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Reviewer's Choice
White Pond Drive
Charissa Nasrallah Soful
Independently Published
9798865118817, $10.00, PB, 148pp
https://www.amazon.com/White-Drive-Charissa-Nasrallah-Soful/dp/B0CLKYJ81D
Synopsis: "White Pond Drive" is the story of the post-industrial city of Akron, Ohio which was losing its trees. Akron politicians had been selling off the community's greenspace instead of fixing up the areas in blight.
However when a developer comes in with plans to destroy a forested wetland on White Pond Drive, a group of concerned citizens begin speaking up. One of the people involved, Charissa Nasrallah Soful, is a biology teacher hoping to protect the frogs and other wildlife in the area before her memories of them are all that's left.
This is her story.
Critique: An inspiring and inherently fascinating memoir, "White Pond Drive" by Charissa Soful will hold a special and particular appeal and utility for readers with an interest in grassroots public impact on governmental and private sector environmental policy issues, confrontations and reforms. Laced with humor and a fun (as well as informative) read from start to finish, "White Pond Drive" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Memoir collections and supplemental Environmental Studies curriculum lists. It should be noted that "White Pond Drive" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Charissa Foful (https://charissanasrallahsoful.medium.com) is a Biology teacher and organic gardener concerned about the sustainability of humanity.
The Military Shelf
The Military Experience
Steven J. Crane
Independently Published
9798861928861, $9.99, PB, 97pp
https://www.amazon.com/MILITARY-EXPERIENCE-IMPACT-YOUR-FUTURE/dp/B0CK3XPJL8
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Military Experience: How It Can Impact Your Future", Steven J. Crane takes the reader through the process of joining the military, the differences between the military branches, what to expect in basic training, what to expect at your first duty station, experiences of military deployment, benefits you would receive, as well as potential cons of joining.
Crane explains the benefits one can gain from joining the military are substantial and include: guaranteed pay and potential bonuses, free housing, free medical and dental care, paid vacation, college tuition benefits, travel opportunities and advanced training options.
By enlisting in the military, recruits over time will learn valuable skills and develop personal traits that are transferable to the civilian world, benefitting them regardless of what future path they choose. Some of the skills and traits the author refers to include: communication skills, teamwork, problem solving, discipline, courage, conflict resolution, management, integrity, and adaptability.
As Crane addresses in "The Military Experience', the military is not an easy path to take. However, the benefits and traits you can learn far outweigh the challenges one might experience and transfer to a civilian career.
Critique: Especially appropriate for young adults ages 18 to 25 who struggling with making a decision what path to take after high school or college "The Military Experience: How It Can Impact Your Future" is a quick and informative read that provides detailed and accurate information. It should be noted that Crane took advantage of the college tuition assistance the military offers after fulfilling his own military commitment. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99), "The Military Experience" is especially and unreservedly recommended for highschool, community, and college/university library vocational guidance and military enlistment/career instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Steven J Crane has spent the past twenty-five years working in the banking industry. Many of those years have been spent in senior leadership positions. He feels that the military provided him with the skills and education to finish college and successfully transition back into the civilian world.
The Biography Shelf
A Light Through The Cracks: A Climber's Story
Beth Rodden
www.bethrodden.com
Little A
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781503903814, $28.99, HC, 301pp
https://www.amazon.com/Light-through-Cracks-Climbers-Story/dp/1503903818
Synopsis: Beth Rodden is twenty years old and already an elite rock climber when a climbing excursion in Kyrgyzstan escalates into a nightmare. Beth, her boyfriend, and two other climbers are kidnapped by militant rebels. After six harrowing days of hiding, marching, and dodging gunfire, they miraculously escape captivity. But fear follows Beth home, and pushing past it becomes a fixation.
She and her boyfriend, Tommy, train obsessively, achieving rock-climbing greatness and conquering each groundbreaking goal they set, all the while burying the terrors of Kyrgyzstan deep inside.
Then comes an unexpected breaking point. For Beth, a woman at the top of her profession, the only way to overcome the anxiety that still controls her is to let go of the lifeline she's been clinging to. Blowing up her successful and familiar life, Beth clears a path to a new one -- a healthy new normal beyond the anxieties of the past and the myopic pursuit of athletic perfection.
Charting a powerful journey of ambition, hope, love, physical and emotional endurance, and the true fulfilment of being oneself, "A Light through the Cracks" is Beth's personal story of climbing up and through life.
Critique: "A Light Through The Cracks: A Climber's Story" is rock climber Beth Rodden's inspiring memoir about overcoming devastating trauma, refusing to be held hostage by fear, and taking a leap toward healing. Inherently fascinating, inspiring, and exceptionally well written, "A Light Through The Cracks: A Climber's Story" will be of particular appeal for readers with an interest in memoirs of mountain climbers in general, and one woman's singularly dramatic life experiences in particular. Highly recommended for community and college/university library American Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "A Light Through The Cracks: A Climber's Story" is also available in a paperback edition (9781503903791, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Beth Rodden (www.bethrodden.com) has been climbing for thirty years, and she hopes to be climbing for thirty more.
Playing for Freedom
Zarifa Adiba, author
Anne Charon, author
Susanna Lea Associates, translator
Amazon Crossing
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662511134, $28.99, HC, 206pp
https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Freedom-Journey-Young-Afghan/dp/1662511132
Synopsis: As an Afghan girl, Zarifa Adiba has big, unfathomable dreams. Her family is poor, her country mired in conflict. When walking to school in Kabul, Zarifa has to navigate suicide bombers.
But Zarifa perseveres, nurturing her passion for music despite its "sinful" nature under Taliban law. At sixteen she gains admission to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, and at eighteen she becomes the lead violist, co-conductor, and spokesperson for Zohra, the first all-female orchestra in the Muslim world.
Despite Zarifa's accomplishments (which included a stunning performance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland) her future in music demands a reckoning with her life back home. Many of the girls in Zohra are forced to marry, but Zarifa yearns to study, travel, and explore her independence. Her so-called "bad girl" identity puts her at odds with her culture and her family.
Critique: Inherently fascinating and providing insight into the present day plight of girls and women under the Taliban, "Playing for Freedom: The Journey of a Young Afghan Girl" by Zarifa Adiba is the deeply compelling story of a young woman who dares to compose a masterpiece even with all odds stacked against her. The deeply personal and exceptionally well presented memoir of a passionate young female musician growing up in the war-torn streets of Kabul who was able takes her forbidden talents abroad is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Women's Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in the subject that "Playing for Freedom" is also readily available from Amazon Crossing in a paperback edition (9781662511141, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note #1: Zarifa Adiba is the lead violist and co-conductor of Zohra, Afghanistan's first (and only) all-female orchestra. She studied at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, the only music education entity in Afghanistan in 2017. She is currently studying International Politics at both Bard College and American University of Central Asia. She is an activist for girls and education and has participated in several panels, including at the World Economic Forum in 2017. "Playing for Freedom" is her first book.
Editorial Note #2: Anne Chaon is a journalist and former correspondent for the Agence France-Presse. She was based in Kabul, Afghanistan, from June 2016 to September 2018 and again in June 2021.
Editorial Note #3: Susanna Lee Associates (www.susannalea.com) opened its New York office in 2004. They represent a range of fiction and non-fiction, including literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, crime, thrillers, narrative non-fiction, memoir, current affairs, personal development, humor, and select young adult with crossover appeal.
By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go
Joanne Greene
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647424442, $17.95, PB, 192pp
https://www.amazon.com/Accident-Memoir-Letting-Go/dp/1647424445
Synopsis: Joanne Greene grew up in Boston during the 1960s and '70s, a turning point for women in the United States. Doors were opening wider, and Joanne walked through as many as she could. As a young woman, she dove headfirst into San Francisco radio and television, and went on to host and produce award-winning feminist and other timely features and talk shows for decades. Throughout, she worked at having a great marriage and being an exemplary parent. But underlying her high-achieving life was a sometimes-destructive need for control.
Vulnerability and dependency were okay... for other people. Joanne's value was tied to how in charge, how together, and how productive she was. Then she suffered a traumatic accident -- and it set her on a journey of discovery that taught her true power came in the still moments, the moments when she not only loosened her grip but even allowed herself to crack. In fragility, Joanne found, there was beauty -- and possibility, too.
"By Accident" is her personal story about discovering that control is a seductive illusion and how letting go of the need for it can reveal great strength and lead us to even firmer ground.
Critique: An intimate, candid, fascinating memoir of dealing with PTSD and self-help striving towards having a life worth the living, "By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go" is inspirational and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted that "By Accident" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Joanne Greene (www.joanne-greene.com) attended Northwestern University and Emerson College before settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was a recognized voice for decades on SF radio. She is the co-host, with Gabi Moskowitz, of the podcast All the F Words and the host of In This Story, a podcast featuring her flash nonfiction.
The General Fiction Shelf
Feels Like Summer
Wendy Francis
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
9781662520693, $16.99, PB, 303pp
https://www.amazon.com/Feels-Like-Summer-Wendy-Francis/dp/1662520697
Synopsis: It's Memorial Day weekend, the annual kickoff to summer for the three Lancaster sisters. But the festivities take a deep dive when a mysterious boating accident occurs off their seaside town, sparking questions about how well the sisters know their neighbors -- and each other.
Kate, whip smart and rich, lives a charmed life -- if only her lawyer husband wasn't always disappearing for his next big case. Older sister Shelby, when not selling houses, is falling hard for an on-again, off-again lover. He's perfect for Shelby in many ways, and so wrong in others.
And then there's Bree, the youngest and reeling from a recent breakup and in desperate need of her sisters. They've always been there for each other, but as secrets arise and gossip spreads like wildfire, the idyllic weekend takes a dramatic tailspin.
Will this summer's troubles change their bond before their sisterhood is righted again?
Critique: An inherently interesting and engaging read from start to finish, "Feels Like Summer" by novelist Wendy Francis will prove to be of particular interest to fans of sibling female friendship stories. Exceptional and fun, original and memorable, "Feels Like Summer" is highly recommended for community library contemporary fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Feels Like Summer" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99) from Lake Union Publishing.
Editorial Note: Wendy Francis (www.wendyfrancisauthor.wordpress.com) is a former book editor and the author of six novels, including Summertime Guests, The Summer of Good Intentions, and Three Good Things. Her writing has also appeared in Good Housekeeping, the Washington Post, and NPR's Cognoscenti, among others.
Lake County
Lori Roy
https://www.loriroy.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662519932, $28.99, HC, 316pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lake-County-Novel-Lori-Roy/dp/1662519931
Synopsis: Desperate to break free of small-town Florida, Addie Anne Buckley dreams of following in the path of her glamorous aunt Jean -- known to the world as Marilyn Monroe. When Aunt Jean plans a trip to Hollywood for Addie's eighteenth birthday, Addie sees her chance to escape.
One thing stands in her way: her boyfriend. Truitt Holt is Addie's first and only love and will be joining her in California. But days before Addie's due to leave, Truitt does an about-face and gives her a painful ultimatum: stay and marry him, or they're through. Addie chooses her dream.
Hurt and angry, Truitt unwittingly exposes the illegal bolita game he's been running in mob territory. Now the Tampa mafia is after him, and he has until midnight to cut a deal that will save his life and Addie's. What he doesn't know... his trouble with the mob has already found Addie and her family. She's already in a fight for her life.
Critique: A deftly crafted and simply riveting read from start to finish, "Lake Country" by Lori Roy is a compulsive page turner of a read and will be of particular interest to fans of police procedurals, suspense thriller novels, and coming of age stories. While an extraordinary and highly recommended pick for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lake Country" is also readily available from Thomas & Mercer in a paperback edition (9781662519949, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Lori Roy's (www.loriroy.com) debut novel, Bent Road, was awarded the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel by an American Author. Her work has been twice named a New York Times Notable Crime Book and has been included on various "best of" and summer reading lists.
Pink Whales
Sara Shukla
Little A
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662514869, $16.99, PB, 317pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pink-Whales-Novel-Sara-Shukla/dp/1662514867
Synopsis: Charlie is already feeling adrift when she relocates to an exclusive town in coastal New England with her mysteriously distant husband, Dev, and their young twins in tow. She hopes the move will recharge her stalled marriage, and she wants her kids to feel like they belong, even if she's clearly a fish out of water herself. In a strange new world where summer is a verb and both the harbor and the partygoers are awash in a dizzying constellation of pinks and pastels, she's never felt so confounded or alone. She'll need more than a preppy handbook to find her way.
Then a trio of imposing, beautiful, and monogrammed power moms comes to the rescue and Charlie clings to their attention like a life raft. As Dev pulls further away, Charlie dives into her newfound friends' circle of yacht clubs, rivalries, and bizarre theme parties, hoping to find her sea legs. She even dares to cozy up to a hot, barefoot, and aggressively flirty local. But if she's running from her problems at home, where exactly is she escaping to? Charlie is beginning to wonder. This ridiculous new normal (and her desire to be part of it) might just eat her alive!
Critique: "Pink Whales" by Sara Shukla is a 'must read' pick for fans of British & Irish absurdist humor and satire. A compulsively hilarious, impressively genuine, and truly memorable fun read from start to finish, "Pink Whales" is especially recommended for both personal reading lists and community library General Fiction collections. Additionally, it should be noted that "Pink Whales" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Sara Shukla (https://sarashukla.com) is an editor for WBUR's Cognoscenti. You can find her writing at WBUR as well as the Los Angeles Review of Books, McSweeneys, and elsewhere. She is also an alum of GrubStreet's Novel Incubator and the University of Virginia.
The Waw
Jacqueline Gay Walley
www.gaywalley.com
Etruscan Press
https://etruscanpress.org
9798985882490, $19.00, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Waw-Jacqueline-Gay-Walley/dp/B0CB831SHF
Synopsis: A woman leaves her New York life to follow an image she has seen of a small town of great beauty by the sea in England. She does not quite know why she does this and is frequently asked and gives different answers.
There she encounters remarkable people of strength with whom she explores music, love, dignity, and the gifts of solitude coupled with the gifts of community. She, in addition, is having a collection of her writings published which is daunting to her since she knows she will now be revealed, and not so pleasantly, and this unglues her.
Along the way, the reader of Jacqueline Gay Walley's newest novel, "The Waw" gets a wry look at the publishing business. The narrator is also wrestling with how the world's changing is being reported in such a vituperative manner.
She also has a boyfriend in New York who visits and reveals himself in ways unforeseen. At the same time, she meets two men on the island, who astound her in their lack of artifice and sly profundity. She finds herself in love and more open than ever before.
All of this put together strips her down to her essence, where the beauty of the place and people are able to transform her to a better self.
Critique: Deftly written in an distinctive and narrative driven style by author Jacqueline Gay Walley, "The Waw" is a novelistic, fictional memoir that is 'often poetic, sometimes with a touch of magic realism' and will prove to be of immense engagement for readers with an interest in late life romance, parenting relationships, and women's fiction. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Waw" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) from Etruscan Press.
Editorial Note: Jacqueline Gay Walley (www.imlpublications.com/walley) has published eight novels, the most recent before "The Waw" is "Magnetism". She has written plays (shown in New York and London) and has two films out based on her books. She has also written e-books such as "How to Write a First Novel" and other topics which are available on Bookboon. Her film, "The Erotic Fire of the Unattainable" was selected by six international film festivals and now plays on Amazon Prime. Born in London, raised in Montreal, she now lives in New York where she coaches writing, edits and ghostwrites.
The Waves Take You Home
Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez
https://mariaalejandrabarriosvelez.com
Lake Union Publishing
9781662513954, $28.99, HC, 332pp
https://www.amazon.com/Waves-Take-You-Home-Novel/dp/166251395X
Synopsis: Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn't approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes.
After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in the first place. The journey leads her to rediscover her home, her grandmother, and even the flame of an old love.
Critique: Of special appeal to fans of Hispanic American themed novels, and women's fiction, "The Waves Take You Home" by novelist Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez is a deftly crafted and compelling read from start to finish. While an unreservedly recommended pick for both community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Waves Take You Home" is also readily available from Lake Union Publishing in a paperback edition (9781662513947, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez (https://mariaalejandrabarriosvelez.com) has an MA in creative writing from the University of Manchester. She was the 2020 SmokeLong Flash Fiction Fellow, and her stories have been published in Shenandoah Literary, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, El Malpensante, Fractured Lit, SmokeLong Quarterly, The Offing, and more. Her work has been supported by organizations such as Vermont Studio Center, Kweli, Caldera Arts, and the New Orleans Writers' Residency.
Sex with Jesus
Mike Spiritfair Marty
Independently Published
www.hoopladigital.com/title/16766273
9798986894317, $37.95, HC, 147pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Jesus-Mike-Spiritfair-Marty/dp/B0BT6V3SSR
Synopsis: A unique, strange, yet inherently fascinating visionary science fiction laid out within the action-packed metaphysical framework in a novella format are woven 48 surveys (with accompanying free URL links) that is designed to address this specific aspect of modern life. With its admittedly provocative titles, "Sex with Jesus" author Mike Spiritfair Marty also addresses concerns and observations regarding the economy, mental health, antisemitism, student loans, suicide, misinformation, the world, nature, deoxyribonucleic acid, and a great deal more.
Critique: Eloquent, provocative, iconoclastic, challenging, thoughtful and though-provoking, "Sex with Jesus" is a work of fiction that is firmly based in observable fact and is a compulsive page turner of a read that is an unusual and recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sex with Jesus" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798986894300, $35.00) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.95).
Editorial Note: An true iconoclast, Mike Spiritfair Marty states that "I'm not a very good American. I want to know the truth. Facts are not the truth. Truth is meta-factual: an explanation of the data, an explanation of the facts. If one of the reasons European-Americans love Kant is because he started a practical movement that said all of the truth cannot be known, so we should only focus on facts that are useful, that's fine. Still, however, I have to deal with the reality that I am interested in the truth. I'm trying to be as successful as I can be in America, in life, without losing track of who I am and what my primary interest is." There is a listing of his books online at www.goodreads.com/author/list/16842672.Mike_Spiritfair_Marty
The Historical Fiction Shelf
The Book of Perilous Dishes
Doina Rusti, author
James Christian, translator
Neem Tree Pres
www.neemtreepress.com
9781911107439, $26.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Perilous-Dishes-Doina-Rusti/dp/1911107437
Synopsis: Bucharest. 1798. A year full of intrigue and political machinations. Master chef Silica reigns supreme, sought after by all. His cooking is sublime, satisfying even the sophisticated tastes of the Greek Prince, who steals him from his rightful owner and installs him in his Palace.
Little does anyone know that Silica guards the magical Book of Perilous Dishes, filled with recipes with the power to brew potent elixirs of truth, shroud minds in forgetfulness, unveil the future with eerie precision, and provoke bouts of uncontrollable laughter.
When 14-year-old Patca, steeped in the occult arts, embarks on a mission to recover her family's recipe book, she discovers her uncle murdered and a map that needs deciphering. As she embarks on an adventure across Romania, France, and Germany, her journey unveils family secrets that unearth history, weave magic, and unite destinies.
Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively original novel that will be of particular interest to fans of coming-of-age stories featuring fantasy, adventure, crime, and historical drama, "The Book of Perilous Dishes" by Romanian writer Doina Rusti is ably translated into English for an appreciative American readership by academician James Christian Brown. While unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that "The Book of Perilous Dishes" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781911107446, $16.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note #1: Doina Rusti (https://doinarusti.ro/en/despre.html) is among the most important contemporary Romanian writers and is widely appreciated for the epic force, originality, and erudition of her novels. Her award-winning novels have been translated into many languages. Doina lives in Bucharest and is a university professor and screenwriter.
Editorial Note #2: James Christian Brown is a Romanian-to-English translator. Originally from Scotland, he has lived in Romania since 1993, where he teaches in the English Department of the University of Bucharest. (https://neemtreepress.com/translator/james-christian-brown)
All the Glimmering Stars
Mark Sullivan
https://marksullivanbooks.com
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
9781542038126, $28.99, HC, 480pp
https://www.amazon.com/All-Glimmering-Stars-Mark-Sullivan/dp/154203812X
Synopsis: Anthony Opoka and Florence Okori are coming of age in Uganda in the 1990s. Outstanding students, they believe in being good humans before they are kidnapped and forced into the fanatical Lord's Resistance Army.
In a legion of young recruits, no one gets closer than Anthony to powerful messianic warlord Joseph Kony and his darkest secrets. To stay sane as he spirals through chaos, Anthony clings to his childhood lessons about being a good human. Florence's upbringing grounds her, too, helping her keep her dreams alive even as she's pulled deeper into the insanity of Kony's war.
At the lowest points of their lives, certain they'll never go home, Anthony and Florence meet by chance, fall in love, and begin to dream of surviving their captivity. They devote their lives to helping their fellow child soldiers escape bondage and return to their families and redemption by following the stars.
By turns tender, shocking, moving, desperate, and ultimately triumphant, Florence and Anthony's story is an epic drama of humanity, a life-affirming tale, and an experience readers will never forget.
Critique: Although a work of deftly crafted fiction, "All The Glimmering Stars" by Mark Sullivan is based on a true story about two teens who were kidnapped and inducted into an African war lords army. Featuring an afterword by Anthony and Florence Opoka, "All The Glimmering Stars" is an inherently fascinating read and one of those novels that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finished and set back upon the shelf. Highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted that "All The Glimmering Stars" is also available in a paperback edition (9781542038119, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Mark Sullivan (www.marksullivanbooks.com) is the author of more than twenty novels, including Beneath a Scarlet Sky and the Private series, which he writes with James Patterson. Mark earned a graduate degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and began a career in investigative reporting before turning to fiction.
The Light Between Us
Elaine Chiew
Neem Tree Press
https://neemtreepress.com
9781915584779, $27.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Light-Between-Us-Elaine-Chiew/dp/1915584779
Synopsis: At work one night, photography archivist Charlie Sze-Toh receives a misdirected letter from Wang Tian Wei, a 1920s colonial era Chinese photographer. Through a mysterious digital folder at her end and photographic plates at his, they begin a conversation that leads to a transcendental romance that spans lifetimes.
In his time, Tian Wei scours a turbulent Singapore for his missing friend, Aiko, leading him to the perfumed chambers of a Japanese brothel. Meanwhile, in the modern day, Charlie struggles against a family dynamic dominated by her stepmother, a manipulative matriarch who uses family secrets as bargaining chips. Communication starts to become difficult and Tian Wei's letters are tinged by the increasing threat of Japanese Occupation. Will one last fate-defying letter from Charlie allow Tian Wei to keep their love alive?
Critique: Inspired by her research into Singaporean historical archives and even more impressive when considering that this is her first novel, author Elaine Chiew deftly weaves Chinese mythology and early 20th century colonial Singapore into "The Light Between Us" -- a uniquely epic story of time travel, romance, suspense. A fun read from start to finish, "The Light Between Us" is historical fiction raised to a premier level of literary excellence -- making it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and college/library collections. It should be noted that "The Light Between Us" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781915584670, $17.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.49).
Editorial Note: Elaine Chiew (www.epchiew.com) is also the author of The Heartsick Diaspora and compiler/editor of Cooked Up: Food Fiction From Around the World. Her stories have won prizes, notably twice in the Bridport International Short Story Prize, and been anthologised in the U.S., U.K. and Asia, with BBC Radio 4, and in The Best Asian Short Stories 2021. She mentors, teaches creative writing ad hoc, writes freelance and has worked as an independent researcher in the visual arts. She has an M.A. in Asian Art History from Goldsmiths London. She can be followed on X, (formerly Twitter) @ChiewElaine, on Facebook @epchiew.921 and on Instagram @epchiew
The Half-Caste
Jason Zeitler
Polyphony Press
9798989269242, $28.50, HC, 312pp
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-half-caste-jason-zeitler/1144524930
Synopsis: It's the mid-1930s and Fascism is on the rise.
Against the backdrop of political upheaval, two friends-Vernon, a mixed-race Ceylonese postgraduate student, and Saul, a wealthy Jewish intellectual and connoisseur of music meet regularly for tea at a Lyons' Corner House on Coventry Street.
There they discuss everything under the sun. Despite their blossoming friendship, however, neither of them is completely frank with the other. They both have dark secrets: Vernon about his political activities; Saul about his wife. As the narrative progresses in novelist Jason Zeitler's "The Half-Case", and as Vernon's and Saul's storylines converge, their secrets slowly come to light to the reader and to each other.
After his father becomes seriously ill in 1936, Vernon takes sabbatical leave from university and, with Saul accompanying him, returns to Ceylon. The personal drama and political intrigue continue from there.
Critique: A deftly crafted and original novel of 'political intrigue, love and loss, and the soul-stirring value of friendship that is even more impressive when considering that this is author Jason Zeitler's debut as a novelist, "The Half-Caste" an exceptionally memorable, thought-provoking, and entertaining read from start to finish. Deftly crafted characters, an inherently interest and complex story, "The Half-Caste" is one of those novels that will linger in the mind long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. While unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists for those with an interest in Jewish historical fiction that "The Half-Caste" is also readily available in a paperback editin (9798989269228, $18.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Jason Zeitler is the author of the novella Like Flesh to the Scalpel (Running Wild Press, 2018), and his stories and essays have appeared in the Journal of Experimental Fiction, Midwestern Gothic, the British magazine Spellbinder, and elsewhere.
The Young Samaritan
J. Schuyler Sprowles
Book Baby Publishers
www.bookbaby.com
9798350931105, $16.99, PB, 266pp
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Samaritan-J-Schuyler-Sprowles/dp/B0CR5V4B5N
Synopsis: J. Schuyler Sprowles novel, "The Young Samaritan" is inspired by a single passage from the Gospel of Mark. It is a coming-of-age historical adventure tells of Joshua, a Samaritan boy, who fears his life is in danger and is forced to flee home.
In this extraordinary journey, Joshua endures a harsh and unexpected world as heartbreaking as it is joyful. From a mysterious woman who delivers a haunting vision, a wild dog that curiously stays by his side, and a reclusive uncle who hides from the world, Joshua finds uncommon love in a forsaken land.
Late one night he is awakened by an unusual band of sojourners led by a man they call Rabbi. Many say he is the Messiah. Despite their efforts to eventually move on without him, Joshua refuses to be left behind. In time, the men allow this strong-willed boy to join them.
Little does Joshua understand that he has embarked on a transformational journey that leads to the cross and beyond.
Critique: An engaging and fascinating novel that will have enormous appeal to readers with an interest in stories set in the time of Jesus, "The Young Samaritan" by J. Schuyler Sprowles is especially and unreservedly recommended as a prized pick for personal reading lists and community library Historical Fiction and Christian Fiction collections. A great read from start to finish, it should be noted that "The Young Samaritan" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: A Chicago native, J. Schuyler Sprowles founded a family-oriented magazine in Southern California. A lifelong Christian, Schuyler admits to having walked away from his faith at times, only to discover Jesus waiting in the shadows to guide him back where he belongs.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
2102 Pretense, the Play
William E. Jefferson
Book Baby Publishers
www.bookbaby.com
9781736496756, $24.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/2102-Pretense-Play-William-Jefferson/dp/1736496751
Synopsis: William E. Jefferson's new novel "2102: Pretense, the Play" masterfully weaves a captivating narrative that explores the intricate dance between advancing technology and the very essence of human existence in the dawning age of artificial intelligence.
A work of fictional realism, but not fantasy, "2102: Pretense, the Play" offers an fascinating probe into modern-day reality with its rapidly evolving technology and media effects. Jefferson draws upon empirical findings, from a range of contemporary nonfictional works and nonprofits like, The Center for Human Technology, Center for AI safety, and the Media Ecology Association.
Critique: The very definition of literary excellence, "2102: Pretense, the Play" (which contains a code word in the title -- the noun Pretense serves as a code-word for AI) is an original and riveting read from start to finish. Simply stated, "2102: Pretense, the Play" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "2102: Pretense, the Play" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Novelist William E. Jefferson is a seasoned author and brilliant storyteller, and the creator of the mystical Isle of Estillyen. He introduced in his debut novel, Messages from Estillyen (2014). Jefferson holds an MTh in Theology and Media from the University of Edinburgh and an MA in Communication from the Wheaton Graduate School. He serves on the board of the Marshall McLuhan Initiative (MMI) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and is an active member and supporter of the Media Ecology Association.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Cross Roads
Devney Perry
https://devneyperry.com
Montlake
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662518782, $16.99, PB, 287pp
https://www.amazon.com/Crossroads-Haven-River-Ranch-Devney/dp/1662518781
Synopsis: "Cross Roads" is part of the Haven River Ranch western romance series written by novelist Devney Perry and told in the first person.
I met West Haven when I was eight years old. He taught me to play poker when I was nine, and we made paper airplanes together when I was eleven. He kissed me when I was sixteen. He was the best part about my family's summer vacations to Montana. He was the boy who stole my heart. I was twenty-three when life ripped us apart.
Years later, I'm breaking my vow and returning to the ranch, not as a guest but its new owner. West might want me gone, but even he has to admit the only way to save his family's legacy is with my help.
It's not easy working side by side and facing those old memories. But this situation is only temporary. We're at a crossroads. And as long as I don't let myself fall in love with West Haven again, maybe this is our chance to put those ghosts to rest. Maybe this time we'll finally be able to say goodbye.
Critique: A finely crafted novel that will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in contemporary romance, western romance, and adult/college romance, "Cross Roads" (which is also available in a digital book format -- Kindle, $4.99) will prove an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Romance fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Devney Perry (www.devneyperry.com.) is the author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing.
The False Flat
Melissa R. Collings
www.melissacollings.com
Montlake
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662521201, $16.99, PB, 379pp
https://www.amazon.com/False-Flat-Melissa-Collings/dp/1662521200
Synopsis: Penelope Auberge is at her breaking point. With an overbearing mother, a married boyfriend, and a boss who gives Pen's high-profile finance clients to male colleagues, it feels like nothing she's accomplished in her thirty-two years belongs to her.
Determined to build a life entirely her own, Pen moves from Minnesota to Tennessee to open a solo financial business. There, she meets siblings Deanna and Grant, who attempt to coax Pen out of her socially anxious shell. Hesitant to open up so she doesn't get hurt (again), Pen is slow to develop a friendship with Deanna, and she's determined to ignore her feelings for Grant, which is difficult given she's joined his cycling group and a clear something begins blossoming between them.
Pen's path in Nashville appears to be smoothing out, but she soon learns that packing up her past isn't quite that easy. If she wants to start fresh, she'll have to decide what she really wants -- even if that means riding away from her old life for good.
Critique: With a particular interest for fans of multicultural and interracial romance, "The False Flat" by novelist Melissa Collings is a finely crafted work of literary excellence that will be enjoyed by the reader from start to finish. An extraordinary and highly recommended pick for community and college/university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The False Flat" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Melissa Collings (www.melissacollings.com) started writing women's fiction and romantic comedies. Her first novel, "Into The Cold" is a young adult psychological suspense/thriller.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Follow Her Down
Victoria Helen Stone
www.victoriahelenstone.com
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
9781662521683, $16.99, PB, 331pp
https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Down-Victoria-Helen-Stone/dp/1662521685
Synopsis: The murder of Elise Rockwood's sister shattered her family. Their mother's anxiety kept her housebound. Elise's paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She's bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won't let it go. He still believes there's more to their sister's murder (and the confession) than meets the eye. When Elise's ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise's greatest fear now is who will survive it!
Critique: A simply riveting novel of suspense by Victoria Helen Stone, "Follow Her Down" is a complex and deftly crafted story built upon decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion that will not allow a woman overcome her trauma at the unexplained loss of her sister and the mysterious and possibly linked death of her ex-husband. Original and fascinating from start to finish, "Follow Her Down" is a strongly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library conspiracy suspense/thriller fiction collections. It should be noted that "Follow Her Down" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Victoria Helen Stone (www.victoriahelenstone.com) is also the author of The Hook; At the Quiet Edge; The Last One Home; Problem Child; Half Past; False Step; Evelyn, After; and Jane Doe. She is a master of dark intrigue and emotional suspense, with novels published in English, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Hungarian, Lithuanian, German, Czech, Hebrew, Estonian, and Polish. Her novel Jane Doe was optioned by Sony for television.
The Alone Time
Elle Marr
www.ellemarr.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662513817, $16.99, PB, 319pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Time-Elle-Marr/dp/166251381X
Synopsis: Fiona and Violet Seng were just children when their family's Cessna crash-landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued.
Twenty-five years later, they're still trying to move on from the trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn't dare -- until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the "girl survivors" and questions their version of the events.
When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods.
Critique: A finely crafted work of psychological suspense thriller fiction from first page to last, "The Alone Time" by Elle Marr is one of those unique and singular novels that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book is finish and set back upon the shelf. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99), this paperback edition of "The Alone Time" from Thomas & Mercer is genuinely recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Elle Marr (www.ellemarr.com) is also the author of The Family Bones, Strangers We Know, Lies We Bury, and The Missing Sister.
Under the Palms
Kaira Rouda
https://kairarouda.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662511936, $16.99, PB, 269pp
https://www.amazon.com/Under-Palms-Kingsleys-Kaira-Rouda/dp/1662511930
Synopsis: Under the direction of the Kingsleys' new president, Paige, the family has gathered for a weekend retreat at a luxurious Laguna Beach resort.
Still clinging to the hope of succession are the sons of Richard Kingsley, the family patriarch and CEO: John, the oldest, who's clawed his way back from a dark tragedy, and Paige's estranged husband, Ted, the golden boy. When Richard's ex and his wayward daughter join the fray, Paige finds herself with two fast allies. They know a secret that could shatter the family legacy. Call it leverage, call it revenge, the Kingsley women believe they have the upper hand.
But as the power games begin, greater threats than the howling Santa Ana winds are coming. Because this weekend, amid so much greed and betrayal, no Kingsley is safe. It's family. Watch your back.
Critique: A well scripted novel of reader riveting psychological suspense, "Under The Palms" by Kaira Rouda is a provocative and absorbing read from start to finish. Singular, original, engaging, and exciting, "Under The Palms" is completely recommended for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "Under The Palms" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) as well as in a large print edition (Thorndike Press Large Print, 9781420514100, $37.99, Library Binding)
Editorial Note: Kaira Rouda (www.KairaRouda.com) is the acclaimed author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her domestic suspense novels include Best Day Ever, The Favorite Daughter, All the Difference, The Next Wife, Somebody's Home, The Widow, and Beneath the Surface, the first book in the Kingsleys series. She is a founding member of the Killer Author Club, supporting other suspense and mystery authors and can be followed on Instagram: @kairarouda, Facebook: @kairaroudabooks, TikTok: @kairaroudabooks, Pinterest: @kairarouda
What Fire Brings
Rachel Howzell Hall
www.rachelhowzell.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662504174, $28.99, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/What-Fire-Brings-Rachel-Howzell/dp/1662504179
Synopsis: Bailey Meadows has just moved into the remote Topanga Canyon home of thriller author Jack Beckham. As his writer-in-residence, she's supposed to help him once again reach the bestseller list. But she's not there to write a thriller - she's there to find Sam Morris, a community leader dedicated to finding missing people, who has disappeared in the canyon surrounding Beckham's property.
The missing woman was last seen in the drought-stricken forest known for wildfires and mountain lions. Each new day, Bailey learns just how dangerous these canyons are because other women who have also gone missing here. Could these missing women be linked to strange events that occurred decades ago at the Beckham estate?
As fire season in the canyons approaches, Bailey must race to unravel the truth from fiction before she becomes the next woman lost in the forest.
Critique: A riveting psychological suspense thriller of a read from first page to last, "What Fire Brings" showcases author Rachel Howzell Hall's impressive flair for the kind of distinctive and narrative driven storytelling that keeps the reader's total attention from start to finish. Original, entertaining, and carefully crafted, "What Fire Brings" is a prized pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections and is also readily available for personal reading lists in a paperback edition (9781662504167, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Rachel Howzell Hall (www.rachelhowzell.com) is an Anthony, Edgar, International Thriller Writers, and Lefty Award nominee and the author of The Last One; What Never Happened; We Lie Here; These Toxic Things; And Now She's Gone; and They All Fall Down; Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. A past member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America, Rachel has been a featured writer on NPR's acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast; she has also served as a mentor in the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.
The Last Man
Thomas Goodman
Mainsail Media
www.mainstaybooks.com
9798987750803, $16.99, PB, 308pp
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Man-Novel-Santa-Robbery/dp/B0C5TS1JJX
Synopsis: When Santa Claus enters a Texas bank just before Christmas in 1927, no one expected him to pull a gun.
The fake white beard hides his identity from his neighbors while he and three others take everything. But their easy heist goes sideways fast when armed lawmen and citizens assemble to claim a new reward for dead bank robbers.
Taking hostages, the gang forces a path through a frenzied and bloody shootout, setting the whole Lone Star state on their trail.
One bandit dies in the getaway. One is executed in the electric chair. One swings from a rope in a mob lynching. The last man finds a life he always hoped for... if only he can keep it.
Critique: Although a work of deftly crafted fiction by novelist Thomas Goodman, "The Last Man" is closely based on the true story of a 1927 bank robbery. "The Last Man" is a gritty Prohibition-era crime novel replete with flawed characters, second chances, and non-stop, action embedded plot twists and turns. A riveting read that will be of particular interest to fans of historical Christian mystery/suspense novels, "The Last Man" is unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Last Man" from Mainsail Media is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Thomas Goodman first ran across the story of the Santa Claus Bank Robbery when he lived in the small Texas county where it all took place. He currently lives in Austin, where he has been able to conduct extensive research on the true crime at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. "The Last Man" is his first novel.
Two Over Easy All Day Long
Shari Lane
https://www.sharilane.com
Golden Antelope Press
https://goldenantelope.com
9781952232862, $22.95, PB, 286pp
https://www.amazon.com/Two-Over-Easy-All-Long/dp/1952232864
Synopsis: When the president of a toy company, guilty of a tragic negligence, is sentenced to a year of minimum-wage work in an Oregon diner, he loses his familiar Manhattan privileges. But Giles Gibson, now "Tony," gradually learns to appreciate the tangles and complexities of "ordinary" lives, and those who somehow manage to keep on going with compassion and wit.
The diner's (secretly kindhearted) boss has other secrets too, as does the curmudgeonly cook. (He'd gone AWOL from Vietnam half a century earlier.) Much of the novel is set in Sunnyside Up, the diner where staff and customers mingle. There's a drug ring just outside town, headed by the ex-sheriff, a lavender farm whose workers tend to be undocumented, a gay couple who aren't quite in or out of the closet.
Critique: Novelist Shari Lane has populated her newest book "Two Over Easy All Day Long" with a roster of memorable characters. Of special interest to fans of cozy culinary mysteries Two Over Easy All Day Long is a fun read from start to finish, and brought to an impressively of literary excellence that holds the reader's total attention throughout. Simply stated, "Two Over Easy All Day Long" is unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Critique: Shari Lane started with an MA in Classics, taught Latin to middle schoolers and headed a Montessori preschool. After she earned her law degree, passing the bar in Oregon and Washington State, she briefly ran an employment business, then worked for employers with human resources departments, and earned her Arbitration certificate. She wound up building bridges, helping migrant farmworkers and their families, advocating for unhoused and food insecure people. Along the way, she wrote. Currently Shari Lane hosts a weekly open mic for writers, and serves as managing editor for SHARK REEF Literary Magazine.
Follow Her Down
Victoria Helen Stone
www.victoriahelenstone.com
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
9781662521683. $16.99, PB, 331pp
https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Down-Victoria-Helen-Stone/dp/1662521685
Synopsis: The murder of Elise Rockwood's sister shattered her family. Their mother's anxiety kept her housebound. Elise's paranoid brother, Kyle, saw conspiracies everywhere. Elise numbed her grief in an aimless lifestyle that left her emotionally broken. All of them victims. A local boy eventually confessed to the crime, but the damage was already done.
Years later, Elise is reinventing herself. She's bought a mountain lodge to be close to home again and to find stability. Not even an email from her ex tempts her into revisiting the past. But Kyle won't let it go. He still believes there's more to their sister's murder (and the confession) than meets the eye. When Elise's ex is found dead in the same forest where her sister went missing decades before, Elise is finally willing to listen.
The traumas of the past are reemerging. So is the truth. Elise's greatest fear now is who will survive it!
Critique: A deftly crafted psychological suspense thriller of a read from start to finish, "Follow Her Down" by author Victoria Helen Stone is an original novel about how decades of doubt, fear, and suspicion won't let a woman overcome her trauma. A riveting page turner of a read, "Follow Her Down" is a solidly recommended pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Follow Her Down" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Victoria Helen Stone (www.victoriahelenstone.com) is also the author of The Hook; At the Quiet Edge; The Last One Home; Problem Child; Half Past; False Step; Evelyn, After; and Jane Doe. She is a master of dark intrigue and emotional suspense, with novels published in English, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Hungarian, Lithuanian, German, Czech, Hebrew, Estonian, and Polish.
Lost to Dune Road
Kara Thomas
www.kara-thomas.com
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662509568, $16.99, PB, 335pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Dune-Road-Kara-Thomas/dp/1662509561
Synopsis: Reporter Lee Ellerin's investigation into a young woman's unsolved murder gained national attention -- only for her to lose everything due to a tragic mistake. After being publicly ridiculed for causing a suspect's death, Lee is forced to leave her career behind.
Five years later, pregnant college student Amanda Hartley lies in a coma. The police say she attempted suicide, but the details don't add up. Where is the father? Who was paying for Amanda's Manhattan penthouse? Why did Amanda have a note with Lee's name in her backpack? There's also one alarming coincidence: Amanda was last seen on Dune Road in the Hamptons -- where the murder victim in Lee's previous investigation disappeared.
As she's pulled back into the still-unsolved case that destroyed her career, Lee sees the chance to amend the mistakes of her past. But finding a killer and unearthing Amanda's secrets sends her down a darker path than she has ever walked before.
Critique: Riveting, original, and one roller coaster of a read from start to finish, "Lost To Dune Road" by novelist Kara Thomas will have tremendous appeal for readers with an interest in psychological suspense thriller murder mysteries. While a highly prized pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lose To Dune Road" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Kara Thomas (www.kara-thomas.com) is a mystery enthusiast who dreams of one day solving a cold case. She is also the author of Out of the Ashes and YA novels The Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, The Cheerleaders, and That Weekend, a Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick.
She's Not Sorry
Mary Kubica
Park Row Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780778308065, $30.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shes-Not-Sorry-Psychological-Thriller/dp/0778308065
Synopsis: Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom and working full time as an ICU nurse, when a patient named Caitlin arrives in her ward with a traumatic brain injury. They say she jumped from a bridge and plunged over twenty feet to the train tracks below.
When a witness comes forward with new details about Caitlin's fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was a crime committed? Did someone actually push Caitlin, and if so, who... and why?
Meghan lets herself get close to Caitlin until she's deeply entangled in the mystery surrounding her. Only when it's too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims!
Critique: A well crafted and riveting read from start to finish, "She's Not Sorry" by novelist Mary Kubica will have a very particular attraction for readers with an interest in psychological suspense thrillers with more unexpected plot twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado. While an unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "She's Not Sorry" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) as well.
Editorial Note: Mary Kubica (https://marykubica.com) is the author of thriller novels that include: The Good Girl, The Other Mrs., Local Woman Missing and Just the Nicest Couple. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide.
The Honeymoon
Shalini Boland
www.shaliniboland.co.uk
Thomas & Mercer
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662507113, $16.99, PB, 267pp
https://www.amazon.com/Honeymoon-Shalini-Boland/dp/1662507119
Synopsis: It was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. But for newlywed Stella, the dream honeymoon has turned into a nightmare overnight. Her perfect husband, Austin, has vanished without a trace.
Alone in Venice, Stella frantically searches for him. But as fear turns into confusion, she finds herself questioning everything she knows about the man she married. Has Austin really abandoned her, or has someone from his past finally caught up with him -- the business partner he threatened to sue? The obsessive ex-girlfriend who refuses to let go? When Stella becomes convinced someone is following her, panic sets in.
As hours turn into days and clues start to unravel dark secrets, a terrified Stella can't help but ask herself: is her husband who she thought he was at all?
Critique: With the publication of "The Honey Moon", novelist Shalini Boland has crafted a truly riveting psychological suspense thriller of a read from start to finish. A true master of the psychological thriller genre, "The Honey Moon" is arguably her best work yet and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the growing legion of Shalini Boland fans that "The Honey Moon" is also readily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99).
Editorial Note: Shalini Boland (www.shaliniboland.co.uk) is the author of nineteen psychological thrillers. To date, she's sold over two million copies of her books. She is also the author of two popular sci-fi and fantasy series as well as a WWII evacuee adventure with a time-travel twist. She can be followed on on Twitter @ShaliniBoland, on Instagram @shaboland, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShaliniBolandAuthor
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Alliance
Dwain Worrell
www.dwainworrell.com
47 North
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662511981, $16.99, PB, 331pp
https://www.amazon.com/Alliance-Androne-Dwain-Worrell/dp/1662511981
Synopsis: As an orphaned girl, Harmony survived a strange war waged by an enemy called the Quondam. They crushed every technological advancement in the world, eviscerated the landscape, and killed millions. It can still be stopped. As prophesied, Harmony has a destiny to fulfill.
Thirty years later, she is in a tenuous alliance with a cult of zealots who worship time itself. A master code breaker, she's enlisted to obliterate the power of the Quondam and prevent a war that has already ended. The mission is a success. And with it, Harmony's new moniker of Peacemaker is enshrined. But as Harmony is warned: There's something else out there.
She's finding out what it is -- alongside a close-knit group of allies and one fearless sergeant who rescued her so many years ago. The war with the past may be over, but as the Church of Time reveals its biggest mystery, the war with the future has just begun.
Critique: Original, clever, and a fun read from first page to last, "Alliance" by Dwain Worrell (and the sequel to his novel "Androne") is action/adventure science fiction at its very best and will prove a welcome addition to personal and community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for the legions of science fiction fans that "Alliance" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9798400132308, $19.99, MP3-CD) as well.
Editorial Note: Dwain Worrell (www.dwainworrell.com) is a filmmaker, traveler, and novelist. He works as a film and television writer and producer. His writing credits include Marvel's Iron Fist, CBS's Fire Country, Amazon Studios' The Wall, and the Disney+ series National Treasure, among others.
Cloak of the Vampire
Sapir A. Englard
www.sapirenglard.com
Montlake
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662522260, $16.99, PB, 349pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cloak-Vampire-Sapir-Englard/dp/1662522266
Synopsis: Aileen Henderson's unassuming life conceals a dark past. Outside of work, she hides behind her larger-than-life best friend, Cassidy, whose constant need for attention suits Aileen (and her secrets) just fine. -- Until the night Aileen dies.
Awakening to a new world of brutality, bloodlust, and betrayal, Aileen plots revenge against Ragnor Rayne, the monster who cursed her with the Imprint. The demon who turned her into a vampire. The man whose eyes haunt her dreams.
She is going to make this vampire Lord regret the day he kissed her with the curse of immortality and made her his. If she can survive the Auction, and resist temptations of the flesh...
Critique: A fresh and fascinating approach to the Vampire Fantasy Genre, "Cloak of the Vampire" is the first in author Sapir A. Englard's new dark fantasy series. A fun read from strt to finish, "Cloak of the Vampire" will have an immense and specific appeal to readers with an interest in darkly romantic fantasy and vampiric lore. Unreservedly recommended for community library Fantasy Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cloak of the Vampire" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $3.99).
Editorial Note: Sapir Englard (www.sapirenglard.com) is the author of the massive digital hit The Millennium Wolves. Published in 2019 on the Galatea app, the twelve-book series has amassed more than 125 million reads. Englard's success has been documented in the Boston Globe, Forbes, TechCrunch, and more. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Sapir is a full-time writer and musician. The Millennium Wolves series is published in French by Hugo Publishing.
The Rekindler
Chiara Talluto
www.chiaratalluto.com
Independently Published
9781734823745, $8.95, PB, 81pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rekindler-Chiara-Talluto/dp/1734823747
Synopsis: 2032 A.D., the USA is a forgotten memory. UNO, a one-world government, rules the populated world. There is one true religion, KASTAM; it's a philosophy of moral relativism, steeped in pagan rituals and metaverse realities, as outlined in the Visphonice. If anyone is caught practicing any other religion, he or she will be persecuted and featured online for all to witness.
Captain Benjamin Morris, a former Marine and faithful Christian, has watched the demise of the USA and the rising iron grip of UNO. Upon discovering a hand-written testimony of the final days, he is fixed on resurrecting Christianity. His hard work for a revival has proven fruitless until he recruits a unique squad of five disciples to help him. With rejuvenated courage, he, and his new team arm themselves with biblical teachings, determined to share the Gospel of Christ. However, Morris has an even bigger mission in mind to reach the masses.
Critique: "The Rekindler" by Chiara Talluto is original, fascinating, memorable, thought-provoking, and certain to be of immense interest to science fiction fans who appreciate a well crafted dystopian novel with a distinctive Christian theme and framework throughout. A fun and riveting read from start to finish, "The Rekindler" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.
Editorial Note: Chiara Talluto (www.chiaratalluto.com) is known as the Master Storyteller in her household. She writes Inspirational/Christian drama empowering women to discover their faith, use perseverance to overcome adversity and become heroes of their own destinies. Chiara has also dabbled in writing middle-grade fantasy-fairy tales to encourage girls in developing strong morals and values, and to always stand up for what is right.
The World of Deatra
Kathrine Cardona-Andrade, author
Hilario D. Cardona-Andrade, author
Sonja Montoya-Frevele, author
Dorrance Publishing Company
www.dorrancepublishing.com
9798889253051, $15.00, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/World-Deatra-Kathrine-Cardona-Andrade/dp/B0CWPMHSTL
Synopsis: Co-authored by the team of Kathrine Cardona-Andrade, Hilario D. Cardona-Andrade, and Sonja Montoya-Frevele, "The World Of Deatra" is a deftly crafted fantasy novella that rises to the level of literary excellence:
The unicorns' heart beat wildly in her chest as she fought to escape her plight. Her horn glowing brightly as sweat slid down her sides dotting the ground like splattered blood. Golden hoofs dug deep into the soil propelling her forward into danger looming in the darkness. Panicked, she ran towards the safety of the dark woods.
The unicorn made one final attempt to dodge the red ropes of magic that came at her from all directions, ropes thrown by evil sorcerers. She jumped to the side trying to dart past two more sorcerers seated on black horses. Only this time the move didn't work, and the red ropes landed around her neck, trapping her in a mysterious void of darkness and mist.
The frightened unicorn reared up struggling to free herself refusing to give up hope. She could hear the dark sorcerers and their queen laughing at her futile struggles and cries for release. Lashing out with her hoofs she kicked something cold and clammy. Her eyes widened in horror for she found herself amongst the dead.
Critique: A fun, original, deftly crafted and riveting read from start to finish, "The World Of Deatra" is especially and unreservedly recommended for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans and community library Fantasy Fiction collections. It should be noted that "The World Of Deatra" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
The Poetry Shelf
Poor Lyrics & Chants: Radiance from the Pit
David Baldwin
Jahphut
www.jahphut.com
9780977063048, $25.00, HC, 105pp
Synopsis: An impressive compendium of 52 free verse poetry and prose poems, "Poor Lyrics & Chants: Radiance from the Pit" by David Baldwin ranges from Songs of Musik, Pillow Dreams, an Ancient Egregious Conflict - Sons of Ham; and Novel Corana Virus, to Thoth Sent Me, Absolute Freedom, Just a Little Time, When Hope Came, and King Hezekiah and the African King Taharqa with a Helping Hand -- and more!
Critique: As a wordsmith, David Baldwin has no superiors and few equals. The pace, cadence, structure and eloquence of the word poems that comprise "Poor Lyrics & Chants: Radiance from the Pit" are as thoughtful as they are thought provoking -- lingering in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Also available in a paperback edition (9790977063088, $12.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), "P:oor Lyrics & Chants" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library Contemporary African-American Poetry collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Editorial Note: David Baldwin, born and raised in Washington, D.C, grew up in the southeast section of the city, often dodging stumbling blocks of a life in the inner city. After several years of fighting the streets, he graduated from the neighborhood high school, Ballou Senior High.
Baldwin was unsure of the path he was destined to choose as a career, but he knew his experience of growing up in the inner city would create a platform for his writing, and benefit the black youth in his community.
In 2005, David Baldwin took a hiatus from his community involvement at the Boys & Girls Club, and dedicated his time to write his first novel, Underground Chronicles: The Payment. Baldwin's motivation behind this novel was to unveil an honest account of his neighborhood, the culture and music.
The story represents all poverty stricken youth embarking on the truth of a popular theme that says, ignorance kills and a leaderless people is what they are: Leaderless!
In 2010, David Baldwin became a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Category Excellence in Independent Publishing Award. His creative energy and storytelling proved worthy of this award, and he is committed to writing many more award winning novels.
POMES!: whimsy and wanderings in verse
Anne Ross
ARS Poetica
9781963653007, $15.00, PB, 92pp
https://www.amazon.com/POMES-whimsy-wanderings-Anne-Ross/dp/1963653009
Synopsis: Pomes are verses lighter and less formal than poems per se, and invite the reader into insights, laughs, and flights of fancy on a meander down the backroads of otherwise familiar terrain. An exploration of the extraordinary ordinaries of existence, different walks of life, car travel, intergenerational dynamics, and, via both established and experimental forms, the writing of poetry itself.
With the publication of "POMES!" we are introduced to the linguistic word smithing art and expertise of Anne Ross. A slender but memorably enjoyable compendium of free verse accompanied by the occasional B/W sketch art illustrations, "POMES!" one deftly crafted poem at a time is a fun read from start to finish! While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library Contemporary American Poetry collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "POMES!" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Anne Ross has nurtured a love of writing and doing artwork since she was a kid in Canada. She has written everything from screenplays to advertising copy and has edited books in such areas as self-help, business, scholarly historical nonfiction, and science fiction.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Rediscover Your Wisdom
Rabbi Joel Stein
NewType
www.rediscoveryourwisdom.com
9798989866403, $17.99, PB, 236pp
https://www.amazon.com/Rediscover-Your-Wisdom-Drawing-Self-improvement/dp/B0CTBRBPYB
Synopsis: With the publication of "Rediscover Your Wisdom: Drawing on Answers from Your Past to Achieve Self-improvement, Growth, and Success", Rabbi Joel Stein reveals a profound truth: the challenges that weigh on your mind today are echoes of battles you've already triumphed over.
Drawing from his rich experiences in guiding individuals through challenges that stumped even the most seasoned experts, Rabbi Stein unveils a unique perspective on self-discovery: you are your own best guide, therapist, and advisor. "Rediscover Your Wisdom" is an invaluable guide that transcends conventional self-help and empowers you to reflect on your past experiences to conquer present-day challenges.
"Rediscover Your Wisdom" takes you through: Practical techniques for self-reflection and introspection, enabling you to tap into your inner wisdom and resilience; Strategies for navigating self-exploration, managing emotions effectively, and fostering healthier relationships; Actionable steps to create personalized systems that facilitate ongoing growth and success in overcoming present challenges.
Through addressing common problems people face within the realms of identity, emotions, and relationships, Rabbi Stein provides a roadmap for acknowledging broader wisdom and strategies that apply to specific issues. Employing poignant stories and insightful anecdotes, "Rediscover Your Wisdom" invites you to see the larger thread that connects your daily challenges and create systems and reminders that will help you grow and succeed.
Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "Rediscover Your Wisdom: Drawing on Answers from Your Past to Achieve Self-improvement, Growth, and Success" by Rabbi Joel Stein is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary Judaic Studies collections as well as supplemental Philosophy and Cognitive Psychology curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Rediscover Your Wisdom" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.49).
Editorial Note: Rabbi Joel Stein, a prominent figure and popular author in the Orthodox Jewish community, is celebrated for his sought-after guidance in navigating complex mental challenges. His expertise extends beyond spiritual leadership, as he has successfully mediated multimillion-dollar disputes deadlocked for decades. Known for surpassing expectations where seasoned experts falter, Rabbi Stein has pioneered revolutionary techniques for success and self-improvement.
The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma
Daniel F. Polish
Ben Yehuda Press
https://www.benyehudapress.com
9781953829399, $18.00, PB, 145pp
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Torah-Path-Dharma-Intersections/dp/1953829392
Synopsis: Written with deep knowledge of Indian religions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism) and of Judaism, as both textual traditions and lived practices, and with an understanding of his American audience, "The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma" by Rabbi Daniel F. Polish provides an essential introduction to the world's leading non-Abrahamic religions for members of the Jewish community. It serves as well as a model of bridging the world of religious scholarship with the world of ordinary religious practitioners.
When Rabbi Polish embarked on the study of Indian religion at the beginning of his career, India was exotic, and Christianity was at the center of the American Jewish interfaith experience. Now, between globalization on the one hand, and a generation of Indian immigrants coming of age, Indian religion is of growing interest and concern. Rabbi Polish moves the discussion beyond the ways that practices such as Yoga and meditation have been westernized and commoditized, and points to what Jews share with a billion religious practitioners in the U.S. and beyond.
In "The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma", Rabbi Polish takes his Jewish readers on a tour of Indian religious practices and beliefs. He shows commonalities and differences and then, challengingly, asks us how what Jews learn about Indian religion might affect how they think about their Judaism and what followers of Eastern religious traditions can learn from Judaism about their faith.
Critique: Fascinating, informative, seminal, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Way of Torah and the Path of Dharma: Intersections between Judaism and the Religions of India" by Rabbi Daniel F. Polish is an extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, synagogue, and college/university library Comparative Religion and Judaic/Hinduism Studies collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.
Editorial Note: Rabbi Daniel F. Polish has been a congregational rabbi for many years, most recently serving as spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Chadash of the Hudson River Valley in Lagrangeville, New York. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Northwestern University, was ordained at Hebrew Union College, and earned his Ph.D. in History of Religion from Harvard University. He participates in ongoing dialogues with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and with the National Council of Churches, and served as chair of the International Jewish Commission for Interreligious Consultation (IJCIC), the official interlocutor of the Jewish community with the Vatican and other international religious bodies. Rabbi Polish is the author of several previous books including: Bringing the Psalms to Life, Keeping Faith with the Psalms, and Talking About God: Exploring the Meaning of Religious Life with Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel. He also serves on the editorial board of The Journal of Reform Judaism and of Current Dialogue, published by the World Council of Churches.
The Money/Finance Shelf
The Wannabe Investor
Ann Marie Sabath
Soncata Press
https://soncatapress.com
9798989857418, $29.95, HC, 244pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wannabe-Investor-Must-Know-Before-Buying/dp/B0CY8V53VY
Synopsis: Do you find the stock market intimidating? Does the thought of losing your hard-earned money hold you back? Do you think you don't have enough time to dedicate to investing in the market? If so you are a part of a staggering 40 percent of Americans who shy away from investing in the stock market due to a lack of knowledge, funds, or confidence.
"The Wannabe Investor: 40 Must-Know Facts Before Buying Your First Stock" is a seminal and groundbreaking instructional guide and 'how to' manual in which Ann Marie Sabath (a former wannabe investor turned diversified stock owner), shares her wealth of knowledge to empower you to enter the world of investing one step at a time.
Sabath's writing style is refreshingly down-to-earth, making even the most intricate concepts easy to grasp. She shares the essential pre-investment steps, ensuring you have a solid foundation before buying your first share of stock. She explains the seven excuses people make for not investing, how to identify your risk tolerance level, the power of compounding, the one-hour-a-year investment strategy, and much more.
"The Wannabe Investor" is far more than just another dry investment book. It's a transformative guide that reveals the strategies that self-made millionaires use to build wealth. Don't let your hard-earned money languish in low-yield savings accounts or slow-growing bonds any longer. You will be ready to take control of your financial future after a careful reading of "The Wannabe Investor".
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a three page listing of Recommended Resources, four pages of Notes, and a seven page Index, "The Wannabe Investor: 40 Must-Know Facts Before Buying Your First Stock" is an ideal and thoroughly 'reader friendly' introduction to the buying and selling of stock and growing the value of a personal portfolio. A critically important and ideal instructional guide for the novice stock market investor, "The Wannabe Investor: 40 Must-Know Facts Before Buying Your First Stock" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Money/Finance collections and supplemental Wealth Management, Retirement Planning, and Digital Currency curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Wannabe Investor: 40 Must-Know Facts Before Buying Your First Stock" is also available in a paperback edition (9798989857425, $19.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Ann Marie Sabath (www.annmariesabath.com) is the author of ten books, including the best-selling "What Self-Made Millionaires Do That Most People Don't". Her passion for investing was ignited during her ten life-changing years under the guidance of a seasoned stock market guru. Inspired by his six-decade fortune-building journey, she developed a keen understanding of investment principles and practical choices, which allowed her to build her own substantial nest egg. Today, Sabath dedicates her time to empowering individuals to create their own success.
The Art Shelf
Watercolor Workbook: Cafe in Bloom
Sarah Simon, author
Paige Tate & Co.
www.paigetate.com
c/o Blue Star Press
www.bluestarpress.com
9781761380280, $24.95, PB, 88pp
https://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-Workbook-Beginner-Friendly-Projects-Premium/dp/195880360X
Synopsis: From artist Sarah Simon (author of the Watercolor Workbook series), comes "Watercolor Workbook: Cafe in Bloom" comprised of 25 new watercolor art projects that will let you take an artistic journey through cozy cafes and blooming gardens.
This easy-to-use watercolor workbook is filled with unique and beautiful illustrations of flowers, nature, and cafe scenes that are ready for you to watercolor -- and no drawing skills are required! That's because each page (and project) is specially designed with simple step-by-step instructions so you can easily and confidently paint each project and create artwork that matches the quality of the author's example.
This large format (8.56 x 0.48 x 10.99 inches) paperback edition from Paige Tate & Co. of "Watercolor Workbook: Cafe in Bloom" features: An introduction to fundamental watercolor techniques; 25 beginner-friendly projects on thick, 200 gsm premium watercolor art paper -- no color bleed-through!; Beautiful artwork inspired by quaint cafes and blooming botanicals; Easy-to-follow instructions, including suggested paint and paintbrush materials, so you that can start painting immediately.
Critique: An ideal introduction for aspiring non-professional artists to painting in a watercolor medium, "Watercolor Workbook: Cafe in Bloom: 25 Beginner-Friendly Projects on Premium Watercolor Paper" by professional watercolor artist and teacher Sarah Simon is a consumable workbook that is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal and professional art instruction collections and as an art school Watercolor Painting curriculum workbook.
Editorial Note: Artist and author Sarah Simon, a.k.a. @themintgardener, has taught thousands of people how to paint with watercolor. Her first book Modern Watercolor Botanicals provides everything you need to know about the art of watercolor and, now. This new workbook is a part of her Watercolor Workbook series.
The Gardening Shelf
Happy Houseplants: Grow Your Own Indoor Oasis
Isabelle Palmer
CICO Books
c/o Ryland Peters & Small
www.rylandpeters.com
9781800653115, $12.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Houseplants-Grow-indoor-oasis/dp/1800653115
Synopsis: Houseplants bring life and energy into our homes and offices, improving air quality and even boosting our productivity. But even the most committed plant parents may need a little guidance to keep their ferns flourishing and their bromeliads in bloom.
"Happy Houseplants: Grow Your Own Indoor Oasis" is packed from cover to cover with essential and practical advice on choosing the right plants for your space and lifestyle, whether you have a sun-drenched balcony or a shady home office. You will find plenty of information on caring for some of the most popular houseplants: how often to feed and water them, how much light they need, and what kind of soil they prefer.
"Happy Houseplants" also includes a wealth of troubleshooting ideas for common problems, from sunburnt leaves to pest control, giving you the confidence to revive your ailing plants. Charming photographs and illustrations throughout make this a colourful, accessible book for botanical beginners and gifted growers alike.
Critique: Profusely illustrated with color photographs of different plants, "Happy Houseplants: Grow Your Own Indoor Oasis" is an ideal DIY instructional guide for non-specialist general readers to creating their indoor household and office plants and help those plants thrive with this handy pocket-sized (4.55 x 0.7 x 6 inches) guide to plant care that is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library House Plant & Ornamental Plant Gardening collections.
Editorial Note: Isabelle Palmer (www.thebalconygardener.com) is a renowned city garden designer and the founder of The Balcony Gardener, her innovative and fresh approach to garden design and gardening retail has earned her well deserved attention.
The Travel Shelf
Hiking South Korea
Erik Paline
https://erikpalin.com
Otterpine
https://otterpine.com
9781955671248, $34.99, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-South-Korea-Hikes-Beaches/dp/1955671249
Synopsis: With the publication of "Hiking South Korea: 88 Day Hikes from Sandy Beaches to Rocky Peaks", Erik Palin has created a beautifully crafted hiking guide will take you to some of the best day hikes South Korea has to offer.
As an ideal itinerary planning resource, "Hiking South Korea" you can explore mountains, waterfalls, beaches, Buddhist temples, World Heritage sites, and sweeping views across the country. "Hiking South Korea" is your key to not only the most famous mountains and national parks on the mainland but will also provide you with special access to the hidden gem and hiker's paradise of Geoje Island.
With clear, detailed hike instructions and information, beautiful full-color photography, and expertly crafted maps, "Hiking South Korea" contains everything you will need to explore this magical country from easy, stroller-friendly day hikes, to epic, all-day, multiple-summit excursions.
Each of the 88 hike itineraries includes: An illustrative map; GPS coordinates; Hike duration; Distance; Elevation; Terrain; Difficulty level and accessibility; Descriptions of special features;
Helpful information about safety, climate, what to pack, and a glossary of useful Korean phrases.
Critique: Profusely illustrated, impressively informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Hiking South Korea: 88 Day Hikes from Sandy Beaches to Rocky Peaks" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, and college/university library South Korean Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: Erik Palin (https://erikpalin.com) was deployed to Korea and spent over eight years in the ROK and over twenty in Asia as an expatriate in the maritime and offshore oil and gas industries. During this time, he has hiked all across South Korea. Some of Erik's favorite places to hike include Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, the Sierra Nevada of California, the South Island of New Zealand, the High Tatras of Slovakia, and the entire island of Tasmania.
The Criminology Shelf
Hot Dog Money
Guy Lawson
Little A
c/o Amazon Publishing
9781662519666, $28.99, HC, 332pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Dog-Money-Biggest-Scandal/dp/1662519664
Synopsis: When the federal government catches hotshot financial adviser Louis Martin "Marty" Blazer defrauding his NFL-player clients, it's time to come clean. He has no reasonable defense. What he has is a bigger story to spill to the feds -- that of a multibillion-dollar conspiracy that exploits the most talented college athletes and implicates one of the most popular entertainment industries in the nation. The DOJ is listening, and the truth could literally set Marty free. All he has to do is prove that the NCAA is a vast ongoing scam.
Sent undercover by the FBI, Marty infiltrates the innermost circles of college basketball, a high-flying world of Miami clubs, New York luxury suites, and Las Vegas back rooms. Over a period of three years, covertly recording thousands of hours of conversations with coaches from many of the leading college teams, Marty reveals a large-scale epidemic of deception, bribery, and fraud within the NCAA. The stars seem aligned for the operation -- if only Marty can keep the FBI itself from blowing the case.
With the publication of "Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports", investigative journalist Guy Lawson digs deep into a true story about the lure of celebrity, sports, wealth, and crime, and the motivations of a man (on both sides of the law) who exploded a land mine of systemic all-American corruption.
Critique: An inherently fascinating, riveting, detailed account of college basketball corruption and organized crime, "Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports" deserves as wide a readership as possible and must be considered essential reading for the legions of fans with respect to college basketball and a 'must' for readers with an interest in contemporary organized crime. The stuff of which movies are made, "Hot Dog Money" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and college/university library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Hot Dog Money" is also available in a paperback edition (9781662519642, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $5.99).
Editorial Note: Guy Lawson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lawson) is also the author of War Dogs, which was made into a feature film, as well as The Brotherhoods and Octopus. An award-winning investigative journalist, he has written articles on war, crime, culture, and sports for the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, GQ, Harper's, and many other publications.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
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