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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Family Tree
James Pylant
Jacobus Books
www.jacobusbooks.com
9798993183503, $27.95, PB, 432pp
Jacobuse Books
https://www.jacobusbooks.com/product-page/family-tree-a-journey-of-identity-secrets-dna
Synopsis: When celebrity biographer and true-crime writer James Pylant delved into the decades-long disappearance of his great-grandfather, he searched for the one relative who may have held the key to the mystery -- only to find that she, too, had vanished.
With the publication of "Family Tree: A Journey of Identity, Secrets & DNA", Pylant tells a true tale of betrayal, desertion, bigamy, illegitimacy, slavery, and murder deeply embedded into generations of a Southern family.
With in-depth genealogical research and shocking DNA testing results, "Family Tree" chronicles the scandals and tragedies in Pylant's bloodline. His family's culture of secrecy and estrangement unfolds through candid interviews with relatives from both the white and black branches of the Pylant family tree. The journey then concludes with meeting long-lost kin in Britain -- a family reunion more than 300 years in the making!
Critique: Original, exceptional, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Family Tree: A Journey of Identity, Secrets & DNA" is an informative personal and family history that reads with all the suspense of a deftly crafted novel. Showcasing the role of DNA as a genealogical research tool, "Family Tree" will prove of immense appeal to readers with an interest in genealogy and extended family and inter-generational biographical histories.
Editorial Note: Jacobus Books began in 2008 with the release of James Pylant's Blood Legacy. In 2009 it issued their second true-crime volume, Kansas Gunsmoke, authored by former Los Angeles Times syndicated columnist Myra Vanderpool Gormley. Two more books were published by Jacobus Books that year: Sherri Knight's Vigilantes to Verdicts and James Pylant's Sins of the Pioneers. Jacobus Books is committed to publishing accurate, carefully researched volumes. Their authors continually craft insightful, compelling fact-based stories with documentation, rare photographs and previously unpublished details.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Medicine at 50 Below
Mary Ellen Doty, M.S.
www.maryellendoty.com
Nelson Bond Publishing
9798993602424, $27.99, HC, 230pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Medicine-50-Below-Healthcare-Healing/dp/B0GJTSQNBH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/medicine-at-50-below-mary-ellen-doty/1149093593
Synopsis: In today's medical world, burnout is rising and rural clinics are left understaffed, and many clinicians feel trapped in a system that has forgotten its purpose. Professionals try cutting hours, switching jobs, even turning to corporate locum tenens -- only to find the same disillusionment waiting for them. (A locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians.) The frustration is real: exhaustion, moral injury, and the sense that the heart of medicine is slipping away.
But there is another path -- one discovered in the most unlikely place: the remote villages of bush Alaska, where temperatures plunge to 50 below and a single clinician may stand between a community and catastrophe.
With the publications of "Medicine at 50 Below: A Memoir of Healthcare, Healing, and Hope in Rural Alaska", certified Nurse Practitioner Mary Ellen Doty offers a different path. By sharing her years as a nurse practitioner in bush Alaska where she was often the only provider for hundreds of miles, Mary Ellen Doty reveals how reconnecting with purpose and autonomy can revive both the clinician and the communities they serve.
Her experience led to the creation of Wilderness Medical Staffing, now staffing more than 150 rural and remote clinics with physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants seeking meaningful work.
In "Medicine at 50 Below", Mary Ellen writes with clarity, humility, and a deep respect for Alaska's people and land. Her purpose is simple: Show readers that there are solutions for rural healthcare and that there is a way for clinicians to reclaim the meaning they thought was gone.
"Medicine at 50 Below" covers:
The realities of practicing medicine in extreme environments - and the resilience it builds.
How rural and remote medicine can restore professional purpose and reduce burnout.
Why rotational staffing solves problems permanent placement never could.
How community-centered care leads to better outcomes for Native Alaskans.
A founder's blueprint for creating a mission-driven healthcare company without losing your values.
Critique: A nurse practitioner's personal story of grit, care, and innovation in the face of seemingly insurmountable and bleak medical health provider conditions and resources, "Medicine at 50 Below: A Memoir of Healthcare, Healing, and Hope in Rural Alaska", while a deeply candid personal story, has a universal resonance that will be of particular interest to health care providers and medical resources policy makers. Deftly written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Medicine at 50 Below" is an impressive blending of personal memoir and health care innovation that will prove a fascinating, informative, and inspiring addition to community and college/university library Medical Professional Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental Community Health Care Systems Development curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of medical students, academia, health care providers, and governmental Health Care policy makers that this hardcover edition of "Medicine at 50 Below" from Nelson Bond Publishing is also readily available in paperback (9798993602400, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Mary Ellen Doty (www.maryellendoty.com) is an advanced nurse practitioner and founder of Wilderness Medical Staffing. She spent 19 years delivering healthcare in remote Alaskan villages-often as the only medical provider for hundreds of miles-before building a mission-driven staffing company that now serves more than 150 rural and reservation clinics. Learn more at www.wildernessmedicalstaffing.com
The Civil War Shelf
William Henry Seward's Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (1860-1861)
C. Evan Stewart
www.cevanstewartauthor.com
Twelve Tables Press
https://www.twelvetablespress.com
9781946074461, $20.95, HC, 210pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/William-Sewards-Nation-Secession-1860-1861/dp/1946074462
Synopsis: In the winter of 1860-61, William Henry Seward (the Republican Senator from New York and the presumptive favorite for the 1860 Republican nomination for president, but was defeated by Lincoln on the third ballot), labored mightily to effectuate his plan to save the Union.
Because of history's (and historians') heavy bias to portray Lincoln as almost a saint (see, for example, Jon Meacham's "And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle" (Random House 2022)), Seward's prodigious efforts have either been ignored, given short shrift, or looked upon as something less than honorable.
"William Henry Seward's Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (1860-1861)" by C. Evan Stewart is based upon original archival research and a comprehensive review of secondary sources. It tells the story of Seward's efforts. Counter-factual history is always an iffy business. But Seward's "plan" did help to keep the Upper South States in the Union during the months before the president-elect became the president.
And had his counsel been followed after March 4th, perhaps the course of American History would have played out very differently.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study of meticulous research, "William Henry Seward's Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (1860-1861)" is an extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Civil War History & Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. While it should be noted for students, academia, American Civil War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "William Henry Seward's Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter (1860-1861)" from Twelve Tables Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: C. Evan Stewart (www.cevanstewartauthor.com) recently retired as a senior partner in an international law firm headquartered in New York City. Mr. Stewart is a visiting professor at Cornell University and an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School. In addition, he is a contributing columnist for the New York Law Journal, New York Business Law Journal, and the Federal Bar Council Quarterly. He is also the author of Myron Taylor: The Man Nobody Knew (Twelve Tables Press 2023) and The Worst Supreme Court Decisions, Ever! (And Related Tales) (Twelve Tables Press 2024), Law in American History (And in Mine) (Twelve Tables Press 2025).
The Parenting Shelf
Super Woman
Mona Andrei
https://monaandrei.com
Cynren Press
https://www.cynren.com
9781947976795, $22.95, PB, 186pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Superwoman-Funny-Reflective-Single-Motherhood/dp/1947976796
Synopsis: When they placed the tiny, red-faced bundle in her arms, time stood still. Gazing into that puckered little face, she whispered, Welcome to the world, baby girl.
Within weeks, she' d become a single mother. Not exactly what she had planned.
In this newly expanded edition of "Superwoman: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, The Sh*t They Don't Tell You Edition", humor blogger Mona Andrei dives ever deeper into the messy, maddening, but magical world of motherhood done solo. Whether you're a single mom in fact or in essence, you will appreciate her signature blend of wit and warmth as she reflects on the triumphs and facepalm moments that come with raising kids alone.
Critique: Candidly personal but with a universal resonance, "Super Woman: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, The Sh*t They Don't Tell You Edition" is written with wit, wisdom, and insight -- making it especially and unreservedly recommended reading for anyone who is (our about to be) a single mother. Think of it as a insider's account on the highs and lows of what is today a quite common occurrence -- laced with sage observation and a wicked sense of humor. While especially appropriate for community and college/university library Parenting collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Super Woman" from Cynren Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Mona Andrei (https://monaandrei.com) is best known for blending wit with heart to tackle the real-life chaos of single motherhood, adulting, and chasing dreams -- often all at once. She's the voice behind Moxie-Dude.com, an award-winning blog recognized for its smart, comedic take on life's messier moments. When Mona isn't writing, you' ll find her practicing her dance moves. As a member of a competitive hip-hop team, she likes to think that she' ll stay young and cool forever. She may be delusional.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer's Journey to 80
Vicki Thomas
www.myfuturepurpose.com
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977286178, $27.95, 194pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Woodstock-Wisdom-Boomers-Journey-80/dp/1977286178
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-woodstock-to-wisdom-vicki-thomas/1149243644
Synopsis: From "From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer's Journey to 80" is a smart, funny, and refreshing combination of personal memoir and a field guide to aging with purpose, humor, and visibility.
Written by one of the first Baby Boomers to reach 80, with the publication of "From Woodstock to Wisdom" Vicki Thomas offers a front-row perspective on a generation redefining later life. Through short, engaging essays, she explores ageism, identity, health, work, relationships, loss, and reinvention-without nostalgia or anti-aging cliches.
With sharp cultural observations and wry humor, Thomas tackles real-life topics like changing bodies, caregiving, technology, financial uncertainty, and becoming an influencer at 79. Each chapter blends lived experience with practical wisdom and invites readers to see elderhood as a time of voice, relevance, and contribution.
"From Woodstock to Wisdom" will hold immense appeal for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who are asking themselves, "What now?" -- as well as for anyone of any age who refuses to fade quietly.
"From Woodstock to Wisdom" reframes longevity not as decline, but as a bold new life stage, and delivers a compelling call to action to age visibly, purposefully, and unapologetically, encouraging readers to claim their voice, their relevance, and their next chapter.
Critique: Candid, fascinating, insightful, thought-provoking, and one of those unique memoirs that are intensely personal but have a universal resonance, "From Woodstock to Wisdom: A Boomer's Journey to 80" by Vicki Thomas is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, Senior Citizen Center, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. Laced with humor, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "From Woodstock to Wisdom" from Outskirts Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Critique: Vicki Thomas never expected to be one of the first Baby Boomers turning 80 -- but here she is, laughing about it and writing it all down. She's the Chief Purpose Officer at My Future Purpose, a certified gerontologist (yes, that means she studies aging while also living it), and winner of the 2013 $100,000 Encore.org Purpose Prize (now CoGenerate.org). She has survived transistor radios, rotary phones, shoulder pads, dial-up internet, and more commercials than she cares to admit. Now she's on a mission to prove that elderhood is not the end of the story -- that in fact, it's the best encore yet. When she's not working or writing, Vicki can be found volunteering in her community and running workshops on purposeful living.
No Overnight Parking
Juergen Barbusca
Catalina Media Group
https://catalinamediagroup.com
9798993097510, $17.95, PB, 317pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/No-Overnight-Parking-Vanlife-Discovery/dp/B0G2ZYXXP3
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-overnight-parking-juergen-barbusca/1148839053
Synopsis: "No Overnight Parking: A Year of Vanlife, Discovery, and the Open Road" is the story of Juergen Barbusca, a man who leaves a demanding job in corporate America for a yearlong, 32,000-mile adventure across the United States and Canada in a camper van he nicknames "The Shoebox." With a road atlas and a stubborn check engine light for company, he set out to right-size a growing work-life imbalance by exploring small towns, sweeping landscapes, and the spaces in between, right down to the perils of overnight parking.
A self-described vanlife greenhorn, Juergen soon discovers that the real adventure isn't just iconic highways or spontaneous detours, but the people he meets along the way. Chance encounters, unexpected kindness, and an unflagging curiosity carry him through days filled with exploration and revelation. In the end, he carries home lessons only the open road can teach.
Juergen steers his way to Going-to-the-Sun Road, the Cabot Trail, the Loneliest Road in America, and well beyond. Nights unfold in big-box parking lots, truck stops, neighborhood streets, and wide-open nature. Along the way, he browses one of America's last video rental stores, learns the secret behind Dutch-oven biscuits, and meets a cross-country walking minister. Whether reflecting on life's twists inside Sloppy Joe's Bar, Ernest Hemingway's favorite haunt, or witnessing everyday acts of generosity, he records the moments that give the journey meaning.
Critique: "No Overnight Parking: A Year of Vanlife, Discovery, and the Open Road" by Juergen Barbusca will prove to be of very special interest to the armchair traveler and anyone who has ever contemplated leaving their ordinary daily life in search of travel, adventure, re-discovery of themselves. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "No Overnight Parking" is a simply fascinating read from start to finish, making it an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal and community library American Memoir & Travelogue collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "No Overnight Parking" from Catalina Media Group is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95).
Editorial Note: Juergen Barbusca was raised in Las Vegas and holds a bachelor's in German and a master's in public administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He's an award-winning communications practitioner whose career has included roles as a freelancer and corporate translator, nonprofit executive, and communications manager. In earlier years, he also took on a wide range of odd jobs-picking pineapples, washing dishes, sorting packages, hanging placards in subway cars, working as an airline ticket agent and restaurant waiter, selling beer from a hawker's tray, and managing a concession stand at an arena. After fourteen years in the tech world, when long hours slowly squeezed the joy from his work, he traded a computer screen for a camper van. When he's not behind the wheel or chasing down the next story, he enjoys swimming, cycling, foreign languages, and bad coffee at roadside diners.
Mountains Within
Jack Groppel
www.JackGroppel.net
Legendary Ascents LLC
9798999692528, $26.99, HC, 246pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mountains-Within-Achievement-Mountain-Everything/dp/B0GDJ1L6ZR
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mountains-within-jack-groppel/1148546143
Synopsis: Jack Groppel was driven to succeed long before he understood why. The son of a demanding, alcoholic father, Jack learned early that achievement was the only path to approval. By his twenties, he had already become among the youngest NCAA tennis coaches in the country, despite never having formal tennis training. Soon after, he was helping shape the future of sport science, training world-class athletes, and speaking on stages with global leaders. His resume grew to include tennis halls of fame, Fortune 50 boardrooms, and speaking about chronic disease prevention before the United Nations.
But behind the accolades was a man unraveling. Failed marriages, estranged relationships, and a hospital stay with no one by his side revealed the emptiness of a life lived for trophies and applause. Everything changed when Jack adopted Shen, a toddler from China who wanted nothing to do with him. Their uneasy beginnings grew into a bond that redefined Jack's understanding of love.
"Mountains Within: A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain that Changed Everything" is Paul's is an unflinching and deeply personal account of chasing success at any cost-and finally learning what matters most. From developing and validating the training of world-class athletes and sharing the stage with Christopher Reeve and Mikhail Gorbachev to a life-shifting climb up Kilimanjaro with his son, Jack shares how achievement addiction nearly destroyed him-and how fatherhood, faith, and a mountain helped him find redemption.
"Mountains Within" includes:
The dawn of sport science and some of the breakthroughs that shaped modern athletics.
How childhood wounds can fuel achievement addiction-and how to break free.
The impact of adoption, parenting, and faith to transform a life.
How to redefine personal success so it strengthens rather than destroys your relationships.
Inspiration to climb your own "mountains within" and focus on a purposeful journey of meaning, balance, and love.
Critique: Honest, candid, insightful, and unexpectedly hopeful, "Mountains Within: A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain that Changed Everything" by Jack Groppel is not only an inherently fascinating memoir of sports, success, and sacrifice, it is also a compelling and personal story of fatherhood, redemption, and learning that true greatness is measured not in trophies but in love and legacy. Intensely personal but with a universal resonance, "Mountains Within" is extraordinary and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Mountains Within" from Legendary Ascents LLC is also readily available for readers with an interest in Sports/Tennis memoirs in paperback (9798999692504, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Jack Groppel (www.JackGroppel.net) is a globally recognized pioneer in sport science and human performance. A Hall of Fame coach, author, and cofounder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, Jack has advised Fortune 50 companies, trained world-class athletes, and spoken on stages worldwide. Today, he inspires others to find meaning beyond achievement through faith, relationships, and purpose.
Between Selves: After Collapse, Before Coherence
Peak Afflatus, author
Independently Published
9798242061798, $12.99, PB, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Selves-Collapse-Coherence-Emergent/dp/B0GDMCMSWW
Synopsis: "Between Selves: After Collapse, Before Coherence" by Peak Afflatus is a compendium of essays on that liminal space: the plateau after collapse, before coherence.
Written from the perspective of a late-diagnosed autistic adult, these essays trace what remains when long-term social performance falls away. They explore masking, burnout, emotional regulation, and the legitimacy of one's own perceptions, alongside the social pressures that shape these experiences.
They blend autistic perceptual insight with existential enquiry, examining how perception distorts under pressure and what it means to live without a settled sense of self.
"Between Selves" is not a narrative of triumph or recovery, but of suspension: unevenly inhabiting life after collapse. It speaks to anyone who has felt unmade and found themselves living without a settled sense of who they are yet to be.
Less a guide than a field record, "Between Selves" looks at rupture, disorientation, and what it means to live through continual adaptation.
Critique: Of particular appeal and value to readers with an interest in Medical Neuropsychology and a philosophical examination of the nature of consciousness and thought, "Between Selves: After Collapse, Before Coherence" by Peak Afflatus offers an eloquent, insightful, and thought-provoking commentaries that provide a simple fascinating study that is intensely personal and with a universal resonance. This paperback edition of "Between Selves" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and professional reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Neuropsychology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Peak Afflatus is a creative whose work explores human achievement, collapse, recovery, and the continuing search for meaning beyond convention. After a twenty-five-year creative career ended in burnout and a late autism diagnosis, Peak set out on a solo through-hike of the French Alps. The experience reshaped an understanding of solitude, connection, and resilience. Their writing forms part of the Emergent Living memoir and essay series, which records what unfolds when a life built on performance comes apart. The first volume, A Comprehensive Breakdown, and the follow-up, Between Selves: After Collapse, Before Coherence, weave together reflective essays on identity, masking, burnout, perception, and psychological recovery, offering a candid account of falling apart and learning how to continue.
Towards Blue Skies
Adele Minnar
Michael Terence Publishing
https://www.mtp.agency
9781805881834, $11.99, PB, 206pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Towards-Blue-Skies-Innocence-Resilience/dp/1805881833
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/towards-blue-skies-adele-minnar/1149367138
Synopsis: With the publication of "Towards Blue Skies: A Memoir of Innocence, Fear and Resilience", Adele Minnar presents a powerful and honest memoir about growing up with a toxic mother in post-war Britain. After a brief, idyllic childhood in rural Shropshire, the author's life changes irrevocably following a family tragedy and a move to Liverpool.
What follows is a long, hidden struggle marked by physical and emotional cruelty, rejection and fear, carried out behind closed doors and sustained across childhood and adolescence.
In a time when child abuse was rarely spoken of and family shame silenced victims, Adele learned to survive without protection or affection. Moments of kindness from outsiders, the cultural awakening of the 1960s, and the Beatles inspired Merseybeat scene offer fragile lifelines, but the damage runs deep.
Spanning two decades, "Towards Blue Skies" is not a story of easy recovery, but of endurance. It gives voice to the lasting impact of maternal abuse and the quiet strength required to keep going when love is withheld and safety is never guaranteed.
Critique: Candid, courageous, heart-breaking, but ultimately inspiring, "Towards Blue Skies: A Memoir of Innocence, Fear and Resilience" is an extraordinary story that is both deeply personal and with a universal resonance. Exceptionally well written and presented, "Toward Blue Skies" is a a deftly crafted and absorbing read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Toward Blue Skies" from Michael Terence Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.69).
Editorial Note: Adele Minnar is a new author with plans for more writing and is currently working on a sequel which will chronicle her life in the years following those covered in "Towards Blue Skies". Adele is semi-retired and has worked for many years in commerce and law and now has her own business interests. Born in Shropshire she currently lives in North Wales, UK with her partner who is a self employed forensic accountant who she actively assists with his busy practice.
The General Fiction Shelf
More Than Any River
Victoria Tatum
https://vtatum.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896360308, $17.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Any-River-Novel/dp/B0FD44G358
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-any-river-victoria-tatum/1147607267
Synopsis: Winter 2022-'23 inundated California with as much as three times the average rain and snowfall and pulled the state out of one of its biggest droughts in recorded history. But the truth is that the American West, from the Oregon border down to Mexico, is prone to drought -- and in California, the biggest battle for water takes place in the Great Central Valley, where south-of-Delta agribusiness controls every stream feeding into the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers.
The protagonists of "More Than Any River" are the family farmers fighting for the Delta, and the antagonist is the big agribusiness controlling its water -- but ultimately, the Great Central Valley itself emerges as the central character in this gripping tale of divisive land politics and high stakes.
Although a work of fiction, "More Than Any River" by Victoria Tatum is inspired by true events, and based on California's Sacramento Delta farmers facing off against agribusiness owners over the massive water tunnel(s) the state plans to build under hundreds of thousands of acres of prime Delta farmland.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and deftly crafted novel that will hold a particular and special attraction to readers with an interest in family and small town/rural themed fiction that deals with cultural and business themed conflicts on an American history making level, "More Than Any River" by Victoria Tatum is original, exceptional, and highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "More Than Any River" from She Writes Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria Tatum (https://vtatum.com) received her MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State and her MA in Education from UC Santa Cruz. Her first novel, The Virgin's Children, was released by a Canadian publisher, formerly known as Rain Publishing, in 2006.
A Dog Before a Soldier
Ray Deptula
https://raydeptulaauthor.com
Speaking Volumes LLC
https://speakingvolumes.us
9798890224002, $18.95, PB, 310pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Soldier-Those-Damned-Yankees/dp/B0GNW1VK48
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-dog-before-a-soldier-ray-deptula/1149497928
Synopsis: The world was, is now, and always will be a complicated and volatile place filled with those whose own self-interests supersede more noble aspirations. If history has taught us anything it is that times may change but human nature does not. The competing interests and political tensions of the formation of our country were no more or less dysfunctional than they are today with the best and worst of individual behavior continually on display.
"A Dog Before A Soldier" is the story of Jack Halliday, a man who wants nothing more than to belong somewhere that provides him with security and values his worth. But in an uncaring world that devours the weak he is forced to rely on his strongest attribute, his ability and willingness to fight, that ironically belies his benevolent nature.
Much like the fledgling union of the thirteen original colonies, Jack's rebirth into autonomy constantly teeters on demise, in a world where his decisions are all he can control.
Critique: Launching author Ray Deptula's impressive new series, 'Those Damned Yankees', the premise of "A Dog Before a Soldier" is that those who fight their nation's wars are typically those least able to avoid it. And then there is the infamous ranking of value and allegiance that goes -- A messmate before a shipmate; a shipmate before a stranger; a stranger before a dog; and a dog before a soldier. Original, deftly crafted, and showcasing author Ray Deptula's exceptional and narrative driven storytelling style, "A Dog Before a Soldier" is a fun and thought-provoking read from start to finish. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "A Dog Before a Soldier" from Speaking Volumes LLC is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Ray Deptula (https://raydeptulaauthor.com) is a native of Wells, Maine, and a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. He spent 24 years in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot and a political-military office in Europe. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island with a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. "Those Damned Yankees" is the first series of books Ray has published, having conceived of it while taking a Revolutionary War elective course at the Naval War College.
The Lawnmower Lady
Edith Forbes
https://edithforbes.com
Rootstock Publishing
https://www.rootstockpublishing.com
9781578692163, $19.99, PB, 290pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Lawnmower-Lady-Edith-Forbes/dp/1578692164
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lawnmower-lady-edith-forbes/1148639555
Synopsis: What if the afterlife consists of watching the consequences of what we did while we were alive?
Fay Kirkwood, a grumpy offshoot of an old Boston family, lived most of her life on a north country farm, raising pigs and fixing lawnmowers. Alive, Fay was homely, independent, and capable. Dead, she is sharp-tongued with an audience of one -- the reader.
As news of her death and the unorthodox disposal of her body by her outcast niece spreads through their small New England town, Fay is launched into a pinball succession of interconnected events. Much to her dismay, she cannot escape witnessing the consequences, which come thick and fast.
"The Lawnmower Lady" by Edith Forbes is a voice-driven comedy about death, New England culture, small-town entanglements, and a green burial decades before its time.
Critique: Original, laced with humor, pathos, observation, and the unexpected, "The Lawnmower Lady" is told by author Edith Forbes with the kind of deftly crafted distinction and originality that raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Lawnmower Lady" from Rootstock Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Edith Forbes (https://edithforbes.com) is the author of four novels: Alma Rose, Nowle's Passing, Exit to Reality, and Navigating the Darwin Straits.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Crossing the Bronx
David Hirshberg
www.DavidHirshberg.com
Fig Tree Books
https://figtreebooks.net
9781941493403, $27.95, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Bronx-David-Hirshberg/dp/B0GHSZ183W
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crossing-the-bronx-david-hirshberg/1149208757
Synopsis: "Crossing the Bronx" by David Hirshberg is an historical literary novel set primarily in the 1950s in The Bronx. It is a modern retelling of the Jacob and Esau story from Genesis. The narrative that propels the story forward concerns the destruction of a neighborhood in the guise of progress. Jay and Eric, the sons of Ike (an Italian Jew), and Rebekeh, (a Mountain Jew), are estranged-as are their parents-and find themselves on opposite sides of a bitter struggle that pits those in power against the defenseless people of a local community.
Eric has aligned himself with his father Ike, who by day is a cop-and at other times works surreptitiously for a mobbed-up construction company engaged in major projects transforming New York City-while his younger brother Jay is allied with his mother and with a neighborhood group fighting to preserve its very soul. Their fractious relationship speaks to the issues of how families split apart, and whether or not the pieces can ever be put back together.
In addition to sustained tension-filled action, "Crossing the Bronx" is also a story of romance, commitments, beliefs, and triumphs over adversities (lies, theft, murder, concealment, prejudice). Through vivid descriptions, perceptive insights, humor and sensitivity, the reader identifies with the characters who come to life in a realistic fashion to illustrate who we are, how we behave, and what causes us to change.
"Crossing the Bronx" is fast-paced, with uncompromising realism, and reflecting the unrelenting tension between antagonists and the anxieties that overwhelm those without power. The underbelly of the criminal and political world is evidenced by brutality, rapaciousness, and a never-ending desire to seek retribution.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted work of fiction, "Crossing the Bronx" is an extraordinary and compelling read from start to finish. Showcasing author David Hirshberg's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style, "Crossing the Bronx" will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in the kind of historical fiction that lingers in the mind and memory long after the novel itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university American Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Crossing the Bronx" from Fig Tree Books is also readily available in paperback (9781941493397, $15.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: David Hirshberg (www.DavidHirshberg.com) is the pseudonym for a biotech executive who prefers to keep his business activities separate from his writing endeavors. He adopted the first name of his father-in-law and the last name of his maternal grandfather as a tribute to their impact on his life. He is the author of two previous novels, My Mother's Son and Jacobo's Rainbow, each of which has won multiple awards. In addition, he has published four short stories and written the introduction for a nonfiction book.
Sisters of the Sword
Rod Sproson
The Choir Press
https://www.selfpublishingbooks.co.uk
9781789635874, $24.95, PB, 408pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sisters-sword-centuries-finale-Crusade/dp/178963587X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sisters-of-the-sword-rod-sproson/1148443285
Synopsis: After two centuries of bitter conflict the Holy Land is lost. Outmaneuvered and overwhelmed by a superior enemy, the last of the Crusaders sail away. Defeated, despondent and despairing of ever achieving Christendom's longed-for triumph over the Infidel, they are broken men.
It takes a woman (and a lineage of influential women) at the heart of the secretive Order of St Anthony to marshal the fortunes and forces that will lead to the ultimate clash of two mighty faiths hundreds of years later.
From the 13th-century Levant, to the 20th-century Vatican, from the terrors of Nazi-occupied Poland, to Northern Ireland's internecine Troubles, Sisters of the Sword tracks the intrigues and plotting of two Eleanors and the two seasoned soldiers they seduce to their cause as they drive forward the quest for the final victory that will close the Crusades for ever.
Critique: Fascinating, original, deftly crafted, "Sisters of the Sword" by Rod Sproson is an action/adventure historical saga that spans the centuries and will hold the reader's rapt attention from start to finish. Reflecting author Rod Sproson's impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that makes for a great read, "Sisters of the Sword" will have an immense appeal for readers with an interest in medieval and historical thrillers that evolve into impacting the present era. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Sisters of the Sword" from Choir Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Rod Sproson spent thirty years of his life in a high-pressure sales environment... apart from five o'clock in the morning when he rose to write, longhand, his first novel: the action of the pen upon paper being cathartic to everyday stresses. Initially, the first part of Sisters of the Sword was published to some high acclaim, but life intervened and the manuscript gathered dust on his shelf. Until, with astonishing serendipity, he met an accomplished author on holiday who persuaded him to complete the entire work.
One Ordinary Man
Steve Vesce
https://www.stevevesce.com
Verlibri Media LLC
9798999645319, $22.50, PB, 620pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/One-Ordinary-Man-novel-Hopkins/dp/B0FVMLBFV5
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-ordinary-man-a-novel-based-on-the-true-story-of-harry-hopkins-steve-vesce/1148793203
Synopsis: Although a work of biographical fiction, "One Ordinary Man" is based on the true story of a man in its historically accurate account of the inspiring, surprising, life and times of Harry L. Hopkins -- one ordinary man who grew from obscurity to play a leading and pivotal role in helping America overcome the Great Depression, defeat Fascism, and win World War II.
"One Ordinary Man" by author Steve Vesce is a vibrant, witty, and captivating story that is at once, both human and larger than life. It's a novel that fully captures the times, adversity, and incredible accomplishments of a largely forgotten American hero whose abiding faith in America and its democracy drove him to overcome incredible odds and lift his country up from the darkest depths of its Great Depression to victory in World War II.
There is no surprise ending in "One Ordinary Man". The story itself is the surprise. And Hopkins's story delivers a steady stream of new discoveries about America and his achievements.
Critique: Biographical fiction at it very best, and based on the historically true story of Harry L. Hopkins, "One Ordinary Man" is no ordinary novel. It is a work of deftly crafted and inherently fascinating fiction from an author whose storytelling talents raise the novel to an impressively level of literary excellence. All the more impressive when considering that this is author Steve Vesce's debut novel, "One Ordinary Many" is absorbing, entertaining, and highly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "One Ordinary Man" from Verlibri Media LLC is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Steve Vesce (https://www.stevevesce.com) is successful entrepreneur with a lifelong passion for Modern U.S. and European History. He has served as CEO of three pioneering companies, and has given more than a dozen seminars on the people, events, and issues that impacted America leading up to and including World War II.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Earthen: Stories
Katherine Koller
www.katherinekoller.ca
Enfield & Wizenty
c/o Great Plains Press
www.greatplainspress.ca
9781773371511, $18.95, PB, 180pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Earthen-Stories-Katherine-Koller/dp/1773371517
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earthen-katherine-koller/1148336997
Synopsis: The characters in the short stories comprising Katherine Koller's anthology, "Earthen: Stories" are all in need of guidance: mothers, widows and wives, grandmas and grandpas, teachers, lovers, and the young. They find messages in the earth and rock beneath their feet, the mountains and atmosphere above, or the creatures surrounding them: birds and animals, plants and trees. The natural world insists on a relationship with both characters and readers of Earthen, in stories ranging from realism to fable to speculative fiction.
Critique: A compendium of twenty original and deftly crafted short stories, "Earthen: Stories" clearly documents author/storyteller Katherine Koller's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven style that raises her tales to an impressive level of literary excellence. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), this paperback edition of "Earthen" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community and college/university library Contemporary American Short Story collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Katherine Koller (www.katherinekoller.ca) is a playwright, a screenwriter, a novelist and a short story writer. She is the author of Books are Voices of the Land: The Seed Savers and Other Plays; Art Lessons, a novel; and Winning Chance: Stories, winner of a High Plains Book Award. Short fiction has appeared in Grain, Room, Epiphany, Alberta Views, LitSphere, EDify, The Fiddlehead, and Through the Portal. Katherine is also a founding producer of Edmonton Script Salon -- a longstanding monthly new play reading series.
Ripple Effects And Other Stories
Lesley Mahoney O'Connell
https://www.lesleymahoneyoconnell.com
Golden Antelope Press
https://golden-antelope-press.com
9781952232992, $19.99, PB, 180pp
Synopsis: In eleven carefully crafted stories, author Lesley Mahoney O'Connell helps her readers recognize and feel her character's strengths, flaws, and compromises. Most of the short stories comprising "Ripple Effects And Other Stories" are set in New England coastal villages. All of them are sensitive and thought-provoking, with their characters mostly quiet but intelligent people who see themselves as outsiders.
Critique: An impressive collection of eleven deftly crafted short stories, "Ripple Effects And Other Stories" effectively showcases author Lesley Mahoney O'Connell's quite distinctive and genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages her reader and raises her fiction to an impressive level of literary excellence. "Ripple Effects And Other Stories" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction & Short Story collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Lesley Mahoney O'Connell's fiction has appeared in Post Road, Psychopomp, and Solstice, and earned honorable mentions from Glimmer Train and Carve. She has studied at Boston's Grub Street and Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Mass. She works in communications, marketing, and digital strategy, and lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and son. (www.lesleymahoneyoconnell.com)
Editorial Note #2: Golden Antelope Press is a small press operated in conjunction with, or spun off from, its sister presses, the more scholarly Blazing Sapphire and Naciketas Presses.
A Tragedy of Riches
Tony Cointreau
www.tonycointreau.com
Winsor Publications
9798992840803, $32.99, HC, 366pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tragedy-Riches-Tony-Cointreau/dp/B0FMJ2J6XS
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-tragedy-of-riches-jacques-h-cointreau/1148050684
Synopsis: Elena, born into a modest immigrant family, is taught early that her extraordinary beauty is both her greatest gift and her sole value. Driven by her mother's relentless ambition, Elena rises from her humble beginnings to the heights of wealth and power, yet she cannot escape the shadow of familial expectations and exploitation.
As Elena navigates a world of glittering privilege, she is torn between her devotion to a family that both depends on her and manipulates her. Her relationships are a minefield of power dynamics-from a controlling mother who sees her as a means to an end, to a series of admirers who offer admiration but little understanding. Even as she gains wealth and status as the wife of a billionaire, Elena struggles to reconcile the demands of loyalty with the emotional wounds inflicted by those she loves most.
"A Tragedy of Riches" by Tony Cointreau is a captivating story of beauty, ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by loyalty. Through vivid characters and elegant prose, Cointreau explores themes of resilience, betrayal and unflagging friendship. "A Tragedy of Riches" is also a poignant meditation on the cost of loyalty, the allure of power, and one woman's quest to define her worth beyond what others demand of her.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and an inherently fascinating page-turner of a read from start to finish, "A Tragedy of Riches" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "A Tragedy of Riches" from Winsor Books is also readily available in paperback (9798992840810, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Tony Cointreau (www.tonycointreau.com) is a member of the French Cointreau liqueur family, was born into a life of wealth and privilege, growing up among the richand famous. His maternal grandmother was an opera star, and Tony's own voice led him to a successful international singing career. His paternal heritage put him on the Cointreau board of directors. But he felt a need for something more meaningful in his life and his heart led him to Calcutta and Mother Teresa. In her last letter to Tony, Mother Teresa wrote, "You are the sunshine of love."
The Isolate: The Saga of Nick Grindstaff
Chuck Walsh
Rand-Smith Books
https://www.randsmithbooks.com
9781950544585, $29.95, HC, 316pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Isolate-Saga-Nick-Grindstaff/dp/1950544583
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-isolate-chuck-walsh/1148050278
Synopsis: In the heart of East Tennessee's rugged Iron Mountain lives the legend of Nick Grindstaff, a man who turned his back on a cruel world and carved out a life of fierce independence and raw survival. "The Isolate" is the unforgettable story of a soul beaten down by tragedy, betrayal, and loss, and his decision to retreat into the wilderness to find solace, solitude, and meaning.
Born into hardship and orphaned at just three years old, Nick was raised in the secluded Doe Valley. After a rare chance to see the outside world, he set off to St. Louis with dreams of prosperity and a future with his beloved Annabeth. But the world proved merciless - his hard-earned savings were stolen, and his return home brought heartbreak. Shattered and disillusioned, Nick climbed into the mountains, where he vowed never to come down again.
What follows is a riveting tale of self-reliance and grit. Battling bears, panthers, deadly winters, and human cruelty alike, Nick transforms from a heartbroken man into a mythic mountain figure. His only companion? A loyal stray dog. To outsiders, he was a recluse, the "Hermit of Johnson County," but to those who knew him, he was a quiet soul whose life echoed the struggle between man and nature, hope and despair.
"The Isolate" is more than a story of survival. It's a haunting journey into a forgotten corner of American history. Lush with Appalachian landscapes and driven by the enduring human spirit, this gripping narrative honors a man who sought freedom in the wild and found peace on his own terms. Readers will be swept away by Nick's heartbreaking resilience and the haunting beauty of the life he left behind.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Isolate: The Saga of Nick Grindstaff" showcases author Chuck Walsh's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that keeps his readers fully engaged from start to finish. Historically based and inspired by true events, Walsh raises his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence making it an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Isolate: The Saga of Nick Grindstaff" from Rand-Smith Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Chuck Walsh is a novelist from Columbia, South Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, and discovered a passion for writing in 2004. His other works include "Black Mingo Creek", "A Splintered Dream", "A Month of Tomorrows", and "Backwoods Justice". (https://sites.google.com/view/chuckwalsh/home)
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Twinkle of Doubt
Patricia Leavy
www.patricialeavy.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9798896361329, $17.99, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Doubt-Celestial-Bodies-Romance/dp/B0FCYS6Y8Q
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twinkle-of-doubt-patricia-leavy/1147593377
Synopsis: Tess Lee is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist whose inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a federal agent who has spent decades working in counterterrorism -- a violent world that has left an inevitable residue on his psyche.
Two years into their marriage, as Tess and Jack both heal from past trauma, their epic love, fostered by their ability to truly see one another, has brought them profound happiness. When an anonymous threat is made against Tess's life, however, everything changes. Will they learn to lean on each other, or will they fall apart into the darkness?
Critique: "Twinkle of Doubt" by Patricia Leavy is the sequel to "Shooting Stars Above" and is the second title the author's 'Celestial Bodies Romance series, and finds Tess, Jack, and their chosen family exploring the nature of doubt and the struggle to feel worthy of love. Deftly crafted and an inherently compelling read from start to finish, "Twinkle of Doubt" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Twinkle of Doubt" from She Writes Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Patricia Leavy (www.patricialeavy.com) is an award-winning, best-selling author who was formerly an Associate Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books and has received career awards from the National Art Education Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, and more. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women's Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz when they established the "Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice" and in 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established "The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research."
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
The Winter Verdict
Dan Buzzetta
https://www.danbuzzetta.com
Severn River Publishing
https://severnriverbooks.com
Tantor Media
https://tantor.com
9781648757570, $17.99, PB, 286pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Verdict-Legal-Thriller-Berte/dp/164875757X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-winter-verdict-dan-buzzetta/1146849016
Synopsis: Tom Berte, a former Department of Justice lawyer, thought he'd left his past behind when he moved to Castle Ridge with his family. But when a brutal attack leaves him fighting for his life, Tom and his family find themselves at the epicenter of an unfolding conspiracy that stretches from the local ski resort to a desert compound on the other side of the world.
At the heart of the mystery is the Phoenix Holdings Group, a shadowy international conglomerate with its sights set on the Castle Ridge Ski Resort. When a catastrophic "accident" at the resort claims dozens of lives, Tom uncovers a chilling connection to his own assault and a ruthless plot that could endanger millions.
With his wife and daughter's lives hanging in the balance, Tom must navigate a treacherous path of legal intrigue, corporate espionage, and looming revenge.
Critique: "The Winter Verdict" amply demonstrates that as an author, Dan Buzzetta is a master of the political suspense thriller genre. Original, deftly crafted, and a riveting read from start to finish, "The Winter Verdict" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Winter Verdict" from Severn River Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9798228775114, $45.95, CD).
Editorial Note: Dan Buzzetta (https://www.danbuzzetta.com) is a litigation partner in a national law firm with over 1,100 attorneys, and a mafia aficionado. His series novels is inspired, in part, by a fascination with all things mafia and an actual case where he worked closely with the Department of Justice and FBI. After several years, Dan's team succeeded in recovering over $240 million on behalf of thousands of innocent investors swindled by foreign nationals.
The New King
Nathan Shore
Barque Point Press
https://barquepointpress.com
9798986880754, $27.99, HC, 312pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/New-King-Nathan-Shore/dp/B0GHBFDFPZ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-new-king-nathan-shore/1149228821
Synopsis: When the nineteen-year-old daughter of the Upper Peninsula's wealthiest family vanishes, her parents turn to disbarred attorney Ben Hirsch for help. What begins as a straightforward missing person case on an idyllic Lake Michigan island pulls Hirsch into a dangerous cult led by eccentric mathematics professor Jonathan Teller.
Following in the footsteps of the martyred nineteenth-century Mormon prophet James Strang, Teller crowns himself king of Beaver Island and commands his followers to build the kingdom of God.
When another young woman connected to the cult turns up dead, desperation and a sense of duty thrust Hirsch deeper into an underworld of drug runners, sex traffickers, and pornographers determined to exploit the cult's most vulnerable followers. As Hirsch uncovers the dark secret haunting Beaver Island's newest king, powerful forces conspire to stop him at any cost.
"The New King" follows Ben Hirsch across the Upper Peninsula, the Desert Southwest, and the Lake Michigan coast as he strives for justice in a world awash with greed, deceit, and brutality. Hirsch finds himself in the crosshairs of his sinister adversaries as he races against the clock to bring the cult to justice and save Beaver Island (and himself) from ruination.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The New King" showcases Nathan Shore's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven suspense thriller that will fully engage the reader's attention. It should be noted that "The New King" is the sequel to author Nathan Shore's debut novel "The Blue Flame" (2022). While especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of suspense/thriller fans that this hardcover edition of "The New King" from Barque Point Press is also available in paperback (9798986880723, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Nathan Shore is an attorney and labor relations professional. Originally from Alaska, Nathan lived in Montana, Washington, Texas, Kansas, and Arizona before settling in Minnesota. He is a member of the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.
The Unlikely Huntress
Stephen Maitland-Lewis
Hildebrand Books
9798895030325, $34.99, HC, 241pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Huntress-Stephen-Maitland-Lewis/dp/B0FZYLT4G1
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unlikely-huntress-stephen-maitland-lewis/1148690507
Synopsis: The world believed Hitler died in 1945. They were wrong.
In 1959, Giselle Faber, a recent university graduate and just months into her first job, stumbled into a conspiracy that nearly ignited global war and uncovered Adolf Hitler hiding in South America. Now 10 years later, older, wiser, married and a mother, living in Buenos Aires, she has tried to leave that life behind-until a chance encounter pulls her into yet another perilous chase.
With her husband and uncle at her side, Giselle must outwit deadly forces and confront the ultimate evil once again. The stakes are higher. The dangers are greater. And this time, failure is not an option.
Critique: "The Unlikely Huntress" is a gripping sequel to author Stephen Maitland-Lewis' "Legacy of Atonement" and continues his international thriller series of espionage, betrayal, and relentless suspense. Original and deftly crafted, "The Unlikely Huntress" continues to showcase Stephen Maitland-Lewis riveting and narrative driven storytelling style making it especially and unreservedly recommended for community library fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Unlikely Huntress" from Hildebrand Books is also readily available in paperback (9798895030202, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Stephen Maitland-Lewis (http://www.maitland-lewis.com) is also a member of PEN, The Authors Guild, the International Mystery Writers Festival. His acclaimed novels include Legacy of Atonement, Hero on Three Continents, Emeralds Never Fade, Ambition, Botticelli's Bastard, and Duped. His short fiction collection, Mr. Simpson and Other Short Stories, features the award-winning title story, later adapted for the stage.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Inner Space Aliens
Ieda Jonasdottir Herman with Heidi Herman
Hekla Publishing
https://contacthekla-publishing-1603-capitol-avenue-ste-310-a431cheyen.square.site
9781947213935, $9.99, PB, 221pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Space-Aliens-Ambassadors-Orealis-ebook/dp/B0GM8X2TSF
Synopsis: When ominous auroras warn of coordinated earthquakes, a tetrachromatic fifteen-year-old ambassador must decode Odin's messages and rally his twin and friend to stop a shapeshifting army before the world fractures into ruin.
Erik thought being an interstellar ambassador would mean interviews and weird fan mail. He didn't expect to read red auroras warning of war. He didn't expect a three-eyed giant to pick a fight in his backyard caves. He definitely didn't expect to be the one making life-or-death calls.
With Finna's arrows, Kalli's rallying voice, and a runaway sculptor who knows more than he should, Erik faces shapeshifters, subterranean armies, and the maddeningly pretty green lights of an angry sky. The Meridian Loki built is still singing -- and it's tuning the whole planet into a weapon. If they don't stop it, Earth will fall.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun read from start to finish, "Inner Space Aliens" is the second volume in author Ieda Jonasdottir Herman's 'The Ambassadors of Orealis' science fiction series. Co-authored with contributions by her daughter, Heidi Herman, "Inner Space Aliens" is a superbly crafted action/adventure that can be read in sequence or as a stand alone SF novel. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated science fiction fans that this paperback edition of "Inner Space Aliens" from Hekla Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note #1: In the winter of 2012, the late Ieda Jonasdottir Herman published a childhood memoir, which featured some of Iceland's folklore. Heidi was immersed in childhood memories of the Scandinavian legends, lore, and imaginative stories. The myth of Iceland's troll-like Christmas characters - Jolasveinar - sparked the imagination of many readers and led to Heidi writing her first book, "The Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads." It was followed by two more books on Icelandic folklore: "The Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk Tales" and "The Icelandic Yule Lads Mayhem at the North Pole."
Editorial Note #1: Heidi Herman was born and raised in Central Illinois, but her passion and a common theme in her writing is her Icelandic heritage. She spent more than thirty years in the telecommunications industry in a variety of roles that gave her a broad understanding of business, which she later applied to entrepreneurship, first in a small restaurant and later in a boutique publishing company. In 2017, she co-authored an Icelandic cookbook, "Homestyle Icelandic Cooking for American Kitchens" with her mother, Ieda Jonasdottir Herman, which won a US category in The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards that year. Heidi published her debut novel, "Her Viking Heart", in 2018. She has now authored seven books in five genres, including two cookbooks and a new series of Women's Fiction. Today, she continues to write between time spent traveling, sharing Icelandic culture plus a number of hobbies and interests.
Flowers for Gaia
John David Grant
OC Publishing
www.ocpublishing.com
9781989833612, $19.99, PB, 342pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Gaia-John-D-Grant/dp/1989833616
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flowers-for-gaia-john-d-grant/1149706961
Synopsis: Call her Earth, or call her Gaia, years from now, our planet is almost uninhabitable as a result of environmental chaos and war. In the middle of the ocean, two small, conjoined islands still thrive and serve as home to a unique population of survivors, the Wiconi. These peaceful, agrarian-based islanders have genetically evolved affinities that allow them to influence earth, water, air, and fire, talents they use to protect and aid Gaia, the Earth Mother. They are her Guardians.
When three technology-laden ships from the dying outer world land on the islands, cultures collide. The newcomers, Terrans, build industries that quickly threaten the environmental health of the Wiconi lands. The island Guardians stage protests and increasing resistance to these destructive practices. The Terrans, blind to the dangers of their industrial expansion, put a bounty on the troublesome natives and begin hunting them like animals.
Calix, a young Wiconi boy, loses his parents, his memory, and the ability to speak all on the same day. Bounty hunters. An elderly Terran widow shelters him from the authorities. With her help, Calix works to reclaim his heritage and understand the elemental talents of his people and their catalyst flowers: the windflower for air, water lilies for water, red roses for fire, and the common dandelion for earth.
War is coming. Calix, his best friend, Brooke, and other talented Wiconi youth train hard to become Guardians. Can these young warriors heal the land and expel the Terrans? They are certainly going to try.
Critique: With the publication of "Flowers for Gaia", author John Grant amply demonstrates his genuinely impressive flair for character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideally suited to science fiction stories that project from current environmental crises and hubris ridden exploitations of the environment into a future that can only be described as post-apocalyptic. An inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Flowers for Gaia" from OC Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicates SciFi fans and community library Science Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: John David Grant is a lifelong fan of science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal, be it in books, cartoons, movies, video games, or comics. A forty-year career working in health care-as a medical officer in the Canadian Air Force (Portage la Prairie, MB), a general practitioner in Cape Breton (NS), a pediatrician in both Sydney (NS) and Kentville (NS), and a pediatric emergency physician at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax-predates this second career as a writer and novelist. "Flowers for Gaia" is his first published novel.
Artificial Selection
Danielle Kaheaku
www.Kaheaku.com
Paradoxical Frog Press
9798993499215, $19.99, PB, 516pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Selection-grimdark-romantasy-Progeny/dp/B0GG6TTWJ6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/artificial-selection-danielle-kaheaku/1149446567
Synopsis: Disguised as a knight to escape a doomed throne, Nadia was raised to believe in crowns, honor, and sacrifice.
But beneath the rituals of a feudal kingdom lies the rot of an old world -- genetic engineering, weaponized bloodlines, and demons born not of myth, but design. The monsters that stalk the land are not curses from the gods. They are the remnants of a civilization that learned how to reshape life... and then lost control of what it created.
As Nadia is pulled deeper into the truth of what her world was built on, she becomes entangled with two men whose loyalty comes at a dangerous cost: a king whose claim is as suffocating as it is seductive, and a devoted monster whose devotion could burn the world to ash for her sake.
Hunted by those desperate to preserve the illusion of order, Nadia must decide whether to uphold a broken system -- or tear it down completely.
"Artificial Selection" by Danielle Kaheaku is a grim, dark, dystopian novel of engineered demons, corrupt power, and a heroine who refuses to wear the mask she was born into -- even when choosing herself means setting the world on fire.
Critique: Original, exceptional, brilliant, "Artificial Selection" by Danielle Kaheaku is a deftly crafted and simply riveting action/adventure novel that will be thoroughly enjoyed by readers with an interest in dystopian science fiction who will enjoy Kaheaku's impressive flair for her character and narrative driven imaginative storytelling style. While this paperback edition of "Artificial Selection" from the Paradoxical Frog Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Danielle Kaheaku (www.Kaheaku.com) has worked in the publishing and entertainment industry since 2006. She holds advanced degrees in English and Creative Writing with concentrations in Fiction and is a member of multiple national and international professional writing organizations. Her projects have won multiple film and literary awards including two Foreword Book of the Year Awards for science fiction and horror, Gold at the International Independent Film Awards, Gold at the California Film Awards, Silver in the International Independent Film Awards, Award of Merit at the New Renaissance Film Festival in London, Hollywood Screenings Film Festival Semi-Finalist, and Best Experimental Short at the Chandler International Film Festival. She can be followed online at @daniellekaheaku
The Poetry Shelf
Sucker Punches
Jeff Kilpatrick
Cynren Press
https://www.cynren.com
9781947976771, $13.00, PB, 82pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sucker-Punches-Jeff-Kilpatrick/dp/194797677X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sucker-punches-jeff-kilpatrick/1148966675
Synopsis: Sucker Punches is a striking debut collection. With visceral precision and wit, Jeff Kilpatrick contends with the fleeting moments of everyday life, the turbulence of the creative process, and the liminal spaces that resist easy definition. These poems, at once candid and searching, ask readers to surrender to the inner mindscape of a man reckoning with (un)certainty, meaning, and the tangle of being human.
This is poetry with a left hook.
Critique: His debut as a published poet, "Sucker Punches For Anyone Still Standing" by Jeff Kilpatrick is comprised of 6 Concertos, 4 Symphonies, and 2 Sick Days. This is verse written with wit and the kind of eloquence that raises "Sucker Punches" to an impressive level of literary excellence. This is a compendium of free verse poetry that is memorable, insightful, and an entertaining read that will appeal to anyone that appreciates a deftly scripted work of verse that demonstrates a genuine flair for the poetry of life and experience. While this paperback edition of "Sucker Punches" from Cynren Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Poetry collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that it is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Jeff Kilpatrick holds a BA in English from Oklahoma State University and one-third of an MA in each of three different fields, English, secondary English education, and statistics, from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. He lives outside Davenport, Iowa, and has yet to determine whether he drinks caffeine to spark inspiration or claims such inspiration to excuse his considerable caffeine habit.
The Railroading Shelf
Life Along the Tracks: Candid Stories from a Career Railroader
Mike McLaughlin, author
Jim Providenza, author
Basalt Books
c/o Washington State University Press
https://wsupress.wsu.edu
9781638640301, $45.00, HC, 260pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Along-Tracks-Stories-Railroader/dp/1638640300
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-along-the-tracks-mike-mclaughlin/1145539710
Washington State University Press
https://wsupress.wsu.edu/product/life-along-the-tracks
Synopsis: As a boy in the early 1950s, Mike McLaughlin was a regular stowaway riding switch engines back and forth in Seattle, Washington. By the time he was in high school, he was hand-firing steam engines as an unofficial crew member. Obsessed with trains and destined for a life along the tracks, he started by digging ditches as a gandy and ended as a railroad and transportation consultant, but he never completely relinquished his shovel. His career spanned multiple railroads, including Great Northern, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, as well as transportation management for several large industrial firms.
With McLaughlin, even the mundane becomes fascinating. Unlike those of an executive or engineer, his personal accounts focus on what went on behind the scenes -- from the finer points of using a shovel to suddenly having to reroute 16,000 tons of talc ore from Montana to a ship in Portland. He describes living and working as part of maintenance and signal gangs, moving days on several lines, supervisory issues, and more. His collection of mid-20th century timetables and other paper ephemera provide minute detail related to railroad activities and communications.
Numerous photographs and Dave Clemens' hand-drawn maps enhance the text, illustrate where stories take place, and promote a deeper understanding of some gritty, intense railroading.
Critique: Part memoir, part railroading history, "Life Along the Tracks: Candid Stories from a Career Railroader" is as impressively informative as it is inherently fascinating a read from cover to cover. Illustrated throughout with both B/W and Color images, and informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Introduction (Following Mike's Footsteps), a seven page Glossary & Abbreviations, and a seven page Index, "Life Along the Tracks: Candid Stories from a Career Railroader" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Railroading History and Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note #1: Lifelong trainman Mike McLaughlin (1937-2012) started as a gandy for Great Northern. After graduating from the University of Washington he worked for railroads across the United States, advancing to line supervisor and lower/mid-level manager, and later, to traffic manager for major companies such as Coors and Leprino Foods. He finished his career as a railroad and transportation consultant.
Editorial Note #2: Jim Providenza holds a B.A. and a J.D. degree from Santa Clara University, and retired as a Police Captain after a 38-year career in law enforcement. He is a co-author of A Compendium of Model Railroad Operations, as well as the author of more than sixty articles on various aspects of model railroading.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Magic Lantern Art
Terry Borton
John Libbey Publishing
https://www.hfsbooks.com/publishers/john-libbey-publishing
9780861967582, $55.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Lantern-Art-American-Narrative/dp/0861967585
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-lantern-art-terry-borton/1148301336
Synopsis: With the publication of "Magic Lantern Art: The American Screen's First Great Narrative Artist, Joseph Boggs Beale", author Terry Borton celebrates the life and artistry of cinema pioneer, Joseph Boggs Beale (1841-1926).
Beale was America's premier artist creating images for magic lantern shows -- the projected performances that would go on to give birth to the movies. His 2,000+ lantern illustrations were made into story-telling slides that were seen and admired by millions a year. Almost single-handedly he created American screen entertainment for the generation before the movies, pioneering narrative techniques that later appeared on the nation's cinema screens.
"Magic Lantern Art" is based on both the Terry Bolton's extensive Beale archive, now held by the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, and on his 25-year career performing more than 1,000 professional lantern shows using Beale's slides. Written in an engaging and accessible style and featuring over 500 color pictures, "Magic Lantern Art" is essential for anyone interested in cinema history or American art.
Critique: This large format (8.27 x 0.79 x 10.98 inches, 3.45 pounds) hardcover edition of "Magic Lantern Art: The American Screen's First Great Narrative Artist, Joseph Boggs Beale" by Terry Bolton is a seminal and groundbreaking study that will be of particular attraction to readers with an interest in the history of an early cinematic technology that would lead to the creation of the multi-billion dollar movie industry. A profusely illustrated, inherently fascinating, and detailed history, "Magic Lantern Art" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an eight page Bibliography, fourteen pages of Notes, and a five page Index. Original, unique, and highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Cinematic History & Criticism collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of Magic Lantern Art" from John Libbey Publishing is also available in paperback (9780861967599, $40.00).
Editorial Note: Terry Borton has a doctorate in education from Harvard, and has published two books in the education field. In 2014, along with his wife Deborah, he published Before the Movies, detailing the attribution, provenance, and dates of Beale's paintings - the foundation for this current book. National Public Radio has called his touring magic lantern shows "a living national treasure".
The Sports Shelf
Ascending America
Matt Harmody
One Kidney Publishing
9798999592804, $29.99, HC, 480pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ascending-America-Kidney-Record-Breaking-Journey/dp/B0G2MZQZDY
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ascending-america-matt-harmody/1148487574
Synopsis: When retired emergency physician and kidney donor Matt Harmody joined a team of four other donors to climb the highest peak in every U.S. state, they weren't just chasing a Guinness world record. They were out to prove a radical truth: Life after kidney donation has no limits.
With the publication of "Ascending America: Five Kidney Donors, Fifty Peaks in Fifty States, One Record-Breaking Journey", Dr. Matt Harmody takes you on an edge-of-your-seat journey through brutal weather, bone-deep exhaustion, and breathtaking landscapes. Alongside a truly remarkable mountain climbing adventure, Harmody dispels common myths about kidney donation, explains dialysis and recovery in clear, human terms, and reveals breakthroughs shaping the future of transplantation.
"Ascending American" reveals:
Why living kidney donors often outlive the people they save, and why their bodies thrive.
How one kidney donation can start a chain that saves dozens of lives.
What it really takes to conquer 50 summits in 41 days.
What those challenges reveal about human resilience.
The neuroscience of altruism and why donors often gain more than they give.
The future of transplantation, from animal organs to stem-cell innovations.
Both a fascinating outdoor adventure and a clarion call to action, "Ascending America" demonstrates how extraordinary things happen when courage, science, and human generosity collide.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, informative, inspiring, "Ascending America: Five Kidney Donors, Fifty Peaks in Fifty States, One Record-Breaking Journey" by Matt Harmody, MD is an extraordinary and deftly blended combination of action/adventure and medical instruction that will be of extraordinary interest to readers having to deal with kidney donor/recipient issues. Impressively well written and an absorbing read from cover to cover, "Ascending America" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Health/Medicine collections in general, and supplemental Organ Transplants & Surgery curriculum studies lists in particular. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Ascending America" from One Kidney Publishing is also readily available in paperback (9798999592811, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Matt Harmody, MD, MBA is a retired emergency physician, kidney donor, and endurance athlete. As board chair of the National Kidney Donation Organization and principal in a nonprofit organization working to reform federal legislation, he advocates for living donation nationwide.
The Travel Shelf
Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers
Karen Golston
Tropical Polynesian Productions
https://tropicalpolynesianproductions.com
9780967356945, $24.99, PB, 220pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Affordable-Hawaii-Solo-Travelers-Budget-Friendly/dp/0967356946
Synopsis: Whether you're a first-time solo traveler or a seasoned adventurer, "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers: A Practical Guide to Budget-Friendly Adventures in the Aloha State" by professional travel agent Karen Golston is a 'real world' practical guide showing you how to navigate the islands of Hawaii while saving money every step of the way. From booking budget-friendly flights and finding affordable accommodations to discovering hidden gems and free activities, "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers" is a compendium of expert tips and insider advice to make your dream vacation trip a reality.
"Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers" covers:
Saving on Flights & Accommodation: Discover the best websites, strategies, and timing to find cheap flights and low-cost hotels, hostels, and alternative lodging options.
Exploring the Islands Without Breaking the Bank: Enjoy the natural beauty of Hawaii by visiting free or low-cost attractions like breathtaking beaches, hiking trails, and cultural sites.
Savoring Local Cuisine on a Budget: Find the best budget-friendly restaurants, food trucks, and local markets that offer delicious meals without the high price tag.
Maximizing Your Experience: Learn how to get around efficiently using public transportation, affordable car rentals, or even by walking, so you can make the most of your trip.
If you are ready to leave your worries behind and explore Hawaii's stunning landscapes, rich culture, and unforgettable experiences without draining your savings, "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers" is the only guide you will need.
Critique: For those who have no interest in group tour guide packages or don't have a family to bring along, "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers: A Practical Guide to Budget-Friendly Adventures in the Aloha State" by Karen Golston is the ideal travel guide and resource to create truly memorable and budget-friendly adventures in Hawaii for single travelers who are on their own and need to get the most out of what they can afford. Exceptionally well organized and presented (including full color illustrations), "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers" is an essential and easily portable resource for budget friendly itinerary planning in the paradise that are the islands of Hawaii. While highly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library General Hawaii Travel Guides collections in general, and as an Oahu Hawaii Travel Guide Book in particular, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Affordable Hawaii for Solo Travelers" is also readily available from Tropical Polynesian Productions in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Karen Golston (www.sugarkdesigns.com) is a travel agent/tour guide. She is also the director for the West Valley Island Cultural Festival and Tropical Polynesian Productions. Karen has also served the community by assisting families in need through the AmeriCorps program, as well as providing Polynesian educational dance seminars and performances for K-8 schools in poverty stricken areas.
The Unofficial Walt Disney World Survival Guide 2026
Christopher Schmidt
Theme Park Press
https://themeparkpress.com
9798896094289, $35.00, HC, 142pp
Synopsis: With all that goes into a Walt Disney World vacation and visit, the compulsion is to complete, rather than enjoy your trip. All to often the result is fatigue -- not fun.
When it comes to Walt Disney theme parks, you simply can't experience it all in a single day. There are simply too many characters, churros, and roller coasters. Combine with crowds, and the traditional approach often has unfortunate unintended consequences.
Try taking a boat ride, a leisurely meal, or even just a moment on a bench in the shade. In the pages of "The Unofficial Walt Disney World Survival Guide", Disney Cast Member Christopher Schmidt discusses these and other options at length.
Drawing upon his years of experience, Christopher Schmidt, a life-long Disney enthusiast, current Cast Member, will guide you as a Disney Guest to an alternative, relaxed, potentially more fulfilling approach to the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, several parking lots, and beyond.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly, in tone, style, organization and presentation,"The Unofficial Walt Disney World Survival Guide" covers Walt Disney World Parks, Resort Hotels, Disney Dining, Disney Springs, and more. This DIY guide is informative, reliable, 'real world practical', because Christopher Schmidt is a longtime Disney Cast Member, former Disney Bartender, and author of The Unofficial Walt Disney World Drinking Guide!
Editorial Note: Theme Park Press (https://themeparkpress.com) is a premier publisher specializing in Disney themed books.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Breaking Down the Bible: Series I
Brittany Johnson
Independently Published
www.decodedfaithempire.org
9798249645236, $27.00, HC, 332pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Down-Bible-Beginning-Deuteronomy/dp/B0GPXMNRWG
Synopsis: The King James Bible is the foundation of Protestant Christianity and one of the most widely read books in human history -- but for millions of people, the language is the very thing standing between them and understanding it. That changes here.
"Breaking Down the Bible: Series I" by Brittany Johnson is the first volume in a four-part series that takes the entire King James Version of the Bible and breaks it down sentence by sentence in plain, modern English. This first volume covers Genesis through Deuteronomy - the five foundational books of the Bible, also known as the Torah or the Pentateuch - and presents every single verse in its original KJV form alongside a clear, accessible decoded translation called the Decoded Modern Language Version (DMLV).
This is not a replacement for the Bible. It is the companion you have always needed -- specifically designed for clarity, not doctrine.
Brittany Johnson personally wanted a better understanding of the Bible, but when she opened it, the language made it difficult to follow. So she broke it down sentence by sentence in today's language. She turned what was a challenging read into something she could actually understand, and knew if it helped her, it could help you too.
Inside this guide you will find the complete, unaltered King James Version of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy -- each verse presented side by side with a modern English translation. You will follow the story of creation and the fall, Noah and the flood, Abraham's covenant, Joseph's rise from slavery to power, Moses and the Exodus from Egypt, the Ten Commandments, forty years in the wilderness, and the laws and promises that form the foundation of the entire Bible. Historical and cultural context is woven in throughout so you can understand not just what the text says, but the world it came from.
"Breaking Down The Bible" does not claim religious authority, doctrinal accuracy, or spiritual instruction. It is not an official Bible translation. Interpretation is presented as explanation - not command. Brittany Johnson does not tell readers what to believe, how to practice faith, or how scripture should be applied to personal life. Readers are encouraged to read the original King James Version alongside this guide, think critically, question freely, and form their own conclusions.
Part of the Decoded Faith Empire Series, "Breaking Down the Bible: Series 1" is a four-volume collection designed to make the entire Bible accessible to a new generation. No prior Bible knowledge is required. It is perfect for new believers, lifelong Christians, Bible study groups, and anyone who has ever felt the language of the KJV was too difficult to overcome.
The Bible was never meant to be confusing. Start from the very beginning with "Breaking Down the Bible: Series I" and experience the foundation of scripture with complete clarity.
Critique: Unique, informative, insightful, inspired and inspiring, "Breaking Down the Bible: Series I" is impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation -- making it ideal for Biblical self-study and small group study curriculums. While this hardcover edition of "Breaking Down the Bible: Series I" is especially and unreservedly recommended for Church, Seminary, and College/University library Christian Studies & Biblical Studies collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of clergy, seminary students, and all members of the Christian community (regardless of denominational affiliations) that "Breaking Down the Bible: Series I" is also readily available in paperback (9798249636173, $24.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
A Single Excellent Night: A Man, a Mentor, & a Moment in Time
Lee Carlson
Henry Chapin & Sons
9798999418326, $29.99, HC, 358pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Single-Excellent-Night-Mentor-Moment/dp/B0FWB92MLB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-single-excellent-night-lee-carlson/1148112104
Synopsis: At the end of a tree-lined country lane shrouded in early morning mist, a small group of acolytes meets in ancient ritual, intoning chants as they sit cross-legged in the dim light. Their teacher (the well-known author, naturalist, social activist, and Zen master Peter Matthiessen) stands at the head of the room, speaking in a soft voice, calling attention to the birds singing outside in the predawn stillness. He urges them to be diligent in their meditation, then sits to the right of a rustic altar, a first among equals, allowing silence to engulf the small group of spiritual seekers.
One novice, 43-year-old Lee Carlson, is in the throes of a life-changing emotional crisis. As he stares at the wall inches from his nose, concentrating on his breath-breathing in, breathing out-working to still his mind, he looks deep inside himself: "Why such pain in this life? Is there any reason behind it all? Is there really love and joy in this world? What is God? Can I be a better person? Can I inspire others around me? How can I contribute to making the world a better place? How can I love more fully?"
As teacher Matthiessen says, "All will be revealed."
With the publication of "A Single Excellent Night: A Man, a Mentor, & a Moment in Time", Lee Carlson deftly weaves together awakening experiences and pivotal realizations from the first four years of a 15-year apprenticeship Lee Carlson spent with Peter Matthiessen. The relationship between these two men, Zen teacher/student, writer mentor/mentee, trusted confidants and friends, unfolds in beautiful stories as Carlson goes on a quest to the furthest limits of human understanding and mindfulness, culminating with a single magical event on a winter beach.
Layered with profound insights on identity, belonging, and suffering, "A Single Excellent Night" is more than just another book about Zen, spiritual awakening, and the enlightenment found in presence. It is a revelation about meaningful relationships, healing, love, and community.
Unpacking the wisdom and teachings of towering literary figures like Peter Matthiessen and spiritual teachers like Joanna Macy, Carlson invites readers to experience the rare fusion of lived memory and meditative inquiry-a search for insight shaped by Zen practice, poetic prose, and the lasting imprint of a literary legacy.
Critique: Original, extraordinary, articulate, engaging, "A Single Excellent Night: A Man, a Mentor, & a Moment in Time" is a simply fascinating and thought-provoking memoir by journalist Lee Carlson that will be of particular and special appeal to readers with an interest in Zen Philosophy, Buddhist Rituals & Practices. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental Zen Buddhism curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for philosophy students, academia, Zen practitioners, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Zen Buddhism that this hardcover edition of "A Single Excellent Night: A Man, a Mentor, & a Moment in Time" from Henry Chapin & Sons is also readily available in paperback (9798999418302, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Lee Carlson (https://leecarlson.life) is an author, journalist, and Zen practitioner whose acclaimed memoir Passage to Nirvana chronicles his recovery from traumatic brain injury using writing, sailing, and Zen. A former magazine editor and documentary producer, his work has appeared in Outside, the Los Angeles Times, and multiple Time Inc. publications. A longtime student of Peter Matthiessen, Carlson's current book explores their relationship and Matthiessen's legacy.
The Self-Help Shelf
Grow or Fold: Transform Yourself in Midlife and Beyond
Matt Ross
Amplify Publishing
https://amplifypublishinggroup.com
9798891388659, $30.00, HC, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Fold-Transform-Yourself-Midlife/dp/B0FPXQBL7F
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grow-or-fold-matt-ross/1148216722
Synopsis: "Grow or Fold: Transform Yourself in Midlife and Beyond" by Matt Ross is a genre-defying, deeply personal, and ultimately inspiring book that redefines what it means to thrive in midlife and beyond. With honesty, insight, and a toolkit forged in fire, Matt Ross (former CEO of School of Rock and architect of One River School) invites you into his personal story of transformation, resilience, and purpose.
At fifty, faced with personal catastrophe and professional upheaval, Ross chose growth over surrender. "Grow or Fold" is his blueprint (and your invitation) to do the same. Through raw storytelling and practical wisdom, "Grow or Fold" will help you to navigate the turbulence of change with clarity and confidence. You will learn how to take inventory of your life, reconnect with your core values, and design a future that reflects your most authentic self.
Whether you are feeling stuck, uncertain, or simply ready for more, "Grow or Fold" is your call to action. Because in the face of adversity, there really is only one choice: GROW OR FOLD?
Critique: Exceptional, motivational, and a inspiring, life-changing read from start to finish, "Grow or Fold: Transform Yourself in Midlife and Beyond" by Matt Ross is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help collections. Of special value for entrepreneurs dealing with stress, as well as anyone having to deal with a 'mid-life crises', "Grow or Fold" offers a 'real world' practical DIY guide to personal self-improvement and professional success. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Grow or Fold" from Amplify Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Matt Ross is an entrepreneur, author, and former media executive with over thirty years of experience building businesses that inspire passion and creativity. From rocking New York's airwaves to scaling global education brands, he's spent his career blending business savvy with a passion for the arts. Since 2012, Matt has been the Founder and CEO of One River School, a company whose mission is to "Transform Art Education(R)." Matt holds an MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at NYU and is a cum laude graduate in Marketing from SUNY Albany.
Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life
Michele Kehrer
www.michelekehrer.com
Grounded Arts Publishing
9798999163127, $22.99, HC, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Brave-Shift-Mindset-Changes-Transform/dp/B0FXKR11JT
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brave-shift-michele-kehrer/1148268541
Synopsis: The theme of "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" by Dr. Michele Kehrer is that if you have ever tried to change your life or business, only to slip back into the same patterns, you're not broken. You just need a shift.
Dr. Kehrer knows what it takes to create lasting transformation. She is a business growth coach, a serial entrepreneur, and a four-time cancer survivor who has rebuilt her life and career after illness, divorce, and setbacks that would stop most people in their tracks.
Her secret? Thirty small but powerful mindset shifts that, one by one, change everything.
In "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life", Dr. Kehrer blends real-life stories, sharp humor, and hard-won wisdom to show you how to get unstuck and build the business and life you actually want.
A prescriptive DIY self-help guide, "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" blends funny, real-life events with the life lessons they inspired, proving that a few small mindset shifts can create the reality you dream of.
Guided by her philosophy that even the hardest times don't have to be that dire, in "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" you will learn how every experience can be either a good time or a good story. Dr. Kehrer will guide you to see your setbacks not as failures but as stepping stones toward achieving balance, overcoming obstacles, and creating the mindset for success you need in business and life.
"Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" shows how to:
Turn setbacks into stepping stones that fuel your next big win.
Stop second-guessing yourself and speak up with confidence in any situation.
Focus on what you can control so you can find joy in work, life, and even the mundane.
Clear out energy drainers and create space for habits that make success easier.
Challenge the limits you didn't even know you had.
Critique: Exceptional, deftly crafted, life-changing, life-enhancing, "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" is an extraordinary, 'real life' practical, and 'reader/user' friendly combination of DIY instructional guide and 'how to' manual. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Brave Shift: 30 Mindset Changes to Transform Your Life" from Grounded Arts Publishing is also available in paperback (9798999163103, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Michele Kehrer (www.michelekehrer.com) is a doctor of physical therapy, business growth coach, resilient entrepreneur, and four-time cancer survivor with over 30 years of experience launching, managing, and selling businesses across industries. Through her company, Shift to Success, she helps leaders overcome obstacles, scale sustainably, and transform setbacks into breakthroughs.
Passion and Zen: Designing a Life on Your Own Terms
Angela Devlen
https://www.angeladevlen.com
AMD Enterprise Management
9798988617433, $24.99, HC, 264pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Zen-Designing-Life-Terms/dp/B0GN8MZ791
Synopsis: With the publication of "Passion and Zen: Designing a Life on Your Own Terms", Angela Devlen deftly explores how boundaries and integrity are instrumental in honoring the practices that strengthen our resilience.
These practices help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and our purpose. When we know what we want and truly believe we deserve it, a shift occurs. We begin to attract experiences and opportunities in our lives that connect with what matters most, encouraging us to design a life that is truly aligned with who we are.
Drawing on a cross section of professional and personal experiences in healthcare, disaster management, single parenthood, and entrepreneurship, Angela expertly weaves together her experiences to encourage reflection and inspire us to step into what we are being called to do next.
Critique: Original, exceptional, life enhancing, and impressively well written, organized and presented, "Passion and Zen: Designing a Life on Your Own Terms" by Angela Devlen takes a unique yet 'real world' practical approach to dealing with life issues which are both intensely personal and with a universal resonance and recognition. Inspired and inspiring, "Passion and Zen: Designing a Life on Your Own Terms" is a simply fascinating and motivating read from start to finish. A unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Passion and Zen: Designing a Life on Your Own Terms" from AMD Enterprise Management is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Angela Devlen (https://www.angeladevlen.com) is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and speaker. She is also the author of Grit and Grace: a journey towards resilience. Her work has taken her around the world advising hospitals, responding to disasters, and supporting communities in the establishment of sustainable development programs. She has established several grassroots micro-enterprises, nonprofits, and for-profit companies. She lives in Florida. Connect with her @angeladevlen on social platforms.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening & Freedom
Kay Cordell Whitaker
www.katasee.com
World in Balance
9781970928020, $22.99, HC, 186pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/No-Nos-Guide-Awakening-Freedom/dp/1970928026
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-7-no-nos-kay-cordell-whitaker/1148985006
Synopsis: Long before modern culture drowned us in fear, noise, and judgment, the ancients carried a different map for being human. Hidden within traditions carried forward from the ancient civilizations of pre-flood Peru and Egypt is a quiet, powerful antidote to the disconnection so many feel today: seven 'no nos' that unmask inherited lies and restore the freedom we've forgotten. Once secret, these teachings are now being shared with you-right on time.
With the publication of "The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening and Freedom", Kay Cordell Whitaker reveals for the modern human a refreshing, practical path rooted in ancient wisdom from the Ka Ta See tradition, a path focused on self-sovereignty and profound personal healing.
"The 7 No Nos" explores spiritual practices that originated more than 12,000 years ago, presented with humor, warmth, and vivid stories to meet the struggles of today's life. The No Nos means no blind beliefs, no judgments, no expectations, no assumptions, no jumping to conclusions, no arrogance, and no negative perceptions-help release cultural conditioning that keeps you from feeling worthy and loved.
Kay Cordell Whitaker (a storyteller, Kala Keh Nah Seh shaman, and Ka Ta See lineage keeper) was charged by her teachers to carry these teachings forward. With decades of experience, she offers a light, experiential way to reconnect with unconditional love and freedom. Through real-life stories, lively illustrations, and hands-on practices, you'll learn how to quiet the mind, awaken the soul, and reclaim your Song-the vibrant, eternal essence of your being.
"The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening & Freedom" reveals how to:
Release blind beliefs that keep you stuck in guilt and self-doubt.
Let go of judgment and experience real connection and self-discovery.
Free yourself from rigid expectations and assumptions to feel more ease and inner peace.
Stop rushing to conclusions and uncover clarity in relationships and daily life.
Replace negative perceptions with beauty, love, and authentic happiness.
Blending sacred teachings with real-life application, "The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening & Freedom" is a playful yet profound invitation to reclaim your truth and find your more.
Critique: A natural born storyteller, Kay Cordell Whitaker's "The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening & Freedom" will prove a fascinating, informative, and thought-provoking read to anyone with an interest in Shamanism, Spiritual Self-Help, Ancient Wisdom, and Metaphysical Truths. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The 7 No Nos: A Guide to Awakening & Freedom" from World in Balance is also available in paperback (9781970928006, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: Kay Cordell Whitaker (www.katasee.com) is an elder, grandmother, and the only known lineage keeper of the ancient Ka Ta See tradition in the modern world. For over 40 years, she has taught students worldwide how to release fear, reconnect with love, and live from their Song-the truth of who they are. She is also the author of The Reluctant Shaman, Sacred Link, and The Weavings.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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