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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 23, Number 12 December 2024 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Social Issues Shelf Biography/Memoir Shelf
General Fiction Shelf Historical Fiction Shelf Romantic Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Self-Help Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Politics of Being
Thomas Legrand
Ocean of Wisdom Press
https://politicsofbeing.com
9782957758302, $24.90, PB, 520pp

https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Being-Science-Development-Paradigm/dp/295775830X

Synopsis: What would a wisdom-based or "spiritual" approach to politics look like? How can we tap into science to support our collective conscious evolution? "Politics of Being: Wisdom and Science for a New Development Paradigm" is a seminal and groundbreaking work by Thomas Legrand who. proposes to fundamentally reframe our model of development from its current emphasis on "having" to one focused on "being".

Mobilizing a wealth of scientific research from many different fields, the core teachings of wisdom traditions, and his own personal experience, Legrand articulates how politics can support human flourishing and the collective shift of consciousness that our current challenges demand.

An awakening journey into our human and social potential, "Politics of Being" charts the way for a truly human development in the 21st century, one to reconcile our minds and hearts, and the whole Earth community.

"Politics of Being" features: An integral map of such a politics as it emerges; Concrete examples and recommendations in numerous areas ranging from education to governance, to justice and economy; A complex question converted into a clear and tangible agenda; a wealth of references to deepen their exploration -- and so much more.

With the publication of "Politics of Being", interested readers now have a unique, field-defining, work on what may be the most important subject of our times... and history.

Critique: Impressively insightful, exceptionally informative, erudite and eloquent, "Politics of Being: Wisdom and Science for a New Development Paradigm" will prove to be of special appeal and value to readers with an interest in the relationships of science, politics, religion, philosophy and spirituality. While also available from Ocean of Wisdom Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.90), "Politics of Being" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, seminary, and college/university library collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Thomas Legrand is a wisdom seeker, social scientist, and sustainability practitioner who holds a Ph.D. in (Ecological) Economics and has studied international development, political science, and management. Legrand works in the field of sustainability for UN agencies, companies, and NGOs. His focus is on forest conservation, climate change, sustainable finance, organizational transformation and leadership. Searching for a way to mainstream this understanding in the political and sustainability conversation, he has dedicated much of the last 10 years to researching and reflecting how we can radically rethink our model of development.


The Social Issues Shelf

Bad-Ass Solutions: For Today's BIG-ASS Problems
Mitch Francis
Silver Bullet Press, LLC
https://bad-asssolutions.com
9798990813106, $19.95, PB, 270pp

https://www.amazon.com/BAD-ASS-SOLUTIONS-Todays-BIG-ASS-Problems/dp/B0D5WW3GG3

Synopsis: "Bad-Ass Solutions: For Today's BIG-ASS Problems" by Mitch Francis isn't about solving problems like what to watch on Netflix tonight. The author directly addresses the big-ass threats to us and even our civilization, such as global warming, homelessness, and mass killings.

It should be noted that "Bad-Ass Solutions" is a strictly non-partisan book is for all of us, regardless of political affiliations or proclivities who are frightened, frustrated and pissed off about these critical issues that just aren't being addressed.

Mitch Francis writes from the perspective of someone who has solved today's big-ass problems in amazingly creative and doable ways. He included hilarious, relevant quotes from well-known people and employed his fun, tongue-in-cheek humor.

"Bad-Ass Solutions" will:

Destroy every assault rifle in thirty days; House and treat the homeless, addicted and mentally ill -- at a very low cost; Pay off the entire US deficit and stop inflation; Make public schools better than private schools to heal the rich/poor chasm; Stop the oceans rising from melting polar ice caps. (Really!); Resolve the abortion issue satisfactorily for all sides; End gang and drug crime; Resolve the problems of immigration, government size, taxes, healthcare, drugs, wars, elections, housing costs, Russia and China.

Can these chronic, endemic, and nightmare problems really be resolved? "Bad-Ass Solutions: For Today's BIG-ASS Problems" gives a resounding YES!

Critique: Fascinating, articulate, iconoclastic, and timely given the social, cultural, economic, cultural, and political divisions in the American public and government (local, state, and federal) today, "Bad-Ass Solutions: For Today's BIG-ASS Problems" is a informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, challenging and motivational read from start to finish. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), "Bad-Ass Solutions: For Today's BIG-ASS Problems" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, university, governmental, and political activist Contemporary Political Science collections, as well as supplemental Business Sustainability, Environmental Policy, and Governmental Social Policy curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Mitch Francis' lifetime in business revealed an axiom: roadblocks are continually thrown in the way of every single step a businessperson must take toward achieving his/her goals. To succeed, you need to develop really good problem-solving skills and be relentlessly tenacious. Solving cultural and national problems proved to be no different. Mitch isn't a professor or academic, so the problems and the solutions in his book are addressed in a way that "normal" people can relate to and even enjoy. He's also not "political". That's important, because there's little room for partisanship when trying to tackle important issues that affect all of us. It makes sense to problem-solve together. Having no horse in the race is just what's needed for unbiased perspective and creativity.


The Biography/Memoir Shelf

An Odyssey of Becoming: That Summer Of '72
Celeste Gauthier Johnson, author
Bobby Young, author
Three Tomatoes Publishing
https://www.thethreetomatoespublishing.com
9798990301436, $28.99, HC, 230pp

https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Becoming-That-Summer-72/dp/B0DCHDHBD2

Synopsis: In the summer of 1972, the open road beckoned best friends, nineteen-year-old Barry Johnson and twenty-year-old Bobby Young. Carrying backpacks with the essentials, staples of Kraft Mac and Cheese, dressed in jeans, Frye boots, with $100 each, they set off from their homes in Massachusetts. And so their cross-country adventure began during a time when the bond of trust between driver and hitchhiker was rarely questioned. Little did they know that this journey would shape their lives in ways they could never imagine.

"An Odyssey of Becoming: That Summer Of '72" unfolds as a true coming-of-age saga. After a first failed attempt to hitchhike in the USA, they buy a bus ticket to Montreal, and hitchhike on the Trans-Canada highway to Vancouver Island, staying in hostels along the way. On the road, they make new friends, are offered refuge in their homes, and immerse themselves in the awe-inspiring beauty of North America.

This journey through breathtaking vistas is not without peril. Buckle up for the ride as they are arrested, nearly decapitated, and asphyxiated, and narrowly escape the clutches of a pair of psychopaths, confronting danger head-on.

Theirs is a story of a moment in time that cannot be replicated. As the mid-1970s dawned, the glory days of hitchhiking faded. Reports of murders, sexual assault, and safety concerns cast shadows on the once-thriving culture. Thumb-out travelers became nostalgic relics, their stories echoing through time.

Critique: A fascinating and compelling read from start to finish, "An Odyssey of Becoming: That Summer Of '72" is exceptionally well written and presents an engaging look back to a (in many ways) a simpler time of a baby boom generation beginning to come into their own as 20 something adventurers coming into a true adulthood. A deftly crafted memoir raised to an impressive level of literary excellence, this hardcover edition from Three Tomatoes Publishing of "An Odyssey of Becoming" by co-authors Celeste Gauthier Johnson and Bobby Young is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "An Odyssey of Becoming" is also available in a paperback edition (9798990301429, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).

Editorial Note: Celeste Gauthier Johnson has spent over forty years teaching reading and language arts to middle-schoolers. The narrative memoir about her husband, Barry, and his friend Bobby is her first published work. She currently lives in Florida and enjoys the vegetable garden and beautiful landscape Barry has created.

The Perks of Hospice: Stories of Love, Life, and Loss
Linda Moran
https://lindamoran.org
Wheatmark
www.wheatmark.com
9798887470672, $8.95 PB / $8.95 Kindle, 133pp

https://www.amazon.com/Perks-Hospice-Stories-Love-Life/dp/B0CFZH1RCK

Synopsis: When her husband's health began its serious decline after open heart surgery, Linda Moran was prepared to support him through a challenging recovery that included a stroke and speech aphasia. But as Dean pinballed from one medical crisis to another, the couple encountered unexpected obstacles from the medical/healthcare system itself. Ultimately nine specialists in Dean's care either didn't keep them informed of new protocols, or the doctors didn't communicate with each other, leading to contradictory care instructions.

After two years of chaos, Dean received a referral for hospice care -- which meant that he wasn't expected to live for more than six months. Though the prognosis was devastating, hospice brought many surprising benefits: Help navigating a broken system. Spiritual counseling. The freedom to be fully present in life. And an opportunity to make Dean's remaining time what he wanted it to be.

Filled with intimate personal stories, as well as practical checklists for those facing a similar journey, "The Perks of Hospice: Stories of Love, Life, and Loss" shows us how the end of life can be so much more than an ending.

Married for almost forty-five years, Dean and Linda Moran did everything together, especially in their two decades as fiber artists, experimenting with an ancient paper process on fabric. Their art provided a needed respite from medical reality and helped them create a lasting legacy at the end of their lives together.

Critique: Compelling, emotionally engaging, impressive eloquent, exceptionally informative, "The Perks of Hospice: Stories of Love, Life, and Loss" by Linda A. Moran should be considered essential reading for anyone having to deal with difficult and ultimately terminal illness -- whether their own or a loved one for whom they are the caretaker. Of special note is the inclusion of the section 'Notes to Self -- Adventures in Widowhood'. Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, senior citizen, and college/university library collections, it should be noted that "The Perks of Hospice: Stories of Love, Life, and Loss" is also readily available from Wheatmark in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.95).

Editorial Note: Linda Moran and her husband were married for almost forty-five years. For over two years, including through the pandemic, they were cared for by an amazing team of hospice workers. To carry out her husband's love of helping others, Linda decided to write about their experiences and included checklists about end-of-life care for readers. After thirty-plus years as a public school teacher, from earth science to history to mathematics, she's facing a different retirement than planned, with writing, quilting, reading, and solo travel.


The General Fiction Shelf

The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles
Marty Essen
Encante Press
9781734430394, $18.95, PB, 278pp

https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Squad-Rebels-Wrinkles/dp/1734430397

Synopsis: Barry and Beth, high school sweethearts separated by time and circumstance, find themselves reunited at the Blue Loon Village senior living center in Minneapolis. Now both seventy, they rekindle their relationship only to discover how differently time has shaped them. Beth has blossomed into a free spirit with a goth flair, while Barry has transformed into the curmudgeon he swore in his youth he'd never become.

Despite their differences, neither senior is content to settle into a quiet life at the Blue Loon Village. As they reminisce about their unfulfilled teenage dream of changing the world, Beth convinces Barry that it's never too late to make a difference. In fact, their age provides them with an advantage-the minimal consequences they'd face if caught doing something illegal. Inspired by their past and emboldened by their age, they set off on a daring road trip across America as Silver Squad vigilantes with nothing to lose.

Soon joined by Jenny -- a woman in her forties on the run from her abusive cop-husband-the Silver Squad's humorous, sometimes perilous escapades include robbing the prosperous to feed the homeless, rescuing drowning kittens, challenging unethical alligator hunters, and confronting a mass shooter with only a can of SPAM.

And sometimes, when a woman tires of running, she turns around and fights. As Jenny's fear turns into courage, she vows to seize control - and give her husband the surprise of a lifetime.

Critique: An original and fun read (think senior citizen versions of Thelma & Louise) from start to finish, "The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles" by author Marty Essen is a deftly crafted and extraordinary story that is will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in inherently fascinating novels that imaginatively blend later-in-life romances with elements of an action/adventure which include 'spousal abuse, animal cruelty, mass shootings, and homelessness'. Offering the reader a riveting literary experience that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf, "The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Marty Essen began writing professionally in the 1990s as a features writer for Gig Magazine. His first book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents, won six awards, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune named it a "Top Ten Green Book." His second book, Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico, won four awards. Marty has also written six novels. His fifth novel, Doctor Refurb, was a Booklife by Publisher's Weekly Editor's Pick and a Top-5 Finalist in the Shelf Unbound 2022 Best Indie Book contest.

The Freiburg Cabinet
Thomas Charrington
Independently Published
9781521750087, $9.50, PB, 388pp

https://www.amazon.com/Freiburg-Cabinet-Thomas-Charrington/dp/1521750084

Synopsis: Tarquin Stanhope's cozy London life has taken a sinister turn. He's being hunted and threatened, but by whom and for what? Those scary letters addressed to a stranger. What do they mean? There's talk of a Cabinet... (yes, a French royal cabinet to be precise, from the Palace of Versailles - a piece worth millions).

It was English antique dealer, Oliver Clasper, who hatched the plan to make the counterfeit, but the rash fool stole the idea from Zoltan and now the Russians want their cut. But wait! They're tracking the wrong man!

Poor Tarquin! An innocent daydreamer who happens to live in the wrong house in the wrong street. They've nailed him once in Covent Garden but he's just not getting the message.
He must flee to France and get to Chateau Clery fast - they're on his trail and they mean business.
But he's been thrown a lifeline. A guardian angel. Constanta's her name. A Romanian gymnast with the body of a panther and a taste for combat...

A smouldering Russian mafioso hell-bent on revenge. A brilliant cabinetmaker and his audacious counterfeit worth millions. A Romanian gymnast, lethal in combat, but struggling to overcome her fear of intimacy. A magnificent but derelict French chateau. All of these characters form the actors in "The Freiburg Cabinet", a fast-paced novel by Thomas Charrington spanning London, Gloucestershire and Champagne in France.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, and all the remarkable considering that it is Thomas Charrington debut as an author, he has raised his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. An action packed suspense thriller of a novel that is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99), "The Freiburg Cabinet" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Thomas Charrington is a trained cabinet maker and has spent much of his life working in a series of workshops in southern England. He has engaged in numerous furniture making projects using different timbers to create a huge variety of designs. Over the years he has interacted with many knowledgeable and gnarly characters in the various trades, and some of them undoubtedly populate the pages of his first novel.

1987: A Year Of Excess
Paul Mitchell
UK Book Publishing
https://ukbookpublishing.com
9781916572836, $12.99, PB, 252pp

https://www.amazon.com/1987-year-excess-Paul-Mitchell/dp/1916572839

Synopsis: 1987 was a cataclysmic year for many. How did the recently established Eurobond market cope with its volatility and what were the day to day lives of the traders and brokers like? The City of London has always been cheek by jowl with the East End. Did the seemingly polar opposite worlds overlap?

Although "1987: A Year Of Excess" by author Paul Mitchell is a fictional account of a year in the Eurobond markets, it accurately and with humor provides a look at the real lives lived by market participants (and hangers on) during a year that saw one of the biggest Stock Market crashes since the one that launched the Great Depression. Plus a once in a generation hurricane thrown in for good measure.

The degree to which decisions made were influenced by alcohol, ego or drugs is perhaps surprising to outsiders. The remuneration for the time was also eye watering. Judge for yourselves whether these "Galacticos" were really worth the money!

Critique: A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from start to finish, talented storyteller and author Paul Mitchell presents an original novel that lifts his work historical fiction to an impressive level of literary elegance with the publication of "1987: A Year Of Excess". All the more impressive when considering that "1987: A Year Of Excess" is Mitchell's debut as a novelist, this paperback edition from UK Book Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and public library Literary Fiction collections. This is a novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf.

Editorial Note: Paul Mitchell was born in Bethnal Green, East London early in the 60's and was educated at a long-established grammar school nearby. He moved to Essex with the birth of his three children and has been married since 1985. His career in the City began with a move from the construction industry in 1986 and lasted 30 years in various financial institutions culminating in 18 years at Mitsubishi Financial Group. The overwhelming majority of his career was spent trading Eurobonds. He is an accomplished musician and played football as a teenager for both Fulham F.C. and Watford F.C..He is now retired and 1987 is his first book.

Woman in the Abbey
Mike Maggio
Vine Leaves Press
https://www.vineleavespress.com
9783988321299, $14.99, PB, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Abbey-Mike-Maggio/dp/398832129X

Synopsis: A young woman, fleeing the clutches of an abusive father, stumbles upon an abandoned abbey on the edge of a haunted forest. But what she finds there is far worse than anything she left behind.

Within the crumbling walls of the Abbey of San Pietro, ancient horrors stir. A mysterious old woman holds secrets of the past, and an unearthly being watches from the shadows-a being with the power to raise the dead and a thirst for vengeance.

Driven by damnation and bitterness, he weaves a sinister plan, using the living and the dead as his pawns. But is it love or something far more dangerous that motivates him?

"Woman in the Abbey" is gothic tale of love, betrayal, and unholy retribution, nothing is what it seems. Will she escape the abbey... or become part of its eternal curse?

Critique: A magnificent blending of horror, fantasy, romance and suspense, "Woman In The Abbey" by Mike Maggio is a keenly crafted original novella, and a simply riveting read from start to finish. Raised to an impressive and memorable level of literary excellence, "Woman In The Abbey" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Woman In The Abbey" from Vine Leaves Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) as well.

Editorial Note: The publication credits of Mike Maggio (www.mikemaggio.net) include fiction, poetry, travel and reviews in many local, national and international publications including Potomac Review, The L.A. Weekly, The Washington CityPaper, and The Washington Independent Review of Books. His full-length publications include a novel, The Wizard and the White House (Little Feather Books, 2014), a novella, The Appointment (Vine Leaves Press, 2017), and a collection of short stories, Letters from Inside (Vine Leaves Press, 2019). His latest collection of poetry, Let's Call It Paradise, was released by San Francisco Bay Press in 2022 and won the International Book Award for Contemporary Poetry in 2024.

Irving Place Editions
John Lauricella
Irving Place Editions
https://www.irvingplaceeditions.com
9798987576212, $26.00, HC, 286pp

https://www.amazon.com/Unforgettable-John-Lauricella/dp/B0C47JL9TW

Synopsis: Sofie Timm is the bravest 12-year-old anyone has ever met -- and only Dante Buonarroti knows it. At their middle school in Hollywood, Florida, during America's Bicentennial Year, Sofie and Dante become "special friends" despite their differences and because of childhood traumas they entrust to each other in the telling.

Dante tells Sofie how he was brutalized on a daily basis in Brooklyn when he was six. Sofie's story is a horror beyond Dante's darkest imaginings: as a young child, she was sexually molested. Those violations ended when she was eight but her abuser has "promised" to "teach" her about sexual intercourse when she turns thirteen. And Sofie is already twelve.

These resilient adolescents have each other's back in an imperishable tale of friendship, survival, and love.

Critique: Deftly crafted with a gritty realism, "Unforgettable" is one of those coming-of-age novels that is a compulsively fascinating novels that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf. Not for the faint of heart, "Unforgettable" features the distinctive storytelling style of its author, John Lauricella who has raised his novel to an impressive level of excellence. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Unforgettable" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798987576236, $18.00) as well.

Editorial Note: John Lauricella is the author of five novels and many short stories. Admission to Cornell University and the generous strength of a Sage Graduate Fellowship enabled him to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing. Later, he earned a Ph.D. in English Language & Literature at Cornell. His critical monograph, "Home Games: Essays on Baseball Fiction" was published in hardcover by McFarland & Co., Publishers, and selected chapters were later reprinted in Contemporary American Authors (Gale Research) and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (Gale/Cengage Learning).


The Historical Fiction Shelf

What the Light Touches
Xavier Bosch, author
Samantha Mateo, translator
Amazon Crossing
9781662520815, $16.99, PB, 443pp

https://www.amazon.com/What-Light-Touches-Xavier-Bosch/dp/1662520816

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Margaux doesn't realize one photo could change the course of her life. But in German-occupied Paris, nothing makes sense anymore. Margaux fears the worst when her lover is arrested. And when her photo appears in Nazi propaganda, her family's reputation and prospects suffer the consequences.

In 2008, Margaux has moved into a retirement home, and her granddaughter Barbara continues to live in the Paris apartment they used to share. Eager to escape unhappy circumstances, Barbara works remotely for a publishing company and rents out a room in "Mamie" Margaux's apartment to help pay the bills.

One day, Barbara finds a stranger on her couch. Roger, who's a curious photographer, uncovers shocking secrets about Barbara's family. And when a snowstorm triggers a lockdown, he opens the door to tempting new possibilities.

Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership by Samantha Mateo, "What the Light Touches" is an unusual novel that involves two timelines, one set in World War II Paris and the other in 1980s America. A unique, skillfully crafted, and interesting read from start to finish, "What The Light Touches" by Xavier Bosch is a very special and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections. It should also be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "What The Light Touches" from Amazon Crossing is also readily available in a digital book format ($4.99) as well.

Editorial Note #1: Xavier Bosch is a celebrated Catalan-Spanish writer born in Barcelona. The author of nine novels and two short-story collections, Bosch has been honored with bestselling book of the year five separate times in his home country of Spain. He's also won two of the most prestigious prizes in Catalan literature: the Sant Jordi Award (2009) and the Ramon Llull Award (2015). His novel Algu com tu has been translated into seven languages.

Editorial Note #2: Samantha Mateo (https://granta.com/contributor/samantha-mateo) is a translator from Chicago. She received an M.A. in Humanities from the University of Chicago, specializing in Catalan and translation studies.


The Romantic Fiction Shelf

The Requisitions
Samuel Lopez-Barrantes
Kingdom Anywhere Publishing
https://ifnotparis.substack.com/p/kingdom-anywhere
9798989580309, $18.00, PB, 229pp

https://www.amazon.com/Requisitions-Samu%C3%A9l-Lopez-Barrantes/dp/B0D76XX8TV

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Requisitions" by author Samuel Lopez-Barrantes we are introduced to a present-day narrator who is trying to make sense of his past as he recounts the story of Viktor, a disillusioned academic forced into the Lodz Ghetto, Elsa, a captive Gestapo secretary, and her estranged fiance, and Carl, a troubled policeman whose fixation with the past is pushing him towards unspeakable cruelty.

Set both in the present-day and a yesteryear in which the Germany Nazi's occupied Poland, "The Requisitions" is a timely, layered novel about history, memory, and a novelist writing himself back into the lives of those who once lived.

Critique: The elements of history, memory, and love are intertwined in "The Requisitions", an historical metafiction set in Nazi-occupied Poland. Original, deftly crafted, memorable, and with a distinctive storytelling style, author Samuel Lopez-Barrantes has elevated "The Requisitions" to an impressive level of literary excellence from start to finish. The result is one of those novels that will linger in the mind of the reader longer after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Requisitions" from Kingdom Anywhere Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).

Editorial Note: Samuel Lopez-Barrantes (www.samuellopezbarrantes.com) lives in Paris, where he leads historical walks on modernism, existentialism, and the Nazi Occupation of Paris. "The Requisitions" is his second novel and the flagship novel for Kingdom Anywhere Publishing, an independent anglophone publisher based in Paris founded by Lopez-Barrantes and his wife, the photographer Augusta Sagnelli.

Beautiful Broken Love
Shanora Williams
https://www.shanorawilliams.com
Montlake
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662518881, $16.99, PB, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Broken-Love-Shanora-Williams/dp/1662518889

Synopsis: It's been months since her dreams of forever were brutally shattered. Seven long months since her husband and soulmate, Lew, died in her arms, leaving her to carry on. Alone.

And Davina Klein-Roberts still isn't sure how to move forward.

To escape her anguish, Davina throws everything into work, pushing Golden Oil Co., her self-built skin care line, to become a viral success. Now she's poised to clinch a major endorsement deal too. But it's bittersweet without Lew by her side.

A meeting with Deke Bishop, the hot NBA star she's courting for her brand, leaves Davina flustered. With his dimpled smile and warm handshake, Deke's a natural pitchman. And he's clearly interested - not only in her lotions.

Davina soon discovers that Deke's more than just another player and carries his own pain. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her guilt. Will the pain of a future already lost keep her from embracing hope for a new one?

Critique: An impressively well written, authentically original, emotional engaging read from cover to cover, with the publication of "Beautiful Broken Love", author Shanora Williams once again demonstrates her extraordinary talents as a storyteller. An fascinating tale of loss, recovery, guilt and hope, "Beautiful Broken Love" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Shanora Williams fans that this paperback edition of "Beautiful Broken Love" from Montlake is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).

Editorial Note: Shanora Williams (www.shanorawilliams.com) is the author of over thirty romance novels and diverse thrillers.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Mainely Mayhem
Matt Cost
www.mattcost.net
Encircle Publications
https://encirclepub.com
9781645995791, $28.99, HC, 318pp

https://www.amazon.com/Mainely-Mayhem-Goff-Langdon-Mystery/dp/1645995798

Synopsis: Things are not right in Brunswick. Chabal is wracked by the nightmare that was the Wendigo. Langdon is hired to investigate the questionable moral integrity of one of Brunswick's favorite sons and gets thunked in the head and left to die on a boat mooring in the Atlantic Ocean. And that is just the beginning of the bad.

Judge Cornelius Remington is being fast-tracked to be a Supreme Court Justice -- but why? After only a five-day investigation of Remington, Langdon is pulled from the case, suggesting that the judge had already been rubber-stamped and that the White House staff and FBI were just going through the motions. But there are questions about the man's past that Langdon can't shake, a past that might still live in the present.

"Welcome to Maine: The Way Life Should Be." Or so the billboard reads upon entering the state. But that was before MAYHEM, a corruption born in Brunswick that has seeped throughout the state and is threatening the entire nation.

It is up to Langdon to find and stop MAYHEM before it is too late. And the clock is ticking!

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish that will be especially appreciated by fans of action-packed suspense thrillers, "Mainely Mayhem" by author Matt Cost will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community and public library Mystery/Suspense collections. Although a part of the author's "Mainely Mystery" series, "Mainely Mayhem" can be read as a stand alone novel. It should be noted for personal reading lists for readers with an interest in political thrillers and private eye mysteries that "Mainely Mayhem" is also readily available from Encircle Publications in a paperback edition (9781645995784, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).

Editorial Note: Matt Cost (www.mattcost.net) is the author of the Mainely Mystery series. The first book, Mainely Power, was selected as the Maine Humanities Council Read ME Fiction Book of 2020. This was followed by Mainely Fear, Mainely Money, Mainely Angst, Mainely Wicked, and the newest, Mainely Mayhem. Cost is also the author of the Clay Wolfe / Port Essex Mysteries, Wolfe Trap, Mind Trap, Mouse Trap, Cosmic Trap, and Pirate Trap, published by Encircle in March 2024. I Am Cuba was his first traditionally published novel. His other historical novels are Love in a Time of Hate (August 2021), and At Every Hazard (August 2022). His love of history and mystery is combined in his 1920s Brooklyn 8 Ballo series starting with Velma Gone Awry (April 2023) and continuing with City Gone Askew (July 2024).

The Perfect Marriage
Jeneva Rose
https://www.jenevarosebooks.com
Bloodhound Books
https://www.bloodhoundbooks.com
c/o Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonepublishing.com
9798874866358, $32.99, HC, 342pp

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Marriage-Jeneva-Rose/dp/B0D9KL1WJK

Synopsis: Sarah Morgan is one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Washington, DC. With a perfect case record and having made named partner before the age of thirty-five, her life is going exactly as she planned.

However, the same cannot be said for her husband, Adam, a failed author, who's grown to resent his wife's meteoric success as he feels it's come at the expense of their relationship.

For almost two years, Adam has kept his affair with Kelly Summers a secret, but everything changes when her body is discovered at the couple's lake house and Adam is arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sarah now finds herself facing her most challenging case yet when she vows to defend her husband -- a man accused of murdering his mistress.

While Adam is certainly guilty of sleeping with Kelly, the question remains: Is he guilty of killing her too?

Critique: An original and inherently fascinating suspense thriller of a read with more unexpected plot twists and turns that an Oklahoma tornado, "The Perfect Marriage" showcases the distinctive and riveting storytelling style author Jeneva Rose. While also available for the personal reading lists of dedicated murder mystery thrillers in a paperback edition (9781913419653, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99), this hardcover edition of "The Perfect Marriage" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library psychological suspense thriller collections.

Editorial Note: Jeneva Rose (www.jenevarose.com/about) is the author of several novels, including Home Is Where the Bodies Are, You Shouldn't Have Come Here, The Perfect Marriage, and One of Us Is Dead. Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages and optioned for film and television.

In Still Waters
Natalie Shpet, author
Mikhail Madaliev, translator
PublishDrive
https://publishdrive.com
9798895901106. $15.99, PB, 306pp

https://www.amazon.com/Still-Waters-Seeing-Always-Believing/dp/B0DJH3QL5T

Synopsis: Years ago, in a high school in the quiet town of Austin, Minnesota, a tragic incident occurred. A classmate attacked a boy, slashing his face with a sharp object and leaving a deep scar on his cheek.

Years later, a series of horrific murders shakes this peaceful community. One by one, seemingly unconnected individuals fall victim to a mysterious killer dressed in black, their face hidden beneath a hood.

How does this shadowy figure manage to evade the police, leaving no trace behind? What connection do they have to a gang of arms dealers operating in the shadows?

As the investigation unfolds, detectives make a chilling discovery - three of the victims attended the same high school years ago...

Critique: Ably translated into English by Mikhail Madaliev. "In Still Waters: Seeing Isn't Always Believing" by author Natalie Shpet is a simply riveting read from start to finish. A deftly crafted and original novel, "In Still Waters" will hold a special interest for fans of 'whodunnit' mysteries that skillfully blend together the elements of suspense, romance, and hair-raiser style plot twists. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "In Still Waters" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $0.99) as well.

Editorial Note #1: In her youth, Natalie Shpet wrote scripts for school plays, and her literature teacher said that she had immense talent and should write her own book. That goal would ultimate take form with the publication of "In Still Waters". More about her life is found at: https://www.newinbooks.com/interview-with-natalie-shpet-author-of-in-still-waters

Editorial Note #2: Mikhail Madaliev is the Professor of Translation Studies (Finnish and Russian) and on the faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University, Finland. (https://www.tuni.fi/en/people/mikhail-mikhailov)

Gunbarrel Highway
Sean Bridges
Wild Rose Press
https://wildrosepress.com
9781509258444, $18.99, PB, 264pp

https://www.amazon.com/Gunbarrel-Highway-Sean-Bridges/dp/1509258442

Synopsis: Texas trophy wife Claudia Grant dies after she causes an early morning car accident. In the other vehicle, Daniel Morrison, an attorney struggling with a pending divorce and pill addiction, panics and leaves the scene.

The victim's husband, congressional candidate Hayden Grant, is a corrupt politician who seizes the opportunity and places a million-dollar reward on Morrison's capture. Dead or alive.

Daniel is on the run. Roya Navarro, a determined San Antonio police detective, is hot on his trail with local law enforcement, county sheriffs, a hungry journalist, and trigger-happy citizens all across the Lone Star state out on the hunt for the bounty.

Critique: Original, compelling, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting novel from start to finish, "Gunbarrel Highway" by author Sean Bridges is especially and unreservedly recommended for both community library Contemporary Suspense collections and the personal reading lists of anyone who appreciates a fun and memorable read with more plot twists and turns than a Texas tornado.

Editorial Note: Sean Patrick Bridges (www.linkedin.com/in/sean-patrick-bridges-2272b261) is a novelist, screenwriter, and audio producer. He is co-owner of Audible Parade Productions.


The Self-Help Shelf

the goodness game
Bryan D. Driscoll
Think Big Press
9780984189014, $17.95, HC, 122pp

https://www.amazon.com/goodness-game-World-Better-Awesome/dp/0984189017

Synopsis: The world today is simply overwhelming for a great many of us. With the publication of "the goodness game: Make the World Better and Feel Awesome While Doing It", author Bryan Driscoll shows how small acts of kindness can leave a huge impact. This isn't about grand gestures or monumental changes; it's about the simple, everyday actions that will bring joy to others and yourself.

The message of "the goodness game: Make the World Better and Feel Awesome While Doing It" is that by helping others in need, you yourself will notice just as significant an impact on your own life.

Driscoll reveals that the inspiration for "the goodness game" began during a challenging time in his life when was just 18 years old. He was in Orlando, Florida, walking to the Greyhound station to sleep because he had no money and nowhere else to go.

Out of nowhere, a kind stranger stopped and literally picked him up off the street. She didn't know him, but she welcomed him into her home, showing him the power of small acts of kindness. That moment changed everything and set Driscoll on a path to understanding how even the simplest gestures can make a huge difference.

"the goodness game" features:

1. Practical tips and real-life examples of how small, thoughtful actions create a ripple effect of goodness, both in the lives of those you help and your own.

2. A gamified approach to kindness, breaking down the process into easy, engaging steps.

3. Tools to help you determine your unique helping style and track your progress.

"the goodness game" is specifically designed to inspire kindness and show that helping others doesn't have to be a daunting task. It can be as simple as a smile, a kind word, or a small favor. Whether you're looking to make a positive change in your life or simply want to spread more joy, this book is your guide to winning at life by helping others, one small act at a time. Perfect for playing with family, friends, and kids, "the goodness game" makes kindness a fun and rewarding experience for everyone.

Critique: One of those life changing, life enriching, life inspiring reads from start to finish, "the goodness game: Make the World Better and Feel Awesome While Doing It" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal motivation reading lists that this hardcover edition of Bryan Driscoll's "the goodness game: Make the World Better and Feel Awesome While Doing It" from Think Big Press is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780984189007, $11.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).

Editorial Note: Bryan D. Driscoll is a first-time author with a passion for inspiring kindness and creating positive change in the world. Twenty years ago, a stranger literally picked him up off the street and gave him a plate of spaghetti and a bedroom he had to share with an oversized cat. This small act of kindness sparked an unending desire to pay it forward, ultimately leading to the goodness game. He now runs a successful digital marketing agency and is an active real estate investor, though he'd tell you his biggest strength is getting back up when life punches him in the face. And it's punched him quite a few times, though a few of those punches might have been deserved.

You Are Not Here
Michael Albanese, author
Chandi Lyn, editor
J. J. Richards, illustrator
The Weight of Ink
https://www.theweightofink.com/publishing
9781732898783, $19.99, PB, 227pp

https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Here-Inspirations/dp/1732898782

Synopsis: Are you where you thought you'd be at this stage of your life? No? Then "You Are Not Here: Stories and Inspirations for Those Who Have Not Yet Arrived" by Michael Albanese is for you.

"You Are Not Here" explores the timeless concept that life's journey is its own reward. It is a compendium of stories, reflections, and inspirations that are partly autobiographical and inspired by the beloved poem Ithaka -- it is for those who have not yet arrived, An invitation to discovering the beauty in the struggle, finding hope in the quest, and embraceing growth as you move forward on your own life's journey.

Critique: Deftly crated by Michael Albanese, beautifully illustrated by JJ Richards, and edited by Chandi Lyn, "You Are Not Here: Stories and Inspirations for Those Who Have Not Yet Arrived" is testament to dreamers who see not only what is, but what could be. The reader is offered is provided with inspiration, motivation, and an appreciation of your life where should be, can be, and are. This paperback edition of "You Are Note Here" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections and creativity/motivational reading lists.

Editorial Note #1: Michael Albanese loves writing, coffee, basketball and all forms of art. Michael lives in Atlanta. (www.goodreads.com/author/show/18635936.Michael_Albanese)

Editorial Note #2: Chandi Lyn (www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01bc40485963dea3af) is all about words. Choosing the right one for the right moment can be magical. Punctuating all of them correctly is essential -- she's a huge fan of the Oxford comma. As a professional copy editor, she sees her job as helping authors put the right pieces in the right places.

Toxic Productivity
Israa Nasir, MHC-LP
Bridge City Books
www.bridgecitybooks.com
Tantor Media
https://tantor.com
9781962305358, $19.99, PB, 262pp

https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Productivity-Reclaim-Emotional-Demands/dp/196230535X

Synopsis: For decades, societal pressures have had us scrambling to do more, achieve more, overcome more, be more -- all with the promise that we'll feel accomplished, fulfilled, worthy... even happy. Life has become a never-ending cycle of pursuing "the next thing" - always checking things off our to-do list and reaching for the next milestone. But it often comes at a price: our mental and physical health. -- Are we happier? Will it ever be enough?

Being productive isn't necessarily about how you manage your time. It's about how you manage your emotions.

In a world obsessed with getting more done, with the publication of "Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More", psychotherapist Israa Nasir unmasks the hidden roots of hustle culture and dismantles the myth that "doing more makes you more worthy".

In this timely and unsparing guide, Nasir offers research-backed insight on dynamics such as self-worth, shame, social comparison, burnout, and perfectionism that keep us always busy but never satisfied. Nasir gives expert and tangible guidance so you can separate who you are from what you do.

Combining therapeutic principles, personal anecdotes, client stories, as well as thought-provoking perspectives, "Toxic Productivity" will help you: Recognize the emotional patterns that drive your toxic productivity habits; Cultivate a healthier perspective on achievement; Create sustainable habits for reaching goals that are authentically meaningful to you.

It's time to untangle yourself from the web of toxic productivity and embrace a life that is not just productive but profoundly meaningful. Let this book guide you toward a transformative journey of self-discovery-helping you reclaim your time, energy, and joy.

Critique: Ideal for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subjects of personal time management, stress management, and a rational approach to the concept of success, "Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More" by Israa Nasir is a life changing read. Inspired and inspiring, "Toxic Productivity" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement and Popular Psychology collections. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "Toxic Productivity" from Bridge City Books (an imprint of PESI Publishing) is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99) and ans a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9798228302778, $39.99).

Editorial Note: Israa Nasir, MHC-LP, (www.israanasir.com) is a New York City based psychotherapist, writer, and the founder of WellGuide-a digital community for mental health awareness. Her work is centered on transforming the way we talk about mental health, taking it from a place of shame to a place of empowerment. A Pakistani Canadian child of immigrants, she has a specific focus on mental health, identity formation, and healing for the AAPI first- and second-generation immigrant community. Israa has been featured in NBC, Vox, Huffpost, Teen Vogue, and other major publications and been invited to speak at corporations such as Google, Meta, and Yale.

Spirit Vigilante
Lindsey Van Wagner
Haven 101 Press
https://haven101.com
9798991598941, $16.99, HC, 173pp

https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Vigilante-Telling-Truth-Yours/dp/B0DM66P53P

Synopsis: Get ready to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, guided by heartfelt personal stories and practical techniques rooted in health psychology and behavior change theory. With the publication of "Spirit Vigilante: Telling My Truth to Help You Live Yours", Lindsey Van Wagner provides a clear and concise framework that is a strong foundation upon which you can learn how to break free from old patterns that no longer serve you, overcome your inner obstacles, and embrace your most authentic self. No matter where you are on this journey, the life you are looking for is waiting to be lived. With a compassionate and courageous voice, Van Wagner is a light for those seeking true freedom, purpose, and a life beyond their wildest dreams.

Critique: Quality of life enhancing, daily life enriching, and motivationally inspiring, "Spirit Vigilante: Telling My Truth to Help You Live Yours" by motivational speaker Lindsey Van Wagner is exceptionally well organized and presented. Exceptionally well organized and presented from start to finish, "Spirit Vigilante" is a solid pick for the non-specialist general reader wanting to learn how to deal with replacing old and negative attitudes and patterns with new and positive ones. While also available in a paperback edition (9798991598910, $14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99), "Spirit Vigilante" from Haven 101 Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections.

Editorial Note: Lindsey Van Wagner (https://www.thespiritvigilante.com) holds an M.S. degree in Nutrition Education from the American University, a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Yoga Teacher's Training Certificate from the Marianne Wells Yoga School.


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
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