solves the immediate problem and sets us up for a stronger long-term relationship with MegaMart. I love it."
Jack nodded, feeling a surge of pride in his team's ability to turn a challenge into an opportunity. "Excellent. Sarah, I want you and Claire to work together on this. Develop a comprehensive proposal for MegaMart. Let's turn this potential loss into a big win. In the interim, I approve keeping their cart SKU alive while we complete the negotiation."
Libraries seeking to expand their business novel collection with examples of new ideas and how they can change both individuals and businesses will welcome the opportunity to add The Hypomanic Toolbox to their collections, highly recommending it to entrepreneurs seeking something compellingly different.
Between its thought-provoking progression, involving characters, business challenges based on real-world experience, and insights on different successes, The Hypomanic Toolbox is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. It delivers a potentially complex series of insights in a form that is not just educational, but thoroughly engrossing.
In Search of the Return
Joshua Raymond
Lumen Fidei Press, LC
https://www.insearchofthereturn.com
9798988430025, $17.99 Paperback/$24.99 Hardcover/$7.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Search-Return-Courting-Magic-Dreamscape/dp/B0DLHZ3HQX
In Search of the Return will appeal to readers of magical realism and mystical fantasy who are attracted to vivid tales of enchantment and other realms. It opens with an intriguing prologue that answers the query, "But is this true?" Though the characters are fictitious, the reader is invited to consider the intersection of truth, spirituality, and myth as the story progresses.
The tale opens in a forest of ancient redwoods where the first-person narrator observes a setting that "clearly isn't in America." How can he know this? Because its lighting and feel isn't California, but indicates he's in an ancient past as he walks a path that has been "gifted to him."
As the narrator wonders, wanders, and experiences this world, philosophical reflections spring to life to create atmospheric, poetic insights readers will find thought-provoking and alluring:
Man drew his breath in rhythm, in and out, in and out. Man circulated his life force to an internal beat. He ate in cycles, he slept in cycles, he did everything in cycles. And all the while he thought about his world and sought to manipulate it, either for good or 'evil'. The tree was different. It did not breathe in and out in cycles. There was no rhythm, only a constant flow of air through its essence. So long as conditions would allow, the tree was ever inhaling, ever exhaling, ever drinking in water, ever growing, ever living, and it was not set to a beat; it was constant. All the while it sought to do nothing other than 'be'. Man was different from plants, and even from other animals, chiefly because he had the ability to conceive of what the world 'ought to be', and to create that world by altering the natural state of things in fundamental ways. But to deny the worth of all that you are not, is to miss the point of your own existence.
Past and present connections between nature and mankind emerge in a series of encounters and reflections that shift between consciousness, dreamscape, and otherworldly experience.
As Walker, Aiyana, and others move through this surreal landscape, touching base with one another and building bigger-picture thoughts about life purpose and connections, readers will enjoy the literary depth of a story that weaves magic, truth, and psychological and spiritual revelations:
"You already paid. You should get something for your money." The thought tried to infect his mind, but he laughed at it. That was a trap designed to keep him from where he was supposed to go. He drove the thought away, and once it was gone, there was a heightened sense of the spiritual at work in his heart. Two forces were at war. One was trying to keep them from something, and the other called them to find Its Will for their lives and love. There was a place and time that was designed for them together, and if they were willing to search, they were going to find their way to it. There was no understanding the spiritual forces in the world, but he knew that they were present, and he could feel them intensely in that moment as they sped through the darkness toward an unknown morning.
The combination of a powerful journey through self and the world and the elements that introduce miracles, dreams, and revised concepts of God into their lives results in an ethereal, moving story rich in its connections between lives, nature, and journeys made in search of understanding:
As we strive to build a better world, let us recognize that it is in the quest for justice, equity, and unity that the true purpose of our systems is revealed.
Call it a romance, a quest novel of magical realism, or a fantasy, as you wish. In Search of the Return is as much about the journey as its results, and deserves a prominent place in library collections strong in literary and spiritual blends of fantasy and magical realism.
Replete with atmospheric and psychological depth that's enriched with many surprises, In Search of the Return expands its journey. It embraces issues of human and nature rights, finding balance in the world, experiencing reality in diverse and novel ways, and growing new paradigms of connection and understanding from the fruits of alternative thinking.
Book clubs, especially, will find In Search of the Return promises many different topics for discussion and debate as Walker and Aiyana's story opens new doors to understanding life in novel ways.
To Walk Humbly
Frank S Joseph
www.frankjoseph.com
Book Baby
https://www.bookbaby.com
9798990440944, $19.95 paperback/$5.95 digital
https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Humbly-Chicago-Trilogy-Book/dp/B0F9NVMF63
To Walk Humbly is the second historical novel in Frank S Joseph's "Chicago Trilogy," centered on 1960s Chicago. The story opens in 1952 in Chicago's South Side, where white teenage Steve is attacked by four Black youths. This sets the stage for a charged atmosphere in which various families consider fleeing the neighborhood they call home for a place of safety far from the racial struggles which emerge to threaten families, children, and life.
Joseph's story isn't just a linear focus on one boy's experience, however. Through dialect, dialogue, and shifting perspectives, he contrasts the viewpoints and lives of different peoples, from Blacks to Jewish and white residents who each experience prejudice and changing times in different ways - with different reactions.
Danger comes in diverse forms, from stickups that endanger family businesses to kids who find that their lives are changing ... and not for the better:
That night we get a stickup, a bad one. Just after the last show starts, cat sticks a .38 through the box office slot and gets the whole take. The guy has to come inside to get the money. He makes it into the box office without no one seeing but Momma starts screaming when he busts out. I chase him into the street but he's a big guy with long legs and I can't catch him. I get a quick look at his face though. Teeth like Bugs Bunny. It's Friday night and we're showing From Here to Eternity so it's a lot of money.
The social, political, and psychological forces which buffet Chicago during this period of time come to life through vignettes and lives impacted by a city that literally is on fire.
Passions run deep - but so do clear objectives for living better lives. Joseph explores each of these characters' influences, backgrounds, and impact in a story that follows how encounters between disparate individuals become ugly, threatening, or dangerous.
Add in the evolution of an uncertain friendship between Black and white families that is threatened not just by outside influences, but personal choices, for a feel of the gritty, streetwise individuals who come of age and grow into new options under revised circumstances in To Walk Humbly.
Libraries seeking authentic novels about these turbulent times, especially those interested in Chicago neighborhood culture and settings, will relish To Walk Humbly. Part of the story's strength comes from portraits gleaned from real-life encounters and the author's own world. Perhaps this is why the tale shines especially brightly in its personality development, as well as with a sense of the social and political influences of these years.
Filled with thought-provoking encounters, uncertain relationships, and choices that shift the boundaries of prejudice, isolation, and hope, To Walk Humbly's vivid exploration is highly recommended for readers seeking realistic stories of the ultimate impact of prejudice and hate.
Storyteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology
Julie C. Day, lead editor
Carina Bissett and Craig Laurance Gidney, co-editors
Essential Dreams Press
https://essentialdreams.press
9798992595406, $21.99 paperback/$12.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Storyteller-Tanith-Lee-Tribute-Anthology/dp/B0F7FYX46Q
Storyteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology is a top recommendation for prior fans of fantasy writer Tanith Lee. Its contributors mirror her in literary strength and the ability to spin a compelling, epic story.
Many of these writers will be new to most readers. Such names as Mike Allen, Amelia Mangan, Maya Deane, and others may not be household names, but their exceptional contributions are still standouts that will delight fans of Tanith Lee's style and productions.
As for the stories, they are as diverse as Lee's landscapes.
Powerful tales include C.L. Hellisen's 'Makers,' in which Ru, the ugly duckling daughter in a family of seven children, proves their worth in an unexpected way that brings life to objects in a manner that defies the accepted notion that "Only men plucked from good families for their natural power were trained and bound to become makers."
A female can be a maker, too. Perhaps, even a powerful one whose productions are unequalled. Gender fluidity in this story is expressed through its language:
Guilt stirred in their chest. They were a sinner, a wrong thing, and they had watched women burn for lesser crimes.
What Ru doesn't realize is that their efforts to remake and create will ultimately revise their life and the world around them.
Contrast this with 'Where Walls Once Rose' by Marisca Pichette, in which Dyan's world is literally burning up - starting with her own skin. The fire is not just engulfing her. It's changing everything around her, dissolving it in flames and taking her memory with it.
Books give her a touch point of connection beyond the laboratory that had been her home, creating a focal point for her pursuit of language, truth, and self-empowerment.
Each story is emotionally and atmospherically charged with images that reflect inward and outward challenges. Each pays tribute to the inspiration and gifts of Tanith Lee in a way that can only be fully appreciated by Lee's audience, but can also be noted by those who may stumble upon this gathering first, then will want to go back to Lee's works to discover the true magic of their connections.
Libraries looking for a literary, compelling adjunct to Tanith Lee's writings will find Storyteller a celebration, a tribute, and an important acquisition that nicely compliments Lee's effusive creations.
Packed with diversity, supercharged with emotional and philosophical revelation, and full of surprises and power, Storyteller is a special 'must have' acquisition for readers and libraries who have felt the power of Tanith Lee's voice and will be delighted to find it mirrored by her most ardent fellow writers.
Dance of a Phoenix
Wilson Semitti
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326231, $18.99 pb, $8.99 ebook, $27.99 hc
https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Phoenix-Wilson-Semitti/dp/B0F1ZBNQH1
It is easier to move a mountain than a human mind.
Dance of a Phoenix is the first book in a thriller series that proves to be about more than suspense alone. Central to the events is the point that changing the human mindset is neigh-on impossible, frought with danger and satisfying new possibilities ... if it can be done.
Keep this premise in mind as international espionage and intrigue unfold in Shanghai, where Yang struggles to gain leadership of Wei Textiles. Thriller readers will find delightfully unexpected the focus on psychological undercurrents of confrontation, struggle, and success which drive the story from its opening lines:
He told himself; I must get my mind to let go and get completely in alignment with what I want. It took him a couple of days to convince himself that no matter what, he would be fine. This brought him to think about how difficult it is to change our mindsets and belief systems.
This gives the saga philosophical and psychological reflection and strength as channels of creation and ambition open up new worlds and revelations. These propel Yang and his readers in unexpected directions.
Bigger-picture thinking about destiny, romance, and life's purpose weave with intrigue to embellish the nonstop action with a delightful overlay of intellectual discourse.
As characters probe the relationship between Yang and his mentor Will and note "...that things around Yang just magically happen," the tale examines rich possibilities. It introduces a wide cast of characters. One is Guo Chang Seong, conceived in South Korea and born in the UK, whose upbringing by a British intelligence couple after his parents are killed leads to tracking down his parents' killers. He then becomes an international "fixer."
Each character is forced to confront their mindsets in different ways. Each choice and encounter leads readers to not only experience unexpected twists in pathways and journeys, but to consider new definitions of attraction, love, and, ultimately, connections to the universe and higher purposes.
Libraries and readers will find all these elements juxtapose nicely with fast-paced action and intrigue, giving this thriller a markedly unique flavor. This translates to a top recommendation for those who like their action spiced with reflection.
Packed with psychological, philosophical, political, and personal revelation, Dance of a Phoenix's unexpected complexity makes it an equally powerful pick for book club discussion groups. This audience will especially appreciate its out-of-the-box thinking and opportunities for lively debates:
...with this knowledge, we can all be deliberate creators. Because once you know this, you can never unknow it. You will also know that everything that is in alignment with that frequency is doing its utmost to come to you. And everything that is not aligned with that frequency is doing its utmost to get as far away from you as it possibly can.
Beyond Fear and Suspicion
Vicky Pinpin-Feinstein
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326378, $30.99 paperback, $9.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Fear-Suspicion-Americans-Ethiopia/dp/B0F2JJFVJH
Beyond Fear and Suspicion: The New Americans in Little Ethiopia chronicles the experiences of immigrants, refugees, and different people who reside in Washington, DC's suburb "Little Ethiopia." It provides an appealing snapshot of the Ethiopian expat community's social and political makeup.
Vicky Pinpin-Feinstein visited Little Ethiopia regularly between 2015-2018, gathering stories of its residents and immersing herself in the lives of people displaced from their homes and communities. As an immigrant and a person of color, Pinpin-Feinstein's background gave her special insights into the issues facing this community. These emerge in the course of interviews about their lives in Ethiopia and in America.
Her book departs from many similar accounts of immigrant experience because "My intention was to write about immigrants far removed from my own racial and cultural origins." She thus both learned about and documented their lives from an outsider's vantage point that produced engrossing insights. The results are compelling cross-comparisons with her own culture's experiences that could not have stemmed from a more singular source:
A considerable number in the Ethiopian diaspora came because they criticized their government and suffered because of it. One government after another squashed their rights to protest. One government after another did not provide adequate services like education and health. Ethiopians found to their dismay that no matter who ran their government, there was never any intention to fully serve the people. They believed the government was only for those who wanted to remain in power. I understood. Filipinos experienced roughly the same in their history.
As these stories emerge and converge, readers gain perspectives and understanding that benefits from this blended experience. No prior knowledge of either Ethiopia or immigrants is required in order to absorb this history and these backgrounds. What is necessary is an initial interest in how these arrivals to the U.S. made their journeys, experienced different political climates and struggles, and contribute their insights to the melting pot of American culture.
Many astute reflections come from these interviews and portraits to interest and engage not just individual readers, but reading groups, book clubs, and classrooms. The material will fuel discussion and debate for such audiences on many levels:
Without my prompting, Miruts shared what he thought of the Americans he met. He believed native-born Americans were friendly and outgoing, unlike the more reserved Habeshas. Before coming here, he thought Americans were not respectful of elderly people but changed his mind when he realized this wasn't always the case. For all his positive impressions of Americans, there were also things that bothered him. He complained about how some were unsophisticated. The questions they asked about Africa or about Ethiopia surprised him. Or disappointed him. Miruts believed people living in the wealthiest nation in the world should have known more about what was going on in the rest of the world. Convinced that this wasn't difficult, he pointed out the way information technology had seeped into every corner of American life. Surprised one day to be asked by an American if he spoke African, he didn't know if the man understood there were many countries in Africa.
This accessible, involving collection is highly recommended for many audiences, from memoir readers and those interested in the combined experiences of immigrants to readers with a specific interest in Ethiopian communities and international political experiences.
Packed with discussions that touch upon the latest concerns of Americans and those who journey here, Beyond Fear and Suspicion seeks to alleviate misunderstanding via a discourse that gathers and contrasts experiences and ideals.
Beyond Fear and Suspicion's discussions are important, compelling accounts that will engage and interest anyone concerned about fundamental American values, influences, and community lives:
...did those who came here shed all that they brought with them to qualify them to be real Americans? What did it even mean to be a real American?
Simply outstanding in its scope and presentation, Beyond Fear and Suspicion should be required reading for all Americans - now, more than ever.
Where Have My Other Mummy and Daddy Gone
Nigel Utton
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326385, $13.99 pb, $7.99 ebook, $22.99 hc
Where Have My Other Mummy and Daddy Gone is both a memoir and a study in past-life regression. It chronicles a journey which began when Nigel Utton's son asked: "Where have my other mummy and daddy gone?"
His pursuit of answers sent Utton on a challenging voyage of discovery that wound through such diverse subjects as plant medicine, family abuse, ancient Egypt, medical conundrums, and more.
Readers who join Utton on this search for insight and truth will find startling contrasts between his original intentions in undertaking a past life regression mission and insights which emerge in unexpected ways:
At the start of the ceremony we went around the circle before the Ayahuasca was given, I said that surrender was my purpose for being there. After the usual silence, then prayers, Ayahuasca began to reveal herself. For the first time I was aware that I was talking to an actual being. She had no physical form and communicated telepathically. She asked me my intention and I stated that it was to learn to surrender. She said, "No, it isn't. You want to know in what ways you were sexually abused." Who was I to argue? I agreed and said I did want to know that. She said, "Are you sure?" I could see no reason not to be, after all I had been working on it for thirty years of counselling.
As he embraces philosophical, spiritual, and psychological alternatives and new truths, Utton comes to guide others' sessions, learning how to extract the nuggets of information, insight, and past influence that lead to better recovery, healing, and transformation.
Why care about past life regression? Anyone interested in probing past influence and life decisions will find these outcomes of special interest:
I went into the life of Konrad Schafer agreeing that I would live through the second world war as a person who would inflict pain and suffering - even murder - on large numbers of other humans. I went into that life deliberately so that I would learn what it was like. I knew that when that life had finished I would have to pay back the karma of causing that much suffering and that I would have to bear equal pain in my subsequent life. It was all part of the plan. Fortunately, I came out of that learning with a clear knowledge that unconditional love is far better for all concerned than inflicting suffering and pain. Just as we need to know darkness to see the light, so, in our past lives we have given and received pain in order to truly know the need for forgiveness and unconditional love.
Libraries that seek books able to clearly draw connections between past life regression therapy and its therapeutic results will find Where Have My Other Mummy and Daddy Gone a standout - particularly because the author's background and profession lends thought-provoking analysis to the experience that isn't present in competing books on the subject.
Readers will find Where Have My Other Mummy and Daddy Gone vivid, thoroughly engrossing, and especially important in connecting the dots between past lives and present-day choices and outcomes.
The results of many of these connections will also drive book club discussion groups with spirited topics about life's impact and the meaning of its experiences:
I am increasingly allowing myself to feel the joy of existence in this earthly realm. Patterns creep back in to pollute my mind with distress, and certain situations re-stimulate old hurts and trigger me. But then I remember the words of Ram Dass - "this too shall pass."
Absolute Ibis Monarchy
John Houston
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326422, $16.99 pb, $7.99 ebook, $25.99 hc
https://www.amazon.com/Absolute-Ibis-Monarchy-John-Houston/dp/B0F44941G7
Absolute Ibis Monarchy presents a consideration certain to be controversial in modern philosophical and spiritual circles: how does the human race's evolutionary process influence a greater state of awareness and God? And what does politics have to do with this process?
In order to fully appreciate the conclusions John Houston draws in Absolute Ibis Monarchy, it's important that readers have grounding in The Sacred Ibis Speaks and Ibis Initiation Time, the former two books of the trilogy. These writings set the stage for this concluding volume, and are essential to understanding Houston's contentions and the expansion of his insights into new territory.
Readers should also appreciate and have some familiarity with ancient history in order to follow the threads Houston draws together in this book. Scholars, especially, will appreciate the extensive footnoted references which accompany much of the book's contentions, conveniently placed on each page to make it easy to refer back to source material.
From Egyptian to Greek traditions, Houston considers the evolution of civilization around the world, the driving points of philosophy and spirituality that underlay many human movements, and the likely future progression of social and political systems around the world as humans evolve and grow. Lively debate and discussion material emerges that will prove particularly accessible and interesting to book clubs and classroom discussion groups:
...it is my contention that it has been the ancient Scots, or Gaeldom, which has been the driving force that has empowered the growth of Human civilisation. As such, the British Empire existed not only as the primary means of delivering the Human Race from the Dark Ages, which had been imposed on Europe by the Vatican, but for the scattering of the royal seed throughout the planet; furthermore, it is my considered contention that the next stage towards the appearance of a truly global civilisation on the planet, to unite Humanity for the preparation necessary for entering the new age, will be the resurrection of the British Empire.
The controversy of making a case for a progressive world monarchy will delight thinkers and teachers who will want to reflect on the progression that, Houston maintains, is logical and critical for humanity's next steps.
Libraries seeking a scholarly debate about the future and evolution of human civilization will want to choose all three books for their collections. They can be highly recommended them to philosophers, politicians, spiritual thinkers, and historians, who will find the blend of all these approaches to be unique and thought-provoking reading.
Challenging? You bet. Shocking? Many times. Enlightening? Absolutely.
Demon Amulet
Margo Carey
www.MargoCarey.com
Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509261543, $19.99
https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Amulet-Watcher-Margo-Carey/dp/1509261540
Demon Amulet is the second book in Margo Carey's Watcher Clan series and introduces murder and a cursed amulet into Lia Ferguson's life. These challenges lead her to uncover another Watcher Clan, romance, and a new revelation that threatens this budding connection as she moves from a deadly wedding's impact to discoveries that test her skills and wrench her heart.
Cousin to Alexandra Ryan (from previous adventures), Lia also taps the abilities of her Templar ancestors as she forges new roads into a revised life. Her special healing powers are tested, as is her knowledge of her past and abilities. What really propels Demon Amulet into fascinating new territory is the juxtaposition of her involvements in everyday affairs and the challenge of juggling these with her extraordinary abilities and insights:
She was on her way back to her office from the third floor, where a young tyrant had broken the hair dryer during a tantrum. This was what she needed to clear her mind and escape from her family's overbearing concerns. Work helped her put things into perspective. The thought that those men had tracked the amulet so quickly sent a slight quiver along the back of her neck.
Alex advises her that "...love doesn't depend on psychic powers." But they sure can't hurt, as Lia quickly discovers.
Readers seeking a blend of paranormal fantasy, romance, and the feel of a heart-stopping, action-packed thriller will find Demon Amulet a nice foray into all these elements. Lia's character and those who swirl around her are powerfully portrayed, cementing the circumstances which drive her into a new position as the only one who may be able to kill a dangerous demon.
The story comes to life with a blend of confrontation and revelation which keeps Lia and her readers reflecting on her role, why the Templars chose to create a cursed amulet, and how she should confront a monster.
Libraries seeking paranormal fantasies will find that while Demon Amulet can stand nicely on its on, its strength comes from its complimentary role to the first Watchers Clan book, The Convent House, which initially set the stage with a different character and dilemmas.
Readers seeking vivid confrontations, surprising discoveries, romantic entanglements, and life-or-death scenarios will relish the involving events that draw Lia into dangerous territory while forcing her to step into a role of dominance, tenacity, and life-preserving choices.
Packed with unexpected twists, Demon Amulet is hard to put down.
Iguana: A Novel
Vincent Traughber Meis
Fallen Bros Press
https://fallenbros.com
9780997672886, $15.99 Paperback/$6.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Iguana-Vincent-Traughber-Meis/dp/B0DZK49FJR
Iguana will attract readers of literary queer romance novels who look for relationship developments impacted by cross-cultural encounters. Its heady mix of the two provides a startling, compelling story that embraces a wide range of dilemmas as Dawson Wozniak's sojourn to Mexico in the wake of COVID to reinvent himself instead introduces new adversity alongside new opportunities.
As Dawson's relationship with Ivan develops, questions of how friendship crosses into love and clashes between male psyches and perceptions give Iguana an involving overlay of social reflection that readers may not expect.
This even expands into issues of racism:
"I'm exhausted trying to educate my white friends and acquaintances about being a Black man in our society, how it's not enough to be non-racist. They have to be an anti-racist. If they're serious, they need to do the work. Like I used to tell my students all the time, 'I'm not here to hold your hand.' I can give them some tools, maybe a little inspiration, but they have to walk the walk."
"Kendi's book was an eye-opener even after growing up with progressive parents who taught me to treat everybody the same. I always feel like I'm not doing enough."
"If you can say that, you're on the right path. One reason Stef and I are in Mexico is to get away from that constant undercurrent of racism in the States, day in and day out, even when it's not obvious..."
Iguana is all about turbulence and attraction. As the story unfolds, it delivers a powerful inspection of a "fallen angel," a quest for identity, truth, and love, and a survey of the male psyche and sexuality which juxtaposes candid emotional and graphic physical scenes with thought-provoking social inspections.
Vincent Traughber Meis has created an immersive exploration of best options, relationship considerations, lifestyle and cultural inspection, and evolving connections. All come embedded with emotional revelations:
"I hate you," I said.
"Sometimes love and hate are very same."
Is Dawson really in love, or "just in it for the sex"?
Readers seeking compelling stories of gay relationship-building, cross-cultural experience and confrontations with different forms of racial perception, and a probe of new feelings which emerge from familiar patterns and habits will relish how Iguana contrasts all these experiences through one man's journey.
Filled with captivating "aha" moments of revelation, Iguana is a powerful psychological and social exploration that proves thought-provoking, engrossing, and hard to put down:
"I just want you to be aware of the reality of what you're involved in. I'm not trying to discourage you. Ride the highs, but be prepared for the lows."
The Wanderer's Notebook Volume III
Christopher Emrys
Undying Curiosity
https://www.undyingcuriosity.com
9781735724966, $13.00 Paperback/$4.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Wanderers-Notebook-III-Christopher-Emrys-ebook/dp/B0F3MT69WY
The Wanderer's Notebook Volume III adds to the Wanderer's Notebook series, blending fantasy, science fiction, and horror elements into a set of short stories that center on odd characters and creatures whose strangeness intersects in unpredictable ways.
From wood elves and jinn to Reman warriors and armored wolves, these encounters introduce many surprises and action-packed scenarios. Each results in unexpected turns as the various characters tackle their worlds and the forces that direct their lives.
Newcomers will find it easy to delve into this third book, even though there are two others in the series. Each character's quest embraces a different dilemma, a new set of unusual forces and challenges, and emotional revelations that stem from the character's unique makeup and influences.
One example is Rue's discoveries about family ties and love:
She paused, fingering the bracelet that Rhys had made for her. She could not deny the hope and love in his voice. Despite all that had happened, he still loved his mother and wanted to be with her. If she died, he would never have that, and it would break his heart.
Another character, Julia, studies test subjects under combat conditions, considering their ultimate fate and influence even as her identity as a scientist vies with her mandate to create malleable personalities for a greater purpose:
The desired result would be individuals who are strong both intellectually and physically, but who are also loyal. This has proven to be a difficult combination to achieve as superior ability frequently breeds its own ambitions.
What do you plan to do with the current batch?
Those who are not sufficiently loyal will be executed. Those who are sufficiently loyal will be placed in various positions within the empire as best suits our needs.
Each character faces a unique scenario that forces them to reconsider their life trajectories, from Julia's search for a suitable mate despite her age (100 years and counting) and service to Wyrm, to teens Cassie and Harriet in "A Long Dark Road," who drive into an unexpected world of darkness and danger.
Each story both stands alone and contributes to the overall eerie and compelling worlds that reside alongside them under the same cover.
Libraries and readers seeking works that represent the edge of eerie horror, sci-fi, and probes of philosophical and psychological developments will especially appreciate how this collection's diversity unfolds circumstances and discoveries that are unexpected and compelling.
Packed with engagements with aliens and folk of all types who reside both in changed worlds and internally, in changed perceptions, The Wanderer's Notebook Volume III is absolutely engrossing, easy to recommend, and satisfyingly resistant to stereotyping, fixed genre reading, or quick categorization.
The hallmark of an especially creative effort lies in building something different, alluring, thought-provoking, and nearly indefinable. Such is The Wanderer's Notebook Volume III.
The Savagery of Man: Operation Homecoming
Nikki Yanu Kanati and Mark McMillan
Black Bear Lucky Hunter Publishing
9780983817994, $2.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Savagery-Man-Operation-Homecoming-ebook/dp/B0F1P71VC8
The Savagery of Man: Operation Homecoming represents an unusual mix of thriller and sci-fi, providing thoroughly engrossing, heady reading to readers who like realistic scenarios of political overtones with just a touch of sci-fi influence.
A prologue referencing Odysseus moves quickly into 1954 Ethiopia, where an archaeologist who is running out of money investigates rumors of a prehistoric-age skull residing in some ruins. What he uncovers will change the world.
Events play out on the world's political stage as characters emerge with special interests and perspectives to impact a fractured, changing global political scene. In this futuristic story, America has been divided by a second civil war, Russia's dictatorship is overthrown and the nation carved up between oligarchs, and China melts down after America defaults on its debts.
Spies, assassins, conquests, and confrontations mark the evolution of political states and characters as the story builds thought-provoking scenarios and dialogue, enhancing the plot's tension:
"Myth or legend, who can say when time distorts what is real from what is not? The President has asked me to help him destroy the suitors circling our country like vultures, people who want to pick her bones clean thinking the king is dead. Welcome to flying saucers and slaughtering suitors Marine."
"Good to know the mission, Doss. I'm dying to know, is Mother human or AI or something in between?"
Freelance agent Max Doss is not only ensnared in an arms race, but a bid for alien technology whose recovery will either make or break this vastly revised world.
Of special note are descriptions of power plays, motivations for assuming command and control, and the delicate dance and interplays between leading characters who analyze their adversaries and disparate motivations for changing the world:
"...he has the power to whip the mob into a frenzy with promises of peace and a good life for all. Still, in so many words, he intends to rule the world. He claims Allah has shown him the way to accomplish his holy mission here on earth and has showered him with gifts from the heavens. Unlike Hitler, he appears rational and sane. He's quite good-looking. He comes across as likable and charming."
Discussions of power, intention, and outcome mark a heady blend of action and reflection, keeping The Savagery of Man: Operation Homecoming readers on their toes and thoroughly engaged in shifting outcomes.
Underlying these descriptions of joint ventures, war and peace, and new leaders who spring up seemingly from nowhere is a solid attention to details both political and strategic. This will delight those who enjoy realistic blends of futuristic influences and nonstop action.
Libraries that choose The Savagery of Man: Operation Homecoming will thus wish to highly recommend its crossover plot to both thriller readers and sci-fi audiences interested in near-future political calamity and change.
Book clubs will see excitement from its unexpected possibilities and descriptions, which foster discussions about humanity, brutality, and the lasting effects of choices made on different battlefield fronts that probe the foundations of political and social choices.
Thought-provoking, complex, and action-packed, The Savagery of Man: Operation Homecoming is a thoroughly engrossing inspection of humanity's dance between war and peace and the types of decisions that either build or destroy empires.
Red Clay Running Waters
Leslie K. Simmons
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798888241714, $38.95 Hardcover/$21.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Clay-Running-Waters-Leslie-Simmons/dp/B0CLF3Z5R7
Red Clay Running Waters is a work of biographical Indigenous history set in the 1818 Antebellum era. It follows the events which preceded the Trail of Tears.
When Cherokee chief's son John Ridge leaves his tribe to attend school, the last thing he expected from his choice was to learn a controversial new way to bridge White and Native worlds.
This arrives in the form of Sarah Northrop. As their relationship develops, a storm of controversy ensues that challenges the beliefs of the Calvinist community around them, sending them back to his nation to forge a life for themselves, as well as an independent Cherokee Nation.
While their choices appear the best opportunity to grow a family, provide them with freedom, and preserve their different cultures, the reality of political entanglements and prejudice soon emerges. The surrounding Georgia milieu provokes confrontations between the Cherokee nation, the southern states, and the federal government.
Perhaps nowhere else is the personal impact of these times and prejudices so enlightening and powerful as in Red Clay Running Waters. This may be due to its astute blend of fiction, with its dramatic and emotional connections and overlays, and nonfiction. Leslie K. Simmons builds upon both to create a novel steeped in both real-world events and realistic, albeit fictional, characters and confrontations.
Vivid descriptions bring these dilemmas to life:
"The Georgians taunt us," he said. "It is an insidious tyranny they exercise, stripping us of our rights. Few in the Capital dare oppose Jackson's wishes, fearing either his popularity or his rages. Try as I can, I cannot see a way out of this but to look to the courts to intercede.
"You should see the great hordes coming to the cities in the East," he continued, "an ocean of them, hungry to replace us wherever we reside. It is inevitable we will always be next to White people on this continent, so why not let us keep our heritage and our homes?"
As events impact John and Sarah's love and dreams of peace, readers become thoroughly immersed in the perceptions, choices, and impacts of both sides of the cultural divide.
Libraries seeking a historical novel steeped in love, risk-taking, politics, religious ideals, and moral challenges will relish the many paths Simmons links to present a full-bodied, experiential story of White and Native relations during these times.
Far more than a singular production or focus, the expansive breadth of Red Clay Running Waters creates a story that is immersive, inviting, revealing, and quite hard to put down.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet
Ryan McDermott
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798888247068, $19.95 softcover/$28.95 Hardcover/$7.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Downriver-Memoir-Warrior-Ryan-McDermott/dp/B0DYQXHD7B
Few memoir writers can claim to be among the first U.S. troops to cross into Iraq in 2003 and part of last associate class to join Lehman Brothers in 2008. Ryan McDermott's experiences thus embrace milieus atypical of either military or financial memoirs alone, fostering a mix of insights and influences that is unique.
Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet also chronicles the process of becoming a poet and then being deployed into battle, there to apply a survivor's resilience to the fine art of building a new life and facing a financial meltdown in the U.S.
Unlike most memoirs about active duty, Downriver juxtaposes a poet's eye with self-inspections that link military experience with personal transformation and examination:
The imagery in this poem captured my ongoing search for purpose, for a way out of the metaphorical cave in which I often found myself. Hope kept me moving forward, even though the path was unclear.
September 1999
As September arrived, my thoughts turned to the concept of quests and personal journeys we all undertake. I reflected on my own journey, visualizing myself as a knight on a mission, searching for something just out of reach.
These seemingly disparate elements connect Ryan McDermott's life events, injecting them with a flavor of discovery, recovery, and literary observation that leads readers through his company's tour in Iraq and beyond, into a much-revised civilian life.
Of special interest are the pivot points which cause him to reassess his ideal of service, his participation in any war, and the results of his engagement:
When the medic arrived at the gate, he used supplies meant for US soldiers to dress the boy's wounds where possible, but the prognosis for his life remained grim. We weren't humanitarians. This horrific memory later changed how I thought about this war - about any war... he constant awareness of death overseas gradually took its toll on me, and my nightmares greatly influenced my decision to leave the Army for good.
From team-building lessons and the responses of combat training that emerge in civilian life to fielding Wall Street workplaces on the brink of its collapse in 2008, and building a family, McDermott's story embraces many facets of military and civilian life. This allows for many intriguing psychological insights and contrasts.
Also especially notable are the impacts his decisions have on his family. These are reviewed in candid discussions that will spark equally memorable reading group debates among all kinds of readers, from those building their own families to veterans, business professionals, and memoir enthusiasts:
"I used to think my biological father was heartless for being absent in my life, and now I'm the absent father. How did that happen? For years, I suppressed the fact that he owed it to me to be my father. He should have acknowledged me years before I entered West Point. He only cared about me when it reflected well on his stature - when it fed his ego."
Libraries and readers interested in life lessons learned on and off the battlefield, poetry, and more will find Downriver absolutely enthralling. It's rare to see a literary embrace so wide-ranging.
Packed with tense moments, eye-opening confrontations, and literary history, Downriver represents a departure from most military memoirs in that it embraces bigger-picture thinking about what is most important in making life choices.
Becoming Mature: A Practical Guide for Disciples of Jesus
Matik Nicholls
Authentic Joy
http://authenticjoy.org/books
9798315866893, $12.00 Paperback/$20.00 Hardcover/$.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Mature-Practical-Guide-Disciples-ebook/dp/B0F2PSD7ZM
Becoming Mature: A Practical Guide for Disciples of Jesus is a treatise on "...the hard work of becoming like Christ" that explores and promotes life approaches and activities which may not be visible to others (nor sources of acclaim and praise), but which ultimately enrich the soul to lead followers closer to God.
Matik Nicholls maintains that "this is God's heart desire for His daughters and sons. He longs for us to come to maturity." How to achieve this lofty goal comprises the heart of an examination of spiritual maturity that juxtaposes insights from modern society with the author's own experiences, considering their translation to Christian ideals:
Jesus offers us the opportunity to enter His rest and exit the striving of survival mode. This is quite counter-cultural in our modern world. The value-system of the world values busyness. We wear busyness like a badge of honour. How are you going? Busy, so busy! Jesus has in mind a different values system.
Chapters outline the process of achieving maturity, tackling underlying assumptions, erroneous paths of choice and religious interpretation, and - even more importantly - revised definitions of what "maturity" translates to in a broader Christian perspective.
More than an ethereal psychological, philosophical, or spiritual analysis alone (though elements of all these approaches are present), Becoming Mature tackles the nitty-gritty of what maturity actually means:
In the Trinity we find:
Diversity - different characteristics, identities and roles
Oneness - a shared or common nature and identity
Unity - voluntary accord between persons that are fully capable of independent action
Intimacy - mutual vulnerability and authenticity
Fellowship - mutual enjoyment of one another
This is our heritage. Maturity in our identity at this level looks like:
We are different and we value and celebrate those differences.
We are also the same, connected at a fundamental level, and we also celebrate that common bond.
We submit our individual wills to one another in service of the common good.
We allow others to see our true selves and give and receive unconditional love in that reality of nakedness of soul. (Remember Adam and Eve before the fall?)
We genuinely enjoy being with each other and the shared bond of love.
All of this is fueled by love.
Becoming Mature arrives at a point in time where many Christians may be re-examining their connections to Christ, God, and the messages their churches and leaders are delivering about these relationships.
Thinking Christian readers who would delve deeper into the heart of their beliefs, actions, reactions, and values will find much to enjoy about the approach Nicholls takes in Becoming Mature. It is highly recommended not just for Christian libraries and thinkers, but for reading groups and debate circles seeking to draw better connections between Christ, God, and how religious and moral values play out in the world.
Lucky Secrets
B.T. Polcari
www.btpolcari.com
The Wild Rose Press Inc.
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509261420, $22.99 Print/$5.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Secrets-Mauzzy-Me-Mystery/dp/1509261427
Lucky Secrets is a Mauzzy & Me mystery series addition that not only explores a puzzle, but embeds one in the book itself. This invites reader participation in the problem-solving effort, providing clues readers can consider and solve. This requires familiarity with the other Mauzzy & Me title plots (Against My Better Judgment and Fire and Ice), which also hold clues that can be pursued in conjunction with the final reveal in Lucky Secrets.
Readers will appreciate the thoroughly engrossing progression of intrigue that returns dachshund Mauzzy, business student and amateur sleuth Sara Donovan, and others to the center of yet another puzzle.
The story opens with Sara's regrets over her choices. Her latest lesson, that "things are never what they seem," seems to spill over into decidedly unlucky situations that open, here, with an invitation to participate in a strange two-week contest that could "drastically change your life for the better."
In Sara's case, the lure of participation is accompanied by a diamond worth fifty thousand. Diamonds are not always a girl's best friend. In this case, it introduces conundrums and dangers that propel Sara and her chosen associate Zoe into a wasp's nest of trouble.
Polcari embeds Sara's confrontations and quandaries with an appealing overlay of personal growth and situations that continually demand Sara reconsider her approach to life. Riddles keep her on her toes, demand resolution, and create a special sense of connection and magic that draws in Matt and other characters.
The philosophy and impact of Occam's Razor emerges to influence Sara's broad inspections and deductions from very few clues as readers become thoroughly engaged in the evolving mystery.
The characters fuel a search that is thoroughly unexpected, engrossing, and filled with twists most readers won't see coming. The added value of Lucky Secrets lies in how it probes problem-solving in a step-by-step manner that educates readers about the dual processes of logical and creative thinking.
Libraries and readers looking for a mystery that either stands nicely alone or enriches the prior books in the Mauzzy & Me series will welcome Lucky Secrets. Its ability to help readers sharpen their own deductive skills while following the adventure and gift of a girl and her dog's unexpected success makes for a riveting read that is hard to put down.
The door is more than left ajar for another Mauzzy & Me story. Readers will welcome this opportunity.
The Healing Stone
John Newton
www.NewtonSciFi.com
Firesmyth Press
9780999571217, $16.95 Paperback/$3.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Stone-Medieval-Historical-Science/dp/0999571214
The Healing Stone is the first book in the Shadows of Time historical sci-fi/time travel series. It is set in 1212 medieval Spain, where teen orphan Francisco is living on the streets, in possession of a family heirloom that holds the power to heal anything.
He employs this stone to heal the world around him, trying to keep its knowledge a secret so it and he can stay safe. But when strange figures appear and reveal that his precious stone actually comes from a high-tech future and is part of a war that threatens to split apart not just time, but his world, Francisco confronts knowledge and challenges far beyond his control.
Time-travel sci-fi is not uncommon; nor are stories whose sci-fi roots are rooted in history. What is satisfyingly novel about The Healing Stone is how vividly the story comes to life in a spiritual, reflective manner. John Newton juxtaposes social and political concerns with growth experiences and challenges that readers will readily relate to no matter what the era under consideration.
Readers may anticipate that this story will open in 1212, but its introductory world of a hospital where an elderly man represents a mystery in more ways than one emphasizes that no expectation is likely to be easily fulfilled ... and this makes the plot a delight for those who love surprises and eschew formula writing.
Newton does more than create an action-packed adventure. He fills it with quandaries and reflections that keep the characters believable, their dilemmas understandable, and their choices compellingly complex:
Francisco almost cried for his friend. I will, of course, heal you, he thought, but I won't be able to do it until you're asleep, if you can ever sleep with this pain. Papa's rules of secrecy. Stone silence. How can I let you suffer until you fall asleep? Papa didn't wait. He prayed for people all the time, but he didn't show the stone. How can I do any less for my friend, my only true friend? He deserves more. He deserves to know.
Contrasted with Francisco's increasingly complex responsibilities over his magic stone are the equally challenging decisions that must be made by those from the future who better understand and field temporal abnormalities and conflict:
While he was telling the story, she had used her cell phone to do a quick internet search on the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. The battle truly happened over eight hundred years ago. The article she found mentioned the major combatants, like King Alfonso and Muhammad al-Nasir, but it said nothing about Francisco or Sancho. No surprise there. "No, I'll be all right," she said, "but you can't kill off Francisco."
"I didn't kill him."
"Well, no. I mean... you can't let him die."
He raised his hands in surrender. "I can't do anything about it now."
The story's fights, progression, encounters and contrasts between past and present, powered by an uncertain young hero who is called upon to act and believe beyond his upbringing and familiar world, is simply exquisite. The yarn plays out with high drama but takes the time to build likeable characters whose different perceptions and purposes are thoroughly understandable and completely engrossing.
Action-packed clashes are supplemented by astute reflections and uncertainties that build from new knowledge and situations:
Did the ultramontanos ride into a surrendered fortress and start killing everyone? This is not what I came for. Killing men at arms is war. But children? Pregnant women? He clenched his fists. And it is the Lord's Day. How could they do this on a Sunday? Maybe that's it. Maybe God has called me here for this purpose, to heal those who should not die in war, if indeed anyone should. The more he watched, the stronger his conviction grew.
Libraries and readers seeking sci-fi time travel tales that go above and beyond the norm in the strength of their characters, cross-time connections, and discussions of impact and surprises will welcome The Healing Stone's revelations.
Filled with satisfying twists most won't see coming, The Healing Stone's foray into ethical dilemmas and bigger-picture thinking is nothing short of totally engrossing, making this page-turner hard to put down.
While the plot concludes with many answers, it more than leaves the door ajar for further thrilling series additions.
Walking With Awareness
Timothy Shuttle and Rose Bell
Shuttle & Bell
9798992814705, $9.99 eBook/$15.95 Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7NYHYH1
Walking With Awareness: A Dad and Daughter Hike the Appalachian Trail and Process an Adolescence Derailed by Addiction follows a father and daughter's emotional connection in journey which solidifies many things between them. It serves as both an inspiration for other parents struggling with wayward children and as a road map for growth, awareness, and enlightenment, unfolding a candid sense of self-reflection delivered with some unexpected fun.
This thread of humor emerges throughout Timothy Shuttle's reflections:
"You got this, Dad. Are you still glad Uncle John didn't kill us on the way here?"
"Well, if he did, at least we wouldn't be so exhausted."
It instills both a sense of comic relief and a serves as a satisfyingly unexpected juxtaposition to more serious reflections about choices, consequences, and life encounters which are explored during the course of this life-changing joint expedition:
I have to imagine that most of the people on the Trail are naturally introverted and like their alone time, but after a while I think we all crave connection. We saw it on the Trail with the excitement of human conversation after days of silence and the mere sight of a living, moving creature among the solitary trees and rocks. I saw it in my daughter who continually sent herself back to the hospital, at the risk of intentional death, to connect and reconnect with peers when doing so on the outside was difficult. I have learned that we may need food, water, and shelter to survive. But we need connection to thrive. And what an ironic place for that knowledge to be absorbed, I thought.
Parents seeking to grasp the possibilities of a relationship-altering journey will live these vivid moments of reconnection and growth through reflective moments that Appalachian Trail encounters impart:
"The two biggest fears in life - not having enough and not being enough. The desire to grow our being is undeniable. There is something inside of all of us that wants to grow. We can ignore it, push it aside and bury it, but we will rot from the inside out until we become aware of its presence. And when we do, we begin to decide differently. Life then begins to open up; we see things in a new light and life becomes life magical. Not easy, but magical, kind of like the Grayson Highlands."
I paused and then added, "And you don't even need mushrooms."
Black and white photos capture the ups and downs of Trail experience and life, while Shuttle's opportunities to speak with his daughter from the foundation of a shared experience and effort provides enlightening moments that all parents seeking such a connection with their adult child will find inspirational and hopeful.
Even more notable are passages that propel readers into their own internal journeys of relationship examination and life values where bonds are made, changed, and broken by departures in life and new experiences.
Libraries and readers seeking a novel form of Appalachian Trail experience that shares a father and daughter's physical and mental growth will welcome the lessons embedded in Walking With Awareness. They give cause for hope and offer many insights suitable for parenting groups, outdoors enthusiasts, and book club discussions.
Compelling both for its deep psychological and philosophical observations as well as for probing the process by which a father and adult daughter join their lives, Walking With Awareness is intimate, revealing, and an adventure in discovery that covers far more than the physical rigor of walking the Trail.
The Wonder Effect
Adam Haston
Izzard Ink Publishing
www.izzardink.com
9781642281132, $22.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Effect-Adventurous-Igniting-Passions/dp/B0F59MSN4Q
The Wonder Effect: An Adventurous Guide for Igniting Your Passions and Pursuing Your Calling is a guide to personal transformation that requires only a reader's enthusiasm for making change to prove successful.
Adam Haston pairs real-life stories with insights into what makes such changes possible. He tackles the bigger, harder questions of what crushes ambition and spirit and avenues for successful transformation with a clear vision of considering not just new possibilities, but the harsh realities of what stifles dreams.
A tantalizing piece of insight appears early on to propel readers into the idea of the wellsprings of both positivity and negativity:
We live in a world that dispenses information like candy, except we've been largely exposed to false information and have suffered for it. It's time to break free and pursue our potential.
Haston also reinforces the reason why his examination of "The Wonder Effect" offers important keys to making such changes:
Being open-minded is an excellent start to crushing false idols and getting to know ourselves, but it is not enough. In order to achieve success, you need to become wonder-minded - a central tenet of The Wonder Effect.
Readers might think that being open to new opportunities would be enough, but Haston's focus on being wonder-minded is different. Much of the book defines the novel approaches to cultivating this state of mind and approach to life, while the rest displays the results of wonder-minded efforts, discussing how these appear and play out in different ways.
Unlike many a self-help title which promotes positivity and attitude change, The Wonder Effect goes a step further in cultivating the kinds of observations and reactions that encourage adaptation, address limiting belief systems or scheduling requirements, and influence what one's personal life compass identifies as being valuable.
Another difference in Haston's approach lies in how it addresses the inherent definition of happiness, life satisfaction, and influential forces at work in individual choice and perception. All these features tie into The Wonder Effect in ways that illustrate new insights about growing skills, talents, and experiences.
Libraries and readers interested in actionable courses that clearly exemplify the types of experiences that support bodily, emotional, and intellectual transformation will welcome the specific examples that support philosophy in The Wonder Effect.
Quite simply, Haston provides a recipe for change that's designed to re-inject a sense of uplifting wonder into daily living and aspirations:
Wonder-minded people go beyond the curiosity of open-mindedness by also behaving with optimism and creativity. With curiosity, creativity, and optimism, you create connections between things that may not have obvious connections and, in so doing, you and the world are given the capacity to uncover new things. Being wonder-minded is nothing short of making new discoveries about yourself and the world.
Who I Thought You Were
Michaela Spampinato
The Permanent Press
https://thepermanentpress.com
9781579626839, $29.00
https://thepermanentpress.com/collections/new-releases/products/who-i-thought-you-were
Imagine being suddenly widowed at a young age when a train collides with a spouse's pickup truck. Toulouse Salazar experiences this in Who I Thought You Were, then begins to realize that what she thought was an accident may be more purposeful than she could ever have imagined.
As a chain of events brings more questions and doubt into what really happened to her husband Luke, Toulouse enters a shadowy realm of possibility which ensnare her in her own investigation of the truth. What she uncovers will shake her beliefs, her marriage, and her future.
Michaela Spampinato crafts a vivid story of discovery and mystery that juxtaposes the ordinary with the suddenly remarkable from its opening lines:
It was an unremarkable intersection unless your husband happened to have died there. Just the crossbuck, the X of a sign marking the spot.
What do border patrol cops, Luke's possible lover, small-town corruption and developer special interests have to do with Luke's demise? Plenty, as Toulouse uncovers both by accident and by an increasingly desperate, purposeful investigation of her own.
Spampinato excels in building forceful personalities at odds with the realities of their lives. She immerses readers in the secrets and lies of a small town's various factions, possible miracles and more evident realities, and moral and ethical considerations that arise to test Toulouse's mission and peceptions:
The land, her children, and their children. How much was it really worth to her? More than Luke's life?
Equally potent are the novel situations which propel Toulouse in new directions, challenging both in her ideals of life and its values and her experiences and perceptions.
Astute political insights emerge from her push for the truth which are injected throughout the story to provide additional moments of revelation and insight:
Everything's about water and money in New Mexico, Krystal had said. Even when it's not.
Toulouse's confrontation of these individuals and forces are nicely described as both physical and mental assertion empowers her and drives her to navigate the lives of such disparate characters as Luke's employee and possible girlfriend, the pregnant Lilly, flirty drinker Max, and friend Krystal.
Each of these individuals adds insights and new possibilities to Toulouse's unfolding dilemmas that creates a powerful and twisting plot.
Libraries and readers seeking a vivid story of widowhood, mystery, discovery, and adaptation will find Who I Thought You Were immerse and compelling reading.
Filled with an atmosphere of discovery and surprises cemented by first-person insights, Who I Thought You Were proves hard to predict and nearly impossible to put down.
Taking the Stairs & Liking It
Lauren Speeth, PhD
Elfenworks Productions, LLC
https://elfenworksproductions.com
9798989584628, $17.95
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Stairs-Liking-Seven-Amazing/dp/B0F6HV4JX1
Taking the Stairs & Liking It: Seven Steps to an Amazing Life is highly recommended, inspirational reading for those seeking a blueprint filled with examples on not only how to lead a more purposeful life (at any age), but are interested in revamping their vocational, cultural, psychological, and spiritual focuses. So, of necessity, it's the reader actively engaged in making change who will choose this book and benefit from its riches.
Dr. Lauren Speeth provides her blueprint in a format that is much more accessible, enlightening, and inspirational than most, and opens with a surprise discourse with former President Carter which helped her cement seven basic elements to his success which could translate to equal benefits for herself and all her readers.
These notes included clarifying vision and honing skills, practicing partnership and sharing credit, gathering feedback and staying the course in any endeavor. The foundation created for her program works well under all kinds of conditions, as her book outlines through many examples of "trials to trailblazing":
I knew one drug abuse counselor who had been through a hellish addiction-to-recovery journey. This had given her the wisdom to see through the self-delusions and lies told by the addicts in her programs, and the knowledge and credibility to help them along their paths to sobriety. Each of us goes through trials. Once we survive these hardships, we may be left feeling a little bit wounded, a little bit broken. This very brokenness can be what allows a glimmer of light to seep through, and we have the option to become wounded healers, sharing that light with others.
All the information here is designed to promote well-being not just in oneself, but throughout life. This heady proposition takes on very achievable elements as she breaks down the effort into digestible, understandable, and even exciting advice paired with examples from real life.
Speeth also outlines the bigger picture in adopting these values and pathways:
Imagine a town mayor publicly acknowledging a beautification society member for initiating a garbage removal project. The honoree will not only feel acknowledged but also be motivated to step up involvement in future projects. Credit-sharing advances the vision.
Today, more than ever, readers need these reminders of how to cultivate a bigger picture and vision of their present and future than ever before.
That's why Taking the Stairs & Liking It is especially recommended as a panacea for self-centered focuses and negative thinking. Libraries that choose it will find this book a top recommendation for not just book clubs, but reading groups focused on a myriad of success-oriented topics, from vocational and career meetups to those focused on self-improvement or worldview adjustment.
Specific in its examples, worldly in its practical applications and observations, and not only understandable but achievable, Taking the Stairs & Liking It promotes a mindset that, if followed, will ultimately improve not just self, attitude, and personal circles, but can ripple out into the world. That's a big picture - and the "how to" component outlined here is key to its realization.
Higher Love
Joanne Kukanza Easley
https://joanneeasleyauthor.com
Red Boots Press
9798986713373, $4.99 eBook/$14.99 Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Higher-Love-Joanne-Kukanza-Easley-ebook/dp/B0F574FCGV
Higher Love opens with Lauren preparing for her combined sixty-second birthday and twenty-fifth AA anniversary party. Both are milestones that represent positive changes after her tumultuous past - but the introduction of a teenager into her somewhat complicated life sends Lauren into a tailspin.
Sixteen-year-old Stephanie claims to be the daughter of a child Lauren had given up for adoption decades ago. When Lauren uncovers the child's troubled past, and Stephanie demands answers from Lauren, the stakes rise ... Lauren's recent remarriage to Brett after decades apart is impacted by the girl's arrival and connections, however dubious, have been forged between this needy child and a woman of a certain age who must learn she, too, has unresolved issues and needs.
Is Lauren prepared to become a mother, or grandmother, to someone she really doesn't know?
Joanne Kukanza Easley builds an engrossing story of family ties that are questioned, shaken, and which deliver up new definitions of bonds - and surprising possibilities. Lauren is a woman still trying to come to terms with her past and present, who struggles with how to handle a troubled teen and the decisions she must make about Stephanie's future.
Excellent dialogue between generations illustrates the challenges of entering into relationships where family ties are fragile and boundaries need be set:
"I understand you need friends. And I also see that you need clear directions and boundaries, since you were at a loss about what time to be home. From now on, if you plan to go somewhere after work, a therapy appointment, or any other time, you'll ask for permission in advance." I softened the words with a smile.
"Who do you think you are? My mother?" With that, Stephanie shoved back from the table and ran down the hall. A thunderous door slam followed.
Brett and Lauren find themselves raising an almost-adult child, and their own lives change in unexpected ways. Each day introduces new quandaries:
Just when I thought we'd reached a period of relative calmness, another problem arose - Stephanie behind the wheel of a car.
Unforeseen circumstances test all involved as events spiral out of control and echoes of the past intrude.
Easley's thought-provoking reflection on family ties and the sacrifices made out of love will attract librarians and readers interested in thought-provoking stories about how connections are made, broken, and grow.
The ways in which Lauren and Stephanie address their separate and conjoined issues provides much food for thought not just for individual contemplation, but book club discussions about how family connections are built and tested.
Filled with "aha" moments of discovery, Higher Love is a foray into finding home that will appeal to a wide audience of readers.
Diane C. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
Donovan's Literary Services
www.donovansliteraryservices.com
Gary Roen's Bookshelf
Muzzle the Black Dog: A Novel
Mike Cobb
Waterside Productions
www.waterside.com
9781962984843, $15.99 pbk / $8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Muzzle-Black-Dog-Mike-Cobb/dp/1962984842
To classify "Muzzle the Black Dog" is not a good idea, because it has many different elements it could fall into. Cobb presents an interesting premise in 2004. Jack the main character, answers a knock at the door of his residence, to confront a man who has peculiar information about Jack, that sets up the rest of the work over a period of years in the past that should be resolved by the end. From the beginning it appears it will be a twist and turn plot. Sadly that is not case for me "Muzzle the Black Dog" was a monotonous task due to the repetition of a pronoun an unbelievable number on each page, that slowed the work to a snail pace. If anything, someone he received help from, should have suggested more editing for a much better flow. Other readers of "Muzzle the Black Dog" may have no problems with it.
Loot: How to Steal A Fortune
Jude Watson
Scholastic Press
www.scholastic.com
9789351034230, $5.99 pbk / $5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Loot-Steal-Fortune-Jude-Watson/dp/9351034232
Geared to different age groups, from Scholastic Press, "Loot: How to Steal A Fortune" is appropriate enjoyment for all ages. Alfie McQuin a cat burglar in Amsterdam, dies on a caper. Before he takes his last breath he utters a statement to his son March "find the Jewels". As March delves into sentence he finds it is not about something to heist, instead, a sister he has never has known anything about until now. From then on he is on a quest to find her. They are brought together with some other interesting characters who involve the two in many criminal activities. Told at breakneck pace "Loot: How To Steal A Fortune is a page turner to the very end.
Last Train Outta Kepler 283c
Edited by David Boop
Baen Books
www.baen.com
9781982193768, $18.00 pbk / $8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Train-Outta-Kepler-283c-David/dp/198219376X
Once again stories cover two genres in "Last Train Outta Kepler 283c" the newest volume, to the popular series. This time there are thirteen, original tales combining aliens and traits of the old west, in some cases on other planets. The talented authors include David Mack, Christopher L Smith, D. J. Butler, and slew of masters of their craft. David Boop has impeccable taste for pulling together so many great yarns under one cover.
Steep Steps
Mary Brotherton
bUneke Publishing
bUneke.org
9798986914671, $18.99 pbk/ $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Steep-Steps-Mary-Brotherton/dp/B0DJY3X2FH
"Sleep Steps" is a departure from other books by Mary Brotherton about angels, and the many ways we are protected from harm by them. Here, her characters are well defined with tight crisp writing that takes readers into a dark and sinister sphere that comes across as being all to real. Possibly because a lot of it is based on the authors own life but there is a difference this is n work of fiction influenced by her own life and others she is aware of. She provides a character who at times is despicable for the way he treats women. They are only here to serve his needs; without regard of the abuse he has caused. His skewed views are a ticking time bomb pathway to self-destruction if he does not seek professional help. Some readers may find Sleep Steps" disturbing for its realistic approach to a long-term problem America continually turns it eyes away from dealing with.
The Pig War And The Pelican Girls
Joe Cuhaj
Prometheus Books
www.prometheusbooks.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Publishing Group
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493088270 $21.95 pbk / $20.85 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Pig-War-Pelican-Girls-Extraordinary/dp/1493088270
So often in school, we all had some kind of history course. that was just plain boring. The problem was a teacher who never made it interesting or relevant. "The Pig War And The Pelican Girls: 21 Extraordinary and Forgotten Stories from American History" is exactly the opposite with its fresh approach to make history appealing. All different periods of America are revealed as well as how the past effects the future. "The Pig War And the Pelican Girls" deals with two great nations that almost went to war over a pig or The Pelican Girls exposes women who were brought to southern states, and how they affected events taking place, the last story deals with the future where there will be hotels on the moon and space stations for regular people to experience provided by a major player in the business. The twenty-one pieces are only a portion of the attraction because at the end of each, Cuhaj also provides other offerings that are just as fascinating that make "The Pig War And The Pelican Girls" a fun trip through so much of America once thought to be just folklore
Unitas To Unitas: Life's Lessons Passed Down From Father To Son
Joe Unitas
As Told to Kristine Setting Clark
Lyons Press
c/o The Globe Pequot Publishing Group
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493086023 $26.95 HC / $21.47 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Unitas-Lessons-Passed-Down-Father/dp/1493086022
Say the name Unitas and immediately comes to mind the Hall of Fame football player Johnny Unitas, who was one of the greatest quarterbacks in the game of football. "Unitas To Unitas" by his son Joe shows a very different side so many of us have never known until now. Joe was taught excellent values, from his father that Joe has passed on to his own children and now the public to be better people. John, a modest person never forgot his roots, realized the importance of being a team player, treating everyone with respect and dignity, the importance of always being available to a fan who wanted a picture or autograph and many other aspects that Joe hopes people will heed. "Unitas To Unitas" is unadulterated entertainment for any sports fan or a perfect gift for dads on Father's Day
The Quotable Dad
Nick & Tony Lyons, editors
Hallmark
c/o The Lyons Press
9781585748013, $7.99 pbk / No Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Quotable-Dad-Nick-Lyons/dp/B005D2C0PS
June is the month we celebrate dads and "The Quotable Dad" is a perfect gift for the occasion. The two editors have gathered many different statements from all kinds of fathers on topics such as, daughters, what it means to them to enter a phase of life as a father, sons, and their relationship,. Here is one of the statements: "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother" by Theodore Hesburgh. "The Quotable Dad" is not just for Father's Day but all year long to show our appreciation of one half of our parents.
Chicka Chicka I Love Dad
Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, authors
Julien Chung, illustrator
Little Simon
c/o Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
https://www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781665966856, $9.99 HC / $9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Chicka-Love-Dad-Book/dp/1665966858
Small packaged items are always fun things to experience. "Chicka Chicka I Love Dad" is a perfect gift for any dad on father's day for them to know how special they are on their day of celebration . For each letter of the alphabet a statement is made like "R You Spa-R-kle". Each page has delightful drawings and upbeat proclamations to praise the one and only, extraordinary man of the family. "Chicka Chicka I Love Dad" is a fun knick-knack for the holiday
The Girl Who Was Too Big For The Page
Geena Davis
Philomel Books
c/o Penguin Random House
www.penguinr.kids.com
9780593463963, $18.99 HC / $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Who-Was-Too-Page/dp/059346396X
The two-time academy award winning actor Geena Davis, through the years shown her talents in several other fields including archery. With "The Girl Who Was Too Big For The Page" she adds another realm to her skills. A girl named Sheila in her early years is like any other child, until a few years later in the summer, something happens to her body. She is taller than the kids around her. Now, she is forced to deal with unforeseen complications, being laughed at, the clothes she used to wear don't fit her anymore, pairs of shoes are too small to wear, kids find new ways to make her uncomfortable. For Sheila life has gotten a lot tougher. "The Girl Who Was Too Big For The Page" is for all ages to learn, there are negatives we face all our lives, that either, make you a stronger or weaker. Its up to you to figure the category you fall in.
Wake Up Moon
Lita Judge
Atheneum Books For Young Readers
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com/kids
9781665939256, $18.99 HC / $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Up-Moon-Lita-Judge/dp/1665939257
"Wake Up Moon" is a beautifully told story of friendships of animals who live in the forest. As the tale unfolds the wild beings emerge from different areas to hang out with each other after a blinding snow storm. A few of the cast of characters include a bear, a squirrel a fox, and some birds. They are out in the cold to play, have fun, and come up with interesting activities to keep them occupied until they have to go home. "Wake Up Moon" has many underlying messages for all of us to follow to a fun filled life.
Gary Roen
Senior Reviewer
Helen Dumont's Bookshelf
The Lost Book of First Loves
RaeAnne Thayne
Canary Street Press
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9781335476067, $30.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Book-First-Loves-Contemporary/dp/1335476067
Synopsis: Two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything...
Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Alison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister she never knew about, it's clear there are things her father didn't tell her before he died.
Determined to meet Juniper (her half sister) and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper's intern. She'll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next...
Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy... until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new (and recently fired) intern to thank for saving her life. It's clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family's cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives, her life will never be the same.
Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they'll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters.
Critique: An original, fun and fascinating read from cover to cover, "The Lost Book of First Loves" by RaeAnne Thayne showcases the author's natural and genuine flair for the kind of original and imaginative storytelling that will keep the reader's rapt and entertained attention throughout. Of particular interest to readers of deftly crafted women/family life fiction, "The Lost Book of First Loves" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Lost Book of First Loves" is also available from the Canary Street Press in paperback (9781335467713, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: RaeAnne Thayne (https://www.raeannethayne.com) finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including six RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and Career Achievement and Romance Pioneer awards from RT Book Reviews.
Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World
Diane Musho Hamilton and Gabriel Kaigen Wilson, authors
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
www.shambhala.com
9781645473114, $19.95, PB, 200pp
https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Growing-Spiritual-Cross-Training/dp/1645473112
Synopsis: "Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World" provides a compelling and innovative view of Zen practice, giving people in their 20s and 30s a contemporary approach to spiritual development that is meaningful and actionable within the complexities of modern life.
Grounded deeply in the tradition of Soto Zen, professional mediators and Zen practitioners Diane Hamilton and Gabriel Wilson extol the virtues of sitting meditation, dharma study, and the student-teacher relationship. At the same time, they offer insight into the importance of emotional development and the maturation of relationship skills.
This approach draws on insights from Integral psychology as taught by philosopher Ken Wilber, neurophysiology, trauma work, adult development, and teachings of the Zen masters to:
Develop interpersonal communication skills;
Blend the spiritual path with the realities of contemporary life;
Learn how to navigate issues of inclusitivity and diversity;
Explore issues of identity;
Train our power of attention rather than get caught up in social media, division, and crisis;
Mature our emotional and relational skills;
and much more.
Readers can complete with practices, exercises, and reflections in each chapter, with "Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World" offering an accessible, insightful approach to becoming more personally effective, compassionate, and spiritually awake.
Critique: Exceptionally well written by co-authors Diane Hamilton and Gabriel Wilson, "Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World" is exceptionally 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation. Thoughtfully informative, inspired and inspiring, "Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Zen, Meditation, and Buddhism collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World" from Shambhala Publications is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Diane Musho Hamilton is a professional mediator, author, and teacher of Zen meditation. She is the co-founder of Two Arrows Zen and founder of Real LIFE programs in Utah. She is also the author of Everything Is Workable, The Zen of You and Me, and Compassionate Conversations.
Editorial Note #2: Gabriel Kaigen Wilson is a conflict mediator and team coach, trainer for the Real LIFE programs, and senior practitioner in the Two Arrows Zen practice. He is also a co-author of Compassionate Conversations.
Helen Dumont
Reviewer
John Taylor's Bookshelf
Character: Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity, and Leadership
Robert L. Dilenschneider
Kensington
c/o Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780806543123, $18.95, PB, 209pp
https://www.amazon.com/Character-Robert-L-Dilenschneider/dp/0806543124
Synopsis: Whether in politics, science, religion or a myriad of other fields, our national character seems in jeopardy. What's missing? What trait did the men and women throughout history have that drove society to be the best that it could be?
Comprised of twenty-nine inspiring portraits/examples, with the publication of "Character: Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity, and Leadership", respected adviser and leadership expert Robert L. Dilenschneider explores the achievements of the leaders and ground-breakers who shaped our age, as well as their lessons in life and in business that can provide a blueprint for our future.
In what ways did character manifest itself in Nelson Mandela, who triumphed over the direst adversities? In Florence Nightingale and Edith Cavell, who transformed the nursing profession during war and in great peril to themselves? How did Walt Disney find the tenacity to become an iconic entrepreneur? How did loyalty to his fellow soldiers in Vietnam informed John McCain's entire worldview? Character (a vital dimension in public and private life) unifies their legacies and others.
From a respected older generation of mentors comes invaluable advice and hopeful direction for the young leaders, innovators, and influencers of today -- and tomorrow!
Critique: Timely, needed, exceptional, deftly scripted, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Character: Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity, and Leadership" by Robert Dilenschneider is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Management/Leadership collections. It should be noted for students, academia, political activists, corporate executives, governmental policy makers, social reformers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Character: Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity, and Leadership" from Kensington is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Publishing, 9798228368118, $45.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Robert L. Dilenschneider (https://robertldilenschneider.com) formed the Dilenschneider Group in October, 1991. Headquartered in New York and Chicago, the firm provides strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies and leading families and individuals around the world, with experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions and crisis communications to marketing, government affairs, and international media. Prior to forming his own firm, he served as president and chief executive officer of Hill and Knowlton, Inc., from 1986 to 1991, tripling that firm's revenues to nearly $200 million and delivering more than $30 million in profit. He was with that organization for nearly twenty-five years. He had started in public relations in 1967 in New York, shortly after receiving an MA degree in journalism from Ohio State University and a BA from the University of Notre Dame.
John Taylor
Reviewer
Mary Cowper's Bookshelf
On Two Legs and Three Wheels
Cary D. Lowe
Black Rose Writing
www.blackrosewriting.com
9781685135584, $18.99, PB, 337pp
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Legs-Three-Wheels-Adventures/dp/1685135587
Synopsis: Can you continue traveling as you get older or if you are disabled?
With the publication of "On Two Legs and Three Wheels: The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability", author Cary D. Lowe answers that question with an emphatic, "Yes!"
Multiple sclerosis disabled the legs of the Cary's wife Trish some twenty years ago, making her rely on a mobility scooter, and now both Cary and Trish are in their seventies. But none of that stopped them from traveling.
On two legs and three wheels, they have traveled to twenty countries and twenty states. Perseverance, ingenuity, and flexibility have enabled them to overcome virtually all obstacles. These characteristics are on full display in the two dozen tales of their travels to locales as diverse as Alpine peaks, Caribbean beaches, desert canyons, and urban boulevards, via planes, trains, cars, buses, and ships.
Their adventures will inspire disabled and older people to keep traveling, while engaging in activities that thrill fully abled partners, as well. And their travel tales will delight and entertain readers of all ages and physical conditions.
Critique: Exceptionally well written and presented, "On Two Legs and Three Wheels: The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability" by Cary D. Lowe is a fascinating and inspiring read from cover to cover and one that is especially and unreserved recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Travel & Disability collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "On Two Legs and Three Wheels: The Travel Adventures of a Couple Overcoming Age and Disability" from Black Rose Writing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99, Amazon).
Editorial Note: Cary D. Lowe, Ph.D., is the author of the award-winning memoir Becoming American, the story of his growing up in post-war Europe with parents who were Holocaust survivors, immigrating to the United States, and becoming deeply engaged in law, politics, and academia. He has published eighty non-fiction pieces, appearing in the Los Angeles Times and other major newspapers and taught at several universities.
The Healing Power of Trees
Olga Terebenina & Gary Evans
Leaping Hare Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
www.quartoknows.com
9781836000068, $28.00, HC, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Power-Trees-definitive-bathing/dp/1836000065
Synopsis: The definitive instructional guide to forest bathing, "The Healing Power of Trees" is a beautifully crafted and comprehensive introduction that reveals the unparalleled health benefits of the great outdoors, boy co-authors Olga Terebenina and Gary Evans -- the experts at The Forest Bathing Institute leading you on a journey of healing.
Recent research shows that just 15 minutes outside can enhance mood, concentration, and physical health -- imagine the therapeutic benefits of embracing the increasingly popular practice of forest bathing.
"The Healing Power of Trees" offers practical guidance and advice on addressing key challenges including:
Lifting depression
Lowering stress
Improving energy levels
Boosting your immune system
The Forest Bathing Institute has spent years collaborating with universities and governments to research the benefits of this practice and train practitioners to share them. Now, its founders present their unique method in this informative and illustrated DIY 'how to' manual.
Critique: This large format (7.69 x 0.81 x 9.94 inches, 1.65 pounds) hardcover edition of "The Healing Power of Trees: The definitive guide to forest bathing" is further enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an informative fourteen page Introduction, four pages of Notes, a one page Further Readings bibliography, and a three page Index. Extraordinary, unique, exceptional, "The Healing Power of Trees" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical/Gaia collections and supplemental Japanese Culture curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this edition of "The Healing Power of Trees" from Leaping Hare Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $26.60, Amazon).
Editorial Note: The Forest Bathing Institute (https://tfb.institute) was founded by Gary Evans and Olga Terebenina, who set out to advance the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing) in the UK, and started a programme of research dedicated to replicating the original physiological research carried out in Japan. Gary and Olga are peer-reviewed authors and are committed to furthering research into the effectiveness of this nature-based therapy.
In just a few years TFBI has grown to over 50 guides across the UK with many more in training. It has established links with over 20 universities, and numerous research programmes are underway. The Institute also works hard to raise awareness of the effectiveness of Forest Bathing+ and works closely with local and central government, charities and key policy makers to make Forest Bathing+ available to as many people who can benefit as possible.
Mary Cowper
Reviewer
Micah Andrew's Bookshelf
Anchored in Resilience
Amaury Ponciano
Gatekeeper Press
https://gatekeeperpress.com
9781662947216, $13.99, PB, 204pp
https://www.amazon.com/Anchored-Resilience-Overcoming-Adversity-Awareness/dp/1662947216
Synopsis: The journey of a man, father, and sailor, with the publication of "Anchored in Resilience: Overcoming Adversity through Mental Health Awareness", Amaury Ponciano reveals the true story of adventures, lessons, and growth as seen through the eyes of boy looking for love, a young man looking for answers, and an adult yearning to inspire.
Navy veteran and a man of color, Amaury Ponciano draws upon his own life to share with his readers vulnerable truths, insightful revelations, and experiences from over twenty years of Naval service.
"Anchored in Resilience" is also a memoir of healing and the realization that all healing starts with understanding the nature of our wounds.
Critique: A deftly scripted, impressively presented, deeply personal, exceptionally insightful, and ultimately inspiring, "Anchored in Resilience: Overcoming Adversity through Mental Health Awareness" by Amaury Ponciano will prove to be of immense value to readers with an interest in mental health issues and the life experiences of a military professional of color. While this trade paperback edition of "Anchored in Resilience" from Gatekeeper Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal and professional reading lists that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Amaury Ponciano is an information systems technician professional who originates from the Dominican Republic; he moved to New Jersey in 1994 and enlisted in the Navy in 1999. He has earned two master's degrees, the latest from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2022, a master's degree in applied cyber operations. Amaury loves to travel, having experienced over 40 countries and 100 cities around the globe. He also loves futbol (soccer) and eating food from different cultures. His inspiration will always be his mother, who showed him what it means to persevere and to be strong. His children motivate him to be the best person he can be. His joy is being surrounded by his small circle of friends and family who keep him humble, accountable, compassionate, and loving.
Micah Andrew
Reviewer
Michael Dunford's Bookshelf
The Supervisor's Guidebook, 3rd Edition
Dennis H. Reid, Marsha B. Parsons, Carolyn W. Green
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
https://www.ccthomas.com
9780398094638, $49.95, PB, 394pp
https://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398094638
Synopsis: Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, "The Supervisor's Guidebook: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff" is a complete and comprehensive guidebook showing how supervisors can ensure support staff to deliver quality services for people with disabilities whose quality of life is heavily dependent on how well those services are provided.
Supervisors must ensure staff receive necessary training in their job duties, are actively supported to stay motivated to work proficiently, and, at times, effectively assisted to improve their work performance. Over the last five decades, a technology for supervising staff work performance in the human services has been evolving, derived from applied research conducted in many human service agencies. However, most supervisors have not had opportunities to become aware of these evidence-based means of fulfilling their supervisory duties.
The purpose of this expanded 3rd edition of "The Supervisor's Guidebook" is to describe the existing evidence-based approach to supervision. A description of the approach is supplemented with practical suggestions based on the authors' combined experience encompassing over 100 years of supervising staff performance in the human services. The intent is to provide supervisors with detailed information about tried and tested means of promoting diligent and proficient staff performance and to do so in a way that maximizes staff enjoyment with their work.
This new third edition, co-authored by the team of Dennis H. Reid, Marsha B. Parsons, Carolyn W. Green. has been extensively revised, and includes a new chapter, "Culturally Responsive Supervision", which has been added on supervising staff performance with awareness and consideration of varying cultural preferences and practices of individual staff members.
Critique: This large format (10 x 7 x 2 inches) paperback edition of "The Supervisor's Guidebook: Evidence-Based Strategies for Promoting Work Quality and Enjoyment Among Human Service Staff" is deftly organized into four major sections: Introduction to Supervision; Critical Supervisory Skills; Resolving Common Performance Problems; Selected Readings. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, this third edition of "The Supervisor's Guidebook" from Charles C. Thomas Publisher is an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for college/university library collections and as a Social/Human Resources Administration curriculum textbook. It should be noted for personal, professional, student reading lists that "The Supervisor's Guidebook: 3rd Edition" is also readily available in a digital book format (9780398094645, $49.95, Kindle).
Editorial Note: Dennis H. Reid (https://www.dennishreidau.com) has over 40 years of experience providing, directing, and researching provision of supports and services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. He has published over 150 journal articles, chapters, and books as well as several widely used training curricula. His work is heavily grounded in applied behavior analysis (ABA), focusing on promoting quality staff performance and enhancing life quality among people with developmental disabilities.
Michael Dunford
Reviewer
Paul Vogel's Bookshelf
Harry Potter and the Cedarville Censors
Brian Meadows
McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476674971, $29.95, PB, 217pp
https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Cedarville-Censors-Precedent-Setting/dp/1476674973
Synopsis: In 2002, the Cedarville School Board in Crawford County, Arkansas, ordered the removal of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books from library shelves, holding that "witchcraft or sorcery [should not] be available for study."
This Board decision resulted in some formidable adversaries. School librarian Estella Roberts, standing on policy, had the books reviewed (and unanimously approved) by a committee of teachers and administrators that included a child and a parent.
Not satisfied with the Board's half-measure permitting access to the books with parental approval, 4th-grader Dakota Counts and her father Bill Counts sued the school district in Federal court, drawing on the precedent Pico v. Island Trees to reaffirm that Constitutional rights apply to school libraries.
Written by the lawyer who prosecuted the case, "Harry Potter and the Cedarville Censors: Inside the Precedent-Setting Defeat of an Arkansas Book Ban " details the origins of the book ban and the civil procedures and legal arguments that restored the First Amendment in Cedarville.
Critique: There is a literary plague of book banning going on today such as "Charlotte's Web" being banned from an elementary school library because "God didn't make animals who could talk". What is needed is a blueprint for fighting back. An instructive example of how to restore a bigotry or religion biased banned book to a K-12 and/or community library collection for the benefit of their students and patrons. That guide is "Harry Potter and the Cedarville Censors: Inside the Precedent-Setting Defeat of an Arkansas Book Ban". It should be in every community and college/university library collection in the country. It should be considered essential reading by every librarian, author, publisher, free speech political activist, and Harry Potter fan. It should be noted that this trade paperback edition of "Harry Potter and the Cedarville Censors: Inside the Precedent-Setting Defeat of an Arkansas Book Ban" from McFarland & Company is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Editorial Note: Brian Meadors is a former U.S. Navy nuclear submarine officer. After his naval service, he attended Georgetown University Law Center, graduating cum laude. He practiced in Washington, DC, for a few years before moving to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he was a trial lawyer for ten years. He is currently in-house counsel for a Fortune 500 corporation and lives in North Carolina.
Paul T. Vogel
Reviewer
S.A. Gorden's Bookshelf
Bound for Murder: A Hardcover Homicide (A Juliet Page Cozy Mystery - Book 1)
Audrey Shine
https://audreyshineauthor.com
Privately Published
9781094385211 $7.99 pbk
B0CV9912CG, $0.00 Kindle, 147 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Bound-Murder-Hardcover-Homicide-Mystery-Book/dp/1094385212
Bound for Murder: A Hardcover Homicide is a well written cozy mystery. The characters are well drawn and the small British village, where the tale takes place, is unique and fun.
Juliet Page, a librarian in California, visits her husband's job and finds him in bed with his assistant. She packs her clothes and goes on vacation to a small village in Britain.
She loves vintage books and decides she needs to try collecting. During an auction, she meets a rich local collector and makes a date for the next day to talk about old books. When she arrives at his home, she finds him dead. She soon finds herself as the primary suspect in the murder and decides she has to find the killer before her vacation is up.
Bound for Murder: A Hardcover Homicide is an easy recommendation for the cozy mystery reader. It reads smoothly and has rich details.
Bound for Murder: A Lethal Lexicon (A Juliet Page Cozy Mystery - Book 2)
Audrey Shine
https://audreyshineauthor.com
Privately Published
9781094385563, $8.99
B0CV95SNF1, $2.99 Kindle, 180 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Bound-Murder-Lethal-Lexicon-Mystery-Book/dp/1094385565
Bound for Murder: A Lethal Lexicon is a well written cozy mystery. Unfortunately, it is, at its core, a retelling of her Shine's first book in this series, A Hardcover Homicide. The details in the story are changed just enough to make a new book.
Juliet Page has divorced her cheating husband and has used her divorce settlement to open a used bookstore in the small British village she has learned to love. She again attends an auction and meets a rich local collector. She again makes a date to talk to the collector to talk about vintage books. She arrives at his home and finds that he has been murdered. Since she is first on the scene, she is again the primary suspect in the murder. Her bookstore has a grand opening in just a few days. Juliet decides she needs to solve the murder before her grand opening.
Bound for Murder: A Lethal Lexicon is a solid cozy murder mystery but with the many similarities between the first book, A Hardcover Homicide, in the series and this one, A Lethal Lexicon, you might want to consider skipping reading either the first book or the second. If the reader loves the character of Juliet Page, it might be worth reading both books.
S.A. Gorden
Senior Reviewer
Suzie Housley's Bookshelf
Unspoken Words
Linda Joyce
Word Works Press, LLC
9780996581189, Kindle, $5.99, $16.99 PB, 324 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Unspoken-Words-Linda-Joyce-ebook/dp/B0F2GHSP2G
Synopsis: A Story of Secrets, Sacrifice, and the Healing Power of Truth
Linda Joyce delivers a deeply emotional reading experience in Unspoken Words, a novel that explores the fragile bonds of family, friendship, and forgiveness.
Jane Landry has spent over a decade guarding a secret that could change everything. Her son, Christopher Marcus, is the center of her world - but no one else knows he exists. Not his father Mark, nor his wife, or her former best friend Suzanne.
Now, with a terminal cancer diagnosis and time slipping away, Jane must summon the courage to reveal the truth. She hopes the family she once called her own will embrace Christopher before it's too late. But just as Jane prepares to open her heart, tragedy strikes - Mark dies in a sudden accident, never having the chance to know his son.
Grief pulls Jane back into the lives of Maggie and Suzanne, forcing long-buried truths to the surface. As the past unravels, each woman must confront her own secrets, regrets, and the complicated ties that still bind them.
Critique: Unspoken Words is a moving exploration of motherhood, friendship, and the healing power of truth. The story illustrates how courageous, heartfelt communication can mend even the most fractured relationships and fulfill our obligations to loved ones.
Linda Joyce captures the resilience of the human spirit - and the quiet courage it takes to face the truth. Written with grace and precision, Unspoken Words is a poignant, heart-rending book that will stay with you long after the last page. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans, the story features unforgettable characters and richly drawn scenes.
Wild As the Stars
Kerry Chaput
Black Rose Writing
www.blackrosewriting.com
9781685136208, $21.95 PB, 329 pages
https://books2read.com/wildasthestars
Synopsis: Eleanora is a spirited dreamer living in Seattle during the Roaring Twenties. When the heavy cloak of Prohibition often overshadows the glimmer of hope, Eleanora finds herself in a battle against her fears and the oppressive laws of her day.
By day, she toiled as a dishwasher, a job that barely scratched the surface of her potential. Yet, beneath this mundane facade, she harbored a burning desire to perform magic tap dance - a talent that could light up the stage yet remained buried beneath the weight of panic attacks that haunted her every step. Her courage to pursue her passion despite her fears is truly inspiring.
Eleanora's heart raced with excitement and trepidation as she landed an audition at The Luminaire, a sanctuary for magic and creativity where the echoes of her mother's legacy still lingered. Her mother, a beloved fire dancer, once brought joy and awe to countless audiences before tragedy struck.
Eleanora's journey is not just about reclaiming her birthright; it's about embracing her passion in the face of adversity. With her new troupe, she stands at the precipice of a life-altering performance, determined to revive the art of fire dance. But looming over them is the ruthless theater owner, a constant threat to their dreams. The tension is palpable, the suspense thick in the air, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Will Eleanora be able to turn her dream into a reality? Or be putting herself on the pathway of disappointment and failure?
Critique: Wild As the Stars focuses on a young daughter her mother's graceful dancing inspired whose aspirations. She dreams of twirling under the spotlight, sharing her passion with the world. However, like many of us, she grapples with the anxiety that holds her back from stepping onto that stage. This internal struggle is a common thread in the tapestry of pursuing our dreams, but it is also a powerful catalyst for change.
Kerry Chaput writes with substance and grace, showcasing her talent as a writer. Eleanor is a character you can't help but grow close to as she navigates her journey. She discovers that stepping outside her comfort zone is essential.
Through each small leap of faith, she learns to embrace the beauty of vulnerability and find joy in connection. These experiences not only help her conquer her fears but also allow her to grow into the dancer she aspires to be to make her mother proud. Her growth is something that will make the audience feel proud and inspired. Readers will long remember this story after turning the last page.
The Lie Berry
Dean Bonner, author
Cheyenne Bigham, illustrator
C. D. Bonner Publishing
9780985795047$14.67 HB, $8.65 PB, 38 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Lie-Berry-Dean-Bonner/dp/0985795042
Synopsis: Embark on a Magical Journey of Imagination, Honesty, and Heart
In The Lie Berry, young readers are immersed in the whimsical world of Morrigan - a spirited girl whose love for storytelling is kindled by a mysterious, berry. As her imagination flourishes, Morrigan's tall tales lead her on vibrant adventures filled with colorful characters, curious twists, and profound lessons about truth, trust, and the consequences of our words.
Through its engaging narrative, The Lie Berry gently explores the importance of honesty, encouraging children to reflect on their own experiences with truth and make thoughtful choices. The story inspires families to connect through shared stories while fostering curiosity, cultural awareness, and the exhilaration of discovery.
Enhanced by Cheyenne Bigham's vivid illustrations, Morrigan's world comes alive in stunning detail, offering readers a visual feast that celebrates creativity and integrity. Every page invites children and their families to pause, imagine, and discuss authenticity's power in storytelling and life.
Critique: The Lie Berry is not just a book, it's an invitation to join Morrigan on her enchanting adventure and spark meaningful conversations about honesty, imagination, and the power of storytelling. Open the book, turn the page, and let the magic begin.
Dean Bonner's unique storytelling talent shines in this book, delivering a charming and meaningful tale that resonates with readers of all ages. He thoughtfully crafts each scene, blending whimsy and wisdom to appeal to children and adults.
Editorial Note: Recommended reading ages 6-12 years old.
Shades of Yellow
Talia Orbach
Holbrook Press
9798992289800, $12.99 PB, $6.74 Kindle, 254 pages
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8T9GLRX
Synopsis: Shades of Yellow weaves a richly layered narrative that thoughtfully captures the complexities of adolescence through the lens of enduring friendship. As Cassidy, Becca, and their companion navigate the emotional rollercoaster of teenage life, their journeys mirror the universal quest for identity, connection, and belonging, making their story relatable to all readers.
Each character's story underscores the transformative power of friendship, whether through cultural discovery, personal growth, or shared challenges. Their experiences, which resonate with the universal teenage experience, remind us that facing adversity together can deepen relationships and shape who we become.
Critique: Shades of Yellow is a heartfelt and authentic exploration of change, ambition, and resilience. It's a book in which each character has their voice, which allows their story to be heard.
Talia Orbach masterfully illustrates how meaningful relationships can offer grounding and guidance during life's most formative years. Her ability to create characters with nuance and emotional depth speaks to her talent as a storyteller.
Thoughtful and engaging, Orbach's debut delivers an emotionally resonant and thematically rich narrative - a must have addition to contemporary middle-grade fiction. This book reemphasizes the power of friendship and how joining can overcome some of life's most difficult obstacles, inspiring young readers to face their challenges with courage and resilience.
Editorial Note: Recommended reading ages 10-14 years old.
Another Side of Sunshine
Kay DiBianca
Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.
https://elklakepublishinginc.com
9798891343672, $14.99 PB / $8.99 Kindle, 329 pages
https://www.amazon.com/Another-Sunshine-Joanie-Detective-Agency/dp/B0F7LYKCNZ
Synopsis: Embark on an exhilarating treasure hunt with ten-year-old Reen Peterson, who has put aside her summer plans of writing a bestselling novel to delve into the thrilling world of hidden treasures of her university town!
With dreams of wealth and fame sparking their imagination, Reen and her spirited nine-year-old cousin, Joanie, join forces to form the R&J Detective Agency. Their partnership promises an adventure brimming with mystery, excitement, and discovery.
As the duo races against other young treasure hunters, including the cunning Alicia Allgood, they follow the cryptic clues left by the enigmatic "Mr. Shadow." Their journey takes them through the hallowed halls of the Bellevue University library, where they navigate through dictionaries, microfiche machines, and the Dewey Decimal System. Each clue leads them deeper into a world of secrets, from hidden treasures in a sundial to the wonders of local flora, showcasing their teamwork and determination.
Yet, the thrill of adventure turns to tension when Reen's rival, Alicia Allgood, steals their hard-earned solution. In Mr. Shadow's universe, nothing is as it seems. It's a race against time and clever foes, where Reen and Joanie's creativity, resilience, and the power of collaboration shine as they reclaim their treasure, proving that teamwork can uncover even the most elusive of hidden gems.
Critique: Another Side of Sunshine is a delightful invitation for young readers to embark on a thrilling journey filled with a captivating mystery. This book encourages children to discover the world's wonders, sparking their imagination and sense of adventure.
Kay DiBianca has set the groundwork required to make a mystery lover out of anyone! Parents can envision their child diving into the pages of this story, their eyes wide with excitement as they uncover secrets and solve puzzles alongside the characters. This book fosters a love for reading and opens the doorway to discovering a new love of the mystery gene world!
Discover the enchanting world of literature designed for children aged 8-16, where each page becomes a gateway for exploration and imagination! With the extraordinary talent of author Kay DiBianca, your young readers will embark on thrilling journeys that entertain and educate.
Editorial Note: DiBianca's impressive accolades, including honors from the Illumination Awards, Eric Hoffer Awards, and the prestigious Memphis Public Libraries Richard Wright Literary Awards, highlight her commitment to crafting stories that resonate with young minds.
As a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters in Crime, Kay brings a wealth of experience and authenticity to her writing. She also engages with fellow authors through her insightful blog and contributions to the Kill Zone Blog, ensuring her narratives are both relevant and captivating, and that they speak to the experiences and interests of young readers.
Suzie Housley, Senior Reviewer
https://housleysliteraryservices.com
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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