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Reviewer's Choice
Lights Out America
Joseph Alexander, MCP CFM
https://lightsoutamericabook.com
The M.R.S.
c/o BookLogix
www.BookLogix.com
9798218379261, $19.99, PB, 187pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-America-Electrical-Disruption/dp/B0CXK72GW6
Synopsis: Can you survive without electricity? Can you live without the modern conveniences it provides? Can you live without your cell phone and social media?
An EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse), solar flare, or cyber attack can collapse our electric power grid. Do you have the physical and mental ability to survive these events?
"Lights Out America: Suburban Survival After an EMP or Other Electrical Grid Disruption" by electrical power expert Joseph Alexander is a deftly written DIY instruction guide to doing just that: Survive without electricity, living in your own home (sheltering in place) with what resources you have around you.
Critique: We have all experienced the abrupt dislocation of our daily lives when the power goes out. A complete and comprehensive survival guide when faced with electrical grid disruptions whether man-made or natural, a copy of "Lights Out America: Suburban Survival After an EMP or Other Electrical Grid Disruption" is a basic survival guide when confronted with the abrupt cessation of electrical power and urgently needs to be available to home owners/renters and apartment dwellers alike. This large format (10 x 7 x 0.44 inches, 2 pounds) paperback edition of "Lights Out America" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Survival Guide collection.
The Parenting Shelf
Are You Ready To Try Again?
Madeline Montero
Independently Published
9781735808536, $18.95, PB, 250pp
https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-Ready-Try-Again/dp/1735808539
Synopsis: Have you ever wondered how well you're parenting your children? Are you helping shape your children to become their best? Asked yourself the question -- Am I a good parent?.
With the publication of "Are You Ready To Try Again?: How to Parent With Success and Joy: A Mother's Loving Guide to Positive Experiences in Early Childhood", author and parent Madeline Montero offers a heartfelt, solution-oriented conversation with mothers raising children, ages 2-6 years old, about the joys and challenges of parenting.
In the pages of "Are You Ready to Try Again?" Madeline provides invaluable insight on how compassionate, purposeful parenting can lead to incredible results, such as emotionally strong children, increased curiosity & confidence, and a higher IQ. She also includes relatable anecdotes about her own parenting challenges and triumphs over the past 20+ years with four children in a blended family, to illustrate her tried and true ideas.
Montero presents valuable scientific research to help mothers feel more confident about parenting from "the inside out" and details how more joyful parenting is created via good information, viable parenting strategies and tactics, as well as having what she calls a "long view."
Critique: Exceptionally well written, accessibly organized, impressively 'reader friendly' in presentation, and thoroughly 'real world practical', "Are You Ready To Try Again?: How to Parent With Success and Joy: A Mother's Loving Guide to Positive Experiences in Early Childhood" was written for the benefit of new (and experienced) parents providing the tools they will need and use to achieve the best results for their children and family life. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), "Are You Ready To Try Again?" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Parenting collections.
Editorial Note: Madeline Montero (www.madelinemonterobooks.com) is the winner of a Silver Medal for Best Parenting/Family Book at the 2023 International Latino Book Awards. She has over 20 years of experience parenting four children in a blended family. Montero is passionate about enabling purposeful parenting that provides a better experience for mothers and empowers children's potential and healthy development. The author holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Santa Barbara. "Are You Ready to Try Again?" is her first book.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
South Dakota Crusader
Stephen L. Wilson
Joycliff Press
9780978960018, $21.00, PB, 584pp
https://www.amazon.com/South-Dakota-Crusader-Congress-Patriots/dp/0978960017
Synopsis: With the publication of "South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case's Road to Congress", biographer and academician Stephen L. Wilson takes an in-depth look at life and career of Francis Higbee Case up to the day before he officially he is sworn in as a U. S. congressman.
"South Dakota Crusader" begins by describing his family background and early years as one of five children born in rural Iowa, where his Methodist minister father served 10 pastorates before accepting a new assignment in South Dakota's Black Hills.
Next is Francis's high school, college, Marine Corps service, teaching, and graduate school careers are discussed in detail. The his life story then turns to his newspaper endeavors in Rapid City, Hot Springs, and Custer; and his involvement as a civic leader and unabashed Black Hills promoter.
Finally, this paperback edition of "South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case's Road to Congress" from Joycliff Press recounts his three attempts to be elected to Congress, and the Epilogue contains a summary of his congressional career. As the personal story of Francis Case unfolds, short updates about his close-knit family are provided.
Critique: Readers with an interest in American political and journalist biographies will especially appreciate "South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case's Road to Congress" by Professor Stephen L. Wilson. Exceptionally well written, impressively detailed and informative, as well as thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case's Road to Congress" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note #1: Francis Higbee Case (December 9, 1896 - June 22, 1962) was an American journalist and politician who served for 25 years as a member of the United States Congress from South Dakota. He was a Republican. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Case)
Editorial Note #2: Stephen L. Wilson is a former adjunct professor in the History and Political Science Department at Concordia University-St. Paul. In 2013, he retired from a 35-year law career. During that time, he worked for three different law firms and spent five years with the U. S. Agency for International Development General Counsel's Office in Washington, D.C. From 1991 until retirement, he was a partner with Foley & Mansfield in Minneapolis.
Prophet - the Hatmaker's Son: The Life of Robert Muller
Douglas Gillies
East Beach Press
https://www.eastbeach.org
9780970270535, $24.95, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Prophet-Hatmakers-Life-Robert-Muller/dp/0970270534
Synopsis: Robert Muller is recognized as one of the great peacemakers of the 20th century.
He started out as the modest son of a poor hatmaker and was trained to follow in his father's footsteps. Life was simple in the French village of Sarreguemines in the 1930's, but as the tide turned to war, German teens started marching in formation across the Sarre River from Robert's home.
In May 1940, Adolph Hitler invaded France and declared that all residents of Robert's village were now Germans. For the next three years, Robert maneuvered to avoid being drafted into the Nazi army while he studied Goethe, Schiller, and Descartes at the University of Heidelberg and learned to think like a global citizen.
He even harnessed the power of his mind to induce appendicitis on the day before he was to be drafted. When all other options ran out, he fled to Vichy, France, on a midnight freight train, changed his name and joined the French Resistance.
In this dramatic and authorized biography, Robert Muller discovered on the battlefield that he was destined to be a peacemaker. On the night of the liberation of Lyon, Muller stood by a cemetery weeping for the young people whose lives were taken during his service in the Resistance. That night he swore he would devote his life to peace.
After World War II, Muller dedicated his life to the United Nations, where he initiated economic and social programs that changed the world.
Critique: "Prophet - the Hatmaker's Son: The Life of Robert Muller" by Douglas Gillies is the life story of Robert Muller (11 March 1923 - 20 September 2010) who, because of his experiences before and during World War II would go one to become an international global theosophist with the United Nations. Serving with the UN for 40 years and rising to the rank of assistant secretary-general, it was his ideas about world government, world peace and spirituality that led to the increased representation of religions in the UN, especially of the New Age movement. He was known by some as "the philosopher of the United Nations".
Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a two page Appendix (Books by Robert Muller), a two page Bibliography, six pages of Source Notes, the Robert Muller poem 'Decide To Be Peaceful', and a four page Index, "Prophet - the Hatmaker's Son: The Life of Robert Muller" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental United Nations History/Biography curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Douglas Gillies was born in California and raised in Ontario, Canada. He practiced law in the San Francisco Bay Area after graduating from UCLA. He has produced six documentaries, including On the Edge -- a wake-up call, a frank assessment of the state of the world with interviews of Mikhail Gorbachev, Jane Goodall, Ted Turner, Huston Smith, Oren Lyons, and Robert Muller. He began documenting Robert Muller's life in 1994, first interviewing him for television and then producing Passion, an audio program in which Muller talks about the meaning of life and death. He is also the author 101 Cool Ways to Die (2009).
Dizzy Hill: The Brahmin Story
William Ripley Martin, author
James Martin, author
Dorrance Publishing Company
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798891276000, $20.00, PB, 170pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dizzy-Hill-Brahmin-James-Martin-ebook/dp/B0CZPCG783
Synopsis: A deftly crafted and inherently interesting life story, "Dizzy Hill: The Brahmin Story is the memoir of William Ripley Martin -- the co-founder of BRAHMIN and his struggles to overcome severe dyslexia, school failure, and being fired from his job to creating a major brand in the fashion industry, in large part, told to his brother, James Martin.
Critique: "Dizzy Hill: The Brahmin Story" by William Ripley Martin (with the help of James Martin) will prove a fascinating and thought-provoking read for anyone who has an interest in Learning Disabilities, flunking out of school, has been fired from a job, have an interest in starting a family business; intends to sell their company, or is simply interest in how an entrepreneur thinks. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.00), this large format paperback edition of "Dizzy Hill: The Brahmin Story" from the Dorrance Publishing Company is especially and unreservedly recommended for community/public library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections and personal reading lists.
Editorial Note: A former operations executive in the food industry, James Martin is also an instrument-rated commercial pilot loves nothing more than to spend a day with his loved ones and play a round of golf with his long-time buddies. A former Senior-Olympic golfer and swimmer, an experienced sailor with over 50 trips up-and-down the East Coast, and avid traveler, the University of Maryland Alumnus has a lot of experience around this big-ole rock, with a lot of wisdom to show for it! Jim lives in Leland, North Carolina.
Admiral James Stavridis: Sailor, Scholar, Leader
Stanley D. M. Carpenter
Naval Institute Press
www.nip.org
9781682475201, $29.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Admiral-James-Stavridis-Sailor-Scholar/dp/1682475204
Synopsis: "Admiral James Stavridis: Sailor, Scholar, Leader" is the biography of Admiral James George Stavridis and provides the life history of a naval admiral, leader and commentator. From his accomplishments in the U.S. Navy and on to his time as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe for NATO, Stanley Carpenter presents the most detailed picture yet of the familiar Admiral James Stavridis. Continuing on to Stavridis's post-Navy career, this book reveals the man who, in and out of uniform, has exemplified an ideal of service -- both in command and as a retired expert on world affairs.
The child of Greek immigrants, the story of James Stavridis takes on the hallmarks of a resolutely American success story. Within the story of his youth and education is a resounding reminder of the importance of service. From the U.S. Naval Academy and on to NATO, Admiral Stavridis' time in uniform provided both an example of duty to country, but also the story of a rise from sailor to leader. As leader, Admiral Stavridis stressed the value of education, and placed a premium on understanding the literature of the profession of arms. His numerous books after his time in uniform attest to the Admiral's unique focus, one which he continues to champion.
Admiral James Stavridis: Sailor, Scholar, Leader offers a compelling portrait of a life of duty, lessons for future members of the sea services, and a richly detailed, uniquely American success story. With a look at his career after his U.S. Navy, this author has presented a full picture of the man, not just the sailor or admiral. Those familiar with James Stavridis from his contemporary writings or appearances on TV will find much to enjoy here, as will those in uniform who will find this volume a succinct and forceful presentation of a rise of a leader through the ranks of the military and beyond.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of ten pages of Notes and a thirteen page Index, "Admiral James Stavridis: Sailor, Scholar, Leader" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, making it an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library American Military Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Admiral James Stavridis: Sailor, Scholar, Leader" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $!6.17).
Editorial Note: Professor Stanley Carpenter served in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a captain with numerous command and senior staff billets. He taught Strategy and Policy at the U.S. Naval War College, retiring as professor emeritus. Holding several academic degrees (PhD, MLitt, and BA with Honors), he publishes widely on military and naval history and leadership topics.
Farmed Out in Ontonagon County
W. Patrick Winton
Independently Published
9798989948406, $17.99, PB, 170pp
https://www.amazon.com/Farmed-Ontonagon-County-Patrick-Winton/dp/B0D1389QYF
Synopsis: "You're the man of the house now, Pat."
After learning that a 46-year-old father had dropped dead at the dinner table, a neighbor put his hand on the boy's seven-year-old shoulder and outlined the course of his future. From that moment on, heavy burdens fell on those skinny shoulders.
In 1947, Pat's distraught mother brought her children to her family's rural Finnish homestead in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Pat labored to find ways to support them, but his chronically ill mother had to farm her children out to live with others and work for room and board. When she remarried, they moved to a hardscrabble farm under the critical scrutiny of an abusive stepfather. The day the stepfather stabbed a pitchfork into Pat's back, the boy left, never to return.
Pat struggled for everything he needed, including wrangling with school officials to enter high school without parental permission. To support himself, he found work in the unlikeliest of places - a rough-and-ready carnival, manure piles, and oat fields where he harvested rocks and weeds.
Despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pat excelled academically and was elected student council president.
And then one day the police arrived at school, handcuffed him and hauled him to court for a crime he didn't commit. But for which Pat would ultimately overcome.
Times were very different in postwar America as revealed in Pat Winton's memoir, "Farmed Out in Ontonagon County", which chronicles the boy's journey of hard knocks, hard work, persistence, forgiveness, and a strong belief in the Almighty.
Critique: An inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Farmed Out in Ontonagon County", the life story of W. Patrick Winton also features a section of B/W historical photos making it an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Farmed Out in Ontonagon County" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).
Nadia Boulanger
James Whipple Miller
Chestnut Hill Press
https://www.chestnuthillpress.com
9798985750089, $39.99, HC, 380pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nadia-Boulanger-Years-America-Decades/dp/B0CBSV8X4B
Synopsis: "Nadia Boulanger: War Years in America and Her Last Decades" by James Miller is the first biographical study of the great French master teacher's last half of life. This biography of the late Juliette Nadia Boulanger includes 227 letters exchanged over four decades between Boulanger and her close friend and disciple Ruth Robbins.
From this unique epistolary record between an extraordinary pedagogue and her student, we gain deep and new insights into Boulanger's beliefs and feelings, and how they changed as she faced the challenges of aging. Another intimate perspective on Boulanger comes from her favorite post-war student Idil Biret who vividly describes her resistance to Boulanger's rigidity.
Critique: Impressively informative, inherently fascinating, exceptionally well organized and presented, this unique edition of James Miller's "Nadia Boulanger: War Years in America and Her Last Decades" from Chestnut Hill Press is especially and unreservedly recommended as a highly prized addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for readers with an interest in the life and accomplishments of Juliette Nadia Boulanger that this edition of "Juliette Nadia Boulanger" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99).
Editorial Note #1: Juliette Nadia Boulanger (16 September 1887 - 22 October 1979) was a French music teacher, conductor and composer. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organist. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadia_Boulanger)
Editorial Note #2: James Whipple Miller was a professor of Comparative Literature and Classical Chinese at UC Berkeley. He also served as editor- in-chief of financial and technology publications in Silicon Valley, leading to relationships with investors and technical innovators, in turn leading to decades in start-up business finance and directorships on many boards. He now invests his time in editing and writing projects far removed from finance, business, and Silicon Valley. (https://www.chestnuthillpress.com/james-whipple-miller)
The General Fiction Shelf
The Safehouse
T. Thomas Ackerman
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781432775247, $19.95, PB, 264pp
https://www.amazon.com/Safehouse-T-Thomas-Ackerman/dp/1432775243
Synopsis: Every nine seconds, a woman becomes a victim of domestic violence in the United States. The laws don't do enough to protect these women and their children from the abuse, which will always escalate.
Detective Jessica Warren understands all too well how vulnerable women are in abusive relationships. And she's not going to stand by and watch as innocent victims are injured, or worse.
"The Safehouse" is the story of Jessie Warren and the closely knit network of powerful women who aren't willing to allow abusive men to hide behind inadequate laws. It's the story of the victims she helps, some of whom learn to break out of the patterns holding them trapped. And it's the story of how Jessie navigates the police system with pragmatism, intelligence, and heart to extend a helping hand to women in need.
But with all the time and emotional energy she spends helping others, will she be able to maintain her own life balance? And will she be able to outsmart the one member of the police force who doesn't approve of her unorthodox methods?
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "The Safehouse" by Thomas Ackerman accurately resonates with the real life experiences for thousands and thousands of women every day. A simply riveting read from start to finish, in the pages of "The Safehouse", novelist T. Thomas Ackerman takes the reader on a compelling journey to justice. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), "The Safehouse" is unreservedly recommended for community/public library collections.
Editorial Note: Author T. Thomas Ackerman is donating 25% of royalties from this book to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The Safehouse II Justice For Jessie
T. Thomas Ackerman
Amazon Elite Publishers
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781964422176, $19.55, HC, 176pp
https://www.amazon.com/Safehouse-II-Justice-Jessie/dp/1964422175
Synopsis: "The Safehouse II Justice For Jessie" takes up where "The Safehouse" by T. Thomas Ackerman leaves off. Detective Jessica Warren continues to fight for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence and abuse.
With each domestic violence case that Jessie takes on, she knows that she must be on guard and not become a victim of a woman's husband, partner or jealous friend. With as many crooked cops on the force as there are good cops, Jessie must also spend each day being on guard as she takes on each case and its victim that she fights for and at the same time balancing her professional life with her personal life.
Critique: The deftly crafted sequel to "The Safehouse", author/novelist T. Thomas Ackerman's "The Safehouse II Justice For Jessie" continues to be unreservedly recommended for community/public library collections. Like it's predecessor, "The Safehouse II Justice For Jessie" is a compelling read from cover to cover and is also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (The Safehouse II Justice For Jessie, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: T. Thomas Ackerman is also the author of "For a Reason", which was released in 2009. (www.independentauthornetwork.com/t-thomas-ackerman.html)
Rookie Year
J. Kilburn
James K. Mossman III, Publisher
www.topdogsnovel.com
www.cerealnovel.com
9798989915217, $19.99, PB, 428pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rookie-Year-Novel-J-Kilburn/dp/B0CVF3XLG6
Synopsis: A rookie police officer has met the Girl of his dreams and thinks he's hot on the trail of a promising law enforcement career, too. A lot can happen between starry-eyed plans and life itself, so there will to be a few rough spots along the way... including a big bump right at the start!
"Rookie Year" is a policing and family drama exploring the excitement, joys, and pitfalls of young love and new careers as a couple from a small New England college town navigates the adventure-filled years between Teen Angst and Adulting.
Filled with harrowing law enforcement experiences, detailed police tactics training, and unanticipated romantic drama, it's going to be an incredible Rookie Year for both the new couple and the new cop.
Critique: In his novel "Rookie Year", author J. Kilburn invites the reader to a year-long ride-along adventure with Vermont's "Green-and-Gold" state troopers and other public safety professionals in a policing. Original, fascinating, deftly crafted, and a fun read from start to finish, "Rookie Year" deftly blends elements of romance, policing, action and adventure making it especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Rookie Year" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: J. Kilburn (https://cerealnovel.com) is the author of three self-published novels, as well as one feature-length investigative newspaper article published in his community's local newspaper.
Anything Is Good
Fred Waitzkin
https://fredwaitzkin.com
Open Road Media
https://openroadmedia.com
9781504094559, $25.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Anything-Good-Fred-Waitzkin/dp/1504094557
Synopsis: Ralph Silverman was a foreign film buff, a victim of bullies, and a boy genius. He held long conversations with his pet parakeet and spent countless hours on a computer, creating mesmerizing music and solving problems in philosophy. He was a friend of great scholars and the son of a wealthy outer-borough businessman with shady associates and a secret second family. And, as he begins to take over the story from the narrator, Ralph finds himself in South Florida, physically abused and expelled into a frightening world of the unhoused -- with a broken pair of glasses, no money, and no shoes.
Critique: "Anything Is Good" is a deftly crafted, original, and compelling tale of a man haunted by the fate of his childhood buddy, and of that friend's pleasures and misfortunes as he navigates an unhoused life -- a life more complex and dramatic than a by-passer might ever imagine. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), novelist Fred Waitzkin' "Anything Is Good" from Open Road Media is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Fred Waitzkin was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1943. When he was a teenager he wavered between wanting to spend his life as a fisherman, Afro Cuban drummer, or novelist. He went to Kenyon College and did graduate study at New York University. His work has appeared in Esquire, New York magazine, the New York Times Sunday Magazine, the New York Times Book Review, Outside, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, the Huffington Post, and the Daily Beast, among other publications. His memoir, Searching for Bobby Fischer, was made into a major motion picture released in 1993. His other books are Mortal Games, The Last Marlin, and The Dream Merchant. Recently, he has completed an original screenplay, The Rave.
Memories of the Lost
Barbara O'Neal
https://barbaraoneal.com
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
9781662514920, $28.99, HC, 285pp
https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Lost-Novel-Barbara-ONeal/dp/1662514921
Synopsis: Months after her mother passes away, artist Tillie Morrisey sees a painting in a gallery that leaves her inexplicably lightheaded and unsteady. When a handsome stranger comes to her aid, their connection is so immediate it seems fated, though Liam is only visiting for a few days.
Working on her own art has always been a refuge, but after discovering a document among her mother's belongings that suggests Tillie's life has been a lie, she begins to suffer from a series of fugue states, with memories surfacing that she isn't even sure are her own.
As her confusion and grief mount, and prompted by a lead on the painting that started it all, Tillie heads to a seaside village in England. There, she hopes to discover the source of her uncanny inspirations, sort out her feelings about Liam, and unravel truths that her mother kept hidden for decades.
Critique: Eloquent, original, and a fully engaging read from cover to cover, with "Memories of the Lost", novelist Barbara O'Neal deftly intertwines the fluidity of memory, the empowering strength of character, the beauty of nature, and the love of family to braid together in an artful tapestry of a story that will linger in the mined and memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Unreservedly recommended as a prized pick for community library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Memories of the Lost" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781662514906, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Barbara O'Neal (www.barbaraoneal.com) is the author of more than a dozen novels of women's fiction, including the #1 Amazon Charts bestseller When We Believed in Mermaids, This Place of Wonder, and The Starfish Sisters. Her award-winning books have been published in more than two dozen countries.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Regina of Warsaw: Love, Loss and Liberation
Geri Spieler
Speaking Volumes, LLC
https://speakingvolumes.us
9798890221490, $17.95, PB, 308pp
https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Warsaw-Love-Loss-Liberation/dp/B0D5SVQ7CZ
Synopsis: Regina Anuszewicz looked forward to visiting her sister in Bialystok for a late afternoon stroll along the Bialy River. It was June 1906, and it should have been an exciting time to stay overnight in the women's boarding house. However, a violent pogrom blasted those plans as a rage of violence shook the town and Regina's hopes.
Russian soldiers swarmed the streets and homes, stomping up to her sister's boarding house, forcing Regina to hide inside the wardrobe, barely able to breathe as she heard screams and people begging for their lives. The trauma of that day shaped Regina's life and every decision she made as she moved through the days and years, coloring her approach to every event that took her from Poland to the United States and the four children she sought to protect.
Critique: Although a work of fiction, "Regina of Warsaw: Love, Loss and Liberation" by novelist Geri Spieler is inspired by historical events. A carefully crafted and simply riveting read from start to finish, "Regina of Warsaw" will prove to be of particular appeal for reader's with an interest in 20th Century Jewish historical fiction. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this edition of "Regina of Warsaw" published by Speaking Volumes, LLC is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Geri Spieler (https://go.authorsguild.org/members/4276) is an investigative journalist and award-winning speaker who has written articles for the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Huffington Post, Westways, and was a featured correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Company
Jon Michael Varese
https://www.jmvarese.com
Baskerville
9781399802635, $17.65, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/The-Company/dp/1399802631
Synopsis: London, 1870. -- Lucy Braithwhite lives a privileged existence as the heir to the fortune of Braithwhite & Company-the most successful purveyor of luxury wallpapers in England and the world over. The company's formulas have been respected for nearly a century, but have always remained closely guarded and cloaked in mystery. No one has ever been able to explain the originality of Braithwhite & Company's designs, or the brilliance of their colours, leaving many to wonder if the mysterious spell-like effect of their wallpapers is due simply to artistry, or perhaps something more sinister.
When Mr Luckhurst, the company's manager, and the man who has acted as surrogate father to Lucy and her invalid brother John since they were children, suddenly dies, Lucy is shocked to discover that there is no succession plan in place. Who will run the company and ensure that it (and her family) continue to thrive?
The answer soon arrives in the form of the young and alluring Julian Rivers, who, unbeknownst to Lucy and John, has been essential to the company's operations for some time. At first, he seems like the answer to their prayers, but as Lucy begins piecing together Julian's true intentions, and John begins seeing distortions-and soon spectral visions-in the house's wallpaper, it becomes clear to Lucy that she must do everything within her power to oppose the diabolic forces that have risen up to destroy her family.
Taking place at the height of the arsenic wallpaper controversy of the late 19th century, "The Company" is an intoxicatingly atmospheric slice of gothic Victoriana, following one woman's fight to preserve all that she holds dear, and her determination to defeat the monsters that surround her.
Critique: Taking inspiration from an historical event, "The Company" by novelist Jon Michael Varese is a compelling and fascinating read from cover to cover. A deftly crafted work of fiction, "The Company" documents the author as a master of the Gothic Historical Fiction genre and is especially recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists of Goth Mystery enthusiasts that "The Company" is also available in a paperback edition (9781399802659, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: Jon Michael Varese (www.jmvarese.com) is an American novelist and literary historian whose first novel, The Spirit Photographer (2018), was published to critical acclaim. Varese has also written widely on Victorian literature and culture, and has served in various capacities, most recently as Director of Outreach, for The Dickens Project at the University of California for over two decades.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
This Kind of Man
Sean Murphy
https://www.seanmurphy.net
Unsolicited Press
https://www.unsolicitedpress.com
9781963115154, $18.99, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/This-Kind-Man-Sean-Murphy/dp/1963115155
Synopsis: The original short stories by Sean Murphy that comprise "This Kind of Man" offers an unvarnished look at life in 21st Century America, excavating the complicated, tender, wild truth of what it is to be a man across generations and relationships. These are stories that interrogate the pressures and tensions of contemporary life, and the ways men grapple with them, often without success. Issues such as marriage, fatherhood, aggression, alcoholism, gender expectations, generational backlash, and the inexorable dread of death, abound.
Many of these stories live within a slow implosion of coping, and often failing, as well as those who refuse to succumb, addressing concerns oft-discussed, or not discussed enough, in mainstream print: gun violence, the recent history of coal country Appalachia, sports-related concussions, illegal immigration (and the jobs many of these ostensibly unwelcome folks are obliged to do), homelessness, and the inability of men to honestly connect or communicate.
Far from excusing or exonerating toxic males, this literary collection locates their violence (toward others, against themselves) in the context of a deadening culture and the false narratives that prevail in an exploitative, zero-sum game capitalist model, where those without are encouraged to quarrel with similarly overworked and underpaid, mostly blue-collar workers. We see that our received notions of manhood and masculinity are inculcated-from the beginning and by design-to ensure willing participation in a system where the overwhelming majority are excluded from the start. We witness the way these dysfunctions are handed down like inheritance, and how every cliche, from fighting to drinking to intolerance of dissent and distrust of others, is a carefully constructed trap, preventing solidarity, empathy, and love (for others, for one's self).
Critique: Iconoclastic, deftly crafted, original, memorable and thought-provoking, each one of the short stories comprising "This Kind of Man" is raised by author Sean Murphy to an impressive level of literary excellence. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99, "This Kind of Man" from Unsolicited Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists as well as community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Sean Murphy (www.murphyzen.com) is founder of the non-profit 1455 Lit Arts, and directs the Center for Story at Shenandoah University. A long-time columnist for PopMatters, his work has also appeared in Salon, The Village Voice, Washington City Paper, The Good Men Project, Sequestrum, Blue Mountain Review, and others. His chapbook, The Blackened Blues, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2021. His second collection of poems, Rhapsodies in Blue was published by Kelsay Books in 2023. His third collection, Kinds of Blue, and This Kind of Man, his first collection of short fiction, are forthcoming in 2024. He has been nominated four times for the Pushcart Prize, twice for Best of Net, and his book Please Talk about Me When I'm Gone was the winner of Memoir Magazine's 2022 Memoir Prize.
The Goodbye Process: Stories
Mary Jones
https://www.maryjoneswriter.com
Zibby Books
https://www.zibbyowens.com/zibby-books
9781958506639, $27.95, HC, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Process-Stories-Mary-Jones/dp/195850663X
Synopsis: In her stunning debut short story collection, "The Goodbye Process" from Zibby Books, author Mary Jones uses her distinctive voice to examine the painful and sometimes surreal ways we say goodbye. The short stories (which range from tender and heartbreaking to unsettling and darkly funny) comprising "The Goodbye Process" will push you out of your comfort zone and ignite intense emotions surrounding love and loss.
A woman camps out on the porch of an ex-lover who has barricaded himself inside the house; a preteen girl caught shoplifting finds herself in grave danger; a Los Angeles real estate agent falls for a woman who helps him detach from years of dramatic plastic surgery; a man hires a professional mourner to ensure his wife's funeral is a success. Again and again, Jones's characters find themselves facing the ends of things: relationships, health, and innocence.
Critique: Original, eloquent, emotionally impacting, deftly crafted, and memorable, author Mary Jones raises each of her short stories comprising "The Goodbye Process" to an impressive level of literary excellence. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary & Short Story collection, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Goodbye Process" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781958506622, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Mary Jones (www.maryjoneswriter.com) is the author of stories and essays which have appeared in many journals including Electric Literature's Recommended Reading, Subtropics, EPOCH, Alaska Quarterly Review, Columbia Journal, The Hopkins Review, Gay Mag, The Normal School, Epiphany, Santa Monica Review, Brevity and elsewhere. The recipient of a summer prose fellowship from The University of Arizona Poetry Center, her work has been cited as notable in The Best American Essays and appeared in The Best Microfiction 2022. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and teaches fiction writing at UCLA Extension.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Serenity by the Sea
Jennifer Vido
https://www.jennifervido.com
Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509256433, $18.99, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Serenity-Gull-Island-Jennifer-Vido/dp/1509256431
Synopsis: Will a celebrity designer and her stubborn project manager sabotage their renovation or fall madly in love?
Celebrity designer Hailey Maybank escapes to Gull Island to reinvent herself after a high-profile divorce, lending her expertise on a renovation project. Working with the boss's son comes with complications, but will she risk her reputation for a chance at love?
Will Purdey is vying to become a partner in the family business by showcasing his design skills on the firm's latest project. Partnering with a famous designer with a tarnished reputation can ruin his plans, but will his growing attraction for the colorful artist allow him to get the job done?
Critique: A fun read from start to finish for readers with an interest in Amish Romance stories, "Serenity by the Sea" showcases author Jennifer Vido's deftly crafted, original, distinctive, and narrative driven storytelling style. "Serenity by the Sea" from Wild Rose Press is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Romance collections.
Editorial Note: Jennifer Vido (www.jennifervido.com) writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry, earning acclaim as the award-winning author of the Gull Island series. Her debut book in the series won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. Baltimore Magazine also named her a finalist for Best Local Author. When not writing fiction, she interviews authors for her weekly Jen's Jewels column, leads water exercise classes, and directs a legal nonprofit.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Conspiracy Ignited
Raymond Johnson
https://raymondpauljohnson.com
Amphorae Publishing Group, LLC
https://amphoraepublishing.com
9781943075836, $17.95, PB, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Ignited-Eric-Ridge-Thriller/dp/B0CKYG3DPN
Synopsis: "Drop the case!"
Bashed over the head and tossed overboard into the cold, dark water of a Los Angeles marina, combat veteran turned litigator Eric Ridge struggles to stay alive -- and discover who is trying to kill him. And why. No matter the answer, one thing is certain: Eric Ridge does not abandon his clients and will not drop the case.
The question is, what case was his assailant yelling about? Working with his legal team (including his best friend and his computer-whiz wife) Ridge is ultimately drawn into the sinister world of the Raven Society, a secretive cabal that controls the courts by coercing or killing judges. And anyone else who gets in their way.
In a race against the clock, will Ridge and his team survive to use the evidence they've developed? Or will they suffer the same fate as others who have dared to confront The Raven Society?
Critique: A simply riveting read from start to finish, "Conspiracy Ignited" by author Raymond Johnson will have an enormous appeal to readers with an interest in action/adventure style mysteries populated with interesting characters, more plot twists, turns and surprises than a Coney Island roller coaster. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery fans that "Conspiracy Ignited" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Raymond 'Ray' Johnson attended NYU and received a commission in the USAF through special U.S. Senate confirmation. He served as a combat pilot, jet instructor, and functional test pilot in the USAF and paramilitary pilot in Laos and Cambodia with the CIA for which he awarded several medals. Then he earned a MSE at the AFIT and served as DOD Chairperson of the DOD-NASA Space Shuttle Integration Groups. Later Ray graduated from the College of William and Mary and has practiced nationwide as a trial lawyer for over 35 years.
Negative Girl
Libby Cudmore
Datura Books
https://daturabooks.com
9781915523310, $18.99, PB, 400pp, September 10, 2024
https://www.amazon.com/Negative-Girl-Libby-Cudmore/dp/1915523311
Synopsis: Martin Wade lived hard in his youth, but unlike many of his former bandmates and roadie friends, he didn't die young. Instead he hit the recovery path, cleaned up his life, and became a private investigator in a dying city in upstate New York.
When his heavily tattooed and scarred assistant Valerie sets up an appointment with a young woman who needs help keeping her biological father away from her, none of the three realize that the father is Martin's old bandmate, still using, and on a destructive path that will soon be headed straight for Martin's clean life.
As Martin struggles, Valerie becomes increasingly obsessed with their new client's life.
Critique: A vividly engaging read from start to finish, "Negative Girl" by novelist Libby Cudmore will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in murder mysteries featuring amateur sleuths, memorable characters, and a literary wealth of unexpected plot twists. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99) from Datura Books, "Negative Girl" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community and public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense/Thriller collections.
Editorial Note: Libby Cudmore is a Shamus and Black Orchid award winner and the author of the acclaimed The Big Rewind. Her Wade and Jacks stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Tough and the Anthony-nominated anthology Lawyers, Guns & Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by The Music of Warren Zevon (co-edited with Art Taylor). Her other publications include The Dark, Smokelong Quarterly, MonkeyBicycle, HAD and others.
Becoming Marlow Fin
Ellen Won Steil
https://www.ewsteil.com
Lake Union Publishing
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662512124, $16.99, PB, 315pp
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Marlow-Fin-Ellen-Steil/dp/1662512120
Synopsis: Marlow Fin is as famous for her beauty and success as she is infamous for her past, some of which is a mystery even to her. Is the public ready for the truth? Is she?
In 1995, young Isla Baek finds an abandoned six-year-old Marlow in the woods near the Baek family's lakeside cabin. With little memory of where she came from or how she got there, Marlow is soon adopted by the Baeks into a seemingly idyllic Midwest life as Isla's enigmatic new sister. But no one is prepared for how unnerving and disruptive Marlow's presence will be over the years. Nor could any of them have foreseen the shocking tragedy that upended all their lives forever.
Now the whole world is watching as Marlow reveals everything in a hotly anticipated prime-time interview. In her harrowing story, spanning decades, the truth finally emerges -- about Marlow herself, the damages of family secrets, and the unthinkable things people do in the name of love.
Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from cover to cover, "Becoming Marlow Fin" by novelist Ellen Won Steil will hold a special appeal for fans of murder mysteries set against complicated family relationships. A first class suspense thriller, "Becoming Marlow Fin" is available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and will prove to be a popular addition for community/public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Ellen Won Steil (www.ewsteil.com) grew up in Iowa in a Korean American family and earned her BA in journalism from Drake University and law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. The author of the novel "Fortune", Ellen believes most good stories have at least a hint of darkness in them.
Dark of the Earth
Ivan Obolensky
Smith-Obolensky Media
https://smithobolenskymedia.com
9781947780354, $24.49, PB, 458pp
https://books2read.com/darkoftheearth
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Earth-Moon-Ivan-Obolensky/dp/1947780352
Synopsis: "Dark of the Earth" is the third in the series that began with the award-winning gothic novel "Eye of the Moon" and continued with the publication of "Shadow of the Son". It takes place shortly after "Shadow of the Son" at the magnificent estate of Rhinebeck.
Percy gets a call that Johnny is in a coma from a car accident, but was it really attempted murder instead? Four suspects are invited to Rhinebeck for a long weekend to discover the truth, but as Raymond, the Dodge family chauffeur, points out, "If Johnny was targeted, then somebody was willing to kill him, and that somebody will be in your house. Do you know what to do?"
Percy has no idea, and because Johnny is the only one who knows what really happened, Percy must also find a way to awaken him.
Critique: "Dark of the Earth" is a psychological mystery that deftly blends reality and the occult, and is replete with more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Texas tornado -- all leading to a surprising and memorable conclusion. A fun read from cover to cover for readers with an interest in metaphysical, supernatural, and visionary novels, "Dark of the Earth" is especially recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Dark of the Earth" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ivan Obolensky (https://ivanobolensky.com) in his youth was regaled with mystical and ghostly tales of his aristocratic and trail blazing ancestors, and these colored the formation and background of his 'Eye of the Moon' series beginning with his award-winning debut novel, "Eye of the Moon" (2018), its Latin American Spanish literary translation, "El ojo de la luna" (2020), Book 2 "Shadow of the Son" (2021) with its literary translation, "A la sombra del hijo" (2022), followed by the audiobook of "Eye of the Moon" (2023) and Book 3, "Dark of the Earth". His nonfiction articles on the social sciences are published online.
Mapping The Night
John David Bethel
iBooks
9781955036726, $19.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mapping-Night-Thriller-David-Bethel/dp/1955036721
Synopsis: FBI Special Agents Eileen Prado and Ira Fisher are inserted into the investigation of the Upper East Side serial murders at the instigation of forces working within government who want the identity of one of the victims kept quiet. Their partners in the NYPD have their own agenda. They are hiding the true identity of the man known as The Uptown Savage.
Critique: With the publication of "Mapping The Night", novelist John David Bethel has deftly crafted a truly riveting read from start to finish. With memorable characters and an original storyline, this iBook edition of "Mapping The Night" is especially recommended for readers with an interest in police procedural and suspense thriller fiction. While readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95), "Mapping The Night" is an ideal pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: John David Bethel (www.johndavidbethel.com) is an award-winning author whose novels include Evil Town, Hotel Hell, Unheard Of, Holding Back the Dark and A Washington Trilogy. He has also been published in popular consumer magazines and respected political journals.
Waterborne
J. Luke Bennecke
https://www.jlukebennecke.com
Jaytech Publishing
9798990527317, $39.99, HC, 340pp
https://www.amazon.com/Waterborne-Bendel-Thriller-Luke-Bennecke/dp/B0D2SKP9HT
Synopsis: Jake Bendel and a cunning team of experts create a five-plant desalination system -- all powered by environmentally friendly molten salt reactors and providing clean, healthy drinking water to millions of thirsty Californians. But the dark side of humanity sees this as a chance for revenge against the United States. A genius weaponizes the system, threatening to kill more Americans than all of World War II.
The clock is ticking. Can Jake and the FBI stop the terrorists before more innocent people are murdered in the name of the Jihad?
Critique: One of those suspense thriller novels that posits a vicious struggle that will define the fate of the world for generations to come, "Waterborne" by author J. Luke Bennecke is a thought-provoking thriller of a read from start to finish. The subject is a very realistic threat to the water supply of our country when it is under attack from terrorists. This is a simply riveting novel that compels the reader to consider how they would react if they were cornered and trapped in a terrifying, life-threatening situation. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9780965771597, $19.99) or in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99), "Waterborne" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Suspense/Thriller fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Amidst the concrete jungles of Southern California, a master civil engineer became a world-renowned author, philanthropist, and daredevil pilot. While constructing bridges and highways, J. Luke Bennecke (www.jlukebennecke.com) secretly plotted high-octane thrillers that became instant bestsellers. His debut novel, "Civil Terror: Gridlock" has won several awards including 1st place for Best of Backlist in the 2023 Feathered Quill Award.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Out of Body: Master of the Archons
Christopher John Chater
https://www.christopherjohnchater.com
Chater Publishing
9798989469314 $9.99 pbk / $3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Out-Body-Christopher-John-Chater/dp/B0CMCV3FM9
Synopsis: Harley Baker sold his soul to the devil. The hellish fate meant he had to ghost the girl he loved, Stephanie, and bail on his best friend Darren. Signing with Satan also turned his body into an Airbnb for every demon in the underworld. Its latest tenant is Yaldabaoth, false god, self-proclaimed creator of the material world, total douche.
While out of body, Harley’s forced to watch the imposter squat in his old apartment in Washington DC, weasel its way into his friend’s lives, and shmooze with technology elites. Yaldabaoth’s goal has always been to keep souls trapped in the material world. Now the evil archon thinks it may have found a twenty-first century solution in an immersive platform called Pleromaverse.
Luckily for Harley, being damned to hell comes with its privileges. He can possess the bodies of sinners. So, to protect his friends and save souls from a simulated prison, he’s got around an hour in the meatsuits of a porn addicted priest, a teenaged serial killer, and a billionaire occultist!
Critique: The direct sequel to Out of Body (9780996596312, $9.99 pbk / $2.99 Kindle), Out of Body: Master of the Archons continues the paranormal saga of Harley Baker, whose astral adventures have led him afoul of demons. In Master of the Archons, Harley Baker still doesn't have his body back - during his efforts to thwart a demon's plan to enslave humanity, Harley ended up selling his soul to the devil - but as a damned soul, Harley can temporarily possess the bodies of sinners. Now, Harley is determined to stop the false god Yaldabaoth from using a modern social media platform to trap human souls in the material world. With scarcely an hour in the bodies of three terrible sinners (including a teenaged serial killer!), Harley has his work cut out for him. Even if he can find a way to stymie Yaldabaoth, will Harley ever be able to get his original body back, let alone patch things up with the living people he used to be close to? Out of Body: Master of the Archons is a superb blend of occult fantasy, edge-of-seat suspense, and tongue-in-cheek view askew of twenty-first century materialism! Highly recommended.
The Root of Hope
Ricardo Victoria
Artemesia Publishing, LLC
http://artemesiapublishing.com
9781951122935, $17.95, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Root-Hope-Tempest-Blades/dp/1951122933
Synopsis: All his life, Fionn has been certain of one thing: there is always a way to win a battle.
After the Band of the Greywolf defeated the Golden King, Fionn decides it is finally time for him to retire. But when their triumph unleashes a mythic cycle of gods and destruction, the Band of the Greywolf discovers they are in the middle of the Apocalypse.
Exhausted, low on resources and allies, Fionn and the others must muster any sliver of hope if they are to save Theia one last time. As the final battle looms, Fionn and Gaby face a stark choice, while Alex, Sam, and Kasumi must step up to lead the Band of the Greywolf. One last journey to save the Roots of Hope.
In a world where magic and science intermingle, anything is possible -- including saving the universe.
Critique: A carefully crafted and impressively original fantasy by an author with a distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style, "The Root of Hope" by novelist Ricardo Victoria is a fun read from cover to cover will prove to be a welcome addition to personal reading lists and community library Fantasy Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Ricardo Victoria is a Mexican writer and lives in Toluca, Mexico. He is the author of several short stories and two previous novels in the Tempest Blades series. His short story " Twilight of the Mesozoic Moon", co-written with Brent A. Harris, was nominated for the 2016 Sidewise Awards for Alternate History. His horror stories " Bone Peyote" and " The Sound of Madness" were featured at The Wicked Library Podcast.
The Business Shelf
Smooth Sailing
Cheri D. Andrews, author
Deborah Kevin, editor
https://www.cheriandrews.com
Highlander Press
https://highlanderpressbooks.com
9781956442274, $24.99, PB, 276pp
https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Sailing-Essential-Protecting-Business/dp/1956442278
Synopsis: With the publication of "Smooth Sailing: An Essential Guide to Legally Protecting Your Business", small business attorney Cheri D. Andrews lays out not only the crucial foundational steps that every small businesses requires in order to ensure their business is legally compliant and protected at the outset, but also those legal protections that need to be added as a business grows and scales.
"Smooth Sailing" is an essential guide that will help both brand new entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners avoid common legal mistakes that put business and personal assets at risk.
"Smooth Sailing" covers various legal topics, including: Business Formation (Is your entity the right match for your business goals?); Your Dream Team (Choosing the experts to guide you in high-risk areas); Contracts (Because "let's wing it" is not a solid business strategy!); Compliance (Helping you avoid hefty fines and orange jumpsuits); Trademark (Locking down the legal rights to your brand); Legal Limits (Knowing what you can handle and when you should call an attorney).
"Smooth Sailing" offers a clear understanding of the key legal components that every business owner and entrepreneur must address. This 'real world practical' knowledge will allow you to make legally savvy, confident, informed decisions that ensure your business is thriving.
Critique: Impressively informed and informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, Cheri Andrews' DIY instructional guide for novice business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, "Smooth Sailing: An Essential Guide to Legally Protecting Your Business" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, corporation, and college/university library Business Management collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this newly updated and expanded second edition"Smooth Sailing" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Cheri D. Andrews, Esq., owns her own law practice, through which she helps small business owners and 'solopreneurs'. (https://www.cheriandrews.com)
Editorial Note #2: Deborah Kevin (https://deborahkevin.com), as the founder and chief inspiration officer of Highlander Press, loves helping change-makers tap into and share their stories of healing and truth with impactful books, including her book entitled "You've Written Your Book. Now What?". Debby is a Stanford University's Novel Writing program graduate, earned a master's degree in publishing from Western Colorado University.
Train to Lead
Christian Muntean
https://www.christianmuntean.com
Oribi Press
9798990098114, $29.95, HC, 224pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/train-to-lead-christian-muntean/1145581364
Synopsis: "Train to Lead: The Unstoppable Leader's Plan for Peak Performance" is a holistic step-by-step 90-day leadership development journey built on athletic training principles.
Leadership is more a practice than a title-it requires action, resilience, and strategy. Great leaders develop their skills through dedication and discipline, much like athletes preparing for peak performance. This guide is for any leader wondering, "How do I become more effective at leading others?"
In "Train to Lead", Christian Muntean offers a structured, 90-day path to enhance your leadership capabilities and personal growth, whether you're newly promoted or have years of leadership experience. This instructive guide is specifically designed to help build your leadership core with sustained improvement over time, broken down into training segments: healthy habits, conditioning, strength, power, endurance, and recovery.
Addressing common challenges for new and seasoned leaders alike, "Train to Lead" introduces core leadership skills while embracing opportunities for growth, developing confidence, and improving decision-making abilities. Through this program, you will grow into a leader who can inspire and maintain high-performing teams.
"Train to Lead" offers: A self-assessment tool to identify strengths and growth areas; Three training plans designed to match your experience and guide your growth as a leader; Practical strategies to cultivate mental and emotional strength, ease overwhelm, and enable sound, strategic decision-making; Endurance training for leadership, ensuring you can nurture and sustain a thriving team, fostering long-term success; How to promote a culture of rest and healing and protect your team from burnout, unforced errors, and diminished returns.
Effective leadership in diverse and challenging times comes from within. Eliminate the guesswork on your path to becoming a great leader by building a foundation for success. See tangible results with this action plan and achieve your peak leadership performance with "Train to Lead"
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style, tone, organization and presentation, "Train to Lead: The Unstoppable Leader's Plan for Peak Performance" is especially recommended for readers with an interest in business oriented motivational management and leadership. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9798218322380, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Train to Lead" must be considered a core addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and college/university library Business Management/Leadership collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Christian Muntean has helped owners and executives of small and medium-sized businesses to significantly increase their revenues and profitability. An accomplished business strategist, Christian has guided hundreds of businesses toward rapid growth and broader impact. He specializes in supporting entrepreneurial leaders during pivotal moments such as scaling operations, navigating succession, or preparing for an exit. He holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University. He is a Master Coach through the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching program, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), an International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert (IM&A), and a Mergers & Acquisitions Professional (M&AP). His approach is practical and focused on maximizing business value. A published author, Christian's works include "The Successful New CEO," "Conflict and Leadership," and "Train to Lead".
The Money/Finance Shelf
Financial Blind$pot$
Michael Baker & Eric B. Watchorn
BlindSpots Media
www.financialblindspotsbook.com
9781738221929, $18.99, HC, 327pp
https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Blind-pot-Insider-Discovering/dp/173822192X
Synopsis: Personal finance can feel like wading into murky waters. With so much misinformation combined with the complex nature of money management, many experience a lack of control or understanding around their finances. If you have tried budgets, investments, and retirement strategies but still struggle to get on solid financial footing, then "Financial Blind$pot$: Insider Secrets to Discovering Financial Freedom" is meant for you.
"Financial Blind$pot$" is the groundbreaking DIY guide built to bring clarity to your financial journey. By illuminating the blind spots holding you back and exploring wealth-management avenues you may not have considered, "Financial Blind$pot$" enables you to navigate overwhelming financial information with ease.
With the publication of "Financial Blind$pot$" seasoned co-authors CPA Michael Baker and Eric Watchorn (who once owned trading room floors in Canada and Asia), provide a fresh, unique perspective, enabling you to see financial solutions others might miss.
In the pages of "Financial Blind$pot$", you will discover: The ultimate key to financial success (your mind) and how to dismantle mental barriers like biases and procrastination, setting the stage for financial success and informed decision-making; A holistic personal strategy covering everything from taxation to protection to assets; Spotlights on the money strategies, concepts, and information on financial tools designed to provide a framework for immediate action; The most important steps to build a strong foundation for your financial house, including insurance strategy, protections, and access to capital; How to bring personal values and financial goals together to craft adaptable and effective strategies for a comprehensive financial journey.
"Financial Blind$pot$" is your key to becoming the hero of your own financial story, offering insights that transform not just your wealth but your life in terms of financial stability and growth.
Critique: Thoroughly and impressively 'user friendly' for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in obtaining financial security and dealing with such issues as life insurance and wealth management, "Financial Blind$pot$: Insider Secrets to Discovering Financial Freedom" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Money/Financial Management collections and reading lists. It should be noted that "Financial Blind$pot$" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781738221905, $11.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Michael Baker (www.bakerwealth.ca) is a visionary financial advisor with over 25 years as a chartered professional accountant, specializes in wealth management and owner-managed business consulting, empowering clients through Baker Wealth.
Editorial Note #2: Eric B. Watchorn, (www.wrwmcorp.com) the principal at Watchorn Risk & Wealth Management, excels in merging risk and wealth management, earning accolades for his bespoke, client-focused approach and global financial expertise.
The Sports Shelf
Midwest Shreds: Skating through America's Heartland
Mandy Shunnarah
https://midwestshreds.com
Belt Publishing
https://beltpublishing.com
c/o Arcadia Publishing
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com
9781953368713, $24.00, PB, 182pp
https://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Shreds-Skating-Americas-Heartland/dp/1953368719
Synopsis: The American Midwest may not have a reputation as the nation's skating mecca, but maybe it should.
With the publication of "Midwest Shreds: Skating through America's Heartland", Mandy Shunnarah travels around the region for a deep dive into its skating culture, detailing the activity's long, storied history there and the large and diverse skating community that calls the Midwest home today.
In these pages you will learn how skating has become a form of mutual aid in Iowa, follow hard-core street skaters as they vie to become King of Cleveland, experience the transcendence of skating in a converted St. Louis cathedral, meet the anarchists who've built their own skate paradise, cinder block by cinder block, in southern Ohio, and encounter skaters from Des Moines, Madison, Chicago, West Lafayette, Detroit, and other corners of the Midwest.
With writing that revels in the crunching scrape of hard wheels, the joy of nailing a trick for the first time, and the grit required to fall and get back up again, "Midwest Shreds" illuminates a small corner of Midwest life and offers a portrait of the rich cultural history and diversity that makes the region what it is today.
Critique: While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99), this edition of Mandy Shunnarah's "Midwest Shreds: Skating through America's Heartland" must be considered essential reading for fans of skateboarding, rollerskating, and rollerblading. An ideal guide to touring of the Midwest in terms of the sports subculture of skating, "Midwest Shreds" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Sports & Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: Mandy Shunnarah (www.mandyshunnarah.com) is a journalist, essayist, poet, and roller-skating enthusiast who calls Columbus, Ohio, home and whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Electric Literature, the Rumpus, and more.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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