 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Internet
Bookwatch |
Internet Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
The Cuba We Lost
Genie Milgrom
https://geniemilgrom.com
Independently Published
9798188537555, $20.00, PB, 287pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cuba-We-Lost-Witnesses-Freedom/dp/B0HCN8SBYN
Synopsis: "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last Days of Freedom, 1959 through 1962" by Genie Milgrom is a
collective eyewitness testament and history to what has become known as Cuba's Golden Exile -- and what it was like to
watch your country disappear.
Between 1959 and 1962 hundreds of thousands of Cuban families were forced to make heart wrenching decisions that
would forever alter their lives and the lives of their families. Families were separated. Homes, businesses, schools and
religious institutions were transformed overnight. Childhoods were interrupted and ended too soon. Uncertainty, fear and
hope became part of everyday life.
"The Cuba We Lost" preserves those memories before they are lost to the world forever. Through many testimonies, men
and women who lived these events as children and young adults recount what they saw and how they felt and more than
that, how they survived one of the most dramatic periods in Cuban history. As they tell their stories, they weave in the
memories and experiences of their parents and grandparents creating an intimate portrait of a country im transition and
families forced to flee to exile.
The stories told are not political statements nor are they historical arguments. They are deeply personal memories of
schools, friendships, parks and dolls being yanked from their hands. Some left via Operation Pedro Pan and others escaped
via different personal routes. All carried with them memories of a homeland they would never see in the same way
again.
Interwoven throughout "The Cuba We Lost" are historical notes that place each testimony within the unfolding events of the
Cuban revolution, so as to give the reader a context to the date of departure.
Whether you are Cuban, a descendant of Cuban exiles, a student of history , or a person that values memories of human
interest, "The Cuba We Lost" offers you a window into a yesteryear world that now vanished.
For the generations of the future, "The Cuba We Lost" is more than just a collection of memories -- it is a recording of the
story of Cuba's Golden Exile.
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking history of a particular time in Cuba's history marked by revolution,
regime change, and consequences of the miliary imposition of Communism on an island nation. Emotionally engaging and
intellectually informative, "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last Days of Freedom, 1959 through 1962" by Genie
Milgrom is a riveting read from start to finish and a unique, unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library 20th Century Cuban History collections and supplemental American/Cuban
History curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "The Cuba We Lost: Witnesses to the Last Days of Freedom, 1959
through 1962" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Genie Milgrom (https://geniemilgrom.com) is a Cuban-born author, filmmaker, genealogist, and historical
preservationist whose work explores memory, identity, exile, and histories in danger of being lost.
Born in Havana into a Roman Catholic family of Spanish ancestry, she documented an unbroken maternal lineage spanning
22 generations to 1405 in pre-Inquisition Spain and Portugal. That extraordinary journey inspired her books My 15
Grandmothers, How I Found My 15 Grandmothers: A Step-by-Step Guide, and Pyre to Fire, as well as the documentary film
Between the Stone and the Flower. She has lectured internationally and continues often with global speaking and
lectures.
In "The Cuba We Lost", Milgrom turns her preservationist's eye toward the country of her birth, gathering the firsthand
memories of those who experienced the final days of Cuban freedom and the upheaval that followed between 1959 and
1962.
Her work has been featured in The Jerusalem Post, The Miami Herald, and other publications worldwide. Her honors
include the State of Florida Genealogy Award and the Medal of the Four Sephardic Synagogues of Jerusalem for her
decades of work recovering Sephardic memory.
Across her books, films, research, and lectures, Milgrom is dedicated to preserving the voices of the past so they will not be
lost to future generations.
He Feeds Dinosaurs
Daniel Dow & Kristan Dow
Bearers of the Name Press
9798996824014, $32.99, HC, 174pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/He-Feeds-Dinosaurs-Autism-Couldnt/dp/B0H9Z8S6PH
Synopsis: Elijah Dow did not breathe on his own for the first seven minutes of his life. His father stood watching the team
try to keep him alive until he finally made a sound. Before his parents left the hospital, the doctors warned them that autism
was possible. They warned them the day he was born -- about a boy who would grow up to run toward strangers with his
arms open.
Elijah is now nine. He draws chalk maps up and down his street, runs to meet every passing golf cart, and takes archery
classes on Saturday.
"He Feeds Dinosaurs: An Autism Memoir of a Birth Injury and a Boy the Word Couldn't Hold" by Daniel and Kristan Dow
is the fascinating story of that boy as told by his father and his mother. It is also a quiet, devastating argument about a word
that was never big enough to hold him.
What happened to Elijah has a name: hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. HIE is well known as a cause of cerebral palsy and
seizures, and far less discussed as one of the roads that can lead to an autism diagnosis -- though the research connecting the
two is real. The word he was finally handed opened every door and explained nothing.
He gets better. Not all at once, and not into someone else -- slowly, unevenly, and because people kept showing up.
Therapists who sat on the floor with him. A teacher who gave him jobs. A mother with a finger moving under each word, an
hour before bed, until her son could read.
"He Feeds Dinosaurs" is a 'must read' for anyone with a special needs child, or a child born in distress (such as a cord,
meconium, or an NICU stay). If you later met a word that didn't quite fit, you are not imagining the gap between them.
Critique: Informative, insightful, heartfelt, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "He Feeds Dinosaurs: An
Autism Memoir of a Birth Injury and a Boy the Word Couldn't Hold" is the extraordinary story about an extraordinary boy
born to extraordinary parents. Of special and particular value to readers with an interest parenting a special need child, "He
Feeds Dinosaurs" is a unique, very special, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Parenting collections and supplemental Autism curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Daniel Dow is a software engineer. At twenty he was a high-school dropout, addicted to drugs, living on a
mattress on the floor of a garage. He taught himself into a career in technology -- and years later, an hour before bed with a
finger moving under each word, taught his son to read. He lives in rural Florida with his wife Kristan, Elijah, and Elijah's
younger brother, Isaiah -- who, when asked who his best friend is, says Elijah.
Bicentennial Eve: A Wisconsin Novella
Julie A. Jacob
https://julieajacobwriter.com
Fresh Water Press
https://freshwaterpressllc.com
9798998895319, $18.00, PB, 232pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bicentennial-Eve-Wisconsin-Julie-Jacob/dp/B0GZRD8S48
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bicentennial-eve-julie-a-jacob/1149874814
Synopsis: The day before July 4, 1976, as a nation observes its bicentennial, one family's preparations spark quiet
reckonings of loyalty, longing, and the cost of independence.
"Bicentennial Eve: A Wisconsin Novella" is a gentle, slice-of-life tale by author and storyteller Julie A. Jacob of a family on
the eve of July 4, 1976 -- the USA's 200th Birthday.
As the cast of characters go about their day, each of them struggles with their own passing of time. From Grandma Kitty's
quest for some adventure to young Skylar's search for a taste of first love, each family member is looking for a little
independence of their own against the backdrop of a changing country.
With the publication of "Bicentennial Eve", Julie A. Jacob has created a believable world in the form of the fictional
Wisconsin Lakeshore community of Middleport. Her writing is impeccable, drawing the reader into the story with great
attention to the cultural details of the times. "Bicentennial Eve" is more than a nice written novella; it is an eloquent
testament to the lasting values that make up family and a look into the communities that make up Midwestern America.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, fun and fascinating from start to finish, "Bicentennial Eve: A Wisconsin Novella" will
hold a very special resonance for readers from similar communities elsewhere around the country. With her distinctive
character and narrative driven storytelling style, Julie Jacob has created a novella that will linger in the mind and memory of
the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While an unreservedly recommended pick for
personal reading lists and community library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that
this paperback edition from Fresh Water Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Julie A. Jacob (https://julieajacobwriter.com) is a communications professional and freelance writer. She has
an MFA in creative writing from Roosevelt University, and her creative nonfiction works and essays have been published in
Midwest Prairie Review, On Wisconsin, Open, Under the Sun, and several editions of the TallGrass Writers Guild annual
anthology. Some of her work is featured in a self-published collection of essays, Two States of Single: Essays on Love,
Family, and Living Solo, available on Kindle.
A Country Style: Living and Creating With Nature Through the Seasons
Harriet Thistlethwayte
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781840919707, $39.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Country-Style-Creating-through-Seasons/dp/1840919701
Harriet Thistlethwayte's A Country Style: Living and Creating With Nature Through the Seasons surveys the
nature-connected character of "country style" and will appeal to a wide audience, from interior and exterior designers to
homeowners interested in capturing the basics of such style. Its attention to atmosphere, budget, and seasonal representation
make it especially attractive to homeowners considering renovations. Packed with full-page color photos, A Country Style
even includes gardening tips and some recipes in its wide-ranging attention to bringing the joys of country living and the
greater outdoors inside. Librarians seeking a warm, embracing look at living not just alongside, but within nature will find A
Country Style a delightful acquisition.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and History
Constance Hays Matsumoto
www.matsumotobooks.com
How2conquer Press
9781945783463, $25.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fact-Fiction-Inspired-Family-History/dp/194578346X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fact-fiction-constance-hays-matsumoto/1150211413
Synopsis: With the publication of "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and History", Constance Hays
Matsumoto has created a simple and encouraging guide that offers a relatable story map for writers who are sitting on a
historical fiction story but don't know where to start.
Connie was that person -- until she wasn't. With no MFA, no background in creative writing, not even a journal to her name,
she wrote "Of White Ashes", an award-winning novel inspired by her family's remarkable World War II stories.
With delightful candor, Connie shares how she embraced novel writing by learning the craft, creating helpful techniques,
and asking repeatedly, "Wait, how do you do that?" Offering personal story, practical writing advice, visuals, and a healthy
dose of humility, Connie shows how she turned confusion into confidence and how you can, too.
Your story and voice matter. Give a close reading to "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and
History" and then just dive in, get messy, and write the novel that only you can create!
Critique: Simply stated, "Fact & Fiction: How to Write a Novel Inspired by Family and History" by Constance 'Connie'
Matsumoto is the most 'reader/user/writer' friendly 'how-to' instruction guide and DIY manual. Real world practical,
motivational, inspiring, impressively organized and presented, "Fact & Fiction" is an ideal introduction for the
inexperienced, novice beginner who is aspiring to turn their life experiences and family histories into novels that are
compelling, engaging, and entertaining reads from start to finish -- and which can be unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists and community library fiction collections. This paperback edition of "Fact & Fiction" from
How2Conquer Press is an ideal and strongly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Writing/Publishing collections and supplemental Creative Writing curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Constance Hays Matsumoto (www.matsumotobooks.com) is a former corporate executive who embraced
creative writing to create her award-winning, debut historical novel, Of White Ashes (Loyola University MD, 2023). Connie
earned her B.A. from Notre Dame of MD University and M.S. from Johns Hopkins University. She is an engaged literary
citizen, serving as the President of the Women's National Book Association Mid-Atlantic Chapter and is a member of the
Authors Guild, Eastern Shore Writers' Association, and Historical Novel Society. Previously, she served on the Board of
Directors of the Maryland Writers' Association and as President of the Baltimore Chapter.
The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide
Marisa Solis & Elizabeth Dougherty
https://marisasolis.com
Collective Book Studio
https://thecollectivebook.studio
9781685551278, $24.95, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Expert-Author-Guide-Nonfiction/dp/1685551270
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-complete-expert-to-author-guide-marisa-solis/11487570 57
Synopsis: Whether you are a consultant, coach, educator, healthcare provider, or entrepreneur, writing a book can expand
your influence and help more people benefit from your ideas.
With the publication of "The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book", co-
authors Marisa Solis and Elizabeth Dougherty provides a practical, step-by-step roadmap for moving from concept to
finished manuscript without getting stuck along the way.
Marisa and Elizabeth are veteran editors and book coaches who have guided hundreds of nonfiction books from idea to
publication, this hands-on guide walks you through every stage of the writing process with clarity and confidence.
"The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide" an essential resource providing:
A Clear Road Map for Writing Your Book: Follow a proven framework that takes you from initial idea to completed
manuscript with manageable, actionable steps.
Step-by-Step Guidance for Experts and Professionals: If your profession involves helping people improve their lives, turn
your knowledge into an advice-based nonfiction book.
25 Practical Exercises and Writing Tools: Writing prompts, preformatted templates, and market analysis exercises help you
clarify your message and stay focused.
Expert Structuring of Your Book with Confidence: Develop your advice-based book's premise, fine-tune your framework,
and strengthen your table of contents upfront -- making writing faster and less stressful.
Navigation of the Publishing Process: Write a book proposal, explore publishing paths, and build the platform needed to
reach your audience.
If you've been thinking about writing a book but aren't sure where to start or how to finish, "The Complete Expert-to-Author
Guide" will give you the structure, strategy, and support to bring your book to life -- and publication.
Critique: Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally well organized, and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in presentation,
"The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book" is an ideal and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Writing/Publishing collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for aspiring authors that this hardcover edition of "The Complete
Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book" from The Collective Book Studio is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: Marisa Solis (https://marisasolis.com) is a book coach, developmental editor, and cofounder of Book
Structure Pros, a boutique editorial services company. Since her start in travel guidebook publishing in 1999, she has
worked on more than 500 nonfiction books. Her specialties are self-help and wellness.
Editorial Note #2: Elizabeth Dougherty (https://www.bestbookeditor.com) is a book coach, developmental editor, and
cofounder of Book Structure Pros. She has worked in publishing since 1988 and was an executive editor at Weldon Owen.
Her focus is on parenting, health and wellness, and women's leadership. Elizabeth holds a master's from Northwestern's
Medill School of Journalism.
The Education Shelf
H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching
Kyle W. Elsbernd
www.thehelpsystem.org
Independently Published
9798182206969, $14.99, PB, 100pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/L-P-Ethos-Pathos-Transform-Teaching/dp/B0H6H8ZBWZ
Synopsis: THE HAMMER
A plumber fixes a leaky pipe with a single strike and charges the homeowner $200.
"Two hundred dollars to swing a hammer?"
"No. I charged $1 to swing the hammer. $199 because I knew where to hit."
When it comes to public education, most teachers (and students) don't know where to hit. Burdened by thousands of
techniques, they lose sight of both the big picture and the small details. They get stuck in the mushy middle.
Instead of "write more details," we want the right details.
Instead of "love," we want mini Goldendoodles curled up at our feet.
Instead of graduation speeches full of inspiring platitudes, we want Rocky getting up off the canvas.
With the publication of "H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching: A Practical Field Guide to
Better Writing, Speaking, and Thinking", author Kyle W. Elsbernd begins with classroom stories and moves to practical
models that help students organize and express their own stories.
Whether it's organizing essays (ARABIA model), structuring arguments (DAD Theses), or improving writing (Level 1-5
details), the lessons extend beyond the English classroom to art, business, history, math, music, sports, and technical
education.
"H.E.L.P." is a system that helps teachers and students of every age know where to hit.
Critique: Impressively original, exceptionally informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style, organization and
presentation, "H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos Transform Your Teaching: A Practical Field Guide to Better
Writing, Speaking, and Thinking" will prove immensely useful for K-12 classroom teachers and aides, and is an ideal DIY
instructional guide for home schooling parents. This paperback edition of "H.E.L.P. How Ethos, Logos, and Pathos
Transform Your Teaching: A Practical Field Guide to Better Writing, Speaking, and Thinking" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, school district, community and college/university
library K-12 Educational Instruction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kyle W. Elsbernd is a veteran high school English, speech, and theater teacher with over 30 years of
classroom experience in Colorado and Wisconsin. "H.E.L.P." is his toolbox -- in a portable, practical, and highly readable
format. Further resources available at his website: www.thehelpsystem.org
When Everyone Reads
Kwame Alexander
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330916771, $36.99, PB, 184pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-Everyone-Reads-Alexanders-Inspiring/dp/B0G1HYHCL4
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-everyone-reads-kwame-alexander/1148720915
Synopsis: With the publication of "When Everyone Reads: Kwame Alexander's Guide to Inspiring a Lifelong Love of
Books", educator Kwame Alexander offers K-12 teachers organic, creative ways to center reading across the school day and
make it joyful for students and teachers alike.
An award-winning children's author, Kwame Alexander draws upon his experience and expertise to provide easy-to-use
grade-band strategies, QR-linked videos, and reproducible tools -- making this Reading Development curriculum resource
essential for turning all learners into lifelong book lovers.
The Features include low-prep ideas for busy teachers, real-life stories from educators about what works, quotes from
authors and celebrities, curated book lists, as well as:
Real-world solutions supported by research and teacher testimony
Inclusive, joyful literacy practices that transcend test-prep culture
Academic instruction to real life through storytelling, identity, and creativity
The solutions in these pages get to the heart of what excites children about reading, as well as showing classroom teachers
how to keep that spark burning in older students, too.
"When Everyone Reads: Kwame Alexander's Guide to Inspiring a Lifelong Love of Books" is perfect for getting everyone
involved in building a culture of lifelong reading.
Critique: A life long love of books can be instiller in young readers and adaptable to elementary school, middle school, high
school, and home-school reading development curriculums at every level. Thoroughly 'teacher friendly' in organization,
presentation, and ideal for homeschooling parents, "When Everyone Reads: Kwame Alexander's Guide to Inspiring a
Lifelong Love of Books" is an essential pick for personal, professional, school district, and college/university library
Teacher Training: Literacy collections and curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, publisher, Emmy Award winning producer and a the author of 45
books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night; Black Star; The Door of No Return; J vs. K, an illustrated novel penned with
Jerry Craft; the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes; Becoming Muhammad Ali
(co-authored with James Patterson); and The Undefeated, a Newbery Honor and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book
illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
The Write Thing, second edition
Kwame Alexander
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330923564, $36.99, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Write-Thing-Alexanders-Inspiring-Student/dp/B0G1HW7HX6
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-write-thing-kwame-alexander/1148720914
Synopsis: Empower students with lessons that promote authentic self-expression and a love for writing
With the publication of a newly updated and expanded second edition of "The Write Thing: Kwame Alexander's Guide for
Inspiring Student Writers", Newbery Medal winning author Kwame Alexander shows you how to inspire students and make
writing engaging and fun.
With curriculum style workbook, K-12 classroom teachers will empower their students to discover their voices through
writing and publishing. By combining creative expression with the real-world experience of producing published works, this
resource nurtures confidence, literacy skills, and a sense of ownership in young writers.
"The Write Thing" is organized into three sections (Writing, Publishing, and Presenting) and emphasizes poetry as an
accessible entry point for all. It also offers an inspiring look at the practice of writing along with a practical framework that
includes more than 25 step-by-step lessons and mini-lessons, student writing samples, and teacher reflections. You will also
find QR codes linking to online videos -- some designed to help educators and others for classroom use with students. With
these valuable resources, you can build a writing culture that helps students find their voices.
Additionally, this newly published Second Edition of "The Write Thing" features guidance on expanding beyond poetry to
other genres; new approaches, success stories, and tips from experts; and Share Your Story writing ideas for today's
classrooms. Part how-to and part inspiration, "The Write Thing" supports educators in promoting self-expression and a love
of writing.
"The Write Thing: 2nd Edition includes more than 25 step-by-step lessons and mini-lessons for different forms of poetry;
features easy-to-use content such as Quick Tips, success stories, publishing templates and videos (via QR codes); Provides
guidance for engaging reluctant writers and supporting English language learners; Centers student publishing as a core
instructional element to motivate learners.
Use Kwame Alexander's classroom-tested and student-approved workshop model to guide students as they develop
creativity, confidence, and a love of writing.
Critique: This trade paperback (7.25 x 0.44 x 9.25 inches, 1.1 pounds) edition of "The Write Thing: Kwame Alexander's
Guide for Inspiring Student Writers, Second Edition" is extraordinary, deftly crafted, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in
organization, presentation, and style. While unreservedly recommended for K-12 Creative Writing curriculums and
college/university library Educational Instruction: Writing curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, teachers,
and home-schooling parents that it is also available from Shell Education in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.22).
Editorial Note: Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, publisher, Emmy Award winning producer and a the author of 45
books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night; Black Star; The Door of No Return; J vs. K, an illustrated novel penned with
Jerry Craft; the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes; Becoming Muhammad Ali
(co-authored with James Patterson); and The Undefeated, a Newbery Honor and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book
illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
Teaching Social Studies Today, third edition
Kathleen N. Kopp
Shell Education
c/o Teacher Created Materials
https://www.teachercreatedmaterials.com
9798330928774, $34.99, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Social-Studies-Today-Third/dp/B0G1HRKBP8
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/teaching-social-studies-today-third-edition-kathleen-n-kopp/1148720916
Synopsis: An easy-to-use resource for bringing effective, standards-aligned social studies instruction to diverse K-12
classrooms, "Teaching Social Studies Today" by educator Kathleen Kopp is a K-12 professional resource packed with
classroom-ready activities, inquiry-based lessons, and online resources. Included are inquiry-based teaching strategies that
reflect the National Council for the Social Studies C3 standards and incorporate research on how to engage all types of
learners. This newly updated Third Edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today" has an expanded focus on the importance of
teaching social studies -- along with new examples that reflect today's classrooms.
With lessons focusing on interdisciplinary connections, primary sources, and media literacy, this new third edition of
"Teaching Social Studies Today" from Shell Education provides meaningful guidance on helping students master content
and embrace civic engagement. Also included are tips for differentiating instruction for multiple learning needs, including
English language learners, readers who are struggling, advanced and neurodivergent learners, and hybrid/remote
learners.
This new third edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today":
Aligns with C3 Framework and research-based pedagogy
Emphasizes inquiry, critical thinking, and real-world connections
Includes reproducible organizers, reflection prompts, and step-by-step model lessons
Provides assessment rubrics, formative checks, and performance tasks
Both novice and seasoned classroom teachers alike will appreciate this supportive, easy-to-use resource for building civic
engagement and critical thinking in K - 12 social studies curriculum for the classroom.
Critique: With the publication of this newly updated and expanded third edition of "Teaching Social Studies Today" and
drawing from her 32 year career as a classroom teacher and curriculum specialist, along with contemporary advancements in
teaching social studies on a K-12 level, Kathleen Kopp has created an essential, informative, and thoroughly 'reader/teacher
friendly' curriculum building instructional guide and reference guide that is ideal for in-serive teacher training workshops
and an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, school district, and college/university library K-12 Social
Studies Lesson Planning Instruction collections. It should be noted for college/university education students, academia,
K-12 classroom teachers and school district curriculum planners that this paperback edition of "Teaching Social Studies
Today: 3rd Edition" from Shell Education is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.99).
Editorial Note: Kathleen N. Kopp, M.S.Ed., taught elementary school for over 32 years, serving as a classroom teacher,
teacher on special assignment, and curriculum specialist. She presents at local, state, and national conferences for educators.
In addition, Ms. Kopp develops instructional materials and has been awarded a Learning(R) Magazine Teachers' Choice
Award and the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. She is the coauthor of
What the Science of Reading Says about Reading Comprehension and Content Knowledge. There is an online listing of
books by Kathleen N. Kopp at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3038575.KATHLEEN_N_KOPP
The Dad Difference
Chacko Abraham & Deborah R. Higdon
ISTE +ASCD
www.ascd.org
9781416634331, $32.95, PB, 123pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dad-Difference-Invite-Fathers-School/dp/1416634339
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dad-difference-chacko-abraham/1149852188
Synopsis: When students' fathers are engaged at school, good things happen. Discipline problems ease. Achievement rises.
A positive sense of community and connection grows. The Dad Difference is a testament to the power of fathers as leaders
and role models and a practical guide to working with them as educational partners.
Informed by experience and inspired by the dads whose voices appear in the book, education leaders Chacko Abraham and
Deborah R. Higdon explore the transformative nature of effective father engagement programs. You'll learn...
What the research says - how fathers' presence and absence affect student success and well-being and the overwhelming
case for getting dads more involved in school.
How to get started - advice for building a foundation of effective collaboration, from getting fathers on the phone and in the
building to connecting them with peers and leveraging their talents and presence as committed partners.
How to keep going - smart ways to navigate obstacles to father engagement, including dads feeling out of place, having
irregular work schedules, and being physically distant.
You'll also find a starter kit of effective father engagement strategies - 20 different activities that can expand your school's
capacity, foster strong school - home relationships, and boost confidence and belonging in both kids and dads. If you're
looking for a low-cost, research-backed way to improve students' academic, social, and emotional outcomes, The Dad
Difference is for you.
Critique: A seminal and groundbreaking study, "The Dad Difference: How and Why to Invite Fathers into Your School" by
co-authors and educators Chacko Abraham and Deborah R. Higdon is a 'real world practical' DIY blueprint for making
positive father engagement a reality in K-12 public schools. Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly
in organization and presentation, "The Dad Difference" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly useful pick for personal,
professional, school district, community, and college/university library Parent Participation in Education collections and
supplemental Teacher Education curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this paperback edition of "The Dad
Difference" from ISTE + ASCD is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $31.99) and ideal for teacher in-service
training workshops.
Editorial Note #1: Chacko Abraham is an international educator, school administrator, writer, speaker, and school board and
PTA member. The coauthor (with Deborah R. Higdon) of The Dad Difference, his work focuses on how fathers can make a
real difference in the lives of children, families, and schools. Through storytelling, reflection, and practical advice, he
encourages fathers to see their role not just as a responsibility but as a sacred calling, to lead with love, to be consistent, and
to help their families feel rooted no matter where life takes them. Abraham has a doctorate in education from the George
Washington University and a master's degree in education from Temple University. He served as a professor at the
Universidad de San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador.
Editorial Note #2: Deborah R. Higdon is an experienced educational leader who has been a school nurse, high school
teacher, assistant principal, principal, and central office supervisor. The coauthor (with Chacko Abraham) of The Dad
Difference, she is a father engagement specialist, a national and international speaker, and currently a K - 12 administrative
substitute and adjunct professor for Montgomery College, in Montgomery County, Maryland. Higdon earned a doctorate in
educational leadership from Bowie State University, a master's degree in education from Hood College, and a Bachelor of
Science degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.
School's Out: Why Families Are Choosing Unconventional Education
Mickey Revenaugh
The Johns Hopkins University Press
www.press.jhu.edu
9781421454870, $34.95, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Schools-Out-Families-Unconventional-Education/dp/1421454874
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/schools-out-mickey-revenaugh/1149304597
Johns Hopkins University Press
https://press.jhu.edu/books/title/54028/schools-out
Synopsis: There is a quiet revolution currently reshaping how American children learn.
In the wake of the pandemic, millions of American families have made a quiet but consequential decision: to leave
traditional schools behind. With the publication of "School's Out: Why Families Are Choosing Unconventional Education",
education journalist and online-learning pioneer Mickey Revenaugh takes readers inside the rapidly expanding world of
unconventional education.
From homeschooling and virtual public schools to microschools, from hybrid programs to roadschooling, Revenaugh traces
the many paths parents are choosing for their children -- and the deeply personal reasons behind them.
Each chapter centers on families navigating questions of safety, identity, flexibility, and belonging, revealing a movement
far more diverse and complex than common stereotypes suggest.
"School's Out" also introduces readers to Black homeschool collectives in the South, neurodiverse learners thriving online,
families wrestling with ideological divides, and parents seeking refuge from bullying, rigid curricula, or institutional
mistrust.
Rather than advocating for a single solution, Revenaugh presents these stories as windows into a broader transformation of
American education -- one accelerated by technology, remote work, and shifting expectations about how children learn
best.
Additionally, "School's Out" explores both the promise and the risks of this educational shift. As personalization increases,
so do concerns about isolation, equity, and community.
Revenaugh argues that the future of education will depend on how well families and institutions balance flexibility with
connection and offers a clear-eyed look at an educational landscape being reshaped in real time.
Critique: Original, informative, insightful, iconoclastic, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "School's Out: Why Families
Are Choosing Unconventional Education" by Mickey Revenaugh is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick
for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Education Issues: Home Schooling collections and
supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "School's Out" from the Johns
Hopkins University Press is also available to students, academia, parents of K-12 students, K-12 school board members, and
non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that it is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$31.30).
Editorial Note: Mickey Revenaugh is a writer and the cofounder of Connections Academy
(https://www.connectionsacademy.com).
The Parenting Shelf
Your Brain Loves Patterns
Kim Feller, M.Ed.
https://www.fellerschool.org
Independently Published
9798255868537, $14.99, PB, 106pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Brain-Loves-Patterns-Dyslexia/dp/B0GX2PXDZN
Author's Website
https://www.fellerschool.org/your-brain-loves-patterns
Synopsis: What if your child's reading struggle isn't a disability -- but a mismatch between how they're taught and how their
brain works?
If your bright, curious child is falling behind in reading, you've probably been told to "wait and see" or "just practice more at
home." Meanwhile, you watch their confidence shrink and their frustration grow.
Here's what most schools won't tell you: your child's brain is wired for patterns. We've been teaching them to guess.
With the publication of "Your Brain Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the Science of Reading", veteran
reading specialist and dyslexia expert Kim Feller shares what she learned after years of watching smart children struggle
under well-meaning but ineffective reading instruction. Trained in Balanced Literacy and the three-cueing system, Kim did
everything she was told to do -- until she realized her students weren't actually learning to read.
Instead they were learning to be good guessers.
Through powerful classroom stories and clear explanations, Kim reveals why many struggling readers (especially those with
dyslexia) don't need more memorization or more exposure to books. They need explicit, systematic instruction that teaches
them the logic of English.
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" explains why English is far more logical and pattern-based than you've been told. It also
covers:
The difference between guessing strategies and real decoding
Why "balanced literacy" fails pattern-recognition brains
What brain research shows about how struggling readers build new pathways
Early warning signs of dyslexia you shouldn't ignore
Why timing matters -- and why early intervention is critical
Specific questions to ask teachers and schools
How to advocate confidently for instruction that actually works
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" is not a workbook. It's not a curriculum. And it's not a book about lowering expectations.
Rather it is a clear and empowering guide to understanding how your child's brain works -- and how to match instruction to
their strengths.
Kim has seen children go from non-readers to confident decoders in a matter of weeks when the method finally fits the
brain. When pattern-recognition thinkers are taught through patterns, everything changes -- not just reading skills, but
identity, confidence, and joy.
If someone has whispered the word dyslexia and you're not sure what to do next...
If your child can explain a movie plot in detail but can't read the word cat...
If you know in your gut something isn't working...
"Your Brain Loves Patterns" will help you understand why -- and what to do about it.
Your child isn't broken. They are just wired differently. And when we teach to that wiring instead of against it, struggling
young readers become strategic thinkers.
Critique: Original, iconoclastic, groundbreaking, and critically important, high priority reading for any parent with an child
who struggles with reading or who is informed by school or counseling authorities that their child is dyslexic, "Your Brain
Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the Science of Reading" by Kim Feller (President and Head of the Feller
School for Dyslexia) is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
parenting, dyslexia, and education/reading collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for
parents, teachers, school counselors, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this
paperback edition of "Your Brain Loves Patterns: A Parent's Guide to Dyslexia and the Science of Reading" is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Kim Feller is an educator and the founder of Feller School, a specialty K-6 school in Madison, Wisconsin,
dedicated to students with dyslexia and related learning differences. (www.fellerschool.org)
The Astronomy Shelf
A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics
Pierre Lena & Christian Grataloup
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500030592, $35.95, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/History-Sky-300-Infographics/dp/B0GJ77WY1Q
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-history-of-the-sky-in-300-infographics-pierre-lena/1149494849
Synopsis: For thousands of years, humans have looked to the sky to make sense of the world. Long before astronomy
became a formal discipline, observations of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars shaped calendars, navigation, and systems of
belief across many cultures.
With the publication of "A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics" co-authors Pierre Lena and Christian Grataloup trace this
global history, examining how societies developed the concepts and methods that allowed humanity to interpret the
cosmos.
"A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics" uses infographics and maps to show how people throughout history have
understood the universe and to consider what the future of space exploration might hold. It follows early astronomical
traditions in Babylon, China, the Maya world, and Polynesia; the emergence of new ideas in classical Greece; and the
scientific advances that transformed astronomy in early modern Europe and the Enlightenment era. It then considers the
modern age, in which humans have ventured from Earth to the Moon and beyond, sending probes through the solar system
and signals into deep space.
Designed for keen enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike, "A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics" reconnects readers
with the ancient fascination of looking up. It reveals how today's science rests on centuries of observation, argument, and a
thirst for adventure -- and addresses a central question:
How do we know what we know about the universe?
Critique: Informatively enhanced with the inclusion of 250 color illustrations, a seven page Introduction (The Human Sky),
a Postscript (The Call of the Sky), a four page Bibliography, a six page Glossary, two pages of Quiz Answers, a four page
listing of the Contributors and their credentials, and an eight page Index, "A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics" is a
unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Astronomy collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Pierre Lena is an astrophysicist, member of the French Academy of Sciences, and professor emeritus at
Paris Observatory and Paris Cite University. As someone who is well-versed in making his research available for all
audiences, he worked for over three years on "A History of the Sky in 300 Infographics".
Editorial Note #2: Christian Grataloup is acclaimed to be "the most historian of all geographers." With a PhD in geography,
and as a former professor at Paris Cite University, he is a specialist in geohistory. Since 2019, he has headed the Atlas
Historiques collection published by Les Arenes.
Philip's Little Book of Eclipses
Tom Kerss & Dr. Ryan French
Philips/Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781849077545, $19.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Little-Book-Eclipses-essential/dp/1849077541
Philip's Little Book of Eclipses: An Essential Companion to Solar & Lunar Events is a treasure trove of global eclipse
locations and science that will delight anyone interested in observing eclipses. History, mythology, science, and travel meld
in a survey of human observations of and speculations about eclipses over the centuries, broadening the appeal of a lively
global guide that can also be used to chart upcoming events. Philip's Little Book of Eclipses will appeal to and delight a
wide audience of amateur and serious astronomy buffs, as well as libraries catering to them.
The Economic Studies Shelf
The Entropy Trap: What Physics Knows that Markets Don't
Mickey M. Maini
Independently Published
9798195114008, $39.99, HC, 245pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Entropy-Trap-Physics-Knows-Markets/dp/B0H1ZP7NZX
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Entropy Trap: What Physics Knows that Markets Don't", Mickey M. Maini explains
why some periods in history are not normal cycles, but moments when the system itself begins to change. Financial systems,
currencies, political orders, and societies can appear stable for years while stress builds underneath. Then, like an erupting
volcano, the change appears sudden even though the pressure was building for a long time.
In "The Entropy Trap" the unique lens is science as Maini uses ideas from physics and complex systems (such as stress,
velocity, acceleration, instability, and phase transitions) to understand markets and society. The argument is that traditional
economics works well in stable periods, but during rare transition periods we need better instruments to measure whether
the system is still returning to normal or moving into a new state.
The thesis is tested across six major historical transitions over roughly 3,000 years, including ancient empires, monetary
breakdowns, and modern financial resets. The striking point is that very different societies often followed a similar pattern:
trust weakens, debt or promises grow, interventions become larger, politics becomes unstable, and eventually the old system
reorganizes into a new one.
"The Entropy Trap" is not a doomsday book. Rather it is a navigation book. It will enable the reader think more clearly
about the next 5 - 10 years: money, markets, AI, energy, geopolitics, gold, real assets, and the skills and decisions that may
matter in a changing world.
Critique: An original, seminal, deftly crafted, and groundbreaking study, "The Entropy Trap: What Physics Knows that
Markets Don't" by Mickey M. Maini will prove of immense value to readers with an interest in macroeconomics, systems
theory, and investment portfolio management. Impressively 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Entropy
Trap" is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and
college/university library Financial Management/Economic Theory collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It
should be noted for students, academia, financial investment managers, economists, governmental economic policy makers,
and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Entropy Trap" is also
readily available in paperback (9798186546474, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Mickey M. Maini (https://solsticelabs.com) has had four careers. A Wharton and Penn Engineering dual
graduate, he started in investment banking, in senior roles at Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank. He then ran an
emerging-markets conglomerate as CEO, scaling it from roughly $100 million to over $5 billion. He later served as an
Adjunct Professor in the policy and technology program at one of Asia's leading schools of public policy. Each career was a
re-invention, not a promotion. A dismantling and a rebuilding. That pattern became the research: systems under stress do not
adjust little by little. They reorganize into something new. Today he runs his family office and Solstice Laboratory, an
independent research lab in Dubai that applies physics to markets and geopolitics. It studies the moments when systems stop
moving in cycles and change state. He thinks about entropy more than is probably healthy!
The Cookbook Shelf
Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals
Taste of Home Editorial Staff
Taste of Home (Publisher)
https://www.tasteofhome.com
c/o Trusted Media Brands
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9798889771807, $26.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Protein-Packed-Meals/dp/B0FWZZK7C5
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taste-of-home-protein-packed-meals-taste-of-home/1150799 663
Synopsis: "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals" is a culinary compendium comprised of more than 260 high-protein
recipes that are ideal for family dining, healthy dinners for all occasions, as well as 30-minute & 5-ingredient meals,
including air Fryer & slow cooker recipes. The recipes range from a Turkey Ginger Noodle Soup; Mexi-Stroni Soup; and
Pork Souvlaki; to Baked Salmon Cakes; Tomato-Garlic Lentil Bowls, and Strawberry-Lime Quinoa Parfaits.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography showcasing finished dishes, "Taste of
Home Protein Packed Meals" is inspiring to browse through and ideal for planning memorable meals with. Thoroughly
'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals" will prove a welcome and
enduringly popular pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that this
hardcover edition of "Taste of Home Protein Packed Meals" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
Editorial Note: Taste of Home is America's #1 food/lifestyle brand, inspiring togetherness through cooking, baking and
entertaining. Featuring recipes shared by today's home cooks, Taste of Home magazine has hundreds of thousands of
subscribers throughout North America and publishes best-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials. The brand's web site is
a top destination, featuring kitchen-tested recipes, how-to techniques, cooking videos and more. Taste of Home has more
than 7 million fans on Facebook, 2.1 million followers on Instagram, 2.7 million Pinterest followers and receives more than
28 million unique monthly visitors. Visit Taste of Home on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to learn more.
Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes
Akino Ogata
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805319826, $19.99, HC, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Effortless-Japanese-Cooking-Delicious-Homestyle/dp/4805319828
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/effortless-japanese-cooking-akino-ogata/1149079777
Synopsis: Cooking delicious Japanese food is easy with Akino Ogata, creator of the popular English-language "Kitchen
Princess Bamboo" YouTube channel -- where her signature tips and cooking lessons have earned her over 400,000
subscribers.
In recipes packed with tips, tricks and foolproof step-by-step instructions, with the publication of "Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes", Akino shows how to prepare over 100 of her favorite homestyle dishes,
whatever your experience level.
"Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes" has everything you need to succeed even if you've never
cooked Japanese before, including:
Secrets for taking classic like tempura and sushi to next-level tastiness
Hacks for recreating restaurant favorites like Curry Udon and Japanese Hamburger Steaks
Key seasoning ratios that let you cook Japanese food with confidence
Ingredients that are affordable and easy to find
Homemade sauces like Teriyaki and Ponzu that taste so much better than store-bought
Bonus recipes available via QR codes -- And much more!
Tucked in between her original recipes, Akino also shares inspiring stories of her journey to becoming an accomplished
cook and memories from a lifetime of enthusiastic eating. Her friendly, positive approach to food, and life, is simply
irresistible!
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes, "Effortless Japanese
Cooking: Super Delicious Homestyle Recipes" is an ideal introduction to Japanese cuisine -- especially for those new to its
creation and presentation. Of special note is the section devoted to Mochimochi Fuwafusa (Japanese Sweets & Drinks).
Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious
Homestyle Recipes" will prove to be a prized pick for personal, professional, and community library Japanese Cusines
cookbook collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Effortless Japanese Cooking: Super Delicious
Homestyle Recipes" from Tuttle Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Akino Ogata (https://princessbamboo.com) is a professional pastry chef and the creator of Kitchen Princess
Bamboo, a YouTube channel where she shares authentic Japanese home cooking, family favorites and trending recipes with
over 370,000 subscribers from around the world. She spent part of her childhood on remote Amami Island, where she
developed an appreciation for natural, seasonal ingredients, and now lives in Nara, Japan. Akino's mission is to show food
lovers around the world that cooking Japanese is easy, nourishing and super delicious.
Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich
Walter Ishizuka
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805320471, $22.00, HC, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sando-Japanese-Sandwich-Walter-Ishizuka/dp/4805320478
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sando-walter-ishizuka/1149079769
Synopsis: The recipes comprising "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" elevate the humble sandwich to the status of
a culinary art by Japanese master chef Walter Ishizuka.
The Japanese sando is both humble and refined, embodying Japanese culinary excellence and flavor at its very best. For
Chef Ishizuka of Yabai Sando (the trendiest sando restaurant in France), these cult classics evoke the flavors of his
childhood.
This unique and groundbreaking cookbook allows any kitchen cook to create dozens of Ishizuka's amazing sando recipes,
including:
The Classic Tonkatsu Pork Cutlet Sando: A crispy pork cutlet with tangy Ginger Wasabi Sauce
The Wagyu Beef Sando: Chef Ishizuka's signature sandwich with spicy Wasabi Sriracha Mayo and tangy-sweet pickled red
onions
Truffle Grilled Cheese Sando: Melted cheddar dressed with umami-rich Truffle Mayo
Lobster Sando: Freshly steamed lobster complemented by Citrus, Mint and Ginger Mayo
Smoked Salmon & Wakame Sando: Fluffy charcoal Shokupan Bread with Coriander Sauce
Chocolate Hazelnut Sando: A sinfully rich chocolate delight with orange praline paste
Plus many other exciting recipes!
Of special note is Chef Ishizuka's inclusion of a recipe for his delicate Shokupan Bread (a must for an authentic sando) and
his flavorful "secret dressings" such as Yuzu Aioli, Ginger Wasabi Mayo, Horseradish Curry Cream and many more. There
are also recipes for Tempura and Miso Soup, rice and Japanese pickles. Plus, tips for buying and working with the key
ingredients needed to make sandos as delicious as they look.
Critique: Original, beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography, thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in
organization and presentation, as well as a simple pleasure to browse through and plan unique Japanese sandwich themed
menus with, "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" by Chef Walter Ishizuka is an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Japanese cuisine cookbook collections. It
should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Sando: The Art of the Japanese Sandwich" from Tuttle Publishing is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.90).
Editorial Note: Chef Walter Ishizuka (www.facebook.com/Chefwalterishizuka) is the founder and CEO of Yabai Sando, a
gourmet sandwich restaurant in Paris. He is the former head chef of the Rivie brasserie at The Hoxton, Paris and worked for
over 20 years in Michelin-starred restaurants like l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges - Paul Bocuse in Lyon, The Ritz in Paris
and The Connaught in London. At Yabai Sando, he offers gourmet versions of the cult Japanese sandwiches that are now
sweeping the globe. His goal is to offer quality comfort foods that remind him of his childhood. Excellence and
eco-responsibility are his mantras. Sensitive to the cause of sustainability, he fine-tunes each recipe to reduce its
environmental impact as much as possible.
A Tuscan Table: Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes from Italy
Luca Calvani
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846017285, $34.99, HC, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tuscan-Table-Seasonal-Vegetarian-Recipes/dp/1846017289
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-tuscan-table-luca-calvani/1149465808
Synopsis: "A Tuscan Table: Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes from Italy" by Luca Calvani is a simply gorgeous, seasonal,
vegetable-forward guide to Tuscan cooking -- illustrated with color photography taken in the splendid Le Guisciane villa in
Tuscany.
"A Tuscan Table" is a kind of culinary love letter celebrating cooking and eating together in the Tuscan countryside,
Tuscany is a love letter to seasonality, to the beauty of simple pleasures and the power of gathering. Tuscany features a year
of seasonal recipes all shot throughout the year at author Luca Calvani's boutique Tuscan villa Le Guisciane, set in the heart
of the Tuscan countryside.
From pappa al pomodoro to tiramisu, the maltagliati of Nonna Dina to Nonna Ottavia's ragu reimagined, the cecina from
summers in Versilia and warm Sunday tables full of laughter and memories; "A Tuscan Table" is a more than just another
Italian cuisine themed cookbook, it is a celebration of how to live and eat together.
The chapters and recipes comprising "A Tuscan Table" include:
Fundamentals: cecina, three flavor focaccia, pesto three ways
Autumn: pumpkin gnocchi with Gorgonzola, pappa con pomodoro, baked eggs
Winter: pasta e fagioli, minestrone bread, pumpkin pie
Spring: filo pastry sticks with feta, asparagus and spinach, lasagne, Florentine risotto
Summer: summer panzanella, tiramisu, scarpaccia
Critique: A pleasure to browse through and inspiring to plan menus with, "A Tuscan Table: Seasonal Vegetarian Recipes
from Italy" is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation. Each palate pleasing, appetite satisfying,
and authentically Tuscan vegetarian recipe is wonderfully showcased along with informative commentary in a seaonal
timeline throughout the year. "A Tuscan Table" is additionally enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Prologue,
three commentaries (Life, Love and Cooking; The Garden: A Sanctuary for the Soul; The House, The Dachshunds and the
Bees), and a four page Index of Recipes. Eloquent, elegant, and seasonally themed, "A Tuscan Table" is an especially and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Ethnic/Italian & Vegetarian Cookbook
collections.
Editorial Note: Luca Calvani (https://grokipedia.com/page/Luca_Calvani) cultivates a passion for hospitality and
gastronomy. He co-hosted Italy's Come Dine with Me and made ravioli with Alan Carr in BBC's Amanda and Alan's Italian
Job. In the Tuscan hills, together with his husband Alessandro Franchini, he runs the farmhouse "Le Gusciane,", which has
been featured in Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue Italia and Style Corriere. Luca personally oversees the kitchen at Le Gusciane
and the recipes born around those fires are collected in "Tuscan at Heart", his first book.
The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets
Leah Koenig
W. W. Norton & Company
www.wwnorton.com
9781324076599, $39.99, HC, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dessert-Table-Joyful-Jewish-Sweets/dp/1324076593
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dessert-table-leah-koenig/1149229655
Synopsis: The dessert table is the star of any Jewish gathering: sprinkle cookies and honey cake, airy meringues and flaky
rugelach, sweets brimming with tender apples and bright pops of pomegranate.
Eager to bring a little extra sweetness to all our tables, with the publication of "The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish
Sweets", cookbook author Leah Koenig takes us on a delightful tour through the 2,000-year-old tradition of Jewish
sweets.
She shares recipes and stories from historic Jewish communities in Venice, Syria, and Curacao; home bakers from Hungary
and Poland; and up-and-coming diaspora bakeries across the United States.
Her 100 all-new recipes comprising 'The Dessert Table" include creative takes on familiar favorites, like Chai-Spiced
Cheesecake or Chocolate Turtle Babka, as well as lesser-known treats, such as a lush Orange and Almond Cake and Fluffy
Apricot Jam Doughnuts inspired by Hungarian fank.
Beloved for her well-researched storytelling and clear, encouraging directions born from her own kitchen, Koenig energizes
the dessert canon as no one else can!
Critique: Enhanced for the kitchen cook's benefit with the inclusion of 75 full color photos and a 2-page map, "The Dessert
Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets" from Leah Koenig showcases a wide range of authentic, thoroughly kosher, and 'kitchen
cook friendly' Jewish desserts that would grace any dining occasions, formal or informal. This large format (8.3 x 1 x 10.3
inches, 2.74 pounds) hardcover edition of "The Dessert Table" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for
personal, professional, family, and community library Ethic/Jewish cookbook collections. It should be noted that this
hardcover edition of "The Dessert Table' from W. W. Norton & Company is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$37.99).
Editorial Note: Leah Koenig (https://www.leahkoenig.com/cookbooks) is the author of seven previous cookbooks, including
the IACP Award - winning Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome's Jewish Kitchen. Her writing and recipes have been
published in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, the New York Times, and more.
Totally Nachrageous
Alex R. Taylor
Harvard Common Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9781577158356, $22.99, HC, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Totally-Nachrageous-Next-Level-Recipes-Crowd-Pleasing/dp/1577158350
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/totally-nachrageous-alex-p-taylor/1149627099
Synopsis: Remember the '80s, the decade that brought us boom boxes, cool shades, neon everything, and MTV? Food writer
and snack philosopher Alex P. Taylor, the Nacho King of Connecticut, brings that playful, maximalist sensibility with the
publication of "Totally Nachrageous: 70+ Next-Level Nacho Recipes for Parties, Game Days & Crowd-Pleasing Fun".
More than a cookbook, this is a full-on nacho experience. Showcasing more than 70 over-the-top recipes, bold retro vibes,
and crowd-pleasing ideas for every occasion, "Totally Nachrageous" is a uniquely specialized cookbook that is made to be
shared.
As part of Generation Nacho, Taylor's first memory of enjoying his favorite snack dish was in the 1980s. This loving
homage to the decade of big dreams offers crowd-pleasing classics, such as Double Cheeseburger Nachos and Breakfast
Nachos, alongside boundary-breaking originals, including Supreme Shawarma Nachos and a towering treasure stack called
Gold Mine Nachos. There's even a selection of sweet nachos for dessert lovers (hello, Holy Cannoli Nachos)! Think of
"Totally Nachrageous" as a nacho playground -- one where chips are the canvas, cheese is the paint, and the toppings are
pure innovation.
From game-day blowouts and backyard parties to laid-back movie nights and impromptu snack attacks, get ready to unleash
a nacho revolution. "Totally Nachrageous" brings the bold with more than 70 next-level nacho recipes designed to wow any
crowd.
"Totally Nachrageous" is an illustrated compendium showcasing:
Globally inspired nachos
Nacho Knowledge
Music-pairing playlists ("Nacho Mixes")
Taylor's signature Perfect Nacho Formula
A guide to the most unique and creative nachos in every state
With options for vegans, '80s movie fans, and holiday enthusiasts alike, "Totally Nachrageous" is the ultimate gift book for
food lovers, students, gamers, partiers, and nostalgia seekers -- basically, snackers of all stripes. Escape the ordinary with
the biggest and raddest nacho party of all time because these nachos are, like, totally outrageous!
Critique: The illustrated and fully 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes comprising "Totally Nachrageous: 70+ Next-Level Nacho
Recipes for Parties, Game Days & Crowd-Pleasing Fun" are original, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and a lot of fun.
Certain to be a unique and enduringly popular pick for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections,
it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Totally Nachrageous" from the Harvard Common Press is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.83).
Editorial Note: Alex P. Taylor (https://alexptaylor.com) is a TV personality, food content creator, and nachopreneur. He was
nicknamed the Nacho King of Connecticut for his passion for nachos. With 20+ years in hospitality and regular appearances
on Great Day Connecticut, Fox 61, WTNH and 96.5 TIC FM, he's known for outrageous nacho creations and a big-hearted
sense of humor. His viral "Most Unique Nachos in Every State" series has earned him a loyal following across Instagram,
TikTok, and iHeartRadio. Whether sharing snack wisdom or building sky-high stacks of chips, Alex is ready to lead the
nacho revolution -- one chip at a time. Follow his adventures on Instagram and TikTok: @alexptaylor1
Scran: Modern Scottish Food Inspired by Tradition
Ali Stoner
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846016486, $32.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Scran-Modern-Scottish-Inspired-Tradition/dp/1846016487
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scran-ali-stoner/1149277175
Synopsis: "Scran: Modern Scottish Food Inspired by Tradition" by Ali Stoner is a new and illustrated collection of more
than 100 nostalgic and traditional Scottish recipes, as seen through a modern culinary lens. Stoner (@rovinghaggis) offers
recipes for old favorites, classic bakery treats and creative new dishes inspired by Scotland, its landscapes and its
traditions.
The chapters comprising "Scran: Modern Scottish Food Inspired by Tradition" are divided into My Scottish Pantry, Scottish
Breakfast, Handheld Savories, On Toast, Soups, Family Scran, On the Side, Sweet Puddings, Your Daily Bread, Home
Baking and Swally (Cocktails & Drinks).
The step-by-step recipes are wide ranging and include:
Scottish Eggs Benedict with Whisky Chive Hollandaise
Millionaire shortbread
Crabby Scottish Crumpet
Peppermint slice
Chicken Balmoral sausage roll
Macaroni pie
Scots rabbit
Confit sardines with gin pickled onions
Morning rolls
Tattie Scone Tacos
Tablet
Scottish Soda Bread (Fife Bannock)
Scottish martini
Critique: Authentic and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Scran: Modern Scottish Food
Inspired by Tradition" is informatively enhanced with the inclusion of a two page Introduction, a four page 'My Scottish
Pantry', a one page Glossary, and a three page Index. Inspiring to browse through, fun to plan menus with, and beautifully
illustrated throughout with full color, full page photographs of finished dishes, "Scran: Modern Scottish Food Inspired by
Tradition" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Scottish, Welch,
and English themed cookbook collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Scran: Modern Scottish Food
Inspired by Tradition" from Mitchell Beazley is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Ali Stoner is a Scottish cook. Born in Glasgow, she currently lives in Melbourne, Australia with her
husband, family and two dogs. In early 2022, encouraged by her friends and family, she was finally tempted to stretch her
cooking talents further and applied to be a contestant on Masterchef Australia. During her time on the show, her creativity
and inventiveness were a stand out and the experience encouraged her to take her food journey further. In May 2023, Ali
launched her Instagram and presence under the Roving Haggis moniker and has seen her audience grow rapidly with a large
global following, particularly in North America, Canada and of course Scotland and the UK.
Sugar & Spice
Francesca Huntingdon
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9780600640295, $26.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Spice-Sweet-Treats-Nights/dp/0600640299
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sugar-spice-francesca-huntingdon/1149602872
Synopsis: Autumn is a season of the year beloved by so many; it's the time of warm colors, crisp leaves, chunky knitwear
and spiced hot drinks -- and it's also when many of us grab our bowls and cooking implements and get cooking!
Throughout "Sugar & Spice: Sweet Treats and Bakes to Enjoy as the Nights Draw In" by Francesca Huntingdon, you will
find a vast selection of bakes and sweet treats -- everything you might want to indulge in as the season turns and autumn
leaves start to fall. From simple puddings to more elaborate and indulgent bakes, "The Sugar and Spice" will be the go-to
baking bible for cinnamon bun fans, pumpkin spice perfectionists, chocoholics and cake lovers.
"Sugar & Spice" is a beautifully designed gift for everyone from first-time bakers to experienced cakemakers. It is the
definitive collection of recipes for baking autumnal treats -- from iced loaf cakes and moist muffins to gooey chocolate
brownies and beyond, whether it's sugar-crusted, spiced or outrageously sticky, everything showcased in "Sugar & Spice"
will prove to be simply irresistible and utterly scrumptious.
Critique: With many of the baked goods being illustrated in full color, "Sugar & Spice: Sweet Treats and Bakes to Enjoy as
the Nights Draw In" is impressively 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation with every one of the recipes in
this culinary compendium include number of pieces made, prep time, cooking time, ingredients, and baking instructions. A
simple pleasure to browse through and ideal for planning menus with, "Sugar & Spice" is unreservedly recommended as a
very special addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that
this hardcover edition of "Sugar & Spice" from Hamlyn is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: Francesca Huntingdon is a home cook, recipe writer and food stylist based in Bath, England. She specialises
in creating inspiring, dependable and fuss-free recipes - with a strong emphasis on flavor. There is an online listing of her
books at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/48695954.Francesca_Huntingdon
Wojtek's Bistro
Wojtek Van Portek
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781846016783, $34.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wojteks-Bistro-Recipes-Polish-Kitchen/dp/1846016789
Wojtek's Bistro: Recipes from a Polish Kitchen blends the author's Polish roots with flavors from his adopted city of
London. Wojtek Van Portek presents over a hundred recipes that meld the two influences into fare ranging from one-pot
dishes to soups, small plates, and sweets. From classic Potato Pancakes to Garlic Pepper Rabbit with Pear & Miso or Pork
Belly Casserole, the dishes are accompanied by facing page color photos and feature fare which is hearty, appealing, and
reflective of two different cultural influences. Cooks interested in European cooking syntheses will appreciate the entwining
of Poland and England in these blends of classic and creative dishes.
The Wildlife Shelf
Birds Color by Color
Geoffrey E. Hill
Rizzoli Universe
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9780789346834, $37.50, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Color-Visual-Beauty-Science/dp/0789346834
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/birds-color-by-color-geoffrey-e-hill/1149620958
Synopsis: Cardinals, blue jays, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, green honeycreepers: color is often
the very first feature that captures our attention. Yet only recently have ornithologists begun to unravel the mysteries behind
birds' brilliant plumage and biological processes that produce such vivid hues.
Although scientists have made remarkable progress, much of this knowledge remains out of reach for general readers. With
the publication of "Birds Color by Color: A Visual Guide to the Beauty and Science of Color in the Avian World ",
Professor Geoffrey E. Hill bridges that gap by showcasing the dazzling spectrum of bird coloration and explaining, in clear
and accessible language, how birds achieve their remarkable colors.
Richly illustrated with stunning artwork and photography, "Birds Color by Color" is divided into two parts.
Part One explores the science of color in feathers. Chapters examine how coloration varies within a species and how these
variations can signal sex, age, and individual identity. This section also considers how color can function both as
camouflage and as a bold display that attracts mates or deters rivals.
Part Two presents a color-coded gallery of more than 200 species, spanning the spectrum from red to violet -- and including
brown, black, white, and multicolored birds. Each entry highlights how particular colors arise, explains their biological
purpose (whether camouflage, species recognition, or courtship), and features a concise fact file listing common and
scientific names, distribution, habitat, size, and coloration.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography of birds, "Birds Color by Color: A Visual Guide to
the Beauty and Science of Color in the Avian World" academician and bird curator Geoffrey E. Hill is an extraordinary,
seminal, and meticulous study that is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a four page
Introduction, a one page Glossary, a one page bibliography of Further Readings, and a two page Index. Thoroughly 'reader
friendly' in organization, presentation, and style, this hardcover edition of "Birds Color by Color" from Rizzoli Universe is
an exceptional and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university library
Avian Wildlife collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Geoffrey E. Hill is Professor and Curator of Birds at Auburn University, Alabama. He is the author of Bird
Coloration (Harvard, 2006), Ivorybill Hunters (Oxford, 2007), Bird Coloration (National Geographic, 2010), and A Red
Bird in a Brown Bag (Oxford, 2019), as well as more than 300 scientific articles.
The American History Shelf
Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900
Matthew Bernstein
University of North Texas Press
www.untpress.unt.edu
9798898290115, $34.95, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Crimewave-Murder-Mayhem-West-1850-1900/dp/B0GYBXXW5N
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crimewave-matthew-bernstein/1149983386
Synopsis: When on May 12, 1848, Sam Brannan walked down San Francisco's Market Street, holding high a bottle of gold
dust and shouting, "Gold! Gold! Gold from the American River!" he initiated the great California Gold Rush. As
prospectors flooded into California, they also caused a surge in crime. With the publication of "Crimewave: Murder and
Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900" author, educator and historian Matt Bernstein presents twenty-four of the most
audacious and chaotic incidents in the Far West, bringing to light stories from frontier California that have too long
remained hidden.
Benjamin Franklin Washington, great-grandnephew of George Washington himself, fought in the Sacramento Riot of 1850
and participated in a duel against a rival newspaper editor in San Francisco.
Lucius Fairchild, who would become a Civil War hero, witnessed the rise of a vigilance committee in San Andreas and its
deadly aftermath.
Charles Cora, a New Orleans gambler, helped spark the largest vigilance committee in American history when he gunned
down a US marshal on a crowded San Francisco street.
The gold in the streams and mountains attracted prospectors, but criminals found other ways to enrich themselves. Through
crooked games of chance, highway robbery, outright assassination, and schemes so devious they almost defy the
imagination, the men and women that rushed to California brought the best and worst elements to a land already inhabited
by wolves, mountain lions, and grizzly bears.
The result was a cultural phenomenon, the Wild West in California, a story rich with bloodshed, betrayal, and naked
ambition. As the Gold Rush gave way to the Civil War, the silver seventies, and the close of the frontier, the violence only
increased. Every day proved a gamble. But that didn't stop men from taking outrageous chances, for the promise of riches
often outweighed the risk, so long as one was quick on the draw.
Critique: Real Ameican history that is as vividly action/adventure themed as any western novel, "Crimewave: Murder and
Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900" is a simply fascinating and informative read from start to finish. Informative enhanced
for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an Introduction (The Far West), a Prologue (The Greatest Flood in the Gold
Rush), an Epilogue ("A Wonderful Fleeting Dream"), a two page listing of Acknowledgments, thirty-four pages of
Endnotes, a ten page Bibliography, and a nine page Index, "Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900"
is a seminal and groundbreaking study that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library American History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that
this hardcover edition of "Crimewave: Murder and Mayhem in the Far West, 1850-1900" from the University of North
Texas Press is also available to students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject in a
digital book format (Kindle, $27.96).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Matthew Bernsetin at Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21275124.Matthew_Bernstein
The Military History Shelf
Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944
Antonio J. Munoz
Frontline Books
c/o Pen & Sword Books
https://www.penandswordbooks.com
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
9781036138400, $39.59, HC, 538pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-Against-Partisans-Operation-Bagration/dp/1036138380
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hitlers-war-against-the-partisans-during-operation-bagration-antonio-j-munoz/1148476324
Synopsis: After the disastrous Battle of Kursk in July 1943, the Soviets went on the offensive. A series of counterattacks
began all along the Eastern Front that would eventually lead the Red Army to the Nazi capital in less than two years. One of
these, Operation Bagration, was fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944, resulting in the largest defeat in German
military history.
Coordinating with these huge Soviet forces were the partisans, who would be instrumental in destroying rail lines, lines of
communication, German munitions and supply depots behind the German lines before the Red Army would make its attack.
Quite often increased partisan activity behind the lines indicated to the Germans exactly where the next Red Army offensive
would be launched.
By the beginning of 1944 it was clear to all but the most naive or the most fanatical that Germany's back was against the
wall; for the Wehrmacht, the war in the East was not going well. One did not need to see the calamities happening to the
Ostheer (the German eastern army) on the front lines to realize this. All one had to do was to look at the rising partisan
threat and the growing chaos behind the German lines to appreciate that fact.
From the German point of view, something drastic had to be done. In the spring of 1944, the Germans launched a series of
new anti-partisan offensives in their rear areas. The intention was to eliminate the partisan threat that was not only helping
to impede the arrival of men and materiel to the front but was also a threat to German forces in case they needed to
withdraw. Nowhere was this more of a clear and present danger to German forces than in Belarus, where some 180,000
guerrillas were now operating. Indeed, entire regions of the German rear area were totally controlled by the partisans.
By the time that Stalin initiated the Bagration offensive, the fight behind the lines had become a war within a war. With the
publication of "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944", and drawing
on hundreds of archive documents, Dr. Antonio J. Munoz examines in detail this kaleidoscope of bitter fighting, heartless
cruelty and danger, as the last year of the partisan war in the Soviet Union unfolded.
Critique: With meticulous scholarship and an impressive attention to detail, Dr. Antonio J. Munoz has produced "Hitler's
War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944", a seminal and groundbreaking study
of a special element in the World War II European conflict that substantially helped to overthrow the Third Reich -- the
Eastern Front Partisans. Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of maps, tables, figures, plates, a
Preface (History, Recurrence and the Limits of Analogy), an Author's Note (Conceptual and Analytical Framework, and ten
Appendices, twenty pages of Notes, a twenty-three page Bibliography, a five page Name Index, and a nineteen page Unit
Index. "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of 1944" is a major and
unreservedly recommended contribution to personal, professional, community, and college/university library World War II
history collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and military history
buffs that this hardcover edition of "Hitler's War Against the Partisans During Operation Bagration: Spring and Summer of
1944" from Frontline Books is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle,
$19.99).
Editorial Note: Dr Antonio J. Munoz is a professor of history at Farmingdale State College in Long Island, New York. The
is an online listing of books by Dr. Munoz on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/228409.Antonio_J_Mu_oz
Damn Fine Soldiers
Scott Rutter & Matthew Paul
Stackpole Books
c/o Globe Pequot
https://www.globepequot.com
9781493096992, $26.95, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Damn-Fine-Soldiers-Infantry-Baghdad/dp/1493096990
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/damn-fine-soldiers-scott-e-rutter/1148560453
Synopsis: 2100 hours, 20 March 2003, Western Kuwait.
Missiles streaked the night sky like the Fourth of July as American fighting vehicles revved and rattled near the Iraqi border.
Distant fires flickered on the horizon. Jittery soldiers reported unidentified objects they thought were enemy tanks. The
ground war in Iraq was fifteen hours old, and after more than a month in Kuwait, Task Force 2-7 stood ready to enter the
fray - to breach the border and race toward their objective 400 miles away: Baghdad. During the next three weeks, the 2-7
would fight a series of eight battles culminating in the capture of Saddam International Airport and the thrust into the heart
of Iraq's capital.
Lieutenant Colonel Scott Rutter commanded Task Force 2-7 - an aggressive battalion-sized outfit built to pack a punch
while advancing fast - and then-Captain Matt Paul led a mortar platoon under him. Damn Fine Soldiers is their firsthand
account of the 2-7's thundering drive up the Iraqi desert during the opening phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Beginning
with the tense, uncertain moments when the task force rumbled into Iraq and swung its left hook along the Euphrates River,
Rutter and Paul vividly narrate the 2-7's march through a landscape haunted by the landmarks of ancient Mesopotamia and
littered with debris from Desert Storm a dozen years earlier.
From As Samawah to the Karbala Gap, from Saddam Airport to Baghdad, Task Force 2-7 waged a daring ground campaign
that shocked and awed every bit as much as the massive aerial bombardment that preceded it. With the special grit and
determination of the U.S. Army, the 2-7 fought its way north, battling a motley assortment of Iraqi Republican Guard,
special forces, and militia busting bunkers, demolishing enemy tanks, searching cars and buses, braving snipers, ambushes,
boobytraps, and suicide bombers, enduring sand, sun, and heat, and dealing with the inevitable loss of good soldiers, one of
whom would be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Visceral and reflective, "Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the 21-Day Attack to Baghdad
That Changed Modern Warfare" by Scott E. Rutter and Matthew C. Paul" is an unfiltered account of modern war, told from
the tip of the spear that drove deep into Iraq in March and April 2003. A modern military history that is more than a
collaborative memoir by two commanders who led from the front, it is also testimony and tribute to the fighting spirit of the
American soldier.
Critique: A deftly written history of the men and events comprising the American military action that was to topple the
murderous regime of Saddam Hussain, "Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the 21-Day
Attack to Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare" is an extraordinarily informative and inherently fascinating read from
start to finish. Occasionally illustrated with B/W images, and featuring a two page listing of Awards & Medals, and a five
page Glossary of Terms, "Damn Fine Soldiers" is an exceptional account that is both intensely personal and with a universal
resonance. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Military
History/Biography collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Damn Fine Soldiers" from Stackpole Books
is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note #1: Lt. Col. Scott Rutter was one of the most visible soldiers of the first phase of the Iraq War, where he
received the Silver Star for his leadership of Task Force 2-7. During his more than twenty-year career in the U.S. Army, he
served in air assault, mechanized, and intelligence assignments. As a company commander during Operation Desert Storm
in 1991, he earned the Bronze Star. After his retirement in 2004, he became a war correspondent for Fox News and covered
events on the ground in Iraq, including the Battle of Fallujah. He has also appeared on CNN and MSNBC as a military
analyst. A board member of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Rutter now spends much of his time as a
speaker and advocate for service members, veterans, and their families.
Editorial Note #2: Col. Matthew Paul spent ten years as a platoon leader and company commander in various U.S. Army
units. After serving in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division's Task Force 2-7, he returned with the 101st Airborne Division in
2006 to train Iraqi Security Forces and conduct counterinsurgency operations. Colonel Paul remains on active duty with the
U.S. Army Acquisition Corps.
The Civil War History Shelf
Unparalleled Horror
Sean Michael Chick & John F. Schmutz
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217797, $16.99, PB, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unparalleled-Horror-Battles-Jerusalem-Emerging/dp/1611217792
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unparalleled-horror-sean-michael-chick/1148428265
Synopsis: The shattered battlefront at Petersburg exposes how strategic missteps and political pressure shaped a pivotal
American Civil War engagement and its grim consequences.
After the first attempt to storm Petersburg failed on June 15-18, 1864, Ulysses S. Grant decided to try again. War weariness
grew in the North. Gold shot up in price. Radical Republicans schemed to replace Abraham Lincoln. The Democrats
delayed their nominating convention, confident that Grant would be no nearer to victory. With Atlanta still in Confederate
hands, the pressure on Grant was immense.
On June 20, Grant ordered George Meade to swing out to the west and cut off the railroads leading to Petersburg, while he
unleashed his cavalry on Robert E. Lee's communications. The Federals suffered a stunning defeat at Jerusalem Plank Road,
and Confederate horsemen ravaged Grant's cavalry. Grant settled for a siege while still searching for a chance to strike.
Grant saw that chance in Ambrose Burnside's mine.
For weeks, IX Corps dug a mine under P. G. T. Beauregard's front, planning to blow a literal hole in the Confederate works.
Despite mockery from George Meade and others, Burnside's men had the mine ready by July 30. By then, Lee had much of
his army at Deep Bottom, opposing Grant's latest offensive. It seemed Petersburg would fall, and with it, Lincoln's
reelection all but decided. Instead, the attack failed.
Warren Wilkinson of the 57th Massachusetts called the Crater "a scene of unparalleled horror - in places, the panic-stricken
soldiers were so tightly packed together that they could not move or even raise their arms to defend themselves." When it
was over, one of the most horrific battles of the Civil War had ended, and Grant was no closer to Petersburg.
With the publication of "Unparalleled Horror: The Battles of Jerusalem Plank Road and the Crater, June 19 - July 31, 1864",
co-authors Sean Michael Chick and John F. Schmutz portray the weeks after the June 18. The informatively compelling
narrative considers Grant's and Lee's evolving reactions to a situation neither man wanted. Lee saw Grant's eventual victory
as a "mere question of time," while Grant was under tremendous pressure to deliver a victory that would secure Lincoln
another term. The result was a series of Federal disasters, although Lee lacked the strength to pry Grant away from
Petersburg, thereby leaving both sides in a stalemate as the summer of 1864 wore on and the presidential election
loomed.
Critique: An original, seminal, and groundbreaking study of one of the most politically important battles of the American
Civil War, "Unparalleled Horror: The Battles of Jerusalem Plank Road and the Crater, June 19 - July 31, 1864" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition for personal, professional, community, and college/university
library American Civil War History collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Unparalleled Horror" from Savas Beatie is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Sean Michael Chick on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12540304.Sean_Michael_Chick
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books by John F. Schmutz on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2317584.John_F_Schmutz
The Boy Generals
Adolfo Ovies
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217902, $34.95, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Generals-Shenandoah-Surrender-Appomattox/dp/1611217903
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-boy-generals-volume-3-adolfo-ovies/1150098931
Synopsis: The third title in author/historian Adolfo Ovies' Civil War trilogy, "The Boy Generals: George Custer, Wesley
Merritt, and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, from the Shenandoah Valley to the Surrender at Appomattox" races
from the Shenandoah Valley to Appomattox with the rapidity of a headlong cavalry charge. The turbulent events of the
closing months of the Civil War serve as a backdrop for the increasingly dysfunctional (and bitter) relationship between
George Armstrong Custer and Wesley Merritt.
The flamboyant Custer and the stoic Merritt were bound to clash. "The Boy Generals" scrutinizes their methods of
discipline, their exercise of authority, and their "spirited rivalry". It was an association that progressed from distaste to
acrimony and finally to outright insubordination on Custer's part.
Custer (the boy cavalier) was a firm believer in the shock value of the mounted charge. Merritt maintained that the horse
was but a means of transporting the trooper to the battlefield, where he would fight on foot with his carbine.
The difference in their tactical philosophies was highlighted by the bloody battles that ensued after Philip H. Sheridan's
ascension to command Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. Meticulously researched chapters based on
significant firsthand archival sources narrate the actions of the cavalry at Winchester, Tom's Brook, Cedar Creek, and
Waynesboro.
"The Boy Generals" is an uncompromising examination of the darker aspects of the way the war in the Valley unfolded.
General Ulysses S. Grant's orders to Sheridan to "eat out Virginia clear and clean" fell on the shoulders of these two "boy
generals." The brutality of the irregular warfare that lurked in the rear of the Army of the Shenandoah is addressed in a
blow-by-blow accounting of depredations and retaliations. Sheridan's troopers rejoined Grant's army around Richmond.
Following the breakthrough at Petersburg on April 2, 1865, Sheridan's cavalry struck west. The battles of Dinwiddie
Courthouse (March 31), Five Forks (April 1), and Sailor's Creek (April 6) -- the latter referred to as "Black Thursday" in the
annals of the Army of Northern Virginia -- and paved the way for the eventual surrender of Robert E. Lee's Virginia
army.
"The Boy Generals" captures Merritt and Custer as they ride the crest of a wave of glory in one of the most dysfunctional yet
influential relationships in the Army of the Potomac. It is impossible to fully understand cavalry operations in the Eastern
Theater without understanding the dynamic between these two commanders.
Critique: An original, meticulous, exhaustively comprehensive, and seminal study of the impact of George Armstrong
Custer and Wesley Merritt is a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and
college/university library American Civil War History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia,
dedicated Civil War buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of
"The Boy Generals: George Custer, Wesley Merritt, and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, from the Shenandoah
Valley to the Surrender at Appomattox" from Savas Beatie is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$20.99).
Editorial Note: Adolfo Ovies has vivid memories of watching the movie They Died with Their Boots On while a young boy
in Cuba, which starred the roguish Errol Flynn as Custer, with subtitles in Spanish. In 1960, the Ovies family migrated to
the United States, making their home in Connecticut. With Gettysburg just a short distance away, the ten-year-old Adolfo
made his first trip to the battlefield. It turned out to be one of the most impactful moments of his life. The Boy Generals
trilogy springs from his lifetime passion for the Civil War, and George Custer's role in particular. Ovies serves on the Board
of Directors of the Little Big Horn Association, where he champions Custer's role in the Civil War. He is an active member
of the Miami Civil War Round Table and serves as the administrator of the group's Facebook page.
The Psychology Shelf
The Psychology of Alienated Children
Richard A. Warshak
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
https://www.ccthomas.com
9780398094836, $44.95, HC, 528pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/PSYCHOLOGY-ALIENATED-CHILDREN-Children-Parents/dp/039 8094837
Synopsis: "The Psychology of Alienated Children: When Children Reject Parents" is compilation of selected writings by
respected scholar and author Richard Warshak that will help professionals and parents dealing with the issue of parental
alienation.
Written in a clear, accessible style with minimal professional jargon, the fifteen chapters comprising "The Psychology of
Alienated Children" represent a cross-section of his contributions to understanding, evaluating, preventing, and intervening
in cases of parental alienation. The chapters are arranged in chronological order, offering readers a window into the
evolution of Warshak's thinking over time.
In this edition of "The Psychology of Alienated Children" a new introduction and commentary precede each chapter. In
some, behind-the-scenes stories are recounted. In others, Professor Warshak reflects on the paper's key contributions, its
reception, or its influence on how judges, lawyers, and therapists approach the issue of parental alienation.
"The Psychology of Alienated Children" then concludes with an epilogue that presents Professor Warshak's perspective on
his roles as historian, current observer, and futurist. Predictions for the field are shared and suggestions offered to guide
future scholarship and practice.
This study will serve as a helpful resource for professionals and parents alike, especially those working to protect children
from becoming the unintended casualties of their parents' conflicts.
Critique: Exceptional, informative, insightful, thought-provoking, "The Psychology of Alienated Children: When Children
Reject Parents" by Professor Richard D. Warshak is an truly extraordinary, impressively meticulous, thoroughly
comprehensive, and deftly crafted study that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and
college/university library Parenting & Child Psychology collections and supplemental Family Counseling curriculum studies
lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Richard Warshak (www.warshak.com) is one the world's most respected authorities on divorce and child
custody. He has written three books, dozens of academic journal articles and chapters, and several Op-ed columns. A
graduate of Cornell University and former Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center, Dr. Warshak's work is featured in media worldwide including NBC Today, ABC 20/20, CBS Early Show, CNN,
CTV, FOX & Friends, CourtTV, New York Times, USA Today, Macleans, Washington Post, London Sunday Telegraph,
Toronto Star, SEMANA, National Public Radio, Time, and a PBS documentary. He has an online personal blog,
"Plutoverse" at www.warshak.com/blog.
The Biography/Memoir Shelf
Boys Bars Becoming
Huck Smith
https://huckysmith.com
Quick Draw Press
9798234056320, $14.99, PB, 291pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Bars-Becoming-Huck-Smith/dp/B0GWWPCVQB
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/boys-bars-becoming-huck-smith/1149860860
Synopsis: Some of us found ourselves in rooms with sticky floors.
Dollar drinks. Music loud enough to feel in your sternum. Strangers who became your people before you even knew their
names. A world before the apps, before the algorithms, before you had to optimize yourself for someone else's
checklist.
We are human first. Gay second. And "Boys Bars Becoming" is about the human underneath the labels.
"Boys Bars Becoming" is a collection of essays by Huck Smith about gay men of a certain age -- who he and they were in
those rooms, who he and they became outside of them, and who he and they are still trying to figure out how to be.
It a collection of memoir anecdotes about the bars that shaped the and the ones that disappeared. The friendships that were
held and the ones that quietly went dry. The fathers and mothers who made them, failed them, loved them, or left them
guessing. The grief they carried, the bodies they survived in, the men they chased, and the particular loneliness of knowing
exactly what you want and still not being sure how to let yourself have it.
Funny, honest, reckless, and occasionally devastating, "Boys Bars Becoming" is for those readers who have ever had to strip
away an old version of themselves to find out who they actually are.
Critique: Original, authentic, informative, insightful, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, "Boys Bars
Becoming" by Huck Smith is a compendium of stories about what it was (and so often continues to be) the gay experience
in America for men. A unique blend of self-help, psychology, humor, LGBTQ+ memoirs, and gay biographical anecdotes,
"Boys Bars Becoming" is an unreservedly recommended acquisition for community and college/university library LGBTQ+
Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental LGBTQ+ History curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Huck Smith (https://huckysmith.com) is a writer whose work explores identity, relationships, family, grief,
survival, and the quiet contradictions that shape everyday life. His essays often land somewhere between self-awareness and
self-sabotage, with equal parts humor, honesty, and emotional damage handled irresponsibly well.
Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood
Francis DiClemente
Toplight Books
c/o McFarland & Company
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476699790, $25.00, PB, 251pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stunted-Delayed-Manhood-Francis-DiClemente/dp/1476699798
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stunted-francis-diclemente/1149231715
Synopsis: "Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" is a coming-of-age memoir spanning the 1980s and 1990s and follows
Francis DiClemente's experience of adolescence and early adulthood in a body that struggled to develop.
Diagnosed with a rare brain tumor that led to hypopituitarism, DiClemente remained physically underdeveloped while his
peers matured into young adults. As he navigated relationships and sexuality in college, it became evident that his prolonged
experience with physical nonconformity fueled isolation, self-doubt, and shame.
"Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" explores the effects of his condition on schooling, intimacy, and emerging
adulthood, examining how physical differences shape identity formation. It reframes masculinity not as a function of
physical development but as an ethical and emotional practice grounded in empathy, resilience, and responsibility.
Contributing to conversations on embodiment and self-acceptance, the work offers insight into the experience of living at
odds with timelines of growth and belonging.
Critique: Deftly crafted, inherently candid, impressively informative, "Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" by Francis
DiClemente is a unique memoir that while intensely personal will have a universal resonance with his readers. Of particular
interest to readers with an interest in stories about someone having to deal with cancer, "Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed
Manhood" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary
American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of
"Stunted: A Memoir of Delayed Manhood" from Toplight Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99),
Editorial Note: Francis DiClemente is the author of numerous poetry collections. His blog can be found at
www.francisdiclemente.com. There is an online listing of his books on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/4792079.Francis_DiClemente
You Don't Know Jack
Jack R. Taylor
CJ Publishings
9798996935406, $21.99, PB, 692pp
9798996935420, $9.99, Kindle, 773pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/You-Dont-Know-Jack-forty-two-ebook/dp/B0HBXQQTCN
Synopsis: Jack R. Taylor survived a childhood without love. Success still couldn't save him. Born during the Great
Depression to a sixteen-year-old mother who beat him with wooden clothes hangers and never once told him she loved him,
Taylor learned early how to survive without stability, affection, or guidance.
By midlife, he had played Stanford football, earned an MBA, helped build a thriving real estate company during the rise of
Silicon Valley, and achieved the kind of success most people spend a lifetime chasing. But beneath it all were childhood
wounds, destructive compulsions, and a private battle that threatened everything he had built.
The at the age of forty-two, Jack walked away from the business of making money and began his life again.
Spanning nine decades, "You Don't Know Jack: Dropping out! Life Anew at Forty-Two" follows one man through four
fathers, street fights, football fields, Stanford, Silicon Valley, marriage, infidelity, sixteen years of therapy, business
triumphs, devastating losses, unexpected mentors, and the long road toward forgiveness.
In his memoir, Jack recalls confronting the painful connection between growing up without a mother's love and his
compulsive pursuit of women. He reveals how ambition and achievement became armor, why professional success could
not heal him, and how the right people arrived at improbable moments to redirect his life. Part business memoir, part mental
health catharsis, and part meditation on later-life re-invention, "You Don't Know Jack" is an intensely personal story
about:
How childhood neglect can echo through an entire life
Why men often hide pain behind success, sex, achievement, and control
How mentors can change the trajectory of a life
What it takes to stop passing destructive family patterns to the next generation
Why starting over in your forties, or at any age, is still possible
"You Don't Know Jack" is the sweeping and personal story of an improbable American life with the message for its readers
that it is never too late to understand what shaped you, make peace with what happened, and begin again.
Critique: An intensely personal memoir that will have a universal resonance among its readers, "You Don't Know Jack:
Dropping out! Life Anew at Forty-Two" is an extraordinary account of an extraordinary life lived out under extraordinary
circumstances. Jack R. Taylor has a genuinely impress flair for the kind of descriptive storytelling style that is ideal for fully
engaging the reader's attention from start to finish. Thoughtful, informative, insightful, dramatic, "You Don't Know Jack"
from C.J. Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library
Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections.
PR: Jack R. Taylor (www.jackdroppingout.com) was born in San Diego in 1935 and raised across a string of schools and
homes with guidance from numerous mentors. Jack went on to earn a football scholarship to Stanford University, where he
received his BA in Education, followed by an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He built a successful
career in real estate and finance, co-founding Sutter Hill Development Company and Cypress Properties and leading the
development of more than thirty shopping centers across California and Nevada. He later served for seven years as chairman
of the finance committee for the Stanford Athletic Board. Since retiring from business, Jack has lived a life defined by
exploration, including sailing the Hawaiian Islands aboard his own boat and scuba diving from the Great Barrier Reef to
Puget Sound.
Grappling With Ghosts
James Harvey
www.grapplingwithghosts.com
Lulu Publishing
www.lulu.com
9781300960829, $24.95, PB, 276pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Grappling-Ghosts-Childhood-Memories-Postwar/dp/1300960825
Synopsis: From time as a child growing up in an orphanage to an adult writing speeches for presidents, James Harvey has
traveled a rocky road to live out the American dream.
A memoir of his childhood, with the publication of "Grappling With Ghosts: Childhood Memories from Postwar Ireland
and London" Harvey recreates the strange and remote realities of the daily struggles of life in post-war rural Ireland and
bomb-shattered London.
The Ireland of Harvey's childhood was just 30 years removed from 700 years of British domination and had scarcely
emerged from the 19th century. It remained a "priest-ridden, God-forsaken race", in James Joyce's acerbic description.
London, meanwhile, shrouded in fog and greasy coal soot with armless and legless veterans everywhere you turned, was the
epicenter of an exhausted debtor nation, still clinging to an image of British exceptionalism as a young Queen Elizabeth
took the throne and the empire circled the drain.
"Grappling With Ghosts" is a truly engaging memoir revealing the struggles of the Harveys in both Irish history and British
snobbery as the family fought for a place in the world amidst the alcohol-fueled domestic violence so common in Ireland's
"33rd county", the Kilburn area bordering London's Paddington and St. John's Wood neighborhoods.
"Grappling With Ghosts" also takes the reader from the day in 1944 when Harvey and his twin brother were delivered by
their grandmother in a thatched Irish cottage to the day in 1958 when the family climbed aboard a plane for a 14-hour,
non-stop flight from London to New York.
Critique: Occasionally illustrated with historical B/W photos, "Grappling With Ghosts: Childhood Memories from Postwar
Ireland and London" by James Harvey is a deftly crafted and inherently fascinating memoir of a man and his family that will
hold special appeal to readers with an interest in 20th Century Irish/British and American Immigrant histories and
biographies. Exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Grappling With
Ghosts" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library 20th Century
Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Grappling With
Ghosts" from Lulu Publishing is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: James Harvey, husband and father, has been a bartender, truck driver, boxer, public speaker, university
official, and presidential speechwriter. A native of Donegal, Ireland, he was educated in England, Ireland, and the United
States. Early in his professional career, he served on the staff of the U.S. Congress and as a lobbyist for the Carter White
House. A graduate of Villanova University, he has trained school superintendents in the United States, lectured on education
all over the world, and holds a master's degree in history from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate from Seattle
University.
Call Me Dave
Denny Lynch
Koehler Books
www.koehlerbooks.com
9798897471829, $39.95 hc
9798897471805, $19.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Call-Me-Dave-Counter-Founder/dp/B0GZBLR79Y
Synopsis: Dave Thomas (July 2, 1932 - January 8, 2002) turned a boyhood dream of owning a hamburger stand into a
worldwide success story. He proved that honesty, integrity, friendliness, and hard work never go out of style.
Denny Lynch was Dave's close friend and a former Wendy's SVP of communications,
With the publication of "Call Me Dave: Behind the Counter with Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy's", Lynch offers an
intimate look at the man behind the apron, tracing Dave's rise from a determined young busboy to one of America's most
beloved spokesmen.
Featuring personal reflections and anecdotes from his wife, daughters, employees, friends, and Wendy herself, "Call Me
Dave" explores Dave's quest to build the nation's best hamburger chain while staying true to his principles. Dave never
forgot where he came from and created a second legacy-the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-dedicated to finding
loving homes for more than 130,000 children lingering in the foster care system.
It should be noted that all author profits are donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, continuing Dave's
lifelong mission to find every child a forever home.
Critique: Featuring the occasional B/W historical photo, "Call Me Dave: Behind the Counter with Dave Thomas, Founder of
Wendy's" by Denny Lynch is an extraordinary and informative introduction to the life and accomplishments of Dave
Thomas -- a man whose influence in shaping America's fast food industry still impacts our lives today. Uniquely informed
and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "Call Me Dave" is especially and unreservedly recommended for the
legions of Wendy's fans, as well as community and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Denny Lynch launched a lifetime career in public relations while working on the student newspaper in
college. A chance meeting with Wendy's founder Dave Thomas in 1981 led to a twenty-year adventure together
crisscrossing the US and Canada, with Denny eventually rising to senior vice president of communications for Wendy's.
Denny also helped create the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992 and served as chairman for twenty years. In
2009, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Ohio State University. He loves retirement with his wife of
forty-five years, two children, and four granddaughters.
Northern Lights and Rocket Flights
Neal Brown
https://www.nealbrownrockets.com
Springer
https://www.springer.com/us
9783032145970, $39.99, HC, 285pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Lights-Rocket-Flights-Biographies/dp/303214597X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/northern-lights-and-rocket-flights-neal-brown/1148766199
Synopsis: The late Neal Brown (December 12, 1938 - July 19, 2021) dedicated over four decades to the University of
Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute and inspired countless individuals with his passion for discovery and education.
Born in 1938, Neal's journey led him from early work with NASA to becoming a beloved figure in Alaska science
education. His fascination with the aurora borealis drew him to Fairbanks in the mid-1960s. This marked the beginning of a
lifelong commitment to understanding the aurora, Earth's atmosphere, and space.
Poker Flat Research Range is the only university-owned rocket range in the world and is a premier facility for launching
sounding rockets for scientific research. Neal served as the director for 18 years, overseeing numerous rocket launches and
other research projects, and enormous improvements in the infrastructure there. Later, he led the Alaska Space Grant
Program, promoting education and research in aerospace and earth sciences across the state.
In his own words -- "What we had were a bunch of experienced hooligans with Alaska homesteader personalities who had a
hunch they could do it better and cheaper than "those NASA guys".
Critique: With the publication of "Northern Lights and Rocket Flights: My Years at Poker Flat Research Range", Neal
Brown (with the assistance of Sue Mitchell) posthumously presents his personal memoir and shares his life experiences and
contributions to aerospace and earth sciences.
A fascinating and informative memoir that will have a very special appeal for readers with an interest in Climatology,
Weather, and the Earth Sciences, "Northern Lights and Rocket Flights: My Years at Poker Flat Research Range" is
enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of numerous illustrations, a twelve page Epilogue (Neal Brown's
Legacy), a four page Obituary, and a three page Index. This hardcover edition of "Northern Lights and Rocket Flights" from
Springer is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
science and scientists themed Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note #1: "Northern Lights and Rocket Flights: My Years at Poker Flat Research Range, a memoir by Neal Brown
(https://www.nealbrownrockets.com) was posthumously completed with Sue Mitchell. Discovered after his death, Brown's
1,100 stories and notes were carefully distilled into a compelling 270-page account of NASA, the aurora, and nearly two
decades leading the world's only university-owned rocket range.
Editorial Note #2: Sue Mitchell is an editor and science communicator who spent much of her career helping translate
complex research into engaging stories for broad audiences. Following many years as production editor with the University
of Alaska's Press, she led the public information team at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, or GI.
There she worked closely with scientists to share their work, including at Poker Flat Research Range.
Unbelonging: A Life in Search of Home
Catherine Jagoe
University of Wisconsin Press
https://uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299357948, $21.95, PB, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Unbelonging-Life-Search-Catherine-Jagoe/dp/0299357945
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbelonging-catherine-jagoe/1148516308
Synopsis: "Where are you from?"
For poet, translator, essayist and critic Catherine Jagoe, a set of complicated assumptions often lies behind this seemingly
banal question.
While partly an immigrant narrative, Jagoe's memoir in essays, "Unbelonging: A Life in Search of Home" is not so much (or
not only) about moving to the US and putting down roots but rather more about feeling perpetually in-between and never
quite "home."
Throughout her memoir, Jagoe wrestles with what identity and fidelity mean for a woman with three nationalities, a job as a
translator who frequently lives in a fourth country, a history of depression, and chronically divided allegiances.
Together, these essays comprising "Unbelonging: A Life in Search of Home" paint a deeply personal yet incredibly relatable
portrait of what it means to be an American (and an immigrant) in the twenty-first century.
Critique: Deftly crafted, intensely personal, and with a universal resonance, "Unbelonging: A Life in Search of Home" is an
eloquent and inherently fascinating life story -- one that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after this
slender book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. The paperback edition of "Unbelonging: A Life in Search of
Home" is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library
Contemporary Biography/Memoir collections and supplemental Women's Studies curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Catherine Jagoe (https://www.catherinejagoe.com) is a poet, essayist, and translator based in Madison,
Wisconsin. Her collection Bloodroot won the Settlement House American Poetry Prize and the Council for Wisconsin
Writers' Edna Meudt Award, and Praying to the God of Small Things was named an Outstanding Work of Poetry by the
Wisconsin Library Association. A recipient of a Pushcart Prize, among several other honors, she has published nine
full-length books and four chapbooks across genres. Her personal essays have aired numerous times on Wisconsin Public
Radio's Wisconsin Life series.
Tending to Our Wounds: A Diasporic Memoir
Edna Bonhomme
Haymarket Books
www.haymarketbooks.org
9798888906378, $55.00, HC, 390pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tending-Our-Wounds-Diasporic-Memoir/dp/B0FJL8NGSX
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tending-to-our-wounds-edna-bonhomme/1147868558
Synopsis: Written with astute insight and immersive prose, with the publication of "Tending to Our Wounds: A Diasporic
Memoir", Edna Bonhomme outlines a personal and political history of her life in the United States, Haiti, and Germany --
discovering what it means to be Black at home and abroad. It is also the intensely personal story of how she unlearned the
lies that she was told about slavery and colonialism and explores how communities are resisting the weight of centuries of
history.
Whether examining debt, medical racism, art, or reparations, "Tending to Our Wounds" cuts a breathtaking course between
the past and the present, the individual and the collective -- identifying the tendrils of history in the everyday and outlining a
path to real freedom.
Critique: Intensely personal but with a universal resonance for the reader, "Tending to Our Wounds: A Diasporic Memoir"
by Edna Bonhomme is an extraordinary and fascinating life story told with candor, insight, and appreciation. While an
unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library
Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for readers with an interest in memoir based political commentary that
this hardcover edition of "Tending to Our Wounds: A Diasporic Memoir" from Haymarket Books is also readily available in
paperback (9798888905951, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99, B&N).
Editorial Note: Edna Bonhomme (https://www.ednabonhomme.com) is a critic, historian of science, and journalist. She
earned a PhD in history from Princeton University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Public
Health from Columbia University. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Esquire, The Guardian, London Review of
Books, and The Nation. She is co-editor of After Sex, a literary anthology on abortion and reproductive justice, and the
author of A History of the World in Six Plagues. Bonhomme has earned awards from the Andy Warhol Foundation and the
Robert Silvers Foundation. She has lived in Berlin since 2017.
The General Fiction Shelf
Showing Up
Lo Orsini
https://lo-orsini.com
Yellow Labrador Books
9798990736115, $9.99, PB, 178pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Showing-Up-Lynn-Orsini/dp/B0FR3S2M1B
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/showing-up-lynn-orsini/1147665588
Syopsis: Gia Giordano lives by three rules: work hard, be kind, and help others.
But this summer, those principles are about to be pushed to the limit.
A beloved high school guidance counselor, Gia heads to Deer Valley, Utah for a long-overdue vacation with her big, chaotic
Italian family-and to celebrate her 40th birthday in style. Confident, funny, and secretly craving a little attention for once,
she's planned the ultimate birthday bash to mark the milestone.
But everything comes crashing down when her brother Dominic drops a bombshell: he's getting married. This weekend. In
Deer Valley. With the whole family. To a woman, Bridget, whom only half of the family has ever met.
Just like that, Gia's birthday is bumped for a wedding no one knew was happening-and worse, everyone's too excited to
notice her heartbreak.
Refusing to fade into the background, Gia rallies her niece and nephews to help secretly reboot her party plans. But the
deeper she dives into her mission, the more she finds herself bending the very values she's built her life on. Her
well-meaning parents are too busy with wedding chaos to notice the drama unfolding, and her sister Valentina urges her to
let it go-maybe a wedding isn't such a bad thing!?
As the celebration Gia dreamed of slips further away, she must decide what matters most: standing her ground, or standing
by her family.
Critique: An original and fun read from start to finish, "Showing Up" showcases author Lo Orsini's genuine flair for the kind
of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is laced with humor and raises family themed fiction to an impressive
level of literary excellence. While this paperback edition of "Showing Up" from Yellow Labrador Books is an especially
and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary American General Fiction collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Showing Up" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Lo Orsini (https://lo-orsini.com) is a self-published author with a passion for contemporary American
fiction, crafting stories that delve into the heart of humor and family dynamics. "Showing Up" is her first novel and reflects
the complexities and quirks of everyday life, offering readers relatable and heartfelt characters and narratives that resonate
across generations.
The Heart of a Champion
Alexis Minnich
Outskirts Press, Inc.
www.outskirtspress.com
9781977284709, $21.95, PB, 208pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Champion-Book-Amateur-Dreams/dp/1977284701
Synopsis: For Lou, horses have never been just a hobby. They have been her safe place, her identity, her greatest joy, and
sometimes her greatest heartbreak.
Lou finally feels as though years of hard work are paying off. Alongside her beloved horse Jack, she begins the show season
riding better than ever, chasing the kind of jumper rounds she once only dreamed about. For the first time, confidence
replaces doubt, and it feels like the future they worked so hard for is finally within reach.
Then everything begins to change.
As Jack's soundness and overall well-being slowly decline, the plans Lou built her life around begin slipping away. What
follows is an emotional and deeply honest journey through uncertainty, disappointment, fear, and the quiet grief that comes
with loving a horse you cannot fix. Forced to rethink her goals, her confidence, and even her identity as a rider, Lou leans
heavily on the friendships, barn family, and horses that continue to carry her forward when she no longer knows where the
path leads.
Critique: An impressively original, exceptional, and deftly crafted novel, "The Heart of a Champion" by author and adult
amateur equestian Alexis Minnich is the second title in the her 'Amateur Dreams Series' and offers the reader a realistic
behind-the-scenes look at the genuine and authentic equestrian world from the perspective of an adult amateur rider
balancing work, finances, relationships, ambition, self-doubt, and the enormous emotional weight of loving horses so
completely. Along with an inherently interesting story is an honest reality of early mornings, show nerves, setbacks,
sacrifices, barn drama, unexpected joy, and the emotional bond between horse and rider. "The Heart of a Champion is
ultimately a story about perseverance, healing, friendship, and learning that sometimes the greatest victories happen far
outside the show ring. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community
library contemporary fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback edition from Outskirts Press is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Alexis Minnich, a Regulatory and Food Safety Manager in her professional life, combines her experience as
an adult amateur equestrian along with her life-long passion for horses and brings to life the semi-autobiographic series
Amateur Dreams. She currently resides in Northeast Ohio, close to her friends and family whom she loves spending time
with. When she is not working, at home with friends or family, you will find Alexis at the barn or in the show ring.
Not Enough Words
Anthony Bradshaw
C & C Publishing Company
https://www.candcpublishingcompany.com
9798231762446, $12.99, PB, 206pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Enough-Words-Hurricane-Helene/dp/B0FND2V8D2
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-enough-words-anthony-bradshaw/1148004789
Synopsis: "Not Enough Words" by Anthony Bradshaw is a novel about the people in a close knit, small town community in
the mountains who must grapple with the destructive force of Hurricane Helene.
In the wake of this natural disaster, a diverse cast (including the earnest pastor Wesley, a grieving young man Thad, and
several community members) is forced to confront personal loss, lingering guilt, strained relationships, and spiritual doubts.
Amid the chaos of broken infrastructure and emotional turmoil, they must find ways to rebuild their lives through faith,
community support, and individual healing.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting and memorable read from start to finish, author
Anthony Bradshaw's genuine and remarkable flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style brings his
novel, "There Are No Words", to an impressive level of literary excellence. While unreservedly recommended for
community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "There Are No Words" from the C & C Publishing Company is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Anthony Bradsha on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49282817.Anthony_Bradshaw
The Last Catamount
Mark Lavine
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747124, $17.95, PB, 116pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Catamount-Mark-Lavine/dp/B0GWLN5M7Y
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-catamount-mark-lavine/1149866061
Synopsis: Set deep in Vermont's Green Mountains, "The Last Catamount" is an original story by novelist Mark Lavine that
blends wilderness adventure, local history, and a unique perspective on the interplay between instinct and an emerging sense
of self-awareness in the minds of wild animals.
"The Last Catamount" is voiced by both main characters -- a retired man pursuing the art of trail making, and a catamount
mother desperate to feed her two starving cubs. Sharing the same patch of remote wilderness, the two dance around each
other from a distance until forces beyond their control bring them together.
Of special note is the enhancement of this deftly crafted novel with the inclusion of numerous color photographs that
showcase the beauty of wild Vermont.
Here is a sample of author Mark Lavine's distinctive and engaging storytelling style:
This afternoon, for the first time in two months, I leave the den because I hear it coming and I want to watch, from a
distance. It's still there now, repeatedly bending over to rip out small plants, but it doesn't eat them. Instead, it tosses them
aside. Is it leaving them there to eat later? Does it know that bending over like that, with such predictable timing, makes it a
ridiculously easy target? Occasionally, it whacks above at a tree branch or bends one back and forth until it falls to the
ground. Then it just tosses the branch into the woods. Whatever it's doing, it remains upright and utterly unafraid. At odd
times, it stops and looks around, but it doesn't appear to be scouting for prey. It acts and moves as if it's the top predator, and
I have to respect that, even though it's size, strength, and movement suggest an easy kill. Maybe that's what Ud was trying to
tell me, that the Other must have a hidden and deadly weapon.
There aren't very many of those kinds of animals around here, but they do exist, and my body not only knows they exist but
also knows the best way of dealing with them. It's a built-in mechanism. First of all, we take a lot of time, days even, to
carefully observe any animal that we've never killed before. We know to be wary of camouflaged threats. Snakes, skunks,
and porcupines are examples of these kinds of animals. The technique is to watch first, then approach slowly. While still at
least two leaps away, it's important to make a quick move to prompt a reaction, so if it really does have a hidden weapon, it
will deploy it prematurely, while you are still at a safe distance. While it's true that such a move reveals your location and
spoils the immediate hunt, getting the information is more important. Then, if no hidden threat is triggered, you can hunt the
prey in the usual manner.
That's probably the reason Ud warned me off the Other that day; he was trying to tell me that they're off-limits because they
have hidden weapons. But there was something else in his eyes, a feeling, a deeper fear of the Other itself that went beyond
just our own danger from its immediate response to an attack. Because Ud's look was not routine. It wasn't a reminder to test
for the threat at two leaps. It said we need to leave now, and never since have I come within three giant leaps of the
Other.
But today I am watching, from several leaps away, yes, but I am watching, and it's only because of the awful sounds of my
starving littles.
Critique: A brilliantly scripted and intriguing read from cover to cover, "The Last Catamount" is a carefully crafted novel
that will hold a very special and enduring appeal to readers with an interest in original anthropomorphic stories involving
the interplay and life experiences of sentient wildlife and humans. This paperback edition of "The Last Catamount" is a
prime and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and personal
reading lists.
Editorial Note: Catamount Mountain Press (is a small, independent book publisher located in Vermont.
(https://www.catamountmountainpress.com)
In & Out of Folsom
Duzeet Madeer
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747100, $19.95, PB, 334pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Out-Folsom-Duzeet-Madeer/dp/B0GX2SDXPG
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-out-of-folsom-duzeet-madeer/1149898706
Synopsis: A botched heist got him in and a brilliant escape got him out. But it was what he learned along the way that got
him home?
"In & Out of Folsom" is more than just another heist, capture, and escape themed novel. Author Duzeet Madeer's genuine
flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style will create a very special resonance with the reader. Here
is an example:
Excerpt from chapter 22 (Downriver):
...Now I get it. We've got a head start, and for the first time, I allow myself to consider the possibility that we just might
actually get away with it. I lean my head out the window and watch the corn fields fly by in an ecstatic blur, the hot wind in
my face blasting into me a reminder that I'm now on the outside. It's then that it hits me: freedom is not a definition.
Freedom is a feeling. It's not some minimum set of allowed choices or some defined area within which you're permitted to
operate. It's a feeling. Freedom is a feeling. It's the exhilaration that rushes into the wake of an unburdening. It's not
experienced by those who know they're free because they live in a free country. It's not experienced by those who depend
upon others to remove their chains, at a time and place of the other's choosing and under other-dictated circumstances and
rules. Now I realize why I couldn't accept their offer of release. I would have missed out on my real freedom, the kind that's
known only to those who have freed themselves...
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, exceptional, and a truly memorable read from start to finish, the narrative skills of novelist
Duzeet Madeer raises "In & Out of Folsom" to an impressive level of literary excellence. "In & Out of Folsom" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections.
Editorial Note: Duzeet Madeer is also the author of "From the Remains of the Melting Pot" (Catamount Mountain Press,
9798994747100, $19.95, PB, 334pp).
Lost Secrets of the Scottish Castle
Jane Lovering
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835332818, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/lost%20secrets%20of%20the%20scottish%20castle
Synopsis: When Perdita McKell's brother Lennox asks her for help to fund his hairbrained scheme to renovate a
tumbledown Scottish castle, she fears it will only end in disaster. But a lifetime of sister guilt, complicated family
relationships and a general sense of malaise are enough for her to ignore her instincts.
The castle in question, Dunaire Castle, was the seventeenth-century home to their ancestor, the Earl George McKell, so
Perdita can understand Lennox's romantic notion that they should be the rightful owners and the ones to love it back to life.
Slowly and in ways Perdita could never have expected, Dunaire Castle begins to reveal its secrets; secrets and choices that
have shaped the lives of generations of her family.
As the McKell story opens up to her, Perdita realises that it's in her hands to change the course of history and with it the
course of her own life -- if only she can work out how.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a fun read from cover to cover, with the publication of this large print paperback edition
of "Lost Secrets of the Scottish Castle", author and storyteller Jane Lovering tells the intriguing and deftly crafted story of a
Scottish castle, one family's links to the past, and a love story that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long
after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Jane Lovering at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/jane-lovering
Straight Out of Gitmo
Victoria Montes
Bee Herd Publishing
9798996181803, $9.95, PB, 184pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Out-Gitmo-Victoria-Montes/dp/B0HDW6XK2T
Synopsis: Annabell Pearson came to Guantanamo Bay to teach physics, not to stand trial for killing an iguana.
But when Henry, the island's beloved protected iguana, dies after colliding with Annabell's bicycle, she finds herself charged
with hit-and-run homicide.
Annabell becomes trapped in a media firestorm fueled by conspiracy theories, outrageous witnesses, the notoriety of Naval
Base Guantanamo Bay, and Michelle Gunner, an ambitious reporter determined to turn the bizarre case into national
news.
Critique: "Straight Out of Gitmo" by Victoria Montes, is a deftly crafted and wickedly outrageous satire on the themes of
fame, outrage, and the absurdity of modern life. Author Victoria Montes aptly demonstrates (along with a flair for the
wickedly funny) the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the satirical fiction genre. While
especially recommended for community library Contemporary Humorous Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that this paperback edition of "Straight Out of Gitmo" from Bee Herd Publishing is also currently available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $0.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Victoria Montes on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1138190.Victoria_Montes
The Mechanicals
Trevor Payne
https://www.trevorpayne.info
Unsolicited Press
https://www.unsolicitedpress.com
9781963115819, $22.95, PB, 230pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanicals-Trevor-Payne-ebook/dp/B0H8KC7MX3
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mechanicals-trevor-payne/1150290501
Synopsis: Jackie and Norman's life together begins not with certainty but with an accident. An unplanned pregnancy pulls
the two young people into a shared future long before either of them is prepared for it, forcing them to navigate the
unpredictable mechanics of love, family, and adulthood.
Through their unsettled twenties and unconventional thirties, Jackie and Norman learn to improvise a life together while
struggling to understand what commitment really demands. Norman works as a feature writer for the men's magazine
Voyeur, where he befriends Guy Roche, a charismatic and brutally disciplined MMA champion whose world view both
fascinates and unsettles him.
When Guy dies unexpectedly, Norman and Jackie are drawn into the complicated aftermath of his life. Helping Guy's family
sort through his estate introduces them to Natasha, Guy's widow and a former adult film star who has developed her own
pragmatic philosophy about survival, intimacy, and the strange ways people construct meaning from chaos.
Through their growing friendship with Natasha, Jackie and Norman begin to see their own relationship more clearly. What
once seemed accidental begins to reveal itself as something built slowly through compromise, curiosity, and endurance.
Part love story, part meditation on adulthood, The Mechanicals is a sharp, often funny exploration of how people build
relationships in a world where nothing arrives according to plan.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "The Mechanicals"
showcases author Tevor Payne's undeniable gift for the kind of philosophy imbued, character and narrative driven
storytelling style that will hold a very special appeal for readers who appreciate a mixed martial arts and psychological
themed novel of life, love, and relationships. While unexceptionally and unreservedly recommended for community and
college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that this paperback edition of "The Mechanicals" from Unsolicited Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$7.99).
Editorial Note: Tevor Payne (https://www.trevorpayne.info) was born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, Canada. He holds an
English degree from Stanford University and an MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he began writing the
manuscript that would become The Mechanicals. Payne taught public high school English for twenty-seven years before
leaving the profession and relocating from the Philadelphia suburbs to New York City, where he now writes full-time.
In Search of Rohan Chang
Lincoln Lee
Beacon 5 Points
9781945316029, $27.99, HC, 378pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Search-Rohan-Chang-Lincoln-Lee/dp/1945316020
Christian Rising Press
https://www.beacon5points.com/book-inner-page
Synopsis: 1997. New York City
Seventeen-year-old Rohan Chang is just trying to survive high school, dodge expectations, and navigate the gritty, neon-lit
streets of late-90s Manhattan. He's an invisible kid in a world that demands conformity -- until one night changes
everything.
A terrifying event ignites an ancient, supernatural force within him. Overnight, Rohan transforms from a nobody into
something unimaginable. The power is real. And now everyone wants a piece of him.
Meanwhile, a serial killer stalks the city.
Rohan's mind is a battlefield. To protect the people he loves, he must master wild new abilities, outsmart deadly enemies,
and defy the stereotypes that threaten to define him. In the end, what does it truly cost to be a hero?
Critique: A superhero in the making story by Lincoln Lee, "In Search of Rohan Chang" is a fun and riveting read from start
to finish. Lee's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for the superhero genre
and will prove to be an immediately and enduringly popular pick for community library superhero fantasy themed YA
Fiction collections for ages 14 and up. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of teenage and young adult superhero
fans that this hardcover edition of "In Search of Rohan Chang" from Christian Rising Press is also readily available in
paperback (9781945316128, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Lincoln Lee on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/555330.Lincoln_Lee
Recipe for Joy
Monica Comas
www.monicacomas.com
Lake Union Publishing
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662532412, $16.99, PB, 331pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Recipe-Joy-Novel-Monica-Comas/dp/1662532415
Synopsis: Belle Sutton is a little lost these days.
She has a stalled career, a New York apartment she can't afford, and her sister, Lexie, is more estranged with each passing
year. Belle's one true consolation is her beloved grandmother, who's powered through her own broken family ties with a
tenacious zest for life and a passion for cooking. But when her grandmother suddenly passes away, a grieving Belle feels her
only connection to the past is gone forever.
That's when Belle receives a series of letters, along with a cookbook, photographs of Belle and Lexie when they were young
and happy, and her grandmother's last wish that the sisters mend severed ties before it's too late. For the love of Gran, a
challenge is met that sets Belle and Lexie on a journey of hope, reconciliation, surprising discoveries, and the nourishing
power of family, forgiveness, and tradition.
All they have to do is follow the directions.
Critique: "Recipe for Joy" by Monica Comas is the deftly crafted story of grieving woman who finds healing and purpose
through her late grandmother's cherished recipes in a poignant and hopeful novel about rediscovering the comfort of family
in the most trying of times. Author Monica Comas reveals a genuine and quite impressive flair for the kind of character and
narrative driven storytelling style that fully engages the readers emotional and intellectual interest from start to finish. While
a highly recommended acquisition for community library Domestic/Family Life themed general fiction collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "Recipe for Joy" from Lake Union Publishing is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Monica Comas (www.monicacomas.com) holds a bachelor's degree in English from The Ohio State
University and a master's in journalism from New York University. She's worked as a newspaper reporter, a journalist
covering stocks and the economy, and a financial editor. But fiction has always been her true love.
In a Word, Yes
Kit Tosello
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780800747770, $18.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Word-Yes-Contemporary-Christian-Relationship/dp/0800747771
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-a-word-yes-kit-tosello/1148520091
Synopsis: Lucy Montgomery excels at drawing boundaries and avoiding risk. Her favorite word is no, and she's not afraid to
use it.
It's been five years since she picked up the leftovers from a crumbled marriage and started over with her brilliantly unique
autistic son in Charity Falls, Oregon. As a single mom, she now works behind the scenes at a local newspaper. Enter Wyatt
Hayes -- an affable local police officer with the soul of a poet and the kindness she's always craved. A man who's more than
eager to help her break free from her security blanket of an adventure-free life.
Lucy's celebrity mother, Carly Montgomery (a vivacious and beloved women's Bible study leader) can't deny a sense of
weariness. But if she doesn't remain in perpetual motion, her regrets are bound to catch up with her. Despite the outward
appearance of a perfect empty-nester life, she's kept her daughter at arm's length and has already missed so much of her
young grandson's life. Is it too late to turn that around?
For Lucy and Carly to restore their relationship, and for Lucy and Wyatt to embrace the risk of loving, it will take a big step
of faith to reconcile the past together.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a sterling example of contemporary Christian fiction, "In A Word, Yes" by Kit Tosello
will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in family life themed fiction. It should be noted that Tosello's
distinctive flair for character and narrative driven storyteller style raises her domestic novel of love and relationships to an
impressive level of literary excellence. While highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Fiction
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "In A Word, Yes" from Revell is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: Kit Tosello (www.KitTosello.com) is an award-winning writer of small-town contemporary fiction with a
big heart, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. With her eye trained on the beauty hiding in plain sight all around
us, she arranges words with tenderness, humor, and hope.
When She Was Ours
Anna Nordberg
https://www.annanordberg.com
Lake Union Publishing
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662539183, $28.99, HC, 319pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-She-Was-Ours-Novel/dp/1662539185
Synopsis: Thea Erickson, a renowned surgeon, is filled with both joy and grief as her family gathers at their home on a
summer night in 1995. Her elder daughter Phoebe is getting married, but even the happiness of the day feels bittersweet, as
Thea grapples with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She worries she won't be around to support her younger daughter Astra,
who's still in college, but even Thea cannot foresee what is to come -- a terrible accident the night of the wedding that
changes Astra's life forever.
In a last-ditch effort to protect her family, Thea arranges a secret meeting with an old family friend and extracts a promise
that will reverberate long after she's gone.
Years after her mother's death, Astra has moved forward with a career and relationship, but she still struggles with her grief.
When a man reaches out to her and Phoebe, offering a window into their mother's past, Astra must make a choice, and her
decision forces her to face what it means to love someone after they're gone, who we decide to forgive, and how families
reckon with the past.
Critique: All the more extraordinary when considering that "When She Was Ours" is author/journalist Anna Nordberg's
debut as a novelist. Original, eloquent, deftly crafted, and showcases Nordberg's exceptional flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven storytelling style that is particularly apt for a grief & bereavement themed novel and lifts her work of
fiction to an impressive level of literary excellence. While unreservedly recommended for community and college/university
library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover
edition of "When She Was Ours" from Lake Union Press is also readily available in paperback (9781662539206, $16.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Anna Nordberg (https://www.annanordberg.com) is a journalist and culture writer whose essays have
appeared in Slate magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She grew up in
New York City and now lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children. "When She Was Ours" is her first
novel.
Where the Water Meets the Sky
Diane Les Becquets
Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781668221891, $29.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Water-Meets-Sky-Novel/dp/1668221896
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-the-water-meets-the-sky-diane-les-becquets/1148560267
Synopsis: On a night in January, on the Garden Peninsula of Michigan, a farmhouse burns to the ground. A young child
makes it out and flees into the woods with a book of matches in her hand.
Ten years later, Abby, a lover of birds and the natural world, returns to Garden, to the woods, lakes, farms and fisheries of
her childhood in order to assist her uncle on an environmental study of trees.
Her best friend, Brew, invites her to a party where she meets a troubled girl named Seda, on the run from her abusive ex.
Abby sets out to protect Seda and introduces her to an abandoned cabin that becomes a sanctuary for them both. Here, Abby
begins to process her unrequited feelings for Brew while also discovering the person she is becoming. She wants more for
her life, a hunger both spiritual and physical, and seeks to understand the trauma of her childhood that took her mother from
her. Abby cares deeply for the people and flora and fauna around her and identifies with the wounds of the
environment.
She is desperate to remember what happened the night of the fire and as the summer of 1996 unfolds, Abby will be forced to
reckon with the truth.
Perfect for fans of the lush and tender nature writing of Helen Macdonald and Richard Powers, Where the Water Meets the
Sky is a coming-of-age novel that expertly delves into the connection between our perception of ourselves and our natural
environs. It is a paean to the vast and beautiful wildscape around us and to the power of community and the wisdom of
love.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, "Where The Water Meets The Sky" is an extraordinary, fascinating, and
engaging read from start to finish. Author Diane Les Becquets's distinctive and genuine flair for the kind of memorable,
character, and narrative driven story telling style lifts her novel to an impressive level of literary elegance. While especially
and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Coming-of-Age and Psychological Friction
collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Where The Water Meets The Sky" from Simon & Schuster is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone
Publishing, 9781668155844, $44.99) narrated by Anna Caputo.
Editorial Note: Diane Les Becquets (www.dianelesbecquets.com) is the author of Breaking Wild and The Last Woman in
the Forest. Breaking Wild, an Indie Next Pick and a national bestseller, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly,
Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist, and was featured on NPR's Morning Edition. It was the recipient of the Colorado Book
Award in Fiction, the New Hampshire Outstanding Work of Fiction, and was short-listed for the Reading the West Book
Award in Fiction.
When the Silence Breaks
Elizabeth Goddard
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780800747688, $18.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/When-Silence-Breaks-Northwest-Mountains/dp/0800747682
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-the-silence-breaks-elizabeth-goddard/1148520101
Synopsis: When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of her grandfather's deathbed confession connected to her brother's
murder, she's determined to protect her remaining family. After further investigation, she discovers the disclosed
information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she
looks for a guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand.
After his father's death in a tragic mountain accident, former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin no longer guides for the family
business. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her and can't stand by while someone brings
danger to his small-town mountain community.
Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming storm. When the danger escalates, their
search for answers shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it through involves trusting each other and
confronting the truth no one wants them to find.
Critique: A deathbed confession. A decades-old secret. A mountain that holds the answers--and danger closing in. "When
Silence Breaks" by novelist Elizabeth Goddard is an entertaining blend of mystery, suspense, and Christian romance from
start to finish. Original, compelling, deftly crafted, "When Silence Breaks" is unreservedly recommended for personal
reading lists and community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for readers with an
interest in Christian Romance & Suspense that this paperback edition of "When Silence Breaks" from Revell is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Elizabeth Goddard at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/elizabeth-goddard
Big Store Window
Tyler Marioni
DartFrog Books
https://dartfrogbooks.com
B0HCD7YQCB, $4.99, Kindle, 275pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Store-Window-Tyler-Marioni/dp/1965253938
Big Store Window is a novel that opens with narrator Cole Anthony Edwards's receipt of a television ad bragging the
high-tech opportunities of P.T. Global Innovation's Window, a creation that uses spectacle to promise customers better
control over their destiny. While he readily admits skepticism ("Patrick Turner always shocked me, but this time he sells a
new level of insanity."), he's also intrigued enough to want to know more. And so he falls into the promise and clutches of a
TV apparition whose latest creation rivals any of the possibilities Edwards experienced while briefly working for Turner in
the past.
The Window project holds the signature hallmarks of Turner's proclivity for loopholes and big dreams. It lures Edwards
with these dreams - but the man is too savvy to fall for such bait easily:
I do not fear this organization in a general sense; I fear its stranglehold on the world.
As he works to convince others that the Window and its treatments are a disaster rather than a blessing, readers become
absorbed in the ways in which technology and human ambition intersect, the results of enhancement efforts gone wry, and
the efforts of an ordinary Joe to battle its promise:
Using a faulty key, Turner's company tried to pick the lock of human life. Realizing their key didn't fit the lock's grooves,
they angrily broke it off inside and left shards of shrapnel behind, leaving us in this current worldwide disaster.
The challenge lies in convincing the rest of the world.
Librarians and readers seeking a futuristic, compelling story of transformation, struggle, and possible evil forces will find
Big Store Window frighteningly realistic and thoroughly compelling.
Tyler Marioni crafts the story in the form of a memoir, which adds a sense of immediacy and personality into the evolving
dilemma. This choice makes it easy for readers to become immersed in Edwards's perceptions about the true definition of
worth.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Strawberry Moon
Amber Hoyem
Independently Published
9798196866074, $22.99, HC, 331pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Strawberry-Light-Shadow-Amber-Hoyem/dp/B0H46GTCQK
Synopsis: In 1630s Massachusetts (a world of brutal winters, fragile alliances, and rising violence) Sarah is caught between
the two identities the colony refuses to let her hold at once.
When Puritan soldiers destroy Merrymount and seize her English father, she is forced into her mother's Massachusetts
village, where she is both welcomed and quietly set apart. To one world she is Sarah. To the other, Kimi. In neither does she
fully belong.
Across the river, John Whipple arrives from England as an indentured servant, bound to labor under harsh authority in a
land that offers him no standing -- only survival.
When smallpox and a hurricane bring their lives together in the same fragile world, Sarah and John form a bond that neither
English law nor Indigenous expectation can accept. But in a colony defined by fear, purity, and rising violence, even small
connections carry consequences.
As the Pequot War erupts and the world around them fractures into brutality, both are forced to confront what survival
demands -- and what belonging costs.
Separated by circumstance and shaped by loss, each must decide whether identity is something inherited... or something
chosen?
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Strawberry Moon" launches author Amber
Hoyem's new 'The Light and Shadow' historical fiction series. With a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative
driven storytelling style that raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence and reader engagement,
"Strawberry Moon" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library
Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for readers with an interest in American Historical Romance Fiction that
this hardcover edition of "Strawberry Moon" is also readily available in paperback (9798196990960, $15.99) and in a digital
book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Amber Hoyem is a former secondary educator whose 2015 descent into genealogical research opened a door
into early American history and the quiet, persistent stories preserved in family records. What began as a curiosity became a
years-long pursuit of emotional and historical truth -- one that eventually led her to ancestral ties with John and Sarah
Whipple and the scattered archival traces that sparked her novel, "Strawberry Moon".
From the Remains of the Melting Pot
Duzeet Madeer
Catamount Mountain Press
https://www.catamountmountainpress.com
9798994747117, $19.95, PB, 328pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Remains-Melting-Pot-Duzeet-Madeer/dp/B0GX2JY94M
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-the-remains-of-the-melting-pot-duzeet-madeer/1150814250
Synopsis: UCLA.1955.
Blue skies are stirring with the first breezes of a powerful and long overdue storm that's about to sweep the country. Not
even the UCLA (a bucolic Southern California university) can escape the rising tension, as three new students from sharply
different backgrounds soon discover. They form an unlikely but strengthening friendship, and before long this bond
becomes their best protection against the unexpected threats that lie ahead.
Author Duzeet Madeer's novel, "From the Remains of the Melting Pot" is framed by the college setting of a major
California campus and accurately describes the social and cultural issues of an emerging Baby Boom generation coming of
age in the '50s and celebrates the resilience of friendships in the face of looming chaos. Duzeet Madeer's storytelling style is
perfectly suited to the full engagement of the reader. Here is an example of his narrative style and expertise:
Excerpt from Chapter 15:
"Yeah, you stay the hell away from his sister," added Jerrod, in what had to be the biggest fuckup in a long line of fuckups
he'd been stringing together all day. James didn't respond, hoping it might somehow slide by unnoticed, but that was
unlikely. There was no one to blame but himself, of course, since he knew from the start that Jerrod was unreliable, but he'd
been left with no other options. He didn't run in the kind of circles that would offer him choices for a job like this, or that
could follow through on threats like the one he'd just made, for that matter.
"We're going to leave now, so if you thought we were going to cut you, now is the time to relax. But if there's a next time, it
won't be me and it'll get ugly, that's for sure. So you both think about that, for the good of the baby, right?"
He felt bad about mentioning the baby at all, but this was his one chance to scare the guy off, and after all, it was his sister's
safety he was trying to protect here. Fortunately, Jerrod kept his mouth shut and they both turned and walked toward the still
wide-open front door. Aside from that one glaring mistake, James thought it had gone about as well as he could have
expected and was looking forward to debriefing his sister at her place later in the day. As he crossed the threshold of the
doorway and stepped into the brilliant sunshine, he could never have imagined that this reunion would be years away.
Critique: Exceptional, extraordinary, and an inherently fascinating read from cover to cover, "From the Remains of the
Melting Pot" is one of those novels 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. This paperback edition of "From the Remains of the Melting Pot" from Catamount
Mountain Press is certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for both personal reading lists, as well as
community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Duzeet Madeer is also the author of "In and Out of Folsom" (Catamount Mountain Press, 9798994747100,
$19.95, PB, 334pp).
The Bootlegger's Daughter: A San Francisco Tale
Joseph Andrew Cerny
Independently Published
9798993547527, $24.99, HC, 355pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Bootleggers-Daughter-San-Francisco-Tale/dp/B0G231Y9YJ
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bootleggers-daughter-joseph-andrew-cerny/1148837693
Synopsis: Although a work of fiction, "The Bootlegger's Daughter: A San Francisco Tale" by Joseph Andrew Cerny is
inspired by and based upon a remarkable and true story transporting readers to the vibrant, turbulent streets of early
twentieth-century San Francisco, where opportunity and hardship walked hand in hand.
Born to Irish immigrant parents in a San Francisco still rebuilding from the devastating 1906 earthquake, young Ann White
comes of age during some of America's most transformative decades.
As Prohibition takes hold, her father turns to bootlegging to support the family, drawing Ann into the hidden world of
Prohibition-era bootlegging of hidden whiskey, whispered secrets, and difficult choices.
What begins as a childhood in a hardworking Irish immigrant family soon becomes a journey through the Spanish Flu
pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, and the ever-changing landscape of San Francisco.
Rich with historical detail and unforgettable characters, "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is sweeping family saga explores
resilience, sacrifice, love, and the enduring strength of a woman determined to persevere through life's greatest
challenges.
From the hidden corners of Prohibition-era speakeasies to the hopes and heartbreaks of a family striving for a better future,
"The Bootlegger's Daughter" is an inspiring tale of courage, heritage, and survival that will stay with readers long after the
final page.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and an inherently engaging read from start to finish, "The Bootlegger's Daughter: A San
Francisco Tale" showcases author Joseph Andrew Cerny's impressive style of character and narrative driven storytelling and
a writing style that lifts his historical novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. All the more impressive when
considering that "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is Cerny's debut as a novelist, this is one of those stories that will linger in the
mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is
an especially and unreservedly pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is also available in paperback (9798993547510,
$16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $2.99).
Editorial Note: Joseph Cerny was born in San Francisco and is a descendant of several bootleggers. In 1988, after graduating
from the University of California, San Diego, with degrees, including one in American History, he attended Old
Dominion/Eastern Virginia Medical School and graduated in 1992. After a career as a family physician spanning nearly
thirty years, Cerny is now a volunteer for Placer County Museums in Northern California. He dresses up in period clothing
and gives tours of old- town Auburn, a former Gold Rush town, in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. He also gives tours
of Bernhard House, an old hotel converted into a home, with wine-making complexes on the property.
Blueland
Robert Jaxx
https://www.robertjaxx.com
Waterstone Press
c/o Voyage Books
9798234016201, $15.99, PB, 274pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Blueland-Robert-Jaxx/dp/B0H91BPG5G
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blueland-robert-jaxx/1150841809
Synopsis: April 1865.
Before the Civil War draws its final breath, Captain Alden Zur deserts the Union Army with three hardened soldiers: men
fleeing the brutality of what they've seen, haunted by what they've done. With his family in tow, Alden leads them west --
not in search of hope, but distance from a nation unraveling.
The journey is unforgiving. Hunger gnaws. Violence stalks. Lawlessness erodes any semblance of order. Trust becomes a
gamble, mercy a risk, and with every mile, Alden and his men are driven to choices that strip away what remains of their
souls.
In the wilds of Colorado, they find Blueland, a place brimming with opportunity, but only for those willing to fight for it.
Winters bite hard, rivalries turn deadly, and justice is carved out at gunpoint. Here, they build lives from dust and blood,
raising families in a land that demands everything and forgives nothing.
"Blueland" by Robert Jaxx is a novel about honor, loyalty, and friendship forged on the razor's edge between civilization
and savagery -- and where the war doesn't end.
It simply moves west.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, a simply fascinating and fully engaging read from start to finish, "Blueland" showcases
author Robert Jaxx genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the historical
fiction genre. A compelling novel of drama set in the turbulent times of a yesteryear American west, "Blueland" is an
unreservedly recommended pick for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal
reading lists that this paperback edition of "Blueland" from Waterstone Press is also currently available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $2.99 / B&N $0.99).
Editorial Note: Robert Jaxx (https://www.robertjaxx.com) is the author of the thriller, Sunset House, released in 2019, as
well as the psychological thriller, Swan, released in 2020 - winner of the 8th annual Beverly Hills Book Awards, The
Allbooks Review Awards, and the 2021 Pinnacle Book Awards for Best Fiction.
The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A Telling
Dr. Leroy Lowe
Independently Published
9798187678136, $24.99, HC, 319pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Stone-Light-Magdala-Telling/dp/B0HB77Q5M1
Synopsis: Now, at the end of a long life, an old woman sets it down the story of herself -- the whole of it, unflinching, the
way it truly was.
Mary of Magdala remembers the bright town on the lake where she was a child, and everything the years took from it: a
brother lost to a Roman cross, a mother lost to grief, a town that decided what she was and closed its doors against her. She
remembers the long dark that followed -- and the day a teacher from Nazareth looked at her, really looked, and did not turn
away.
What comes after is the road, and the women who walked it, and a love that remade her. It is the hill where the men
scattered and she would not move. It is a garden at first light, the sound of her own name spoken aloud, and the impossible
morning she was sent to carry into a world not ready to believe that a woman had seen it first.
Although a work of Christian fiction, "The Black Stone and the Light" by Leroy Lowe gives the Gospel's most overlooked
witness her own voice at last -- tender and honest story about grief, doubt, and being disbelieved, and, in the end, profoundly
consoling. Of special note is the Scripture deftly woven through an imagined life that will interest anyone who has ever
sensed there was more to the story of Mary Magdalene than we were told in our Sunday School classes.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, compelling, and an inherently fascinating read from start to finish, author Leroy Lowe
demonstrates a genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the Christian
Historical Fiction genre. A female Gospel figure who has been a controversial subject to Church authorities and members of
the Christian community from antiquity down to the present day, Mary of Magala (also known as Mary Magdalene) is
brought vividly to life in the pages of "The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A Telling". While unreservedly
recommended for community library Christian themed Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading
lists that this hardcover edition of "The Black Stone and the Light: Mary of Magdala - A Telling" is also available in
paperback (9798187626748, $15.99).
Editorial Note: Leroy Lowe is a Canadian scientist and author who has spent a lifetime moving between worlds that rarely
meet. He is currently directing the creation of the Global Research Action Network for Discovery, which aspires to become
the largest international research network in the world. He has always been a voracious reader of non-fiction, and over many
years Lowe has studied the canonical texts of the world's great faiths, returning again and again to the New Testament. It is
from that long attention that his first book, "The Black Stone and the Light" evolved.
Jeb Wright, Colonial Assassin
Dave Meek
Coffeetown Press
c/o Camel Press
www.camelpress.com
9781684922932, $21.95, PB, 330pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wright-Colonial-Assassin-Dave-Meek/dp/1684922933
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jeb-wright-colonial-assassin-dave-meek/1149588650
Synopsis: It's 1776. The American Revolution teeters on the brink of collapse. George Washington and his Continental
Army are on the run, suffering defeat after defeat. The British Army pursues them, bent on hunting the American soldiers to
extinction. Across the colonies, the raging war pits neighbor against neighbor. Loyalists fight for their king. Patriots fight for
bold, new ideas of freedom.
Into this land torn asunder enters Jeb Wright, the twenty-year-old son of smuggler parents.
Seven years earlier, Jeb's parents fled with him from New York to France, one step ahead of the hangman. Now, Jeb returns
from self-imposed exile. He wants only one thing: to reunite with Rebecca Bennett, his childhood sweetheart. Instead, Jeb
finds Rebecca has betrothed herself to Major Donovan Huxley, a mysterious British officer. Jeb soon discovers Huxley
keeps a terrible secret, one that could doom Rebecca, Washington, and the Revolution.
But Jeb keeps his own secret: a hidden past and fighting skills never before seen in Colonial America. The fate of
Rebecca-and America-lies in Jeb's hands.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Jeb Wright, Colonial
Assassin" by novelist Dave Meek is the first volume of an epic trilogy set during the darkest hours of the American
Revolution. "Jeb Wright, Colonial Assassin" will hold a particular fascination for readers with an interest in assassination
themed historical thrillers and mysteries set in the time of the American Revolution. While an unreservedly recommended
pick for personal reading lists and community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted that this paperback
edition of "Jeb Wright, Colonial Assassin" from Coffeetown Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$8.99).
Editorial Note: Dave Meek writings have won awards from the Maui Writers Conference, the Pikes Peak Writers
Conference, and most-recently, the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Writers Conference where his novel, "Jeb
Wright, Colonial Assassin", won first place.
Carrion Crow
Heather Parry
Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781805680550, $17.95, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Carrion-Crow-Heather-Parry/dp/1805680552
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carrion-crow-heather-parry/1144751192
Synopsis: Marguerite Perigord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking
Thames.
For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, and a carrion crow who has come
to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs.
Beeton's advice and longing for life outside.
Cecile Perigord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good.
Cecile is concerned that Marguerite's engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name - her
husband's name, that is - into disrepute. And for Cecile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won't do.
Cecile's life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall.
Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite's patience turns into rage, the boundaries
of her mind and body start to fray.
And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming.
Critique: "Carrion Crow" was first publishing in hardcover by Doubleday and is now re-printed by Pushkin Press in a
paperback edition for new generation of appreciative readers. "Carrion Crow" is the fascinating and macabre story of a
mother and daughter who each have a dual capacity for both great kindness and unfathomable cruelty. Fusing grisly body
horror with raw and evocative prose, "Carrion Crow" will have particular appeal to readers with an interest in haunting
gothic novels and LGBTQ+ historical fiction crafted from the mind and imagination of award-winning author Heather
Parry. A highly recommended pick for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Carrion Crow" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Heather Parry on Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7301850.Heather_Parry
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale
Giorgio Cittadini
Independently Published
9798293644650, $20.00, HC, 194pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ariel-Beyond-Genoese-Giorgio-Cittadini/dp/B0FK5JR7MJ
Synopsis: "Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale" by Giorgio Cittadini is a philosophical novel that blurs the boundaries
between reality and fantasy, time and eternity, through the extraordinary encounter between Damian (a scientist
disillusioned by the predictability of his discipline) and Ariel, the spirit of the air immortalized by Shakespeare.
When Ariel appears in Damian's life after four hundred and fifteen years of wandering, a profound dialogue begins. Haunted
by the relentless passage of time and a longing to transcend the limits of human existence, Damian finds in Ariel a reflective
companion who leads him through essential questions: Can time be outwitted? Can the ghosts of the past take form? Where
does illusion end and reality begin?
Their conversations (ranging from philosophy to theology, from the nature of time to the art of magic) forge a bond that
surpasses the master-servant dynamic. Ariel's otherworldly insight and his power to summon parallel realms spark Damian's
inner transformation, forcing him to confront his obsessions and accept life's immutable laws.
The novel unfolds in lyrical moments (such as the ritual of preparing coffee, a metaphor for perfection in the everyday) and
in sharp reflections on the human condition. As past and present intertwine, and figures like Wallis and Helga drift through
the narrative bearing echoes of alternate lives, the reader is invited to question the very fabric of reality.
"Ariel and Beyond" blends the richness of European literary tradition with a contemporary sensibility, offering a meditation
on love, death, memory, and the search for meaning in a universe ruled by indifferent laws. More than one man's
philosophical journey, "Ariel and Beyond" is a meditation on solitude, time, desire, and the invisible threads that connect
us.
"Ariel and Beyond" is a novel for readers who value the elegance of ideas, the music of language, and the quiet beauty of
closely observed moments.
Critique: Original, eloquent, deftly crafted, "Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale" is a flawless blending of fantasy,
philosophy, and commentary on the human condition that will resonate among readers who appreciate how the character
and narrative driven storytelling style of poet/author Giorgio Cittadini has raised his unique novel to an impressive level of
literary excellence. While an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and college/university library
Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Ariel and Beyond: A Genoese Tale" is also
readily available in paperback (9798292590545, $16.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.00).
Editorial Note: In 1985, Giorgio Cittadini published his first collection of poems, La gioia di cercare (The Joy of Seeking),
followed in 1988 by Il pensiero del coccio (The Thought of the Shard). In 1989, his poetry collection La morte di Mirsilo
(The Death of Myrsilus) was awarded the prestigious Rhegium Julii Prize.
His novel Ariele e dopo (Ariel and After, 1999) was translated into Romanian by tefan Damian. In 1999, he published a
translation of the celebrated poem Anabase by Saint-John Perse, accompanied by an extensive Reading Guide to the Work.
Selected poems, translated into French, appeared in 2009 in the literary journals La Revue des Archers and Phoenix.
In 2016 he published, in close collaboration with French semiologist and writer Joelle Gardes, a translation of the Provencal
poems by Saint-John Perse - Chronique and Chant pour un Equinoxe. In 2019, he released the collection of poems Residui
di tuono (Echoes of Thunder), which received third prize in the Intercontinental Literary Arts Competition Le Nove Muse.
In 2022, he curated a new translation of Anabase, complete with a critical apparatus detailing its historical, structuralist, and
poetic aspects. In 2023, he published a revised and expanded edition of Ariele e dopo - Il giorno del Bagatto (Ariel and
After - The Magician's Day).
In 2025, a selection of his poems was included in the anthology I Poeti di Ponte Vecchio. In 2025, he published two new
collections: Poesie Disperse (Uncollected Poems), a retrospective poetic journey spanning four decades, and Moments for
E., a bilingual Italian - English edition exploring the intimate geography of affection and memory.
Inside Henry Cato
Katharine English
https://kenglish.com
Atmosphere Press
www.atmospherepress.com
9798901743577, $19.99, PB, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Henry-Cato-Katharine-English/dp/B0HCHF37MC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inside-henry-cato-katharine-english/1150947478
Synopsis: All Henry Cato wants is to belong. But he was born to a woman who saw the world as a series of stains to be
scrubbed clean -- and young Henry as the deepest stain of all. In a root cellar deep below the Kansas topsoil, he does
penance for being different, nurturing a secret obsession with shoes he was never meant to wear.
In 1967, with nothing but a sharp eye for detail, a talent for thievery, and a desperate need for belonging, Henry flees to San
Francisco. There, Del, a charismatic Texas oil heir, exploits Henry's taboo fascination and catapults him to cult stardom. For
the first time, Henry feels seen - but the persona that promises liberation becomes a gilded cage.
When he escapes to the gritty, industrial playground of New York City's Meatpacking District, Henry must navigate
predators, fame, and reinvention -- and reconcile the boy who still feels like a forgery with the person he is becoming. Or
risk losing himself entirely.
"Inside Henry Cato" is author Katharine English's bold, compassionate exploration of identity, sexuality, and the tactile
language of shoes. It is the story of a survivor learning to stand in the light of an ambiguous world.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted, and compelling 'coming of age' novel by Katharine English, "Inside Henry Cato" will
create a distinct resonance with readers who themselves spend their adolescence and young adult hood in the 70s. With an
effective and engaging narrative style of storytelling, (and all the more impressive when considering that it is her debut as a
novelist) author Katharine English raises her novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. While this paperback
edition of "Inside Henry Cato" from Atmosphere Press is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading
lists and community library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that it is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Katharine English (https://kenglish.com) spent years at the intersection of emerging technology and human
behavior -- helping organizations navigate the gap between disruptive capability and the cultures required to sustain it.
Katharine completed an MLA in writing and leaned fully into her creative life. Now, as a novelist and essayist based in New
York City, she's spent the better part of her life paying close attention to people -- what they want, what they're afraid of, and
the stories they tell themselves to get through the day. She also writes essays and fiction for her Substack newsletter Nobody
Famous where she also explores the overlooked people and quiet scenes of city life -- the moments when what we passed
right by turns out to be something extraordinary.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Of Flaw and Scorn
Vera Bell
https://www.verabellauthor.com
Timebound Publishing
9798994680520, $25.99, HC, 308pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Flaw-Scorn-Enemies-Lovers-Historical/dp/B0GQ95RKGZ
Synopsis: Irish coast, 795 A.D.
While gathering wild strawberries near her fishing village, thirteen-year-old Brigit stumbles into the path of a young Viking
warrior, Reidar. A night terror come alive, the heathen boy is part of a Norse horde descended on Ireland beneath the cover
of night. Eager for conquest and glory on his first raid, Reidar takes Brigit captive. But when her terror stirs an
overwhelming compassion, he defies his father and saves her from his own people as they raze her village. This unexpected
act of mercy sears Brigit's memory into his soul and becomes his Great Flaw.
Seven years later, the Vikings storm the Irish keep where Brigit is trapped in a loveless marriage. Amid the raid, their young
warlord sets his sights on Brigit. Her faith, once her anchor, has withered under years of loss and hardship, and her Great
Scorn for Norsemen and all who wronged her has become her only armor.
Yet her defenses crumble as she wrestles with a dangerous attraction to her enemy. Bound to her captor's will and
surrounded by savagery, Brigit fights to preserve her dignity and fading faith as she clings to the memory of the boy who
once spared her. But the man Reidar has become a hardened warrior, sworn to vengeance and shackled by blood feud.
Both are doomed to ruin unless they open their hearts to the one power greater than the Flaw and Scorn that bind them.
Critique: An original and deftly crafted historical novel of forbidden love, heartbreaking loss, and ultimately redeeming faith
amid 8th Century Viking and Irish conflicts, "Of Flaw and Scorn" showcases author Vera Bell's impressive and exceptional
flair for the kind of riveting and character driven storytelling style that is ideal for the historical romance/action genre. Of
special appeal to readers with an interest in Viking and Christian themed historical romance, "Of Flaw and Scorn" is
unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that this hardcover edition for "Of Flaw and Scorn" from Timebound Publishing is also available in paperback
(9798994680513, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Vera Bell (https://www.verabellauthor.com) is a Georgia Author of the Year nominee and a recipient of
multiple literary awards. Though her faith journey began in childhood, a series of transformative events led her to embrace
Christ, reshaping the stories she feels called to tell. After writing a secular historical romance trilogy, she now creates from a
place grounded in deeper purpose. She can be followed on social media @verabellauthor
The Reluctant Healer of Halifax
Terrie Todd
Barbour Publishing
www.barbourbooks.com
9798891514027, $14.99, PB, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Healer-Halifax-Enduring-Hope/dp/B0FY49MW9N
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-reluctant-healer-of-halifax-terrie-todd/1148597322
Synopsis: Three days ago, Pearline Campbell's family was whole and Oliver Hamilton still loved her. But upon returning to
Halifax disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship.
Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion... and Pearline
fears nothing will ever be whole again. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak.
Pearline must fortify herself to open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the
strength for each new day as misery grips the city?
Critique: "The Reluctant Healer of Halifax" is the sixth title in novelist Terrie Todd's outstanding Christian Romance series,
'Enduring Hope', and once again showcases the author's storytelling gift for originality, deftly crafted characters, and
memorably entertaining tales contemporary and historical romantic drama. This paperback edition of "The Reluctant Healer
of Halifax" from Barbour Publishing is unreservedly recommended for community library collections and readily available
for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: The other titles comprising the Enduring Hope Series include:
The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Tifft Blakey
The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn
The Caregiver of Wounded Knee by Debby Lee
The Daughter of Shiloh by Terri J. Haynes
The Girl from Tomorrow's Town by Naomi Musch
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books by Terri Todd available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/t/terrie-todd
A Mismatch Made in London
Melanie Dickerson
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780764245237, $18.99, PB, 304pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mismatch-Made-London-Enemies-Lovers/dp/0764245236
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-mismatch-made-in-london-melanie-dickerson/1148520090
Synopsis: When Amelia Moore is invited to London for the social Season, she hopes for a chance at love -- but certainly not
with Jeremy Beaumont, the Season's most sought-after bachelor.
Upon making the acquaintance of his sister Juliet at her first ball, Amelia becomes fast friends with her, but Jeremy's
protective nature leads him to question her motives, and he accuses Amelia of using his sister to capture his attention and
fortune. Outraged at his arrogance, Amelia vows never to speak to him again, which proves a more difficult feat than she
anticipated.
As Amelia attracts the attention of other wealthy gentlemen, Jeremy feels compelled to warn her away from certain suitors,
a goodwill gesture that she does not appreciate. When an unexpected circumstance threatens Juliet's reputation, Amelia and
Jeremy are forced to confront their undeniable attraction -- and discover whether their battle of wills has actually been a
dance toward love.
Critique: Simply stated, Melanie Dickerson is a master of the historical romance genre and her latest novel, "A Mismatch
Made In London" is a 'must' for her legions of fans. Original, exceptional, and a fun read from cover to cover, "A Mismatch
Made In London" is unreservedly recommended as an enduringly popular pick for community library Historical Romance
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "A Mismatch Made In London" from
Bethany House Publishers is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Melanie Dickerson (www.MelanieDickerson.com) is a two-time Christy Award winner, and Carol Award
winner with more than thirty published novels. There is an online listing of her books at:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/melanie-dickerson
Pride Comes Before a Fall
Virginia Heath
St. Martin's Griffin
c/o Macmillan Publishers
https://us.macmillan.com
9781250896117, $19.00, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Comes-Before-Fall-Prentices/dp/1250896118
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pride-comes-before-a-fall-virginia-heath/1148026463
Synopsis: Despite his many responsibilities, there is nothing Leopold Sloane, the 11th Duke of Debden, takes more
seriously than the safety of those he loves. When one of his sisters is injured at a protest rally, he drags his family to Bath for
the summer to keep his reckless and rebellious siblings out of harm's way. The only flaw in his plan is his overwhelming but
inexplicable attraction to the new chaperone he has hired to watch out for them. An outspoken conundrum of a woman who
soon causes him more trouble than both his sisters combined...but who calls to his soul regardless.
From the moment Portia Kendall read her first revolutionary pamphlet beneath her bedcovers at Miss Prentice's School for
Girls, she realized that her true calling was to make the world a fairer place for the masses downtrodden by the aristocracy.
A calling that led her to Equitas, a radical newspaper that champions reform.
But as Portia discovers, writing doesn't pay the bills. To make a living, she must push aside her principles and serve the very
people she criticizes weekly in her column. A temporary position as a chaperone in the home of a pompous duke seems like
the perfect way to earn enough to follow her heart. Unfortunately, the duke who hires her seems to be more dashing and
noble than pompous and soon begins to call to her heart too -- as much as she tries to deny it. But dare she risk her
principles for love or will her pride always come before a fall?
Critique: Author and novelist Virginia Heath is one of those masters of the historical romance genre whose character and
narrative driven storytelling style is ideally suited to the genre and in the case of her latest novel, "Pride Comes Before a
Fall", raises her fiction to an impressive level of literary excellence. An original and fun read from start to finish, "Pride
Comes Before a Fall" will prove a welcome and popular edition to community library Historical Romance collections. For
the personal reading lists of Virginia Heath fans it should be noted that this paperback eition of "Pride Comes Before a Fall"
from St. Martin's Griffin is also available in a digital book format ($11.99).
Editorial Note: When Virginia Heath (https://www.virginiaheathromance.com) was a little girl, it took her ages to fall
asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the
stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to
embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Now her Regency rom-coms (including the Wild Warriners and
Merriwell Sisters series) are published in many languages across the globe. More than thirty-two books and four Romantic
Novel of the Year Award nominations later, it still takes her forever to fall asleep.
How to Ruin a Wedding
Elba Luz
https://elbaluz.com
Mindy's Book Studio
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662543043, $28.99, HC, 303pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/How-Ruin-Wedding-Elba-Luz/dp/1662543042
Synopsis: Lucy Delgado knows all about things that don't work out. Between two failed marriages and losing her job,
"meant to be" doesn't seem to mean much anymore. And watching her sister's marriage deteriorate isn't convincing Lucy
otherwise.
Desperate for money and disillusioned by love, she turns her nothing-left-to-lose attitude into action as a professional
wedding saboteur. Lucy knows how to play any part (old lover, nosy relative, wise stranger) to save brides and grooms from
making the same mistakes she did.
Until she crashes the wrong ceremony.
For Anders Kennedy, Lucy's timing couldn't be better. She's exactly what he needs to derail his own sister's upcoming
nuptials by posing as Anders's new girlfriend so she can slip into the family circle and sabotage from within. And Anders
has the kind of money Lucy can't afford to turn down.
As they fake-date their way through family celebrations, high jinks, and secrets, Lucy and Anders are forced to confront
their cynicism about marriage. Their schemes were meant for the greater good, but what if love really does conquer all?
Critique: Original, wickedly funny, and a compelling read from start to finish, "How To Ruin A Wedding" by novelist Elba
Luz is a simply fascinating and deftly crafted read that will have a very special appeal for fans of contemporary romance.
Certain to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Romance Fiction collections, it should be
noted for personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "How To Ruin A Wedding" from Mindy's Book Studio is
readily available in paperback (9781662539145, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Elba Luz (https://elbaluz.com) is a lover of stories, whether in the form of anime, manga, video games, or
books. A failed astrophysicist turned publishing professional in New York City, she can be found annoying people with
facts about space or lounging about with her adorable pit bull Stormy. She writes romance for adults and teens.
The Roman Holiday Rule
Andra Loy
Haven
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780764245954, $18.99, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Holiday-Rule-Rivals-Lovers/dp/0764245953
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-roman-holiday-rule-andra-loy/1148520099
Synopsis: Lexi Walker has finally committed to the Italian adventure that she and her late mother dreamed of for years --
complete with a meticulously crafted itinerary, four sealed letters to open at Rome's most iconic sites, and her mother's final
painting to present at the art festival Lexi is helping organize.
She's ready for the perfect Roman getaway. What she doesn't expect is for her mother's artwork to start manifesting in real
life, turning her carefully planned trip into something unpredictable.
Italian-American architect Mark Russo has sworn off American tourists after having his heart broken, and he's certainly not
about to let another one distract him from winning the restoration bid that could reunite his estranged father with his
grandfather. But when the captivating woman next to him on the flight to Rome proposes a photography challenge (whoever
captures the heart of Italy in seven days wins) Mark can't resist the bet or her charm.
As Lexi follows the letters from her mother around the city, she encounters Mark everywhere she goes. Their competitive
banter turns to undeniable chemistry, but they both know the cardinal rule of holiday romances. Will a little magic (and a lot
of mishaps) break the Roman Holiday Rule?
Critique: In "The Roman Holiday Rule", novelist Andra Loy has deftly crafted an original and 'No-Spice Magical Realism
Rivals-to-Lovers' contemporary romance set in the eternal city of Rome. A fun read for romance fans from cover to cover,
"The Roman Holiday Rule" is an extraordinary and recommended pick for community library Contemporary Romance
collections. For the personal reading lists of fans who appreciate vacation themed wholesome romances, it should be noted
that this paperback edition of "The Roman Holiday Romance" from Haven is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$18.99).
Editorial Note: Andra Loy (www.AndraLoy.com) writes hopelessly romantic rom-coms where love bends reality. Her
unpublished works of fiction have received multiple awards. An avid explorer of storied castle ruins, Andra lived in Europe
for over twenty years with her husband and three kids, but she recently moved back to the United States. When not reading
and writing, she enjoys teaching English, traveling, and playing piano.
Through the Valley
Patricia Johns
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780764244193, $18.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Through-Valley-Christian-Tradition-Inheritance/dp/0764244191
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-the-valley-patricia-johns/1148520086
Synopsis: Miri Schrock never expected to inherit anything after months of caring for Old Tom Yoder, so upon his passing,
she's stunned to learn he's left her everything. But Tom's family is equally shocked, and Miri is not sure she can rightfully
accept an inheritance that clearly belongs to Tom's grandsons.
Moses Yoder thought he knew his grandfather, but his decision to leave the Lancaster County family farm to Miri has
Moses questioning everything. Now he's caught between his family's demands that Miri surrender what's rightfully theirs
and his own growing romantic attraction toward her.
As Moses and Miri are drawn together, they must navigate family tensions, yet discovering the truth behind the inheritance
may change everything they thought they knew about love, family, and God's plan for their future.
Critique: Author and novelist Patricia Johns is a master of the Amish Romance genre and "Through The Valley" (the third
and latest addition to her 'The Amish of Shepherd's Hill' series) is a fun and engaging read from cover to cover. Memorable
characters, a skillfully crafted plot, and a distinctively Amish approach to romance, family inheritance rights, and familial
reconciliation. An especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library
Christian/Amish Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for the legions of Patricia Johns fans that this paperback
edition of "Through The Valley" from Bethany House Publishers is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$14.61).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Patricia Johns at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/patricia-johns
The Western Fiction Shelf
Easy Money
J. D. Sandon
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857542, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 304pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/9781444857542
Synopsis: Easy money comes hard when the price is blood!
Zacatecas was the stumbling block that barred Pancho Villa's advance on Mexico City. The Federale garrison was fighting
his bandit army to a standstill. But word came of howitzers stored in Tampico, and Villa called on the four men he trusted
most to bring him guns -- The Gringos.
What they didn't know was that the whole deal was a trap -- an elaborate plan to destroy them. And when the jaws swung
shut, they were left to escape the way they knew best... by fighting clear!
Critique: A deftly crafted, impressively original, and inherently fascinating western by a true master of the genre, this large
print paperback edition from the Linford Western Library of "Easy Money" by J. D. Sandon is now available and
unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated western action/adventure stories fans and community
library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by J. D. Sandon available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/j-d-sandon
Hang The Man High
Cole Sheldon
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444857559, $26.00 / $22.10, PB, Large Print, 208pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/uk/search/9781444857559
Synopsis: Who could have possibly wanted to kill Jacob King? The rancher was universally admired, and had done great
work for the town of Destiny Creek. Who hated him enough to put three bullets in his back?
The town had made up its mind about Luke Wainwright's guilt. The trial was a sham, and the hanging was set for just
twenty-four hours' time.
There wasn't much Jonah Jones could do to help, recovering from a gunshot wound. So everything hinged on Shane Preston
being able to expose the real killer in time to prevent the hanging. But then Shane was shot too!
Critique: Another original and riveting read for dedicated western action/adventure fans, this large print paperback edition
from the Linford Western Library of "Hang The Man High" by Cole Sheldon will prove to be an extraordinarily welcome
and popular pick for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Cole Sheldon at Fantastic Fiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/cole-shelton
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Echoes of Fortune: Knights of the Golden Circle
David R. Leng
https://davidlengauthor.com
White Publishing
9798991093187, $27.99, HC, $19.99 PB, 460pp
ASIN: B0H46XN5CG, $5.99 Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Fortune-Knights-Golden-Circle-ebook/dp/B0H46XN5CG
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/echoes-of-fortune-david-leng/1150781845
Synopsis: When Professor Jack Sullivan is asked to decode a cipher from the American Civil War's final days, he expects a
historical curiosity. Instead, he uncovers a thread Jefferson Davis died protecting, a secret never meant to resurface.
Jack, his fiancee Emma Wilson, and former SEAL Steve Johnson are pulled into a hunt more dangerous than any Civil War
battlefield. From Washington's archives to the back alleys of New Orleans, from the coast of Mexico to the shadowed ridges
of Arkansas, every trail leads deeper into the world of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a brotherhood long believed
defunct.
But the Knights didn't disappear. They became patient.
For 160 years they studied what force could never win. They embedded themselves in the institutions Americans trust, and
waited for the moment when they wouldn't need to seize power. They would be invited to take it.
Now their heirs have risen. A cartel is running weapons north while a cyberattack probes the power grid, and a senator
climbs toward power on the fear both create. And every clue Jack follows was placed there for him, by people who already
know how his mind works.
He was never hunting the treasure. He was being led to it.
Priya Patel, a Homeland cyber analyst, joins him. Four days remain to break a design older than anyone imagined, before the
trap closes around everyone he loves.
Some secrets don't stay buried. They grow roots!
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "The Knights of the Golden
Circle" is part of author David Leng's historical action packed fictional adventure series 'Echoes of Fortune". Leng's
impressively distinctive and effective flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideally suited
political/conspiracy themed thriller. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Knights of the
Golden Circle" from White Publishing is also currently available in paperback (from Barnes & Noble) and in a digital book
format (from Amazon).
Editorial Note #1: The Knights of the Golden Circle were a real post-Civil War era secret society, that spread through the
South and deep into Union territory. It's members were ound by blood oaths and driven by a plan to build a slave empire that
reached into Mexico. Historians can document this. What they cannot agree on is what came next. While some say the order
died with the Confederacy. Others follow money that never stopped moving and family names that held their influence long
after the shooting had stopped.
Editorial Note #2: Davie R. Leng (https://davidlengauthor.com) grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania, where American
history is not something taught in classrooms. It is something you drive past on the way to work. The hills around Pittsburgh
hold the bones of the French and Indian War. The fields of western Maryland whisper of Braddock's catastrophic defeat.
The rivers carry stories that textbooks condensed into a single paragraph.
David spent decades absorbing those stories, and then started telling his own. The Echoes of Fortune series is the result:
historical conspiracy thrillers built on the real buried secrets of American history, filtered through decades of research,
personal exploration, and a deep belief that the past is never quite as settled as we've been told.
Ripples In Their Wake: A Thriller
Brian Hand
https://www.brianhand.com
Timelines Publishing
9798994794937, $34.99, HC, Dust Jacket, 373pp
9798994794920, $29.99, HC, Case Laminate
9798994794906, $19.99, PB
9798994794913, $9.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ripples-Their-Wake-Brian-Hand-ebook/dp/B0GXV4Y182
Synopsis: With the sale of a startup poised to revive his career, Ry Birk's future is finally within reach -- until the echoes of
a decades-old plane crash threaten everything he's worked to rebuild. Ry and his tightly knit circle of childhood friends have
spent years guarding a shared past of guilt, silence, and moral compromise. Now that past has come looking for them.
As the line between justice and vengeance blurs, Ry finds himself trapped in a web of long-buried secrets, where every
answer reveals another lie. He soon discovers that some debts are never forgotten -- and that someone is willing to kill to
settle them.
A psychological thriller set in contemporary Chicago, "Ripples In Their Wake" is a story of tested loyalties, impossible
choices, and the devastating consequences of a past that refuses to stay buried.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a simply riveting read for fans of deftly crafted suspense thrillers from start to finish,
"Ripples In Their Wake" showcases author Brian Hand's impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven
storytelling style that emotionally and intellectually engages the reader's attention from cover to cover. "Ripples In Their
Wake" from Timelines Publishing is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community
library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. This hardcover edition of "Ripples In Their Wake" is also readily
available in paperback and in a digital book format.
Editorial Note: Brian Hand (https://www.brianhand.com) writes psychological thrillers that explore ambition, loyalty, moral
compromise, and the lasting consequences of impossible choices. His fiction is inspired by four decades of building
companies, investing in entrepreneurs, and observing how power, ambition, and hidden motives shape people's lives. Brian
lives and writes in Chicago, a city that serves as more than a backdrop in his fiction. He is currently at work on his next
novel.
Blood Rituals: A Van Hazard Mystery
Douglas J. Ostling
Cryptic Glyph Press
www.crypticglyphpress.com
9798992980134, $15.99, PB, 388pp
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-rituals-douglas-j-ostling/1150509191
Synopsis: "Blood Rituals" by Douglas Ostling is a dark, twisty mystery suspense thriller of a read in which resolute
insurance investigator Van Hazard is hired to recover an ancient Mayan manuscript that's left a bloody trail from Mexico to
Manhattan.
The Xibalba Codex is stolen from a murdered curator before its unveiling in a New York museum. The chief suspects
include a pair of bitter rivals with links to the priceless artifact: the mercurial tomb robber with a mysterious past who found
it in a Yucatan jungle temple, and an eccentric scholar and descendant of Mayan shaman priests who believes he's the
manuscript's rightful custodian. Hazard's unwavering pursuit of the Codex is hindered by a treacherous ring of antiquities
traffickers, the beguiling lure of a haunted old flame, and the festering wrath of an overdue debt dead set on final
reckoning.
It should be noted that "Blood Rituals" is a stand-alone entry in author Douglas Ostling's Van Hazard mystery series
featuring the volatile investigator's exploits recovering lost and stolen art. Hazard is a man at war with personal demons and
an increasingly unhinged world. Kyoko Dunne, his fearless partner in crime-solving, usually keeps him from going over the
edge, but this time he'll have to survive a deadly curse to collect his fee.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from start to finish, "Blood Rituals" aptly showcases author
Douglas Ostling's genuine flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the
action/adventure genre. Especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of suspense/thriller fans,
this paperback edition of "Blood Rituals" from Cryptic Glyph Press will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick
for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Cryptic Glyph Press is a small, independent publishing house and offspring of author Douglas J. Ostling. It's
current raison d'etre centers around The Van Hazard Mystery Series, featuring the uncompromising fictional investigator's
cases finding lost and stolen art and his insistence the nefarious characters he pursues in the shadows are held to
account.
The Secret of the Lantern Keepers
Jenni Keer
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781836560968, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20secret%20of%20the%20lantern%20keepers
Synopsis: Set in a Victorian lunatic asylum on the bleak Cornish moors, "The Secret of the Lantern Keepers is the first
novel in a gripping historical trilogy by Jenni Kerr and introduces the astonishing Averly triplets.
When Edith Averly is sent to investigate a murder at Green Briar Lunatic Asylum, a rambling gothic institution on the edge
of the Cornish moors, she's horrified to realise that in order to infiltrate the asylum, she'll have to pretend to be mad
herself...
Several weeks before her arrival, her beloved father stipulates in his will that his reclusive but strangely-gifted daughters
must live apart from each other for a whole year in order to retain their family home. As a further condition of their
inheritance, he assigns them each a crime that he was unable to solve during his recent years of armchair detecting.
The eldest sister, Edith, can see echoes of violent events from the past. So when she is sent to the remote Cornish asylum
where the brutal murder of Dr Hawkins took place seven years ago - she is quickly overwhelmed by her disturbing visions
and begins to fear for her both her sanity and her safety...
Because Green Briar is a place that asks more questions than it answers. Such as, why is the darkly-handsome new doctor in
charge unable to meet her eye? Where do the patients keep disappearing to? And who are the Lantern Keepers and what are
the secrets they keep?
Only Edith can find out... if Dr Hawkins' killer doesn't find her first!
Critique: A fun and fascinating read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition of "The Secret of the Lantern
Keepers" by novelist Jenni Keer is very highly recommended for both the personal reading lists of dedicated historical
mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this edition of "The Secret of the
Lantern Keepers" is also readily available from Boldwood Books in a CD and MP3-CD audio book formats ($116.95 /
$99.41, 9 Hours 42 Minutes) and narrated by Helen Keeley.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Jenni Keer at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/jenni-keer
A Hunt for Justice
John Pilkington
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807346102, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/A%20Hunt%20for%20Justice
Synopsis: England, 1617.
Susanna Cobbett, teenage daughter of a powerful Worcester landowner, is found dead in a gloomy woodland pond which
has an evil reputation as the Witching Pool. The girl is said to have drowned herself, driven to madness by local widow
Agnes Mason, who is arrested on a charge of witchcraft. If found guilty, she will hang at the next Assizes.
But Justice Belstrang, shrewd ex-magistrate and sceptic, does not believe a word of it. And when Agnes's family beg him to
help, he finds himself caught up in an ever-darkening mystery.
With the help of his friend and fellow sceptic Doctor Boyd, Belstrang unravels the terrible crimes that have lain hidden
behind the doors of the great manor of Ebbfield.
Belstrang must confront and apprehend his suspect - and risk his own life in the attempt.
Critique: "A Hunt for Justice" is the second title in author John Pilkington's riveting 'Justice Belstrang Mystery' series. With
meticulous attention to historical background details and an inherently fascinating murder mystery plot riddled with
surprises and unexpected twists, "A Hunt for Justice" is an original and inherently gripping read from start to finish and
highly recommended for both the personal reading lists of historical mystery fans and community library Mystery/Suspense
collections.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by John Pilkington at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/john-pilkington-historical-fiction
The Village Detectives and the Deadly Brew
Fiona Walker
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835619612, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781835619551, $111.95 / $95.16, CD, (9 Hours 54 Minutes)
9781835619568, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 54 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20village%20detectives%20and%20the%20deadl y%20brew
Synopsis: When handsome, former-rugby-playing, pub landlord Mil asks Juno Mulligan for a favor, she immediately says
yes.
Although she's initially disappointed that the favor doesn't involve any sort of romantic shenanigans, Juno is reminded that
she does love investigating mysteries. And perhaps it is just her destiny to choose crime-fighting over
afternoon-delighting?
It's an interesting case. Mil needs Juno and their fellow Village Detective, Phoebe Fredericks, to investigate a targeted
campaign against the local Wyche Craft Brewery, now run by his friend, Ashleigh Wyche, a former-Lioness. A series of
recent near-misses and attempts at sabotaging her property are surely no coincidence?
Then a body is discovered in the tap room, which quickly proves they were right to suspect there's more than just a vendetta
brewing... And if they're to prevent another murder, they need to find out whether they've got the bottle to hunt down
another killer...
Critique: A fun read for cozy mystery fans from start to finish, this large print paperback edition of "The Village Detectives
and the Deadly Brew" by novelist Fiona Walker is an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for both personal reading
lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this edition of "The Village Detectives
and the Deadly Brew" from Boldwood Books is also available in a complete and unabridged audio book format (CD &
MP3-CD) narrated by Christine Mackie.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Fiona Walker at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/w/fiona-walker
How to Kidnap a Fake Date
Effie Campbell
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807437602, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781807437527, $93.95 / $79.86, CD (7 Hours 35 Minutes)
9781807437534, $93.95 / $79.86, MP3-CD (7 Hours 35 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/how%20to%20kidnap%20a%20fake%20date
Synopsis: Sweet Maggie Hamilton comes from a long line of people paid to professionally end lives. Unfortunately, Maggie
is a family failure. She's now 29 years old with a kill count that is a deeply embarrassing zero.
So when her father decides to marry her off to her psychotic ex at thirty to help her take over the family business, Maggie
hatches a plan for the world's worst fake relationship to buy some time.
Which is where broad-shouldered, bad-tempered, offensively attractive Roman Ellis comes in. Maggie's neighbour, who is
about as interested in her as he is in a slow, painful death.
But Maggie isn't offering him a choice. With Roman tied to the passenger seat, she's taking him as her plus one to her
father's second wedding in the Highlands.
All Maggie has to do is survive the week without dying, murdering anyone or letting anyone in a house of professional
killers know that her serious long-term boyfriend is actually her hostage.
Unfortunately for her, Roman isn't going to make it that easy.
Critique: Original, unique, exceptional, and laced with dark humor, "How to Kidnap a Fake Date" by Effie Campbell is a
wicked funny and fun read from start to finish. Of special interest to fans of the dark and murderous RomCom genre, this
large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal
reading lists and community library mystery and romance collections. It should be noted that "How to Kidnap a Fake Date"
is also readily available as a complete and unabridged CD and MP3-CD audio books ($93.95 / $79.86) narrated by Helen
Farrell.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Effie Campbell at Book Notification:
https://www.booknotification.com/authors/effie-campbell
Death at the Village Garden Party
Debby Young
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835185933, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/death%20at%20the%20village%20garden%20party
Synopsis: Bunting. Fairground rides. Music. Murder. What more could you want from a garden party?
Alice Carroll is happily settled in the Cotswold village of Little Pride, running her beloved Curiosity Shop and cautiously
planning the next chapter with her partner, Robert. So when Robert buys the neighbouring Cold Bottom estate, Alice offers
to help him win over its eccentric residents by reviving the village's once-loved summer garden party.
But between grumbling fairground workers, gloomy villagers and a downpour that would dampen anyone's bunting, the day
doesn't quite go to plan.
Then a guest stumbles into the marquee - and he's dead before his body hits the ground.
Can Alice untangle old rivalries and strange secrets to find the killer? Or will Cold Bottom's fresh start end in another
funeral.
Critique: A deftly crafted and fun read from start to finish, "Death at the Village Garden Party" is a masterfully crafted cozy
mystery by Debbie Young -- a master of the genre. Memorable characters, unexpected plot twists, and a great 'whodunnit'
reveal, this large print paperback edition of "Death at the Village Garden Party" will prove a welcome and enduringly
popular pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery
fans everywhere. It should be noted that "Death at the Village Garden Party" is also available in a CD and MP3-CD audio
book format ($93.95 / $79.86, 6 Hours 41 Minutes) narrated by Willow Nash.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Debbie Young at Books Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/debbie-young
Beyond Good and Evil and Murder
Billy Warren
Billy Warren Books
9798991356145, $30.00, HC, 352pp
9798991356145, $20.00, PB, 352pp
9798991356152, $9.99, Kindle
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Good-Evil-Murder-Brooklyn/dp/B0HBZ95D37
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-good-and-evil-and-murder-billy-warren/1151026028
Synopsis: "Beyond Good and Evil and Murder" by novelist Billy Warren is a dark noir murder mystery set in a South
Brooklyn neighborhood where one out of ten cops is working for the mob.
It's an evil world for good people to endure. Murderous events are set in motion at Coney Island on October 25, 1969 when
a bookie is run down by a train. Ten miles away, a tavern party is providing the locals with airtight alibis.
Months later, another neighborhood bookie is murdered in the same place using the same odd weapon-a speeding train. Of
course, a party is happening once again in the same tavern.
To solve these murders, a bartender and a priest form an unlikely partnership. To complicate matters further, our duo
uncovers a secret society that may have been rescuing victims of exploitation for decades, perhaps even centuries. Were they
angels, knights, or vigilantes?
With the publication of "Beyond Good and Evil and Murder", author Billy Warren challenges the reader with two complex
whodunit murder mysteries while confronting conventional notions of what is good and what is evil. Readers may enjoy
multiple reads to gather all the details of this intriguing plot.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a riveting read from start to finish, "Beyond Good and Evil and Murder" showcases
Billy Warren's genuinely impressive flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the
suspense thriller murder mystery genre. Especially recommended for the personal reading lists of historical mystery fans,
"Beyond Good and Evil and Murder" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Billy Warren was born and raised in a South Brooklyn neighborhood under the shadow of the local Polish
Catholic church and the watchful gaze of the Statue of Liberty. He is a 2nd generation Polish American whose ancestors
immigrated to America around 1910. He is a graduate of City College of New York BS '75, and San Jose State U. MA '81.
He remains grateful and proud of his Brooklyn heritage and public school education. He has had diverse professional
experiences that include being an air traffic controller, spinal cord injury therapist, medical technical writer, and healthcare
executive. Today, he writes historical literary fiction full time and is the author of "Fathers and Sons and Other Village
Idiots".
The Shadow Friends
Tess Gerritsen
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662533419, $28.99, HC, 319pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Friends-Martini-Club/dp/1662533411
Synopsis: When a renowned disease expert and Russian defector dies mysteriously during a global affairs conference in
Purity, Maine, the tight-knit band of former spies in the Martini Club once again sees their quiet coastal retirement
interrupted by international intrigue. And when a waitress at the conference hotel is found murdered, Ingrid Slocum sees
chilling links to a disastrous mission that nearly killed her three decades ago.
Desperate to uncover the truth, Ingrid's drawn back into the game by a magnetic ex-CIA colleague (and former lover) who
was with her on the long-ago doomed mission. He convinces her to join him, and together they head to Amsterdam to track
down her would-be killer.
Ingrid's frantic husband Lloyd and Maggie Bird are close behind, but a clandestine network of assassins is intent on stopping
them. Forced to question every allegiance, the Martini Club must rely on the skills they tried to leave behind. Because in this
game of revenge and deception, the past never dies -- it just hides in the shadows.
Critique: Once again, with the publication of "The Shadow Friends", author Tess Gerritsen confirms that her gift for the
kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for crafting an original and riveting novel of international
suspense, mystery and crime. A fun read from start to finish and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the legions of police procedural fans in general, and
Tess Gerritsen fans in particular, that this hardcover edition of "The Shadow Friends" from Thomas & Mercer is also readily
available in paperback (9781662533402, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindel, $3.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Tess Gerritsen available at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/tess-gerritsen
A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile
Angela Bell
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780764242144, $18.99, PB, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ladys-Handbook-Gadgets-Guile-Victorian-Era/dp/0764242148
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ladys-handbook-to-gadgets-and-guile-angela-bell/1148520079
Synopsis: London, England, 1895
Ambulatory wheelchair user Margaret Kingsley secretly crafts gadgets for the Daughters of Genius Society, a covert team of
lady inspectors disguised as harmless bluestocking spinsters. While her fellow inspectors gallivant about London solving
crimes, Margaret has been perfectly content assisting from the sidelines -- until her expertise is needed to infiltrate the
domain of London's most prolific inventor.
Charles Noble sacrificed his career as a musician to support his family after his father's stroke. Now he balances ledgers as a
secretary by day and tends to his disabled father by night, but he can't pass up the chance to take a temporary job as event
coordinator for a famous inventor commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of his mechanical empire.
As strange occurrences cause Charles' event planning to collide with Margaret's case, the pair must unravel a plot of
sabotage against the inventor's legacy while also investigating the sparks of attraction between them.
Critique: An original and wonderfully entertaining historical cozy mystery, "A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile" by
Angela Bell is a unique and whimsical steampunk Christian historical romance set in Victorian-Era London. A part of the
author's 'A Daughter of Genius Society" series, "A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile" is a strongly recommended pick
for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that this paperback
edition from Bethany House of "A Lady's Handbook to Gadgets and Guile" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $18.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Angela Bell at Fantastic Fiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/angela-bell
Dead Men Don't Play Fetch
David Rosenfelt
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250427625, $28.00, HC, 288pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Men-Dont-Play-Fetch/dp/1250427622
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-men-dont-play-fetch-david-rosenfelt/1148307654
Synopsis: It's defense lawyer Andy Carpenter's dream to retire. That goal is once again thwarted when he gets a call from
Lou Campanelli, an old friend asking for a favor and who he simply cannot refuse. Lou runs a rehab center, and when one of
his patients, a homeless veteran, is charged with first degree murder, he needs Andy's help. And of course, Andy will also be
called on to care for the accused's dog, but that's okay: What's one more dog?
The man that Jason Maddox is accused of stabbing to death is none other than billionaire Paul Vincent, an eccentric
businessman and inventor. Bickert dedicated a great portion of his life to philanthropy, with a soft spot for dog-related
causes. This led him to befriend Jason, a physicist and war hero, whose life fell apart to the point where he ended up on the
streets with his dog, just trying to survive.
But why would Jason possibly have wanted to kill him? Well, for one thing, he was to receive a fortune in Vincent's will.
That, coupled with the fact that Jason was at the scene, his fingerprints were on the knife, and Vincent's wallet was in his
jacket, made it a slam dunk arrest.
Once again, Andy is enmeshed in a puzzling, twisty case. But in order to reunite a man and his dog, Andy will have to
untangle it all.
Critique: Another original and deftly crafted novel of murder and suspense starring Andy Carpenter and his canine
companion, "Dead Men Don't Play Fetch" by author/storyteller David Rosenfelt is ripe with unexpected plot twists and
turns. Rosenfelt is a master of the suspense/thriller genre and his latest epic, "Dead Men Don't Play Fetch" is a 'must' for his
legions of fans, as well as unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be
noted that this hardcover edition of "Dead Men Don't Play Fetch" from Minotaur Books is also readily available for personal
reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by David Rosenfelt at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/david-rosenfelt
The Getaway
Kieran Scott
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662538520, $16.99, PB, 285pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Getaway-Kieran-Scott/dp/1662538529
Synopsis: For years, three couples have gathered at The Villa (billionaire Lincoln Foster's Hamptons estate) for lavish
weekends among friends. But this year, mysterious blue cards appear in each bedroom, exposing secrets: their host's
betrayals and the guests' own dark deeds.
Everyone has something to hide. Marley and Marshall Foster. Suzy and Sean McTeague. Juliet and Josh Jacoby. Lincoln
and his new wife, Hazel. Even uninvited guests hoping to be accepted among the elite.
With a hurricane bearing down, no one is getting out. When the revelations turn deadly, the trapped friends must confront
what their lies have cost them -- which possibly includes their lives!
Critique: A deftly crafted and riveting read from start to finish, author Kieran Scott's distinctive flair for the kind of
character and narrative driven storytelling style makes "The Getaway" a 'must read' pick for the legions of dedicated
suspense thriller murder mystery fans. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Getaway" is also currently available in a digital
book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Kieran Scott available at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/kieran-scott
A Past Without Pictures
Jonathan Ames
The Mysterious Press
www.mysteriouspress.com
9781613168059, $23.95, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Past-Without-Pictures-Jonathan-Ames/dp/1613168055
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-past-without-pictures-jonathan-ames/1149520314
Synopsis: Maria Cole's life has never been a walk in the park. Raised in foster care and with a history of abuse, her journey
to the force was winding and loaded with heartache. When the LAPD detective is involved in a tragic shooting and, soon
after, learns that her estranged ex-con father has been murdered, she finds her past surging back in a double-bout of
grief.
There is an estate to settle and a funeral to attend, so Maria travels to her father's rural home in coastal Alabama and starts
asking questions about his murder. But the tight-lipped locals don't -take kindly to inquisitive outsiders, and she has to
tangle with corrupt small-town officials, bigoted cops, and home-grown criminal conspiracies to get answers. In the process,
she uncovers shocking revelations about her father's life -- and her own.
Critique: With a deftly crafted, character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideally suited to the suspense thriller
and noir style mysteries genre, author Jonathan Ames's "A Past Without Pictures" is a simply fascinating read from start to
finish. While an unreservedly recommended pick for the personal reading lists of dedicated police procedural themed
mystery buffs and community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "A Post
Without Pictures" from Mysterious Press is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $15.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (HighBridge Audio, 9798236017268, $35.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Jonathan Ames is the author of thirteen books, including the Happy Doll series. Two of his books, You
Were Never Really Here and The Extra Man, have been turned into films. Ames is also the creator of two television series:
Bored to Death and Blunt Talk.
The Scallop Plot: A Cape Cod Thriller
Judy Foreman
She Writes Press
https://shewritespress.com
9798896363668, $17.99, PB, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Scallop-Plot-Cape-Cod-Thriller/dp/B0FWZXR96F
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-scallop-plot-judy-foreman/1148560731
Synopsis: In Provincetown, MA, feisty scallop fisherwoman Isabella Ferreira goes up against a sleazy wind farm developer,
Olaf Svensson, who wants to install wind turbines in the ocean right off the coast of Cape Cod.
At a nearby scallop hatchery, marine biologists Leif and Astrid Borgen are already using the new gene editing technique
CRISPR to insert a growth hormone gene into scallop embryos to make them bigger and thus more profitable -- all of which
is legal. But unbeknownst to the hatchery owner, Svensson is also paying the pair to insert another gene -- one that causes
PSP, paralytic shellfish poisoning. If this works, no one will ever eat scallops from this site again, thus freeing it up for
Svensson's turbines.
Then Pulitzer Prize - winning Boston Times reporter Samantha Fuller appears on the scence. Together with Isabella,
Samantha slowly uncovers Svensson's deadly plot -- but not before hundreds of people die.
Along the way, love blossoms, tragedies occur, and the subtleties of the pro- and anti-wind power groups are exposed.
Critique: "The Scallop Plot" by Judy Foreman is an impressively original and inherently riveting suspense thriller of a read
from start to finish, Foreman's distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for crime fiction genre. The result is
a fun read for suspense thriller fans and a highly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It
should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of "The Scallop Plot" from She Writes Press is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Judy Foreman on Goodreads at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7062976.Judy_Foreman
City of Promise
Victoria Thompson and Ellen Thompson
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593816516, $30.00, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/City-Promises-Counterfeit-Lady-Novel/dp/059381651X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/city-of-promises-victoria-thompson/1148625021
Synopsis: Famed former police detective turned private investigator Frank Malloy and his wife, Sarah, come to Gideon
Bates desperate for legal guidance. The Malloys' adopted daughter, Catherine, a burgeoning star of the stage, has announced
her engagement to a man she barely knows. Catherine has recently gained access to her trust fund, and Sebastian Talbot
appears very eager to marry her as quickly as possible.
As Gideon and his wife, Elizabeth, investigate, it becomes all the clearer that Talbot may not be who he says he is. As a
former con artist herself, Elizabeth suspects one may be in their midst. Undeterred by her pregnancy, she must pull out all
the stops to out swindle a swindler and save another woman from ruin.
Critique: An original, deftly crafted and fun read for cozy mystery buffs and historical suspense thrillers, "City of Promises"
by the mother/daughter team of Victoria Thompson and Ellen Thompson is especially and unreservedly recommended for
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for readers who particularly enjoy mysteries being
solved by amateur sleuths that this hardcover edition of "City of Promises" from Berkley Prime Crime is also readily
available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Victoria Thompson was the USA Today bestselling, Edgar(R) and Agatha award - nominated author of
the Gaslight Mysteries and the Counterfeit Lady novels. She became enchanted by New York City, and Greenwich Village
in particular, while her daughter Ellen attended New York University.
Editorial Note #2: Ellen Thompson is an award-winning screenwriter and an award-nominated musical playwright. She
earned a bachelor of fine arts from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She lives in Los Angeles and advocates
for Lyme and other tick-borne disease awareness.
The Mystic and the Missing Girl
Vikki VanSickle
Minotaur Books
c/o Macmillan Publishers
https://us.macmillan.com
9781250461100, $28.00, HC, 336pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Missing-Girl-Mystery/dp/1250461103
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mystic-and-the-missing-girl-vikki-vansickle/1150043432
Synopsis: Tarot card reader and paranormal Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn't tapped into
since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved
disappearance of a local teenager.
Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from
Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque
lakeside hometown.
But when Drew's arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those
years ago, it's Drew's ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery.
With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store
gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain (finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt's
name, and a second chance at belonging) could change everything.
Critique: An original and fun read for cozy mystery fans from start to finish, "The Mystic and the Missing Girl" by Vikki
VanSickle deftly draws reader into an deftly crafted small town story of mystery and 'whodunnit' suspense. The author has a
genuine flair for the kind of imaginative, character and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the cozy mystery
genre. While unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for
personal reading lists that this hardcover edition of "The Mystic and the Missing Girl" from Minotaur Books is also readily
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Vikki VanSickle (https://vikkivansickle.com) has worked as a bookseller, a menstrual health educator and
publishing professional with Penguin Random House Canada. Currently, she lives and writes in Toronto and hosts a book
segment on a national morning show.
Promised Land
Henry Wise
Atlantic Crime
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
www.groveatlantic.com
9780802164506, $26.99, HC, 384pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Promised-Land-Henry-Wise/dp/0802164501
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promised-land-henry-wise/1149433270
Synopsis: Deep within southside Virginia lies the Snakefoot -- a wild swampland that holds secrets, hides truths, and
harbors the dead in murky waters that refuse to shine yet somehow glow.
One morning, a pickup truck is found jammed into the mud, the driver's door open amidst scattered bullets and bloodstains
on the seat. The driver, Rainbo Boon, is nowhere to be found, but his tracks lead Deputy Sheriff Will Seems and his partner,
Tania Jameson, into the swamp.
During their investigation, Buck Tomlin, the grandson of the missing Rainbo, proves cooperative, at least at first. But when
the boy's whereabouts from the night of the accident don't check out, Will and Tania must confront the troubling reality that
the Snakefoot might hold more than just a runaway victim.
When haunting layers of history (both local and personal) rise to the surface of the Snakefoot, the people who have found
refuge in its murky waters are exposed. Who really is Rainbo Boon? Where was Buck on the night of the accident? And
how does this all connect to the recent efforts to redevelop the land?
As Will and Tania search for answers, so does Buck, and the sum of their investigations illuminates the hard fact that there
is a price for progress, and a cost to living by a code. Sometimes all a person has is his word, and that word is his bond.
Critique: Original, compelling, complex, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from cover to cover, "Promised Land" by
novelist Henry Wise is a murder mystery plaid out against 'the gravity of the past, the momentum of sin, and the
impossibility of salvation'. A fun and fascinating read the is especially and unreservedly recommended pick for the personal
reading lists of murder mystery fans and community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted
that this hardcover edition of "Promised Land" from Atlantic Crime is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$25.64).
Editorial Note: Henry Wise (https://www.henrywise.com) is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and the University
of Mississippi MFA Program. His work has appeared in Shenandoah, Nixes Mate, Radar Poetry, Clackamas, and elsewhere.
His first novel, Holy City, won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel of the Year.
For Services Rendered
Will Thomas
Minotaur Books
c/o Macmillan Publishers
https://us.macmillan.com
9781250343659, $29.00, HC, 320pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Services-Rendered-Barker-Llewelyn-Novel/dp/1250343658
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/for-services-rendered-will-thomas/1148026406
Synopsis: In 1896, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, would become reformer and revolutionary, turns up in London, running away from
China's Imperial Qing Secret Service, who has placed a substantial bounty on his head for his political activities. Captured
by those agents, he's imprisoned in the Chinese Embassy until he can be smuggled back to China to face execution.
In the meantime, private enquiry agents Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn receive the unbelievable news that Sebastian
Nightwine is both alive and in London. Not just that, it seems he's taking action against Barker and his close associates.
At the same time, they've been hired to find this missing Sun Yat-Sen.
With elements of the Chinese secret service, elements of the British government, and Nightwine himself all working against
them, Barker & Llewelyn are at risk of being cornered by the deadliest set enemies they've yet faced.
Critique: Simply stated, as an author and novelist, Will Thomas is a master of the historical mystery and British detective
genre as documented by his multi-volume 'Baker & Lewellyn Mystery' series. "For Services Rendered", the latest addition to
the series, is a fun and deftly crafted read from start to finish and is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists
of dedicated historical mystery buffs, as well as community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the
growing legions of Will Thomas fans that this hardcover edition of "For Services Rendered" from Minotaur Books is also
readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Will Thomas is the author of the critically acclaimed Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn series, including
Some Danger Involved, Fatal Enquiry, Lethal Pursuit, Fierce Poison, Heart of the Nile, and Death and Glory. He lives in
Oklahoma. There is an online listing of books by Will Thomas at: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/will-thomas
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Menticulous
James Te Ronde
www.jamesteronde.com
Mindshaft Publishing
ISBN TBA, Price TBA, Format TBA, Page Count TBA
PrePublication Review: August 3, 2026
Publication Release Date: November 10, 2026
Author's Website
https://jamesteronde.com/menticulous
Synopsis: Broke and desperate, logic-minded software engineer Cooper Timm is thrown a lifeline: a staggering salary to
resurrect the world's most advanced virtual reality supercomputer. But by the end of his first day on the job, a team member
is found brutally slaughtered. Cooper's CEO blames the death on a corporate conspiracy. Cooper isn't so sure about that...
but the hallucinations are making it hard to focus.
As Cooper and his ex-BFF, Leslie Wang, decipher clues left by the system's deceased creator, they unravel ancient math
equations hidden in the system's source code, leading them to a terrifying truth: the VR system isn't just simulating reality;
it's bending it.
Time is running out. Darkness is closing in. It's becoming increasingly difficult to know what's real, what's virtual, and
what's merely a hallucination. This time... Cooper will need more than logic to rewrite the laws of physics and save himself,
the woman he loves... and perhaps even humanity... from the Menticulous.
Critique: Original, exceptional, and a compulsive page-turner of a read from start to finish, "Menticulous" by James Te
Ronde showcases the author's genuine flair for the kind of imaginative, character, and narrative driven storytelling style that
is ideal for a science fiction novel. Deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and impressively memorable, "Menticulous" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists of science fiction fans and community library
Science Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: James Te Ronde has built an extensive career designing and implementing global computer systems. His
interests include theoretical physics, brain science, and religious philosophy. He's also a musician and enjoys the occasional
craft beer. When the situation calls for it, he is prone to posing for an awkward photo and writing a short bio about himself.
He lives with his wife somewhere in the woodlands of Wisconsin. "Menticulous" is his first novel.
There Be Dragon
Michael Tars
www.MikeTars.com
BookBaby
9798317834708, $18.95, PB, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/There-Be-Dragon-Lord-Chronicles/dp/B0H8XG59NY
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/there-be-dragon-michael-tars/1150587656
Synopsis: When the people of magical Kalador prayed for a savior, they summoned Kwe -- a battle-scarred soldier from a
futuristic Earth who is plagued by memories of his violent past. He's told that an ancient Dragon's spirit resides within him
and that together they're destined to protect the realm from hungry demigods plotting Kalador's demise.
Now, voices of several Dragons crowd Kwe's mind, each with their own agenda, all threatening to take over. Cut-throat
court politics and strange magic, assassination attempts and threats of imminent war are bad enough; it's worse to fall in
love when romance is impossible. Though try explaining that to the amorous dragon within...
Common-born Kira didn't expect to become the Chosen. Now she must bind the new Lord Dragon's soul to Kalador. If only
he'd see not just her duty, but also her love.
With threats multiplying, and Kira's life on the line, Kwe's only choice is to embrace the dragons -- without losing himself in
the process. He might be a pawn in some demigod's secret game, but he won't be broken or controlled.
With a nefarious demigod plotting from the bottom of the ocean, will Kwe's newfound
Dragon powers and battlefield experience be enough to keep the country and those he loves safe?
Critique: "There Be Dragon" by Michael Tars is an impressively original, deftly crafted, epic fantasy set in a world of magic,
greedy demigods, dark prophesies, hazardous romance, and featuring a unique hero and heroine. From start to finish, "There
Be Dragon" is a fun and riveting read that will hold strong appeal for fans of heroic fantasy and is an unreservedly
recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library action/adventure themed Fantasy Fiction collections. It
should be noted that this paperback edition of "There Be Dragon" from BookBaby is also readily available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Michael Tars (www.MikeTars.com) holds a doctorate degree in biophysics and a master's in business
administration. Besides his career in science, while in Russia, Michael worked as a translator of science fiction and fantasy
novels, including works of Anne McCaffrey, C.S. Lewis, Edmund Cooper, Christopher Rowley, Kevin Anderson, and
others. After moving with his family to the United States, Michael kept working in life sciences, first as an academic
researcher, then managing the company that he'd founded. "There Be Dragon" is his debut as a novelist.
Odyssey of the Dark Realm
C. E. Lovick
https://celovick.com
Dark Autumn Publishing
9798985937244, $22.99, 399pp
9798985933727, $14.99, PB,
9798985937251, $3.99, Kindle
Publishing Release Date: October 31, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9FJJPHJ
Synopsis: Halloween night should have been a victory for the Light. Instead, Elias Blackstone and his best friends, Jess and
Charlie, are left with unanswered questions. Their two elderly friends, Professor Quincy and Millie, the White Witch, have
vanished without a trace.While the teens search for clues, the truth grows far darker.
Dr. Viktor Corvinus is more determined than ever. More than that, he has claimed the Devil's Pearl. With its infernal power,
he begins constructing the Black Gate, a cursed gateway meant to unleash Satan upon the world.
But Corvinus draws his strength from more than the Pearl. The Dark Realm itself fuels his growing power.
Outmatched in the real world as the light begins to fade, a desperate choice is made. Elias and his friends are sent into the
Dark Realm, where they are granted new powers and an impossible mission.
They must trek across its perilous landscape, endure its savagery, free their friends and families imprisoned within, and
destroy the hellscape -- only then can they strike at the heart of Corvinus's power and give humanity a fighting chance.
Time is running out. The Black Gate is rising. If they fail, darkness will reign --and humanity will fall!
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted and a fun read from start to finish, "Odyssey of the Dark Realm: is Book Two
of the Monarch Mystery Series by author/illustrator C. E. Lovick. Impressively showcasing Lovick's genuine flair for the
kind of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style, "Odyssey of the Dark Realm" is heroic fantasy fiction at its very
best. While especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated action/adventure fantasy
fans and community library Epic Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "Odyssey of
the Dark Realm" from Dark Autumn Publishing is also readily available in paperback and in a digital book format
(Kindle).
Editorial Note: C.E. Lovick (https://celovick.com) has pursued a long career in music, touring and recording with rock
bands for nearly two decades. He recently received a BA in English from the University of Colorado, Denver, and continues
to write novels and standalone works while living in Littleton, Colorado, with his family and their cat, Kitty.
Hunted
Zara Cox
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807344030, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/zara%20cox
Synopsis: When your lines run dry, the sun shall rise upon your ruin.
The night her father offered her to the world's most powerful vampire to settle a debt, Lyra Hannigan's life turned to ash.
Knowing he would come to claim her, one thing became certain: Lyra needed to disappear.
Six years later, Don Valentin Moretti, ruler of New York and one of the legendary Five Blood, is bound by an ancient curse.
With his immortality at risk, his hunt for his elusive fated mate turns ruthless and deadly.
Eira Cross has built a life as the supernatural underworld's bounty hunter, stitched together from secrets and sheer will.
Careful. Untraceable. Untouchable. Until a summons drags her into Moretti's Tower -- and a vampire whose attention feels
like a blade at her throat.
Valentin offers a bargain: help him find Lyra, and he'll give Eira freedom. But as the hunt deepens, desire ignites, the line
between hunter and prey blurs, and the truth surges closer. With the curse tightening its grip, time is running out. When
loyalties detonate, the monster Eira feared most may be the only one who can save her... or destroy her.
Critique: "Hunted" is the first book in the Five Blood Thrones vampire themed fantasy series by Zara Cox. A fun and
fascinating read from cover to cover, this large print paperback edition from Boldwood Books is a 'must' for dedicated
vampire fiction fans and will prove a welcome and popular pick for personal reading lists and community library Fantasy
Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Hunted" is also available in a CD and MP3-CE audio book formats ($104.95 /
$89.21, 7 Hours 54 Minutes) co-narrated by William Macleod and Ruby Alexander.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Zara Cox at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/zara-cox
The Hexing Miss Helena
Darcy McGuire
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806565641, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
9781806565665, $104.95 / $89.21, CD, (9 Hours 10 Minutes)
9781806565634, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 10 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/us/search/The%20Hexing%20Miss%20Helena
Synopsis: In gaslit Victorian England, reputation is everything -- and Lady Cynthia Burrows has perfected hers. A flawless
hostess. A dutiful wife. A paragon of the beau monde. Until her husband is found murdered and Cynthia becomes the most
scandalous suspect of the Season.
With society sharpening its knives, Cynthia turns to the formidable Blair family-rumored witches who move through polite
society with dangerous ease to help clear her name.
Among them is Helena Blair: sharp-witted, fiercely independent, and blessed with the power to read minds. Until she meets
Cynthia. For the first time in her life, Helena hears nothing at all. Could it be that this captivating yet infuriating woman has
untapped powers, or she's masking her guilt?
As the investigation unfolds, Cynthia's carefully controlled world begins to unravel. And it's not long before the heat
between them threatens to ignite something far more dangerous than gossip. But giving into their desires could ruin
everything. To survive, they must risk their hearts before the truth hexes them!
Critique: An original and exceptional blending of fantasy and mystery, "The Hexing Miss Helena" by novelist Darcy
McGuire is a deftly crafted and simply riveting read from cover to cover. A part of the author's 'Society of Scandalous
Witches' series and a 'must' for fans of historical romance novels, 'whodunnit' murder mysteries, and then combined with
imaginative fantasy, this large print paperback edition of "The Hexing Miss Helena" from Boldwood Books is a welcome
and recommended addition to both personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense & Historical Fantasy
collections. It should be noted that "The Hexing Miss Helena" is also available as a complete and unabridged audio book
(CD & MP3-CD) narrated by Laura Kirman.
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Darcy McGuire at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/darcy-mcguire
The Final Steep
A. K. Hayat
Steep House Press
https://www.steephousepress.com
9789948626947, $17.99, PB, 405pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Steep-Athergard-Trilogy/dp/994862694X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-final-steep-a-k-hayat/1149855328
Synopsis: "The Final Steep" is the story of a murdered prince with seven days before he becomes a monster and a woman
who is an outcast necromancer who might be his only hope.
Teyra Tepes brews tea for the dead. Kicked out of the Academy for feeling too much, she scrapes by running a crumbling
tea shop in Athergard's poorest district, helping ordinary ghosts say their final goodbyes.
Her quiet life shatters when a stranger walks out of the rain: a solid ghost with a royal signet ring and no memory of his
death. His name is Ash. He's the lost Thornwick prince, murdered five years ago in a conspiracy that stole the throne. His
spirit is destabilizing. In seven days, his soul will tear itself apart into a violent, mindless poltergeist.
To save him, Teyra must break every rule the Academy taught her. But a ruthless underworld boss known as the Moth is
tracking their every move, the woman who killed Ash wants him back, and an ancient darkness is waking beneath the city
streets. With time running out and her forbidden magic devouring her from the inside, Teyra faces a choice no necromancer
should have to make: walk away and survive, or hold on and lose everything that makes her human.
"The Final Steep" by A. K. Hayat is a slow-burn fantasy romance populated with morally grey characters, and set in a gothic
worlds where the dead don't stay quiet.
Critique: "The Final Steep" is the first book in The Athergard Trilogy by A. K. Hayat. An original gothic 'romantasy' of tea,
ghosts, and the dangerous weight of caring too much, Hayat's imaginative and distinctive storytelling style is ideal for the
gothic fantasy genre that is a deft blending of action, adventure, ghosts, necromancers and magic. A fun and fantastic read
from cover to cover, and available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), "The Final Steep" will
prove a highly prized and enduringly popular pick for community library Fantasy Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: A. K. Hayat writes speculative fiction shaped by expansive worlds, dangerous love, and the hidden cost of
survival. Drawn to stories where beauty and ruin coexist, Hayat builds immersive worlds that shift in genre, voice, and
perspective to follow each character into the story only they can tell. The way in changes every time. In Hayat's fiction,
power always comes with a price, memory is never simple, and even small acts of tenderness can become catastrophic. A.
K. Hayat prefers to let the work speak for itself.
Malanthia: The Dark Violet
A. K. Hayat
Steep House Press
https://www.steephousepress.com
9789948627005, $24.99, PB, 559pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Malanthia-Dark-Violet-Binding-Velundra/dp/9948627008
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/malanthia-a-k-hayat/1150065372
Synopsis: She was fifteen when they took her from the kitchen.
Malanthia Duvenne had grown up in a village of violets, warm bread, and small mercies. Then a carriage arrives with a
serpent on the door, and the girl who pressed flowers into books is taken north to Stonemouth Keep -- where the Greythorn
regime trains children to become instruments.
Five years later, she has a new name.
She is now Seraphine, Commander of the Queen's Guard, and is everything the Keep intended: precise, disciplined, and
deadly. She has been taught to read a room, control a body, bury a past, and turn love into weakness before it can begin.
Then they send her to kill the man she loves.
Ash is everything her training did not prepare her for -- direct, open, and good in a way that slips past every wall the regime
built inside her. He does not know what she is. He does not know what she has been ordered to do. And when he places a
silver ring in her hand, the weapon the regime forged begins to crack.
She has seven days. The prophecy says he must die. The blade is waiting. The red dress is being fitted.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, set in the world of The Binding of Velundra, and a fun read from start to finish,
"Malanthia: The Dark Violet" by A. K. Hayat is novel of dark fantasy and romance. In the author's words, "about the
architecture of conditioning, the cost of obedience, and the thing that breaks when a weapon learns to love its target".
Hayat's remarkable flair for the kind of character and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for the epic fantasy genre and
unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading
lists of dedicated 'romantasy' fans that this paperback edition of "Malanthia: The Dark Violet" from Sleep House Press is
also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: A. K. Hayat writes speculative fiction shaped by expansive worlds, dangerous love, and the hidden cost of
survival. Drawn to stories where beauty and ruin coexist, Hayat builds immersive worlds that shift in genre, voice, and
perspective to follow each character into the story only they can tell. The way in changes every time. In Hayat's fiction,
power always comes with a price, memory is never simple, and even small acts of tenderness can become catastrophic. A.
K. Hayat prefers to let the work speak for itself.
What's Bred in the Bone
Jan S. Gephardt
https://jansgephardt.com
Weird Sisters Publishing
https://weirdsisterspublishing.com
9781950748006, $22.99, PB, 492pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Bred-Bone-Bones-Trilogy/dp/1950748006
Synopsis: XK9 Rex is forensic equipment. That's what the XK9 Project calls him. That's what his police department calls
him. That's what the law calls him.
He is a bio-engineered police dog with a vocalizer that lets him speak, a nose that can read the past, and a mind sharp
enough to question everything. But none of that matters if no one is required to listen to him.
When a ship explodes in the spaceport's dock, Rex detects a crucial clue at the scene. But his human partner is critically
injured and can't help him. The official investigation is stalled. And the one person who most needs to listen to him doesn't
even know Rex exists.
So Rex does something forensic equipment is not supposed to do. He acts on his own.
What this action reveals forces the Police Chief to confront a shattering truth: that his department has been tricked into
trafficking in sapient beings. That the XK9 Project has been hiding the dogs' true nature. And that Rex and his packmates
are not equipment at all.
They are people.
Now Rex must convince the government of Orangeboro to recognize what he already knows to be true. Because if they do
not, the XK9 Project will make sure no one ever has to listen to a dog again.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, and a fun read for dog lovers and science fiction fans alike, "What's Bred in
the Bone" launches author Jan Gephardt's new series 'The XK9 "Bones" Trilogy'. Demonstrating Jan Gephardt's genuine
flair for the kind of imaginative, character and narrative storytelling style that is especially effective for the action/adventure
and thriller themed science fiction genre, "What's Bred in the Bone" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick
for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of
"What's Bred in the Bone" from Weird Sisters Publishing is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Jan S. Gephardt (https://jansgephardt.com) is a writer, artist, publisher, and longtime science fiction fan. Her
"XK9" books feature a pack of super-smart, bio-engineered police dogs who struggle to establish themselves as full citizens
of the space station where they live, while solving crimes and sniffing out bad guys. She and her sister G. S. Norwood are
the founders and co-owners of Weird Sisters Publishing LLC.
The Tatagonian Code
Alan Felyk
https://alanfelyk.com
Independently Published
ASIN: B0HGF5KC1Y, $15.99, PB, 342pp
ASIN: B0HGB5Q2DF, $4.99, Kindle Edition
Publishing Release Date: November 15, 2026
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGB5Q2DF
Synopsis: Humanity's cosmic purge is underway -- and Earth's only hope is extremely underqualified.
Daniel Cadence thought he had enough problems -- his fiancee left him, he's been assigned to write the memoir of a
brain-addled backup guitarist, and he hates the physical trainer at the gym. But that was before he discovered the horrifying
truth: humanity is living in a massive cosmic simulation controlled by an inscrutable race of astral beings called the
Tatagonians.
Even worse, their species has fractured in two. While the Energetics use human hosts to experience the sensory world of
Earth, the ruthless Cybortics purge and reboot civilization every 200,000 years.
Now, the clock on the latest wipeout is running out.
Teaming up with rogue scientists from Pullman Laboratories and bound to "Gofer" (a bizarre, sentient Energetic capable of
bending reality across multiverses) Daniel is handed an impossible mission: infiltrate and destroy the Cybortic stronghold in
another universe before humanity disappears one more time.
Critique: Original, imaginatively clever, deftly crafted, and a fun read for dedicated science fiction fans from start to finish,
"The Tatagonian Code" by Alan Felyk is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and
community library Science Fiction collections. Of special note is author Alan Felyk's genuine flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven storytelling style that is ideal for the action/adventure science fiction genre.
Editorial Note: Alan Felyk (https://alanfelyk.com) has been a groundskeeper, ditch digger, road crew member, waiter,
surveyor, houseboy, and taxi driver -- all of which provided him a perfect background for a career in journalism as a
newspaper writer/editor and a publications manager for a space systems company. He is also the author of "Damaged Right
Out Of The Box", a humorous and wistful review of personal experiences, and "Damaged Beyond All Recognition", a novel
inspired by the writings of Kurt Vonnegut.
The Hocus Pocus Handbook
Ann Aguirre
Sourcebooks Inc.
www.sourcebooks.com
9781464224119, $18.99, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hocus-Pocus-Handbook-Ann-Aguirre/dp/1464224110
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hocus-pocus-handbook-ann-aguirre/1148776876
Synopsis: Thea Winter didn't choose to be a changeling -- stolen from the mortal world as a baby, raised in the wildlands by
a hobgoblin named Mudge who taught her everything worth knowing. How to read the weather in a crow's wing. How to
barter with brownies. How to stay alive in a world of capricious fae courts. What Mudge couldn't teach her was how to stay
out of trouble. Which is why she's entangled in a objectionable marriage of convenience.
Or would be, but her spouse bolted. Now she has to hunt down Devan J. Fenelon, but she's been saddled with a taciturn,
humorless hunter known as Winter's Hound. He answers only to his cousin, and she's not looking forward to this quest at
all.
Kerboros has survived the Winter Court by being exactly what they made him: relentless, invisible, and careful never to
want anything at all. His life is an endless series of ceaseless commands from his reprehensible cousin, Lord Liskaal. Since
his father's failed rebellion, Kerboros has been permitted to survive only as an example to others, an object lesson as to how
far one may fall. But traveling with Thea (wild, warm, impossible Thea) is a glorious torment for an enforcer who has never
known freedom.
She is sunshine. He is shadow.
Their love is forbidden, but when irresistible force sweeps up an immovable object, the resulting reaction might be
magical...
Critique: An original and fun read from cover to cover, "The Hocus Pocus Handbook" by Ann Aguirre will hold a very
special appeal to readers with an interest in witchery/fantasy themed romantic comedies. Aguirre's genuine flair for the kind
of imaginative and narrative driven storytelling style is ideal for the cozy fantasy romance genre. While unreservedly
recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted that this
paperback edition of "The Hocus Pocus Handbook" from Sourcebooks is also readily available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Ann Aguirre available at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/ann-aguirre
Fold Catastrophes
Peter Watts
Tachyon Publications
https://tachyonpublications.com
9781616964672, $18.95, PB, 352pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fold-Catastrophes-Peter-Watts/dp/1616964677
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fold-catastrophes-peter-watts/1149404636
Synopsis: What if a weaponized water supply were to re-program pattern recognition in the human brain, provoking violent
rage at the sight of the Google logo. Or an accidental hive mind create a global agenda to resurrect itself in the scant seconds
between its emergence and dissolution? Then there is a steroidal jump gate-building ship attempts to survive passage
through a red-giant sun by hiding inside an ice-giant planet. Finally, when something is trying to colonize the sun, humans
try to stop it. (Spoiler alert: Nobody comes off very well.)
Critique: In his newest science fiction short story collection, "Fold Catastrophes" by Peter Watts also features an informative
introduction by Richard K. Morgan, Watts (The Freeze-Frame Revolution). With his genuine flair for the kind of character
and narrative driven storytelling style that brings his imaginative and original stories alive, "Fold Catastrophes" is especially
and unreservedly recommended for community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the legions of
Peter Watts fans that this paperback edition of "Fold Catastrophes" from Tachyon Publications is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: There is an online listing of books by Peter Watts on Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/peter-watts
Baen Books
www.baen.com
Two new arrivals from Baen provide sci-fi readers with involving stories.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Wheels-D-J-Butler/dp/1668073293
D.J. Butler and David J. West's Hell on Wheels (9781668073292, $28.00) provides another magickal America story set in
1975, where Silas Danger drives a GTO inhabited by the ghost of his sister Betty and part of the demon that killed her. His
task is to figure out how she died and how to save her, but that's only one charge in a world where half a demon can kill as
effectively as a whole one. Other America comes to life in this story as spy and adventurer Silas navigates the undead, the
impossible, and the strange seeking information that can help him save his sister.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ishtar-Deception-Billion-Worlds/dp/1668073307
The Ishtar Deception by James L. Cambias (9781668073308, $18.00) is a novel of the billion worlds that takes place at the
end of the Tenth Millennium as government agent Sabbath Okada comes to the city of Ishtar on Venus to investigate the
death of an undercover agent. His search for the truth, aided by an aging but sly AI, takes him into the worlds of Ishtar's elite
as well as its rugged and challenging environment. The blend of hard science, investigative mystery, and adventure will
especially please sci-fi readers interested in all these elements, which coalesce into a riveting saga that is hard to predict or
put down.
The Coloring Book Shelf
Strange Seas: Coloring the Secret Lives of Ocean Creatures
Tracy Harmon
Independently Published
9798199102377, $14.99, PB, 82pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Seas-Coloring-Secret-Creatures/dp/B0H4CPBFDZ
Synopsis: "Strange Seas" by visual storyteller Tracy Harmon is an all-ages, hand-drawn coloring book in which every
illustration is an offbeat reimagining of a real ocean science fact. The back of this unique coloring book includes the science
that inspired each illustration, along with sources for readers who want to learn more.
Critique: A unique, fun and informative approach to learning about marine life, "Strange Seas" is unreservedly
recommended to the attention of those with an interest in a DIY educational activity, natural history, and animal themed
coloring book. Highly recommended for personal, family, K-12 classroom curriculums, marine wildlife themed collections,
"Strange Seas" is suitable for ages 5 to 85!
Editorial Note: Tracy Harmon is an artist and author with a love of animals, ocean science, and playful visual storytelling.
Her work combines hand-drawn illustration with curiosity about the natural world, creating art that is whimsical,
educational, and fun to explore. Her coloring book "Strange Seas" turns strange-but-true marine facts into humorous ocean
scenes designed to make colorists of all ages smile and wonder about the life beneath the waves.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round Table
Paul S. Newman, author
Bob Fujitani, illustrator
Fantagraphics
www.fantagraphics.com
9798875001666, $49.99, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Valiant-Peril-Round-Table/dp/B0FDZ94192
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-valiant-paul-s-newman/1147696105
Fantagraphics
https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/prince-valiant
Synopsis: It was a singular honor when Bob Fujitani was tapped to draw the comic book adaptation of Prince Valiant, the
big-budget 20th Century-Fox movie starring Robert Wagner. No one had ever before been permitted to draw Hal Foster's
classic. Then Fujitani and veteran scripter Paul S. Newman were asked to do another (and another) until they had completed
a solid run of six more original issues. Unseen after more than 70 years, With the publication of "Prince Valiant: Peril of the
Round Table", Fantagraphics returns this rare run of all seven Prince Valiant comic books to print for the first time.
"Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round Table" features seven spectacular adventures, with all the scope, majesty, and chivalry of
the thrilling days of King Arthur. Follow Valiant as he starts out as a squire to a knight of the Round Table and falls in love,
only to see his beloved Aleta betrothed to another. Six more high-adventure quests and battles round out this volume, all
lovingly restored from the original printings for a new generation of readers.
Critique: This large format (8.9 x 1.2 x 11.7 inches, 3.04 pounds) hardcover edition of "Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round
Table" by the team of Paul S. Newman (Author) and Bob Fujitani (Illustrator), is an extraordinary, time-lost graphic heroic
fantasy that will introduce Prince Valient (one of the yesteryear comic strip/comic book icons) to the current generation of
appreciative readers. Beautifully reproduced by Fantagraphics in full color, "Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round Table" is a
fun read that is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an editorial introduction 'A Valiant
Odyssey: from Sunday Page to Moe Screen to Comic Book' by Wolfgang J. Fuchs, 'The Comic Book Quests of a Comic
Book Prince' by Uwe Baumann, 'Restoration Notes' by J. Michael Catron, and more! "Prince Valiant: Peril of the Round
Table" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university
library Graphic Novel collections.
Editorial Note #1: Paul S. Newman (1924-1999) is credited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most
prolific comic book writer (more than 4,100 stories). He began writing comics in 1947 for DC and later wrote for, among
others, Avon, Fawcett, Hillman, St. John, Ziff Davis, and Marvel Comics' two predecessor companies, Timely and Atlas.
For Dell/Gold Key, he wrote Turok, Son of Stone, The Lone Ranger, and the comic-book adaptation of the Beatles'
animated feature Yellow Submarine.
Editorial Note #2: Robert "Bob" Fujitani (1921-2020) began drawing comic books in the early 1940s. In the 1950s and
1960s, he became the primary ghost artist at times on such newspaper strips as Mandrake the Magician and Flash Gordon.
He worked anonymously or pseudonymously in part because of World War II-era anti-Japanese prejudice. In the 1960s, he
drew notable runs on such comic books as Turok, Son of Stone; Lassie; and Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom. He drew seven
issues of Dell's Prince Valiant in the 1950s, the first artist after Hal Foster to draw that iconic character for print. Fujitani
retired from comics in 2005 and continued to paint.
Peepshow
Joe Matt
Fantagraphics
www.fantagraphics.com
9798875002304, $49.99, HC, 464pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Peepshow-Joe-Matt/dp/B0FWHKVM3P
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peepshow-joe-matt/1103166774
Synopsis: Few comic book series can claim to have influenced a generation of cartoonists, comics fans, and comedians the
way the late Joe Matt's "Peepshow" did during its fourteen issues from 1992 to 2006.
With an often alarming and always hilarious compulsion to confess, Matt found no aspect of his life that wasn't more grist
for the humor mill: his dysfunctional (and sometimes abusive) relationships, his Catholic repression, his horrible social
skills, his addiction to pornography, his masturbation habits, etc.
Yes, the character Joe Matt was usually an insufferable outsider, but in the hands of Joe Matt the writer/artist, his life was
depicted with an eye and ear for human folly that rivalled R. Crumb, as well as an entertainer's instinct and sense of comedic
timing to rival Larry David, and it made "Peepshow" one of the most essential reads of its era.
This edition of "Peepshow" from Fantagraphics collects for the first time the entire original fourteen-issue series in one
hardcover volume, as well as the posthumously-published fifteenth issue from 2024 (detailing Matt's move to Los Angeles
in 2003 to pursue an ill-fated HBO adaptation of his work), each presented as painstakingly-restored facsimiles of the
original issues.
This definitive Joe Matt collection also includes other art and ephemera from the artist's personal archives, including a
hand-written introduction to a complete Peepshow collection that at the time was purely hypothetical and was only
discovered after his death in 2023.
"Peepshow" is rounded out with an insightful afterword by Diana Schutz, the Will Eisner Hall of Fame comics writer and
editor, and longtime friend of Matt's (and sister of Trish, Matt's ex-girlfriend and key player in Peepshow's cast).
Critique: Rescuing from an undeservedly obscurity by Fantagraphics for the benefit of a new generation of appreciated
readers, "Peepshow" showcases the unique self depreciative humor and social commentary of the late Joe Matt (September
3, 1963 - September 18, 2023) and is an unreservedly recommended acquisition for personal, community, and
college/university library biography themed Graphic Novel collections. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of
"Peepshow" from Fantagraphics is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.99).
Editorial Note #1: Joe Matt passed away in 2023 at the age of sixty. Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, he spent
most of his adult life in Toronto and then Los Angeles.
Editorial Note #2: Diana Schutz is a Canadian-born comic book editor, serving as editor in chief of Comico during its peak
years, followed by a 25-year tenure at Dark Horse Comics.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec Vol. 1
Jacques Tardi, author and illustrator
Kim Thompson, translator
Cynthia Rose, introduction
Fantagraphics
www.fantagraphics.com
9798875002380, $29.99, HC, 196pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-Adventures-Ad%C3%A8le-Blanc-Sec-Vol/dp/B0FW969G3H
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-extraordinary-adventures-of-ad-le-blanc-sec-vol-1-tardi/1148609478
Synopsis: Paris, 1911. One gloomy night at the Museum of Natural History, a pterodactyl escapes from its display and
wreaks havoc upon the city. Enter journalist extraordinaire Adele Blanc-Sec, who must use her wits and firepower to get to
the bottom of this bizarre mystery. An enchanting antihero, Adele is fearless, brash, and thoroughly ill-tempered, smoking
and cursing her way through the case -- always just barely escaping peril to tell her tale.
Masterful French cartoonist Jacques Tardi created his iconic "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec" series in
1976. Set in the atmospheric Belle Epoque Paris, the series features supernatural monsters, mad science, steampunk
aesthetic, murder, humor, and delightful derring-do. This new collection of classic Adele stories includes four episodes:
"Pterror Over Paris," "The Demon of the Eiffel Tower," "The Mad Scientist," and "Mummies on Parade."
In celebration of Adele's 50th anniversary, Fantagraphics has re-issued these classic stories in luxuriously redesigned
hardcover editions. While Fantagraphics published translations of the first four Adele adventures 15 years ago, this new
series will bring the complete 10 episode run of the series into English for the very first time.
Of special note to this new edition is the an introduction by British journalist and comics historian Cynthia Rose.
Critique: Featuring full-color illustrations throughout, this new 50th Anniversary edition of "The Extraordinary Adventures
of Adele Blanc-Sec Vol. 1" from Fantagraphics brings to a new generation of appreciative readers a time-lost treasure of a
graphic novel by French author and illustrator Jacques Tardi. The iconic adventure series, set in atmospheric Belle Epoque
Paris, showcases the perilous adventuress Adele as she contends with dinosaurs, demons, and death cults. While a very
highly recommended pick for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Graphic Novel
collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec Vol. 1"
from Fantagraphics is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.99).
Editorial Note #1: Jacques Tardi is a pioneering, internationally award-winning European cartoonist. His Adele Blanc-Sec
series was adapted into a feature by Luc Besson, and the animated film April and the Extraordinary World was inspired by
his cartooning. He lives in Paris with his wife, the singer Dominique Grange, and their cats.
Editorial Note #2: Kim Thompson (1956-2013) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was the co-publisher of
Fantagraphics Books and a champion of alternative and global comics. He lived in Seattle, WA, with his wife, Lynn, and
their dog.
Editorial Note #3: Cynthia Rose is a British author, journalist and broadcaster based in Paris. She has published four books
on art, design and why James Brown screamed and she is currently writing the history, in French and English, of a Paris
dive bar.
The Audiobook Shelf
757
M. J. Porter, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806585809, $130.95 / $111.31, CD (12 Hours 38 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/757
Synopsis: Mercia, 757 A.D.
A king will fall. A king will rise. But first, civil war will rage.
King Aethelbald's forty-year vice-like rule over Mercia has been rigid. But he lacks a legitimate heir despite his insatiable
bedchamber antics.
Offa must stand hostage to his family's good behaviour, when his father missteps in removing his mother from Aethelbald's
bed. Shockingly, his younger sister now replaces her.
But the king isn't finished with his denigration of Offa's noble House. When his parents are traitorously killed, Offa's
resentment grows, compounded by the ridicule heaped on him by King Aethelbald's oathsworn warriors.
With the king's health deteriorating, the matter of the succession becomes paramount. There are plenty who share a claim to
the kingship.
Discord threatens to fracture the mighty realm, and those with sword and shield, seax and spear are prepared to risk it all to
be the future king of Mercia.
Critique: Medieval historical fiction at its action/adventure best, "757" (part of the House of Mercia Chronicles by MJ
Porter) is brought to life by the impressive narrative storytelling skills of David Thorpe in the complete and unabridged CD
and MP3-CD editions from Boldwood Books. An ideal and highly recommended addition to personal lists and community
library Historical Fiction themed audio book collections, it should be noted that "757" is also available in a large print
paperback edition as well.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by M. J. Porter at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/m-j-porter
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=David+Thorpe
Arthur: The Chronicles of Arthur
Peter Gibbons, author
Sean Barrett, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781835182741, $111.95 / $95.16, CD (11 Hours 4 Minutes)
9781835182758, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD (11 Hours 4 Minutes)
9781835182802, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/arthur
Synopsis: The fate of dark age Britain once more hangs in the balance...
After years of fragile peace, the legendary warlord Arthur Pendragon is forced back into the bloody crucible of war to save
Britain once more from Saxon invaders.
His greatest battle, however, is not on the field, it is a fight for his own soul.
When deep seated betrayals shatter his world, Arthur must abandon his throne and his people. He must decide whether to
remain a broken mercenary in exile or return to confront a Britain ruled by his vengeful enemies and torn apart by savage
armies.
Can Arthur succeed and become a legend? Will his courage, Excalibur's might and Merlin's cunning be enough to save
Britain from the Saxon hordes hell bent on its destruction?
Critique: Accomplished narrator Sean Berrett brinks this riveting story of King Arthur by gifted novelist Peter Gibbns
brilliantly to life in a complete and unabridged "Arthur: The Chronicles of Arthur" audio book edition from Boldwood
Books. A 'must' for dedicated fans of medieval British action/adventure tales taking place just after the withdrawal of
Roman troops from Britain and at the invasions of the Saxons, "Arthur" will prove to be an extraordinary and welcome
addition to personal and community library King Arthur themed historical fiction audio book collections. It should be noted
that this CD and MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood Books is also available in a large print paperback edition.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Peter Gibbons at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/peter-gibbons
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Sean Barret at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Sean+Barrett
The Exodus Key
Rob Jones, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806000500, $93.95 / $79.86, CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806000517, $93.95 / $79.86, MP3-CD (6 Hours 52 Minutes)
9781806000562, $43.50 / $36.98, PB, Large Print, 500pp
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20exodus%20key
Synopsis: An ancient secret. A missing plague. A billionaire's twisted vision for a new Eden.
When a terrified informant is gunned down in front of HARPA Director Jim Gates, he leaves behind a terrifying revelation:
a missing, original chapter from the Book of Exodus has been discovered. This ancient parchment details a forgotten
eleventh plague -- a bacterium of unimaginable lethality that was hidden thousands of years ago.
Now, Ulrich Faust, the world's richest and most dangerous man, is determined to claim the plague for himself. The only
thing between him and his apocalyptic plan is archaeologist Max Hunter, Special Agent Amy Fox, and rest of the elite
HARPA team...
From the shadowy crypts of Seville to the bustling souks of Marrakech and the mysterious tombs of Egypt, the elite HARPA
team must race against the clock. Can they stop Faust before he can unleash a biblical devastation that will end the world as
we know it?
Critique: A masterpiece of a suspense thriller from start to finish, the complete and unabridged audio book edition from
Boldwood Books of "The Exodus Key" by Rob Jones is vividly narrated by the storytelling narrative gifts of seasoned vocal
actor Simon Mattacks. Offering a true 'theatre of the mind' experience, "The Exodus Key" is unreservedly recommended for
community library audio book collections. "The Exodus Key" is also available from Boldwood Books in a large print
paperback edition.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Rob Jones at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rob-jones
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Simon Mattacks at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Simon+Mattacks
Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament
Martin Davies, author
Gemma Lawrence, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750553155, $111.95 / $95.16, CD, (10 Hours, 11 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/mrs%20hudson%20and%20the%20lazarus%20testame nt
Synopsis: A man is accidentally knocked down outside 221B Baker Street by a carriage. His dying words claim he has seen
a man rise from the grave.
At the same time, a visitor arrives with a mystery of unparalleled international importance. The Viscount Wrexham is
missing, presumed dead, in strange circumstances.
In the North, rumours stir of a dead man haunting the moors. Broomheath Hall is beset by ghostly lights and spectres. What
does it all mean? Can arcane knowledge bring people back from the dead?
The redoubtable Mrs Hudson (Sherlock Holmes' housekeeper and the Great Detective's best-kept secret) and her assistant
Flotsam are once again thrown into dark adventure full of gripping twists and murderous intrigue. Together with Holmes
and Dr Watson, they must race against the forces of darkness to uncover the truth behind the mysterious document known as
the Lazarus Testament.
Critique: A brilliant series of mysteries that enlarge the Sherlock Holmes canon, "Mrs Hudson and the Lazarus Testament"
by Martin Davis is the latest in the 'A Holmes & Hudson Mystery' series and is brought to life in a true 'theatre of the mind'
listening experience by the exceptional storytelling skills of Gemma Lawrence. A 'must' for the legions of Sherlock Holmes
fans and fans of mysteries featuring amateur female sleuths, this complete and unabridged audio book edition from
Ulverscroft is available for personal lists and community library audio book collections in a CD and an MP3-CD
format.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Martin Davies at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/martin-davies
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Gemma Lawrence on Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Gemma-Lawrence
A Land Aflame
Ben Kane, author
Phillip Stevens, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750555920, $130.95 / $111.31, CD, (11 Hours 43 Minutes)
Synopsis: 211 BC.
Hannibal's struggle against the Romans in Italy continues, but the Carthaginians have been utterly defeated in Sicily. Fleeing
the island to Spain, Hanno and Aurelia are shipwrecked, and taken prisoner by local tribesmen. Unless they escape, a life of
slavery and brutal treatment awaits.
Aurelia's brother Quintus is posted with his comrades to Spain, where a new commander (Scipio) has been given the task of
defeating the Carthaginian generals who hold sway over most of the peninsula. Here, on the third front, there will be
marches of incredible endurance, epic sieges and huge set piece battles.
The very outcome of the war hangs in the balance. Who will emerge victorious, Rome or Carthage? Only the gods can
tell.
Critique: Although a riveting work of historical action/adventure between the Romans and the Carthaginians, with "A Land
Aflame" novelist Ben Kane paid attention to including accurate historical details as a backdrop to his riveting tale. In this
superbly produced and unabridged audio book edition of "A Land Aflame", narrator Phillip Stevens does full justice in his
own storytelling style from start to finish. Available in both a CD and an MP3-CD format from Ulverscroft Audio, "A Land
Aflame" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular pick for personal and community library
Historical Action/Adventure themed audio book collections.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Ben Kane available at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/ben-kane
Editorial Note #2: There is an oline listing of books narrated by Phillip Stevens at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Philip+Stevens
The Unicorn Murders
Carter Dickson, author
John Telfer, narrator
Ulverscroft Audio
www.ulverscroft.com
9780750559072, $104.95 / $89.21, CD, (8 Hours 15 Minutes)
9780750559089, $104.95 / $89.21, MP3-CD, (8 Hours 15 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/the%20unicorn%20murders
Synopsis: The diplomat Sir George Ramsden is returning to Britain from France with the mysterious 'unicorn' in tow. The
legendary thief Flamande has declared that he will be on the same flight as Ramsden, in disguise, and that the unicorn will
be his. His arch-rival and head of the Surete Nationale, Gasquet, has assured the public that he too will be on the plane to
thwart his nemesis.
Meanwhile, holidaying in Paris, the ex-spy Kenwood Blake runs into Evelyn Cheyne and is swept into a perilous chase
ending at the Chateau de l'Ile on a stormy night. Here, Ramsden's plane has made an emergency landing, and Henry
Merrivale has joined the party.
When the castle is cut off by the flooding river, the stage is set for a battle of wits between two masters of disguise in
Flamande and Gasquet, as a bizarre and seemingly impossible murder among the party casts suspicion in every direction --
and the mystery of the unicorn is revealed.
Carter Dickson's brilliantly intricate mystery was first published in Britain in 1936; it remains a testament to his unique
talent for wrangling audacious levels of devilishness into a masterpiece.
Critique: Narrator John Telfer's storytelling skills do complete justice to Carter Dickson (one of the pen names used by the
late John Dickson Carr) deftly crafter murder mysteries for which he was so famed. Complete, unabridged, and now
bringing "The Unicorn Murders" to a new generation of appreciative murder mystery fans, and is an unreservedly
recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections in either a CD or an MP3-CD format
from Ulverscroft Audio as well.
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by John Dickson Carr (1906 - 1977) at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/john-dickson-carr
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by John Telfer at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=John+Telfer
Blood Hunt
Tom Bale, author
Simon Mattacks, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781806565948, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 58 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/blood%20hunt
Synopsis: Former detective Joe Clayton didn't go looking for trouble, but sometimes trouble found him.
Joe thought the dangers of his undercover career were now behind him. He was wrong. One grey October morning, while
working in a quiet Bristol street, he hears the voice of the man who has sworn to destroy him.
Minutes later Joe is running for his life... again. Desperate for sanctuary, he heads for the small Cornish town of Trelennan,
and the home of Fiona Bamber, widow of a former police colleague. But Fiona reacts strangely to his arrival, and gradually
Joe discovers that Trelennan is far from the idyllic, law-abiding resort it claims to be.
The town is in the grip of one man. Leon Race does not welcome strangers, especially ex-cops who start asking questions
about missing women. Soon Joe is caught up in another undercover role, but as he penetrates the web of secrets that
ensnares the town's elite, his own secret is at risk of discovery. And all the time his old enemy is circling...
Critique: As a storyteller, Tom Bale is a master of the suspense thriller mystery genre and his deftly crafted and simply
riveting novel, "Blood Hunt" has been brought vividly to life through the narrative skills of Simon Mattacks in this complete
and unabridged MP3-CD audio book from Boldwood Books. A prized and popular pick for the growing legions of Tom
Bale fans and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections, it should be noted that "Blood Hunt" is
also available in a CD format (9781806565863, $111.95 / $95.16) and in a large print paperback edition (9781806565870,
$43.50 / $36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Tom Bale at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/tom-bale
Editorial Note #2: There is an onlikne listing of books narrated by Simon Mattacks at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Simon+Mattacks
While Nobody Is Watching
Michelle Dunne, author
Jacqueline Milne, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781807034641, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (9 Hours 55 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/while%20nobody%20is%20watching
Synopsis: Three years ago, a semi-inflated football and a curious little girl changed everything. One explosion. Two bodies.
A lifetime of guilt. Now, Corporal Lindsey Ryan spends her days saving the city of Cork's troubled youth -- and her nights
fighting a private war against the demons in her head.
Lindsey is certain she's being watched. Her doctors call it PTSD. Her friends call it a relapse. But as the "accidents" mount
and the blurred lines of her reality begin to bleed, Lindsey realizes the threat isn't just in her mind. Someone is hunting her.
Someone who wants to finish what started in the Golan Heights.
In a world of blue helmets and blackouts, the most dangerous enemy is the one you never see coming. And this time, they
won't stop until the job is done.
They called it peacekeeping. But for Lindsey Ryan, the war never ended.
Critique: A deftly crafted suspense thriller of a read from start to finish, "While Nobody Is Watching", author Michelle
Dunne's riveting novel is now available as a complete and unabridged MP3-CD audio book dramatically narrated by
storytelling talents of vocal actresses Jacqueline Milne. "While Nobody Is Watching" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections. It should be noted
that "While Nobody Is Watching" from Boldwood Books is also available in a CD format (9781807034634, $111.95 /
$95.16) and in a large print paperback edition (9781807034719, $43.50$ / 36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Michelle Dunne at FantasticFiction:
https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/michelle-dunne
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Jacqueline Milne at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Jacqueline+Milne
Death Hollow
Rob Sinclair, author
David Thorpe, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837032174, $111.95 / $95.16, MP3-CD, (10 Hours 22 Minutes)
Ulverscroft
https://www.ulverscroft.com/store/search/death%20hollow
Synopsis: Some towns survive by keeping secrets. Some men survive by breaking them.
Simon Peake was only supposed to pass by Red Hollow -- not through it. But when his truck breaks down on the outskirts
of the old gold-mining town, he has no choice but to stay. Red Hollow is a place clinging to its heralded past, ruled by
powerful men and quiet fear. When a local girl goes missing, the town closes ranks, and silence becomes a form of
protection.
Peake knows the signs. Corruption hiding behind smiles. When Peake starts asking questions, the answers lead deep into the
hollowed-out ridge above the town -- into abandoned mine tunnels where the scars of violence still streak the rock, and
ghosts are said to roam.
But ghosts don't scare Simon Peake.
He pushes where no one else will, his approach as swift and brutal as anything the town can throw back at him. As secrets
surface and Red Hollow begins to tear itself apart, Peake makes a decision: he won't just expose the rot -- he'll burn it out at
its source!
Critique: A part of author Rob Sinclair's 'Simon Peake Thriller' series, this MP3-CD audio book edition "Death Hollow"
achieves a true 'theatre of the mind' experience through the masterful narrative storytelling skills of David Thorpe. Complete
and unabridged, "Death Hollow" from Boldwood Books will prove an impressively popular pick for the personal lists of
dedicated suspense thriller fans and community library Mystery/Suspense themed audio book collections. It should be noted
that "Death Hollow" is also available in a CD format (9781837032167, $111.95/$95.16) and in large print paperback edition
(9781837032228, $43.50 / $36.98).
Editorial Note #1: There is an online listing of books by Rob Sinclair at Book Series in Order:
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/rob-sinclair
Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by David Thorpe at Audible:
https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=David+Thorpe&_ssoLoop=1
The Library CD Shelf
The Path
Josh Warren
https://bio.site/joshwarren
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $15.00 CAD digital
Bandcamp
https://joshwarren.bandcamp.com/album/the-path
Award-winning Canadian bassist, composer, and arranger Josh Warren presents his debut album The Path, a jazz album of
original, instrumental music featuring Josh Warren on electric bass, Christian Antonacci on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ethan
Zabarylo on tenor saxophone, Miles Cakebread-Kraus on guitar, Emmett Hodgins on piano, Matteo Romaniello on drums,
and Miles Johnson on percussion. Inspired by Warren's journey as a musician, The Path is grounded in jazz traditions yet
draws influence from music stylings across the globe. The rich interweaving of melody and harmony reflects a journey of
personal growth, development, and refinement. Inspired and inspiring, The Path is highly recommended especially for
connoisseurs of original jazz. The tracks are Gratitude; Spirits (for Jinx); Everything, in time; The Path; and What
Remains.
A Study in Songbook
Dr. Gianni Bianchini
GianniBianchini.com
Gianni Bianchini Entertainment LLC
$TBA CD / $20.00 digital
Creator's Website
https://www.giannibianchini.com/music-page
Jazz pianist, vocalist, organist, and educator presents A Study in Songbook, an album of classic favorites performed by
Bianchini on piano and vocals, Ross Kratter on bass, and Sam Hart on drums. The emotional songs, selected for a central
theme of love and memories, draw the listener into a beautiful, smooth jazz repertoire. A Study in Songbook is a choice pick
for vocal jazz connoisseurs, highly recommended. The tracks are East of the Sun (Brooks Bowman); I Wish You Love (Leo
Chauliac, Charles Trenet, and Albert A. Beach); Give Me the Simple Life (rube Bloom, Harry Ruby); I Thought About You
(Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer); Dindi (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Aloysio de Oliveira, Johnny Mercer); After You've
Gone (Turner Layton, Henry Creamer); Sweet Lorraine (Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish); I Remember You (Victor
Schertzinger, Johnny Mercer); and That's All (Bob Haymes, Alan Brandt).
What Next?
Russ Anixter's Hippie Big Band
www.russanixter.com
Privately Published
$15.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://hippiebigband.bandcamp.com/album/what-next
What Next? is an album of classic favorite rock, funk, and fusion songs arranged into orchestra-style majesty with a dash of
improvisation. A bonus track, "War Pigs", is exclusive to the download version. Arranger, orchestrator, and bandleader
Russ Anixter leads Russ Anixter's Hippie Big Band, and extraordinary confluence of talented performers on saxophones,
flute, clarinets, trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, trombones, guitar, bass, drums, and more. What Next? is vivacious, a
treasure for connoisseurs of bold band music! The tracks are I Saw Her Standing There; Freddie's Dead with Danny Louis; I
Walk on Guilded Splinters; Freeway Jam; Shakedown Street; Bird Song with Erica von Kleist; A Remark You Made;
Compared to What; No Quarter/Bitches Brew; and the download-exclusive bonus track War Pigs.
Plays at the Wrong Time
Haruna Fukazawa, composer and arranger
https://www.harunaflute.net
Orange Paw Records
https://www.orangepawrecords.com
$20.00 CD / $9.03 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H65DRVRB
Creator's Website
https://www.harunaflute.net/store/p7/Plays_at_the_Wrong_Time.html
Flautist, composer, and arranger Haruna Fukazawa presents Plays at the Wrong Time, an adventurous music album
featuring three of Fukazawa's original compositions and four of Fukazawa's arrangements. The physical CD has an
exclusive eighth track of an alternate arrangement, "When I Fall in Love (Alternate Take)", a divergent musical vision from
the second track's arrangement of "When I Fall in Love"; this eighth track is not present in the MP3 version. The uplifting
songs of Plays at the Wrong Time are performed by five extraordinarily talented music artists: Haruna Fukazawa on flute
and alto flute; Steve Wilson on soprano saxophone and flute; David DeMotta on piano; Bill Moring on bass; and Steve
Johns on drums. Inspired by the musical concept of timing as personality that adds warmth and heart to a song, rather than a
strictly limiting rule, Plays at the Wrong Time is a treasure for connoisseurs of flute music, highly recommended. The tracks
are Plays at the Wrong Time (Haruna Fukazawa); When I Fall in Love (Victor Young); Mellow Shadow (Haruna
Fukazawa); Hot & Spicy, Sometimes Sweet (Haruna Fukazawa); Let's Cool One (Thelonius Monk); Spring Can Really
Hang You Up the Most (Tommy Wolf); Fungii Mama (Richard "Blue" Mitchell); and the physical CD exclusive track,
When I Fall in Love (Alternate Take) (Victor Young).
Satoko Fujii's Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra
Satoko Fujii, conductor
Composed by Satoko Fujii, Andreas Kaling, Natsuki Tamura, and Luise Volkmann
Performed by Buker Ulmenwall Orchestra
Libra Records
$TBA CD / 2,000 JPY digital
Bandcamp
https://satokofujii.bandcamp.com/album/satoko-fujiis-bunker-ulmenwall-orchestra
Satoko Fujii's Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra is recording that lay unknown in the archive of concert producer Wolfgang
Gross for a decade. When Gross found and shared it with Fujii, both agreed that the concert was a special event that worthy
of being published in a publically available format. A double CD capturing a majestic soundscape conducted by Fujii,
showcasing the layered compositions of multiple talented composers, and performed by coordinated and talented orchestra
members on trombone, tuba, saxophones, guitar, piano, cello, drums, and more, Satoko Fujii's Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra
is a treasure for connoisseurs and highly recommended. The tracks are Shiki (Satoko Fujii); Yamantaka (Andreas Kaling);
Jasper (Natsuki Tamura); Antischwarm (Luise Volkmann); and Gen Himmel (Satoko Fujii).
After the Storm
Satoko Fujii, composer
Performed by Orchestra Kobe
www.satokofujii.com
Libra Records
$TBA CD / 1,200 JPY digital
Bandcamp
https://satokofujii.bandcamp.com/album/after-the-storm
Japanese composer Satoko Fujii presents After the Storm, a music album inspired by the vision of a more hopeful future
(especially during the dark days of the global COVID -19 pandemic) and performed by the renowned Orchestra Kobe.
Talented music artists on alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums bring Fujii's
sweeping, four-part soundscape saga to vivid life. After the Storm is a treasure for connoisseurs of original international
music, highly recommended. The tracks are After the Storm 1; After the Storm 2; After the Storm 3; and After the Storm
4.
Jagged Edges Elegant Lines: The Music of Ayn Inserto
Ayn Inserto, composer, arranger, and bandleader
Sean Jones, composer
Performed by WDR Big Band with Sean Jones
ayninserto.com
Summit Records
summitrecords.com
$15.99 CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Jagged-Edges-Elegant-Lines-Inserto/dp/B0H3CG9LPQ
Magnificently talented composer, arranger, and bandleader Ayn Inserto presents Jagged Edges Elegant Lines: The Music of
Ayn Inserto, a music CD album featuring songs Inserto composed across her storied career, one song ("BJ's Tune")
composed by trumpeter Sean Jones and arranged by Inserto, and a newly created "Suite for Sean Jones" by Inserto.
Performed by the masterful WDR Big Band with Sean Jones, Jagged Edges Elegant Lines is a sweeping odyssey featuring
extraordinary coordination and world-class talent on saxophones, trumpets, trombones, bass, piano, drums, and more.
Jagged Edges Elegant Lines is a treasure for connoisseurs of big band music, and also makes an excellent gift! The tracks
are Eshel Sketch; La Danza Infinita; Vinifera; Down A Rabbit Hole; Mr. Jones and Company; BJ's Tune; Suite for Sean
Jones: I. The Artist; Suite for Sean Jones: II. The Educator; Suite for Sean Jones: III. The Husband and Father; and Suite for
Sean Jones: IV. The Human Soul.
Salvaging the Future
Dean De Benedictis
Spotted Peccary Music
www.SpottedPeccary.com
$16.00 CD / $10.00 digital
Bandcamp
https://deandebenedictis.bandcamp.com/album/salvaging-the-future
Salvaging the Future is the third and concluding installment of a rapturous music CD trilogy by ambient electronic music
artist Dean De Benedictis; the first two CDs of the trilogy are Salvaging the Past, and Salvaging the Present. The
instrumental album, shaped through a multilayered process involving re-synthesis, layered processing, and older computer
systems treated as distinct instruments, draws the listener into an inspirational soundscape that sparks imagination and hope
that tomorrow will be better than today. The entire trilogy is a treasure for electronic new age music connoisseurs, highly
recommended. The tracks are My Love Is An Extinction Event; The Outer Links; Voca; They Fought To Sway; Urband
Glacier Fund; ASMR Tragedy Lines, Salvaging My Story; Future Incandescence; All The Wild; Born Of Flight; and Our
Story Survives Collectively.
The Tulsa Sessions
Kent Blazy
kentblazy.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBZF6T4M
The Tulsa Sessions is a new album by hit country music songwriter, singer, and guitarist Kent Blazy, recorded in the
legendary Church Studio of Tulsa, Oklahoma. All songs are Kent Blazy's original compositions except for "Once Upon A
Rhyme", which is co-written by Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. The Tulsa Sessions was deliberately recorded with no artificial
enhancements, no Auto-Tune, no Pro Tools fixes; just pure performance in the moment. The Tulsa Sessions is a treasure for
connoisseurs of original country music, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections, and also
makes an excellent gift! The tracks are Any Given Day; Nobody Loves Me Like You Do; Everything You Are; Nothing
Like Anything; Firsts; Good Times Are Coming; Once Upon a Rhyme; Sunshine Girl; Footsteps of Dylan Perfect for Me;
and Life Is.
American Jazz Institute Presents Between Friends
Jeff Colella and Putter Smith
jeffcolella.com
American Jazz Institute
$16.99 CD
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Between-Friends-Jeff-Colella/dp/B0H3HJ4ZNK
American Jazz Institute Presents Between Friends is a new duo album by extraordinarily talented pianist Jeff Colella and
masterful bassist Putter Smith. Featuring a mix of original compositions and classic favorites, Between Friends showcases
the duo's magnificent flair for coordinated improvisation. Between Friends is a choice pick for personal and public library
jazz collections, and also makes an excellent gift for any occasion! Highly recommended. The tracks are For Us; Anam
Cara; Laurie; Voyage; Locomotive; Isfahan; Catastrophe Loops; A Prayer For The World; The Glide; and We Will Meet
Again.
The Philosophy Shelf
Art and Its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory
Brian Elliott and Stephen David Ross, editors
State University of New York Press
www.sunypress.edu
9798855805475, $51.95, PB, 608pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Its-Significance-Anthology-Aesthetic/dp/B0FKL6PXTC
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/art-and-its-significance-brian-elliott/1147936612
State University of New York Press
https://sunypress.edu/Books/A/Art-and-Its-Significance
Synopsis: A topical, art-practice focused anthology that caters to diverse interests in aesthetics, "Art and Its Significance: An
Anthology of Aesthetic Theory" is a highly engaging and readable anthology which ranges from ancient Greek writing on
epic and theater to contemporary issues relating to how art is impacted by augmented reality technologies.
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Brian Elliott (Editor), Stephen David Ross (Editor), this collection offers a firm
foundation in classic and modern aesthetics as represented by a diverse range of authors from Plato and Aristotle to Judith
Butler, Jacques Ranciere, and Mary Devereaux.
Its thematic organization allows readers to focus on particular topics and genres and make connections between different
approaches to a wide range of artistic expression. Each article is introduced with details on the author and a summary of the
main arguments offered in the text.
Additional section introductions help the reader to understanding how the grouped texts relate to one another. This
anthology does not assume prior knowledge of philosophy or aesthetics and is well suited to college course use.
Critique: This updated and expanded fourth edition of "Art and Its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory" co-
edited by Professors Brian Elliott and Stephen David Ross is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an ideal
choice/selection for Philosophy Aesthetics and Arts/Photography Criticism curriculum textbook studies lists. It should be
noted for the personal reading lists of philosophy and art students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that this paperback edition of "Art and Its Significance: An Anthology of Aesthetic Theory" from the
State University of New York Press (SUNY) is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $47.45).
Editorial Note #1: Brian Elliott (https://philpeople.org/profiles/brian-elliott-1) is a faculty member in the Philosophy
Department at Oregon State University. His publications include Benjamin for Architects; Natural Catastrophe: Climate
Change and Neoliberal Governance; and A Child's Place in Nature: Towards a Pedagogy for the Anthropocene. Stephen
David Ross is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Comparative Literature, SUNY Binghamton. He is the author of
numerous works, including Un-Forgetting: Re-Calling Time Lost; The Gift of Self: Shattering Emptiness, Betrayal; and The
Gift of Property: Having the Good / Betraying Genitivity, Economy and Ecology, an Ethic of the Earth, all published by
SUNY Press.
Editorial Note #2: Stephen David Ross is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture, and of
Comparative Literature at Binghamton University. He received an undergraduate degree in mathematics at Columbia
University. He then discovered his deep love for philosophy and has been writing about it ever since. He has published more
than 20 books. (https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/5610986)
Before the Labels
Siobhan Bridget Kennedy
Align 111, LLC
https://human-centeredphilosophy.com
9798996098712, $24.99, HC, 162pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Labels-labels-ourselves-other/dp/B0H9CF8Y3X
Synopsis: Some books offer answers. The most memorable ones inspire better questions.
Before you were old enough to choose for yourself, you inherited beliefs, labels, opinions, traditions, and assumptions about
the world around you. But how many of them are truly yours?
With the publication of "Before the Labels: The labels we give ourselves, and the ones we give each other... ", author
Siobhan Bridget Kennedy deftly explores the conversations most people avoid: lying and honesty, judgment and
forgiveness, faith beyond religion, divorce, death, intuition, enabling versus supporting, and the difficult truths that shape
every human life. Rather than telling you what to think, she invites you to think more deeply for yourself.
Built around powerful, stand-alone chapters drawn from real-life experiences, "Before the Labels" is a thought-provoking
blend of life philosophy, personal growth, spirituality outside religion, and human connection allows you to begin wherever
your curiosity leads. Open to any chapter and discover an idea that challenges, unsettles, or affirms something you've always
believed.
"Before the Labels" isn't a book about choosing sides. It's about looking beyond the labels we've inherited and finding the
courage to ask better questions. You may not agree with every chapter. But chances are, you'll keep thinking about them
long after you've turned the final page.
"Before the Labels" will challenge what you've been taught, teach you to trust your instincts, and find the wisdom that exists
before the labels.
Critique: Original, exceptional, thought-provoking, iconoclastic, "Before the Labels: The labels we give ourselves, and the
ones we give each other..." by Siobhan Bridget Kennedy will prove of immense relevance to readers with an interest in
Transcendentalism, Humanist, and Religious Philosophy. Exceptionally well written and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
organization and presentation, "Before the Labels" is an especially and unreservedly recommended acquisition for personal,
professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Philosophy collections and supplemental curriculum
studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that
this hardcover edition of "Before the Labels" from Align 111 LLC is also readily available in paperback (9798996098705,
$14.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99).
Editorial Note: These ideas built up for years by Siobhan Bridget Kennedy went into an anonymous Substack with no name
attached and nobody watching. But people found it anyway. Now it has been published in book form as "Before the Labels"
-- this time with her name on it.
The International Studies Shelf
Between Hope & Fear
Marc Schulman
Israel Academic Press
https://israelacademicpress.com
9781885881946, $45.00, HC, 981pp
9781885881939, $29.99, PB, 981pp
9781885881960, $9.99, Kindle, 981pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/BETWEEN-HOPE-FEAR-Politics-Reinvention-ebook/dp/B0HDD189 2N
Synopsis: In 1993, Israelis dared to imagine peace. Thirty years later, they woke to the deadliest day in their history.
"Between Hope & Fear: Israel from Oslo to October 7: Politics, War, and Reinvention" by Marc Schulman is the story of
what happened in between.
From the handshake on the White House lawn to the sirens of October 7 and the wars that followed, Schulman tells the
story of modern Israel's most consequential era: three decades in which the country buried a prime minister, fought two
intifadas and a dozen wars, absorbed a million immigrants, and somehow built one of the most dynamic economies on earth
while rockets fell on its cities.
Schulman (an historian who spent ten years as a Newsweek columnist and now writes the Tel Aviv Diary newsletter and
appears regularly on i24News), chronicles each year as it was lived from his home in Tel Aviv: the assassination of Yitzhak
Rabin, the suicide bombings and the security barrier, the disengagement from Gaza, the rise of Benjamin Netanyahu, the
startup-nation boom, the judicial crisis that brought hundreds of thousands into the streets, and then October 7, 2023, with
the massacre, the hostages, the war on seven fronts, and the confrontation with Iran that followed.
Alongside the year-by-year narrative of politics, wars, and a society under strain runs a second story: the explosive rise of
Israel's high-tech economy, built floor by floor while the ground shook.
Written from inside the story, in a city where Schulman counted the seconds between siren and interception, "Between Hope
& Fear" is neither polemic nor eulogy. It is the account of a nation that lived, year by year, between hope and fear.
Critique: Detailed, documented, informative and insightful, "Between Hope & Fear: Israel from Oslo to October 7: Politics,
War, and Reinvention" is an extraordinary contribution to understanding the modern history of Israel from an eyewitness
perspective. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Between Hope & Fear" from the Israel
Academic Press is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and
college/university library Israeli & Palestinian History collections and supplemental Contemporary Middle East
International Relations curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Marc Schulman (https://marcschulman.com) is an historian who has spent four decades making history
accessible in print, on screen, and online. He is the founder and editor of HistoryCentral, one of the web's oldest and largest
history sites, and the author of History of American Presidential Elections: From George Washington to Joseph Biden, along
with numerous works on American history, naval history, and the presidency. A pioneer of educational technology, he
created his first multimedia history (a biography of John F. Kennedy) in 1992, and was among the earliest developers of
history apps for the iPhone and iPad.
Since returning to Israel in 2011, Schulman has chronicled Israeli politics and life from his home in Tel Aviv: for ten years
as a Newsweek columnist, and today in his independent newsletter and podcast, Tel Aviv Diary. He appears regularly as a
commentator on i24NEWS. His newest book, Between Hope and Fear: Israel from Oslo to October 7, tells the story of
Israel's last three decades from inside them. He holds a BA and MA from Columbia University.
The Business Shelf
The Governed Enterprise
Robin Horstmann
https://www.robinhorstmann.com
R&B Carthage Press
9798996062027, $39.99, HC, 469pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Governed-Enterprise-Governance-Playbook-Consumer/dp/B0H8LVR RYD
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-governed-enterprise-robin-horstmann/1150835350
Synopsis: Your company is already running AI. But it is not running AI governance.
Marketing is drafting copy in ChatGPT. Procurement is piloting agents that can place orders. Your software vendors have
embedded AI in systems you approved years ago. None of it waited for a policy. And the gap between what your company
has deployed and what it can actually oversee is where your real risk lives: the next recall, the next data leak, the next
regulatory finding.
With the publication of "The Governed Enterprise: An AI Governance Playbook for Consumer Goods", Robin Horstmann
has created a working playbook for the executives accountable when AI acts on its own -- the CIO, the General Counsel, the
VP of Operations, the CFO. Horstmann is a thirty-year enterprise technology leader with deep experience in consumer
goods manufacturing environments, it translates AI governance out of the compliance binder and onto the plant floor, the
co-manufacturer contract, and the board agenda.
"The Governed Enterprise" is not about slowing AI down. It is about deploying AI reliably enough to extend its authority,
capture the value at scale, and keep the trust of the retailers, regulators, and consumers who make the business possible.
"The Governed Enterprise" covers:
How to give an agentic AI real spending authority without writing a blank check - circuit breakers, kill switches, and spend
authority matrices built for supply chains, not slide decks
Why undeclared allergens become an AI problem the moment a co-manufacturer substitutes an ingredient, and how to
govern the vendors operating on your behalf
What the Samsung data leak and the Knight Capital collapse teach every CPG leader before they authorize their next
deployment
A maturity model to locate exactly where your organization stands on AI risk today
Specific next steps at the close of every chapter -- written to be acted on this quarter, not admired
The regulatory timeline is set. The liability is already in court. Build the governance capability now, while it is still a
competitive choice rather than a crisis response. As Horstmann reveals:
"Governance is not the cost of being responsible. It is how you win."
Critique: Timely, informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Governed Enterprise: An
AI Governance Playbook for Consumer Goods" by Robin Horstmann is an ideal introduction for corporate executives on the
risks, advantages, and optimal uses of AI in commerce with respect to critically important issues of security, information
systems and AI governance of corporate manufacturing, information and data delivery. A seminal and groundbreaking
study, "The Governed Enterprise" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
college/university Business Management & AI collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted for MBA students, academia, corporate executives, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject
that this hardcover edition of "The Governed Enterprise" is also available from R&B Carthage Press in paperback
(9798996062003, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Robin Horstmann (https://www.robinhorstmann.com) is a technology leader in consumer packaged goods,
currently implementing agentic AI for accounting and manufacturing and building the foundations it runs on. While earning
the IAPP's Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional credential, she looked for a governance reference written for
consumer goods and found only frameworks built for banks, insurers, and general enterprise. She wrote the playbook
afterward. Her certifications cover AI governance (AIGP), AI security (AAISM), risk and IT controls (CRISC), information
security (CISM), data privacy (CDPSE), and delivery (PMP).
The Art Shelf
Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese Art
Andreas Marks
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805320327, $29.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Samurai-Greatest-Battles-Warriors-Depicted/dp/480532032X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/samurai-andreas-marks/1149079773
Synopsis: With the publication of "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese Art", art historian
Andreas Marks describes the momentous battles in Japanese history and the renowned Samurai who fought them, as seen in
over 300 great works of art by leading artists, including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Kunisada.
Dr. Marks has scoured museum archives and private collections worldwide to present the finest prints and colored folded
screen paintings depicting the dramatic events and personalities that shaped Japan as a nation.
Dr. Marks includes descriptions and striking visual images of over 50 battles and 75 great warriors, including:
The Battle of Dannoura (1185): The final battle of the Genpei War, in which Minamoto forces led by Yoshitsune defeated
the Taira fleet led by Tomomori. Emperor Antoku and many Taira committed suicide, spelling an end to the clan and
ushering in the Kamakura shogunate.
The Battle of Okehazama (1560): A decisive battle where Oda Nobunaga's samurai were outnumbered but managed to
defeat Imagawa Yoshimoto's larger army. This victory was achieved through a surprise attack in driving rain and led to the
final downfall of the Imagawa clan in the Tokai region.
The Battle of Nagashino (1575): Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga unite to defeat Takeda Katsuyori. They employ
innovative tactics, revolutionizing Japanese warfare to secure a decisive victory against the formidable Takeda clan.
The Battle of Sekigahara (1600): The greatest and bloodiest battle in Japanese history, in which Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern
Army defeated the Toyotomi clan's Western Army, leading to the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate which unified
and ruled Japan for over 250 years.
"Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese Art" is richly-illustrated volume that will be of special
interest to military history buffs and fans of the Emmy award-winning Shogun TV series, providing coverage of the epic
battles, weaponry and armor to be featured in the upcoming 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in
Japanese Art" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a six page Introduction (The Rich
Visual Record of Samurai Battles and Heroes), a Bibliography, Notes, Acknowledgements, and Picture Credits. Beginning
with a chapter focused on mythological heroes and the early history of the Samurai, to The Heian Period (794-1192), The
Kamakura and Nanbokucho Periods (1192-1392), The Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama Periods (1467-1603), The Edo
Period and the End of the Samurai Era (1603-1877), "Samurai, The Greatest Battles and Warriors: Depicted in Japanese
Art" is an inherently fascinating and fully informative and illustrated history of the Japanese Samurai and unreservedly
recommended as a prized pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Japanese History & Art
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Andreas Marks received his PhD from Leiden University with a dissertation on 19th-century actor prints.
Since 2013, he has been the Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and Director of the Clark Center for
Japanese Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. His research has earned the International Ukiyo-e Society Award and the
International Fine Print Dealers Association's top book award twice (2018 and 2022). In 2024, he received a commendation
from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contributions to promoting Japanese culture. He is the author of
almost 30 books, including Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks: 1680-1900 and Japanese
Yokai and Other Supernatural Beings: Authentic Paintings and Prints of 100 Ghosts, Demons, Monsters and
Magicians.
Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism
Daniel Birnbaum and Cecile Debray
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080148292, $85.00, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cahiers-dArt-Modernism-Daniel-Birnbaum/dp/208014829X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cahiers-dart-daniel-birnbaum/1149787696
Synopsis: Founded in Paris in 1926 as a publishing house, gallery, and art journal, Cahiers d'Art quickly established itself as
a vital platform for the most influential artists, poets, and critical thinkers of the twentieth century.
From the earliest issues of La Revue, the editors championed trailblazing artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and
Wassily Kandinsky. Over time, it expanded to feature renowned artists, writers, thinkers, and photographers, including
Marcel Duchamp, Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, Samuel Beckett, Jacques Lacan, Georges Bataille, and
Dora Maar, reinforcing the journal's reputation as a groundbreaking visual and intellectual forum.
Since its relaunch in 2012, Cahiers d'Art has revitalized its seminal journal and gallery exhibitions, bridging historical
figures like Alexander Calder with contemporary voices such as Arthur Jafa, Gabriel Orozco, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and
Rosemarie Trockel.
Co-authored by Daniel Birnbaum and Cecile Debray, "Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism" is centenary volume
celebrates the significance of modernism and the crucial role Cahiers d'Art played in the dissemination of modern art.
Critique: As a premire art magazine, Cahiers d'Art fostered innovation within the European avant-garde for a century.
"Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism " is a profusely illustrated and impressively informative retrospective work that
celebrates its vision and contributions to the ever evolving world of art. Profusely illustrated throughout, this large format
(9.87 x 0.98 x 12.62 inches, 1.25 pounds) hardcover edition of "Cahiers d'Art: A Century of Modernism" from Flammarion
is a singularly unique and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and college/university
library Art History & Criticism collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Daniel Birnbaum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Birnbaum), curator and art critic, is former
director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm.
Editorial Note #2: Cecile Debray (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9cile_Debray) is president of the Musee National
Picasso in Paris.
Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay
Edited by Paul Perrin
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080447210, $40.00, HC, 272pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Impressionism-Mus%C3%A9e-dOrsay-Masterpieces-Artists/dp/20804 47211
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impressionism-at-the-musee-dorsay-musee-dorsay/1149787 646
Synopsis: Compiled with commentary from the Musee D'Orsay and deftly edited by Paul Perrin, "Impressionism at the
Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" is an authoritative and beautifully illustrated volume that offers
an informative introduction to impressionism through one hundred iconic works from the exceptional Musee d'Orsay
collection. When the impressionists first showed their work, it shook the art world. The movement went on to transform
Western art and remains the most popular art period to this day.
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" is a beautifully produced volume in which
the fundamental principles at the heart of the Impressionist Art movement are unfurled through ten key dates and ten central
themes favored by the Impressionist painters, including intimacy, landscapes, interiors, and the interplay of light.
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" also features concise biographies of
renowned artists (Manet, Monet, Morisot, Cassatt, Gonzales, Degas, Renoir, Sisley, Caillebotte, Pissarro, Bazille, Cezanne,
and Bracquemond) and highlights of their work accompanied by in-depth commentary from art historians complete this
essential reference.
Critique: The large format (9.74 x 1.21 x 11.27 inches, 1.25 pounds) hard cover, coffee-table style edition of
"Impressionism at the Musee dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates", published by Flammarion, is
informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a four page Introduction (The Musee d'Orsay's
Impressionist Collection), a chronological arranged chapters on the artists and their art, a five page Listing of Artworks, one
page of Endnotes, and a one page listing of Credits. Exceptional, impressive, informative, "Impressionism at the Musee
dOrsay: Masterpieces, Artists, Themes, Key Dates" an ideal and unreservedly recommended acquisition for personal,
professional, community, and college/university library European Art History collections and supplemental Impressionist
Art curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: The Musee d'Orsay houses the world's largest and growing collection of Impressionist paintings,
featuring a wealth of masterpieces. Recent acquisitions include major works by pioneering female painters such as Marie
Bracquemond, Mary Cassatt, and Eva Gonzales.
Editorial Note #2: Paul Perrin is director of conservation and collections at the Musee d'Orsay. A French art historian and
heritage curator specialized in nineteenth-century art, and impressionist and academic painting, he has co-curated
exhibitions including Frederic Bazille and the Birth of Impressionism.
Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890
Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre
Flammarion
c/o Rizzoli
www.rizzoliusa.com
9782080151797, $45.00, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Monet-Giverny-Before-Lilies-1883-1890/dp/2080151797
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/monet-in-giverny-cyrille-sciama/1149787656
Synopsis: Co-authored by museum curators Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre, "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water
Lilies, 1883-1890" from Flammarion is a richly illustrated study that sheds light on a previously under-explored chapter of
Monet's life and career -- those formative years he spent discovering and capturing the beauty of Giverny and his home
there, leading up to his signature water lily studies.
Long before his own garden bloomed were the surrounding fields, hills, trees, light, and villages he encountered as he
explored the region captivated him. Far from isolated in this bucolic setting, Monet became ever more connected to the
world of art, enriching his energy and imagination.
"Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890" reveals the conditions that shaped one of the most prolific
Impressionist artists of all time as Monet spend these formative years producing a series of paintings of poppies, poplars,
meadows and hills, river banks -- all part of a landscape shaped by rain and mist, sunlight and shifting skies.
Published in collaboration with the Musee des Impressionnismes Giverny, "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies,
1883-1890" encompasses over sixty works in dazzling color and detail, providing fresh insights and untold perspectives,
retracing the steps that led to Monet's status as a global cultural icon. The wide and thematic selection of works includes
some little-known treasures from private collections and illustrates the development of the master painter's talent.
Critique: Simply stated, "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890" is a seminal and groundbreaking study that
is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the life and work of Oscar-Claude Monet (14 November 1840 - 5
December 1926) and the Impressionist Art movement. Profusely and beautifully illustrated, informative and insightful
commentaries, this hardcover edition of "Monet in Giverny: Before the Water Lilies, 1883-1890" by collaborative co-
authors Cyrille Sciama and Marie Delbarre is a seminal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Impressionist Art History/Biography collections in general and supplemental
Monet curriculum studies lists in particular.
Editorial Note #1: Cyrille Sciama is chief heritage curator and director of the Musee des Impressionnismes Giverny.
Editorial Note #2: Marie Delbarre is a research assistant at the Musee d'Orsay.
Modern Folk Art
Sandra Hutter
Rock Point
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9798317900663, $21.99, PB, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Folk-Art-Charming-Botanicals/dp/B0GF1DHNXH
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/modern-folk-art-sandra-hutter/1149154008
Synopsis: With the publication of "Modern Folk Art: Draw 75 Charming Animals, Botanicals, Patterns, and More", popular
surface pattern designer and illustrator Sandra Hutter guides you through 75 easy-to-follow tutorials for drawing beloved
folk art motifs. Along with vibrant illustrations, this charming book provides simple instructions for creating your own folk
art, from tools, techniques, and color palettes to getting creative when adding details, patterns, and designs.
With "Modern Folk Art" you will learn how to draw a variety of popular folk art illustrations in chapters devoted to:
Florals & Botanicals
Fruits, Veggies & Snacks
Friendly Creatures
Everyday Objects
Holidays
Lettering
You will also enjoy encouraging tips with every tutorial on how to be bold with your creativity! The key to captivating folk
art is adding color and details to make your creations stand out.
"Modern Folk Art" is a fun and fresh take on this timeless art style. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a novice, you'll feel
your creativity blossom with this comprehensive guide to the cheerful world of folk art.
Critique: Original, thoroughly art student friendly in organization, presentation, and approach, "Modern Folk Art: Draw 75
Charming Animals, Botanicals, Patterns, and More" by Sandra Hutter is an ideal DIY instructional guide for both novice
and experienced illustrators and art students alike. While this large format (8.05 x 0.7 x 10.05 inches, 1.12 pounds) trade
paperback edition of "Modern Folk Art" is a highly recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library
instructional Contemporary Art reference collections, it should be noted for art students, novice artists and experienced
illustrators alike that this Rock Point edition of "Modern Folk Art" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$21.99).
Editorial Note: Sandra Hutter (https://www.sandrahutter.com) is a surface pattern designer and illustrator based in Vienna,
Austria. For the past seven years, she has been running her own business and specializes in creating cheerful artwork in bold
and vibrant colors for the things people love in their everyday lives. Her art has been featured on a wide range of products
by companies around the world.
20-Minute Watercolor
Emily Olson
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
https://quarto.com
9781577157526, $22.99, PB, 160pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/20-Minute-Watercolor-Projects-Beginner-Friendly/dp/1577157524
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/20-minute-watercolor-emily-olson/1149752277
Synopsis: With the publication of "20-Minute Watercolor: 52 Projects Using 7 Paint Colors and 1 Brush - Beginner Friendly
Projects to Build a Daily Painting Habit" by watercolor art specialist and experienced instructor Emily Oldson, you will not
need a huge time commitment or fancy tools to start watercolor painting -- just 20 minutes a day, 7 basic colors, and 1 good
brush. "20-Minute Watercolor" makes watercolor approachable, enjoyable, and achievable for every skill level.
"20-Minute Watercolor" is a compendium of 52 quick painting projects, each of which are designed to teach watercolor
basics in an engaging and low-pressure format. Aspiring artistw will learn essential techniques like washes, wet-on-wet, dry
brushing, and color mixing -- all while painting everyday objects, landscapes, florals, animals, and more. Each project
includes step-by-step instructions, progress photos, and links to supporting videos, making it easy to succeed even if you've
never picked up a brush.
"20-Minute Watercolor" features:
Quick 20-minute sessions that make it easy to build a daily painting habit
Simple supplies (you only need 7 colors and 1 brush to start)
Bonus templates and videos to help you trace, paint, and practice with confidence
An encouraging tone and expert instruction from a popular teacher who has taught thousands of people through her online
classes
Perfect for beginners, hobbyists, and anyone craving a calm, creative outlet, "20-Minute Watercolor" proves that watercolor
doesn't have to be intimidating. It's the perfect gift, daily challenge, or personal reset -- and a beautiful way to add more art
to your life.
Critique: This large format (8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches, 1.3 pounds) trade paperback edition of "20-Minute Watercolor: 52
Projects Using 7 Paint Colors and 1 Brush - Beginner Friendly Projects to Build a Daily Painting Habit" by Emily Olson
(founder of Watercolor Mastery) is informatively enhanced for the reader/user's benefit with the inclusion of Traceable
Templates and is an ideal selection for personal and professional art instruction collections and art class curriculum studies
lists. It should be noted that "20-Minute Watercolor" from Quarry Books is also currently available for art students and
watercolor painting novices in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.35).
Editorial Note: Emily Olson (www.watercolormastery.com) is an artist living in Boulder, Colorado. She has taught
thousands of people to paint with her "no pressure, just paint" method through her Watercolor Mastery online school. She is
the author of Paint the National Parks and can be followed on Instagram: @e_olson_art & YouTube: @EmilyOlsonArt
Learn to Watercolor Adorable Animals
Lacey Walker
Walter Foster Publishing
Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9781577158646, $24.99, PB, 154pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Learn-Watercolor-Adorable-Animals-Step/dp/1577158644
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/learn-to-watercolor-adorable-animals-lacey-walker/1149125423
Synopsis: From USA TODAY bestselling author Lacey Walker (@rebelunicorncrafts) comes Learn to Watercolor Adorable
Animals, a fun and accessible way to explore watercolor painting - no sketching required!
"Learn to Watercolor Adorable Animals: 20 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Lessons on Watercolor Paper" by Lacey
Walker (@rebelunicorncrafts) is delightful DIY instruction guide for aspiring watercolor artists and features 20
beginner-friendly projects, each focused on a different animal subject.
Aspiring artists will learn how to paint a playful pug, a curious pigeon, or a fun-loving octopus -- alongside other charming
creatures chosen to delight and inspire. Each individual project introduces essential watercolor skills while guiding you
toward creating frame-worthy artwork of your own.
"Learn to Watercolor Adorable Animals" features:
Step-by-step painting tutorials
A variety of lovable cartoon-like animal subjects
Outlines printed on a watercolor paper pad - no tracing or sketching necessary
Watercolor techniques, including wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, layering, blooms, and more
Linked video tutorials for extra guidance
Whether you are new to watercolor or simply looking for a relaxing and creative hobby, "Learn to Watercolor Adorable
Animals" provides everything you need for a joyful, stress-free painting experience -- perfect for enjoying on your own or as
a fun activity with kids.
Editorial Note: This trade paperback edition of "Learn to Watercolor Adorable Animals: 20 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly
Lessons on Watercolor Paper" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and step-by-step presentations making it an ideal
and fun pick as a personal DIY watercolor painting instructional guides and art school curriculum studies lists. It should be
noted that "Learn to Watercolor Adorable Animals: 20 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Lessons on Watercolor Paper" from
Walter Foster Publishing is also readily available to art students and aspiring watercolor artists in a digital book format
(Kindle, $24.99).
Editorial Note: Lacey Walker is the artist and creator behind Rebel Unicorn Crafts (www.rebelunicorncrafts.com) and the
immensely popular Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts @RebelUnicornCrafts. She has an unstoppable need to
create, whether watercolor painting, drawing, crafting, pottery, or silversmithing. She is always thinking of new things to
make and experimenting with new mediums. Guided by her belief that art and creativity are crucial to the world and
essential for achieving happiness, she loves to spread knowledge and creativity through social media classes, her blog, and
her shop.
The Crafts Shelf
Official Fourth Wing Crochet: Flight of Dragons
Quarry
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://quarto.com
9798317900601, $24.99
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Fourth-Wing-Crochet-Award-Winning/dp/B0GQKYS9GR
Synopsis: Stitch your own dragons from the world of Fourth Wing. This enchanting kit includes all the materials you need
to crochet Baby Andarna, plus a bonus pattern for Tairn.
If you're a fan of the bestselling Empyrean series of novels by Rebecca Yarros, you can now bring their favorite dragons to
life with Official Fourth Wing Crochet: Flight of Dragons, a collectible crochet kit inspired by Fourth Wing, Iron Flame,
and Onyx Storm.
This officially licensed kit celebrates the bond between rider and dragon through two beautifully designed crochet patterns -
Baby Andarna, the golden feathertail; and Tairn, the legendary black Morningstartail - both created by noted crochet
designer Jodie Chadwick.
Inside the kit:
All the supplies you'll need to crochet Baby Andarna, including gold yarn, hook, stuffing, wire for wings, and safety
eyes
A 64-page instruction booklet with complete patterns for Baby Andarna (13.5 inches/34.3 cm long) and Tairn (52
inches/132 cm long), including detailed instructions and full-color photos
Dragon lore pages featuring color and tail meanings
Each stitch channels the courage, strength, and wonder that define the Empyrean saga. Whether displayed as keepsakes or
gifted to fellow fans, these handmade dragons embody the heart of the story - and the magic of creativity itself.
Critique: Based on and fully licensed by the award-winning "Empyrean" fantasy series by Rebecca Yarros, Official Fourth
Wing Crochet: Flight of Dragons is a hands-on, easy to use boxed kit crafting project with all the materials needed to
crochet a golden baby Andarna dragon (13.5 inches/34.3 cm long), plus a bonus pattern to crochet the larger (52 inches/132
cm long) black dragon Tairn. Crocheters will need to provide their own yarn, stuffing, wire, and safety eyes to create
Tairn.
Official Fourth Wing Crochet: Flight of Dragons contains a 64-page project book with detailed, step-by-step instructions;
220m of golden yarn; a crochet hook; stuffing; 1m of wire; safety eyes; a tapestry needle; and stitch markers for the golden
baby Andarna dragon. Official Fourth Wing Crochet: Flight of Dragons is a delightful way for dragon fans to enjoy crochet,
and create a memorable handmade keepsake or gift! Highly recommended. It should be noted that Official Fourth Wing
Crochet: Flight of Dragons is intended for crocheters age 14 and older, and is not suitable for young children due to the
presence of small parts.
The Needlecraft Shelf
The Wandering Knitter
Krista Ann
Quarry Book
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9780760398715, $24.99, PB, 128pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Knitter-Learn-Techniques-Project/dp/0760398712
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wandering-knitter-krista-ann/1149390070
Synopsis: If you're a dedicated needlecrafter looking to expand your knitting skills and explore the world without leaving
your favorite chair, with the publication of "The Wandering Knitter: Learn New Techniques, One Project & Place at a
Time", professional designer and world traveler Krista Ann invites you on a cross-continental knitting adventure, using 20
destination-inspired patterns to teach essential techniques like lace, cables, brioche, colorwork, and more.
Each individual chapter takes you to a new region, from the flower fields of California to iconic East Coast beaches. With
every project, you'll "visit" a different place, explore a new knitting technique, and come away with a memorable hand-knit
souvenir. And if you're inspired to venture out with your knitting, Krista shares valuable tips for traveling with yarn.
Inside this guided journey through fiber there are:
20 knitting patterns inspired by inspiring destinations, from beautiful beaches and majestic mountains to flower fields and
desert vistas.
Tips for knitting on the go and making the most of your travel time
Project planning advice for road trips, retreats, and yarn crawls
Perfect for adventurous beginners and experienced knitters alike, "The Wandering Knitter" is a celebration of hands-on
learning, travel stories, and the joy of making. Whether you're knitting from your RV, your couch, or a cozy cabin in the
woods, "The Wandering Knitter" turns each project into a passport stamp of fiber and creativity.
Critique: Original, illustrated, inspiring, and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization, presentation and style, this
large format (8.75 x 0.39 x 10.95 inches, 1.34 pounds) paperback edition of "The Wandering Knitter: Learn New
Techniques, One Project & Place at a Time" from Quarry Books is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal,
professional, and community library Contemporary Needlecraft instructional reference collections. It should be noted for
novice and experienced knitters that "The Wandering Knitter" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$24.99).
Editorial Note: Krista Ann (https://kristaannes.com) is a professional crocheter, knitter, and world traveler. She enjoys
teaching aspiring makers how to create a flawless piece. Krista has professionally knit (and crocheted) pieces that have
appeared in many major television shows and movies, including Hocus Pocus 2, The Mindy Project, Stranger Things, and
Annabelle Comes Home. She is the author of Crocheting the National Parks and Knitting Van Gogh. You can follow her
adventures across the USA on Instagram @explorewithknitsy
A Hoop of Threads & Longing
Hilary Leslie
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9781577158172, $19.99, PB, 112pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Hoop-Threads-Longing-Ink-Drinking-Projects_Oaths/dp/1577158172
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-hoop-of-threads-longing-hilary-leslie/1149125373
Synopsis: "A Hoop of Threads & Longing: 20 Ink-Drinking, Slow-Burning Romantasy Embroidery Projects - Oaths,
Daggers & Stitches for Shelf Trophies" by embroidery expert Hilary Lesie brings the worlds of fantasy romance off the page
and into the hoop with a charming array of romantasy-inspired embroidery projects.
Designed for both devoted readers and eager makers, "A Hoop of Threads & Longing" is an enchanting DIY 'how-to'
manual that combines beginner-friendly instruction with imaginative motifs inspired by the tropes fans love most.
From celestial daggers and dragon sigils to fae bargains and cozy library scenes, each project captures a slice of romantasy
magic. With customizable templates, step-by-step instructions, and QR-linked videos, you can feel confident as you bring
your favorite stories to life in stitches.
"A Hoop of Threads & Longing" is comprised of:
15 in-the-hoop patterns featuring dragons, daggers, fae bargains, star-crossed lovers, and more.
5 no-sew projects for embroidered bookmarks, book bag, needlebook, and e-reader sleeve.
A comprehensive stitch guide introducing embroidery basics in a clear, visual format.
Transfer methods and finishing techniques for professional results every time.
Customizable templates ready to transfer to your fabric.
QR codes linking to short video tutorials for extra guidance.
Projects tailored for display as "shelf trophies" - perfect for reading nooks or gifts.
Blending craft and fandom, "A Hoop of Threads & Longing" invites you to experience one of the hottest embroidery trends.
Whether you're an embroiderer drawn to fantastical motifs or a romantasy reader ready to make your love of the genre
tangible, "A Hoop of Threads & Longing" offers an irresistible escape -- one stitch at a time.
Critique: Original, illustrated, inspiring, and absolutely 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "A Hoop of Threads
& Longing: 20 Ink-Drinking, Slow-Burning Romantasy Embroidery Projects -- Oaths, Daggers & Stitches for Shelf
Trophies" from Quarry Books is highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft:
Embroidery instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Hilary Leslie is a self-taught embroidery artist living in Maine. Though drawing was her main creative outlet
since day one, she never looked back once she picked up an embroidery needle in 2020. Hilary's work has since been
featured in Love Embroidery Magazine, Labores del Hogar, Homespun, and Etsy's Pick. She has expanded her reach to new
audiences as the author of Unofficial Bridgerton Embroidery, with more books to come. You can see more of her work and
get a glimpse behind the scenes on Instagram and TikTok @hlesliedesign and on Etsy at hlesliedesign.etsy.com
The Woodworking Shelf
Japanese Carpentry
Carpenters Tool Study Group
Tuttle Publishing
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9784805320464, $29.99, HC, 176pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Carpentry-Complete-Projects-Drawings/dp/480532046X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/japanese-carpentry-carpenters-tool-study-group/1149079770
Synopsis: "Japanese Carpentry: The Complete Guide to Joinery, Tools, Woods and Projects" by the Carpenters Tool Study
Group is lavishly illustrated volume that introduces you to all the tools and techniques used by traditional Japanese
carpenters. It also introduces the joinery techniques used to create all types of furniture items without the use of screws or
nails, as well as the essential tools -- traditional Japanese chisels, saws, mallets, planes and more.
"Japanese Carpentry" is essential guide provides all the key information you need to know including:
Japanese-style Joinery: Three-piece, wrapped, sword-locked mortise, T-joints, L-joints and many more!
Handcrafted Japanese Tools: Traditional implements used by master carpenters: chisels, saws, planes and more!
Woods & Design: How to select the right woods and how to design and plan your project!
Workshop Set-up: How do you set up the ideal workshop? See how Japanese carpenters do it!
Keepsake Pieces: Detailed step-by-step instructions for ornate boxes, chests of drawers and elegant side tables!
Finishing Techniques and Materials: Japanese-style lacquer and finishing techniques, hinges and hardware.
Whether you're a weekend hobbyist or a seasoned professional, "Japanese Carpentry" will open up a whole new world of
woodworking artistry, refinement and technique!
Critique: Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, "Japanese Carpentry: The Complete Guide to Joinery, Tools, Woods
and Projects" is a welcome and informative introduction to the traditional Japanese approach to carpentry, including the
creation of custom-made furniture and accessories. Informed and informative, as well as thoroughly 'reader friendly' in
organization, scope, and presentation, "Japanese Carpentry: The Complete Guide to Joinery, Tools, Woods and Projects" is
an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community instructional carpentry collections,
and trade college carpentry curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: The Carpenters Tool Study Group is a craft collective which brings together Japan's leading woodworkers,
carpenters and wood-based craftspeople.
The Interior Design Shelf
The Well-Crafted Home
Vivienne Ayers and Brent Darby
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Books
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781804194164, $39.99, HC, 224pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Well-Crafted-Home-Bespoke-Handmade-Living/dp/1804194166
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-well-crafted-home-vivienne-ayers/1149370927
Synopsis: "The Well-Crafted Home: Bespoke Handmade Living" taps into the slow living movement - sustainable,
individual, handcrafted and simple. From the photographer and interiors writer team of Brent Darby and Vivienne Ayers,
"The Well-Crafted Home" showcases the work of more than 15 inspiring interiors that features furniture, furnishings,
decorative objects or materials, from artisan tilework to designer furniture, reclaimed antiques to individually created
ceramics and glass.
The craft revival is truly underway, as home owners turn away from mass-produced and readily available items. "The
Well-Crafted Home" is a celebration of living with the handmade in all its forms, from furniture and furnishings to art and
craft. Stunning locations and photography showcase the work of individual designers, architects and creatives to reveal how
to embrace the craft aesthetic in your own home to create an individual style.
"The Well-Crafted Home" is for anyone who wants to create a home that celebrates a unique style inspired by the creative
process in architecture, design or decoration or simply by the local landscape and materials used for home design.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout, this large format hardcover edition of "The Well-Crafted Home:
Bespoke Handmade Living" by co-authors and professional interior designers Vivienne Ayers and Brent Darby is
informative enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of an two page introduction (Te Importance of Craft in a
Home), a one page listing of the Contributors and their credentials, and a three page Index. Inspiring, thought-provoking,
and simply fascinating to browse through from start to finish, "The Well-Crafted Home" is an especially and unreservedly
recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Interior Home
Design collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Well-
Crafted Home" from Kyle Books is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).
Editorial Note #1: Writer Vivienne Ayers (@vivienneayersjourno) is an experienced interiors writer and stylist with a black
book stuffed with great locations and interiors contacts. She worked as houses editor on Country Homes & Interiors for 15
years before returning to Homes & Gardens as a contributing editor on a freelance basis.
Editorial Note #2: Photographer Brent Darby (@brentdarbyphotgraphy) has contributed to Create, Curate and Cocoon. He is
a highly respected London-based New Zealander who specializes in lifestyle and interiors. He travels all over the world to
shoot interiors for books and magazines including Country Living, The English Home, Country Homes & Interiors and
Period Living. He was co-author, with Vivienne Ayers, of Living in New Rustic Style, published in 2024 by Lannoo in
Belgium.
The Photography Shelf
The Wild Magic of Iceland
Norris Niman
Epic Ink
c/o Quarto Publishing Group
https://www.quarto.com
9781577159599, $35.00, HC, 256pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Magic-Iceland-Photographic-Journey/dp/1577159594
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wild-magic-of-iceland-norris-niman/1148830201
Synopsis: For centuries, the breathtaking waterfalls, fierce volcanoes, and sweeping green hills of Iceland have captivated
travelers' imaginations. With the publication of "The Wild Magic of Iceland: A Photographic Journey Through the Seasons",
acclaimed photographer and adventurer Norris Niman transports you to these and more picturesque sites on a visual
adventure through the seasons, featuring 100+ dazzling photographs. His daring and immersive shots, taken from precarious
positions including propelling off glaciers and kayaking past icebergs, reflect his deep connection with the country he now
calls home.
Capturing Iceland's fascinating beauty and climate, each individual photo is accompanied by a description of the location
and Niman's personal observations and insights, proving that there is no wrong time to visit Iceland! Gorgeously packaged,
"The Wild Magic of Iceland" includes a variety of iconic Icelandic landmarks captured in their ideal season, including:
Summer: The Golden Circle, black sand beaches
Fall: Highland regions, forest, Gullfoss Waterfall
Winter: Northern Lights, Ice caves
Spring: Waterfalls, wildlife
As you armchair travel through the country, you will gain a better understanding of the climate and its transition between
seasons. Perfect for travelers, photographers, and art and nature lovers, "The Wild Magic of Iceland" is your opportunity to
marvel at the enchanting beauty of Iceland's landscapes.
Critique: This large format (9.46 x 0.89 x 11.53 inches, 3.11 pounds) hardcover edition of "The Wild Magic of Iceland: A
Photographic Journey Through the Seasons" showcasing the amazing and magnificent full page and double-page
photographs of Norris Niman is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a four page
Introduction and a one page Gear List. Beautiful to browse through and a stellar example of landscape and travel
photography, "The Wild Magic of Iceland" fully lives up to the promise of its titles. While an unreservedly recommended
acquisition choice for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Photography
collections, it should be noted that this hardcover edition of "The Wild Magic of Iceland" from Epic Ink is also available for
photography students, academia, commercial photographers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Iceland
and/or photography in a digital book format (Kindle, $35.00).
Editorial Note: Norris Niman (@norrisniman) is a Swedish award-winning photographer and filmmaker, Nikon Creator, and
professional adventurer roaming the world since 2011, and living in Iceland. His work is built on the excitement of the
outdoors, the peace in nature, the harsh north, and the adventurer's lifestyle. Hand in hand with Niman's photography and
videography comes guiding, and he has been leading adventure tours and photography workshops, also since 2011.
Susie
Nick Cave, author
Dominique Issermann, photographer
Irma Boom, designer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500029855, $45.00, HC, 192pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Susie-Nick-Cave/dp/0500029857
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/susie-nick-cave/1149635334
Synopsis: Nick Cave's profound devotion to his wife Susie is present in the images he has crafted through words and lyrics
since they met in 1997. Their longstanding friend, photographer Dominique Issermann, has spent years with Susie
attempting the same elusive task on camera. The result is "Susie" -- a mirror held up to an ethereal presence, whose form
beguiles and evades the lens: there are many characters within, many Susies to record, beginning in the early days of Nick
and Susie falling in love.
In her own words, the role Susie feels most true to is that of mother. Therefore "Susie" is also an extraordinary testament to
mothering -- encompassing both the devastating loss of a beloved child and the deep comfort found in the one who remains.
It opens up a visual account that was previously held close, and casts light on a transformative point in the family's
lives.
Reflections from Nick and Susie center their adoration and faith in each other, and the strength gained through their
friendship with Issermann, whose camera they have trusted to capture even the most intimate family moments.
"Susie" is a unique and special volume to be cherished as it affirms faith in art, enchantment, beauty, and the strength of the
human spirit. It is a visual ode to love, to family, and to Susie.
Critique: Comprised of 66 B/W photographic illustrations accompanied by equally fascinating commentaries, "Susie" is an
extraordinary study that will have a visual, emotional, and intellectual resonance with the reader. This hardcover edition of
"Susie" from Thames & Hudson is original, unique, memorable and exceptional, making it unreservedly recommended for
personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Photography collections and supplemental
Portraiture/Fashion Photography curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Nick Cave (www.nickcave.com) is an award-winning Australian musician, writer, and actor. His band,
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, has been described by Pitchfork as one of rock's "most redoubtable, enduring" bands and his
previous publications include King Ink (1988), And the Ass Saw the Angel (1989), The Death of Bunny Munro (2009), and
Faith, Hope and Carnage (2022), which he cowrote with Sean O'Hagan.
Editorial Note #2: Dominique Issermann (www.dominiqueissermann.com) is a celebrated French photographer who has
shot campaigns for Christian Dior, La Perla, Tiffany, Chanel, and many others.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Johnny Guitar
Brooks E. Hefner
University of New Mexico Press
www.unmpress.com
9780826369642, $19.95, PB, 216pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Guitar-Reel-Brooks-Hefner/dp/0826369642
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/johnny-guitar-brooks-e-hefner/1148560100
Synopsis: What is to be made of 'Johnny Guitar', Nicholas Ray's high-drama psychological Western from 1954?
The film met with a mixed reception on its release but over the years has assumed cult status in some circles, with some
critics now citing it among the greatest examples of the genre.
In this first-ever book on this divisive Western, Professor Brooks Hefner disentangles the tortured production history of the
film and explores the question of what makes Johnny Guitar not only an important film but an important Western in an era
rife with classic examples of the genre.
Made at the peak of director Nicholas Ray's career, Johnny Guitar's layered themes of gender, sexuality, psychology, and
politics make it one of the richest examples of the "adult Western", those increasingly sophisticated films like George
Stevens's Shane (1953), John Ford's The Searchers (1956), and the Westerns of Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher.
At the same time, Johnny Guitar represented an effort by B studio Republic Pictures to produce a prestige picture with
major Hollywood stars like Joan Crawford and Sterling Hayden. Hefner shows how, with the studio system beginning to
crumble, Johnny Guitar sits at a moment when stars and directors began to exert more control over their images and
films.
Critique: A part of the Reel West Series from the University of New Mexico Press, "Johnny Guitar" is a seminal and
groundbreaking study of this 1954 Western by director Nicholas Ray. While controversial in its time, the film, Johnny
Guitar is now celebrated as an iconic example of high camp, LGBTQ themes, and the outer limits of the Hollywood system
in the 1950s. This paperback edition of "Johnny Guitar" is highly recommended for personal, community, and
college/university library American Cinematic History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be
note for film students, academia, and dedicated movie buffs, that this paperback edition of "Johnny Guitar" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Brooks E. Hefner is a professor of English at James Madison University, where he teaches American genre
fiction, film history, and popular film genres. He is the author of Black Pulp: Genre Fiction in the Shadow of Jim Crow and
The Word on the Streets: The American Language of Vernacular Modernism.
The Wine/Beer/Spirits Shelf
Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures
Randy Mosher
University of Chicago Press
www.press.uchicago.edu
9780226848198, $35.00, HC, 376pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Tasting-Brain-Approach-Pleasures/dp/0226848191
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-tasting-brain-randy-mosher/1148226698
University of Chicago Press
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/Y/bo264674950.html
Synopsis: Our foodscape has never been more adventurous, but fully experiencing the subtleties of complex cheeses, wines,
or cocktails can be challenging.
But no longer!
With the publication of "Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures", food writer and
authority Randy Mosher assures us that we can all become master tasters by learning more about the brilliant ways our
bodies translate smell, taste, and mouth-feel into flavor -- without needing to know everything about terroir, varietals, or
exotic ingredients.
In "Your Tasting Brain", Mosher shares a road map to send us on our tasting journey, one that connects the worlds of
science and art. Our bodies are more finely tuned tasting machines than we realize, Mosher explains. Even a simple grasp of
how our senses interact with the world can enhance our culinary delight -- and Mosher offers us a tantalizing framework,
from how our brain processes, categorizes, and rewards (or punishes) encounters with chemicals in food, all the way to how
aromas and flavors spur us to language, emotion, and creativity.
Overflowing with scientific insight and practical advice, "Your Tasting Brain" is an appetizing guide for anyone looking to
enhance the pleasures they find in food through attention, curiosity, and practice.
Critique: Original, exceptional, deftly crafted, inherently fascinating, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and
presentation, "Your Tasting Brain: A Sensory Approach to Wine, Beer, and Other Pleasures" is an extraordinarily
informative study on the medical, physiological, and psychological aspects of of wine tasting and consumption. A seminal
and groundbreaking study, "Your Tasting Brain" is Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with a an eight page
Introduction (Function, Feeling, and Purpose), a two page listing of Acknowledgments, thirty-six pages of Notes, and a
twenty-page Index. Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library
collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general
readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "Your Tasting Brain" from The University of Chicago
Press is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.22).
Editorial Note: Randy Mosher (https://randymosher.com) is a food writer and creative consultant who teaches at the Siebel
Institute of Technology brewing school. He is the author of five books, including Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the
World's Greatest Drink. He is currently a minority partner in two Chicago-area breweries.
The World Atlas of Wine, 9th edition
Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson, and Julia Harding
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
9781784729707, $75.00
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Wine-9th/dp/1784729701
The completely revised wine bible The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding appears
in its 9th edition, extensively updating references to the point that any library holding an older version will want to replace it
with this latest rendition. Not only has the text been fully revised and updated and new photographs added, but all
information on every existing map has been checked and updated, with eighteen new maps added for this edition, while
eight others hold major extensions. With new illustrations throughout, new themes, climate change maps contrasting
regional shifts, and revised history and modern additions, this essential reference has been extensively revamped. Any
library strong in wine knowledge needs to include it in their reference collection.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses
Fiza Pathan
Freedom with Pluralism
https://fizapathanpublishing.us
9788194055891, $55.99, HC, 660pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Literary-Echoes-Short-Story-Analyses/dp/819405589X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/literary-echoes-fiza-pathan/1150749316
Synopsis: Two hundred stories. Two hundred acts of attention. One scholar's decade-long conversation with the world's
storytellers.
With the publication of "Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses", Fiza Pathan has created a landmark literary reference
volume comprised of two hundred in-depth analyses of the short story, which were gathered from classical antiquity to the
present, and from across the world's literary traditions. "Literary Echoes" is for anyone who believes, as Fiza Pathan does,
that the short story format stands among the supreme achievements of the human imagination.
The range of this literary compendium is truly extraordinary. From the Russian masters - Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy,
Gorky, Bunin (whose stories chart the depths of the human soul), to the full sweep of the American tradition beginning with
a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, and running through Mark Twain, Stephen Crane, Jack London, Willa Cather, F.
Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and Shirley Jackson, to the modern masters representing nearly
two and a half centuries of American short fiction spread out across the 250 years of independence the United States
celebrates this very year.
From there "Literary Echoes" goes on to range across the globe: the British and Irish - Wilde, Kipling, Woolf, Joyce, Saki,
Maugham, Graham Greene, Roald Dahl, M. R. James; the luminous Indian tradition - Rabindranath Tagore, R. K. Narayan,
Ruskin Bond, Premchand, Saadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chughtai, Khushwant Singh; and singular voices from every
continent - Yukio Mishima (whose dazzling "Three Million Yen" is among the collection's gems), Shusaku Endo, Stefan
Zweig, Rainer Maria Rilke, Cesare Pavese, Dino Buzzati, Knut Hamsun, Ivo Andric, Tadeusz Borowski, Ben Okri, Nadine
Gordimer, V. S. Naipaul, and Hans Christian Andersen.
Critique: A masterpiece of literary criticism and analysis by award winning novelist and short story author Fiza Pathan,
"Literary Echoes: Short Story Analyses" is an inherently fascinating, occasionally iconoclastic, and always thought-
provoking read from start to finish. Of special and particular interest to readers with an interest in the short story as a literary
art form and format, "Literary Echoes" is exceptionally 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. While and
unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library American Literary
Fiction Criticism and Analysis collections and supplemental Creative Writing studies lists, it should be noted for students,
academia, aspiring short story writers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that this hardcover
edition of "Literary Echoes" from Freedom with Pluralism is also readily available in paperback (9788194055860, $40.99)
and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Fiza Pathan (https://insaneowl.com/feed) has a bachelor's degree in arts from the University of Mumbai,
where she majored in history and sociology with a first class. She also has a bachelor's degree in education, again with a first
class, her special subjects being English and history. Fiza has written and published seventeen award-winning books and
short stories, which reflect her interest in furthering the cause of education and in championing social issues. In over seventy
literary competitions, she has placed either as winner or finalist, chief among them being: 2020 DBW Awards; 2020
Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards; 2018 DBW Awards; Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Award; 2018
IAN Book of the Year Awards; 2018 Book Viral Millennium Book Awards; Readers' Favorite Book Awards; Reader Views
Literary Awards; Eric Hoffer Book Award; Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book Awards; Mom's Choice Awards; Literary
Classics Book Awards; and Dan Poynter's Global E-Book Awards. She writes novels and short stories in most genres and
can be followed on Twitter @FizaPathan
The Music Shelf
Cassell/Octopus Publishing
https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Blitz-Beyond-Revolution-Romantics-revolutionised/dp/1788406591
Blitz and Beyond: The New Romantic Revolution by Graham Smith with Chris Sullivan (9781788406598, $49.99) covers
the New Romantic post-punk rock movement of the late 1970s through the photographic lens of Smith, who was in the thick
of the action, documenting their rise and the culture the group fostered. Some 500 images accompany behind-the-scenes
inspections of the New Romantics, offering vivid descriptions not only of the people, but the places that hosted them. One
example includes Le Kilt: "with its walls covered in tartan fabric, festooned with the heads and antlers of beasts far happier
elsewhere and a DJ booth fashioned from a Regency stagecoach, Le Kilt appropriately resembled a Scottish hunting lodge."
There is no better "you are here" description in print of the post-punk movement and music.
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Madonna-Songs-Story-Behind-Every/dp/1788406346
Madonna: All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Track by Benoit Clerc (9781788406345, $60.00) is a definitive "must
have" acquisition for music libraries and anyone having more than a casual interest in Madonna's musical impact. This
weighty unofficial survey is a comprehensive study of Madonna's music that embarks on an album-by-album swing through
her songs and art, blending biography with musical insights that embrace both song contents and themes and
behind-the-scenes events. Packed with color photos throughout, this definitive Madonna discography/biography is a 'must'
that will delight a wide audience of popular music lovers, historians, and collectors. Popular music libraries will find both
volumes essential.
The Genealogy Shelf
Researching Your Civil War Ancestor
J. L. D. Woodruff
Savas Beatie LLC
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611217926, $26.95, HC, 228pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Researching-Your-Civil-Ancestor-Understanding/dp/161121792X
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/researching-your-civil-war-ancestor-j-l-d-laurie-woodruff/11 49498999
Synopsis: There is no better place to start researching the wartime experiences and postwar lives of your Civil War
ancestors than the pension files held at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington,
D.C.
Opening a Federal Civil War pension file is like unlocking a treasure chest that, in most cases, has been untouched for more
than 150 years. J. L. D. (Laurie) Woodruff's "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor: A Guide to Understanding Civil War
Pension Files and Legislation" is a step-by-step guide to finding and unlocking this priceless information.
These pension files are essential for understanding your family history or the lived experiences of individual soldiers during
and after the war. They reveal detailed information about the soldier, his wife, and his children: What happened to him
during the war? How did it affect his health and life afterward? When and where was he born, and when did he die? What
were his children's names and dates of birth? When and where did the soldier and his wife marry? Where did they live?
What did he do for a living?
Once you begin exploring these files you will notice how dramatically their contents vary from one veteran to the next, so a
new questions emerge. Why was this Surgeon's Report required? Why did this veteran have to list his children and wife in a
bureau questionnaire? Why did the bureau reject this request for a pension increase, or approve that one and raise the
monthly payment from $8 to $12? Why did a notary public submit an affidavit describing family records from a Bible?
Answering these questions and dozens of others require a solid grasp of the federal legislation that shaped the Civil War
pension system from 1861 to 1958. With the publication of "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor", Laurie Woodruff
provides the answers to all that and more.
"Researching Your Civil War Ancestor" begins with a concise history of the pension system and a description (with
examples) of the documents typically found in these files. Next, it explains how to locate your ancestor's pension files and
obtain copies of their complete contents through various methods. Finally, it guides readers on accessing and interpreting
Civil War pension legislation. Every public act passed by Congress from 1861 to 1958 that addressed Civil War pensions is
summarized, with links provided to the original texts online.
The key to unlocking your Civil War ancestor's history is waiting inside "Researching Your Civil War Ancestor".
Critique: Original, unique, comprehensive, 'real world practical', and thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly, "Researching Your
Civil War Ancestor: A Guide to Understanding Civil War Pension Files and Legislation" by J. L. D. (Laurie) Woodruff is
the ideal DIY instructional guide and 'how to' manual for aspiring and experienced genealogists wanting to research those of
their ancestors that saw service in the American Civil War. This large format paperback edition of "Researching Your Civil
War Ancestor" from Savas Beaties is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional,
community, and college/university library Genealogy instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: With a BA in Politics and Economics from Oxford University, Laurie Woodruff retired from a career in
public accounting in Canada and spent six months at Virginia Tech working with Professors James A. (Bud) Robertson and
William C. (Jack) Davis. With their guidance, he designed, implemented, and currently manages the Essential Civil War
Curriculum (www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com). Now a project of the Center for Civil War Studies at Virginia Tech,
the Essential Civil War Curriculum website contains a definitive list of more than 300 topics that every student of the Civil
War should study, produced by today's foremost Civil War historians. Laurie is a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of
the Civil War and has researched more than 125 of his family members who served in the Civil War.
The Mythology Shelf
The Ancient Moon Goddess
Dale O'Neal and Arthur W. Waters
The Master Game Press
9798992019636, $29.99, HC, 350pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Moon-Goddess-Patriarchy-Christianity/dp/B0FR9V5F7M
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Ancient Moon Goddess: Crushed by Patriarchy, Buried by Judaism, Hidden in
Christianity", co-authors Dale O'Neal and Arthur Waters deliver a compelling narrative with striking images that connects
ancient Goddess worship to the beliefs and practices of modern religions, particularly Judaism and Christianity.
"The Ancient Moon Goddess" reveals how a Stone Age misconception about conception gave rise to the civilization of the
Moon Goddess. Her world was then crushed by a patriarchal civilization grounded in an equally flawed idea about
conception. "The Ancient Moon Goddess" calls for a complementary relationship between the sexes based on the correct
view of conception as readers will:
Discover what convinced the Ancients that the Moon was a real woman.
Learn why sex was central to Goddess worship.
Discover how patriarchy threw over the long-established matriarchy.
Learn why Stone-agers ate their gods and kings.
See how the death and resurrection of the Goddess and Jesus mirror each other.
"The Ancient Moon Goddess" builds on the work of iconic mythologist Joseph Campbell, scientist and futurist Riane Eisler,
and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas. It shows how our Stone Age ancestors constructed a Goddess-centered culture based
on a magical view of the cosmos, which to them seemed self-evident.
There is no question that for many readers "The Ancient Moon Goddess" will be disruptive. To put it mildly. It is unsettling
for some to learn how patriarchy crushed the Goddess; how Judaism buried her; and how Christianity hides her.
Critique: Deftly crafted, impressively informative, and a simply fascinating read from start to finish, "The Ancient Moon
Goddess" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition and addition to personal, professional, community,
and college/university library Mythology/New Age collections and supplemental History of Religion/Christian Theological
Anthropology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an
interest in the subject that this hardcover edition of "The Ancient Moon Goddess" from The Master Game Press is also
readily in paperback (9798992019605, $24.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note #1: Dr. Dale O'Neal is an author, clinical psychologist, former minister and music minister, and a lifelong
student of ancient history and mythology.
Editorial Note #2: Arthur Waters has been a writer, editor, freelancer, a student of English literature, and a lawyer.
Mythology has fascinated him since childhood.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home
Rob Martin and Kat Martin
Storybuilders Faith
https://www.raisingtheremnant.org/book
9798898330842, $18.99, PB, 240pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Remnant-Stories-Tools-Parents/dp/B0H6YKFV4L
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raising-the-remnant-rob-martin/1150503248
Synopsis: "I want my kids to love Jesus, but I don't feel qualified to lead them."
In their twenty years of teaching, parenting, and leading children's ministry, co-authors Rob and Kat Martin encountered this
heartfelt problem over and over: Parents want and need resources to help them disciple their own children. Not just on
Sunday mornings at church, but every day at home.
Through funny and honest parenting stories, biblical insight from the book of Daniel, and the practical R.E.M.N.A.N.T.
framework, "Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home" empowers ordinary moms and
dads (and from a Christian perspective) to confidently build biblical rhythms for their families.
God intentionally chose you to be the parent of your child, and He will equip you for your purpose. Are you ready to answer
the high calling of parenthood?
Critique: Exceptional well written, impressively effective, and thoroughly 'parent friendly' in organization and presentation,
"Raising the Remnant: Stories and Tools to Help Parents Share Jesus at Home" by co-authors Rob and Kat Martin is
informative, insightful, practical, and inspiring. An ideal DIY instructional manual for parenting (and grandparenting) from
a Christian Values perspective, "Raising the Remnant" is especially commended to the attention of parents, grandparents,
caregivers, Christian family counselors, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of Christian Family
Values and Parenting. For personal reading lists it should be noted that this paperback edition of "Raising the Remnant"
from Storybuilders Faith is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Rob and Kat Martin are the founders of Raising the Remnant, a ministry dedicated to equipping parents to
share Jesus at home through practical, everyday discipleship. Together they bring more than two decades of combined
experience in education, children's ministry, church leadership, and curriculum development. Rob's background in business
leadership and church planting, paired with Kat's experience as an educator, children's ministry director, and curriculum
writer, uniquely equips them to help parents confidently lead their families in faith. Married for more than seventeen years
and parents of three, they are passionate about helping families build a lasting legacy of faith in a culture that increasingly
pulls children away from biblical truth. Raising the Remnant is their first book together.
Breath of the Soul: Devotions for Powerful Prayer
Charles H. Spurgeon, author
Geoffrey Chang, editor
New Growth Press
www.newgrowthpress.com
9781645076193, $18.99, HC, 144pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Breath-Soul-Devotions-Powerful-Prayer/dp/1645076199
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breath-of-the-soul-charles-h-spurgeon/1148741477
Synopsis: For those who had the opportunity to encounter nineteenth-century pastor Charles H. Spurgeon personally, what
many noticed was that he was a man of prayer. For Spurgeon, prayer was as constant and natural as breathing. Prayer was
not only the breath of the soul, but also the breath of the church. Through prayer, the church was reminded of her constant
dependence on God. Spurgeon not only urged his people to pray, but he also taught them to pray.
Compiled by Geoffrey Chang (Curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary), and drawing
from the sermons of Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon, "Breath of the Soul: Devotions for Powerful Prayer" is a daily reminder to
get your head above water and breathe again. Pastor Spurgeon understood the importance of prayer, and in our pragmatic,
distracted age, we need to hear his instruction again. His teachings provide both a theology and a practical instruction of
prayer. These devotions also focus on confession, supplication, and thanksgiving, and encourage readers to persevere in
prayer.
Comprised of thirty daily devotions to inspire readers to grow in their understanding of what prayer is, how it connects to
the gospel, and how they can grow in their practice of prayer, both in private and with others, "Breath of the Soul: Devotions
for Powerful Prayer" is the fourth book in the Old Made New series from New Growth Press, making the teaching of
theologians and pastors who have left us a rich heritage of faith accessible for modern-day readers.
Critique: Inspiring, thought-provoking, and essential reading for ministers, pastors, seminary students, and all members of
the Christian community regardless of denominational affiliation, "Breath of the Soul: Devotions for Powerful Prayer" is an
extraordinary and unreservedly recommended acquisition that is ideal for both individual and group Christian Theology:
Prayer curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Charles H. Spurgeon (1834 - 1892) was the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, for
thirty-eight years, and his ministry exploded, resulting in the largest evangelical congregation of his day and the founding of
66 parachurch ministries, including a college and an orphanage. He is widely regarded as one of the nineteenth century's
best preachers, and his sermons have been translated into over forty languages.
Editorial Note #2: Geoffrey Chang, MDiv, PhD, serves as Assistant Professor of Historical Theology and the curator of the
Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the Book Review Editor for History and
Historical Theology at Themelios (The Gospel Coalition) and is the author of many articles and books, as well as the editor
of A Wondrous Mystery.
The Surprising Savior: 25 Advent Devotions from Luke's Gospel
Dave Furman
New Growth Press
www.newgrowthpress.com
9781645076490, $17.99, HC, 112pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Savior-Advent-Devotions-Gospel/dp/1645076490
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-surprising-savior-dave-furman/1150438595
Synopsis: Christmas is a celebration of God coming to us and becoming one of us. The anticipation and preparation that
leads up to the big day each year is but a taste of what those who were waiting for the Messiah experienced so many years
ago. With the publication of "The Surprising Savior: 25 Advent Devotions from Luke's Gospel", Pastor Dave Furman sets
out to examine the familiar stories anew, while stepping back and appreciating the mind-blowing nature of every little detail
surrounding the first Christmas.
Readers are invited to see God at work in the lives of unlikely individuals, in unexpected places, with unanticipated timing.
By exploring Christmas through the lens of the book of Luke, you will find hope and encouragement in your own seasons of
waiting and be reminded of how God often works through the weak, humble, and ordinary to accomplish his extraordinary
purposes.
With twenty-five daily devotions, "The Surprising Savior" will help Christians to refocus their hearts and marvel at the true
reason for the season, while thoughtful questions encourage personal reflection or meaningful conversations with family and
friends.
Acknowledging the many emotions and challenges that often accompany this time of year, "The Surprising Savior" gently
points readers to God's enduring faithfulness in every season.
Critique: Informative, inspiring, meditative, "The Surprising Savior: 25 Advent Devotions from Luke's Gospel" by Pastor
Dave Furman and published by New Growth Press is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for church,
seminary, and personal Christian Devotion: Christmas collections and ideal for personal and group Christian Studies
curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Dave Furman, ThM, is the founding pastor of Redeemer Church of Dubai and serves as the Chancellor of
Gulf Theological Seminary. He is the author of Being There and Embracing God in Your Suffering. He is married to Gloria,
and they have four children. (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/profile/dave-furman)
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
A Cauldron of Spells
Eileen Holland
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578639045, $18.95, PB, 200pp
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Cauldron-Spells-Rituals-Potions-Candles/dp/1578639042
Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cauldron-of-spells-eileen-holland/1147729643
Synopsis: Clear and easy to follow, with the publication of "A Cauldron of Spells: A Witch's Guide to Magick, Rituals,
Potions & Candles", poet, author, and Wiccan High Priestess Eileen Holland explains how to prepare and cast spells
(eighty-seven in all) including what materials are needed and which incantations will ensure the best results.
Focusing on the needs of solitary witches, "A Cauldron of Spells" provides directions for where to find specific ingredients
crucial to a spell's success and suggests alternatives for hard-to-find ingredients.
There are spells for every need, including love, money, wishes, uncrossing, protection, and problem-solving, using a wide
variety of magickal methods and techniques:
Candle magick
Knot magick
Footprint magick
Charms
Tea spells and potions
Poppets
With an index to make it easy to find the spell you need, this DIY guide also offers blessings and ways to use incense in
rituals, as well as a section that shows how to create a talisman suited to the witch's astrological sign. "A Cauldron of
Spells" has everything a witch needs to practice the Craft in the splendor of solitude.
Critique: Thoroughly 'reader/user' friendly in organization and presentation, "A Cauldron of Spells: A Witch's Guide to
Magick, Rituals, Potions & Candles" is impressively comprehensive and an ideal introduction to the casting of spells for the
novice Wiccan student, and of immense value for even the more experienced Wiccan practitioner. Unreservedly
recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Metaphysical & Wiccan collections, it
should be noted that this paperback edition of "A Cauldron of Spells" from Weiser Books is also readily available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: The late Eileen Holland (1959 - 2019) was a solitary, eclectic witch, Wiccan High Priestess, poet, and author
of "The Wicca Handbook", "A Witch's Book of Answers", and "The Spellcaster's Reference".
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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