 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Small
Press Bookwatch |
Small Press Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
I Was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry
Jim Holyan
Caxton Press
www.caxtonpress.com
9780870046582, $18.95, PB, 363pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Was-Middle-Aged-Wolfman-Chasing-Backcountry/dp/0870046586
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-was-a-middle-aged-wolfman-jim-holyan/1147691927
Caxton Press
https://caxtonnnn.myshopify.com/products/i-was-a-middle-aged-wolfman-chasing-wolves-in-idahos-backcountry
Synopsis: For over a decade from 1995 to 2016 the Nez Perce Tribe led the on-the-ground recovery of gray wolves in Idaho after their reintroduction from Canada.
With the publication of "I Was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry", Jim Holyan takes his readers on a detailed personal and professional journey through those sometimes controversial times as the first biologist to share his insights into the accomplishments of a pioneering team working for the Tribe to help make gray wolf recovery in Idaho a success
Critique: Informative, exceptional, impressively well written, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, this paperback edition of Jim Holyan's "I Was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry" from Caxton Press is an inherently fascinating and detailed study that will hold immense interest for anyone with an interest in the repopulation efforts to restore wolves to the Idaho ecosystem. This eye-witness account is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Wildlife & Environmental Restoration collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
The Social Issues Shelf
Hope On The Border
Gil Gillenwater
University of Pemako Press
https://prbythebook.com/experts/gil-gillenwater
9798899014376, $28.00, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Border-Gil-Gillenwater/dp/B0FBFN75P2
Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation
https://ranchofeliz.com/hope-on-the-border
Synopsis: The U.S. - Mexico border is more than a line on a map. It's a place of hardship and resilience, inequity and generosity, division and connection. With the publication of "Hope on the Border", author Gil Gillenwater draws on nearly four decades of firsthand experience to bring readers face-to-face with the realities of the world's most dangerous migrant corridor -- and the hope that still thrives there.
Through vivid storytelling and dramatic photography, in the pages of "Hope on the Border", Gillenwater reveals the heartache and humanity that define life on both sides of the border. His unflinching accounts expose the shared responsibilities of two nations, while his insights point to a deeper truth: Mexico's material poverty and America's spiritual poverty are intertwined.
"Hope on the Border" offers:
Authentic border experiences free from partisan narratives and media distortion.
Stories and photography capturing resilience and humanity.
Insights into poverty on both sides of the border.
A blueprint for hope through reciprocal giving.
A challenge to reflect on personal responsibility.
The promise of "Hope on the Border" is that it won't just inform you -- it will transform how you see division, compassion, and your own capacity for change. If you are willing to move beyond comfortable assumptions and discover what truly has the power to unite us, the "Hope on the Border" will be your guide.
Critique: Original, informative, exceptional, thoughtful and thought-provoking, engaging and inspiring, "Hope on the Border" is an impressively well written and timely contribution to our on-going national dialogue on one of the primary and hotly contested social/political issues of the day -- the immigration crises on the U.S./Mexican Border and the current federal responses around the country by ICE and the Trump Administration. This hardcover edition of "Hope on the Border" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university Contemporary Social Issues collections and supplemental Emigration/Immigration curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Gil Gillenwater is the founder and president of the award-winning Rancho Feliz Charitable Foundation, which has reimagined border philanthropy since 1987. For nearly four decades, he has worked hands-on along the U.S.-Mexico border, building programs that empower communities through reciprocal giving and shared dignity.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
There's No Good Book For This But I Wrote One Anyway
Cara Lockwood
www.caralockwood.com
Skip to the Good Part Books
9798998940538, $18.00, PB, 332pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Good-Book-Wrote-Anyway/dp/B0FRY2RV3M
Synopsis: With the publication of "There's No Good Book for This but I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer", Cara Lockwood seeks to help anyone diagnosed with breast cancer as she was once was.
In 2023, Cara was diagnosed with Stage 1, HER+ breast cancer during a routine mammogram. To fight it, She had to endure a double mastectomy, chemo, and reconstructive surgery, before she finally went into remission in 2024.
In Cara's own words what she has written is "part memoir, part pep talk, and part screaming into the void. I'm going to do my best to get you ready for the fight ahead because, trust me, you will need the training montage of a lifetime. Ready? Then hang on to your boobs (or not); it's going to be a bumpy ride."
Critique: "There's No Good Book For This But I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer" is for anyone with a family member of friend, neighbor or coworker whose has been diagnosed with breast cancer. "There's No Good Book For This But I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer" is of critical importance for anyone who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
Again in Cara's own words: "Hey there. I'm sorry to be the one to welcome you to the worst club on earth... with the bravest, best members. This book isn't going to help make the cancer go away, but I hope it will make you feel less alone. I'm going to try to try to help you keep your sanity, even if you don't keep your boobs."
Deftly written with humor, experience, insight, 'real world' information, and even a bit of inspiration, "There's No Good Book For This But I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Breast Cancer reading lists in particular. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "There's No Good Book For This But I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Cara Lockwood (www.caralockwood.com) grew up in Mesquite, Texas. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, worked a few years as a newspaper reporter, and then as a marketing writer before she got serious about finishing my first novel, I Do (But I Don't). It would go on to become a Lifetime Original Movie starring Dean Cain and Denise Richards. Cara has written a whole lot of books (eighteen and counting) in a whole lot of genres including YA, paranormal, mystery and romance.
The Music Shelf
3 Songs
Randy Gibbons
Independently Published
9798998576034, $59.99, HC, 432pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Songs-America-Created-Standards-related/dp/B0FNFHNZF1
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/3-songs-randy-gibbons/1147887156
Synopsis: With the publication of "3 Songs: How the Genius of America Created Three Jazz Standards (and why my brain thinks they are related)", Randy Gibbons takes his readers on an inspired deep dive into the heart of that authentic American music called Jazz.
This richly illustrated, thoroughly researched, and deeply personal work uncovers the improbable origins and lasting legacy of three iconic jazz standards: "Star Dust," "Lush Life," and "Midnight Sun." But it's more than music history, it's also masterpiece of cultural archaeology.
Through the lives of the composers and lyricists, readers are transported into the sonic and social ferment of 20th-century America: from Tin Pan Alley to Harlem, from New Orleans to Hollywood, from the smoking cabarets of Chicago's Bronzeville to the nation's first studios for recording and broadcasting sound.
Along the way, themes of race, immigration, invention, and identity converge, much like the music itself.
Blending memoir, biography, and historical narrative, "3 Songs" is a rare study, one that is intellectually curious, emotionally resonant, and accessible to both jazz aficionados and newcomers. Whether you're a musician, a lover of the Great American Songbook, or just want to understand the art form America gave the world, "3 Songs" will leave you enlightened, and moved.
Critique: Original, exceptionally informative, deftly crafted, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "3 Songs: How the Genius of America Created Three Jazz Standards (and why my brain thinks they are related)" offers a unique approach and thought-provoking history of Jazz and its development. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Music History/Jazz collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and Jazz enthusiasts that this hardcover edition of "3 Songs" is also readily available in paperback (9798998576041, $19.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Randy Gibbons is a lifelong music lover and jazz enthusiast who is trained in classical languages and history, and a veteran of the early tech industry, he brings a scholar's curiosity and a fan's passion to the stories behind America's greatest songs. Gibbons blends memoir, musical insight, and cultural history in "3 Songs", his lyrical tribute to American music. (https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/directory/48857/randy-gibbons)
Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs
Richard Somma
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891327658, $25.99, HC, 292pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Kristofferson-Astounding-Songs-Richard-Somma/dp/B0FGKVDN1P
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kristofferson-richard-somma/1147748776
Synopsis: "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" explores the depth and artistry of country music star Kris Kristofferson's lyrics with a special focus on his masterful use of sound and repetition. His lyrics use rhythm and tone to shape stories-heightening a character's anger, joy, or excitement, slowing a line for impact, or driving it forward with urgency. The characters he brings to life are authentic, often grappling with thorny predicaments, and his signature wit shines throughout.
With the publication of "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" (and for each song), Richard Somma offers his interpretation -- not as a definitive answer, but as a starting point to inspire readers to find their own meanings.
Richly illustrated throughout, "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" aims to bring Kristofferson's music to life in a new way. Above all, Somma's greatest hope is that readers and Kristofferson fans will find new appreciation and enjoyment in Kristofferson's remarkable songs.
Critique: Informative, insightful, fascinating, unique, deftly crafted, "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Country Music History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the legions of Kris Kristofferson fans that this hardcover edition of "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" from Atmosphere Press is also readily available in paperback (9798891327337, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Richard Somma (https://kristofferson67astoundingsongs.com) has been working on "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" for at least three years. Kris died on September 29, 2024, the day before Somma was to submit his manuscript to Atmosphere Press. His plan had been to get Kris a copy of the book. In Somma's imagination, he believed that Kris would have loved it. "Kristofferson: 67 Astounding Songs" is an homage to Kris's writing.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter Of WWII
Laura Elliott
Merack Publishing
https://www.merackpublishing.com
9781964421155, $45.99, HC, 564pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Laura-Chapter-Father-Daughter-Adventure/dp/1964421152
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-laura-laura-elliott/1147646489
Synopsis: Why would the Empire of Japan imprison 5 Dutch radio engineers, hold their families hostage, and move them all from Indonesia to Japan? -- And why would one of them die?
It all started with a bench (a simple, handmade wooden bench, handed down through the years) and a whispered comment at a child's birthday party that hinted at something much darker beneath its surface. From that moment on, Laura Elliott knew there was more to her father's story.
Through heartfelt letters written across decades, oceans, and generations, and during her travels across the world Laura begins piecing together her father's hidden past, guided by his enduring spirit and love, especially when she's at her most vulnerable.
As Laura delves deeper, she not only uncovers a surprising family story shaped by resilience, displacement, and the quiet heroism that lives in ordinary people, but a lost chapter of WWII.
Told with warmth, curiosity, and reverence for the past, "Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter Of WWII: A Father-Daughter Adventure of Courage, Faith & Freedom" is a testament to the lifelong adventure of understanding those we love. It is a deeply personal account of questions finally asked, healing that comes from bearing witness to the truth, and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter.
More than another memoir, "Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter Of WWII: A Father-Daughter Adventure of Courage, Faith & Freedom" an also the unraveling of a mystery, a reclaiming of legacy, and a powerful reminder that sometimes the most incredible stories are those buried closest to home.
Critique: Original, unique, informative, deftly crafted, and a vividly blending of biography and memoir, "Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter Of WWII: A Father-Daughter Adventure of Courage, Faith & Freedom" is an extraordinary and inherently fascinating read from cover to cover. Of immense value and appeal to readers with an interest in true life World War II histories, biographies and memoirs, "Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter of WWII" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition for community and college/university collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Dear Laura: A Lost Chapter of WWII" from Merack Publishing is also readily available in paperback (9781964421094, $34.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Laura H. A. Elliott is a successful ghostwriter of best-selling, award-winning books and screenplays who lives at the beach in Santa Cruz, CA, with her husband, near her daughters and grandchildren. Her search for the truth, wherever it leads, calls her on many adventures. Some come in heartbeats and others in decades. "Dear Laura: is her first memoir. For more about Laura, visit @Laurasmagicday on Instagram.
A Layered Life
Gladys H. DeClouet
https://gladysdeclouet.com
River Grove Books
c/o Greenleaf Book Group
https://greenleafbookgroup.com
9781966629450, $18.95, PB, 172pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Layered-Life-Breaking-Trailblazing-Corporate/dp/1966629451
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-layered-life-gladys-h-declouet/1148268056
Synopsis: Life is lived in many layers, where horror and joy coexist, struggle and success reconcile, and the good cannot be separated from the bad. In her vulnerable memoir, "A Layered Life: Breaking Barriers as a Trailblazing Black Woman in Corporate America", Gladys H. DeClouet demonstrates how grit, belief, and love contribute to achieving success in the face of life's complexities.
A former senior executive who forged a path through the oil and restaurant industries, Gladys shares a journey marked by resilience and bold leadership. She recounts her professional and personal experiences, from growing up in an environment where resources were scarce to becoming the first female engineer in offshore oil and gas exploration and production. As a Black woman climbing the corporate ladder and leading multibillion-dollar businesses in male-dominated industries, Gladys demonstrates the power of self-belief and perseverance.
"A Layered Life" is an inspirational story of courage, leadership, and faith for anyone facing the difficulties that life will inevitably present, regardless of your gender, race, or religious background. It stands as a powerful testament to what's possible when determination meets opportunity.
Critique: Eloquent, intimate, informative, insightful, inspiring, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "A Layered Life: Breaking Barriers as a Trailblazing Black Woman in Corporate America" is the extraordinary, candidly personal, and deftly crafted life story of Gladys H. DeClouet. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary African-America and Contemporary Women's Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "A Layered Life" from River Grove Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Gladys H. DeClouet (https://gladysdeclouet.com) is a pioneer with an exceptional record of running multibillion-dollar businesses. She has led divisions at major corporations, such as British Petroleum, Burger King, and Jack in the Box, to financial growth and strategic success. Gladys began her professional career with Conoco Oil as the first female engineer in offshore oil and gas exploration and production and continued to open doors as the first female or first Black female to achieve positions throughout her career. Gladys is a respected leader, recognized for her integrity and ability to attract and develop superior and diverse teams. She is passionate about mentoring and sharing her knowledge and experience with others.
Her influence extends beyond business achievements, as evidenced by her features in Black Enterprise magazine, where she was recognized among the most powerful executives and women in business. Her educational background includes an MBA in Finance & Investment Banking from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee University. Actively involved in her community, she has served on several boards. She enjoys music, dancing, and traveling, integrating personal passions with a profound professional legacy. Gladys has since retired and lives in her home state of Florida.
The General Fiction Shelf
Before Closure
Shadley Grei
https://www.shadleygrei.com
Kingbird Press
https://www.kingbirdpress.com
9781965629000, $16.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Closure-Shadley-Grei/dp/1965629008
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/before-closure-shadley-grei/1147940359
Kingbird Press
https://www.kingbirdpress.com/releases
Synopsis: Seven months ago, Carol Parker left a note on the kitchen counter and walked out on her life, leaving behind a husband of nearly forty years and two adult children to navigate the silence she left behind.
In three days, Clayton is convinced his wife will return. It will be their fortieth wedding anniversary, and he believes she'll come back to celebrate and rebuild what's been broken.
Frankie and Jules aren't so sure. Frankie has gone numb in the wake of his own relationship's collapse, and Jules is barely holding a fragile marriage together. As one Iowa summer weekend unfolds, each of them must face an invitation to rethink the future they were expecting.
Told with sharp insight and quiet compassion, "Before Closure" by Shadley Grei is a tender portrait of love stretched thin, the burden of unspoken truths, and the messy grace of daring to live.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging, impressively compelling, a memorably fascinating read from start to finish, "Before Closure" is the author Shadley Grei's debut as a novelist. "Before Closure" demonstrates Grei's eloquent and absorbing storytelling style that lifts his novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While this paperback edition of "Before Closure" is also readily available from Kingbird Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99), It is especially and unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Shadley Grei (https://www.shadleygrei.com) wrote his first story in second grade and has been chasing words ever since. He lives in West Des Moines, Iowa, with his husband, too many books, and never quite enough time to read.
Jessica
Nicholas Hill
Book Guild Publishing
https://bookguild.co.uk
9781835741825, $12.99, PB, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Nicholas-Hill/dp/1835741827
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jessica-nicholas-hill/1147084202
Synopsis: Middle-aged property developer Harry is lucky in everything but love. He's resigned to being dumped by his girlfriend when an enigmatic young woman steps out of the shadows and into his life. Her arrival turns his world upside down, forcing him to face a past he's long tried to bury. But it's still hiding a dark secret that could shatter his dreams.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, well defined characters immersed in an inherently fascinating and engaging storyline, "Jessica" by Nicholas Hill is an extraordinary novel that is lifted to an impressive level of extraordinary excellence by the author's natural flair for the kind of entertaining storytelling style that produces a compulsive page-turner literary experience for the reader. Especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Jessica" from Book Guild Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Nicholas Hill (https://www.nicholas-hill.info) lives and works with his family in the South of France. His second family drama, "Jessica", draws closely on his experiences and friendships an aspiring young actor in London. It follows his novel, "The Journey", published by The Book Guild (2022).
Electric Dream
Goutham Rao
Madville Publishing
www.MadvillePublishing.com
9781963695236, $22.95, PB, 232pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Dreams-Goutham-Rao/dp/1963695232
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/electric-dreams-goutham-rao/1147348905
Synopsis: "Electric Dream" is the story of Simon Galves, the new writing instructor in a small college town. Simon settles into a dull but peaceful life until he is caught in a sudden storm and is struck by lightning. Remarkably, he survives with some injuries, and even more remarkably, the strike uncovers a compulsive desire to play the piano.
Through flashbacks, we learn of Simon's troubled childhood and his strained relationship with his distant mother, Helen. Through his piano obsession, he falls in love with Jenna, a music professor and pianist. Shortly after her death, Simon learns the truth about his mother.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, clever, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Electric Dreams" by Goutham Rao is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. With an impressively eloquence, author Goutham Rao has raised novel, "Electric Dreams", to an extraordinary level of literary excellence. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Electric Dreams" from Madville Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Goutham Rao is a practicing family physician, researcher in cardiovascular prevention, endowed professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, and author of more than a hundred publications, including five books. He has taught writing skills to physicians and other health care professionals for more than twenty years. During the height of the pandemic, he personally found creative writing therapeutic and started/leads a group called "Words for Wellness," which brings together health care professionals to discover the value of writing as both a creative outlet and a means to promote wellness.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Where Birds Land
Mary Ruth Barnes
https://maryruthbarnes.com
White Dog Press
https://www.whitedogpress.com
9781952397493, $27.95, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Birds-Land-Mary-Barnes/dp/1952397499
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-birds-land-mary-ruth-barnes/1147562641
Synopsis: Ella McSwain is a Chickasaw woman raising her family amidst evolving turmoil within the budding state of Oklahoma. After Ella is left with an unusable plot of land, she finds herself fighting for her family's rightful allotment. Faced with crooked businessmen, land grifters, and grueling court battles, can she summon the strength to persevere against all odds?
Critique: "Where Birds Land" is stand-alone companion to author Mary Ruth Barnes' novel, "Little Bird". Once again Mary Ruth Barnes has deftly crafted an engaging Native American themed family saga that spans from Indian Territory to Oklahoma statehood against the backdrop of the state's changing landscape. Original, exceptional, emotionally engaging, and showcasing her genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling that raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence, "Where Birds Land" by Mary Ruth Barnes is especially and an unreservedly recommended pick for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Where Birds Land" from White Dog Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Mary Ruth Barnes (https://maryruthbarnes.com) is a Chickasaw artist, teacher, and writer. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from North Carolina State University and received her master's degree in education from Montana State University. Barnes was named the 2015 Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Woman of the Year, and in 2019, received the Women in the Arts Recognition Award from the Ada, Oklahoma chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 2022, she was inducted into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame. Her short stories have been featured in The Journal of Chickasaw History and Culture, and her first full-length novel, "Little Bird", received accolades at both the state and national level.
The Oak and the Eagles
Patrick Tooban
https://patricktooban.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798891326729, $17.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Oak-Eagles-Book-Calgach-Sc%C3%A9la/dp/B0FBT4HSS6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-oak-and-the-eagles-patrick-tooban/1147528730
Synopsis: "The Oak and the Eagles" by novelist Patrick Tooban re-imagines a pivotal moment in world history following Boudicca's defeat, and brings a largely overlooked historical figure, Calgach, into vivid relief.
With rich storytelling and evocative landscapes, this deftly crafted historical novel traces the journey of an elite group of Celts navigating diplomacy, clan ties, and quiet resistance against the empire's might. It's a gripping interpretation that blends historical fidelity with dramatic flair.
Critique: Original, exceptional, fascinating, and an inherently compelling read from cover to cover, "The Oak and the Eagles" is the first novel in author Patrick Tooban's new and exciting "Calgach Scela" historical fiction series set in the Roman Britain era. Memorable characters, cliff-hanging plot twists, and especially recommended for fans of action/adventure suspense thrillers set in antiquity, "The Oak and the Eagles" is an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Oak and the Eagles" from Atmosphere Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Patrick Tooban (https://patricktooban.com) has always had a fascination with the past ranging from an eclectic interest from the Neolithic to the emergence of the modern world. He is now well into his seventies and long since retired -- and decided it was time he wrote and published "The Oak and the Eagles".
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Deliver Me
Elle Nash
The Unnamed Press
https://www.unnamedpress.com
9781961884595, $18.00, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Deliver-Me-Elle-Nash/dp/1961884593
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deliver-me-elle-nash/1143074974
The Unnamed Press
https://www.unnamedpress.com/all-books/p/deliver-me-paperback
Synopsis: At a meatpacking facility in the Missouri Ozarks, Dee-Dee and her co-workers kill and butcher 40,000 chickens in a single shift.
The work is repetitive and brutal, with each stab and cut a punishment to her hands and joints, but Dee-Dee's more concerned with what is happening inside her body. After a series of devastating miscarriages, Dee-Dee has found herself pregnant, and she is determined to carry this child to term.
Dee-Dee had fled the Pentecostal church years ago, but judgment still follows her in the form of regular calls from her mother, whose raspy voice urges Dee-Dee to quit living in sin and marry her boyfriend Daddy, an underemployed ex-con with an insect fetish.
With a child on the way, at long last Dee-Dee can bask in her mother's and boyfriend's newfound parturient attention. She will matter. She will be loved. She will be complete.
When her charismatic friend Sloane reappears after a twenty-year absence, feeding her insecurities and awakening suppressed desires, Dee-Dee fears she will go back to living in the shadows. Neither the ultimate indignity of yet another miscarriage nor Sloane's own pregnancy deters her: she must prepare for the baby's arrival.
Critique: Original, compelling, deftly crafted, emotionally engaging, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Deliver Me" by Elle Nash is a work of memorable fiction where the storytelling artistry of the author raises this novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. Originally published in hardcover (2023), this new paperback edition of "Deliver Me" from The Unnamed Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists as well as community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Elle Nash (https://www.ellenash.net) is the British/American author of the novel Animals Eat Each Other (Dzanc Books). Upon publication of her novel in the UK, she appeared at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to present the work of under-represented voices with Amnesty International, and to speak about sex, death and feminism in literature. Her work appears in Guernica, Adroit, The Creative Independent, Hazlitt, Literary Hub, Cosmopolitan, New York Tyrant and elsewhere. She is also a founding editor of Witch Craft Magazine and currently lives in Scotland.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Spy's Mate
Brad Buchanan
Thinkers Publishing
https://thinkerspublishing.com
9789083488233, $28.00, HC, 425pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spys-Mate-Novel-Brad-Buchanan/dp/B0DNBP4WVW
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spys-mate-buchanan/1146617587
Thinkers Publishing
https://thinkerspublishing.com/product/spys-mate-a-novel-brad-buchanan
Synopsis: Set in the late Cold War-era Soviet Union, "Spy's Mate" by novelist Brad Buchanan follows the coming of age story of Yasha Basmajian, a young chess prodigy of Armenian origin who rises through the ranks of the Soviet chess establishment with dizzying rapidity. Along the way, however, he must contend with many pitfalls, including operatives who manipulate him, jealous rivals who try to humiliate him, and high officials who threaten him when he asserts his independence, or takes a principled stance.
With help from a renegade coach and a team of anti-establishment grandmasters, Yasha manages to run the gauntlet of two Candidates Tournaments until eventually he faces the sinister, predatory World Chess Champion, Evgeny Volosin, in a match where the stakes are nothing less than life and death.
Critique: Original, carefully crafted, and as simply riveting read from start to finish, "Spy's Mate" by Brad Buchanan will hold immense appeal for readers with an interest in historical espionage and psychological thriller novels set in the Cold War era. While also available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9789083488240, $20.00), this hardcover edition of "Spy's Mate" from Thinkers Publishing is an especially and unreservedly pick for community libraries Suspense/Thriller Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Brad Buchanan is a lifelong chess player, online chess addict, and avid follower of chess culture. In his other life, he holds degrees in English Literature from McGill University, the University of Toronto, and Stanford University. He taught twentieth-century literature and creative writing at Sacramento State University until his retirement in 2016. His poetry, fiction, and scholarly articles have appeared in more than 200 journals, including Canadian Literature, the Journal of Modern Literature, and Twentieth-Century Literature. He has also published four books of poetry, three scholarly books and a medical memoir. Spy's Mate is his first novel.
Tequila: A Story of Success, Love & Violence
Tim Reuben
https://www.timreuben.com
Meridian Editions
https://www.meridianeditions.com
9781959170266, $37.95, HC, 432pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tequila-Story-Success-Love-Violence/dp/1959170260
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tequila-tim-reuben/1147933817
Synopsis: From the agave fields of Mexico to the skyscrapers of Manhattan, from bayside mansions in Miami to Los Angeles courthouses, with the publication of "Tequila: A Story of Success, Love & Violence" novelist Tim Reuben follows three generations of the Ramirez family as they battle for control of RAM, a multibillion-dollar luxury spirits powerhouse.
When Maria Ramirez becomes CEO, her greatest foes aren't her competitors. They're her brothers -- the corrupt, sociopathic Miguel and the self-destructive, spiraling Tomaso -- whose actions threaten to drag the Ramirez name to ruin.
LA attorney Brian Youngman enters their world, hired for Tomaso's divorce case. What he uncovers are cartel ties, financial crimes, and unimaginable violence. As his growing love for Maria collides with his fight for justice, Brian becomes a reluctant hero in a battle where survival means pain and sacrifice.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a compulsively engaging read from start to finish, it should be noted that while "Tequila: A Story of Success, Love & Violence" is a gripping work of fiction, it is based on author Tim Reuben's many years of experiences as a trial lawyer. Vivid, compelling, and memorable, "Tequila: A Story of Success, Love & Violence" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community/public library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated crime thriller fans that this hardcover edition of "Tequila: A Story of Success, Love & Violence" from Meridian Editions is also available in paperback ( 9781959170273, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note; Tim Reuben (https://www.timreuben.com) is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. A veteran trial lawyer, Reuben founded his own litigation firm in Los Angeles, where he also actively publishes articles on topics of law and society.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Ship of Spells
H. Leighton Dickson
https://www.hleightondickson.com
Entangled
c/o Red Tower Books
https://entangledpublishing.com
9781649379139, $32.99, HC, 512pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Spells-Deluxe-Limited-Leighton-Dickson/dp/1649379137
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ship-of-spells-h-leighton-dickson/1146890604
Synopsis: When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.
But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn't just take lives -- it left something behind.
Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that's chimeric, arcane...and slowly killing her. But the captain's mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn't trust her. Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future -- or set the sea on fire.
Critique: Impressively original, deftly crafted characters, an inherently compelling plot structure, "Ship of Spells" by novelist H. Leighton Dickson is a riveting and fun read from start to finish. With its blending of adventure, magic, suspense and romance "Ship of Spells" will prove to be of particular appeal to dedicated fans of fantasy sagas and will prove to be a popular pick for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "Ship of Spells" from Entangled/Red Tower Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: H. Leighton Dickson (https://www.hleightondickson.com) has been writing since she was thirteen and pencilled her way through university working for DC Comics. Now repped by Looking Glass Literary & Media's D. Ellis Wilson, Heather got her start as an indie author with the Sci/Fi fantasy series, "Rise of the Upper Kingdoms", the Gothic thriller series, "Cold Stone & Ivy", and "Dragon of Ash & Starts: The Autobiography of a Night Dragon".
The Cruel Dawn
Rachel Howzell Hall
www.rachelhowzell.com
Entangled: Red Tower Books
https://entangledpublishing.com/featured-books/new-red-tower-books
9781649379160, $32.99, HC, 512pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cruel-Dawn-Rachel-Howzell-Hall/dp/1649379161
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cruel-dawn-rachel-howzell-hall/1146996353
Synopsis: Kaivara Megidrail was once worshipped as the Grand Defender of Vallendor -- until betrayal, punishment, and exile left her Diminished. Now, the realm she had abandoned teeters on the edge of collapse. Monsters roam free. Gods whisper in shadows. And one man -- Jadon Wake, prince, blacksmith, liar -- may be the key to her salvation... or her final ruin.
Haunted by the past, hunted by divine enemies, and armed with only fractured Memories and an unrelenting will, Kaivara must choose: reclaim her power and face the truth about Jadon, or watch Vallendor fall to a traitorous god's rising.
The realm called her a destroyer. This time, they'll learn what she was truly made for.
Critique: "The Cruel Dawn" is part of her 'The Vallendor' series and the sequel to author Rachel Howzell Hall's "The Last One". Part crisis laced romance, part action/adventure, and part epic fantasy of Gods and Men, "The Cruel Dawn" is original, cleverly scripted, and a memorably fun read from cover to cover. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated heroic fantasy fans that this hardcover edition of "The Cruel Dawn" from Entangled: Red Tower Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Rachel Howzell Hall (www.rachelhowzell.com) is the author of fourteen novels, including "The Last One" and "What Fire Brings", "What Never Happened", "We Lie Here", "And Now She's Gone" and "These Toxic Things". Rachel is a two-time finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She is also a former member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America and was a featured writer on NPR's acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast.
The Vallendor series is best enjoyed in order:
Book #1 The Last One
Book #2 The Cruel Dawn
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Ojirami: The Weeping River
Benison Christopher
https://benisonchristopher.com
Black Writing Publishers
9781068650017, $35.22, PB, 172pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ojirami-Weeping-River-Benison-Christopher/dp/106865001X
Synopsis: "Ojirami: The Weeping River" by Benison Christopher is a gripping play drawn from the ancestral legend of the sacred Ojirami River in Edo State, Nigeria. Woven with satire, spiritual tension, and cultural resonance, it tells the story of a village unsettled by pride and forgetfulness, where one man's ambition stirs the anger of a once-patient river goddess.
As reverence fades and personal desires rise, forgotten rituals call out to be remembered -- and the line between the living and the unseen begins to dissolve.
At the heart of the tale is Ekpen, a proud and restless young man whose conceit and selfish ambition set in motion a chain of events that disturbs the delicate balance between the physical and the spiritual. Ureshemi, by contrast, brings emotional depth and moral weight to the unfolding drama through her quiet strength and growing convictions.
As betrayal festers and moral boundaries erode, the goddess Ojirami (once revered, now provoked) rises from silence. Her response is more than supernatural; it is sacred and sweeping, reshaping destinies and demanding a return to all that was once held in reverence.
Ojirami: The Weeping River is a lyrical and devastatingly beautiful play about migration, love, pride, and spiritual imbalance. Written with aching truth, it asks one timeless question:
When the river weeps... who will kneel?
Critique: Original, exceptional, extraordinary, emotionally engaging, deftly crafted, "Ojirami: The Weeping River" by storyteller and playwright Benison Christopher is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library African and Metaphysical themed theatrical collections.
Editorial Note: Benison Christopher is the founder of The Benison Christopher Company (TBCC), a socially conscious media company dedicated to the art of illumination. Their message is that before we can obliterate societal problems, we must first cast a spotlight on them, revealing their true nature and impact. That it is through the power of art, that we can illuminate the shadows of these challenges, and, with acts of kindness, strive to eradicate them.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
www.midwestbookreview.com
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design