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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Swept Away
Karen Hobbs
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764354458, $24.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
Since Ben Franklin brought broomcorn to America from Egypt in 1790, the humble kitchen
broom has been an integral part of our daily lives. Karen Hobbs teaches broom making,
gourding, and basketry at conventions and retreats around the US and in the illustrated pages of
"Swept Away: The Vanishing Art of Broom Making" she draws upon her years of experience and
expertise to showcase the rich and colorful history of the American broomcorn industry, as well
as revealing how broomcorn is grown, harvested, and dyed, and, following her easy step-by-step
instructions with photographs and illustrations, how make your own broom using one of the
seven different broom patterns provided, including Kitchen, Hearth, Cobweb, Turkey Wing
Whisk, and Angel Whisk brooms. More than 150 masterpieces by America's most talented
artistic broom makers appear in the gallery section and feature a surprisingly diverse and colorful
array of handles and stalks. An impressive compendium of broom lore and superstitions, aspiring
broom makers will discover proper care methods to get the most out of their broom, and quickly
learn all the broom terms needed in the glossary. Of special note is the inclusion of a recipe for
Broomstick Cake! Unique and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Swept
Away: The Vanishing Art of Broom Making" will prove to be a unique and enduringly
appreciated addition to personal, community, and academic library collections.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon!
Penny Sansevieri
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781548700249, $9.99 PB, $3.95 Kindle, 230pp, www.amazon.com
Amazon is justifiably considered to be the proverbially 800 pound gorilla of online book
marketing. With the slow demise of brick & board bookstores and the dominating rise of online
book marketing it is essential that authors and publishers know how to maximize the Amazon
web site with respect to selling their books. In the pages of "How to Sell Books by the Truckload
on Amazon!: Master Amazon & Sell More Books!" author and professional book marketing
expert Penny Sansevieri teaches exactly how to use Amazon to sell books. Simply stated, "How
to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon!" is the ultimate and 'real world practical' guide for
mastering the Amazon marketing system. Follow her proven strategies and self-published authors
and authors published by small or niche publishers will instantly skyrocket their book's exposure
and kick their book marketing into overdrive! Penny covers such vital book marketing issues as:
Achieving top visibility for a book on Amazon regardless of subject matter of genre; Increase
sales through perfectly timed pre-order campaigns; Leverage a secret tool to get hundreds of
reader reviews; Use Kindle Unlimited to its greatest advantage; Boost sales by knowing when to
give away an e-book (this really works as a marketing for profit strategy); Learn keywords and
book descriptions that will draw in tons of buyers; Identify and locate secret categories that drive
bigger sales; Make sure a book is ranked #1 in its particular category. "How to Sell Books by the
Truckload on Amazon!" is essential reading in this on-line era of book selling in general, and
selling books on the Amazon web site in particular. It is also the primary instructional resource
and reference for authors and publishers wanting to understand the inner workings of Amazon
and thereby sell more books. Incidentally, buy "How to Sell Books by the Truckload on
Amazon!" on Amazon and you'll also receive as a bonus: Free listings of top fiction bloggers and
hundreds of bonus resources! In summation, there is no better written, accessibly organized, or
more comprehensive instructional on Amazon, (and containing invaluable tips, tricks and
techniques that can be applied to other online book selling web sites) and every writer and every
publisher should have their own copy of this 2018 Edition of "How to Sell Books by the
Truckload on Amazon!" by Penny Sansevieri.
The Cookbook Shelf
Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer
Kathy Hester
Page Street Publishing
27 Congress Street, Suite 105, Salem, MA 01970
www.pagestreetpublishing.com
9781624145087, $21.99, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Vegan and cookbook author Kathy Hester is also the blogger behind HealthySlowCooking.com.
In "Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to
provide plant-based dishes with all the decadence of fried food but without the added calories.
Using little to no oil, the beautifully illustrated recipes comprising "Vegan Cooking in Your Air
Fryer" result in wholesome and delicious meals with less mess, but the perfect texture, every
time. The seventy-five recipes showcased in "Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer" range from
Black Bean Avocado Chimichangas; Cheesy Hot Sauce Collard Chips; Cajun French Fry Po'Boy
with Vegan Mushroom Gravy; and Banana Spring Rolls; to Weeknight Calzones; Easy Air Fry
Seitan Riblets; Plain Old Tots; and Southern Fried Okra. Of special note are the techniques that
yield crispy tofu to rival any restaurant! A 'must' for the personal cook book collections of
vegetarians and vegans, the "Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer" cookbook is unreservedly
recommended -- and will prove to be an immediate and immensely popular addition to
community library cookbook collections.
Instant One-Pot Meals
Laura Arnold
The Countryman Press
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.countrymanpress.com
9781682681602, $21.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com
Laura Arnold is a New York City - based food stylist and recipe developer. She currently works
for The Chew, an ABC channel daytime food talk show. In the pages of "Instant One-Pot Meals:
Southern Recipes for the Modern 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker" she draws upon her
experience and expertise to compile a collection of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen
cook friendly recipes that can be prepared quickly in the modern "instant" pressure cookers -- or
cooked slow in one, since these 7-in-1 appliances can also be used as a slow-cooker. The modern
pressure cooker can also serve as a saute pan, a rice cooker, a steamer, a warmer, and even a
yogurt maker. "Instant One-Pot Meals" will enable even the most novice of kitchen cooks to
prepare and serve delicious Southern cooking by tailoring each recipe to one or more of these
functions (many mains have both fast and slow options built in). The recipes comprising "Instant
One-Pot Meals" range from Vanilla Yogurt with Honey and Peaches; Chicken and Sausage
Gumbo; Spicy Turkey Sloppy Joes; and Pimento Cheese Dip; to Corn Bread Dressing; Peach
Pepper Jelly; Brown Sugar BBQ Ribs; and Cinnamon Roll Pull-Apart Bread. Offering breakfast
dishes, side dishes, sauces, stocks, and desserts, "Instant One-Pot Meals is beautifully illustrated
with 75 color photographs and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal,
family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Instant One-Pot
Meals" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.85).
Super Blend Me!
Jason Vale
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9780954766498, $20.95, PB, 226pp, www.amazon.com
Jason Vale is an accomplished expert in the art and practice of juicing. In "Super Blend Me!" he
draws upon his impressive expertise and personal experience to prepare a comprehensive and
definitive culinary guide specifically for people who want to get super lean, super healthy and
super fast -- but don t want to clean a juicer! 'Super Blend Me!' is a compendium of rich,
plant-based high-protein recipes designed with physical exercise in mind. All of the ingredients
for the various showcased recipes can be conveniently found in any major supermarket and are
all recognizable. Readers can choose from either a 7-, 10-, 14- or full 21-day Super Blend Me!
diet. Also included is a handy working journal as part of the book, so progress can be logged as a
means of keeping on track. Nicely illustrated throughout, exceptionally well written, organized
and presented, the recipes themselves range from Pea 'n' Pom Avo Super Blend; Cherry Vanilla
Indulgence; and Mighty Minty Mango Super Blend; to Chewy Cherry Almond Balls; Super
Spirulina Smoothie; and Kiwi, Kale, Cucumber Cooler. A unique, one-of-a-kind, culinary
treasures, "Super Blend Me!" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal,
professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.
A Couple Cooks - Pretty Simple Cooking
Sona Overhiser & Alex overhiser
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738219691, $27.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
A love story at its finest, Alex and Sonja Overhiser first fell for each other--and then the kitchen.
In a matter of months, the writer-photographer duo went from eating fast and frozen food to
regularly cooking vegetarian meals from scratch. In the process, they found they had more
energy, slept better, and were happier. Together, the two unraveled a "pretty simple" approach to
home cooking that kicks the diet in favor of long-term lifestyle changes. They draw upon their
experience and expertise in "A Couple Cooks--Pretty Simple Cooking" to showcase nourishing
recipes with a Mediterranean flair, and presented with vibrant photography. The 100 functional
and creative recipes are vegetarian, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. At the heart of
"A Couple Cooks - Pretty Simple Cooking" are the couple's top ten lessons for a healthy
approach to food in the long-term, like gathering with friends and family, bouncing back from
failure, and just having fun. Illustrated with a custom watercolor for each lesson, it's a beautiful
coffee table book that's food for thought, at the same time providing real food recipes for eating
around the table. With recipes ranging from Strawberry Lime Chia Jam; Peach Salsa Fresca;
Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino; and Big Mexican Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing;
to Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup; Vegetarian Lentil Gyros; Pizza Margherita with Pecorino
& Egg; and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Skillet Cookie, "A Couple Cooks - Pretty Simple Cooking "
will prove to be fun to plan menus with, as well as an enduringly popular addition to personal,
family, and community library Vegetarian Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "A
Couple Cooks - Pretty Simple Cooking" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$17.99).
Cupcake Handbook
Sue McMahon, author
IMM Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781504800921, $12.99, www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
The "Cupcake Handbook" is a practical cupcake specialty cookbook with over 80 festive cupcake
recipes for every occasion. Bound with hard back covers in sturdy metal spiral, and filled with
attractive color photographs showing utensils, ingredients, techniques, and finished products,
"Cupcake Handbook" includes chapters on basic recipes, classic combinations, children's
favorites, grown-up favorites, celebration cupcakes, and special diets. Some taste-tempting
special cupcake recipes include: Rum-Raisin, Very Cherry, Flower Power, Blondies, Brownies,
Banana and Roffee, Coffee and Walnut, Black Forest, Carrot and Raisin, Raspberry and White
Chocolate, Cracklecakes, Pina Colada, Irish Coffee, Pistachio, Saffron and Raisins, Sticky
Orange and Cardamom, Lime and Chile, and many more. Cupcakes designed for special
celebrations include Starry Snowy Night, Chocolate Love, Merry Cupcakes, Spider Cakes and
more. Cupcakes for special diets, such as gluten free treats, include Chocolate Surprise, Date and
Banana, Chocolate and Prune, Honey and Bran, Date and Apple, Ginger Polenta, Halloween
Webs, plus more. Baking instructions are presented in steps which are numbered, in clear,
descriptive narrative. Color highlighted sidebars give information on quantity of cupcakes,
ingredients and amounts needed, and different special topping ingredients. Measurements are
given in standard measurements first, followed by metric equivalents. All the recipes are
followed by a page of suggested substitutions, plus a page of acknowledgments, including
companies with online ordering access. "Cupcake Handbook" is a current craze cookbook which
takes advantage of modern tastes and delights of daily sweet celebrations.
The Potatopia Cookbook
Allen Dikker
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842205, $20.00, PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com
"The Potatopia Cookbook" showcases a beautifully illustrated collection of more than 75 creative
potato recipes from Allen Dikker, who is the CEO and founder of Potatopia, the New York
based, fast-casual, all-potato restaurant. While "The Potatopia Cookbook" includes some
traditional potato dishes like gnocchi and shepherd's pie, but most of the thoroughly 'kitchen
cook friendly' recipes are innovative creations that re-imagine the world's most popular
vegetable. For example, making lasagna with paper-thin potato slices instead of noodles, or
prepare truffles with mashed potatoes. "The Potatopia Cookbook also includes detailed
descriptions of potato varieties, potato history, and potato preparation and storage tips. Potatoes
are naturally gluten-free and (when prepared simply) very nutritious. Along with being fat-,
sodium-, and cholesterol-free, potatoes are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
"The Potatopia Cookbook" highlights these benefits in the cookbook by focusing on recipes that
skip the fat in favor of keeping it healthy. The result is a hearty, wholesome celebration of all
things potato. With recipes ranging from Truffled Eggplant-Stuffed Potato Skins; French Onion
Soup with Crispy Potato Gaiettes; Garlicky Potato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie; to Sake Short Rib
Potato Stew; Creamy Twice-Baked Potatoes; Black and White Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips;
and Sweet Potato Cobbler. Of special note is the section devoted to Basic Potato Recipes. While
very highly recommended for family and community library cookbook collections, it should be
noted that "The Potatopia Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
Raw and Radiant
Summer Sanders
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510724747, $22.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Comprised of 130 kitchen cook friendly recipes and holistic tips for living a healthy life, "Raw
and Radiant" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated cookbook compiled and presented by
certified raw food chef, personal trainer, plant-based nutritionist Summer Sanders (who is also
the curator at Strong + Radiant, and founder of Local Juicery). In addition to practical
information on soaking, sprouting, making flour, natural skin and body care, entertaining,
cleansing, and more, the quick and easy recipes range from Sesame Seed Milk; Watercress and
Fresh Fig Salad; Rustic Flat Bread Pizza; and Hearty Raw Tacos; to Lemon Lavender Tart;
Chaga Chai Latte; Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake, and Watermelon Limeade. Exceptionally 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Raw and Radiant" is unreservedly recommended for
personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Raw and
Radiant" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Biography Shelf
Soar: A Memoir
Gail Campbell Woolley
Agate Bolden
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572842380, $16.00, PB, 312pp, www.amazon.com
When Gail Campbell Woolley was seven, a pediatrician told her mother that Gail suffered from
sickle cell anemia, a rare blood disease, and that she would be dead by age 35. While others may
have responded to this horrifying news by descending into a fog of self-pity, Gail went in the
opposite direction. She decided to live an eventful, exciting life that ultimately included despite
a troubled home life and the systemic racism and sexism of the late 20th century academic
success, an impressive career, a long and loving marriage, and the ability to leave her
unmistakable stamp on every person she met. By the time she finally succumbed to her disease at
age 58 in 2015, she had ground that doctor's words into dust. "Soar: A Memoir", written in the
last two years of her life, is Woolley's powerfully inspiring story, and its publication checks the
last item off her extraordinary bucket list, which also included traveling to every continent except
Antarctica. Gail writes that from the time she was a child, she awoke every morning with the
sound of the famous 60 Minutes clock ticking in the back of her mind. But those ticking seconds
also formed her indomitable spirit in ways that can inspire each of us who still draw breath.
Written in an engaging, no-nonsense voice with a directness that reflects her many years in
journalism, Woolley's remarkable story not only will move readers to root for this irrepressible,
quietly heroic woman but also will push readers to reassess their own approach to life. A deftly
written and inherently engaging read from beginning to end, "Soar: A Memoir" is highly and
unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American
Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Soar" A Memoir" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
So Happiness to Meet You
Karin Esterhammer
Prospect Park Books
www.prospectparkbooks.com
9781938849978, $16.00, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
After job losses and the housing crash that were hallmarks of what came to be known as the
Great Recession, Karin Esterhammer and her family leave Los Angeles, California, to start over
in a most unlikely place: a nine-foot-wide back-alley house in one of Ho Chi Minh City's poorest
districts, where neighbors unabashedly stare into windows, generously share their barbecued rat,
keep cockroaches for luck, and ultimately help her find joy without Western trappings. An
inherently fascinating memoir and a simply compelling read from cover to cover, "So Happiness
to Meet You: Foolishly, Blissfully Stranded in Vietnam" is an exceptionally well written account
and one that is unreservedly recommended as a unique addition to both community and academic
library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "So Happiness to Meet You" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Dead Moms Club
Kate Spencer
Seal Press
c/o Hachette Book Group
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
9781580056878, $16.99, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Comedian, writer, and mother Kate Spencer lost her own mom to cancer when she was 27. In
"The Dead Moms Club", Kate walks readers through her experience of stumbling through grief
and loss, and helps them to get through it, too. But "The Dead Moms Club" isn't a weepy,
sentimental story, but rather a frank, up-front look at what it means to go through gruesome grief
and come out on the other side. An empathetic read, "The Dead Moms Club" covers how losing
her mother changed nearly everything in her life: both men and women readers who have lost
parents or experienced grief of this magnitude will be comforted and consoled. Spencer even
concludes each chapter with a cheeky but useful tip for readers -- like the "It's None of Your
Business Card" to copy and hand out to nosy strangers asking about your passed loved one.
Candidly personal, impressively insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Dead Moms
Club" is a truly extraordinary memoir and an especially recommended addition to community
and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections. It should be noted for
personal reading lists that "The Dead Moms Club" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $11.99).
There Are No Silver Bullets
Brent Blonigan
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205, Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612549453, $21.95, HC, 256pp, www.amazon.com
An emotional memoir, "There Are No Silver Bullets: My Family, My Depression" by Brent Blonigan recounts his lifelong battle with depression. Through self-reflection and personal anecdotes, Brent examines the impact his family, culture, religion, and society have had on his life. He is bold, honest, and forthcoming as he presents his experiences and evaluates their impact on who he is today. "There Are No Silver Bullets: My Family, My Depression" sheds light on one man's depression, along with his experience of the medical system s shortcomings in diagnosing and treating it. Reflective questions at the end of each chapter offer self-examination as a tool readers can use to consider the internal and external influences that may have contributed to their own emotional reality. Brent also provides sympathy and support for those fighting the demons of depression, abuse, and adjustment disorders, along with coping strategies that he has found helpful even lifesaving over the years. An exceptionally well written and impressively candid personal account, "There Are No Silver Bullets: My Family, My Depression" is an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography collections in general, and the personal reading lists of anyone having to deal with depression within themselves or a loved one.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Kill Before Dying
Travis S. Taylor
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781476782072, $25.00, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
A century and a half after the Martian Separatist Wars, Alexander Moore returns to the stars with
the Sienna Madira, a United States Navy supercarrier spacecraft outfitted with advanced FTL and
endlessly strange, extremely effective, quantum-based weapons and remote sensing technology.
And, of course, he's brought Marines, and lots of them. These are troops superbly trained for
space battle, and equipped with advanced powered armor and artificial intelligence backup.
Moore's task: hunt down remnant weaponry platforms left by the brilliant, mad artificial
intelligence known as Copernicus, the being ultimately responsible for the Solar System-wide
civil war. Now Copernicus has formed an alliance with something else out there with a similar
goal: wipe humanity from the galaxy forever. "Kill Before Dying" is the fifth volume in author
Travis S. Taylor's 'Tau Ceti Agenda' series. While very highly recommended, especially for
community library Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of
dedicates SF fans that "Kill Before Dying" is also available in a mass market paperback edition
(9781481483100, $7.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.38).
CrossTown
Loren W. Cooper
Red Hen Press
PO Box 3537, Granada Hills, CA 91394
www.redhen.org
9781939096029, $16.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com
Zethus is a sorcerer and self-described spiritual thug for hire. He makes his living in CrossTown,
a place where the many world hypothesis of modern physics manifests itself, where possibilities
and probabilities overlap. Caught up in a web of intrigue as he investigates the death of his
master, Corvinus, and pursued by agents that want to erase all knowledge of Corvinus's work,
Zethus discovers that the key to his master's murder lies in the last project he had pursued before
his death. The roots of this project lie deep in the past, at the origin of CrossTown's fractured
reality. Once he understands the stakes, Zethus must make the dangerous journey to the cradle of
history. The price he must pay to find the answers he seeks will threaten everything he holds dear
-- including his own humanity. An impressively original and deftly scripted novel by an author
with a genuine flair for imaginative and narrative driven storytelling, "CrossTown" is an
expressly and unreservedly recommended as an addition to community library Science Fiction &
Fantasy collections, and a 'must' for the personal reading lists of all dedicated fantasy/mystery
fans.
The Christian Studies Shelf
My Soul Waits
Martin Shannon, CJ
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612619705, $14.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
"My Soul Waits: Praying with the Psalms through Advent, Christmas & Epiphany" by Martin
Shannon (an Epsicopal priest, liturgist, a member of the Community of Jesus on Cape Cod,
Massachusetts) is new devotional that combines the words of the Psalms, meditations from the
Church Fathers, and a prayer as a guide for the reader through the various twists and turns on the
journey to our Lord's Nativity. These beloved words from Scripture mirror our own thoughts and
emotions (hope and expectation, suffering and patience, confession and healing) and are as
relevant for the modern spiritual reader as when they were first sung in the Temple. Inspired and
inspiring, "My Soul Waits: Praying with the Psalms through Advent, Christmas & Epiphany" is
unreservedly recommended reading for all members of the Christian community. It should be
noted for personal reading lists that "My Soul Waits: Praying with the Psalms through Advent,
Christmas & Epiphany" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Tuning Your Heart to Worship
L. Lavon Gray
New Hope Publishers
PO Box 830711, Birmingham, AL 35283-0711
www.newhopepublishers.com
9781625915320, $14.99, PB, 176pp, www.amazon.com
What is worship exactly? in "Tuning Your Heart to Worship", author and worship leader Lavon
Gray take the reader on a 100 day theological journey into the heart of worship with one of the
most soul-inspiring writers of all time -- King David. To grow in understanding of what true
worship looks like in the heart of a believer, each daily devotion traces the theology of worship
through a specific Scripture passage and includes L. Lavon Gray's own personal experiences and
insights supporting the theological truths surrounding our acts of worship. Thoughtful and
thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, timely and timeless, "Tuning Your Heart to Worship"
is a truly extraordinary read. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Tuning Your Heart
to Worship" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Walking Through Twilight
Douglas Groothuis
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
www.ivpress.com
9780830845187, $17.00, PB, 177pp, www.amazon.com
Nothing is simple for a person suffering from dementia, and for those they love. When ordinary
tasks of communication, such as using a phone, become complex, then difficult, and then
impossible, isolation becomes inevitable. Helping becomes excruciating. In "Walking Through
Twilight: A Wife's Illness--A Philosopher's Lament", philosopher Douglas Groothuis offers a
intensely personal window into his experience of caring for his wife as a rare form of dementia
ravages her once-brilliant mind and eliminates her once-stellar verbal acuity. Mixing personal
narrative with spiritual insight, he captures moments of lament as well as philosophical and
theological reflection. Brief interludes provide poignant pictures of life inside the Groothuis
household, and we meet a parade of caregivers, including a very skilled companion dog. Losses
for both Doug and Becky come daily, and his questions for God multiply as he navigates the
descending darkness. Here is a frank and candid exploration of how one continues to find God in
the twilight. A deftly written and impressively informative account, "Walking Through Twilight"
is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to church, community, and academic
library collections in general, and Alzheimer's supplemental studies reading lists in
particular.
Glory Happening
Kaitlin B. Currice
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612618968, $16.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
When you have a spiritual experience and tell the story of that experience to someone, something
sacred happens inside of you. That experience doesn't have to be an extravagant moment, but it
can be beautiful, nonetheless. And as you store up all those stories and share them, you grow
your world's boundaries. You build community and remind yourself that every moment of your
life counts for something holy, good, and glorious. "Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in
Everyday Places" reveals that the search for glory will bring freedom and a fresh perspective to
whatever season you happen to find yourself in. "Glory Happening" is a book of stories and
prayers that remind you to take a closer look at your everyday circumstances, to find the magical
beauty in everyday experiences. It is an invitation to live deeply into every moment with the
expectation that something good will find you at the end of the day. And once you experience
glory, you have words to speak, a prayer to pray, and a story to tell. And so glory grows from
person to person, and community is created around the reality that God is truly in our midst.
Exceptional, inspiring, informative, extraordinary, "Glory Happening" is a rewarding read that is
highly recommended for all members of the Christian community. While very highly
recommended for church and community library collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "Glory Happening" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$5.99).
Jesus Followers in the Roman Empire
Paul B. Duff
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com
9780802868787, $30.00, PB, 275pp, www.amazon.com
When Jesus of Nazareth began proclaiming the kingdom of God early in the first century, he
likely had no intention of starting a new religion, especially one that included former pagans. Yet
a new religion did eventually develop -- one that not only included non-Jews but was soon
dominated by them. How did this happen? In the pages of "Jesus Followers in the Roman
Empire" by Paul Duff (Professor of Religion at the George Washington University in
Washington, DC) the reader is offered an accessible and informed account of Christian origins,
beginning with the teaching of Jesus and moving to the end of the first century. Professor Duff's
narrative shows how the rural Jewish movement led by Jesus developed into a largely
non-Jewish phenomenon permeating urban centers of the Roman Empire. Paying special
attention to social, cultural, and religious contexts (as well as to early Christian ideas about
idolatry, marriage, family, slavery, and ethnicity) "Jesus Followers in the Roman Empire" will
help readers cultivate a deeper understanding of the identity, beliefs, and practices of early
Christ-believers. Exceptionally and accessibly well written for both academia and non-specialist
general readers, "Jesus Followers in the Roman Empire" is an extraordinary and informative
study that is very highly recommended for students of Christian History and is a critically
important addition to church, community, and academic library collections.
The Last Christians
Andreas Knapp
Plough Publishing House
151 Bowne Drive, PO Box 398, Walden, NY 12586
www.plough.com
9780874860627, $18.00, PB, 233pp, www.amazon.com
From its very inception, the adherents to the Christian religion have been persecuted both by
those outside the Christian community as well as by members of other Christian denominations.
Now today the principle sources of the persecution of Christians are by members of the Islamic
faith throughout the Middle East. Inside Syria and Iraq, and even along the refugee trail, they are
a religious minority persecuted for their Christian faith. Outside the Middle East, they're suspect
because of their nationality. A small remnant of Christians is on the run from the Islamic State. If
they are wiped out, or scattered to the corners of the earth, the language that Jesus spoke may be
lost forever - along with the witness of a church that has modeled Jesus' way of nonviolence and
loving one's enemy for two millennia. The kidnapping, enslavement, torture, and murder of
Christians by the Islamic State, or ISIS, have been detailed by journalists, as have the jihadists'
deliberate efforts to destroy the cultural heritage of a region that is the cradle of Christianity. But
some stories run deep, and without a better understanding of the religious and historical roots of
the present conflict, history will keep repeating itself century after century. "The Last Christians:
Stories of Persecution, Flight, and Resilience in the Middle East" is unreservedly recommended
reading for all members of today's Christian communities regardless of denominational
affiliations. While highly recommended for church, community, and academic library
collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Last Christians: Stories of
Persecution, Flight, and Resilience in the Middle East" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99).
Your Marriage, God's Mission
Clint Bragg & Penny Bragg
Kregel Publications
2450 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.kregel.com
9780825444272, $15.99, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Clint and Penny Bragg, "Your Marriage, God's Mission" is weekly
guide for Christian couples that will help the reader pursue a lifelong spiritual journey. Engaging
together by writing a marriage mission statement, through lessons drawn from military strategies,
"Your Marriage, God's Mission" challenges the reader to get in step with God's commands,
combat fear, and defeat the enemy's attacks in every aspect of a marriage. "Your Marriage, God's
Mission" shows how to safeguard a martial relationship from division and to exercise humility.
"Your Marriage, God's Mission" features innovative ideas such as assessment tools, guided
exercises, and original prayers to deepen a relational intimacy and recognize how God's mission
unfolds over time. Informal and practical, with links to videos of couples sharing their hard-won
experience, "Your Marriage, God's Mission" is a fresh and insightful look at how any couple can
discover God's mission for their marriage by discovering more of Him. Inspired and inspiring, it
should be noted for personal reading lists that "Your Marriage, God's Mission" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Early Jewish Literature: An Anthology
Brad Embry, Ronald Herms, Archie T. Wright, editors
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com
9780802866691, $125.00, 2 Volumes, 1504pp, www.amazon.com
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of Brad Embry (Associate Professor of
Hebrew Bible and Old Testament Studies at Regent University), Ronald Herms (Dean of the
School of Humanities, Religion, and Social Sciences at Fresno Pacific University), and Archie T.
Wright (Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent University), "Early Jewish Literature:
An Anthology" is a two volume study comprised of more than seventy selections drawn from the
Jewish literary during the era of Second Temple. Each selection is translated by a leading scholar,
and collectively these selections present both complete works and substantial excerpts of longer
works that provide readers with a solid introduction to the major writings of the era including the
Dead Sea Scrolls, the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, the writings of Josephus, the writings of
Philo of Alexandria, and the Apocrypha. Enhanced with the inclusion of a list of further readings
on each selection, a section of maps, a glossary of biographical names, and a glossary of terms. A
landmark work of simply outstanding and exceptionally informative scholarship in both breadth
and scope, "Early Jewish Literature: An Anthology" is an essential and core addition to
synagogue, community, college, and university library Judaic History & Studies reference
collections.
The Fiction Shelf
The Lubecker
M. J. Joseph
The Peppertree Press
http://peppertreepublishing.com
9781614935247, $34.95, HC, 470pp, www.amazon.com
In his original novel, "The Lubecker", author M. J. Joseph deftly explores the dynamics of
personal identity and self-knowledge in a thematically braided journey of characters toward a
dramatic and unexpected finale. Joseph achieves this by plunging the reader into a world of
parallel and lively narratives drawn into the roiling milieu of European history leading to the
onset of World War I. "The Lubecker" also recalls many of Western Literature's most engaging
philosophical and religious challenges and its most memorable and moving human struggles.
Skillfully crafted, inherently engaging, "The Lubecker" showcases author M. J. Jospeh's genuine
flair for narrative driven storytelling that is as extraordinarily entertaining as it is
thought-provoking. While very highly recommended, especially for community and academic
library Historical Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists that
"The Lubecker" is also available in a paperback edition (9781614935438, $26.95).
Phoebe's Light
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800734855, $29.99, HC, 354pp, www.amazon.com
"Phoebe's Light" by Suzanne Woods Fisher" is the story of Phoebe Starbuck, a young Quaker
woman who has everything she wants until a secret in her great grandmother's journal threatens
her future as a Nantucket captain's wife. An original, engaging, and impressively entertaining
novel from beginning to end, "Phoebe's Light" showcases the storytelling talents of author
Suzanne Woods Fisher and her total master of the historical fiction genre. While unreservedly
recommended, especially for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "Phoebe's Light" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780800721626, $15.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Millard Salter's Last Day
Jacob M. Appel
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781507204085, $16.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com
In an effort to delay the frailty and isolation that comes with old age, psychiatrist Millard Salter
decides to kill himself by the end of the day -- but first he has to tie up some loose ends. These
include a tete-a-tete with his youngest son, Lysander, who at forty-three has yet to hold down a
paying job; an unscheduled rendezvous with his first wife, Carol, whom he hasn't seen in
twenty-seven years; and a brief visit to the grave of his second wife, Isabelle. Complicating this
plan though is Delilah, the widow with whom he has fallen in love in the past few months. As
Millard begins to wrap up his life, he confronts a lifetime of challenges during a single day -- and
discovers that his family has a big surprise for him as well. A skillfully written and inherently
engaging read from cover to cover, "Millard Salter's Last Day" is an original and extraordinary
novel that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set
back upon the shelf. While very highly recommended, especially for community library
Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that
"Millard Salter's Last Day" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99) and as a
complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781538504246, $34.95, CD).
Angel Falls
Derek Catron
Five Star Books
10 Water Street, Suite 310, Waterville, ME 04901
http://gale.cengage.com/fivestar
9781432837600, $25.00, HC, 328pp, www.amazon.com
In his newest novel, "Angel Falls", journalist Derek Catron deftly weaves a thrilling tale of three
unforgettable characters: Josey Angel, a Union cavalryman struggling to set aside a violent past;
Annabelle Rutledge, a Southern war widow who found love in the West but little peace; and a
Sioux determined to earn his warrior name -- Crazy Horse. After Annabelle is seized in a bloody
Indian attack, Josey goes on a soul-searing rampage to rescue her. While Crazy Horse plots to
kill the white men on his people's land, he's tormented by an unrequited love that tears at his
sense of honor. The roiling conflicts climax on the bloodiest day of Red Cloud's War, when
Josey and Annabelle must come together to escape tragedy. A simply riveting novel from cover
to cover, "Angel Falls" will prove to be a popular and sought after addition to community library
Western Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Angel Falls" is also
available in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Title 13
Michael A. Ferro
Harvard Square Editions
2152 Beachwood Terrace, Hollywood, CA 90068
www.harvardsquareeditions.org
9781941861462, $22.95, PB, 398pp, www.amazon.com
Heald Brown might be responsible for the loss of highly classified Title 13 government
documents -- and may have hopelessly lost himself as well. Since leaving his home in Detroit for
Chicago during the recession, Heald teeters anxiously between despondency and bombastic
sarcasm, striving to understand a country gone mad while clinging to his quixotic roots. Trying to
deny the frightening course of his alcoholism, Heald struggles with his mounting paranoia, and
his relationships with his concerned family and dying grandmother, all while juggling a budding
office romance at the US government's Chicago Regional Census Center. Heald's reality soon
digresses into farcical absurdity, fevered isolation, and arcane psychological revelation, hilarious
though redoubtable in nature. Meanwhile the Title13 secrets remain at large, haunting each
character and tangling the interwoven threads of Heald's life. An original, narrative driven, deftly
crafted read from beginning to end, "Title 13" by Michael A. Ferro reveals the author's
remarkable flair for engaging dialogue and memorable characters, making "Title 13"
unreservedly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Contemporary
General Fiction collections.
The Witchfinder's Sister
Beth Underdown
Charnwood Large Print / Thorpe
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444835052, $35.50, HC, 408pp, www.amazon.com
The year is 1645, and with a heavy heart, Alice Hopkins returns to the small town in Essex,
England where she grew up. Widowed, with child, and without prospects, she is forced to find
refuge at the house of her younger brother, Matthew. In the five years she has been gone, the boy
she knew has become a man of influence and wealth -- but more has changed than merely his
fortunes. Alice fears that even as the cruel burns of a childhood accident still mark his face,
something terrible has scarred Matthew's soul. There is a new darkness in the town with
frightened whispers are stirring in the streets, and Alice's blood runs cold with dread when she
discovers that Matthew is a ruthless hunter of suspected witches. Torn between devotion to her
brother and horror at what he's become, Alice is desperate to intervene -- and deathly afraid of
the consequences. But as Matthew's reign of terror spreads, Alice must choose between her safety
and her soul. Alone and surrounded by suspicious eyes, Alice seeks out the fuel firing her
brother's brutal mission -- and is drawn into the Hopkins family's past. There she finds secrets
nested within secrets: and at their heart, the poisonous truth. Only by putting her own life and
liberty in peril can she defeat this darkest of evils -- before more innocent women are forced to
the gallows. Now in a large print edition that is unreservedly recommended, especially for
community library Historical Fiction collections, "The Witchfinder's Sister" is a superbly crafted
and entertaining read that is all the more impressive when considering that it is author Beth
Underdown's debut as a novelist.
The Magic Of Ramblings
Kate Field
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750544337, $35.50, HC, 396pp, www.amazon.com
When Cassie accepts a job as companion to an old lady in a remote Lancashire village, she hopes
for a quiet life where she can forget herself, her past and most especially men. The last thing she
wants is to be drawn into saving a community that seems determined to take her to its heart and
to resuscitate hers... Frances lives a reclusive life at Ramblings, a Victorian Gothic mansion. But
her nephew Barney (whose medical career ended in scandal) is now staying too. He's suspicious
of Cassie, especially when she starts to steal his rich aunt's affection and maybe his own too! A
consistently engaging and entertaining read from first page to last, this large print edition of Kate
Field's "The Magic Of Ramblings" is especially recommended for community library General
Fiction collections and personal reading lists.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Murder Unscripted
Clive Rosengren
Coffeetown Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98127
www.coffeetownpress.com
9781603816694, $14.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com
Eddie Collins is a part-time actor whose pursuits take on a new dimension when his ex-wife,
Elaine Weddington, turns up dead while filming her latest movie Flames of Desire. The
production's insurance company hires Eddie to represent their interests in the Americana Pictures
film. Private eye is his main gig now, although he doesn't turn his back on acting jobs when they
come his way. Elaine was a star of sorts, though her pictures were B-movies and never up for
major awards. Encroaching middle age meant her leading-lady days were numbered, and she
worked with a lot of jealous wannabes. Did one of them off her? What about her personal
assistant or live-in boyfriend? While searching through Elaine's trailer, Eddie finds a list of
initials with corresponding phone numbers. As he gradually ticks off the entries, he begins to
form an unwelcome, less idealized version of Elaine. Then an assistant director is killed as she is
about to share a damning revelation. The quest to identify one set of initials almost puts him in
the hospital. Can Eddie handle the truth? Will it set him free, or kill him? A deftly crafted and
inherently fascinating read from cover, "Murder Unscripted" is the first volume in author Clive
Rosengren's 'Eddie Collins Mystery' series and reveals his genuine master of the genre. While
"Murder Unscripted" is unreservedly recommended, especially for community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that it is also available
for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.95)
and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781470833220, $24.95,
CD).
A Deadly Eclair: A French Bistro Mystery
Daryl Wood Gerber
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781683313410, $26.99, HC, 320pp, www.amazon.com
It's always been Mimi Rousseau's dream to open her own bistro, but it seems beyond her grasp
since she's been chased back home to Nouvelle Vie in Napa Valley by her late husband's
tremendous debt. Until her best friend Jorianne James introduces her to entrepreneur Bryan
Baker who invests in promising prospects. Now, working the bistro and inn until she's able to
pay it off and call it her own, Mimi is throwing the inn's first wedding ever. The wedding will be
the talk of the town, as famous talk show host Angelica Edmonton, daughter of Bryan's
half-brother, Edison, has chosen the inn as her perfect venue. Anxious, Mimi is sure things are
going to turn south, especially when Edison gets drunk and rowdy at the out-of-towners' dinner,
but by the evening, things begin to look up again. That is until six AM rolls around, and Bryan is
found dead at the bistro with an eclair stuffed in his mouth. And the fingers point at Mimi, whose
entire loan is forgiven in Bryan's will. Now it's up to Mimi to clear her name and get to the
bottom of things before the killer turns up the heat again. A truly riveting read from cover to
cover (and one that includes recipes!), "A Deadly Eclair" by Daryl Wood Gerb is a riveting read
and the kind of deftly crafted and impressively original mystery that will prove to be an
exceptionally popular addition to community library collections. For the personal reading lists of
dedicated mystery buffs it should be noted that "A Deadly Eclair" is also available in a paperback
edition (9781683316046, $15.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), and as a complete an
unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, B076X6ZRSD, $14.95, 9 Hours 56 Minutes, Audible
Audio).
The Cost of Living
Rachel Ward
Sandstone Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781910985830, $16.00, PB, 326pp, www.amazon.com
When a young woman is attacked walking home from her local supermarket, Bea Jordan, a smart
but unfulfilled checkout girl, is determined to investigate. Colleagues and customers become
suspects, secrets are uncovered. While fear stalks the town, Bea finds an unlikely ally in Ant, the
seemingly dull and clumsy new trainee, but risks losing the people she loves most as death comes
close to home. A warm, contemporary, and deftly scripted story with likeable leads, an engaging
cast of supporting characters and a dark thread running throughout, "The Cost of Living" is an
extraordinarily entertaining mystery by novelist Rachel Ward and very highly recommended,
especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and the personal reading lists of
dedicated mystery buffs.
The Undesired
Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250152220, $16.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com
Aldis hates her job working in a juvenile detention center in rural Iceland. The boys are difficult,
the owners are unpleasant, and there are mysterious noises at night. And then two of the boys go
astray. Decades later, single father Odinn is looking into alleged abuse at the center. The more he
finds out, though, the more it seems the odd events of the 1970s are linked to the accident that
killed his ex-wife. Was her death something more sinister? "The Undesired" is a simply riveting
and deftly crafted thriller of a read from cover to cover by Icelandic novelist Yrsa Sigurdardottir.
While very highly recommended, especially for community library collections, it should be noted
for personal reading lists that "The Undesired" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$13.99).
What Doesn't Kill You
Aimee Hix
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
www.midnightinkbooks.com
9780738754437, $15.99, PB, 264pp, www.amazon.com
Willa Pennington thought that becoming a PI would be better than being a cop. She thought she'd
never have to make another death notification or don a bulletproof vest again. She thought she
could move past the pain of losing her best friend. She thought she'd be safe. But she couldn't
have been more wrong. Now, agreeing to do a simple favor has brought her to a dead body, a
missing person, and a battle of wits with an old friend who has dangerous secrets. If Willa can
keep her focus, she could solve the murder, find the missing girl, and figure out if the person
she's trusted with her life is the one trying to end it. A riveting read replete with unexpected
twists and turns, "What Doesn't Kill You" showcases author Aimee Hix's complete mastery of
the genre and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs that "What Doesn't Kill You" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.89).
The Innocents
David Putnam
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G, Longboat Key, FL 34228
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608092574, $26.95, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
Bruno Johnson, a newly minted LA County Sheriff Violent Crimes detective, gets the worst
assignment possible - infiltrate a sheriff's narcotics team that may be involved in murder for hire.
Gain their trust and be brought into the scheme. If he succeeds, he will have to arrest and testify
against his fellow deputies -- if he lives that long. To make matters worse, before Bruno leaves
home on the first day of this assignment, he answers the door to find an ex-girlfriend. Without
explanation, she hands him a baby girl only weeks old. The child is his. Stunned and terrified, he
now faces immediate fatherhood as well as the traitor-like charge to take down his colleagues.
Juggling his complex home life, Bruno tackles his assignment to discover that no one is who they
seem to be and that his boss, Lieutenant Wicks, might be involved. His mission is further
complicated when an attractive female deputy, recently transferred from Public Affairs, is also
put on the case. She has no street experience, and Bruno carries the extra burden of watching her
back -- a tough assignment made tougher by personal attraction. As Bruno gets deeper and deeper
into the corruption, he doesn't know whom to trust, and in the end, confides in the wrong person.
Another riveting novel by an author with a genuine flair for narrative driven fiction, "The
Innocents" by David Putnam will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Innocents" is also
available in a paperback edition (9781608092949, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Wench is Wicked / Blonde Verdict / Delilah was Deadly
Carter Brown
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781944520335, $19.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com
Al Wheeler is a homicide lieutenant with the sheriff's department of Pine City, near Los Angeles.
Writing under the pseudonym Carter Brown, English-born Australian mystery novelist Alan
Geoffrey Yates, (1 August 1923 - 5 May 1985) wrote 52 Wheeler novels from 1954 to 1984 (and
nearly 300 novels altogether). Now back into print after 30 years for the benefit of a new
generation of appreciative readers, Stark House Press is re-publishing three of the best of the
Wheeler short stories from the 1950s: "The Wench is Wicked"; "Blonde Verdict", and "Delilah
was Deadly". This trilogy of stories under one cover will serve to introduce dedicated mystery
buffs to a true master of the detective fiction format and is unreservedly recommended for
personal reading lists, as well as proving to be an enduringly popular addition to community
library Mystery/Suspense collections.
The Last Man in Tehran
Mark Henshaw
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas. New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501161261, $24.99, HC, 336pp, www.amazon.com
New Red Cell Chief Kyra Stryker has barely settled into the job when an attack on an Israeli port
throws the Middle East into chaos. The Mossad (Israel's feared intelligence service) responds
with a campaign of covert sabotage and assassination, determined to protect the homeland. But
evidence quickly turns up suggesting that a group of moles inside Langley are helping Mossad
wage its covert war. Convinced that Mossad has heavily penetrated the CIA's leadership, the FBI
launches a counterintelligence investigation that threatens to cripple the Agency -- and anyone
who questions the official story is suspect. With few officials willing to help for fear of getting
accused, Kyra turns to her former mentors (the now-retired Red Cell Chief Jonathan Burke and
his wife, former CIA Director Kathryn Cooke) to help uncover who is trying to tear the CIA apart
from the inside out. Another deftly crafted and riveting read from Mark Henshaw, "The Last Man
in Tehran" is part of the author's outstanding 'Red Cell' series. While unreservedly recommended,
especially for community library Suspense/Thriller collections, it should be noted for personal
reading lists that "The Last Man in Tehran" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$9.99).
The Woman in the Camphor Trunk
Jennifer Kincheloe
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633883635, $15.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com
"The Woman in the Camphor Trunk" is set in the Los Angeles Chinatown of 1908, and broadly
considered to be the most dangerous beat in LA. That's where police matron Anna Blanc and her
former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed
in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. If news about the murder gets out, there will be
a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna work to solve the crime quietly and keep
the death a secret, reluctantly helped by the good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent local leader.
Meanwhile, the kidnaping of two slave girls fuels existing tensions, leaving Chinatown poised on
the verge of a bloody tong war. Joe orders Anna to stay away, but Anna is determined to solve
the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes. A simply riveting read
from cover to cover, "The Woman in the Camphor Trunk" showcases author Jennifer Kincheloe
as a true master of the genre and an impressively skilled novelist. While very highly
recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs that "The Woman in the Camphor Trunk" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $9.99), as well as a complete and unabridged audio book (Jennifer R Kincheloe, Ltd,
B077W3CHC2, $21.83, 10 Hours 52 Minutes, Audible Audio Edition).
Claws for Concern
Miranda James
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780425277782, $26.00, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Charlie Harris is busy enjoying his new grandson when a mysterious man with a connection to
Charlie's family starts visiting the library, bringing with him troubling questions about an
unsolved murder. Charlie may be a proud new grandfather, but he and Diesel still have work to
do at Athena College and the small Mississippi town's public library. He's too busy to deal with
true-crime writer Jack Pemberton, who wants Charlie as the subject of his latest book--and who
won't take no for an answer. A more appealing proposition for Charlie is spending time helping a
kind, elderly man navigate the library's genealogical database. But he's shocked when he learns
that the visitor's search is focused on a member of his own family: his late aunt's husband.
Charlie befriends the man and considers inviting him to stay in his home, but he's soon given
reason to question that notion. Jack is certain that Charlie's new houseguest was involved in a
shocking homicide that took place years ago in a small town near Athena. As this cold case heats
up, Charlie and Diesel have to uncover a killer who may already be too close to home. "Claws for
Concern" is the ninth and latest addition to mystery novelist Miranda James simply outstanding
'A Cat in the Stacks Mystery' series and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists
of dedicated mystery buffs that "Claws for Concern" is also available in a digital book format
(Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515956501,
$24.99, CD).
Killing Pace
Douglas Schofield
Minotaur Books
c/o St. Martin's Publishing Group
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
www.minotaurbooks.com
9781250120557, $25.99, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com
Questions have plagued Lisa Green for the past two months since she crawled
barefoot and bleeding from the wreckage of a catastrophic car accident. Her boyfriend Roland
has been nursing her back to health under close watch. Lisa has amnesia. They both know that,
but only Lisa knows that she hasn't lost her ability to reason. And reason tells her that she is not
Roland's girlfriend. She is his prisoner. Escape is her only option, and Lisa must figure out who
she can trust and how to stay alive. It's bad enough that she's been held against her will, but
worse, it seems that she wasn't randomly chosen. There's more to her story than kidnapping, and
the details appear to cross borders and continents. With organized criminals hard on her heels,
Lisa must expose her enemies before they choose their next victim. Another deftly crafted and
inherently riveting novel by a skilled master of the mystery genre, "Killing Pace" by Douglas
Schofield will prove to be another enduringly popular addition to community library
Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated
mystery buffs that "Killing Pace" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Star Trek: Waypoint
Dayton Ward, et al.
IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781684050178, $19.99, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com
"Star Trek: Waypoint" is a graphic novel anthology short stories run the entire gamut of Star
Trek's history. These original Start Trek short stories are set during the Original Series, The Next
Generation, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and more. Favorite Star Trek characters are
featured along with new one. Originally published as a six issue mini-series, this graphic novel
compilation of "Star Trek: Waypoint" is an absolute 'must read' for the legions of dedicated Start
Trek fans. While this IDW Publishing graphic novel edition of "Star Trek: Waypoint" is highly
and unreservedly recommended for personal and community library collections, it should noted
for the personal reading lists of Star Trek fans that "Star Trek: Waypoint" is also available in a
digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Helena Crash: Fueled by Coffee
Fabian Rangel Jr., author
Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
IDW Publishing
2765 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106
www.idwpublishing.com
9781684050109, $15.99, PB, 112pp, www.amazon.com
An original science fiction action/adventure novel set in a dystopian future where coffee has been
outlawed, aliens have settled in amongst us, and two gangs are fighting it out for supremacy,
Helen Crash is making her living as a finder and courier of illegal black market contraband. A
riveting read by author Fabian Rangel Jr., and featuring the distinctive art style of illustrator
Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, "Helena Crash: Fueled by Coffee" is a original, dynamic,
impressively entertaining read from cover to cover. While especially and unreservedly
recommended as a popular addition to community library graphic novel collections, it should be
noted for the personal graphic novel reading lists of graphic novel enthusiasts that "Helena
Crash: Fueled by Coffee" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Tales from the Crypt #1: The Stalking Dead
William Gaines, author
Miran Kim, illustrator
Super Genius
c/o Papercutz
160 Broadway, Suite 700E, New York, NY 10038
www.papercutz.com
9781629914619, $14.99, HC, 72pp, www.amazon.com
Zombies on Wall Street! A vampire elected president! What can possibly be more frightening
than real life? These three all-new tales comprising "Tales from the Crypt #1: The Stalking
Dead" are done in the grand tradition of the original EC classic horror comics series. The
Crypt-Keeper is back, along with the Old Witch and the Vault-Keeper, to scare the belfry-bats
out of you! In the true 'Tales from the Crypt' tradition, readers will witness the most loathsome
people doing the most vile, evil, and gruesome things to their victims, only to eventually have the
tables turned on them in shock endings that's will actually surprise and mortify the reader. It's
old-school poetic justice with the darkest of twists and some truly horrible puns! Author William
Gaines effectively collaborates with illustrator Miran Kim to produce an inherently fascinating
and consistently entertaining graphic novel that will linger in the mind and memory long after the
book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf! It should be noted for personal reading
lists that "Tales from the Crypt #1: The Stalking Dead" is also available in a paperback edition
(9781629914602, $9.99).
At the Edge of the Great Void
Pierre Christin, author
Jean-Claude Mezieres, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183345, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
Jean-Claude Mezieres and Pierre Christin created Valerian in 1967 after working in the USA
together, one as a cowboy, the other a teacher. While Valerian is Mezieres' only comic series, he
has worked as an illustrator in many other areas, including designs and sets for The Fifth
Element, and he was awarded the Grand Prix du festival d'Angouleme in 1984. Christin also
works in collaboration with other artists such as Tardi and Bilal and writes novels and film
scripts. Continuing the science fiction adventures of Valerian and Laureline, "At the Edge of the
Great Void" is the latest title in their outstanding graphic novel series. This time the intrepid duo
who are seeking the lost planet of Earth find themselves somewhere at the edge of known space
and wanting to launch into the Great Void as the next step in their search. The Great Void is that
inscrutable, shapeless, ever-changing place where the expanding universe springs forth, where
new planets and new life forms are created. It's also, according to the gods of Hypsis, the place
where Galaxity's Earth was sent and is being kept prisoner. Valerian and Laureline begin a
discreet investigation, but it doesn't take long before they start finding obstacles in their path,
placed by the rulers of Rubanis - and their mysterious master. A solidly entertaining read from
cover to cover, "At the Edge of the Great Void" is very highly recommended for all dedicated SF
action/adventure fans. It should be noted that "At the Edge of the Great Void" is also available in
a digital book format (Kindle, $11.19).
The Dead Man
Leo, author
Rodolphe, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183611, $11.95, PB, 48pp, www.amazon.com
The latest graphic novel in the simply outstanding 'Trent' series by author Leo and artist
Rodolphe, "The Dead Man" continues the adventures of Canadian Mountain Police sergeant
Philip Trent. This time, in pursuit of a killer, Trent comes across a young woman in dire straits in
the Canadian wilderness. She is searching for her step-brother. It seems that the young man might
be the killer Trent is searching for. Another thoroughly entertaining story with unexpected twists
and turns, "The Dead Man" is highly recommended for personal and community library graphic
novel collections. It should be noted that "The Dead Man" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $5.99).
Iznogoud's Nightmares
Rene Goscinny, author
Tabary, illustrator
Cinebook Ltd.
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781849183604, $13.95, PB, 56pp, www.amazon.com
We've all played that game. 'Well, if I were in charge...' We've all imagined what we'd do if we
were president of this or minister of that. For the evil Iznogoud, though, it's not just a game. As
Grand Vizier, he can pretty much decide that he will be anything he wants to -- except the
Caliph, of course. But, since it's Iznogoud, every single one of his decisions is inevitably going to
go astray and bring disaster. For example, when imagining if he were the Minister of Divorce and
decides to allow women the right to divorce their husbands his own harem walks out on him!
Another superbly entertaining graphic novel from the team of Goscinny and Tabary, "Iznogoud's
Nightmares" is unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of all dedicated
Iznogoud fans, as well as community library graphic novel collections.
Fire Punch 1
Tatsuki Fujimoto
Viz Signature
c/o Viz Media
1355 Market Street, Suite 200, San Francisco CA 94103
www.vizsignature.com
9781421597171 $12.99 pbk / $8.09 Kindle amazon.com
Fire Punch 1 is the debut volume of a dystopian black-and-white manga (Japanese graphic novel)
series, superbly translated into English and presented with its art "unflipped" (in the original
right-to-left style) by the Viz Signature imprint of Viz Media. The story follows orphaned
siblings Agni and Luni, adrift in a bleak world cursed by the merciless Ice Witch. Agni and Luna
are "blessed" humans with powerful special abilities, but some humans who are "blessed" place
little value on the lives of others. When another of the "blessed" attacks Agni and slaughters the
siblings' village, Agni struggles to survive and vows revenge. In this grim world, the "blessed"
can bring hope or destruction to the suffering masses! Fire Punch is highly recommended,
especially for connoisseurs of dystopian fiction. It should be noted that Fire Punch is intended
expressly for mature readers, and carries a parental advisory due to explicit content - there are
scenes of extreme violence as well as sexual situations.
The Audiobook Shelf
Year One
Nora Roberts, author
Performed by Julia Whelan
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781531834449 $44.99
The unabridged audiobook rendition of the first novel in the post-apocalyptic "Chronicles of the
One" series, Year One is set in a world radically transformed by an unfathomable change - one
that decimated half the world's population, destroyed the electrical grid, toppled national
governments, and brought the power of magick. Yet magick can be a force for protection or a
blight of unimaginable corruption. A handful of survivors band together and seek to escape the
ravaged New York City, heading west in search of an unknown frontier. Superbly performed by
Julia Whelan, Year One is thought-provoking, engrossing, and highly recommended. 10 discs, 12
hours 24 min.
A Game With No Rules
Michael Atamanov, author
Neil Hellegers, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
https://tantor.com/a-game-with-no-rules-michael-atamanov.html
9781515908104, $42.99, CD, www.tantor.com
The Empire is splitting at the seams. The Great Houses refuse to obey the Throne World and
have begun to conduct increasingly independent politics. Sensing the weakness of the central
government, even the most loyal star systems of the Imperial Core are refusing to take orders
from above. Is this just a string of coincidences, or a coordinated campaign? Can a disjointed
humanity rally around a strong leader to deflect an alien invasion? Who of the many figures in
intergalactic politics can rise to this challenge? And is there a basis to the creeping rumors that
some influential aristocrats have joined forces with the enemy and allied with the aliens? The
fourth and final book in Michael Atamanov's science fiction action/adventure series 'Perimeter
Defense' series, "A Game With No Rules" is superbly narrated by Neil Hellegers in a flawlessly
produced, complete and unabridged audio book from Tantor Media. Providing a complete
'theatre of the mind' experience, "A Game With No Rules" is unreservedly recommended
listening for the legions of Michael Atamanov fans in general, and community library audio book
collections in particular. Of special note is the Epilogue which casts an incredible and
unpredicted twist to the entire story.
Rogue Angel: Death Looms
Alex Archer
Graphic Audio
7520 Standish Place, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20855
9781628515633, $19.99, MP3 CD, www.graphicaudio.net
While looking for ghosts among Mardi Gras revelers in New Orleans, Annja Creed is asked to
help recover sacred objects stolen from a church. Instead, her efforts lead her into a vast
conspiracy and blackmail scheme that stretches thousands of years into the past. Joined by Garin
Braden, who has his own score to settle, Annja follows the path of seven ancient coins into the
lair of Spider, one of history's deadliest assassins. Will Annja and Garin find Spider's legendary
treasure, or fall into her web, never to see the light of day again? Superbly produced with a full
cast that is deftly augmented with cinematic music and digital sound effects, it should be "Rogue
Angel: Death Looms" is an original story written specifically for GraphicAudio by Alex Archer
and is available in no other format. Especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal
listening of dedicated action/adventure fans, and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to
community library audio book collections. (5 CDs, 5 Hours).
The Simple Truth
David Baldacci
Read by Jonathan Marosz
Hachette Audio
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104
9781478994633 $20.00 www.HachetteAudio.com
Now available for the first time as an unabridged audiobook on CD, The Simple Truth is a
gripping legal thriller about a mysterious sequence of murders targeting everyone involved with
convicted criminal Rufus Harms and his appeal - including the brother of protagonist John Fiske,
a cop turned attorney. What do these killings have to do with the crime Harms committed
twenty-five years ago? The one person who may truly know the answer is a prison escapee,
desperately running for his life! Suspenseful to the very end, The Simple Truth is a choice pick
for mystery and crime drama connoisseurs, highly recommended. 11 CDs, 13 hours.
The Music CD Shelf
Soundscapes
Deborah Offenhauser
Privately Published
$TBA www.debspianoweb.com
Soundscapes is a music album featuring the compositions and piano talent of Deborah
Offenhauser, enriched with contributions from associates including the guitar, drums and
percussion, oboe, flute, cello and violin. The result is a rich, reflective audio tapestry, highly
recommended especially for connoisseurs of instrumental new age music. The tracks are
"Decidedly Joyful", "Free Radical", "Nothing Can Touch You Now", "Irrational Exuberance",
"Tanz", "Special Palace", "Through a Glass Darkly", "Rosemont Theme", "Air", "The
Gloaming", "it is Written (Kirjutatud On)", "Tanninim (Sea Creatures)", and "The Wonderful
Unfoldment". 65 min. 50 sec.
Silent Whispers
Kaveh Karandish
kavehpiano.com
Privatley Published
$15.99 CD / $14.99 download cdbaby.com
Silent Whispers is an instrumental album featuring the piano music of Iranian-American
immigrant Kaveh Karandish, enriched with the collaboration of additional world-class musicians.
Brimming with passion and Karandish's genius talent for blending elements from different
musical traditions and cultures, Silent Whsipers is glorious, life-affirming, and profoundly
inspirational. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of quality original instrumental
music. The tracks are "Silent Whispers", "Southern Sunrise", "Passion Dance", "My Dream",
"Kaveh & Sherif", "Moments", "Sunset Sparrows", "Zaagros Zephyr", "Delicate Dreams",
"Shiraz Nights", "Traveler", "Desert Dance", "Jaan e Jaanaan", and "Golden Dreams
(Variation)".
They Were Here
Byron Metcalf & Jennifer Grais
www.byronmetcalf.com
www.jennifergrais.com
Dr. Bam's Music
$15.99 CD / $9.03 MP3 amazon.com
They Were Here is a music album of sweeping beauty, crafted in celebration of the bond between
humans and horses. Polyrhythmic drumming, didgeridoo, and orchestral synth-scapes accented
with beautiful vocal pieces craft an album of exceptional beauty. They Were Here embraces the
shamanic expression of the animal as spirit guide, and stirs the soul with its call to imagination
and reflection. Highly recommended. The tracks are "They Were Here", "Opening to Freedom",
"Soul of Mestengo", "Near and Far Away", "Womb of the Serpent", "Run", and "Song for Solo".
61 min. 48 sec.
Ay Que Boogaloo!
Spanglish Fly
www.spanglishfly.com
Chaco World Music
$15.00 www.chacoworldmusic.com
Ay Que Boogaloo! is the latest album by Latin boogaloo group Spanglish Fly, who relish in
transforming their chosen genre with elements of bolero, New Orleans funk, swing jazz, Arabic
chant, and more. Lively, energetic, and embracing pluralism, Ay Que Boogaloo is a joy to
experience and highly recommended for multicultural and world music collections. The tracks
are "Bugalu Pa Mi Abuela", "New York Rules", "You Know I'm No Good/Chica Mala Mambo",
"Ojala-Inshallah", "La Clave 'E Mi Bugalu", "Boogaloo Shoes", "Mister Dizzy Izzy", "Chain of
Fools", "Coco Helado", and "How Do You Know/Como Sabes".
The DVD Shelf
The Commander: The Complete Collection
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$59.99 www.acornonline.com
The Commander: The Complete Collection gathers all episodes of the British television series
about a talented and strong-willed woman who has earned her place as New Scotland Yard's
highest-ranking female officer after 20 years of service with London's Metropolitan Police. Her
commitment to justice has also swayed the attention of her superiors - not always in a good way -
and threatens to put her life in danger! Gripping and intensely character-driven, The Commander:
The Complete Collection is highly recommended, and a "must" for connoisseurs of the genre.
Bonus materials include an interview with star Amanda Burton, a character retrospective with
creator Lynda La Plante, and a supporting cast featurette. It should be noted that The Commander
is intended for mature audiences, due to the presence of coarse language, sexual situations,
nudity, graphic images, and violence. 17 episodes on 7 DVDs, SDH subtitles, widescreen.
The Education Shelf
Colleges That Pay You Back: 2018 Edition
Robert Franek, et al.
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9781524757830, $22.99, PB, 480pp, www.amazon.com
College is a major financial investment, and one that too many students enter into blindly. With
the publication of "Colleges That Pay You Back: 2018 Edition", The Princeton Review erases
that uncertainty with an informative and reliable guide to colleges and universities where
students get the best return on their tuition investment. These schools offer generous financial
aid, excellent academics, and valuable career-building experiences for a successful post-college
outcome! "Colleges That Pay You Back: 2018 Edition" features: Top-value picks chosen based
on 40+ data points, including academics, cost of attendance, financial aid, and post-grad salary
figures; Profiles of 200 schools that offer fantastic value, with insight into their career services
offerings; 7 Unique Ranking Lists; The top 25 schools with the Best Alumni Network, Best
Career Placement, Top Financial Aid, and more; The highest-paying majors and great schools
that offer them; Starting and mid-career salary information for graduates of each school;
Percentages of alumni who report having meaningful jobs and who majored in
science/technology/engineering/math (STEM) fields. A unique and reliable reference, "Colleges
That Pay You Back: 2018 Edition" is unreservedly recommended for family, community, school
district, and academic library Educational Reference collections.
The Magic of Play
The Care Courses School
PO Box 10526, McLean, VA 22102-8526
MOP-13N9, $50.00, PB, 84pp, www.CareCourses.com
"The Magic of Play" explores the role of play in children's learning and development as well as
ways to create and manage a play-based early childhood program. "The Magic of Play" will
enable the reader to: identify key components of a "learning-through-play" early childhood
environment that supports imaginative, creative play for all children, including those with
disabilities; describe strategies to motivate children effectively; identify strategies to encourage
children's resourcefulness and creativity; identify strategies to encourage and support
event-based, block, and playground play; describe the role of active and rough and tumble play;
explain the importance of play in an adult's life; identify key components of a meaningful play
environment for children of different cultures; describe strategies for managing common play
challenges. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Magic of Play" is
especially recommended reading for classroom teachers, and is unreservedly recommended for
college and university library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Complete Book of Sewing Techniques
Wendy Gardiner, author
Sian Irvine, photographer
Coral Mula, illustrator
Companion House Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552
9781620082362 $19.99 www.facebook.com/companionhousebooks
The "Complete Book of Sewing Techniques" teaches step by step instructions for over 30
essential sewing techniques, with copious color photographs and illustrations. The book is
divided into three parts: Sewing Essentials, Basic Techniques, and Style Techniques. Simply and
clearly written narrative paired with precise matching illustrations and photos, "Complete Book
of Sewing Techniques" is a helpful tool for the beginning, intermediate, and even advanced
seamstress. Section 1, Sewing Essentials, covers sewing machines, sergers, fabrics, threads and
notions, interfacings and stabilizers, paper patterns, and measuring guides. Helpful hints and
relevant guides or measurement displays are presented in sidebars tinted pink and/or green.
Examples of light weight, medium weight, and heavy weight fabrics are shown along with knit
fabrics and specialty fabrics. In the pattern section, there is a helpful measuring guide, plus green
sidebar guides to sizing measurements for imperial and metric patterns. There is also a helpful
guide to pattern alterations. The Basic Techniques section covers hand stitching, machine
stitching, corners and curves, seams, and seam finishes. Frequent helpful hints sidebars
highlighted in pink add handy tips and information to the seamstress. The Style Techniques
section contains information on hemming, facings and bands, darts, pockets, waistbands, collars,
sleeves, cuffs, zippers, buttonholes, fastenings, tucks and pleats, linings and interlinings, gathers
and ruffles, fancy edges, elastic and casings, straps and ties, applique, and making curtains and
blinds. The "Complete Book of Sewing Techniques" is a veritable encyclopedia of sewing
knowledge and techniques which can offer specific guidance to even advanced seamstresses as
well as beginners. The photo illustrations are beautifully organized and color coded for clarity
and beauty. The "Complete Book of Sewing Techniques" has a place on every seamstress' handy
instructional bookshelf.
Sew-It-Yourself Home Accessories: 21 Practical Projects to Make in a Weekend
Cheryl Owen, author
Paul Bricknell, Photography, plus Shutterstock
IMM Lifestyle Books
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552
9781504800938 $16.99 www.foxchapelpublishing.com
"Sew-It-Yourself Home Accessories" contains instructions and templates for 21 practical projects
that are easily made over a weekend. Filled with bright color photo-illustrations, each project is
well documented from start to finish, every step along the way. Starting with project title,
finished project photo, and list of materials and instructions for cutting out, the narrative
continues to step by step instructions for making each home sewing projects. Helpful tips are also
highlighted and illustrated. Beginning with illustrated lists of materials, supplies and tools, plus
demonstrations of special techniques for many of the projects, projects include a chenille sofa
pillow, a coffeepot cozy, an egg coaster, a pear doorstop, quilted oven mitt, stacked pincushion,
headphones case, kimono clothespin bag, laptop case, hanging storage tub, tablet sleeve, a
toiletry bag, wall organizer, and more. Large colored photos of projects and steps for making
them are helpful to beginners and intermediate seamstresses. Full of clear instructions, creative
ideas, and colorful realizations of sewing craft projects, "Sew-It-Yourself Home Accessories" is
an ideal how-to book for the practical home sewing crafter.
Add One Stitch Knitting
Alina Schneider
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438010892, $18.99, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Add One Stitch Knitting: All the Stitches You Need in 15 Projects", knitting
expert and blogger Alina Schneider demystifies the knitting process and helps aspiring
needlecrafters to learn 15 essential knitting stitches with her easy, step-by-step, illustrated guide.
Starting with the simple knit and purl stitches, each individual lesson will help novice knitters to
combine these building blocks to create more complex stitches such as moss, waffle, rib, seed,
and more. Build your skill set and create lots of beautiful, stylish projects, including: Garter
stitch: Scarf; Seed stitch: Headband; Moss stitch: Cowl; Broken rib: Baby blanket; Waffle stitch:
Phone case; Andalusian stitch: Summer top; 3 x 1 Seed rib stitch: Pom-pom hat -- and much
more! Crystal clear photos and easy-to-follow lessons give beginners and refreshers all the tips
they need to create beautiful and modern knit pieces making "Add One Stitch Knitting:" an ideal
and unreservedly recommended addition to personal and community library knitting instructional
reference collections.
The Fishing Shelf
Fly Fishing the Greater Yellowstone Backcountry
Bruce Staples
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811716208, $29.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Bruce Staples, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, has fly-fished the Greater Yellowstone area for thirty-five
years. Yellowstone National Park is one of the most crowded parks in the country, and for good
reason: breathtaking scenery, amazing wildlife, and for anglers, great fishing. Yet, even a short
hike from the road or trailhead into the backcountry of the park and the surrounding area can put
anglers into even better fishing, often in solitude. Drawing upon his impressive expertise and
years of experience, Staples has created "Fly Fishing the Greater Yellowstone Backcountry", a
guidebook that focuses on backcountry fishing opportunities in Yellowstone Park and
surrounding areas in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho (Greater Yellowstone Area). In addition to
full color photographs of the destinations, Staples has also included essential information for
each stream or lake, including maps and written directions, flies, gear, and timing. An
exceptionally well organized and presented instructional guide and reference, "Fly Fishing the
Greater Yellowstone Backcountry" is ideal for planning truly memorable fishing excursions
anywhere in the Greater Yellowstone territory. While highly recommended for community
library Fishing/Hunting collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fly Fishing
the Greater Yellowstone Backcountry" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.65).
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Extraordinary Dreams
Kimberly R. Mascaro
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
https://mcfarlandbooks.com
9781476668826, $29.95, PB, 186pp, www.amazon.com
Kimberly R. Mascaro has practiced psychotherapy focused on dreamwork, anxiety, women's
recovery, trauma, grief and loss for 20 years and has served as a faculty associate at Arizona State
University for 11 years. Some see dreams as communications with another reality and others see
them as insignificant random phenomena. Dreams range from the mundane of day-to-day events
to the extraordinary, including visions, lucid dreaming, out of body experiences, interactions with
the deceased, precognition, sleep paralysis and vivid hallucinations during transitions between
sleep and wakefulness. Drawing on individuals' reports, and drawing upon her years of
experience and expertise, Mascaro explores the phenomena and the significance of extraordinary
dreams in the pages of "Extraordinary Dreams: Visions, Announcements and Premonitions
Across Time and Place", making it an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to
personal, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies and Dream Studies
instructional reference collections. It should be noted for students, academia, and non-specialist
general readers that "Extraordinary Dreams" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,
$15.99).
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Am I My Body's Keeper?
Michael Kaufman
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York 11225
www.UrimPublications.com
9789655242669, $26.95, HC, 300pp, www.amazon.com
Dr. Michael Kaufman is a distinguished scholar and author and studied at Yeshiva and Mesivta
Torah Vodaath, Telshe Yeshiva, Brooklyn College, and the University of Louisville. In "Am I
My Body's Keeper?: Torah, Science, Diet and Fitness -- for Life" he has written an instructional
guide specifically for those readers who find it almost impossible to stay 100% healthy and fit
with a modern lifestyle that includes long hours of sitting in an office chair, balancing a family,
and accomplishing everything else on a daily to-do list. To deal with this conundrum, Dr.
Kaufman shows how to extend our lives by living healthy and fit. "Am I My Body's Keeper"
provides a simple guide to changing our lifestyles, from the sedentary one characterizing most of
society to an active one emphasizing physical activity and healthy eating. The simple lifestyle
changes advocated in the pages of "Am I My Body's Keeper?" will give readers vim and vigor,
health and fitness during those additional years of life they will be gaining. Based upon the
timeless teachings of the Jewish sages as well as scientific research, "Am I My Body's Keeper" is
a 'real world practical' guide for good, healthy living for both men and women of any age.
Thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, content, organization and presentation, "Am I My Body's
Keeper?" is a life-changing, life-enhancing instructional guide and manual that is unreservedly
recommended for personal, community, and academic library Health & Medicine collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
The Gardening Shelf
Worms Eat My Garbage
Mary Appelhof and Joanne Olszewski
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612129471 $14.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com
Also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99), Worms Eat My Garbage is a classic how-to guide to
worm composting (a process anyone can use to recycle food scraps into nutrient-rich fertilizer),
now completely revised and updated for the 35th anniversary of its publication. Featuring easy-
to-follow instructions and space-conscious suggestions that urban dwellers and others with
limited-size yards can apply, Worms Eat My Garbage is enthusiastically recommended for
gardeners of all skill and experience levels.
Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens
Sara Williams & Bob Bors
Coteau Books
2517 Victoria Avenue, Regina, SK, Canada, S4P 0T2
9781550509137, $39.95, HC, 320pp, www.coteaubooks.com
From pincherries to haskaps, tree fruits to vine fruits, and everything in between, renowned
horticulturists Bob Bors and Sara Williams delve into the science of growing and maintaining
fruit plants for northern gardeners to collaborative create "Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens", a
profusely illustrated compendium of instructional information that gives each specific fruit plant
its own chapter. "Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens" is a beautifully designed reference guide,
complete with charts and color photographs, as it showcases and describes the plants and their
history, planting, care, and any problems (such as insects and disease) that are typically
associated with growing them. With the help of "Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens", even the
most novice of northern climate gardeners will be able to decide which plants would work best in
their own gardens, and harvest the fruits of their success. Exceptionally and extraordinarily 'user
friendly' in organization and presentation, "Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens" is very highly
recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Gardening
instructional reference collections.
The Crafts Shelf
Crafting Gratitude
Maggie Oman Shannon
Viva Editions
2246 Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-2219
http://vivaeditions.com
9781632280343, $18.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com
Rev. Maggie Oman Shannon believes that crafting for us and those we love can be used as a
meditative practice to appreciate the incredible, overflowing richness of life. That's why when
she wrote "Crafting Gratitude: Creating and Celebrating Our Blessings with Hands and Heart"
she insured that each meditative craft, from novice to expert, is infused with stories like how
Gratitude Bundles can represent prosperity and physical health, Spirit Houses from Southeast
Asia can be a symbol of a happy home, a Values Bracelet can help you reinforce your best
professional traits, or Flower Mandalas can be an affirmation of nature. With other crafts
involving aromatherapy, journaling, dream catchers, and a variety of household items, anyone
can invigorate their own lives with Crafting Gratitude for family, health, prosperity, the Divine,
and much more. Accompanied by a carefully curated list of recommended reading, helpful
websites, and how-to guides, these forty practices will resonate with and prompt the aspiring
crafter to begin, or continue, exploring gratitude. While highly recommended and certain to be a
popular addition to senior center and community library instructional reference crafting
collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Crafting Gratitude" is also available
in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Big Book of Weekend Beading
Jean Power, editor
Natalie Corgrove, Umbreen Hafeez, Cheryl Owen, and Julie Smallwood, authors
CompanionHouse Books
www.facebook.com/companionhousebooks
c/o Fox Chapel Publishing
903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552
9781620082829 $19.99 amazon.com
"Big Book of Weekend Beading" contains step-by-step instructions for over 30 quick beading
projects, plus a helpful beginning section on materials, tools, and techniques for beading. All four
main sections of "Big Book of Weekend Beading" are filled with specific color photos of
materials, techniques, tools, and instruction steps, plus finished product photos. Beading is a
popular hobby among adults and teens, and a project guide like this one is extremely appealing.
"Big Book of Weekend Beading" is divided into four general sections of quick beading projects:
General Beading, Stringing, Bead Embroidery, and Wirework. There are eight or more beading
projects in each section, with complete lists and color photos of materials, photo illustrated step
by step instructions, and a finished project portrait photo. Some of the projects include a bead
fringed throw, a square stitch belt, a loom bracelet, a bead-fringed lamp shade, eyeglass chain, an
elastic necklace, an embroidered shawl, flower embroidered napkins, chandelier earrings, a
charm bracelet, a decorated candle, and a beaded key ring, plus many more. Hours of pleasant
beading and crafting are contained within the slim 183 pages of "Big Book of Weekend Beading"
with its helpful instructions, tips, and information, including lists of suppliers, and templates for
projects. "Big Book of Weekend Beading" is a first class instruction manual for a popular
pastime that is sweeping the nation, a perfect activity for quiet winter weekends.
The Parenting Shelf
Inspiring Wonder, Awe, and Empathy
Deborah Schein
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544847, $29.95, PB, 156pp, www.amazon.com
In the pages of "Inspiring Wonder, Awe, and Empathy: Spiritual Development in Young
Children", early childhood educator Deborah Schein offers a series of thoughtful practices for
child care providers to nurture a child's spiritual development as an extension of social-emotional
learning. "Inspiring Wonder, Awe, and Empathy" helps classroom teachers and caregivers to
introduce young children to a system that begins with love and leads to a strong sense of self,
ignites wonder and learning, and allows for the emergence of empathy that leads to personal
wholeness. Teachers, parents, daycare attendants, and Kindergarten assistants can provide
support and strengthen children's self-awareness through deep connections, increased social
awareness, and pro-social behaviors, such as kindness, caring, empathy, and reverence. Spiritual
development moments help children to grow, explore, play, and ask big questions. A unique and
extraordinary contribution to the growing library of Early Childhood Education literature,
"Inspiring Wonder, Awe, and Empathy" is an especially recommended addition to parental,
school district, community, college, and university library collections and supplemental studies
reading lists.
The Art Shelf
Ralph Fasanella: Images of Optimism
Marc Fasanella & Leslie Umberger
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
19018 NE Portal Way, Portland, OR 97230
www.pomegranate.com
9780764979507, $35.00, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com
A self-taught painter, Ralph Fasanella (September 2, 1914 - December 16, 1997) was an activist
whose megaphone was his paintbrush. His images, filled with symbolism, chronicle life in early
twentieth-century New York, the American labor movement, the complex bonds of family, and
the political injustices and social inequities of his time. "Ralph Fasanella: Images of Optimism"
showcases nearly seventy of Fasanella's vibrant images of social conscience. An informative
essay by Leslie Umberger articulates Fasanella's life of action and the deep-seated drive behind
his work, and Marc Fasanella (the son of Marc Fasanella and a professor of art, architecture, and
design for thirty years) offers personal perspectives on this unique artist of the people. Of special
note is a chronology provided by Paul S. D'Ambrosio. "Ralph Fasanella: Images of Optimism" is
a fascinating and informative perspective showcasing the work of a significant American artist
and is unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and academic library 20th Century
American Art History collections in general, and Ralph Fasanellar supplemental studies reading
lists in particular.
The Sports Shelf
Skiing New Mexico
Daniel Gibson
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826357564, $19.95, PB, 132pp, www.amazon.com
Impressively informative and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Skiing
New Mexico: A Guide to Snow Sports in the Land of Enchantment" by Daniel Gibson is the
ideal guide to recreational skiing and snowboarding in the Land of Enchantment. Included are
thousands of helpful details on the state's downhill ski resorts and cross-country and backcountry
venues. Each individual ski area is profiled in a separate chapter that includes details on facilities
and services such as childcare and instructional options; statistics like average snowfall, vertical
drop, and lift capacity; transportation options, including shuttle and bus services; and prices of
lift tickets, rental equipment, and lessons."Skiing New Mexico" also includes historical facts
about each ski area and its founders, suggestions for best runs by type of terrain, activities off the
slopes, and notes on his favorite places to stay and eat. The separate chapters on cross-country
and backcountry downhill skiing are equally informative. While very highly recommended for
community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Skiing New
Mexico" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The American History Shelf
Prairie Power
Sarah Eppler Janda
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806157948 $29.95 pbk / $28.45 Kindle amazon.com
Prairie Power: Student Activism, Counterculture, and Backlash in Oklahoma 1962-1972 is a
scholarly examination of student activism in Oklahoma, including its links to grassroots socialist
radicalism, anti-draft protests, countercultural expression, and more. These "prairie power" free
speech advocates are compared and contrasted against student protesters on the East Coast. Also
scrutinized are the extreme efforts with which state officials worked to repress "agitators". Notes,
a selected bibliography, and an index round out this excellent contribution to Oklahoma and
American History shelves, highly recommended especially for public and college library
collections.
The World History Shelf
No Way Out: The Irish in Wartime France 1939-1945
Isadore Ryan
Mercier Press
https://www.mercierpress.ie
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, 124 Byers Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
9781781174876, $32.00, PB, 352pp, www.amazon.com
After the Germans invaded in 1940, at least 2,000 Irish people found themselves trapped in
France. Intent on staying alive, most kept their heads down, but some became involved to
varying degrees. "No Way Out: The Irish in Wartime France 1939-1945" by Isadore Ryan is an
historical collection and collection of their experiences and misadventures in France during the
traumatic years of World War II. An inherently fascinating and informative read from beginning
to end, it is interesting to note that Isadore Ryan is a financial journalist and editor, resident in
Paris for over 20 years. While very highly recommended for both community and academic
library 20th Century European History collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists
that "No Way Out: The Irish in Wartime France 1939-1945" is also available in a digital book
format (Kindle, $12.99).
The Money/Finance Shelf
Invest Like You Give a Damn
Marc de Sousa-Shields
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
www.newsociety.com
9780865718487 $18.99 pbk / $12.98 Kindle amazon.com
Invest Like You Give a Damn lives up to its title as a practical-minded, reader-friendly guide to
sustainable and responsible investing - that is, investing in companies not only as a foundation
for one's retirement, but also as a foundation for a better world according to one's highest ethical
and moral principles. Peppered with true-life stories, Invest Like You Give a Damn goes the
extra mile to be thoroughly accessible to readers with little or no experience in matters of
finance. "Financial advisors are people too, so they will have their planning and investment
biases. Getting to know their investment approach and philosophy is key. You need to divine and
understand this thoroughly before committing to using their services. Are they a Buy-and-Hold
Polly? Or are they a Treasury Bill Conservative?" Invest Like You Give a Damn is "must-read"
for anyone and everyone seeking to plan for their financial future, highly recommended.
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
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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