April 2021 Review Issue
Fantasy & Sci Fi Mystery & Thrillers
Anna
& the American Puzzle
Jennifer Kasman
Independently Published
978-1736060018
$27.99 Hardcover, $19.26 Paper, $11.49 Kindle
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-American-Puzzle-Jennifer-Kasman/dp/1736060015
Website: www.jenniferkasman.com
Anna
&
the American Puzzle
purports to be set in a near-future America; but
many elements of its political setting strike all too close to home,
given the
events of the last four years.
This
America has been taken over by a party based on wealthy,
religious, and social media-derived power structures, and is not
chipping but
hacking away at the foundations of American freedom. Under this rule,
technology use is restricted to government purposes. It's here that
Anna, who
lives in poverty under these limitations, drafts her diary.
Much
like the Diary of Anne Frank, the Anna in this
futuristic
society creates an observational piece that juxtaposes her worldview
with
personal experience. Unlike Frank, these aren't succinct entries, but
full-length chronological observations that open with a surprising
prologue
seemingly set in an everyday girl's world before it moves into a probe
of the
forces that pointed her life down a different path than she'd
anticipated. At
this point, it's evident that Anna's America is becoming increasingly
unfamiliar and challenging.
The
following quiet reflection leads to the first chapter, 'The
Education of a Girl', set in Spring 2024, neatly settings the stage for
her
evolving story by identifying the past and present realities of a
much-changed
America and her place in it: "If someone told me when I met
Maridel
that I would wind up living apart from my mother and siblings because
of her, I
would not have believed you. Poor families generally lived together
forever, it
became one common way the poor ensured survival in America. In fact, if
someone
told me when I was younger that my life would take any of the twists
and turns
it wound up taking, I would not have believed you. But I guess most
things in
life are unpredictable, right? Like the fact that although we could use
the
internet and cell phones when I was in my early days of elementary
school, I
would wind up living in an America where, during the end of elementary
school,
the internet and cell phones had been banned for use as a form of
connection
and social communication, social media becoming only a chapter in our
new
American history books for the purpose of reminding us of why there was
such a
ban."
By
the time Anna is fourteen, she holds only memories of those freedoms
which were once part of her everyday world. These memories eventually
foster
newfound convictions when Maridel and the Party offer her a key role to
play in
changing the face of America.
But
Anna doesn't remain a child for long. Married and facing the
possibility of a pregnancy that is not only forbidden but should have
been
impossible, Anna finds that her choices have narrowed in some ways,
forcing her
to expand her worldview and thoughts about those around her: “Are
you
seriously worried about what they will think about me being pregnant?”
I asked
heatedly, “We’re married. It happens. They don’t own us, James. I work
for
them, but this is our life. So what if they introduced us! So what if
they have
their hand in everything! At some point, it is not about them. This is
about
us. This should be a miracle, not a curse,” I was shouting by this
point, hurt
and disappointed at his reaction."
As
she becomes important in an alarming new way that tests her
abilities and boundaries, Anna finds herself an unexpected (and
unwanted) pivot
point for change.
Jennifer
Kasman's literary examination embraces social issues,
politics, and futuristic sci-fi examination as it follows Anna through
this
milieu. Her changes spark new insights and determination, bringing
readers into
not only the milieu of a much-changed nation and populace, but creating
engrossing contrasts between the perspectives and objectives of rich
and poor.
This society has been deeply divided by socioeconomic disparities,
social media,
and civil rights issues alike. How can it heal?
Anna
&
the American Puzzle
is an important, thought-provoking probe of a
futuristic possibility. It is highly recommended for a wide range of
readers,
from sci-fi audiences who will find the near-future setting absorbing
to
readers of social and political fiction and works embracing feminist
thought.
All are pieces of the greater American puzzle that empowers Anna to
step out of
her comfort zone and contribute to an unexpected new possibility for
America's
future.
It's
a story especially recommended for anyone who enjoys contemplating
the direction this country is taking today.
Return to Index
Frameshift:
The Immunity Chronicles
A.J. Norman
Independently Published
979-8700846226
$8.00
Paper; $.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Frameshift-Immunity-Chronicles-AJ-Norman/dp/B08TZMHL8M
Frameshift:
The Immunity Chronicles tells of two planets, two very different
peoples, and a genetic experiment gone awry as Sutton Bain, heir to the
throne
of a privileged world, finds his values and preset views of life
challenged.
In
stark contrast to his steadfast determination to take up the reins
of leadership in the manner that has proved successful in the past are
the
radical ideals of Anasa Heard, leader of a group of Evolutionaries
("do-nothings," to his mind). These people confront their future king
with a message that holds the power to change not only his ideas, but
their world.
This
world is as much controlled by a concern about contamination and
germs as it is about ideas of rule that no longer (or, perhaps never
did) apply
fairly to all.
Sutton
is not just exposed to possible germs, but possible new ideas.
A.J. Norman describes these using compelling language that contrasts
the
leader's new revelations and possibilities: "If I were to be
infected
with something airborne, it is likely I already would have been
exposed. I have
not touched them and I will wash my hands immediately upon leaving. I
am in the
midst of my fate, I just do not know what that is yet."
When
issues of trust, power, and noble choices come into play, Anasa's
influence begins to change Sutton's perception of his role and his
peoples'
future. This leads generals and ordinary people to operate outside
their set
roles as descendants of a bygone world that survived only by setting up
specific structures to avoid not just contamination, but each other.
Will
these encounters with the do-nothings lead back to war, bringing
these disparate groups full circle?
As
Frameshift evolves, it's evident that the choices
lie not in
military circles alone, but in the social constraints and rules that
have
successfully saved and influenced two disparate groups in different
ways.
Norman's
ability to juxtapose environmental with social and political
inspection and her focus on changing ethical conundrums which emerges
makes for
a story that offers powerful action, surprises, and social inspection.
Strong
characters and even more astute social inspection work together in a
plot which
is nicely paced and intriguingly unique.
Sci-fi
readers interested in tales of social and genetic engineering
will find Frameshift a powerful opener in a
projected series. It sets
the stage for more, exploring an evolving and potentially volatile
relationship
between the Evolutionaries and the Aristoneux.
Return to Index
Gilded
Shadows
Stephanie J. Cress
NewLink Publishing
978-1-934051-90-0
$15.99
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
www.newlinkpublishing.com
Gilded
Shadows
is the first book in the romantic fantasy series 'Elements of Discord'
and presents a world in which second-class citizens, the Mixed, are
stigmatized
because they can't have children. This class structure is threatened
when
Dela's research indicates that they can, even though only certain kinds
of
Mixed can reproduce. This discovery leads the governing Sunfolk church
to send
an assassin to quell her voice and studies.
There's
only one problem—the assassin falls for his intended victim.
And their evolving relationship not only exposes new truths about men,
women,
and forces that control their world, but new challenges to each, to
rise up and
change themselves, each other, and their society.
As
Gilwin and Dela change, their different perceptions and the
foundations of this evolutionary process are introduced to readers
through
their eyes: "Gilwin narrowed his eyes, studying the place. An
entire
town of Mixed Folk. He paused, considering for the first time how he
felt about
them. Once he sorted out his concern for Dela, he could admit he saw
nothing at
all wrong with them. They were born of circumstance beyond their
control. No
one can help the way they are born. He wondered, with all these recent
problems, why more didn't alter their appearances. It wasn’t especially
difficult, legal or not. Steep punishments for racial alteration were
unreasonable, but the crime was difficult to determine."
How
can an assassin evolve a race of peaceful people? Why was Gilwin's
mission to rid the world of Dela doomed to fail, and was it an
intentional
suicide assignment?
As
Gilwin and Dela learn more about how they and their world were (and
are) being manipulated, readers become thoroughly engrossed in their
dilemmas
and growing determination to change things.
As
hidden truths evolve about illicit children, a saboteur is unleashed
who threatens to flood and destroy everything. Only Gilwin and Dela can
stop
him...if their love for one another and these newfound truths don't
thwart
their efforts.
Fast-paced,
built with strong characters and an appealingly different
world, Gilded Shadows is especially strong in its
social and political
inspections which, when paired with strong characters and their
romantic
connection, grow the story into a dark adventure that is engrossing and
often
satisfyingly unpredictable. It concludes with a legacy that sets the
stage for
the next book, while providing an appealing end to this segment of the
action.
Return to Index
Last
Star Standing
Spaulding Taylor
Unbound
978-1-78965-097- 6
$7.99
Kindle
www.unbound.com
Last
Star
Standing
gives sci-fi readers a flawed hero in Aiden, a rebel assassin who is
awaiting execution for his crimes, who is an unlikely vision of a hero.
That
said, Spaulding Taylor also cultivates a wry, sarcastic form of
humor as Aiden provides a first-person account of his capture,
incarceration,
and the ironies of his life: "I was furious. I’d never
thought that the
blinking Xirfell would capture me. I think I’d always assumed that –
despite
being the feared rulers of an embarrassing number of galaxies – they
were
basically just too thick. For this reason, in all of broken Earth,
there could
be no more pissed-off prisoner than me."
This
gritty confessional tone is part of what drives the story...that,
and the imperfect persona and life of a rebel who cultivates a set
perspective
on his life, only to find it challenged not just by adversaries, but
friends:
'Aiden,
don’t
you see it’s always like this? You always have to be the first, the
leader, the
centre of everything! You resent Martin, you resent me – I bet you even
resent
Sebastian! Some new recruit shows up, and you’re instantly on guard,
like a dog
in a pack: is she ahead of me or behind me? Do I have to worry about
him, or
not?’
I
was stunned
– because it was true. I muttered, ‘But not you!’
She
leaned
back against one of the trunks – it was one of those tree forts without
proper
sides. ‘Listen, me especially. I’m perceived as a threat to your
precious
pecking order, so I have to get shoved out of the way. What happened at
the
Centre was utterly illuminating – of your mind and your feelings. Not
merely
about the way you feel about women, but about the way you feel about
me!’
It's
hard to think that a bullheaded, reckless rebel would be the
ultimate savior of humanity, but Aiden fits the bill as he faces spider
creatures, comes through (seven times!) for the cause- only to be
expelled as
an officer of the rebellion, the only family he's ever known and the
only cause
he's ever belonged to.
It's
hard to think that a bullheaded, reckless rebel would be the
ultimate savior of humanity, but Aiden fits the bill as he comes
through (seven
times!) for the cause- only to be expelled as an officer of
the rebellion
- the only family he's ever known, and the only cause he's
ever belonged
to. There's a fine blend of fast-paced action in the form of
battles and
confrontations, both with aliens and within traitors within the ranks.
Readers
will find Aiden's special brand of reflection and irony to be
compelling.
Last
Star
Standing
is a gritty, unique sci-fi drama powered by an unlikely hero and
unexpected humor. Its encounters and progression will keep even
seasoned sci-fi
readers engrossed and involved in this world-saving effort that goes
awry in
the most unexpected ways.
Return to Index
Late,
Late in the Evening
Stephen Grant
Propertius Press
978-100597-226-4
$18.50
Paper/$7.49 ebook
Ordering: www.bit.ly/LLITE-book
(Please note: the books are available wherever books are sold, but this
website has a discounted price and free shipping to US addresses)
Late,
Late in
the Evening
takes place in a near-future Britain, where
democracy has been overcome by an authoritarian government set on
imprisoning
anyone who digresses from their rule.
Such
a prisoner is poet Gabe, who has been incarcerated for his
writings and released into virtual slavery at Arlingham Hall estate,
working
for the Duke as punishment for his words.
Gabe
still harbors an independent spirit despite the circumstances of
his nation, and plots to escape the country, as his family did before
the
borders locked him in.
As
he encounters others who are also on this journey and whose
backgrounds, faith, and convictions support the vision of a different
kind of
world, Gabe discovers that the roots of some of this freedom lie in a
family
connection he hadn't previously acknowledged. These other people serve
as
harbingers of hope and different forms of thinking that challenge his
choices and
perceptions: "...the last thing I’m about to do now is start
believing
in an all-powerful God who loves me.” He sighs. “Oddly, it does make it
worse
to be spoken to like that. From the point when I was old enough to
think about
it, I always found it absurd that I was identified as being part of a
religion
I didn’t believe in and that this was somehow a reason for attacking
me. Yet
for all the idiocy, it made me despise him even more when he said that.
I
assume you have the same issues.” “Not exactly. I’ve never had any
doubts. My
family, my friends, the people I went to school with, we have all kept
hold of
what we believe in and Rackman and his friends will never change that.
They
frighten me, but ultimately, they’re to be pitied.”
Wherein
lay the roots of justice and redemption? Gabe's spiritual and
social journey examines both facets as potential paths to freedom as he
confronts not just his world and his desire to escape it, but his role
in
making a difference during the process of saving himself.
Ironically,
this enclave of slavery may prove the only real course to
safety and freedom of a different nature than the one he'd envisioned,
when the
world outside falls apart.
Stephen
Grant's dystopian world and its philosophical and spiritual
inspection provide more thought-provoking ideas than most dystopian
stories.
Its social, ethical, and spiritual issues are more deeply probed, with
the
character of Gabe assuming a broader meaning than just the singular
story of a
man seeking escape.
Readers
looking for social commentary, political inspection, and
psychological and philosophical depth will find Late, Late in
the Evening
a powerful tale of truth, lies, and finding one's voice and courage in
unusual,
new places.
Return to Index
The
Moreva of Astoreth
Roxanne Bland
Blackrose Press
978-0-9967316-7-6
$6.99
ebook/$15.00 print
Website: http://www.roxannebland.rocks
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Moreva-Astoreth-Peris-Archives-Book-ebook/dp/B08D1XKTLC
The
Moreva of
Astoreth,
the first book in the Peris Archives series, is a sci-fi romance that
will appeal to readers who like feisty women determined to fight for
their
desires, whether they are physical or related to career or a sense of
self.
Priestess
Tehi is the granddaughter of a goddess. She's a successful
scientist who rebels against her duty to celebrate a holy and intimate
religious rite with the race of people she despises.
Banished
for her rebellion to a village where technology is scarce and
her skills relatively useless, Tehi finds a way to continue her medical
research, albeit in secret, while trying to avoid confronting her own
ingrained
prejudices about the world, other races, and her place in it.
Roxanne
Bland's portrait of a flawed heroine who struggles with her own
prejudices and the consequences of some bad choices create not just a
determined character, but one whose shortcomings make her quite
likeable:
"I’m in danger of losing my soul…but why? How? What am I doing
wrong?
Several possibilities ran through my mind, but I dismissed them. None
of them
made sense. I thought about the hakoi and my feelings for them. Was
that it? I
shook my head. So what? They are what they are, but that doesn’t mean I
have to
like them."
As
her relationship with Mjor’s healer Hyme leads to a newfound
determination
to pay more attention to the needs of the hakoi in Uruk, Tehi receives
a
surprise—not only can she teach him a few things; but, conversely, he
can teach
her much about the hakoi, his world, and her deepest
desires.
Determined
to survive her year of banishment without having any
relationships with those who surround her, Tehi instead finds herself
falling
into the deepest relationships of her life, crossing many lines as she
searches
for answers, a cure, and the limits of her medical science and
technological
world's abilities.
The
Moreva of
Astoreth
juxtaposes steamy sexual encounters with thought-provoking growth
processes and newfound realizations as Tehi's determination helps her
not only
survive her banishment, but thrive from her paradigm-changing
encounters with
new people.
In
the course of these new discoveries, even her long-held religious
sentiments are challenged, such as the planet's age, the fact that the
gods of
her belief system didn't create the hakoi, and the idea that these gods
aren't
immortal, and can die.
The
heart of her future ultimately lies in her obedience to her
grandmother. As she faces the threat of execution for her choices, Tehi
realizes that her change of heart may not be enough to save her.
Bland's
compelling story of religious convictions challenged and
technological achievements in question creates a story that is
memorable and
thought-provoking. No single element 'takes over' to dominate the story
line,
but seamlessly weaves into a wider-ranging plot replete with romance,
sexual
and spiritual self-discovery, and a life forever changed by living
among
workers instead of the elite.
Fantasy,
sci-fi, and romance readers alike will find The Moreva of
Astoreth an involving story with many satisfying twists and
turns.
Return to Index
The
Risks of Dead Reckoning
Felicia Watson
D.X. Varos, Ltd.
978-1-941072-89-9
$18.95 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Risks-Dead-Reckoning-Felicia-Watson/dp/1941072895
The
Risks of
Dead Reckoning adds Book 3 to The Lovelace
Series,
reaching sci-fi and romance readers alike with the story of Lieutenant
Naiche
Decker, who must set aside her excitement about her engagement to
embark on a
last mission on the ship Lovelace to investigate a
distress call from a
space crew who should have died 200 years ago.
Her
boyfriend Lt. Commander Talako Jacoway's recent assignment to their
ship and her kinship with Captain Ricci must both be set aside in the
name of
duty. But when a rescue mission turns into a confrontation with
vindictive
creatures and dangers on the planet Tolu, these connections may be the
one
thing that gives their ship an edge.
They
also make the crew even more vulnerable as relationships as well as
lives are threatened, forcing Naiche to make decisions in the best
interests of
not only her survival, but everyone around her.
As
she confronts the dangers and desires of a geide stone (a coveted
treasure most of the galaxy is interested in), Naiche uncovers costs
that are
heavy to pay and perspectives that need to be changed, if she is to
enjoy not
one but two weddings in her future.
The
Risks of
Dead Reckoning is a strong examination of best friends both
animal and human; achievements; and paradigm-changing missions that
lead
individual characters to consider their own inherent goals and
conflicts as
they interact with aliens and each other.
Naiche
didn't realize her mission would involve a treasure hunt and a
confrontation with aliens and death. Her special challenges and her
evolving
romantic encounters alike make for an intriguing interplay between
special
interests and forces, giving The Risks of Dead Reckoning
a different
feel than the usual space adventure.
Readers
who like their sci-fi romances embedded in action and intrigue
will find The Risks of Dead Reckoning cultivates a
different brand of
attraction that will keep women readers, especially, engrossed and
involved.
Return to Index
Those the Future Left Behind
Patrick Meisch
Spark Press
978-1-6846-3079-0
$16.95 Paper/$9.95 ebook
Release date: May 4, 2021
Ordering: https://amzn.to/3hYVVJY
Website: www.patrickmeisch.com
Those the Future Left
Behind
is a dystopian story of a future in which individuals who submit their
lives
for "Collection" at a young age are granted wealth and privilege
until their death date.
The story's narrator is a Collector who
calls in the debt for the Bureau of Fortune, visiting individuals whose
time is
up. Their first subject for collection is Mr. Chaezka ('Chazz'), a
personable
casino operator with a penchant for story-telling.
The Collector is willing to give the man a
last gamble and deal with his grief or fury; whichever may come. What
is less
expected is an engagement that introduces something different.
Patrick Meisch's ability to overlay the
social and humanitarian issues of modern times with a futuristic
approach to
their resolution is exceptional. Passages in the story often comment on
the
influences that led to this dystopian world and its solution to
modern-day
overpopulation and resource allocation, as well as the impact of
attitudes and
choices on relationships and society as a whole: "Many
of these forms of technology were initially created in order
to bring us, as a people, closer together, but, somewhere along the
spectrum,
we advanced past the point of caring as much about the people behind
the voices
as the voices themselves."
This juxtaposition of past and present and
the actions which lead to the rise of Collectors and a new form of
social order
adds a realistic, compelling, and frightening tone to Those
the Future Left Behind.
High technology such as ComComs (a type of
advanced implanted cellular communication device) are integrated into a
story
that explores the Bureau's place in the world and the Collectors who
work for
it, the Collectees who surrender to it, and other forces in society who
work
for different goals in preserving or altering the world.
One example of a Collectee is Kirsi, whose
job is to run an orphanage. She also dabbles
in keeping various
endangered plant species alive against all odds and the lack of public
interest: "Conservation is just
another popularity contest. If it isn’t pretty or large, think the
polar bear
for animals, which is just barely getting along, who cares? How will
you get
the money to save it? No one would notice if this plant disappeared
from the
world entirely.”
The Collector's ability to integrate their
worldview with that of other forces operating in different arenas is
particularly thought-provoking, as in this segue that illustrates the
concept
Kirsi presents: "The Bureau is a
conservation organization in essence and it works on the same
principles you
have identified, though with much greater funding. They try to conserve
beauty
from the threat of excess; given our species will most likely not
become
extinct any time soon. Your children might have faded from existence
unceremoniously without the Bureau’s intervention here..."
As their idealistic perceptions of their
profession and its importance sour over four years, this Collector
comes to
some new realizations that rock their world and hold potential for a
different
approach to valuing life.
Readers who look for dystopian stories of
struggle, transformation, and revised social order that begins with
individual
revelations will find Those the Future
Left Behind akin to such classics as Make
Room! Make Room!, Soylent Green,
Cloud Atlas, and others.
The heavy-hitting set of realizations and
growth leads the Collector protagonist to revise their vision of
society, their
role in it, and the moral and ethical concerns that come with the job.
What matters most in life: the present
moment, or the future?
This story will intrigue and delight sci-fi
readers who enjoy thought-provoking explorations that ask important,
hard
questions about the value of living.
Return to Index
Victoria II
Daniel A. Willis
D. X. Varos, Ltd.
978-1-941-072-91-2
$18.95 Paper/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Victoria-II-Daniel-Willis-ebook/dp/B08N6P32W8
Alternate history comes to life in Victoria
II, which posits a world in
which Queen Victoria's husband dies 20 years earlier, leaving her with
one
progeny—Princess Vicky.
The ramifications of this alternate universe
are solidified by a historical recap of real-world events. This
provides a
foundation of understanding for those either lacking in or sketchy
about the
events surrounding Queen Victoria's life and times.
This, in turn, neatly sets the stage for a
story in which the real-world Vicky has no siblings, is not allowed to
marry
the ruler of a foreign country, and thus does not give birth to one who
would
become a pivot point for World War I, Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Too many alternate history stories assume a
degree of reader familiarity with the timeline under revision, which
precludes
proper appreciation of the deviations central to the alternate
history's
progression. Victoria II's
foundation
of knowledge allows access to and recognition of the important events
which
unfold as Princess Vicky grows into an unusual inheritance that will
change the
world in a different manner.
As Vicky considers the allowable options for
her future, readers are drawn into a strictly regulated life and
political
purpose that drives Vicky's options and goals.
When she is captured by forces that would
end the monarchy and create a republic in its wake, Vicky and the world
face
threats and newfound possibilities that will shake and shape not just
Europe,
but the world, for decades to come.
Often, the proof of a believable fantasy
lies in the details. These pieces of authenticity are embedded into the
story
to bring Vicky's world and conundrums to life: "In
one corner of the room was a chamber pot with a lid. After
several minutes hesitation, her physical needs overrode her concern he
might
walk in and her general disgust at the notion of using it, but there
was no
water closet here. At least she was familiar with such things from
being ill as
a child and having to use one next to her bed when not being allowed to
walk as
far as the water closet down the hall from her bedroom."
As Lt. Billy Saint Albans confronts a plot
to violently end the royal family and its grip, he becomes immersed in
a
cat-and-mouse game over the control of a new era. Vicky becomes the
powerful
pawn in a plot that comes full circle to a bombshell matrimonial choice
carefully constructed to both preserve and destroy the status quo.
Victoria II
provides everything needed to make for a superior alternate history of
the
times. Its recreation of Princess Vicky's character and conundrums, the
era's
politics and processes, and the efforts of commoners to change the
world makes
for engrossing reading that will attract not just alternate history
sci-fi
readers, but fans of historical fiction looking for something different.
Return to Index
The
End of the World Notwithstanding
Janna L. Goodwin
Travelers' Tales
978-1-60952-201-8
$16.99
Paper/$12.99 Kindle
www.travelerstales.com
The
End of
the World Notwithstanding: Stories I Lived to Tell will appeal to
readers who enjoy travel writing, and who like literary yet dramatic
stories
that revolve around misadventures not just in the wilderness, but in
urban
environments.
Janna
L. Goodwin's true stories lie somewhere between a memoir and a
literary travelogue. They reflect not just on adventure, but the life
lessons
they teach.
Her
stories use the "magic of language" to draw readers into
each encounter, whether it be from a Wyoming cabin or in a family
setting. They
also employ humor, as they evolve: "I am up here why? First
of all, I
don’t need a reason: I was born and grew up in Wyoming and they have to
let me
back in whenever I want. Second, I’m on a self-styled writing retreat."
Goodwin
explores how quickly everything can change in everyday life,
even in impossible ways: "A cable could snap, fly back, and
sever a
person instantly from her life. It’s not outside the realm of
possibility.
However, if you search the internet for garage door opener fatalities,
you will
find yourself reassured. Accounts of cable-related carnage are not
abundant in
the record, a bit of a letdown." She writes with a wry humor
and insight.
From
college experiences involving learning about empowerment to
medical challenges and hikes, Goodwin chronicles not only
transformative
moments of life journeys both physical and psychological, but the
special
challenge of doing so: "I don’t think you can have an
experience while
also trying to document it. The penchant today for capturing the
moments of
our lives so that we can share them—a word I’ve come to dislike—is
nothing less
than alienation, a way to distract ourselves from being fully present,
alone or
with others, in the moments we’re living. While we are preoccupied with
framing
the here-and-now for later, for our so-called followers, we cannot
appreciate
the unsettling parts of solitude, the boring parts of being, the
ignominy of
embodiment, or the meaninglessness of our activities."
The
result won't disappoint readers who search for travel adventure
writing—but it does inject a concurrent sense of psychological growth
that
creates its own journey of discovery in a different manner. These
elements set The
End of the World Notwithstanding's stories apart from the
usual travelogue
approach.
This
memoir creates a journey that appeals on many different levels
through a series of reflective stories designed to entertain, educate,
and
delight. Each story holds the opportunity for readers to remain on edge
not
about the journey, but its ultimate impact and promise of change.
Return to Index
From
Timbuktu to Duck and Cover
US Ambassador (Ret.) Lewis Lucke
Open Books
978-1948598330
$19.95
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/from-timbuktu-to-duck-and-cover/about-book.html
From
Timbuktu
to Duck and Cover: Improbable Tales from a Career in Foreign Service covers some
thirty years working in foreign service and living in over eleven
countries,
and traverses nations throughout Africa, Europe, and the Middle East,
and South
America.
Retired
US Ambassador Lewis Lucke's career was not only "never
boring," but often assumed the feeling of high adventure as he faced
and
survived a Haitian earthquake, the jungles of Bolivia, the fall of
Communism in
old Czechoslovakia, and more.
Lucke's
experiences working for the US Agency for International
Development (USAID; the agency that provides economic development and
humanitarian assistance overseas in about eighty countries, which works
closely
with the State Department) is revealed as he encounters all kinds of
people and
places.
From
the origins of how he realized this career choice to how he made
it happen and then embarked on many life-changing interactions with
other
cultures, From Timbuktu to Duck and Cover is
thoroughly engrossing and
revealing, moving through the process of making dreams come true: "Maybe
it was possible to combine my new experiences and interests into a real
profession—something international, using another language and
interacting with
another culture, doing something important that helped people, living
life significantly."
As
the narrative evolves, readers receive a series of adventures that
not only cover the highlights of his career, but synthesize the
management and
people-oriented lessons he learned from each encounter.
More
so than most accounts of foreign service, Lucke's journeys through
fluid and different economic, social, and political situations offers a
rare
opportunity to juxtapose these situations to better understand the
underlying
outcomes of decisions made at the top, and their impact on different
regions
and cultures: "I guess I had been so immersed with the
details of
Bolivia until the very end that I had failed to focus on what was
awaiting me
in Amman. There was something wrong with this picture. Jordan had
signed a real
peace treaty with Israel two years back and was now experiencing severe
economic problems."
This
approach allows for a rare inspection of changing conditions due
to not only foreign service influences and approaches to them, but the
underlying challenges to the diplomacy they represent.
Lucke's
ability to move his personal encounters and experiences into
broader social and political inspection, especially the injection of
changing
diplomatic efforts in different nations, contributes strength to a
story that
draws in readers with its promise of travel and adventure, but
ultimately
provides so much more.
It's
a study in understanding, change, and foreign service efforts that
teaches much about the special challenges involved in U.S. humanitarian
efforts
abroad. From Timbuktu to Duck and Cover is highly
and especially
recommended reading for anyone who dreams of pursuing a foreign service
career
or, in lieu of that effort, would better understand the special
challenges
involved in working with other peoples in changing, volatile conditions
overseas.
Return to Index
The
Greatest Hoax on Earth
Alan C. Logan
Glass Spider Publishing
978-1-7361974-1-7
$34.99 Hardcover; $14.99 Paper; $2.99 Kindle
www.glassspiderpublishing.com
The
Greatest
Hoax on Earth: Catching Truth, While We Can is a historical
hoax escapade surveying the life and crimes of Frank W. Abagnale Jr., a
notoriously mercurial figure who was a confidence trickster. His
actions
fostered a series of myths about Abagnale's real world.
Paula
Parks and Mark Zinder, who provide the foreword to this survey,
each knew Abagnale in very different ways, which illustrates his
chameleon-like
ability to fabricate a different persona to different people.
Paula
knew him in the 1960s, when he posed as an airline pilot to stalk
her, gaining access to her parents' home and stealing from her family
and
friends before he was jailed at age 21, leaving behind letters the
family
puzzled over before locking them away with his memory. This was long before
Abagnale
started telling the fabricated yarns about of his life.
Mark
Zinder became his booking agent and advance man after he'd crafted
a very different legend about himself in 1970s Texas. In the1980s, Mark
traveled the country with Abagnale as he did speaking engagements to
promote
his autobiography Catch Me If You Can.
It
was even later, after the two became aware of author Alan C. Logan's
research into Abagnale's life and his discoveries of the disparate
pieces of
that world, that all three became privy to the bigger picture which is
presented here.
More
than most true crime or biographical sketches, The Greatest
Hoax
on Earth reads like a novel, replete with satisfying twists
and turns made
all the more powerful because of the truth behind them.
The
author's own experiences with him are detailed in interview
conversations that bring this milieu to life: "Every year the
IPA
meetings promised household names peppered among unknowns with exciting
potential. The ’78 meeting was no different. The sixty-two speakers
included
senators, congresswomen, generals, syndicated columnists, celebrated
speechwriters, major TV broadcast news personalities, the U.S.
Secretary of
Health, Education, and Welfare, and an address from President Jimmy
Carter. And
among that impressive lineup was a relatively unknown speaker—Frank
William
Abagnale—an ex-con who advised businesses. He was certainly a gimmicky
outlier.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but when Abagnale took the stage at IPA,
I was
in awe,” Mark said. “He so deftly described his daring capers.
Physician.
Lawyer. Professor. Pilot. Millions in bogus checks. One of the most
wanted men
in the world, eluding all authorities through a five-year on-the-run
crime
spree! Now turned good guy. By then, he been on Tonight with Johnny
Carson, the
Today show, To Tell the Truth, and several high-impact talk shows—which
all
added to his credibility.”
Many
readers may already be familiar with Frank Abagnale's name, from
his notoriety; but few will be privy to the wealth of details about not
only
the hoaxes he perpetuated, but how he successfully devised ways to
recreate his
life experiences, presenting them to the world with an aura of
authenticity
that belayed their fictional wellsprings.
The
Greatest
Hoax on Earth
is startling, riveting, and hard to put down. Its
eye-opening survey of not just one chameleon's life, but the methods
used by
the author and others to put the pieces of this unique puzzle together,
will
completely enthrall a wide audience beyond historical or crime story
readers.
The psychology underlying Abagnale's effort to rebuild his identity and
the
insights on not just how his hoax was perpetuated, but how it was
revealed,
results in an engrossing story like no other.
The
Greatest
Hoax on Earth
may read with the action and investigative
insights of fiction, but no fictional drama could compete with this
uncannily
true story, which concludes with a startling observation: "The
more we
have learned about the real life of Frank Abagnale, the more we have
come to
marvel at how quickly he turned it around."
Return to Index
Ninety-Nine
Fire Hoops
Allison Hong Merrill
She Writes Press
978-1647421892
$16.95
Paper/$9.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Ninety-Nine-Fire-Hoops-Allison-Merrill/dp/1647421896
Ninety-Nine
Fire Hoops
is a memoir of Chinese culture, immigrant and women's rights, faith
and fidelity, and change. It follows Allison Hong Merrill's
extraordinary
journey from Taiwan and her family's Buddhist faith to America, where
she
joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dropped out of
college
to join a mission to Taiwan, married, and wound up in Utah, where her
ideals
and perceptions clashed with a culture she had long envisioned but
little
understood.
As
if all these experiences weren't already perfect fodder for a
memorable piece, consider Merrill's evocative voice, which pulls
readers into
her story from the beginning: "I discovered that I became a
starter
wife from a light switch. Not a light bulb, like I had a big idea. A
light
switch. A light switch in my apartment that I flipped on and off but
the living
room remained dark,
and that darkness
caused a pricking, tingling sensation in my hands and feet."
From
her journey as a fresh-off-the-boat immigrant speaking only
Mandarin Chinese to her voyages back and forth through different
spiritual and
social frames of mind, Merrill creates a powerful saga of a personal
journey
replete with emotionally-charged wellsprings of inheritance, discovery,
and
change.
As
readers move through her experiences with husband Cameron and his
family, Merrill offers an opportunity to understand not just how her
life
changes, but the different cultures in which she moves: "Three
Mr.
Chastains, three generations, three distinctive life experiences, tied
together
by blood. Immediately I was shocked by the realization of what this
meant, as I
saw Grandma Chastain, Mrs. Chastain, and me unintentionally stand in a
line,
the way we would appear on the pedigree chart––each had her appointed
place in
the timeline. Three Mrs. Chastains, three generations, three
distinctive life
experiences, brought together by a choice powered by the love we had
for our
husbands."
Hers
is an exceptionally strong account of Mormon and Chinese worlds as
they intersect with other cultures in different places, capturing the
nuances
of these movements and their lasting impacts beyond the unexpected
course of
her own life.
Readers
interested in BYU, Utah, and immigrant experiences will find
this story thoroughly absorbing. It holds plenty of personal, candid
self-inspection: "I had run in a huge circle and met myself
again at
the starting line. I took a detour in life to come to America, only to
go back
to where I was in the beginning, accomplishing nothing. Nothing at all.
Disowned, divorced, dropped out. What good was I, a shameless liar?"
But
what really makes Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops a standout
is its
concurrent consideration of the social, spiritual, and cultural forces
that
affect Merrill's choices and their consequences.
Memoir
readers with a special interest in either contemporary Mormon
culture or Chinese immigrant experience will find Ninety-Nine
Fire Hoops
documents an extraordinary journey.
Return to Index
Remembering
Rosie: Memories of a Wisconsin Farm Girl
Nadine A. Block
Page Publishing Inc.
978-1-6624-3050-3
$17.95
Paper/$9.95 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Rosie-Memories-Wisconsin-Farm/dp/1662430507/ref=sr_1_2
Remembering
Rosie: Memories of a Wisconsin Farm Girl is Nadine A.
Block's memoir about growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm in the 1950s,
where
she and her siblings learned "to respect hard work, teamwork, and
nature." It was an era of hard work, rural challenges in running a
family
business, and one in which her favorite cow Rosie's ultimate demise
cements her
newfound realization about her future away from farming: "As
a child, I
had torn feelings about growing up on a farm. On that day, the bad
feelings
won. I vowed I would never be a farmer. I would never be a farmer’s
wife. I
would grow up and make a life for myself where work wasn’t so hard and
I didn’t
have to participate in killing animals."
While
the memoir includes predictable reflections on growing up in a
farming family environment, it also includes astute observations of
this rural
community: "...even with all the advantages of this
tight-knit
community, there were some drawbacks. It bred a narrowness of ideas and
what
behavior was acceptable. Outsiders included anyone not white,
Christian, rural,
or accepting of our values."
As
she learns lessons not only from the people but the animals around
her, Block transmits to readers how her perceptions of her family and
her place
in the world change as she goes through school and life experiences.
These
come full circle to appreciate the values that her rural
Wisconsin roots imparted—values which continue to serve her well in
modern
times: "Today, the world is so much about greed, money, and
material
things. I love the fact that my mom grew up on a working dairy farm. It
makes
me feel more grounded in life."
This
juxtaposition of childhood and past experiences and their
influence on present-day values makes Remembering Rosie
stand out from
the number of rural farming memoirs already on the market.
Block
recreates many of her memories and modifies them for this book ("Chapter
3, which introduces the Ludwig family in 1950, is my memory of the way
our
family interacted at that time, rather than an exact story of that day.").
The
result is a lovely, inviting blend of past reminiscence and
inspection of the rural values that built a foundation for one woman's
long
life. Pull up a chair and visit a bygone era with Remembering
Rosie for
a while. These stories and their impact are well worth the
time!
Return to Index
As the Road Narrows
James Anhalt
Lancaster & Sterling
978-1-7353618-0-2
$14.95 Paper/$7.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/As-Road-Narrows-decision-hard/dp/1735361801
As the Road Narrows
is set in 1970s America, where social and political clashes are coming
to a
head not only in the nation at large, but in the life course of
middle-aged
Jeremy Pipkins, who works in his domineering father's bank.
He's the last person one would suspect of a
brutal murder, and yet this vice-president of a bank is guilty. He
wanted
adventure before he turned the staid age of 40. With social turmoil and
murder
swirling around him, he more than received his wish.
Detective Al Harwood operates on the other
side of the coin. His best friend has just been murdered, and he's
determined
to find and bring the perp to justice even as he is involved in a plot
to
attack the Governor.
Little Rock and America are changing around
both characters, bringing each into a milieu of revolution and mystery
that
challenges their set courses and beliefs in life.
Readers won't expect the connection of
either of these characters to the hippie culture that evolves to change
minds
and hearts as Jeremy (now Jack) makes a new life and identity for
himself, yet
confronts the deaths he has influenced: "The
same old story, some die so that others could live. But here on this
desolate
mesa, both life and death were more vivid and surreal."
As the whodunit blends with Jeremy's
transformation and a detective's newfound purposes, readers receive an
engrossing interplay between old and new worlds and the traditional and
alternative forces at work in America.
The result is a satisfying blend of mystery,
history, and cultural change which is intriguing, involving, and hard
to put
down. As the Road Narrows holds
psychological and social interplays that are exquisitely portrayed.
Return to Index
Bird
in a Snare
N.L. Holmes
WayBack Press
979-8641650951
$14.99
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Snare-Lord-Hani-Mysteries/dp/B087SD4YYQ
Bird
in a
Snare
presents a mystery surrounding Lord Hani, an Egyptian diplomat married
to a chantress of Amen, who is assigned to investigate the murder of a
bandit
leader in Syria.
The
last thing he expected was to become caught up in a new king's
reforms which affect his culture, his family, and his job. But, as Lord
Hani
begins to find himself caught in a trap partially of his own making, so
he
becomes even more entangled in a plot that goes against his own king
for the
sake of a justice he might have to defend with his life.
N.L.
Holmes excels in capturing nuances of Lord Hani's Egyptian world
as he considers the rising tide of questions about his ventures and the
changing political arena around him: "So many questions to
which I have
no answers, he thought hopelessly. Not even men of
Yanakh-amu’s and Ptah-mes’s
rank have answers. We seem to be working in a blinding sandstorm of
ignorance."
Conversations
with those around him reveal ulterior motives and
connections, leading him deeper into the mystery of who is really
pulling the
strings behind the scenes: “He might well have had a hand in
it,Hani. But
he’s not the only one who wanted to see Abdi-ashirta out. No, he’s not
the only
one.” Hani struggled to retain his aplomb in the face of what had the
air of
deliberate baiting. He said with a patient smile, “Who else might have
wanted
to see him out?”
Between
northern grudges, nefarious individuals' undercover efforts to
become king, political ambitions and influences, and Hani's own growing
suspicions about his job and his role in the investigation, readers
receive an
engrossing mystery set in Egypt under Akhenaten's rule that
probes
politics and family ties alike.
Readers
who like their mysteries embedded with cultural, social, and
political inspection as well as an evolving sense of changing family
relationships
will find Bird in a Snare excels in crafting a
sense of place ("Having
sung mentally his little song of joyful greeting to the rising sun,
like the
baboons of Ra, Hani made his way back through the mat that hung over
the door
of the house to keep out the flies."). It will especially
delight
mystery readers who want more than a simple whodunit.
Return to Index
Blood Kills
Nanci Rathbun
Dark Chocolate Press, LLC
978-0-9987557-7-9 (ebook);
978-0-9987557-8-6
(print)
$2.99 (ebook); $14.99 (print)
https://nancirathbun.com (this
website has ordering links and sample
chapters)
Blood Kills
is the fourth book in the PI series about Angelina Bonaparte, but
requires no
prior familiarity with the series in order to prove accessible to
newcomers.
As prior readers already know, PI Angelina
is anything but a staid, crime-solving detective. She's feisty,
flamboyant, and
rife with controversy; her actions driven by a special brand of not
only
investigative prowess, but a personal penchant for trouble.
Driven to divorce by her husband's
infidelity, she forms a new life with newfound relationships and
purposes, and
why, on the cusp of achievement, she once again finds herself in
trouble.
This time, a vindictive killer has targeted
Angelina; a beloved local artist is murdered (which has been predicted
by the
victim himself, documented in his will); and a Russian mob's
involvement keeps
Angelina on her toes and in trouble.
Is there any room for a romantic reunion
with her boyfriend-on-hold as all this unfolds?
Readers who like their detective stories offset by a concurrent journey into personal values, lives, and family ties will find many surprises in Blood Kills. The heroine and PI investigator usually isn't a grandmother, for example. She usually doesn't navigate relationship quandaries in quite the way that Angelina finds herself caught up in, and she usually doesn't find that a crime DNA analysis could change everything about the case and her world.
Many threads and facets unwind through Angie's journey, and readers will find this protagonist an astute analyst whose sense of unease grows even as she is on the cusp of victory.As the close calls mount, Angie is forced to
confront newfound truths about her latest case, its connections to
nefarious
influences, and its ultimate impact on her life, family, and wellbeing.
Blood Kills is
a riveting thriller that proves hard to put down, testing the
boundaries of family ties, love, and proposals for a new future.
Return to Index
Chasing
the American Dream
Lorelei Brush
Mascot Books
978-1-64543-498-6
$19.95
Author Website: www.loreleibrush.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-American-Dream-Lorelei-Brush/dp/1645434982
David
will never forget the events of World War II's close, and
believes the Nazi torturers have been brought to justice...until he
sees a
dangerous ex-SS military man, Dr. Gerhardt Adler, walking the Cleveland
streets. Apparently he has not only escaped justice, but is back to
participating in public—this time, in America.
How
can this be?
David's
background in the Office of Strategic Services is key to his
ability to call upon old routines to get back into an investigative
mode to
track down Dr. Adler and bring him to justice, even if it means
challenging the
American dream.
From
wartime experiences to tackling prejudice against Jews at home,
this story is much more than a detective mystery or a World War II
account. It
raises disturbing questions about the ongoing nature of hatred and its
incarnation and reflection on American soil: "It was a
political answer
probably required in Shaker Heights since a good deal of the suburb
still had
covenants on house deeds that prohibited selling to Jews."
Chasing
the
American Dream also closely examines the rise of anti-communist
sentiment in the 1950s, an odd situation in which David, not Dr. Adler,
is
proclaimed a traitor by public opinion and circumstances. David's
determination
to fight causes a rift in his family when this belief challenges the
safety of
his children.
With
his family stuck in the middle of a mess and his morals and ethics
on the line, David finds the American dream and its values ever-more
elusive as
he navigates a dangerous situation and weaves through the politics and
social
processes of his times.
As
his family comes under fire not only from outside, but within, David
comes to realize that his perseverance and decisions may be destroying
the very
thing he's fighting for. His wife says to him: "I don’t think
you can
live in a sleepy town like this one. All I see is your continuing
unhappiness
and your taking it out on the children and me."
With
its different perspective on the 1950s and the evolution of
prejudice and the lingering effects and mysteries of World War II
events, Chasing
the American Dream does an outstanding job of blending social
inspection
and intrigue with personal strife and change.
It's
a vivid story of the Red Scare, ongoing U.S. political
decision-making processes and their social impact, fears, and media,
and the
public's responses, which mirror many recent events of the last month
in
particular and modern times in general.
Readers
who think history has little in common with seemingly different
current events will find Chasing the American Dream
a powerful
commentary on the links between historical precedent and modern-day
affairs.
It's especially astute in its coverage of how the past reaches out to
repeat
patterns, challenges, and prejudices deemed buried, but which live
underground
with a life of their own until they rise again.
Adding
David's personal dilemmas and an underlying mystery into the mix
makes this story accessible to an even wider audience, who will find
its
attention to struggle and detail compelling, unpredictable, and
educational.
This novel's story of the costs of obsession and justice is
multifaceted and
hard to put down.
Return to Index
The
Concrete Vineyard
Cam Lang
Tellwell Talent
978-0-2288-3224-9
$27.99 Hardcover/$18.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
Author website: http://www.camlangauthor.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PJB3D6W
The
Concrete
Vineyard
blends politics with a cozy mystery as it covers the murder of a
retired history professor in a small-town vineyard.
Edward
Mitchell just put his mansion, the most revered historic estate
in Niagara-on-the-Lake, up for sale. Most likely, his death was somehow
connected to that move. Or, was it?
Homicide
detective Bryan Dee is not keen about his job or its
challenges. He just wants to close the case; especially since
circumstances
look to be clear-cut. But he knows nothing about property sales and
taps his
old friend Kris Gage, an urban planner who has just returned to his
home town
to help his parents, to help him understand the issues that seem to be
connected to the murder.
When
he discovers that Kris also has unexpected links to the event, the
plot—and the town's relationships—thickens.
What
begins as a murder investigation turns into a question of
friendship, trust, and motive as Bryan edges closer to a truth he
really
doesn't want to confront.
What
does all this have to do with Canada's 150th birthday and the War
of 1812? Plenty; because apparently it's a battle being re-fought not
just in
the town, but on Bryan's own turf. And it's already turned deadly.
Cam
Lang provides an absorbing story which nicely juxtaposes mystery
and confrontation with small-town pleasures such as boating on the
water. His
use of the first person helps capture Kris's observations and
experiences,
using a warm tone that involves readers in not just his life, but the
politics
and milieu of the changing community around him. The story is rich in
descriptions and insights.
Readers
of cozy mysteries who enjoy social and political community
commentary added into the intrigue will find The Concrete
Vineyard just
the ticket. It's an engrossing story of how development challenges,
changes,
and threatens long-held values and different generations.
More
than just a whodunit murder mystery, this tale of community
influence and change will keep readers thinking long after the problem
comes to
a head, offering insights into development and historic precedent that
are
thought-provoking and engrossing in and of themselves. The mystery
becomes not
just part of the cake, but adds an intense flavor to the frosting, as
well.
Return to Index
Condition Black
Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington
Dropship Publishing
978-1954386020
$19.99 Hardcover; $4.99 Kindle; $14.95 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/Condition-Black-Stu-Jones/dp/1954386028
Medical thriller readers who enjoy stories
of scientific focus, a puzzling illness, and an autistic scientist who
may be
the only one who can think outside the box enough to solve this mystery
will
find a satisfying plot in Condition Black.
War correspondent Marie Weyland returns from
Syria carrying more than photos documenting the horrors of man's
inhumanity to
man. She also carries a deadly disease that, coincidentally, her
husband's
cancer research could solve...if his superiors allow him to work his
magic.
A subplot involves a combat veteran, Billy
Vick, who heads the Army's Criminal Investigation group. Billy also
comes into
contact with the puzzling illness, and comes to realize that a failed
project
and scientist Evan Weyland may be introducing the horror into the
greater world
at large.
Evan's mission is to cure his wife. Billy's
mission is to stop an unprecedented outbreak at all costs. And these
costs
include civilian lives lost for the sake of a greater good—a situation
that
already gives him nightmares, from military choices he made in the past.
As the two purposes collide, readers receive
not just a medical mystery, but a probe of underlying moral and ethical
compasses and a dangerous game that threatens all involved. Bill faces
a felony
charge for conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism, even though he is
one of
the Army's best investigators himself. Evan confronts even greater
losses and
choices.
As the nation falls under martial law and
democracy flies out the door, each character is endangered not just by
their
own government, but by their choices and extraordinary abilities.
Stu Jones and Gareth Worthington create a
vivid story that revolves around two disparate individuals and how the
loves of
their lives are ultimately posed to kill them.
The tension is finely honed, the characters
are realistic and absorbing, and the questions of how (and if) the two
can come
together to work towards the same purpose is juxtaposed by
technological
wonders and accompanying moral conflict. These elements create a
multifaceted,
involving story on many different levels.
The best medical thrillers are not just
about threats, but the psyches of flawed heroes and ordinary men who
are forced
into positions of making extraordinary choices and leaps of faith and
judgment.
Condition Black provides
such an exceptional read. It's highly recommended for fans of
technothrillers
who want a firm marriage between psychological depth and unpredictable
action,
all grounded by ethical concerns that challenge each character to reach
beyond
his skill set and comfort zone.
Return to Index
Dead
in the Water
Jeannette de Beauvoir
HomePort Press
ASIN : B08YFM6HGV
$4.99
Kindle
Publisher: www.HomePortPress.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Water-Provincetown-Mystery-Sydney-ebook/dp/B08YFM6HGV
The
eighth book in the Sidney Riley mystery series set in Provincetown,
Dead in the Water, opens with Sidney facing a whale
watch trip with her
mother—a prospect she feels is certain to go awry, if past history with
her
mother is any indicator.
After
the struggle of recent events, Sidney has returned to P'town to
resume her life. This sojourn with her mother introduces her once again
to
darker events that absorb and challenge her; but it should be noted
that an
undercurrent of humor runs through the writing which offers both
insights into interpersonal
relationships and fun observations: “He sounds like a nice
young man,” my
mother remarked. “He sounds American.” Don’t take the bait, I told
myself.
Don’t take the bait. I took the bait. “Ali is American,” I said. “He
was born
in Boston.” “But his parents weren’t,” she said, with something like
relish. “I
just wish you could find a nice—” I cut her off. “Ali is a nice
American man,”
I said."
When
a kidnapping occurs, someone has to take charge...and it falls to
Sidney, once again, to be that someone as she's drawn into events
involving
special agents, a kidnapping, a murder, and the lingering mystery
surrounding
her sister Alexandra.
Prior
readers of Sidney's life, P'town community atmosphere, and
mysteries will relish this ongoing story, which both adds another
adventure and
expands Sidney's personality and life encounters.
Jeannette
de Beauvoir has created a likeable, engrossing protagonist
who is persistent and spunky and vulnerable. Different theories and
options
provide new perspectives on Sidney's friendships and potential suitors.
As
the whale watch experience moves into concerns over the human
trafficking operation embedded into her beloved town, readers gain new
insights
not only into Sidney's evolving life, but the social issues which
affect
families and change communities.
Much
more than just a murder mystery or a probe of Sidney's world, Dead
in the Water offers a close inspection of P'town society and
Sidney's
efforts to solve a problem that challenges its members: “I
don’t even know
who to talk to,” I said. “I don’t know who knows anything.” “You know
people
who know P’town,” he reminded me. “That’s where this thing starts and
ends,
Sydney. It’s not a national story. It’s just us here. The Almadas have
been
part of this town for generations. The answer is in here, not out
there.”
Prior
series fans will find Sidney's latest story offers social and
criminal inspections that are absolutely riveting.
Return to Index
Death
Perception
Lee Allen Howard
Three First Names
978-0615800691
$14.99
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Perception-Lee-Allen-Howard/dp/0615800696
Nineteen-year-old
Kennet Singleton lives with his infirm mother in a
care facility and works in the crematorium in a nearby funeral home.
His life
isn't what he wants, so when a bizarre ability emerges which allows him
to
identify the cause of death of any of his charges, it feels like a
ticket to
freedom.
Unfortunately,
most abilities come with a price tag. In this case, it's
a ticket to solve crimes and avenge a murder when he learns that the
cause of
one death isn't what's listed on the death certificate.
Combine
this strange power with a murder investigation that takes a
perceptive teen on an even stranger journey than he's already on, and
it's
evident that Death Perception is anything but your
staid murder mystery.
Another
facet that comes to life early in the story is Lee Allen
Howard's wry sense of humor, which captures Kennet's voice in an
unexpected
way: "Being a creamer suited him because the dead didn’t talk
back and
therefore couldn’t order him around. He’d had enough of that from his
father
growing up, and more than enough from Mr. Grinold, the funeral
director. The
job didn’t require time or worry during his off hours. After this
cremation, he
could forget about it and go home. Not a home like most people had, but
a
prison—for old people, invalids, and the mentally deficient. Good job,
bad
home."
Besides
the odd circumstances identifying the problem, Kennet's life
holds other special challenges. He knows his task is no laughing
matter, but
comes to realize that the key to his ability is also the key to saving
lives as
much as avenging those dead.
"Doctor
Death" doesn't drink or do drugs. He does reconsider
his place in the world and even forms some surprising connections,
given how
much he wants to exit the kind of environment he's fallen into by
happenstance.
As
he learns to defend the living as well as the dead, readers are
treated to macabre encounters, abilities, haunting romance, and
confrontations
that teach Kennet about a different kind of life and his place in it.
Murder
mystery readers may not expect ghosts and the touch of ironic
humor that spices a supernatural intrigue piece worthy of attracting
fans of
Stephen King, but this story of visions, dreams, and ideals gone awry
is
delightfully cynical, thought-provoking, spooky, and fun, all at once.
Tired
of your part-time job? It could be worse. It could be Kennet's kind
of gig, which walks supernatural paths of confrontation. It could be
murder,
just going to work. Death Perception is the kind of
story that is
impossible to predict or put down.
Return to Index
The
Forger's Forgery
Clay G. Small
River Grove Books/Greenleaf
Book Group, LLC
978-1-63299-367-0
$15.95
www.rivergrovebooks.com
The
Forger's
Forgery
is a mystery which opens in Amsterdam, where visiting professor Henry
Lindon enters a very different world from that of his prior employment
at
Southerland University in Dallas.
Here,
he navigates Dutch culture, history, and a new university
environment that embraces blossoming romantic possibilities, a missing
painting, and a Southern University coed's murder—along with a changing
relationship with his wife, Marylou.
As
this homicide detective's murder investigation becomes increasingly
tied to events beyond Dallas, readers become engrossed in a blend of
murder
mystery and dangerous men who understand that success is not risk free.
Detective Ortiz's relentless pursuit of a passenger list oddity could
bring
down long-held, lucrative plans.
Henry's
plan to foist a forgery charge on Guy Wheeless, the deceased's
uncle and the main suspect who appears to have an irrefutable alibi,
sets the
stage for a dangerous game. The action moves from Henry and his wife
and
Amsterdam experiences to perilous moves certain to set the art world on
fire.
Perhaps
one reason why The Forger's Forgery is a complex
mystery
and yet realistic, is that it's based on the true story of master
forger Han
van Meegeren, who forged the works of some Dutch masters in the 1930s
and ’40s
in a notorious crime that was clever, unprecedented, and difficult to
solve.
Clay
G. Small is masterful at his depiction of Dutch culture and
peoples, the art world, and the forgers who influence its development,
making
their illicit money on creations that are masterfully created in their
own
right.
The
characterization is well-developed and three-dimensional. Many of
the characters move between good and questionable or bad acts, making
choices
that demonstrate they are not good and bad guys, but human beings who
act and
react in surprising ways.
As
the mystery evolves, the art worlds of both Amsterdam and Texas come
to life as environments influenced by forgery events that connect
disparate
lives and peoples, changing and challenging the art world.
Mystery readers who enjoy art history will relish
the exceptional
presence of both in The Forger's Forgery.
Return to Index
Fractals
Alicia Anthony
Drury Lane Books
978-1-7333624-8-1
$15.99
Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Fractals-Twisted-Psychological-Thriller-Redemption-ebook/dp/B08Q4KYTN3
In
Fractals, seventeen-year-old Carly
Dalton is new in
school, and has gotten into trouble. High school teacher Asher Thompson
only
wants to help when he sees her in a truck stop late at night, but the
two
instead embark on a dangerous connection when they uncover each other's
secrets.
Carly
is living a nightmare surrounding a drunk father and abuse, while
Asher's in the process of putting a demon from the past behind him.
As
the thriller evolves, each character acknowledges the points where
they need to let loose of their fears and patterns even as they
continue to
become entwined in them—and each other: "Dr. Morrison had
warned him
about doling out pieces of his life without ever allowing anyone to see
the
full picture. But the words got stuck."
In
a milieu where good and evil are shady grey boundaries, how can
Carly and Asher truly evolve towards freedom? When issues of human
trafficking
come into play, each character faces a deadly decision that will affect
the
trajectories of their lives.
Alicia
Anthony excels at injecting psychological tension and suspense
into a wider-ranging scenario of good, evil, and desperate choices. As
she
explores a realistic, dangerous social situation, she also considers
how people
arrive at conundrums and dangerous points in their lives.
From
detectives who think they know all about the usual patterns of
abuse and who fit Asher, as the bad guy, neatly into their view of what
must
have happened, to Asher's own guilt as his ex, Jo, and others are
threatened ("God,
if only it had been him. He could have been here. Could have stopped
the
monster that had haunted him for the better part of the last decade.
Better
yet, why hadn’t he convinced her to stay at his place that night."),
the story is especially adept at exploring complex relationships, and
becomes
supercharged in its progression through terror and increasing danger.
Readers
who look for stories of psychological suspense that keep them
thinking about the foundations and definitions of good, evil, and
making the
right choices will find Fractals driven by not just
math and formulas,
but involvements and outcomes they won't see coming.
Return to Index
The Maltese Attack
Jay Perin
East River Books
978-1-7364680-1-2 $3.99
Ebook; $14.99
Paperback
Ordering: Amazon.com:
The Maltese
Attack eBook: Perin, Jay: Kindle Store
Other Vendors: The Maltese
Attack | Universal
Book Links Help You Find Books at Your Favorite Store!
The Maltese Attack
opens in 1974 on the Egyptian/Libyan border, where U.S. Senator Temple
is
involved in a search-and-rescue mission involving young people he'd
inadvertently
played a role in endangering.
Even Temple's stint in the army hasn't
prepared him for the active combat situation he faces. And this is only
the
opening salvo in a series of encounters that test him in various ways
on the
international arena, from dirty politics to the increasingly deadly
involvements of diplomat's daughter Lilah in the clans and politics of
the
Middle East. 
Charged with more than survival, Lilah and
Harry find themselves immersed in a culture and political situation way
over
their heads. Temple also finds himself out of his league, even given
his
determination and abilities.
Jay Perin crafts tense scenes surrounding
all three characters in a story that moves deftly through this world: "Could she fight through this
nightmare? Could they escape to safety? The men who held this part of
the world
in their cruel grip did not plan to let their prisoners live. The ones
who’d
offered help could barely help themselves."
Part of the special strength of The
Maltese Attack lies in its plot and
subplots, in which danger moves from the Middle East and onto American
soil. A
successful mission does not mean a successful long-term outcome, as
Temple,
Harry, and Lilah discover.
Can two clever young people and a savvy
senator defy political and economic forces at work in two nations?
Perin's careful crafting of both political
ramifications and family interactions is well done, injecting strong
psychological inspection into the overall story of intrigue and
international
conflict: "Without answering directly,
Temple walked to the door. “Something else to remember... pride,
self-respect... it might get injured, but time heals such wounds. A life once lost will not return. Not
yours, not your family’s.” The boy would figure things out. After all,
he knew
very well there was one thing in the world Andrew wanted he didn’t have
yet.
The one person whose self-respect he wasn’t able to buy."
The result is a story replete with action
and interpersonal inspection. It goes beyond political arenas to
consider the
choices, consequences, and lives of all who fall into the trap of
family
secrets and international conspiracies.
Thriller readers will find the use of three
powerful characters and their different perceptions and strengths makes
for a
fast-paced and well-written story that offers hope and insight for
formulating
a brave new world forged on new alliances.
Return to Index
Operation
Bluebird
Harry Old
Independently Published
978-1527282841
$12.32
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Bluebird-Harry-Old/dp/1527282848
In
Operation Bluebird, Carrie Hart has changed her
identity to
Cara Parry for several reasons; not the least of which is go undercover
as a
detective and bring justice and resolution to the murdered Lucy. But as
she
enters this underground world as a quasi-member rather than an outside
investigator, her own values and perceptions of life and her role in it
are
changed in a crime drama which weaves through not just a murder
mystery, but a
question of identity and self.
Operation
Bluebird
thus assumes quite a different tone and approach to crime-solving than
the usual detective piece. Readers who look for whodunit queries alone
may at
first be stymied by a story that is much more multifaceted and complex,
but
Harry Old does a fine job of tasking his protagonist with a
bigger-picture
purpose that supersedes the latest problem-solving mission.
This
adds a satisfying depth to the story of a woman who must recreate
the gaping holes left in her life at the conclusion of this deadly
mission,
which has resulted in amnesia: "She remembered but she didn’t.
There
was light streaming through the window. There was blood on the carpet.
She
remembered screaming and running and the feeling that there was nothing
left.
She just ran and ran and ran and then there was blackness. There was
blackness
for a very long time."
What
events could have been so bad that a seasoned, savvy investigator
finds herself a victim with few memories? Readers receive the set-up in
the
first few pages, which then move into Operation Bluebird's intriguing
progression as Carrie at first moves through this new world satisfied
with her
new identity and mission: "A good influence was definitely
not what he
was, but whether it was down to him or not, she certainly felt good.
She leant
her head contentedly against the side and tickled the surface of the
pool with
her toes. The sun was warm on her skin and the water lapped coolly at
her
shoulders. It wasn’t a bad life, if she could ignore where it all came
from." Being Cara is fun, at first. The pain and danger come
later.
Harry Old is adept at building two personas
and entwined characters who lead readers through the mystery and
British
culture alike. Readers who enjoy romantic suspense stories will find
plenty of
both explored in the crime-solving environment as Carrie/Cara takes on
new
challenges both personally and professionally.
Does Carrie love Taehwan despite the world
he (and she) moves in? Can Carrie stop being Cara enough to love him
fully,
even though that love has saved her life and created a different life
she loves
even more?
The psychological undertones, movements
between characters, and crime puzzle are exquisite interplays in a
story that
will keep readers guessing until the end.
Much
more than a whodunit crime tale, Operation
Bluebird offers the
engrossing account of a detective who recreates her identity, then must
make
difficult choices about the rest of her life as those around her also
begin to
question what is real.
Return to Index
A
Plot for Murder: a Father Frank Mystery:
Murder at the Writers Conference
James R. Callan
Pennant Publishing
978-1732122734
$14.95
Paper/$4.99 Digital
https://books2read.com/u/mYAW2P
Rod
Granet's status as an award-winning writer has earned him a spot as
keynote speaker at a writer's conference. But Maggie DeLuca, Father
Frank's
sister, knows something else about him, and publicly accuses him of
plagiarizing her writing. So when he's found dead the next day,
naturally,
Maggie is the prime suspect—which involves Father Frank in the
difficult task
of clearing her name.
In
A Plot for Murder, Father Frank's efforts at first
place him
on the bad side of the police, who are convinced this is an
open-and-shut case.
As he perseveres, unexpected aid joins his side in the form of Texas
Ranger
Dick Richards, who tries to run interference between a determined
sheriff and
Father Frank's efforts.
The
Sheriff of Timber County may not only have a special agenda, but a
reason for pursuing Maggie's guilt. But Dick Richards has no such
rationale or
limitations. Determined to get at the truth, he considers Father Frank
an
important cohort in his investigation, and the two embark on a
dangerous journey
that unravels what really happened at the Lakota Retreat Center on
October
29th.
The
truth isn't what either he or this book's readers will easily
anticipate.
This
cozy Christian mystery excels in strong characters and their
interests, which keeps the plot both involving and easy to relate to.
Why would
a small-town sheriff be committed to giving a perp an alibi?
As
one character notes, "The Texas Rangers catch most criminals
by paying attention to details." Detail-oriented mystery
readers will
find A Plot for Murder a satisfying jigsaw puzzle
of details that fit
together in unexpected ways to keep the mystery strong and the
characters
entwined and changing.
From
possible deliberate ploys to cast suspicion on another to the
humor which is added for a sense of comic relief ("Richards
stood.
"In the name of the Texas Rangers, I must commandeer this dessert."
"And why is that?" asked Father Frank. "As evidence."),
this is a satisfying mystery from start to finish, that ultimately
questions a
writer's greatest challenge.
The
story builds on Maggie and Father Frank's abilities and life
experiences in more ways than one, leading to unexpected pathways of
growth and
realization in this commendably engrossing standalone third book in the
Father
Frank investigative series.
Return to Index
Project
Evelyn
J. C. Lahoe
BookBaby
978-1098359034
$36.04 Hardcover; $16.45 Paper; $2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Evelyn-1-Stranger-Cloud/dp/1098359038
Project Evelyn:
Stranger in
the Cloud tells of a teenager who awakens from a coma
to find herself trapped in a government's medical research facility.
Disfigured
from an accident that orphaned her, and kidnapped from the emergency
room by this
physician, Evelyn finds herself in the middle of a power play between a
nefarious surgeon and a CEO who plan on experimenting on the homeless
to
'improve' mankind.
Recruited in this game against her ethical
and better judgment, Evelyn searches for a way out while fielding the
creepy
Dr. Shepard and the effects of Project Aristotle, which merges AI
intelligence
with people in a forced evolutionary process that may ultimately create
a
disaster.
When business interests clash with
psychological scars and wounds that defy easy healing, what choices
remain for
a young protagonist who finds her life and its perceptions completely
transformed beyond her control?
As the story moves into international realms
involving princes, generals, and political special interests, Evelyn
finds
herself unwittingly at the heart of a controversy that depends as much
on her
choices as on her lack of options.
Issues
of money and power, weaponizing
science, and the lives, experiences, and choices of the homeless in
this
scenario create a satisfying interplay between social, political, and
scientific issues to keep the readers involved in a special blend of
thriller
and technological suspense story.
As
issues of justice and scientific gain come into play, Evelyn faces
the ultimate choice of how to use her new abilities. The combination of
an
ethical and social challenge and the technology involved in AI/human
blends
creates a story that is filled with action, strong characters and
purposes, and
an unpredictable course of events. Project
Evelyn: Stranger in the Cloud proves nearly
impossible to put down.
Return to Index
Snow
in Summer
Laura Kemp
Pandamoon Publishing
978-1950627349
$16.99
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Summer-Yellow-Wood-Book/dp/1950627349
Snow
in
Summer
is a paranormal fiction study about ghosts and a mystery that thwarts
Justine Cook and brother Adam Mallory in their efforts to settle into a
new
life. As Book 2 of the Yellow Wood series, it will prove especially
inviting to
prior readers already familiar with their battles and struggles in the
opening Evening
in the Yellow Wood.
The
prologue draws readers with another mystery—the attempted suicide
of Amanda Bennett, who knows what she must do, and that she can no
longer
choose life over death.
This
third-person introduction sets the stage for the mystery that
evolves, moving into a first-person narrative in the first chapter,
where Dylan
and Justine are trying to live the life of a normal, ambitious,
future-oriented
couple despite lingering scars from past events.
It's
a world that includes facets of Immortality and Shamans and girls
who are able to break curses with their blood. Events that surrounded Ocqueoc
Falls may have been pushed aside, but they are far from either
forgotten or
dead as Justine is drawn into another deadly paranormal mystery.
Laura Kemp cultivates an uncanny ability to lead
mystery readers to the
edges of other genres, which range from time travel experiences and
paranormal
encounters to romance and thriller elements designed to keep them on
their
toes. That she achieves all this without falling into the formula
writing
approaches of too many writers in each genre is the reason why Snow
in
Summer stands out from the crowd.
Suffice
it to say that although new readers
will want to turn to the first book after reading this sequel, it won't
be for
the opportunity to fill in any blanks; but to thoroughly enjoy the
paranormal
thriller elements that make Kemp's characters memorable and completely
compelling.
Return to Index
Unholy Shepherd
Robert W.
Christian
Ten/16 Press
978-1-64538-203-4
$16.95
Paper/$24.95 Hardcover/Kindle TBA
Publisher: www.ten16press.com
Author website: www.robertwchristian.com
Unholy Shepherd is the first book in the murder mystery thriller
series 'The Demon Sight' and tells of
Maureen, who has long struggled with nightmares.
Maire opens the
story. She is speaking with officers about the death of her beloved
son,
worried that, due to her past and a mysterious phone call tip, her
family will
be implicated in Braden's disappearance and death. Her daughter
Maureen's psychic
vision has located his body, but she can't see the circumstances that
led to
this tragedy.
Her Irish
heritage has painted a stark picture of those in her family who inherit
the
'Demon Sight', where a daughter would be marked as Satan’s own and will
"see
with the eyes of pure
evil." Maire's newfound conviction that her beloved son is gone and her
daughter is marked introduces a terrible dilemma into her life,
challenging the
efforts of Detective Manny Benitez to uncover the truth.
As Maureen finds
herself the focus of not one but two murders, she discovers that a key
to
resolving her role in not just these events but future circumstances
depends on
a process of self-discovery and inquiry that runs headlong into the
investigation.
When they become
more involved with the detective on a different level than Maureen had
anticipated, both Maureen and Manny unearth truths about love,
connections,
visions, and fate that bring them closer together to a dangerous truth.
As Maureen
encounters Father Patrick McGill and his uncanny ability to become part
of her
life and ferret out her secrets, readers receive a powerful paranormal
crime
story that excels in creating an edgy story, a powerful series of
events, and
characters who not only question circumstances of death, but life's
trajectory.
Strong character
growth and a tense thriller with many unexpected relationship
developments
contribute to a suspense tale that is hard to put down and compelling
in its
weave of murder mystery, mental illness, superstition, and intrigue.
Return to Index
And
the Stars Kept Watch
Peter Friedrichs
Atmosphere Press
978-1637529706
$19.99
www.atmospherepress.com
And
the Stars
Kept Watch
tackles the themes of tragedy's impact on a marriage, especially when
one partner is the cause of a life-changing disaster.
When
the story opens, Catherine and Nathan are a loving couple who
have everything...a good marriage, career and home choices, family. In
one fell
swoop, everything changes with an accident that stems from a bad choice.
Catherine
awakens in a hospital bed with no memory of what has
transpired, Nate at her side.
This
introduction moves to Nathan's perspective and explores their past
family interactions and relationships, setting the stage for the event
that
changes everything.
As
Peter Friedrichs moves into the aftermath of the grieving and
recovery process of individuals and relationship alike, readers receive
insights into how each character grows differently from this singular
event: "He
wondered what, if anything, the future held for them as a couple. He
desperately wanted to be able to fix what had been broken, but his
sessions
with Robert were helping him realize that he was powerless to do so. It
was
against his nature to accept that idea, to truly internalize it. He was
a
problem solver, a change agent, an innovator. He had never encountered
a
situation that he couldn’t resolve by applying some combination of
intelligence
and determination. But slowly, week by week, Robert was helping him see
that he
wasn’t going to be able to, in Nathan’s words, “figure this out.”
If
there's one overwhelming, important message to this story (and,
there are many), it's that grief and recovery is a process that is both
unique
to each person and something which cannot be micromanaged or directed.
Charged
with figuring out their vastly revised future both together and
apart, Catherine and Nathan learn how they can be happy again in both
milieus,
and consider the possibilities of either uniting or continuing their
outward
trajectories towards new lives.
Peter
Friedrichs does an outstanding job of covering not only the major
issues and avenues of logic and emotion that the characters face, but
the
efforts and impact of their lives on a supportive cast of friends and
family.
And
the Stars
Kept Watch's
powerful messages of forgiveness, recovery, and grief will attract
and engross any reader who has made a life-changing bad decision or
faced the
dissolution and reinvention of a formerly satisfying relationship. It's
especially highly recommended for women who like solid accounts of
growth and
evolution grounded by recovery processes that change everything and
challenge
many notions of marital commitment and solidarity.
Return to Index
Beyond the Rio Gila
Scott G. Hibbard
Five Star Publishing (an imprint of
Gale/Cengage)
9781432866136
$25.95
www.scottghibbard.com
It's 1844, and teenager Moses Cole is driven
to leave his home by an abusive father in Beyond
the Rio Gila, which charts his journey from a rural
Pennsylvania farm to
become a private in the First Dragoons. The long march of the First
Dragoons
from Fort Leavenworth to San Diego comes to life through the eyes and
experiences of young Moses, who finds a newfound purpose in life after
the
death of his mother and his father's descent into booze.
From its opening lines, descriptions of the
protagonist's journey are captured in a compelling manner that leads
readers to
want to know more about the young hero's journey: Moses
kept walking. He walked by farmsteads and passed through towns
and talked to travelers who’d quiz this boy on the road alone, weighted
with no
bag or companion. Moses would say he’d left home to help the grand
folks who
got on poorly, and he might be there for a time, or that he was off to
fetch a
mule from an uncle down valley, that he’d be mounted come this time
next
week...He didn’t know he could yarn on like that, tell tales taller
than the
trees he’d seen. Flat-out lies that blistered the clean place inside,
like he’d
walked all day in shoes too small.
Moses hasn't just left behind a cruel
father. He also leaves open the possibility of romance with Isabella
James of
Virginia, who captures his heart even as he's set to undertake a
different kind
of path and struggle in life.
Real history surrounding the First Dragoons
and their remarkable achievement blends with the coming-of-age story of
a young
man who finds his destiny entwined with those of Mormons, who are on a
different journey—one destined to become the longest march in U.S.
infantry
history. Two pregnant laundresses completed the march. The novel is
particularly interesting in its focus on these early Latter-day Saints,
bringing to life their concerns and interactions with this young man.
The dialogues between them do an
exceptionally good job of revealing their differences and discoveries: "Orson
said, “You are an angel of the Lord, Moses.” “No,” Moses said. He
picked a
handful of dirt from the plaza street and rubbed his hands with it,
brushed the
bloodied dirt off, and wiped his hands on his pants. “Devil maybe.”
“Our man
Moses,” Smithwick said, “he’s as kind as you’d want a man to be, but
put him in
a fight”—he shook his head—“the lid blows off, and an animal pops out,
and then
it gets ugly, doesn’t it, Moses?” Orson said, “Angels bear many guises,
Moses.
You are a Danite at heart.” “There you go, talkin’ Mormon on me,” Moses
said.
“Takes a while to get him bottled up again, but he settled down quick
here,”
Donovan said. “Must be,”—he thought a moment—“maturity.” “To tell it straight,
Orson, your religion is
a strange one, but I’ll say it again, you showed something when you
crossed
that desert."
The result is what strong historical fiction
should be, holding appeal for readers of Western experience in general
and
especially anyone interested in the role and experiences of the Mormons
in
American history, which is usually under-stated at best and often
omitted from
history entirely.
A concluding section of biographies for the
nonfiction characters sprinkled throughout the story provides a
satisfying and
in-depth survey of the real history behind Moses's story, completing
the
novel's strengths in attracting readers who may not usually choose
historical
fiction.
Beyond the Rio Gila
is, quite simply, a compelling coming-of-age story that brings history
to life.
It's highly recommended reading that should be in any collection strong
in
historical novels and early Mormon history alike.
Return to Index
Bobby's
Diner
Susan Wingate
The Wild Rose Press, Inc
ASIN : B08W8TFLTN
$3.99
https://www.amazon.com/Bobbys-Diner-Book-ebook/dp/B08W8TFLTN
Fifteen
years ago, Georgette Carlisle fell in love at first sight with
the owner of Bobby's Diner. A married man, Bobby found himself caught
between
two women. His conundrum was resolved (for him) upon his death, but
these women
are only beginning to grapple with the impact of his decisions when he
leaves
the restaurant to them both, in his will.
As
if this weren't enough struggle, Bobby's Diner is located in a
lucrative highway corridor that has investor Zach
Pinzer willing to kill
for the opportunity to develop it. Literally.
And
so two disparate individuals find their lives entwined by opportunity,
love, and threat, creating dilemmas that form the foundation of the
powerful
read that is Bobby's Diner.
Susan
Wingate's wry sense of irony and humor come to light in the first
paragraph, which tells of the will's unpleasant surprise: "Bobby
did
something none of us expected. He gave me half the interest in the
diner and
the other half to Vanessa! Just like Bobby to be equitable."
This
sense of humor is injected into their relationship as Georgette
narrates the impact of this revelation on ex Vanessa: "The
note talked
about his guilt for leaving Vanessa but also about his great love for
me how
Vanessa spent nearly half her life building the diner but it was my
creativity
that keep it going. Have you ever heard the term livid before? Well,
Vanessa’s
face turned every shade of livid I’ve ever seen. I remember sitting
there
imagining her head filling up like one of those water balloons at the
fair and
exploding right off her shoulders."
Vanessa
and Georgette actually have a lot in common. Perhaps that's why
Bobby loved them both. Creative, determined women who are hard workers,
the two
would have been ideal partners under other circumstances. They are
about to
find out that the differences between them are less than the threat
posed by
the man who will do anything to gain access to their inheritance.
The
power in Susan Wingate's book lies as much in their evolving
partnership relationship and the future of a diner that stands at the
crossroads of development as it does in the growing threat to both.
Wingate
does an exquisite job of expanding on this relationship, drawing both
women
into a cat-and-mouse game between not just each other, but outside
forces.
It's
actually a triangle of inherited mess, because Vanessa's daughter
Roberta also has an unexpected stake and say in what evolves, and a way
of
putting both women on the spot: “I may not have any say in
this, but…but…”
She looked around at me and continued, “But Georgette does!” She was
nailing
her mother by using me. Vanessa’s shoulders dropped and she turned
slowly back
to face her daughter."
The
psychology surrounding these disparate forces and approaches to the
diner and life is wonderfully portrayed against the backdrop of crime,
business
issues, changing interpersonal relationships, and the pivot point of a
diner
that lies at the focal point of an evolving disaster on many fronts.
Readers
who enjoy stories of women at odds with one another, who face
mystery, threat, and changing relationships all at once, will relish
the lively
psychological dilemmas in Bobby's Diner. Much more
than a story of
suspense or intrigue, it's a vivid study in changing human
relationships that
will keep readers thoroughly engaged.
Return to Index
Chateau
Laux
David Loux
Wire Gate Press
9781954065017
$15.99
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Website: www.wiregatepress.com
Chateau Laux opens in 1710 where
twenty-two-year-old Lawrence Kraymer is a hardworking brewer in
Philadelphia,
inheriting the business from his grandfather.
A chance event introduces him to a French
family and their alluring daughter Catherine, whom he begins to
court.
Readers might anticipate a 'happily ever
after' scenario to evolve, but before matters get to this point, David
Loux
crafts a complex story in which romance actually stirs up trouble long
buried
in the past, leading the young lovers and everyone surrounding them
into danger
and revelations.
As Lawrence builds a chateau for his future
bride, so he also sows seeds of discord. Catherine's near-fatal
encounter with
mastiff Romulus is only the first in a series of threats that change
their
lives.
Pierre never realized he would open a can of
worms when he invites Lawrence into his home one stormy night. But
Pierre
succeeds in making him feel beholden to the family in more than one
way,
connecting Lawrence into a web of unfortunate events that hold threat
and the
lure of promise—if he can overcome them.
Chateau Laux offers many surprises.
What
befalls Catherine mid-story is anything but happy, challenging both
Lawrence
and the notion of frontier justice and family alike. What takes place
in the
chateau is not a new beginning, but a fatal repeat of patterns buried
long ago.
This will not only shock readers who anticipated a very different twist
to the
tale, but introduces a special form of heartbreak and opportunity that
births
new friendships from the fires of tragedy.
As the story winds through unexpected
relationships with Indians and the illness that follows a terrible
loss, Lawrence
and Pierre continue to find their lives entwined in unexpected ways.
This
process continues even when the promise of Chateau Laux's new
beginnings falls
into the disarray and destruction of terrible traumas built on shaky
roots of
the past.
Readers seeking an absorbing historical
novel of transformation, tragedy, rebirth, and renewed relationships
set
against the backdrop of 1700s frontier America will find Chateau Laux a
gripping story of love, loss, and survival that's made even stronger
for its
roots in real events. It's a riveting read that requires no prior
familiarity
with eighteenth century history in order to prove compelling.
Return to Index
The
Empty Cell
Paulette Alden
Radiator Press
9780988518926
$15.00
Paper/$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Cell-Novel-Paulette-Alden-ebook/dp/B08HY7F267
Paulette
Alden's new novel, The Empty Cell, with its firm
roots
in history, is a compelling saga set in the world of racial segregation
in the
1950s. It should be on the reading list of anyone interested in
Southern
history, especially the Jim Crow era.
Alden's
story is based on an actual lynching, that of Willie Earle, a
young Black man, in Greenville, South Carolina in 1947. He had been
arrested on
suspicion of killing a white cab driver, and was taken from jail by a
mob of
cabbies who beat, stabbed and shot him to death.
The
novel follows four richly drawn characters, each of whom has been
affected, either directly or indirectly, by Earle's death. Each embarks
on a
journey to find a way out of the social and racial constraints that
bind them.
Lee Trammell, one of the twenty-eight cab drivers acquitted at trial,
knows he
is guilty and struggles with the aftermath of his actions. Alma Stone,
a Black
woman who works as a maid and who loved Willie when he was a child,
leaves the
South after his murder, only to discover that Harlem too has its
prejudices and
racial injustice. Lawton Chastain, a closeted gay prosecutor, realizes
he must
end his conventional marriage and change his life in order to find
happiness;
and Betsy Chastain, Lawton's young daughter, has a racial awakening
that leads
to an interracial affair.
Readers will be drawn into this absorbing novel powered by the characters' different experiences arising from a shared life-changing event. The Empty Cell is an important and timely testimony concerning this nation's roots, its entangled racial mindsets, and how far we have—or haven't—come since the 1950s.
The Empty CellReturn to Index
Everywhere,
Somewhere
David
Kummer
Independently
Published
9781087936789
$12.99
Author Website: http://davidkummer.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TB3P7NN
Everywhere,
Somewhere
reveals the events that unfold when Hollywood actor Bruce Michaels
finds himself in the small town of Little Rush, exploring and
influencing young
and old residents alike.
At
first identified (in the first chapter's heading) as "a place
of incredible boredom", Little Rush indeed is a microcosm of America,
containing simmering emotions within its borders. These range from
coming-of-age questions by a group of teens who don't necessarily see
their
futures as lying in the town to an old man whose struggle with
depression draws
Bruce and others into a dangerous situation.
Hudson's
musing about the likelihood that he will break Little Rush's
record of not having experienced a suicide in the town for half a
century opens
the story—but it's far from the only focus.
Also
at risk are the disparate lives of characters who confront past
and present ghosts, as when Bruce realizes that the sinister Madeline
Suso, a
nightmare from his past, has returned into his life in an unexpected
way.
As
the dance between their lives plays out, a question to old man Bruce
serves as one theme that recurs, as each makes their choices: “Why’d
you come
here? To ask questions or get answers?”
From
why they came or are staying to where they are heading, the
underlying sentiments, culture, and lives of Little Rush embark on a
heady
emotional roller-coaster ride through life as Bruce's jaded observation
that
"there are no good people" dovetails with Hudson's revelations about
the illusions he's built surrounding his idol.
Readers
looking for a novel about a small town replete with secrets and
coming-of-age experiences juxtaposed with old age choices will find Everywhere,
Somewhere takes a satisfying journey both sentimental and
dangerous. It
walks the avenues of mental illness and health, as well as
incorporating a
newfound conviction that, somewhere out there, there are answers.
Its
delightful twists and turns challenge its characters and invite
readers to think about life's trajectory and its ultimate course.
Return to Index
Finding
Napoleon: A Novel
Margaret Rodenberg
She Writes Press
9781647420161
$16.95
Author website: https://www.findingnapoleon.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Napoleon-Novel-Margaret-Rodenberg/dp/1647420164
Most
casual history readers recall Napoleon Bonaparte’s life as being
one of a little man who affected one of the greatest wars in human
history; but
Margaret Rodenberg's historical biography focuses on lesser-known
history
surrounding the end his life.
The
emperor spends his final years in exile on the remote island of St
Helena. Author Margaret Rodenberg has actually visited this island, and
so is
in the perfect position to capture its milieu as the backdrop of
Napoleon's
final story.
As
Napoleon's relationship with Albine de Montholon, his last love, is
revealed and the final years of his life are probed, readers will enjoy
a
fascinating blend of fiction, biography, and history. These elements
are made
all the stronger by Rodenberg's ability to bring to life the
perspectives of
not just Napoleon, but those who found themselves part of his final
years.
Albine introduces this story with a captivating observation of her
involvement:
"Unless you too stitched a white gown for the guillotine, do
not judge
me. But if you’d faced the terrors I have—if you were Empress Josephine
herself—I’d accept your judgment on my morals."
Interspersed
throughout is Rodenberg’s
adaptation of an unfinished novel Napoleon tried to write when he was
young and
idealistic. Within its charming coming-of-age love story, readers
glimpse the
famous man’s humble origins and see the man he hoped to be.
This
is a powerful example of how fiction can bring history to life,
giving its characters personality and purpose that a collection of dry
historical dates and events can't touch. This is especially true in Finding
Napoleon, because its sense of purpose and discovery holds
the ability to
reach those with little background in Napoleon's times or his actions.
Besides
the psychological insights into events and Napoleon's
character, Rodenberg cultivates lively descriptions of surroundings and
people
that draw readers in and sometimes adds a light touch of humor: "The
door opened, and General Sir Hudson Lowe stood on the threshold,
gnawing on his
lower lip. His prominent forehead overhung a hawkish nose and a
receding chin.
In an unpleasant way, Lowe’s long neck reminded him of his mother. The
lanky
man spoke through his nose. “I should have liked to have seen you this
morning
when I informed you I would call. It was most imperative to write my
initial
report.” He sniffed. “You do not appear ill to me.” The Emperor had
been
prepared to overlook yesterday’s insulting message, but then he hadn’t
beheld
its sender. Marchand closed the door, leaving him alone to face a man
whose
eyes shifted like a hyena in a trap."
From
the heavy tone of politics which still run through his isolated
life on the island to longings for a freedom denied, the story creates
a
full-faceted examination of the Emperor's world, from relationships and
ongoing
political strife to daily challenges: "Tobyson and Albine
played a game
of catch in the garden. The Emperor pressed his palms to his
windowpane. He
yearned to feel their laughter."
Part
of this discussion revolves around the strength and circumstances
of women who are part of his life, both past and present. Rodenberg is
equally
adept at capturing their lives, too, as she describes Napoleon's world:
"Poor,
sweet Albine. She would have been a better woman if she’d lived under
better
circumstances. The Revolution had ruined her, as it had corrupted his
dear
Josephine. Alchemists should forget changing lead to gold. They should
transmute fear to courage, treachery to loyalty, debauchery to
innocence."
Finding
Napoleon
is especially
recommended reading for women who usually eschew historical
biographies. Its
fine weave of facts and fiction, its careful attention to detail and
authentic
events, and its fine capture of environment, politics, and social
observation
blends perfectly with the fictional devices of drama, psychological
inspection,
and action. These all make the story a compelling read, highly
recommended for
history buffs and general-interest audiences alike.
Return to Index
Freedom
Sex and a Meat Cleaver
Sherman Miles
Independently Published
978-0578528724
$10.99
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Sex-Meat-Cleaver-Adventures/dp/057852872X
Freedom
Sex
and a Meat Cleaver: Wild Adventures in Southeast Asia romps through
Southeast Asia based on real-life events as seen through the eyes of
Pierce
Colter, a young American adventure-seeker who embarks on his journey in
the
mid-70s.
Sergeant
Pierce Colter doesn't even know where Thailand is when he is
assigned to the Headquarters of the Armed Forces Thailand Network in
Korat
during the Vietnam War, there to forge new alliances with Thailand as
the war
winds down.
What
seems like the opportunity of a lifetime turns into a series of
escapades as Pierce explores some of the "most secret places on
earth", gets into and out of trouble, and samples the culture and
ironies
of the region.
Sherman
Miles excels in a gritty, realistic delivery that captures the
milieu of time and place through conversations and descriptions that
are
vividly depicted: "The biggest market and I mean the biggest
even
bigger than Bangkok, for heroin out of Long Tieng was none other than
Saigon.
Can you fuckin’ believe that? Delivered right into the hands of South
Vietnamese government officials and military officers. Guess who they
sold it
to?” I shrugged my shoulders. The question hung in the thick Mekong
air. He
threw back another shot and purred like a big kitty stoned on catnip.
“Umm….” A
smirk lifted his red cheeks as he admired the glass held lightly
between his
fingers. “Whiskey’s like a beautiful woman. She demands appreciation.
You gaze
first. Then it’s time to drink.”
Real-world
issues (such as how so many soldiers returned home as heroin
junkies) come to life because of these succinct, hard-hitting
assessments,
which also will hit home to readers interested in the era and its
special
challenges: "He seemed to me to be everyman in Southeast Asia
surrounded by confusion, destruction, and the imminent end of an era.
The
grunts on the ground and the pawns in the planes, the last cast of
actors in a
forsaken play staged by directors safe in their ivory bunkers back in
Washington. Mike’s job would be over in the seconds it took to sign his
final paycheck.
Back to Boise, spuds, and snow. No Mekong. No tropical Air America,
just life,
and death for a leftover in the state of
From
bar scenes to visa violations, Pierce's journey of discovery gets
him bounced from Thailand. This sets him on track to explore and
contrast it
with the nearby countries of Laos and Cambodia, introducing a contrast
in Asian
affairs, women, and the sexual underworlds of the region.
It
should be noted that these realistic, pointed descriptions won't be
for everyone. Readers who look for 'clean' stories will find that Freedom
Sex and a Meat Cleaver doesn't fit the bill (which one should
have
determined by its title alone), but does prove just the ticket for male
readers
seeking a blend of crazy adventure, cultural insights, and encounters
that are,
at times, both life- and paradigm-threatening.
Here
is the real Asia that temporary tourists don't see. Here is a
young man at the peak of his life, experiencing challenges to social
and sexual
norms. And here is a vivid story that is nicely portrayed, with
powerful
language and vivid encounters keeping readers engrossed throughout as
it
contrasts cultures experienced both in and outside of uniform.
As
the story winds through "the malodorous klongs, the sleazy
alleyways, and around destitute derelicts," so it captures the spirit
and
contrasts between an America's perception of freedom and Asian culture
and the
realities before his eyes.
Sherman
grew to love this world. So will his readers. And, females
unafraid of graphic, true-life reality depictions and candid male
assessments
of women will also find much to like in Freedom Sex and a
Meat Cleaver.
There's never a dull moment.
Return to Index
Ghost Dancer
Alan S. Kessler
Leviathan Books
978-1-938394-59-1
$18.95
Website/preorders: alanskessler.com
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Ghost Dancer
is a historical coming-of-age story that opens in 1950s Providence,
where
nine-year-old Eleanor Wilson is growing up in a mansion under the
strict and
watchful eye of bigoted parents. They can't prevent her from occasional
secret
forays into the world around the house, where she plays in a local
Indian
cemetery, only to find herself "seeing
as clearly as she saw the dead, her mother’s shadow rising stern and
hard from
behind a grave."
Keeping her secret journeys hidden from her
drunk mother and controlling father has been successful up to that
point. Now
she faces her mother's rage for being a privileged white girl playing
in an
Indian graveyard with an Indian doll, despite her upbringing and riches
at
home.
It's a rage which reflects the community's
deeper roots in prejudice and repression because it was logged and
built on the
ruins of an Indian reservation commandeered by the white man for their
expanding populace. And so Eleanor represents the microcosm of an
intrinsic
local conflict between Native Americans and whites, which only
intensifies as
she grows older.
What at first appears to be a coming of age
story about abuse and repression turns into poignant social commentary
as
Eleanor's growth and evolution brings with it newfound realizations
about
prejudice and survival.
Eleanor's entry into the world of ghosts,
spirits, and legacies of the past teaches her about a future that she
can't
escape even with a journey to far-away California, with its magic and
very
different culture.
There, she makes further revelations about
new environments, possibilities, and references to race in America: "Her arms out, Eleanor twirled, letting
the colors and heat wash away sadness. Here, in California light, she
intended
to begin a new life, one away from the rejection and molestation grown
in the
shadows of Providence’s cold dark sun...Men wearing turbans, their
wives and
mothers long headscarves, tunics, and billowing trousers, two or three
children
in tow, crowded the sidewalks and bustled into stores. Now Eleanor
understood
what Clyde had meant. These were his Indians."
As Eleanor moves further from her
"enslavement in a house made of marble," she comes to acknowledge many
of the foundations of repression inherent in her upbringing, community,
and her
own attitudes, which are changing.
What at first seems like a coming of age or
ghost story morphs into a satisfying exploration of Native American and
white
relationships that assume a timeless tale of betrayal and loyalty alike
as
Eleanor stands at the crossroads of many possibilities. These follow
her into
her adult years and eventually bring her full circle to confront the
ghosts of
her childhood.
Its special brand of Native American and
California history, magical realism, and coming of age saga represents
an
outstanding interplay of emotions, history, and social inspection.
Readers who choose Ghost
Dancer anticipating a mystical experience receive so much
more in an evocative, psychologically and socially spooky examination.
It will
keep them engaged and thinking long after Eleanor grows up to become a
different force of reckoning within the white world.
Return to Index
The
Girl in the Yellow Scarf
C.R. Frigard
Independently Published
978-1983575419
$12.95
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Yellow-Scarf-Opus-Book-ebook/dp/B079QHT4L3
The
Girl in
the Yellow Scarf,
the first of three books in The Opus Series,
is set in gritty 1980’s New York City and follows the unlikely
relationship
between black Ivy League graduate, Mike Monroe, and Sarah Davis, a
white
homeless artist and singer from Kentucky, who is gifted but down on her
luck.
Mike
first meets Sarah at a soup kitchen where he volunteers on his off
night from playing piano at Johnny’s bar in midtown. After Sarah shares
her
arduous life story that led to homelessness, Mike is inspired to pursue
his
once stifled dream as a composer; turning his back on the family
business he is
expected to run. Sarah’s indomitable spirit not only influences Mike's
music,
but leads to both romance and a difficult situation for all those
around them.
As
Mike and Sarah become closer, connections between them are
reinforced and new forms of giving and understanding are
forged: "Sarah's
story transported Mike into her world of loss, hardship, and enduring
love...However, he worried her simplistic view of life made her
vulnerable to
sleazy opportunists. How could she possibly survive? You had to go
after life
with a stick and beat your way through." When
a chaotic mess unfolds on the night he declares his love for her,
readers witness a changing story of vision and a relationship that
ultimately
comes full circle to present the kind of challenge Mike never thought
possible. Readers
seeking heartwarming reads about disparate individuals in an
interracial relationship that thrives against all odds will find this
story
pairs art and the gritty world of New York City streets with an
atmosphere of
upward change for both Mike and Sarah alike. The
Girl in
the Yellow Scarf is an inspirational story of hope, reinvention, and
following one's artistic dreams that will delight the heart and soul.
A
Heart To Survive Readers
of Canadian historical fiction and romance will find much to
love about A
Heart To Survive. Based on the true
story of a young
Canadian woman who fell in love with a Chinese man in the 1950s, it
probes the
events of an interracial romance in a country that hardly ever receives
close
inspection of racial relationships from American readers. The
story opens in December 1949 in Hangzhou, China. Tao Wen Shun is
sent to the docks to pick up a package for his grandfather, who crafts
musical
instruments. He barely makes it home after stumbling into a military
confrontation between forces supporting Mao and Chiang Kai-shek, and he
and his
wise grandfather share a sixth sense that everything they know is on
the cusp
of change: “What
you saw today was people losing their peace.
Always
remember that we add a few paint strokes to our life’s work each day.
The work
we undertake and the relationships we build are expressions of our
character.” As
events lead Wen Shun away from his beloved home to a foreign land,
he holds these words of wisdom close to his heart as he encounters the
promise
of freedom against the realities of racial repression in Canada: “You
don’t
understand what it’s like here. Most Canadians treat us as lower-class
citizens. We were brought here as laborers for the railroads, mines,
laundries,
and restaurants. Whites hated us because we worked for wages they
wouldn’t
accept, and they couldn’t find other jobs. That’s still the case now,
and we’re
kept in poverty.” There's
romance...dangerous romance...blossoming alongside forces of
repression and change, and Wen Shun (now 'Winson') finds himself
buffeted on
many sides as he makes difficult choices and finds the foundations of
safety
and love to be fluid and unreliable. All
the elements are here for an extraordinary read that blends a
coming-of-age experience with a window into Canadian culture, race
relations of
the 1950s, romance, and a young immigrant's ability to persevere
against all
odds. Most
of all, A Heart To Survive chronicles the kinds of
choices
that lead into danger and opportunity alike, adding a dash of thriller
and
mystery elements into the mix to create a multifaceted story that is
engaging,
engrossing, and hard to put down. Historical
fiction readers, particularly those interested in Canadian
backdrops, are in for a treat. The story opens the Collingwood series
with
questions of immigrant experience, paradigm-changing social and
political
currents, and the lessons passed down between generations which allow
people to
survive changed and unpredictable circumstances. In
the Dead of the Night The
third book in the Northshire
Heritage series,
In the Dead of
the
Night, continues the
story
of the prominent Steele and Haber families, the politics and history
which
swirls around them in the early 1900s, and the choices they make which
change
not only the lives and minds of those around them, but the world (for
better or
for worse) of future generations. The
conclusion of the Great War has affected the Steele family in
different ways, from a charge of treason against the British Empire to
a
child's kidnapping by a German spy ring, which threatens political and
personal
outcomes alike. There
are many underlying themes to this story; from Steele wife and
former German spy Leila's personal anguish, which is connected to a
continent's
survival and safety, to a reinterpretation of sparring match rules ("Be
where you’re not expected. Do what shouldn’t be done."). Both translate
well to surviving this latest challenge, outlining the underlying
negotiations
behind battles and war which strategize politics, economics, and
national
special interests (“The almighty American dollar can soothe
even the most
tender of consciences. Since the Americans are a major Swiss trading
partner,
they are not likely to jeopardize such a relationship—especially as
they too
feel the effects of a recession. Once money is involved, they will
tread
lightly.” As
the treaty that would officially end the Great War falls into many
hands and under many different influences, events unfold that grip
families and
institutions in a conflux of power plays and dangerous choices. These
test the
boundaries of good, evil, and human endurance. Readers
of World War I historical fiction also receive Christian
thoughts and perspectives on the influences, motivations, and outcomes
of the
conflict. Everything comes to a head when a deadly weapon with the
potential
for mass destruction becomes a bargaining point in more than one way. History
and Christian readers alike will find this a particularly
engrossing story that doesn't just peck at the institutions and
processes of
historical precedent and choice, but ultimately questions the origins
of good
and evil outcomes, made by individuals who often perceive their actions
and
consequences as singular occurrences conducted in the name of a greater
purpose. Although
In the Dead of the Night is the third book in a
series
and adds to its predecessors, it also operates as a solid, stand-alone
novel.
It holds much food for thought, and will especially delight readers of
Great
War events who don't typically receive such a multifaceted,
thought-provoking
examination of the war. Perhaps this is because many of the fictional
characters are based on real-world personalities, from spymasters to
generals
and the everyday families who became caught up in events beyond their
experience or control. Making
a Better World Making
a
Better World
may sound like nonfiction, but is satirical
fiction at its best. The title sets the stage for a survey that reviews
the
life of middle-aged Oscar Perilloux, a man who just wants to do good,
but
struggles with relatives who are self-absorbed, sly, and who have
agendas not
always in sync with his vision of what family and the world should be
like. Only
his seven-year-old daughter Gabby holds the kind of innocence he
values—and even she is reaching beyond her childhood to inspect facets
of the
adult world that he'd rather keep hidden...including family
relationships. Faced
with his mother's imminent move-in and his brother's fling with a
woman Oscar secretly covets, it seems that Oscar can't keep his life in
this
idyllic New Hampshire town on the track to improve his progeny's
future, much
less his own present-day state. Oscar
is used to being patient, explaining away the ills of world and
family to Gabby. Sometimes these coping methods fail. Sometimes life
requires a
different skill set for survival. Occasionally, it provides hilarious
hiccups,
as when his mother, Stella Perilloux, becomes determined to be more
involved in
his world: “Where are you going?” Stella said.“Out near the
quarries.” “How
are you getting there?”“The motorcycle!” Gabby said. “I want to come,”
Stella
said. “What?” Oscar said. “I want to come. I’m not staying cooped up in
this
house all day.” “Where would you sit?” Gabby said. “We’ll take the
car,” Oscar
said. “Oh, no,” Stella said. “I want to go on that bike. I’ve been
watching you
guys for weeks. I want a ride too.” Can
Oscar make the world better for anyone, much less his family? Will
he find romance with Margot? More importantly, will his choices really
make a
difference against the onslaught of irony and dysfunction that is
embraced by
too many around him? Will everyone (or anyone) really be happy? A
fun story evolves whereby Oscar reviews his world, makes some
changes, faces social issues that invade his home, and ultimately opts
for a
different, better choice as he floats between being a parent and
helping a
parent. Readers
who enjoy satire and family relationships will appreciate the
witty inspection of Oscar's world in this tale of dreams fulfilled. Roadwork Roadwork is a novel about
love between high school teen Kyle Sands and Valerie Willard, young
teacher
trapped in a passionless marriage. It is a story that is embedded in
music,
with notes about the threat and obstacles to the forbidden relationship
that
evolves between them. These elements will especially invite and attract
music
lovers who will relate to this special intersection between musical and
personal attraction. The
story takes place in the 1970s, and is steeped in the era's
atmosphere. Drugs are commonplace, sex can be casual (even though the
narrator
admits that women can be complicated), and raging hormones drive many
decisions, both good and bad. John
Alvah Barnes, Jr. and Naomi Lynn Barnes do a fine job of crafting
the social and personal interplays between various characters as the
relationship evolves, for better or for worse, embedding the 1970s
atmosphere
into the story of a relationship that moves forward as Valerie meets
Kyle's
family and becomes a part of it. The
problems of her past and his future often clash as Kyle finds
himself increasingly involved in her personal life: "I wasn’t
at all
happy about her talking to her ex-husband. Well, technically he wasn’t
an ex
yet. She had talked about divorce, but she’d learned that she needed to
live
apart from him for at least six months before she could file." Her
husband won't give her up easily...and neither will Kyle. From
evolving threats and growth both individually and together through
Kyle's music, which drives them both towards a goal and away from
danger into
unknown waters, Roadwork creates a compelling story
of not just a
forbidden love's evolution, but the process by which two disparate
lives come
together to form new goals. From
student/teacher relationships and a musician's evolving new
purposes to the intrigue created by threats that may or may not be
interconnected, readers receive a moving journey of developing love and
changes
which probe the foundations of abuse and transformation. Readers
with a special interest in recovery and growth situations and
musician challenges will find Roadwork a realistic,
moving psychological
and social exploration. Send
The Word Send
The Word
is
part of Hockenberry's World War One
Intrigue series, set during the end of World War One, centering on
the actions of U.S. Army Captain Gil Martin, his best friend Lieutenant
Paul
Keller (an army intelligence assistant and long-term partner on the
Bomb
Squad), and his wife, Shannon Tunney Keller. She works in New York City
with
the New York City Police Department’s elite Bomb Squad unit and
detective
bureau and does her part from home, never quite knowing if she'll soon
be a
widow. They
are intelligence officers on the Western Front who struggle to
identify an assassin who has targeted General Pershing, and
secret
betrayers who would thwart the efforts of the Allies in the midst of
battle. A
recap of the history of Spring 1918 real-world events is needed, and
is provided in an introduction which sets the stage for their actions.
This
assures that readers need no prior background in World War I military
events to
understand the nuances and struggles presented in this novel. The
story opens as the German army overwhelms the British front.
Shannon is a confident woman in a man's world, joining fellow female
suffragettes in shedding the vestiges of female oppression, from
clothing to
attitudes. Her
current investigation of a Tammany Hall case involving corruption
is shadowed by wider-ranging concerns as her new husband, Detective
Paul
Keller, becomes a member of Army Intelligence and an untested
lieutenant on the
Western Front. As
Martin and Keller strain to unravel a plot that could change the
course of the war, Shannon faces her own struggles at home. She's kept
informed
by letters from Gil and develops insights into the costs this war has
demanded
of everyone she knows. When
events turn tragic and Martin must face the fact that Paul is
likely dead, his feelings of failure grow. The only things that seem
set to
survive this struggle are a locket, a promise, and love. James
Hockenberry does an excellent job of juxtaposing the backdrop of
a European front embroiled in battle and subterfuge with the concurrent
life of
a proactive woman who faces her own mission at home. He
is especially strong at describing the environment of the
battlefield and the struggles soldiers faced both within themselves and
during
their experiences: "Exhausted, wet, and furious, Keller
received word
that the 79th Division attacks were halted for the night. Preparations
should
be made to continue them the next morning. With the respite, he had
time to
realize he had suffered numerous wounds. None serious
if tended. All he could do was bandage himself and wait. Maybe he was
already
in Hell and didn’t know it." The
actual history intersects with the fictional story of Shannon's own
special charge of thwarting a dangerous plot on the home front, and is
seamlessly presented as well as accurately represented: "Maybe
issues
of life and death are not as black and white as they seem. Did
her
husband feel the same way about his fight?" As
questions arise on both sides about the costs of these efforts,
historical fiction readers (especially those interested in World War I
backdrops) will find Send The Word an outstanding
interplay of demanding
scenarios, intrigue, and strong characters who each grow their
personalities
from their special challenges. The
intrigue and action make for an involving story indeed, highly
recommended for military history readers and those who like stories of
strong
women conducting their own effective operations on the home front. Where
Eagles Never Flew: A Battle of Britain Novel Where
Eagles
Never Flew
is set in the summer of 1940, when the Battle of France has just
concluded and the Battle of Britain is about to begin. All
efforts boil down to air power and a battle that could ultimately
determine whether the Nazis will rule Britain. Standing on the front
line is
No. 606 (Hurricane) Squadron in general and the efforts of pilot Robin
Priestman, who simultaneously struggles with duty and an unexpected
romance. Helena
P. Schrader brings these characters and many more to life in a
vivid story of not just war and battles, but interpersonal conflicts
and
choices which change the missions and leaders alike: "From
what he had
seen and heard, No. 606 Squadron had no esprit de corps and no
vitality. He had
seen for himself that the little clique of old Auxiliary pilots kept to
themselves, leaving the younger pilots wandering about confused and
bewildered
like fish out of water. On top of that, Allars reported that the only
professional Sergeant Pilot, MacLeod, was a loner and an aggressive
drinker.
Clearly, Jones had failed to mould his squadron into a team, and
equally failed
to set his pilots a good example. His attacks on the Duty Controller
had been
unprofessional and misplaced." As
Squadron Leader Priestman finds himself torn between his love for
Emily and her personal danger in the Salvation Army as the bombs drop
around
her, Schrader also focuses on events on the other side of the pond as
the
Luftwaffe tries to destroy the RAF and recruits increasing numbers of
women
auxiliaries. The
changing roles and empowerment of women during the war is one focus
of a hard-hitting saga that goes beyond military combat and action to
consider
the motivations, choices, and hearts and minds of those who operate on
both
sides of the conflict. While
this story is presented as a battle treatise, its real value lies
in its broader interpretations and considerations of conflict. These
provide a
satisfying inspection of the politics and psychology of participants in
the war
during this pivotal battle. Readers
may pick up Where Eagles Never Flew for its promise
of
action, but will find it holds unexpected, satisfying psychological
depth as
its characters grow, evolve, and confront each other and the enemy
during a
life-changing period in Britain's history. It's a story steeped in
real-life
events that goes far in tracing the changing roles and influence of
women in
the world, and is highly recommended reading for World War II history
enthusiasts looking for something more than descriptions of battles. Lost
on the Edge of Eternity Bill
Fellars's training as a high school counselor didn't cover many
facts of the job, including helping dead students who haunt the school
move on
to the next level. But, as he finds in Lost on the
Edge of Eternity,
this is part of the job description that nobody mentioned, and a vital
conclusion to a counseling process that must be adequately conducted if
lingering students are to successfully move on after death. Bill
embarks on an unsettling journey when he observes a new student at
the school (he's in charge of making sure all new students are properly
oriented and introduced); only to find that no other adult seems to
know the
kid. Furthermore, this isn't a new kid, but one who he'd thought long
gone from
not just the school, but the planet. He was one of the 'good ones'
whose
self-inflicted demise didn't really end everything. As
Bill expands his counseling career into new dimensions, readers
follow him into a world where some of the dead kids who are stuck
continue to
cause problems in their new condition, as well. Helping those who want
to move
on is one thing; but dealing with troublesome kids, which is normally a
big
part of the job, assumes new meaning when the dead are involved. Readers
who enjoy supernatural encounters and stories of living and
dead purposes revisited will find Lost on the Edge of Eternity
an
intriguing story. Jonathan Floyd's ability to explore Brownsville's
adult and
teen interactions, the moral and ethical questions that evolve when
dead
student Randy involves Bill in a
steal-from-the-rich-and-give-to-the-poor plot,
and intrigue, all become part of a plot which expands this book's
potential
audience beyond a teen read alone. From
addressing regrets over life choices to facing consequences beyond
the grave, the story provides much food for thought as well as
adventures and
interactions. These involve Bill in his mother's legacy, Sally Brock's
unfinished novel, and the kinds of conclusions that tie up loose ends
and allow
both living and dead to move on. Readers
who enjoy intrigue, supernatural overtones, school politics,
and adult/teen interactions will find Lost on the Edge of
Eternity an
excellent, multifaceted story about life's meaning. The story's
unexpected
contemporary components place it in the category of being recommended
reading
for mature teen to adult readers. Mannahatta Mannahatta: A Sequel
provides historical novel readers with a follow-up to Caledonia
and focuses on a journey to colonial Manhattan from
Scotland. This is uncovered in 2008 by Hanna Duncan, the many-times
great
granddaughter of immigrant Anna Rachel Isaacs MacArthur. Hanna's
discoveries do
more than revise her family's past, but begin to threaten her life as
she finds
herself in dangerous situations around the world. This story moves back and forth between Anna
and Hanna's times. Ideally, readers will have a prior familiarity with
the
history that was introduced in Caledonia.
This audience will find the ongoing adventure vastly expands as further
details
about both women's' lives and journeys evolve. From visits to Scottish castles and issues
of slavery in early Manhattan to events that lead up to a revolt in
1712, the
search for an ancestor and that ancestor's changing world juxtapose
nicely in
chapters that are clearly identified by era to avoid reader confusion. Both characters are nicely drawn and their
worlds explored, the intersections between the two dovetail in
unexpected ways,
and readers will find the story of a family's evolution on different
sides of
foreign and domestic soils to be thought-provoking and packed with
action and
intrigue. The result expands the foundations firmly
set in Caledonia. Mannahatta:
A Sequel will please
historical novel readers and prior fans with a solidly compelling story
that
proves hard to put down as love evolves and 'home' is redefined. The Uprising The
Uprising
supplies
military and action readers with an adventure story set in 1960s Cuba,
and
revolves around a battle between farmers and military and political
forces in
that country. Elpidio
García's legacy to his sons (a farm) has been lost to new laws
and the collective takeover of personal lands. It's up to his youngest
son to
join a rebellion against these processes which negate his inheritance
and the
family's position on the island—but this means joining a disparate
group of
rebels. As
the CIA becomes involved in recruiting and training exiled Cubans on
American soil, the Cubans find themselves at odds not only with their
own
people, but the political forces that would harness their energy for
their own
nefarious purposes. One
might think that a prior familiarity with Cuban affairs is
necessary in order to absorb this complex state of events, but The
Uprising
needs no prior history to prove accessible even to those with
relatively little
familiarity with Cuban society and events. Jorge
Torrente takes the time to create realistic, memorable
characters, whose backgrounds, perceptions, and ideals drive the plot.
This, in
turn, makes the story of attacks, rebellion, and special interests and
daily
affairs come to life without the need for prior introduction. He
also excels at depicting the special interests and involvements of
those abroad, who hold a particular perspective and interest in Cuba
for their
own reasons or due to family experiences. The
result is an engaging blend of action-packed confrontation and
family life probe that brings to life not just the events of 1960s
Cuba, but
the different peoples who have an interest in that nation's processes,
outcomes, and culture. Anyone
with an interest in Cuban society will find The Uprising
involving and educational, filled with vivid stories of escapes,
confrontations, and the costs and processes of social and political
change. Whispers of Deception Whispers of Deception
is the first book in the Highland Legacy Series, and will appeal to
readers of
Scottish history and romance. Its special brand of brooding nightmare
is centered
on an independent 18th century lady whose parents are murdered, testing
even
Elaina's courage and determination. Her newly titled brother, Lord William
Spencer, begs her not to become involved, but when Elaina receives
evidence
that their parents' deaths were more than just a robbery gone awry, as
the
authorities claim, the plot thickens. 1744 Scotland on the cusp of an uprising is
no place for a lady to embark on a murder investigation. It's also no
place for
newcomers who are unfamiliar with the nation's simmering politics and
brewing
strife. Elaine refuses to back down, however,
causing more problems for her brother as she investigates the
mysterious notes
and evidence that lead her straight into not just danger, but a
political
maelstrom of conflict and puzzling opposition parties. The Scottish lilt is lightly presented here,
making for easy reading for those who have received heavier dialogue
and
challenging interpretations from other Scottish fictional settings: "He
had an uncanny way of sneaking up
behind her and scaring the living daylights out of her when she was in
the
stables, but she’d gladly accepted his offer of taking her out for a
ride.
“Does me just as much good,” he replied. “I dinna like the city any
more than
you.” When she discovers in her mother's papers
the evidence of treason, Elaina comes to suspect many around her,
including
Lady Caroline Taylor, who has her eyes on William and who seems kind,
but may
be treacherous, herself: “I’m sorry if I
have upset you,” Caroline’s voice came from behind her. “Those were not
my
intentions.” There was a moment of silence. “You can trust me,” she
whispered.
“Oh, can I?” Elaina whirled on her hostess with fire in her eyes and
her voice
dripping with sarcasm. “How can I be sure? It was at your home, after
all, that
someone tried to maim me. You, yourself attended the funeral of my
parents in
Newcastle and were present when we received the first note. What am I
to
think?” As Elaine faces her own demons which lie in
both her tongue and spirit and her determination to arrive at the
truth, a
dangerous foray into murky political waters leads her ever into danger
as she
probes family secrets perhaps best left hidden. Renée Gallant holds a fine touch in weaving
a mystery and Scottish culture into the history of a changing nation
and its
peoples. Readers who like their historical fiction spiced by a female
protagonist forced to confront matters of her own heart will find
Whispers of Deception packed with
atmospheric and historical details, intrigue, and twists of plot that
make it
hard to put down. It leaves enough unsolved mysteries to be continued
in future
books, yet sums up many of them in an unexpected, satisfying manner as
war
swirls around Elaina and her family. Zetty Zetty presents a
literary examination of the long-term effects of a mother's
schizophrenia, a
nine-year-old child's abandonment, and a journey undertaken in
adulthood for
answers to many questions left by these events. While the basic theme
may sound
familiar, Debra Whiting Alexander's exploration of these life-changing
events
and their long-term ramifications embraces a poetic and evocative voice
that
sets this story apart from others. The
first-person reflections are compelling: "I've heard that
life-changing experiences put permanent dents in the heart; they make
their
mark and are remembered. And with every impression made, the heart
bends and
stretches—sometimes completely changing form. My heart seems living
proof of
it. Even after thirty-nine years, which seems impossible, the memory of
what
happened when I was only nine remains remarkably vivid. It rearranged
everything inside me." How
can one not read on to uncover the foundations of these changes and
why they continue to resonate in Zetty's adult world? As
she forms unconventional friendships with a circle of other women
who are also survivors and questioners, Zetty finds answers to her
questions
that lead her on a journey to examine her own life's trajectory. Even
more gripping, readers are treated to insights about schizophrenia's
lasting impact on not just the sufferer, but the family that surrounds
this
individual. When
a family secret also emerges, Zetty faces her own choices and
their long-term consequences. Zetty makes its mark
as a study in family relationships, survival methods, relationships to
psychologists and self-inspection, and the roots of strange attractions. As
Zetty evolves and changes, her readers gain insights into many
facets of the process of facing love, loss, revised notions of mental
illness
and family connections, and life-changing decisions that affect adults
and
children alike. Its
full-faceted exploration will leave readers immersed in questions
about how mental illness affects a family and its perceptions of what
is
ordinary and extraordinary. It covers a range of emotions and family
interactions that swirl around the puzzle and reality of living with
schizophrenia. Its
solid characterization and insights offers much food for thought
and discussion, making Zetty a highly recommended
choice for fiction
readers seeking realistic stories of psychological survival. The
Battle for Visitation The
Battle
for Visitation: Mothers-in-law vs. Daughters-in-law should be on the
reading lists of any family struggling over visitation
rights—especially
grandparents, who are too often either caught in the middle or blocked
from
seeing their grandchildren. More
than just the author's opinion, the value of Bruce Sherman's
approach to the subject lies in over 100 articles and reports about
grandparent
visitation rights which support the book's discussions. These pieces
can also
be consulted after this overview of common issues is read, representing
Sherman's personal recommendations for the most effective discussions
and
background reference materials for each topic. Most
readers who pick up this book will already be in the throes of a
visitation rights issue, and will be hoping to find solutions to their
issues.
Perhaps few are in a better position to give this advice from life
experience,
because Sherman is now 89 years old, yet has never had any visitation
with his
own grandkids, despite being an upstanding citizen. His determination
to
resolve this situation has, thankfully, resulted in a guidebook that
others can
use to avoid common pitfalls during the process. The
Battle
for Visitation is
designed not only to provide information, but
foster empathy in families for each side of the story. Chapters aimed
towards
grandparents explore common daughter-in-law conflicts, fears, and
attitudes
with an eye to revealing the root causes of visitation issues before
they cross
over into serious legal territory and conundrums. Next,
reports from seasoned professionals provide grandparents with a
wide range of articles that cover their position in the family and the
basic
ground rules for fostering non-controversial family interactions. These
range
from not visiting too often or staying too long to avoiding criticism
and
over-indulging. Respect for parental rules and turf goes a long way
towards
creating the kinds of visits that don't lead to later resentments and
outright
rejection. By
now, it should be evident that this book isn't just about parental
rights. There's an even attention given to the feelings of
grandparents, and
destructive behavior patterns on both sides. Sherman
outlines many realities that too often are missing in more
legal probes of visitation rights issues: "Denying
grandparents
visitation is also cheating the grandkids...out of new experiences, out
of the
wisdom that comes with age and—sadly—out of love." While
Sherman's experiences are used as some case history examples, he
avoids the temptation to turn this book into a memoir. His purpose was
to
provide fellow grandparents (and families) with a manual for
problem-solving,
problem-identification, and resolution before it
moves into the legal
area of legally denied visitation rights. Grandparents
receive keys to understanding not only daughters-in-law,
but the challenges facing children as they grow—issues grandkids face
that will
ultimately affect the entire family. As
a manual of what to do, what not to do, and how to understand both
sides, The Battle for Visitation stands out as a
unique coverage of all
kinds of major issues affecting the status, quality, and opportunities
of
grandparent roles in the family. It should be a manual given to any
newlyweds'
parents before the children even arrive. College,
Covid, and Questions: Tips and Advice for Incoming
Freshmen, Undergraduates, Transfer Students, and Parents College,
Covid, and Questions: Tips and Advice for Incoming Freshmen,
Undergraduates,
Transfer Students, and Parents
offers college-bound students the first of
what will likely be many books on the subject. It incorporates findings
from
various sources, combining the usual college questions with a
coronavirus
overlay that tackles questions of safety, health, and campus navigation. It's
a specific guide that considers technology and educational
opportunities, offsite and on-campus learning strategies, and how to
handle
roommates and classrooms during Covid, revealing many opportunities for
integrating various college approaches with safety in mind. These
range from online classes and tutors to new rules for dining
halls in the age of Covid, how to attend virtual career fairs in lieu
of
in-person appearances, and understanding refund policies in the face of
Covid
threats that may link to rules little understood before. The
usual advice for parents and their college-bound students is
modified for this new environment, providing unique opportunities for
better
understanding. Parents,
educators, and college-bound students need this navigation
course on Covid and college. It outlines many revised approaches to
safe
education and considers how the campus may be better navigated, both
virtually
and in-person, for the best results. No
college-bound student or their family should fail to consult College,
Covid, and Questions's overview of the
special challenges Covid has
added to the college education milieu. The
Constitution and American Racism The
Constitution and American Racism: Setting a Course of Lasting Injustice is a history
book that takes a different approach to the subject of Constitutional
process.
It examines how racism has slowly been injected into interpretations of
Constitutional law since its enactment, from ensuring slavery was
protected by
law to how the Electoral College supported this flawed process. Many
discussions have cited Constitutional law and precedents in the
course of analyzing its role in justice; but few books have approached
this
topic from the standpoint of connecting the dots between circumstances
of
injustice and systemic racism. David
P. Madden is a retired trial lawyer who practiced in federal and
state courts throughout the country. He also taught law and American
history at
the college level, so is in the perfect position to make these
comparisons and
cases. The
Constitution and American Racism documents many circumstances where the
Constitution has become not a document of freedom, but an instrument of
repression. These include Constitutional flaws that enabled
wide-ranging
racial, economic, and social disparities that negated the country's own
messages of democracy for all and unity to states' rights, tyrannical
administrations and manifestos coming from presidents and congressional
leaders
alike, and interactions between judicial systems and governing heads. The
Constitution and American Racism is highly recommended reading for high school
to college readers, as well as law school and American history
students.
Anybody concerned about civil rights, government power and process, and
the
ongoing and even strengthening rule of racist attitudes and systems in
the U.S.
needs to read this book, which ideally will be part of any civil rights
or
civic studies discussion. Everyday
Evil Everyday
Evil: Why Our World is the Way It Is will reach social issues and philosophy
readers alike with a multifaceted blend of history and contemporary
inspection.
It seeks to identify and trace elements of evil, from ancient to modern
times. The
account opens with a philosophy-based examination of the definition
of good and evil, free will, and responsibility, and justice. It then
moves to
chapters that examine how social, legal, and physical barriers are
erected
between groups, societies, and people. As
Everyday Evil considers the evolving history of
man's
injustices and attitudes towards others, from women and minority groups
to
other societies around the world, it provides a foundation for
understanding
the personification of evil and its identification and nature. This
is especially critical reading in modern times, where opposing
groups accuse each other of inherent malicious, evil intent and portray
themselves as being on the side of an identified 'good' that may
actually be
questionable in its definition and incarnation. From
Biblical quotes to the examination of precedent in other cultures
and history, Monique Layton bases her discussion on solid information
and
interpretations which often offer intriguing reconsiderations of this
background, as in her thoughts about witchcraft: "A French
proverb from
the thirteenth century, Qui veut noyer son chien l’accuse de la rage
(Whoever
wants to kill his dog will say it has rabies), encapsulates much of the
past
attitude towards women: unless they toed the line and did as they were
told,
any excuse would do to condemn them. The history of witchcraft is a
case in
point. Witchcraft was closely interwoven into the details of daily life
over
which people had little control." The
studious, information-backed reflections and interpretations are
well done, supported by research, and offer much food for thought about
human
interpretations of the physical world and their place in it: "Going
beyond our individual interpretation of sensory perceptions, what can
we say
about the way we understand whole situations, either taken out of
context or
given a specific slant? We know how easily our attention can be
distracted and
how unreliable our accounts are." The
result is highly recommended reading for students of history,
sociology, philosophy, and psychology. Everyday Evil
also promises to
reach beyond these scholarly circles to general-interest readers with a
special
concern about the interpretation and broad modern applications of
evil's
presence in everyday life, offering much food for thought and
discussion. Heart Disease & Hypertension This is not Bryant Lusk's first book on
vitamin therapy's benefits. He's written a prior book on osteoporosis
and vitamin
therapy. Heart Disease & Hypertension
continues the theme with a different focus on heart health: "Many
individuals are not aware of specific
vitamin, mineral, and plant-based chemical deficiencies that can cause
or
contribute to heart disease. Avoiding or reversing these deficiencies
can
dramatically lower the risk of you and your loved ones succumbing to a
heart
attack or cardiac arrest. Doing so can also prevent or reverse
hypertension and
other adverse health conditions, naturally." The strategies outlined here are designed
for long-term use and long-term benefits; not immediate results.
Readers should
be prepared to absorb the material with an eye to embarking on a
lifetime
regimen of vitamin-based therapy to improve not just heart conditions,
but
overall bodily system health. Each vitamin is given a chapter of
discussion that relates its importance to heart conditions. Readers
receive
eye-opening facts about the importance of each, as in the chapter on
zinc: "Many individuals—especially those over
the age of forty—are zinc deficient to some degree. Even a mild
deficiency can
significantly impact many aspects of your health, including heart
health." The real meat of these discussions lies in
specific technical details, from different and best formulations of
vitamins to
suggested nutritional supplements and 'listen to your body' advice on
how to
realize the detrimental effects of too much or too little, as in the
section on
protein: "Protein deficiency
symptoms include skin discoloration, skin rashes, lethargy, fatigue,
difficulty
sleeping, excessive sleeping (lack of energy), muscle weakness, muscle
loss,
frequent infections, slow wound healing, hair loss, brittle hair, mood
swings,
depression, anxiety, and apathy. Excessive protein may present itself
as low
calcium, gout, or kidney stones." Footnoted references provide the technical
research and statistics backing Lusk's contentions, making Heart
Disease & Hypertension another
important tool in the
arsenal of fighting the war against heart disease. Homeless
in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020 Homeless
in
Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020 follows Freedom from the Streets
director African-American Junail Anderson's efforts to provide food and
shelter
to the homeless. It gathers twenty personal stories of men and women
who live
on the streets of that city. Anderson
and her workers aren't part of any government program. This
freedom enables them to move quickly to where they are most needed,
keeping
their ears to the ground and their eyes open as they move within the
homeless
community to reach the hurting and marginalized. The
book offers not only personal perceptions and enlightening insights
but is written from a Christian perspective. The perceptions and
insights from
the interviews will prove especially hard-hitting for Christians who
volunteer
to help the homeless but don't necessarily want to acknowledge the
problems in
their own communities. In the preface, Pastor Paul Olson
provides
eye-opening revelations from his own experiences with Director Junail
Anderson
that will cause many Christians, even those sympathetic about helping
the homeless,
to stop in their tracks and take a look at their ideas versus their
more
privileged lives. These
revelations come in the very beginning when Anderson brings 'her
people' right to the doorsteps of Logan-Park-area residents from the
dangerous,
too-large tent city in Minneapolis's Powderhorn Park. Pastor
Paul's initial reaction was to feel overwhelmed by the need and
physical presence of this group: "In my almost twenty
years of
full-time Christian ministry, I have learned to forget “ordinary” and
to expect
the impossible, but I was worried. As a policy we’ve never encouraged
the
homeless we help to sleep in a public space, nor could we ever start.
Would the
new residents of Logan Park make it? What would they eat? What would
they
drink? Would their bodies be safe from the elements? Where were they
going to
go when the weather started to turn ugly and cold and what would they
wear?
These are the basic questions of life, yet Jesus told us worry and
anxiety
would not add a single day to our lives. But I was seriously worried,
because I
knew our church staff had little capacity to help. On that day,
however, I saw
no worry on Junail’s smiling face, only faith and a determination to
look out
for the people God had called her to take care of." As
readers absorb these diverse stories, they will begin to understand
many facets of the homeless community in Minneapolis. For instance,
they'll
learn about its disparate makeup and experiences that connect under the
umbrella of need to the evolution of the Freedom from the Streets
organization
and the helping hands of active church and community members. Homeless
projects that don't listen to and interact with the people
they are helping have a tendency to become ineffective, alienated, and
bureaucratically repressive. Freedom from the Streets provides an
alternative. It
should be noted that the interview questions that direct and drive
this collection are what give it such a powerful impact. They capture
the
voices and experiences of these people in ways mainstream Americans may
not
anticipate, as in the case of one homeless woman: "I
want people
to think of me as loyal and charismatic. I want them to think of my
ability to
get going and keep going. I never give up. If I start something I have
to
finish it. I have OCD so bad. I'm a perfectionist in everything I do. I
think
I'm a great role model for people that have been through stuff that
I've been
through. I give good advice. I'm able to see the big picture of
situations that
I'm not really connected to." These
people are not only savvy about survival on the streets, but
about their own psyches, potentials, and the forces that have placed
them in
this situation through a combination of personal choice and life
mishaps. The
interview questions ("Do you regret anything?" "What
are your dreams for the future?" "What's the hardest thing about
being homeless?") are designed to bring the personalities, visions,
ambitions, and concerns of homeless people into everyday American
lives. Like
author Virginia Farris, readers may not anticipate this level of
reveal and involvement. Also like her, it will be hard to ignore the
call for
help presented within this collection of experiences that aims to
personalize
individuals within a group too commonly depersonalized by the blanket
label and
stigma of "homeless." Homeless
in
Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020 is a powerful collection highly recommended
for social issues and contemporary collections. It brings these
concerns right
into your living room and classroom. Don't open the book unless you're
willing
to listen much closer to the message of the homeless than the usual
distant
news report offers. Painting
the Past Painting
the
Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction is a self-help
guide for creative writers who want to incorporate authenticity into a
lively
recreation of history, and covers the special challenge of capturing
the past. In
an unusual preface, Meredith Allard opens by stating that she
normally isn't a fan of the very genre she's producing here—the
self-help
writer's guide. The reason, she explains, is that "...often
the authors
make claims that cannot be substantiated. Declarations about how to
create
something, anything, ignores the obvious fact that all creators have
their own
styles, their own visions, their own voices." This
said, there is a place for such a book...albeit one
which
acknowledges and incorporates these changes...and it's evident early on
that Painting
the Past provides such a guide. Its purpose is to guide,
not
admonish, writers, showing them how to tap their creative drive to
bring
history to life. Chapters
embrace a flexible process that covers strategies and pitfalls
with an eye to showing writers typical obstacles they can overcome,
which may
also include identifying their own unique, preferred methodology: "Part
of becoming comfortable with the research process is figuring out what
works
for you. The notes, in whatever form you write them, come in handy
after the
library books have been returned and you need that certain date while
you’re
working." From
how to research more effectively to how to incorporate these notes
in a way that brings writing to life, Painting the Past
covers all the
nuances of assembling facts and blending them into a vivid fictional
component.
Throughout the book, Allard emphasizes that individual inclination and
approach
are key to creating a process that works differently for each writer,
using her
own approach as an example and not a mandate: "...for me, if
I know how
the story ends then I can create a beginning and middle that brings me
to where
I want to be. Through trial and error and fried brain cells, eventually
I’ll
hit on the last line of the novel. Once I have that last line I can
construct a
road map that will lead me, and the readers, through. A different way
may work
better for you. I know writers who prefer to be surprised by the ending
as they
discover it organically through the writing process. I know writers who
focus
first on the beginning because they feel it gives them a solid basis
for the
rest of the story. As with everything else to do with writing, you need
to
discover your own best way." These
examples stem not just from her own writing, but her role as an
editorial advisor, providing many keys to not only producing an
excellent
piece, but understanding how publishing houses will approach the
finished
product: "When we receive submissions at Copperfield, the
narrative
style of the piece catches our attention in either a positive or a
negative
way. How do you find that balance between too modern and too authentic?
By
studying examples of historical language handled well and not so well
by other
novelists. You’ll also need patience and practice." The
result is a powerful survey of many different options that
ultimately supports each individual would-be writer's ability to grow
their
task using a uniquely creative approach. More
than just another 'how to write' manual, Painting the Past
eschews formula approaches and gently coaches historical fiction
writers on a
range of strategies proven to produce exceptional results. No
historical fiction writer should be without this...even those who
have already published books. Redefining
Financial Literacy Redefining
Financial Literacy: Unlocking the Hidden Forces of Your Financial Future is
recommended reading for not just business readers seeking a
redefinition of
financial savvy, but women, in particular, who need to better embrace
their
role as changers and savvy financial managers of their retirement funds. Cindy
Couyoumjian moved from her focus on an allocation strategy which
had cemented her approach to business for seventeen years into
uncharted (for
her) waters in the multi-asset endowment model. Alternative
investment strategies used to be a choice of the rich,
limited to large institutions and wealthy individuals. As they became
more
accessible to ordinary people, they moved not only to a different level
of
investment strategy, but into different levels of investors via
newfound access
to the technological tools who did not necessarily have experience
about how to
use them: "Another reason alternative investments became
available to
the average investor was technological innovation. The digital
revolution, more
specifically computing power, has transformed financial markets and
made it
possible to record, track, move, store, and analyze previously
unmanageable and
unthinkable amounts of data. Mathematical innovations, such as the
Black–Scholes options pricing formula, enabled investors to quickly and
easily
price complex financial products such as derivatives and structured
securities.
In many ways the convergence of several forces helped open up
alternative
investments to the general public." From
how to better understand endowments and their relationship to
asset classes, to working within the revised investment platform that
holds
both opportunities and ongoing barriers to women, Redefining
Financial
Literacy excels at identifying common pitfalls, discussing
strategies for
overcoming them, and educating female investors about the bigger
picture of
alternative investing strategies: "What we have today is a
disconnect
between a promising future where women will be the financial decision
makers
and the skewed reality of women being intimidated by male financial
advisors." There
are hidden forces at play behind money management which any savvy
woman needs to better understand in order to make more informed,
successful
decisions. Couyoumjian identifies these forces in the "outdated 60/40
investment
model" typical of retirement systems, then shows women how to assess
alternative models that may mitigate these investment risks. More
than a singular formula, Redefining Financial Literacy provides
an analytical approach to investment that many women won't have
considered
before. More importantly, it places the risk assessment of underlying
factors
within the realm of the average investor's understanding. In
exposing, analyzing, and showing how to best utilize these hidden
influences, Redefining Financial Literacy
cultivates an informed,
educated discussion. This will attract all kinds of investors, but
particularly
average female investors who have, until now, largely been omitted from
investment discussion circles at this level. Any
woman looking to better manage her own retirement options and
approaches needs to place Redefining Financial Literacy
at the top of
her financial reading list. The
Spirit Play The
Spirit
Play
is a fantasy adventure recommended for mature readers who won't mind
the confrontations and sexual scenes which pepper and support the
underlying
action. It's a lively survey of a tournament which, unlike The
Hunger Games,
holds the promise not of survival, but passage to Heaven, Hell, or
rebirth as
its prize. All
walks of life watch these games. Everyone is invited. Nobody in
Limbo really gets out alive...or is alive. Not in
the usual way. Against
this backdrop lies the notion that mankind should be erased and
the experiment begun again. Humans aren't the only participants in
these games,
and extraordinary powers pitted against one another during them come
from
Godsgifts which aid in the contest. At
this point, it should be noted that Christian readers may experience
some discomfort at the interplay between spirit, Christian history, and
fantasy
within this story. The Spirit Play isn't
recommended for avid believers,
but offers a truly intriguing setting for those who recognize that,
within the
fantasy story, lays a reflection on all kinds of values and their
origins, and
possible threats to their existence. Mig
Lopez's descriptions are compelling, capturing characters and
creating a sense of place: "The Beast's speech continues,
uninterrupted
by Thomas's arrival. He looks at her, and Pearl rolls her eyes as the
young
girl says “so that's why I'm here. Can you imagine what it's like to be
stuck
as a little girl for eternity? It's not even fair!” She opens her
mouth, ready
to speak on, but three beams of light that crash down from above
simultaneously
draw her attention. They appear in three locations, making noise as
loud as
thunder, the points where they stand forming a perfect triangle around
the
contestants." From
angels and gods to how winners can choose hell or heaven or
something in between, and how Spirit Play gets warriors on the fast
track to a
new beginning, this novella creates a compelling world both challenging
and
embedded with a touch of whimsy. 'The
Spirit Play' isn't the only story under this cover worthy of
mention and recommendation. Its
companion piece, 'Half Way (at the End)', offers a beast of another
color with an end-of-the-world romance that embraces a gay couple's
choices and
connections as Xavier faces the end of the world he knew: "The
world
has ended many times in movies, books, and TV shows. They’ve seen it
many times,
yet humans seem to have no idea of how to act in this situation." In
a world newly replete with chaos, Axel and Xavier struggle with each
other to consummate what might be their final love choices. These
choices take a turn for the unexpected when Fred enters the
scene. You'll just have to read the story to learn why and how this
happens. Having
two very different tales under one cover makes for a surprising
flavor. Readers who enjoy action will thrill in 'The Spirit Play' but
might
chafe at the very different action, sexual and social, that takes place
in
''Half Way (at the End)'. Both are opposite sides of the coin, however,
and
provide ultimately satisfying reflections on life, love, and choice. Mig
Lopez holds screenplay aspirations for these stories, and it's easy
to see why. Both hold aspects of compelling social commentary and
surprise that
will delight readers looking for a different kind of action and
inspection on
choices, consequences, and life trajectories. The
dialogue, characters, and quirky outcomes in both stories are
satisfying, delightful, and refreshingly original. Literature
readers and those who like genre-busting reads won't be
disappointed. Talk Big: How to
Interview Celebrities and Make Them Love You! Talk Big: How to Interview Celebrities and
Make Them Love You! will appeal
to anyone charged with interviewing big names from any field, for any
purpose.
It surveys the discussion process with an eye to identifying and
overcoming
obstacles common to interviewing success. These are based
on John Kerwin's own rocky start in the industry, as well as the
experiences of
other interviewers. They range from identifying and addressing the
self-doubt
which tinges interview questions to understanding distinctly different
styles
of approaching an interview, and how to choose the right one for a
given
situation. But, how does a
bare-bones beginner start out interviewing celebrities and honing
skills? How
does a newbie even gain access to a celebrity? Kerwin doesn't assume
prior
connections or knowledge at any point of the process, which makes his
book very
accessible to beginners. Celebrities can
be contacted via autograph shows, for one example: "Throughout
the
year, there are autograph shows in most large cities. They’re a
low-pressure
way for public figures to meet their fans while making money. Usually,
each
celebrity will rent a small area in a convention center or hotel
ballroom. When
I was new to the business, I’d go to these shows and meet fifty to a
hundred
celebrities in one day. I’d prepare interview questions beforehand for
all the
celebrities who were scheduled to appear. For just a relatively small
entry
fee, I’d get to practice interviewing celebrities, which helped build
my
confidence." The meat of Talk Big lies in
its
author's experiences and his candid discussions of how he built his
interviewing skills. His revelations about different approaches,
experiences,
and how he revised his interviews based on the celebrity and the
underlying
purpose of the questions makes for powerful insights: "I
once had the good fortune of interviewing two-time
Oscar-nominated and Cannes Best Actor award winner Bruce Dern. I asked
simple
questions and Bruce gave fantastic answers. I followed up with another
simple
question or moved on to another topic. Each time he had wonderful
answers and
anecdotes. As the interview was ending, I could feel my stomach turn. I
realized that I didn’t get any laughs or add any interesting comments
during
our conversation." Talk Big is a practical,
powerful
examination of the various processes an interview can incorporate to
expand the
effectiveness and end results of a celebrity piece. It should also be
noted
that 'celebrity' is defined here as not only lying in the entertainment
industry, but politicians and other famous personalities. Many of the
same
rules of a superior interview apply: "Despite
the glaring differences between a politician and a comedian, an
interview with
either one can fail for the same reason. A politician may be looking to
sway
voters with his rhetoric, and no matter what question you ask, they’ll
go into
a prepared speech. A comedian may be so locked into their material that
they’ll
use your interview to do a stand-up set. Neither are what you and
viewers
want." Talk
Big is
a 'must' for anyone interested in better-quality celebrity interview
results. More so than any other book on the subject, it embraces a
series of
specific steps any newcomer (or experienced professional) can easily
absorb to
make their own approach more effective and valuable. The Boy Who
Illustrated Happiness The Boy Who Illustrated Happiness tells of young Ben, who
is always late for
everything because he never wants to stop drawing. He likes illustrating
everyday events and he shows his feelings through his art, from drawing
his
plans for the day to producing creations that make other people smile. One day, he
realizes that his solitary pursuit could be made better by involving
others.
What if everyone became happier through a shared art effort? As Ben creates a
Happiness Club and encourages everyone around him to tap their own
unique
talents to contribute, the world around him begins to change for the
better. The club evolves
to attract members around the world ("Not all members spoke
the same
language. But that was okay, because they communicated through
drawings, words,
songs, origami, facial expressions, hand gestures, photographs, and
many other
ways that anyone could understand. Happiness was the official language
of the
club, and that was a powerful language everyone understood. Last year,
the
Happiness Club had more than a million members in over fifteen
countries!")
as Ben moves into adulthood with a new mission to not just draw, but
change
lives. Kids receive a
lovely message: "What have YOU
done today to make someone happy?" This places the onus of
injecting
positivity into the world at large directly on the reader's shoulders,
irregardless of the age, which is an important lesson to absorb as
early as
possible...yet, is too often omitted from children's reading. It's the central message in a book that
teaches creative positivity and helps young people understand how
personal
talents and efforts can change the world—a much-needed concept in an
era too
often criticized for lack of positive opportunities to cultivate new
connections. The Boy
Who Illustrated Happiness has a lovely message to kids about
creative positivity and helps young people understand
how they can
use their personal talents to change the world. Lovely illustrations
add pizzaz
and interest to a story which holds a powerful message for young
readers about
their own importance in and contributions to the world's psyche. The
Boy Who Loved to Climb Trees The
Boy Who
Loved to Climb Trees: Stories for Kids provides kids with 61 pages of poetry that
centers around playful memories of Sherman's childhood. It will reach
children
and adult readers alike, who walk those roads and live those memories
alongside
him. These
rhyming verses explore aspects of childhood that provide a wide
age range with food for thought and discussion. One example is
'Hunting', which
explores why hunting was never an attraction to the narrator: "I've
shot some squirrels with my BB gun, but none of them ever died!/ButI
must
confess that eating game meat is something I have tried (and liked!)"
Adventures
described range from fishing
to sailing and climbing the
Matterhorn. While
the subtitle states that this collection is for kids, it's
especially appropriate for advanced elementary to middle grades just
learning
about poetic forms, who like stories that resonate with their
worldviews or
experiences. This
audience will find especially delightful the insights on common
childhood adventures that range from backyard tenting to dreams of
being a
movie cowboy or whittling. Games now likely bygone to younger
generations, such
as Mumblety-Peg, are also surveyed with both fond memory and
consideration of
why its allure has faded: "Today's kids don't play it
anymore...Most of
their "games" are played indoor./They also aren't allowed to have a
knife.../They're closely protected throughout their life!" If
an activity-oriented collection of boyhood endeavors and memories is
of interest, this poetry collection is just the ticket for libraries
and
read-aloud alike. It brings the experiences of youth to life, and will
prove
especially appealing for adults who want to discuss those activities of
yesteryear with kids who may find some of them appealing today. Canopy Young
adult readers ages 14-18 will find much to like in Canopy,
an intriguing story about a girl who lives in a forest canopy of trees
much as
her ancient ancestors, who fled to the canopy to evade hoards of
cannibals on
the forest floor. Sixteen
year-old Ostrya has grown up in this, the only world she knows
after society has long broken down and vanished due to climate change. The
world is set to again change— this time around her. as Ostrya finds
her safety and confidence in her society challenged by a giant storm.
Driven to
make a choice between the now-devastated canopy she used to call home
and the
notoriously dangerous forest floor, Ostrya must make choices that
determine not
just her future, but the lives of her descendants as she faces a new
task for
her people and the lure of different options than what seemed to be her
destiny. D.M.
Darroch writes with a poetic and lovely descriptive hand that is
evocative and effective: "Despite what my enemies think, I’m
as average
as they come. That is, if average means convicted of offending the
Great Ones,
dishonoring The Book of Silvanus, and breaking the commandments. Most
climbers
never knew me, not really, and now they never will. It turns out I
didn’t know
them all that well, either. But then, how well can we really know
someone else’s
heart? Especially when we can’t even understand our own. The branch
drifts in
the wind and here I sit, my past and my future separated by an
unimaginable
climb." Ostrya
has long been accused of living "with her head in the
clouds." Now that she faces something very different, she is tasked
with
many unfamiliar routines, from handling antique heirlooms from the
First
Climbers to facing her personal disappointments, which include a
proclivity for
breaking everything she touches, and making the wrong decisions. As
a medical trainee, Ostrya faces a new romance with Mangrove and a
charge of murder that will test even her reputation as her mother's
"strong-willed child." As
the story focuses on how Ostrya both connects to and begins to break
away from the family fold, including a past tragedy that has haunted
her
relationships with family and community alike, it builds a compelling
first-person world that is intriguingly, refreshingly different from
the usual
dystopian story and setting. Teens
and many an adult who enjoys this genre are in for a treat,
because Ostrya's haunting voice and character drives the dilemmas in a
unique
and engrossing manner: "The rest of the community would never
forgive
me...Like bindweed, the rumors were growing and spreading, strangling
the life
out of the truth." The
Green Woolen Fedora The
Green
Woolen Fedora
is a picture book that features whimsical,
colorful art by Stella Mongodi as it tells of a young girl who dashes
to the
movies with her friend, donning a fedora hat to complete her outfit. When
a sneaky wind takes away her prized possession, Nora and her
friend Lenny search for it. Meanwhile, the hat is circling new
communities and
attracting a strange audience of animals and birds; especially a rat,
who
decides the hat will make a fine new home. As
Nora and the rat struggle over possession, clever Lenny must create
a win-win situation over something that only one of them can own. While
this fine story is about problem-solving and friendship, it also
evolves into a tale about handed-down objects, good memories and new
connections, and what creates special bonds between people. The large-size, colorful drawings enhance the story
and draw young
reader attention to the bigger message within. This will delight
parents
looking for tales that cement positive messages about handling life's
challenges in a creative, cooperative, collaborative manner. A Home for Hope! Picture book readers who love dog stories
will relish A Home for Hope! Its
lively tone conveys the dilemma of a young stray pup who longs for a
warm and
happy home. This tale may sound similar to other picture
books about lost animals who find a forever home. Yet its lilting, easy
rhyme,
lovely illustrations by Renée Andriani, and depiction of Hope's life on
the
street before she is rescued by a shelter aide and put up for adoption
add
insights into homelessness and what makes a house a home. The beginning of Hope's adventure leads into
the second journey taking place for two siblings who, with their
parents, are
moving out of their beloved nana's home into a fixer-upper a long
distance
away. These intertwining narratives make for more
than just a singular story of a puppy. They show how pets and people
rescue one
another, and how a sense of home is forged through familiar and unknown
connections, further strengthening its foundations. Margie Blumberg has gone above and beyond
with A Home for Hope!, which lives
up
to its name in exploring how that home is built on hope, fresh
opportunities,
and wonderful surprises. Young readers and adults who enjoy rhyming
read-alouds
and fun, colorful drawings will find A
Home for Hope! just the ticket for exploring
themes of
change and new possibilities in life. A music sheet for the song "April
Showers," celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is included,
along
with new lyrics at the close of the book. The
King's Decree The
King's
Decree
is a novelette recommended for all ages, but especially will reach
young adults looking for a unique, appealing vision as they learn about
depressed Princess Davina and scullery maid Yasmin, who becomes her
friend.
Advanced elementary grades to teen readers will find it an easy read
that
embraces many topics, from depression and friendship to grief and the
effects
of isolation. Based
on a Russian folktale, 'The Princess Who Never Laughed', The
King's Decree evolves a compelling, emotional story of two
young ladies who
are torn in different ways. It approaches mental health issues from two
perspectives, cultivating a tone and insights designed to reach younger
audiences who may not normally pick up books about understanding mental
illness. The presentation draws readers in with atmosphere and
understanding
right from its opening lines: "Once upon a time, there lived
a princess
named Devina. Well…maybe “lived” isn’t the best term. It’s not that she
was a
zombie, or some other undead creature roaming the countryside and
terrorizing
villagers. She didn’t sleep in a coffin either, like vampires do. In
fact, her
bed was very comfortable. No, she was human. She just never felt very
lively." When
a cheerful, engaged young woman is cursed on the eve of her 15th
birthday, she feels "...as if all of her emotions had
disappeared, leaving
her with a terrible emptiness inside." Other
books about mentally ill characters often focus on the faces they
present to the world, or come from the viewpoints of those who try to
help
them. The King's Decree presents these perspectives
and feelings in a
very personal, relatable manner, bringing young readers into not just
the
causes and presentation of depression and sadness, but how these
emotions
effect perspectives on life and how to live it. It's
heady thinking for a younger age group...but key to developing the
kinds of coping skills that will lead to better understanding and
empathy for
those who are mentally ill and still functioning in the world, albeit
in a
reduced capacity. Having
the folktale overlay these experiences lends not only to better
understanding, but encourages discussions as it probes the daily lives
and
efforts of those who struggle with mental illness: "At first,
I was
dismissive of this plan that my parents hatched. Now, a week after the
princes
have started arriving, I am almost desperate for one of them to
succeed. At
least then I would know that I’m not broken, forever incapable of
feelings. I
would make my parents, and the rest of the kingdom, happy. I would
re-inspire
hope in our people. I would quell the rumors and whispers forever.
Maybe I
would even be genuinely happy. Instead, I feel even worse than usual." The
blend of folk story/fable and treatise on coping with mental
conditions both as the sufferer and a friend on the outside results in
a
creative, involving story presented in a digestible, succinct, yet
quite
compelling format. This is especially notable because those who should
read it
most—the young and those suffering from mental illness themselves—often
lack
the ability to plow through dense or weighty reading. There's
nothing on the market quite like the approach of The King's
Decree. It's a highly recommended read that should be in the
collections of
anyone interested in explaining and exploring mental illness,
friendship, and
emotional support systems to all ages. Melanin Brown Discovers America Advanced elementary school readers
interested in stories of how to handle bullying and interpersonal
relationships
will find Melanin Brown Discovers America
a powerful review of the options and consequences of facing down
bullies. It peppers lovely illustrations by Benedicta
Buatsie throughout, but Melanin Brown
Discovers America is not a picture book read for the young
(unless parents
wish to use it as a read-aloud). Its verbiage and approach requires
reading
skills and comprehension beyond the early grade levels, while its
protagonist
is a savvy 13-year-old seventh grader who witnesses a new student being
bullied
because of his beliefs—not his looks. Melanin's first-person story of how she
makes the leap from observation to effective action, the conundrums and
choices
she faces, and questions of moral and ethical behavior all come into
play as
readers from elementary to middle school grades receive a survey
exploring all
her reactions and options. Melanin attends a private middle school in
DC; one of the top schools in the nation. This setting, too, differs
from the
public school approach of many discussions about bullying, in that
Melanin is
in an elite setting, yet finds that a variety of learning opportunities
do not
preclude the most important life lessons of all: how to handle
prejudice and
bullying. Candice Davis does an outstanding job of crafting
bigger-picture thinking about bullying and the options of participants
and
bystanders alike. Her focus on a savvy young student who faces her own
dilemmas
about what transpires, the conflict between her mother and the other
mom
involved, and the puzzling evolution of her former friend Carl into
someone she
doesn't recognize are all powerful themes not usually woven into the
typical
one-dimensional coverage of bullying. All these make for a powerful standout in
children's literature. While the age of the reader may not be as easily
pegged
as in a standard picture book or middle grade production, Melanin Brown
Discovers America is
designed to appeal to a much
wider age range, with its many insights about daily school life and
change. It
is highly recommended for advanced elementary well into middle school
grades. Mermaid
Tears Mermaid
Tears
reaches young
readers ages 8-12 and is the first book in the Michaels Middle School
series.
It follows Sarah's entry into middle school, where she begins to feel
that
nothing she achieves is enough. Her
sentiment isn't new, but has been slowly evolving over time. She
also acknowledges that the new school milieu may be just what the
doctor
ordered: "Change is always scary, but maybe a change is what
I need.
There’s no doubt that the past year or so has been getting more and
more
difficult for me, especially at school." Her
psyche really began a downhill slide when her art teacher missed
the point about the shell drawing she produced, deeming it incomplete
and
inadequate and throwing Sarah into a tailspin about the one thing she
thought
she could do well in life. As
Sarah finds her emotions buffeted from every area, including home,
she makes an evocative call for help through observations that young
readers
will relate to: "...worse than that, I think, is hearing my
parents’
raised voices well into the night when I suppose they think my brothers
and I
are asleep. Blaming each other. Accusing each other of not being firm
enough
with me. Questioning what they have done wrong. Arguing about what they
should
do to make me understand, once and for all, that I need to learn to
behave and
focus on things that matter before it is too late. I just lie in my bed
and
listen to it all. Powerless. So tired of feeling powerless." Sarah
does have a refuge, as she sinks into depression. And it may be
the one thing that either saves or kills her as she develops a longing
to
escape from a world in which her efforts are never acknowledged. Depression
in children is rarely presented in such an evocative manner.
Susan L. Read brings Sarah's dilemmas, thoughts, and feelings to life
in a
survey that is realistic, absorbing, and offers much potential
discussion
fodder for adults seeking to engage young people in talk about
depression: "It
is still pretty hard to think of myself as a gift of any kind. I know I
put a
huge amount of stress on my family, especially my parents. I was in so
much
pain myself, and I passed a huge amount of that pain onto others in my
life.
While I always knew that I could not cure my own pain by causing pain
to
others, I was powerless to stop myself." Can
a girl so damaged by life bounce back? Will Sarah ever be normal?
When she finds another cause to hold on to, can she make a difference
there,
against impossible obstacles, and save and improve other lives? Middle
grade readers will find her story compelling, realistic, and hard
to put down as they journey through Sarah's life, her dive down the
rabbit hole
of depression, and view the light at the end of a long, unpredictable,
winding
tunnel. A
Multicultural Picnic Picture
book readers ages 4-9, especially those who have enjoyed the
prior contributions to the 'Polygot' series, will find A
Multicultural
Picnic expands the series by exploring Dylan and Isabella's
experiences
with grandparents who come to visit from abroad. A
picnic in the park turns into a learning opportunity not just because
Dylan's yearly visit with his grandparents involves the opportunity to
speak
Ukrainian and Portuguese, but because the family confronts unwelcoming
forces
in the park as the two mixed-race families enjoy a lively conversation
in
English, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Zulu. As
the children confront park bullies, an unexpected opportunity to
foster understanding arises. This encounter teaches young readers about
not
just different languages, but how to understand and cultivate kindness. Victor
D.O. Santos builds on the polygot language idea explored in
previous books, linking different languages and cultures to a broader
sense of
acceptance, variety, and facing life challenges, in this book. Character
choices lead to a secret revealed and further connections
between different cultures, which educates young readers about
different
families and newfound opportunities not just for understanding, but
working
together to solve problems. Even
more so than the previous books in the series, A
Multicultural
Picnic is an expansive, inclusive production that provides a
supportive,
positive message worthy of not just young reader attention, but
classroom and
family discussion. The
Power of the Emerald Ring The
Power of
the Emerald Ring
is the second adventure in the Dragonstone series
for middle grade readers and tells of Mandy Mandez, who, along with her
extended family of fellow young magicians, is receiving training on how
to
apply newfound magical abilities to real-world scenarios. Between
the magical umbrella which began her journey away from the
normal routines of learning and ballgames to Mandy's appropriate use of
her
witch powers and her family's effort to work together and learn to use
their
abilities, Mandy has more on her plate than the usual schoolgirl. Matters
become even more complicated, however, as Mandy faces choices
about whether to embrace her gifts or reject them as an evil magical
force
arises to confront the family before they've fully absorbed their
revised
status in human affairs, and as an evil wizard threatens Mandy and
forces her
into situations she's ill-equipped to handle. Kids
seeking a magical adventure filled with action and reflection will
find The Power of the Emerald Ring both a
satisfying continuation of
events begun in the first book and a fine stand-alone tale of not just
a young
witch, but her entire family's involvements with each other's growth
process. Mandy
overhears many conferences between her family and her magical
mentor: "J.T. continued, “I think that Miss Helen is
right—you need to
reflect on all of this. But quite frankly, whatever you decide, I think
Mandy
will choose to be magical, and I don’t think we can stop her from
that.” Here
he paused and looked at each adult before saying, “I don’t think we can
stop
her, even if we try. In her case, we need to coach and support her so
that her
magical path goes in the right direction.” Another
satisfying note to this tale is its firm foundations in modern
technology and living. Mandy uses Hulu, YouTube videos, and other
devices to
search for answers to her questions, and her involvement in human and
magical
worlds alike creates a satisfying note of realism added to this fantasy
story
of discovery. As
Mandy's spells go awry and her family's learning curve grows against
an impossibly savvy adversary, young readers will find themselves
spellbound. Kids
looking for an adventure story of evolving powers, responsible
use, good versus evil, and a girl who comes into her abilities
alongside her
family will find The Power of the Emerald Ring an
intriguing mystery
fantasy firmly rooted in learning experiences for all ages. It's
highly recommended reading for middle grade kids who enjoy stories
of magic that simultaneously remain rooted in everyday experience. The
Pumpkin Deal Parents
seeking
a read-aloud to foster interpersonal skills in their children will find
that The Pumpkin Deal: A
Win-Win Halloween blends seasonal trappings
with a
delightfully unique overlay of plot, invention, and moral. The story
teaches
kids about cooperation, creative problem-solving, intention, and,
ultimately,
the meaning of a 'pumpkin deal' that changes everything. This
particular
Halloween opens with a comical septet of witches and wizards intending
to "fill our bitter hearts with
gladness/By driving other poor creatures to madness." So
this ragtag
"posse of loonies," intent on causing mayhem and generating
"reptilian nightmares" for those around them, declares, until eighth
witch, little "Cricket," reminds them of their most beloved seasonal
pleasures, which include carving jack-o-lanterns. With
her
reminder, the story becomes a saner but still problematic challenge of
finding
eight pumpkins to carve at an hour when the market stalls are empty.
Will a
castaway cabbage do? Perhaps a "nasty old eggplant"? Here
is where
the book sets forth to earn its subtitle, A
Win-Win Halloween. From here on, the whimsical fun comes to
life with
unpredictable twists that set the book apart from the staid progression
of the
usual Halloween adventure for picture book readers. Delightful
illustrations by Lena Venable pair nicely with a rollicking rhyme. Her
drawings
are fanciful, artistic, and crafted for all ages. Not comicalized or
dumbed
down to appeal to kids, the art – like the text – is
intriguing to adult readers, as well. Surprising
positive turns of events, insights into what constitutes a
win-win
approach, and Cricket's own realization of how her intentions blend
with those
around her coalesce to enrich this book with greater heart, awareness
and
mindfulness than the usual Halloween adventure. Replaced
Parts Young
adult readers seeking romance in their dystopian sci-fi stories
will find Replaced Parts incorporates a number of
different, compelling
themes into its story of sixteen-year-old Sierra, whose sole objective
in
2163 is to locate her missing father. The
last thing on her mind was facing the government's corruption and
wide-ranging interplanetary control; but when she achieves one goal,
it's only
to find that her rescue mission has turned into one of bigger
challenges. In
the course of her changing mission, Sierra also faces many truths
about her actions and the fact that she may not yet be mature enough to
understand their ramifications, or her place in the political landscape
that is
unfolding: "I must have blocked the truth out, not wanting to
see pain
inflicted on him. My excitement at the thought of seeing him and
possibly
returning him home clouded my vision. Here I am pretending to be an
adult when
I feel more like a child than I ever have before." As
she begins to question who to trust and the reality of the
situation, Sierra begins to grow and change, questioning the façade of
life
around her: "Is Colsam’s story about being here to be closer
to the
enemy a cover, or is what he’s telling Theopat the true smoke and
mirrors?" A
mad scientist, an endangered family, a series of seemingly impossible
tasks, and romance all lead Sierra on an unexpected journey not just
into the
underlying facets of a society she'd barely acknowledged, but into her
own
place in the world. As
she comes to realize that scientist Cromwell has been pulling her
strings all along, Sierra ultimately comes to question many ideas about
her
father's disappearance and her personal call to action. Young
adults seeking sci-fi stories about personal and political
growth, who like additional facets of intrigue, romance, and social
inspection
added into the mix, will find Replaced Parts an
intriguing story. It's
powered by a strong first-person adventure that keeps readers on edge
and
guessing as Sierra evolves, both in her psychological development and
by
recognizing the ultimate purpose and impact of her efforts to save her
father. The
Search for the Scepter Picture
book readers ages 3-12 will find The Search for the Scepter an
appealing fantasy about young princesses Rosalie and Scarlet, who
embark on a
mission when the king's scepter is stolen, one night. A
rollicking rhyme explains the break-in, the missing scepter, and how
the two decide to become proactive in returning it. This lends nicely
to
read-aloud fun as parents review the bright, colorful illustrations
that reveal
the young heroines' problem-solving abilities as they follow clues to
recover
their property. A
romp through the royal countryside ensues. They encounter unicorns,
genies, mermaid palaces, and all the fantasy trappings that will
enthrall young
picture book fantasy readers. Nazar
Horokhivskyi's gorgeous drawings power this exploration as the
two princesses get into trouble and learn many extraordinary new things
during
the course of their journey. Young
picture book readers (and, especially, parents looking for
colorful, original read-alouds) will find The Search for the
Scepter a
fitting story of courage, determination, and world wonders that
ultimately
provides lessons about finding support and friendships in unexpected
places. Your
Nursery Is An Everywhere Your
Nursery
Is an Everywhere
may sound like an odd title, with the 'an' in
front of 'everywhere', but its message of how a nursery expands to
include the
world, presented in lovely rhyme, offers a nice invitation for
read-aloud
parents to help connect a child's room to a broader worldview. Lovely
art by Maureen McAfee compliments the narrator mother's lullaby
to her child: "It seems inside this little room,/the walls
are fading
clear. . . ./And all the beauty in the world is shining on us here." As
the narrator reviews elements of life's beauty for her baby, readers
receive a gentle fantasy journey through the elements, from farm
animals and
seaside fun to snowy mountains. The
wise mother reflects on how her child will grow into this world
("How quickly you’ll outgrow this room,/this nest, these arms
of
mine./You'll fit into the wider world and let your sweet light
shine."),
preparing her child for entry into the pleasures the world has to offer. The
concluding rhyme explains the 'an' before 'everywhere' and offers
parents a delightful read-aloud story with a helpful hug not just for
young
listeners, but for the parent who loves them. It's
rare to see a read-aloud story that so nicely embraces both parent
and child with a supportive, lovely lesson about growing up and
entering the
world. Your Nursery Is an Everywhere is highly
recommended for young and
old alike! Zippy's
Special Gift Zippy's
Special Gift
tells of a zebra who doesn't like standing out
from the crowd of other animals, and who hates her stripes because they
make
her unique. Therese
Van Ryne provides a simple, easy story of a zebra who loves to
play and blend in and illustrator Walter Policelli backs the
story with whimsical, appealing drawings as a wise mother informs her
child
that every animal has special gifts—some more evident than others. Zippy decides to test this theory by asking
her many friends about their abilities, and learns much about how each
not only
has a unique gift, but harbors doubts about its benefits. Young
picture book readers receive a fine story about growth,
celebrating differences, and accepting the good and bad aspects of
personal abilities
and appearances. Each
animal has a gift, and each must come to terms with its
opportunities and detriments. Parents who choose Zippy's
Special Gift
for read-aloud reinforcement of these sentiments will also find many
occasions
for positive discussion over an engaging story of a happy, stubborn
little
zebra's newfound appreciation of who he is. A Little Excitement A
Little Excitement
is an engrossing collection of poems that combines philosophical and
psychological inspections about modern times with literary acuity. Its
compelling observations grab reader attention from the start, as in the
title
poem 'A Little Excitement' which observes: "Those
cloverleafs are not green nor can they/be examined like I did as a
child, grass
stains/on my knees, my nose close to the ground/searching for a
four-leaf one
to bring me/good luck. I’ve learned that luck is an illusion/that keeps
us from
going mad." As the collection
progresses, the poems
embrace themes of magical realism to examine reality, truth, and the
illusions that
coexist side by side in personal, social, and political circles. These
interpersonal relationships are tenuous and shifting, especially in
Covid times,
as reflected in 'Keeping in Touch', which muses on a life without human
connections and support in a
newly-changed world devoid of the usual social and cultural ties
between
people: "It rained the entire
afternoon./I spent an hour detangling the philodendron./I thought about
Mother./After she died, her voice circled endlessly/on my answering
machine./What are you cooking for dinner
tonight?" Sometimes
the poems are as much about present and what the narrator has
become, as about the past patterns that led to this point in time.
'Animal
Planters' takes a long-held collection obsession and concludes
"Thousands
wait to be saved from the dumpster./It’s only a matter of shelf space
and
stamina./I can’t stop./I’ve become the SPCA for animal planters." The
links between animals and humans are well-done throughout, and are one
of the
strong themes of this collection. These
poems reflect the surreal nature of connections between people, nature,
and political and social systems. Like a good sci-fi story about an
alternate
universe, their milieus are both familiar and unfamiliar,
simultaneously,
giving readers much food for thought. Their
ability to narrow the focus on slices of life and moments in time
that connect and disconnect people during times of alienation and angst
are
nicely done, as reflected in 'The Old Woman at the End of the Block',
where the
narrator "...was running out of time,/so decided to pay a
visit/to the
103-year-old woman/who lived at the end of the block./With measuring
cup in
hand,/I rang the doorbell, and asked,/Could you spare a year or two?" Under
Scott's hand, the ordinary world receives a slight twist due to
extraordinary situations, encounters, and perception. In the
intersection
between dreams, imagination, and reality, these poems reside with
marked impact
on their readers. We are witnessing extraordinary circumstances that
juxtapose
hope and doubt and change the nature of perceptions about the world and
each
other, and these works, as a whole, reflect this process of
transformation. Poetry
fans who want an evocative, insightful, and colorful collection
of free verse will find Nancy Scott's special literary approach puts
a fine touch to poetry that's accessible not just to literature
readers, but
everyone navigating revised, surreal daily living in the new age of
Covid.
"Luck is an illusion that keeps us from going mad." So are these
poems, which capture the ethereal nature and experience of the current
reality
in which we exist. Apple
Pie Ultra 8 Apple
Pie
Ultra 8
is a novelette narrating the strange life of twenty-six-year-old
Honest Ultra Pure, who becomes part of a dystopian world he no longer
comprehends—a world in which "All of this happened, in what was known
as
the future." It's
a world through which this first-person narrator bounces and
jiggles down the street absorbing his win, his revised life, and the
end of the
Terror of the Terrors which has been destroyed by the narrator, who
sees
himself as a savior, of sorts. At
this point, several things should be noted. Arthur K. Flam reveals
this world and its revised appearance in just 41 pages, which would
seem to
place it more in the short story/novelette realm. But what a short
piece it is,
packed with a rollicking, rolling language that uses symbols and
metaphor to
capture first-person observations of this disparate new world: "My
birth name being what it is, that was the beginning of the fruit of the
royalty. A name like Honest Ultra Pure, well, you can bet it caused me
to be
pretty well-known and celebrated from the start where I lived on The
Boulevard
of Faith by J-Turn Jesus 1280 in my hometown of Honestly. Everybody
from that
sweet place—Honestly—is sweetly honest, and I am, well, the most
honestly
honest of all, I’ll have to say, and I hate crooked liars and destroy
them. And
Faith, that is all I have; Permanent Faith and Love. Of course, I am
the
greatest and indestructible to an unimaginable extent and I won’t yield
to
threats of any kind, and anyone who threatens yours truly in a sadistic
manner,
with an empty hostility, or a bona-fide hostility, is completely
destroyed
beyond any possibility of fix. I relish the attacks, any and all
attacks.
Without limit. Endlessly, for any and all attacks against yours truly
writing
these words are reversed upon the attacker endlessly." From
this, it should be evident that an appreciation for run-on sentence
descriptions that embrace the narrator's rollicking, jiggling worldview
is
essential for appreciation of this unique venture into a world replete
with
madness, dystopian survival tactics, religious fervor, or all three
elements. From
a confrontation with a killer Terror to the narrator's own
self-examination and revelations, this is no light read, despite its
bouncy
litany, but an absorbing probe of future and self much like the classic
Ridley
Walker. As
for its title, the explanation is as mercurial as the story: "Apple
Pie Ultra 8 is apples grown in these lush regions where I hail from, a
special
type of apple in the shape of a U called Ultra Apple 8 and nothing
else. Ultra
for a positively fortunate fortune. It is a unique apple that is served
on a
hot and seductive and dripping silver tray, that beckons with its
U-turn shape
as it cradles the apple, and the curvy apple is one of strength for
witchcraft
purposes. And why the 8? The 8 of course stands for infinity divinity—" Literary
readers interested in a lively expose of the future and self
will find Honest's journey towards the "true way home" and his
confrontations and encounters along the way to be engrossing,
challenging, and
worthy of re-read. Much is packed into these 41 pages of transformative
experience. Those who enjoy unusually rich stories of strength,
survival, and
revised purpose will find this piece hard to easily categorize and
especially
satisfying for its unique format and eerily compelling voice. Selected
Poems Selected
Poems
features 101 poems; 40 of which have been printed in numerous print
and online journals since 1985. The rest are new to this collection,
and
represent a satisfying blend of old and new works designed to appeal to
newcomers and prior fans alike. Rob
Couteau's works are diverse. They follow no set poetic structure,
even defying some of them when the muse strikes and special needs
indicate that
the subject is more important than poetic form. These
are orchestrated as performance pieces in word, capturing facets
of life that range from his romance with Argentinian pianist Edda Maria
Sangrígoli
in his younger years to the dance between literary and social
experience
fostered by Couteau's involvement with social work with the homeless
community. His
inspections of artistic, literary, and social issues are astute and
compelling, as seen in the evocative reflection 'The Girls Who Wished
To Marry
Stars', which crafts the story of two Ojibwa village girls who choose
to sleep
under the stars instead of wigwams; there to find romance and danger in
unexpected places: "The warriors were large/and
powerful:/wiser and
more handsome/than they could ever have
imagined./But there was something/cold and dead/in their fiery/eyes." Readers
who absorb Couteau's collection will find a similar set of
surprises awaiting them, from explorations of New York in 'Childhood on
Brooklyn Streets' to the prose poem reflection of life 'Frozen in Time'. Don't
anticipate set structures, uniform poetic approaches, or singular
subjects, here. Selected Poems offers a
freewheeling approach to poems
and life alike, and is a thought-provoking, evocative gathering of
works
recommended for literary readers not bound by convention or rules. Strong
Women of the West (Anthology) Think 'Western' and the
typical (male)
cowboy comes to mind, operating in the milieu of frontier towns/justice
and
challenges involving Indians and lawlessness. If women are thought of
at all, it's in
their role in the pioneer kitchen, keeping the family together and
doing
chores. Charlie Steel's Strong
Women of the West
(Anthology) offers short stories that operate from a
different premise:
that Western women can be authoritative, feisty, take-charge
businesswomen who
are both independent and purposeful in their own right. These short stories are
anything but
predictable. As the stories evolve
to embrace young and
older women alike, from toddlers growing up in the West to full-grown
spinsters
who decide to aim for a relationship later in life than most—they
embrace the
extent of male and female cooperation on the frontier. From a pregnant
woman's partnership
with her husband to confrontations with
Indians, to accepting love and running a
business for
survival, these stories show courage and purpose. This is a
diverse,
lively collection that will help readers reexamine the usual image of a
frontier Western woman and her life. Western readers who
look for strong female
representations will find many of these stories excel in presenting
women who
come into their strengths in different ways, and will relish this
fictional
focus on frontier women's lives. Consumed Consumed
provides horror fans with a collection of tales inspired by the legend
of the
Wendigo, a mythical creature said to reside in the forests of Canada
and the
Great Lakes region, that harbors an insatiable appetite for humans.
Centuries
of folklore surround this figure, so finding it a prominent figure in a
collection
of horror stories offers much food for thought about the background
history of
this supernatural legend. Horror and fantasy
short story writers here
tackle the Wendigo's appearance, methodology, and legend with a
collection of
diverse stories steeped in fine tension and evocative description. All
are
linked by the legend, which is creatively explored through diverse
approaches
to its incarnation. Take the first story,
R. Michael Burns's
'Cravings', for example. Here, Liz Miller awakens to realize she's been
in a
car crash, skidding into a creek during an icy snow storm. Charged with
keeping
herself and her unborn child alive, Liz is trapped in her car during
the storm,
which has become a "motorized coffin". And she's starving. She and
her little one need nourishment, at any cost. Burns creates an
evocative read through
powerful descriptions of not just the crash and dilemma, but Liz's
world before
everything went awry: "...it struck
her, not for the first time, that carrying a child was more than a
little like
having a pampered parasite living inside her, ingesting nutrients from
her
body, making her flesh its home. Miracle or not, there was something
distinctly
creepy about the whole thing. Never mind that she had invited the
little one
in—went to great lengths, in fact, to have that life growing within
her." For some reason, her
hunger almost
supersedes any other concern. It's a motivation that she, and her
reader, are
about to discover more about as the story unfolds and moves beyond the
initial
premise of a car accident victim struggling for survival. It should be cautioned
that these are
violent confrontations and scenarios that hold the power of shock and
surprise.
Faint hearts should imbibe elsewhere (conversely, faint hearts usually
don't
relish the nuances and facets of the literary horror genre, anyway). Another notable
interpretation of Wendigo
resides in Steve Rasnic Tem's 'An Gorta Mor', where retired
seventy-year-old
Jerome harbors his own aching hunger in an isolated world where
everything
outside his home feels poisoned and toxic, and everything within it
holds
vanishing keys to survival. Again, evocative, hunger-based descriptions
power
this story, as well: "Jerome
continued to lose weight but didn’t starve. He wasn’t suffering. He was
hungry,
but then he wasn’t hungry, aching with an undefined rawness going deep
as bone,
and it did not stop no matter what he did. If things got bad enough,
he’d start
cooking the food in the freezer, and dip into the supply of canned
goods. But
life hadn’t yet reached the apocalyptic stage. He was sure he’d know
when it
did." As a whole, the
combined approach of Consumed
's diverse tales create
interpretations of the Wendigo which are engrossing, fluid, and
unexpected.
These are the hallmarks of a superior horror gathering—stories that
center
around a theme or legend that still remain thoroughly unpredictable in
their
outcomes. Horror
readers are in for a treat. They will
find these tales darkly compelling and hard to put down, expanding the
legend
and lore of the Wendigo in new, contemporary ways. Awakening
the Soul of Power Spiritual
readers of self-help and recovery books will find Awakening
the Soul of Power: How to Live Heroically and Set Yourself Free, the
first
book in the Calling All Heroes series, offers a basic path forward for
those
who envision a different kind of life, focusing on how personal
empowerment
processes affect and are opportunities in every facet of life. Readers
who approach this book looking for singular empowerment
guidelines, whether it be in forging healthier relationships or
handling life's
challenges without sacrificing happiness, will find that it holds a
wider-ranging purpose than a particular approach to one kind of problem. It
should be mentioned that Christian de la Huerta cultivates new,
revised buzzwords that replace older (perhaps more familiar) approaches
to life
or empowerment: "Maneuvering the Empire of the Ego is a
journey for a
lifetime. You now have the tools of understanding and the keys to
freedom. You
are encouraged to create the support systems, your own Power Pod, to
help keep
you on the journey, to keep you real and accountable. That is up to
you. The
adventure continues . . . Now we are ready to enter the Zone of Power." A
reader who chafes at such revised definitions should know that not
only is this book replete with them, but they are utilized to emphasize
the new
approaches, which is different than choosing familiar terminology to
describe
old patterns and perceptions. They
are necessary ingredients in a formula that considers how to
create and contribute to healthier energy in the world, how to identify
and
overcome inner demons and obstacles to reaching this point, and how to
better
process the results of decisions to achieve enlightenment on many
different
levels. Examples
of such processes pepper discussions that identify the power
practices involved in heroic acts and, perhaps even more importantly,
then
locate and forge new avenues of connection and positivity in the
greater world
at large. By
including a personal pathway that leads to a greater good, Awakening
the Soul of Power advocates a structure and approach that
goes beyond
individual transformation to connect that process to affecting other
lives. Readers
seeking a solid, life-affirming guide on how to seize the
moment and make it better will find Awakening the Soul of
Power requires
only dedication to the concept of psychological and spiritual growth
(and the
self-help work that comes with it) to prove a success. It's
highly recommended for readers embarking or already on that road
to transformation, providing the steps of a powerful process to
reawaken
accountability, creativity, and growth. Everyday
Evil: Why Our World is the Way It Is Everyday
Evil: Why Our World is the Way It Is considers modern social issues and
historical precedent, linking the two with discussions that delve into
social
values, moral considerations, and the events that have reinforced or
changed
both over the course of human history. This
discourse on human history and nature examines the evolution of
human order and the barriers that have evolved over time to not only
divide the
sexes and different cultures, but create a special form of evil
embedded in a
blend of historical precedent and daily experience. Monique
Layton's anthropology degree enables her to probe these
connections with a deeper attention to cultural inspection than other
authors
might have done. She connects questions about the nature of good and
evil with
insights into the origins of heroism, moral and ethical perceptions,
and the
roots of evil deeds. All
these come into play in a complex and satisfyingly well-detailed
survey of how popular opinion is built and changed, the origins of
shifts in
values and perception that have historically moved civilizations either
towards
or away from good and evil motivations, and how human nature has
evolved—or
not: "Human nature seems to have changed little when dealing
with such
basic emotions as anger at (or fear of ) the behaviour of others,
followed by
the urge to ‘correct’ them so they may act more conventionally and
re-establish proper social or moral order, even when the methods of
correction
can be worse or far more violent than the acts to which the reformers
object. As
she surveys battles (both physical and mental) over human history,
draws parallels between modern-day movements and their roots in past
human
affairs, and analyzes notions of right and wrong in cultural context,
readers
receive an involving series of interplays between past and present
events that
enlighten them about the origins of humanity's pull to do either good
or evil. Her
research was not without its lasting impact on the author, which is
starkly noted towards the end: "At that point in my research,
I still
wondered whether we might progress over time, either by miraculous
grace or
natural evolution, hoping to see some improvement through the
Renaissance, the
Age of Enlightenment and our modern humanism, despite mankind’s
ever-present
temptation (from Adam to Faust) to sell its soul to the Devil in
exchange for
knowledge and power." Anthropology,
history, psychology, and social issues students alike, as
well as many a general-interest reader who enjoys facets and
intersections of
all four disciplines, will find Everyday Evil: Why Our World
is the Way It
Is an outstanding consideration of how the world got to where
it is
today—and where it may be heading.
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to Index
George Fillis
Bluerock7, LLC. Publishing
978-1-7359372-0-5
$14.95
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Survive-first-Novel-Collingwood/dp/1735937207
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to Index
JP Robinson
Logos Publications, LLC
978-0-9997793-7-8
$10.99 (Ebook); $15.99 (paperback); $28.99 (hardback)
Website: www.JPRobinsonBooks.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Night-Northshire-Heritage-Book-ebook/dp/B08M4441KD
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Michael Lacoy
Monteverdi Press
978-0-9600689-3-7
$23.99 Hardcover; $14.99 Paper; $9.99 Kindle
www.monteverdipress.com
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John Alvah Barnes, Jr. & Naomi Lynn Barnes
Independently Published
9781735094717
$4.99
ebook/$14.99 paperback
www.alvaharts.com
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James Hockenberry
978-0-9915612-4-7
$14.99
Website: www.jameshockenberry.com
Ordering: www.penswordpublishing.com
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Helena P. Schrader
Cross Seas Press
Paperback: 978-1735-3139-4-8
$23.95
Ebook: 978-1735-3139-5-5
$ 9.99
Website: https://crossseaspress.com/where-eagles-never-flew
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/Where-Eagles-Never-Flew-Britain/dp/1735313947/
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Jonathan Floyd
Independently Published
978-0-9620031-7-2
$11.95
https://jfloyd203.wixsite.com/mysite
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Sherry V. Ostroff
Independently Published
9798595907828
$14.99 Paper; $9.99 Kindle
www.amazon.com
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Jorge Torrente
Independently Published
ASIN : B08VC4Q9P9
$8.95
https://www.amazon.com/Uprising-Jorge-Torrente-ebook/dp/B08VC4Q9P9
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Renée Gallant
Castle & Quill Press
9781734066616
$12.99 Paper/$3.17 Kindle
www.reneegallant.com
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Debra Whiting Alexander
Luminare Press
978-1-944733-43-8
$15.95
Paper/$14.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Zetty-Debra-Whiting-Alexander-ebook/dp/B078J9R52B
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Bruce Sherman
DMT Publishing
9781935821557
$14.99
www.amazon.com
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Suzy Beamer Bohnert
B&B Publishing
978-0-578-80157-5
$10.99
https://www.amazon.com/College-Covid-Questions-Incoming-Undergraduates/dp/0578801574
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David P. Madden
McFarland & Company
9781476683942
$39.95
Paper/$17.99 Kindle
www.mcfarlandpub.com
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Monique Layton
Tidewater Press
978-1-7751659-6-5
$12.56
Paper; $9.99 Kindle
www.tidewaterpress.ca
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Bryant Lusk
Penned Source Productions
978-1-7336425-2-1
www.bryantlusk.com
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Freedom from the Streets with Virginia Farris
Independently Published
979-8559303079
$14.95
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Homeless-Minneapolis-Minnesota-Freedom-Virginia/dp/B08MSS9NJH
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Meredith Allard
Copperfield Press
978-0578533841
ebook $4.99;
paperback $8.99
Website: www.meredithallard.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Painting-Past-Writing-Historical-Fiction-ebook/dp/B08TGH4ZC3
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Cindy Couyoumjian, CFP with R. F. Georgy
Greenleaf Book Group Press
978-1-62634-740-3
$24.99
www.gbgpress.com
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Mig Lopez
Independently Published
ASIN: B08T6BTKDZ
$3.99 on
Kindle, $7.99 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SQG7LJ9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nnleGb5HYZZFG
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John Kerwin
QB Publishing
978-1-7345062-0-4
$19.99
www.johnkerwin.com
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Victor D. O. Santos
Linguacious®
978-1-64962-300-3
$13.99 Paper/$23.99 Hardcover
www.linguacious.com
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Bruce Sherman
Independently Published
979-8648921139
$14.95
Paper/Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Loved-Climb-Trees/dp/B08C8Z8KT5
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D.M. Darroch
Sleepy Cat Press
978-1890797201
$14.99
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Canopy-Silvanus-Saga-D-Darroch/dp/1890797200
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Deborah Stevenson
Frog Prince Books
978-1-7348242-3-0
Paperback: $12.95; Hardcover: $19.95
Publisher Website: FrogPrinceBooks.net
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Margie Blumberg
MB Publishing
9780999446300
$12.95
www.mbpublishing.com
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Torina Kingsley
Trunk Up Books
978-1-7349062-4-0
$9.99
Paper/$6.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Decree-Fractured-Fabled/dp/1734906243
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Candice Davis
Mascot Books
9781645433972
$15.95
www.mascotbooks.com
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Susan L. Read
Lizzard Ink Publishing
978-1-64228-036-4
$17.95
Paper/$7.99 Kindle
www.izzardink.com
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Victor D.O. Santos
Linguacious
978-1649620927
$23.99 Hardcover; $12.99 Paper; $4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Multicultural-Picnic-Childrens-Polyglot-Adventures/dp/1649620926
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Mark M. Even
Cresting Wave Publishing
978-1-7354135-1-8
$6.99
https://amzn.to/3q0cIQk
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Alan Venable
One Monkey Books
9781940722078
$10.95
www.onemonkeybooks.com
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Stephanie Hansen
Print Publisher: Fire & Ice
Audiobook publisher: Tantor
9781953735027, $4.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RZB9PXL
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to Index
Julie Dinges
Mascot Books
978-1645430087
$15.95
Hardcover
https://juliedinges.com
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Carol Bullman
Blue Whale Press, an imprint of Clear Fork Publishing
978-1-950169-42-9
$16.99 (hardcover) / $10.99 (paperback)
www.bluewhalepress.com
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Therese Van Ryne
Mascot Books
978-1-64543-674-4
$16.95
www.mascotbooks.com
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Nancy Scott
Kelsay Books
978-1952326738
$16.00 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Excitement-Nancy-Scott/dp/1952326737
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Arthur K. Flam
Independently Published
978-0-578-83883-0
$4.28
ebook/$8.00 Paper
www.applepieultra8.com
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Rob Couteau (Introduction
by Edward Foster)
Dominantstar LLC
978-1-7360049-6-8
$9.95
www.dominantstarpublications.com
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Charlie Steel
Condor Publishing
978-1-931079-29-7
$12.95
www.condorpublishinginc.com
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Wrath James White, et.al.
Denver Horror Collective
978-1-7341917-4-5
$14.95
Paper/$8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Consumed-Inspired-Wrath-James-White/dp/1734191732
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Spirituality
Christian de la Huerta
Soulful Hero Media
978-1-7350590-1-3
$26.45 Hardcover; $18.99 Paper; $8.49 Kindle
https://soulfulpower.com/Awakening-The-Soul-Of-Power-Book/
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Monique Layton
Tidewater Press
978-1-7751659-6-5
$12.51
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
Publisher: www.tidewaterpress.ca
Author Website: www.moniquelayton.com
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Fast-Starting
A Career of Consequence
Fred Sievert
Morgan James Publishing
978-1-63195-358-3
$16.99
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
www.MorganJamesBuilds.com
Fast-Starting
A Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering
or
Re-entering the Workforce is
recommended reading for ambitious
Christians seeking a faith-based approach to boosting their careers.
More
so than most career guides, its emphasis is on using faith to
build a foundation for advancing into areas of greater responsibility
and
challenge.
Applying
Biblical principles to workplace challenges may seem an
unusual business approach, but Fred Sievert does an outstanding job of
intersecting both, juxtaposing practical workplace advancement
strategies
("If the company you have decided to work for has vision and
mission
statements, commit them to memory. You don’t need to actually recite
them; just
memorize them so that they are embedded in your brain and you can
instantly
recall them.") with Christian principles and guidance,
helping readers
tap into spiritual wellsprings of understanding: "That’s a
soft
approach to open a discussion, ostensibly for your own understanding.
It is a
very delicate question to be asking someone who may have been
instrumental in
the decision you are questioning and may possess a high level of
ownership in
it. So once again, this is a discussion that requires you to ask the
Holy
Spirit for guidance before you enter the conversation. The Holy Spirit
will
provide opportunities to do so and will also give you a nudge if you
don’t
recognize the opportunity."
This
ability to intersect business and spiritual interests creates a
foundation for better understanding and purpose based on Christian
faith,
lessons, and approaches. Readers receive a fine set of insights into
corporate
decision-making processes and how to make more faith-based decisions,
both
interpersonally and spiritually.
The
'career of consequence' portion of this book's title is really
where the discussion differs from other faith-based or business books.
It
celebrates advancement and business savvy alike, covering how to
succeed
without sacrificing one's spiritual, moral, or ethical base.
Fast-Starting
A Career of Consequence is
specifically recommended for Christians
who would incorporate their faith into revised approaches for career
advancement. It provides specific Biblical quotes and foundations for
recognizing and applying spiritual gifts to corporate scenarios, and is
essential
reading for career-oriented Christians interested in better aligning
their
financial and spiritual lives.
Return to Index
Guide
to Spiritual L.A.
Catherine Auman
Green Tara Press
978-1-945085-09-3
$24.95
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Spiritual-L-Irreverent-Awake/dp/1945085096
Guide
to
Spiritual L.A.: The Irreverent, the Awake, & the
True
offers a spiritual journey centered on the sacred sites and history of
Los Angeles. It represents both a travel guide and an opportunity to
better
understand that city's spiritual foundations and heritage.
Readers
who harbor preconceived notions about the inherent godlessness
of Tinsel Town may be surprised at the depth and scope of these
spiritual
connections. Certainly, many won't know that the notorious Hollywood is
considered a 'spiritual vortex'. One example is occultist Paul Foster
Case, who
formed the group Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) in 1922, which has
connections to
the Masons and Golden Dawn.
Guide
to
Spiritual L.A.
offers more than L.A. or spiritual history alone.
Catherine Auman journeyed to the present-day settings of many of these
spiritual places to write this book. Her inspections and discoveries
are incorporated
into the story, adding a travelogue of excitement that wouldn't have
been
possible using a historical approach alone.
It's
this personal touch that makes her book so accessible to a much
wider audience than a singular religious approach alone, providing
tools others
can use to locate and visit these places themselves. And, yes, lively
Hollywood
celebrity notes are also included: "If you do want to visit
the Temple,
which many people never do, you’ll find a silent sanctuary inside. If
they’re
having a service, you’ll observe a Hindu ritual of worshipping divine
statues
led by a monk singing Sanskrit chants, blowing a conch shell, and
waving
incense. Over the years, many celebrities have been involved with the
Hare
Krishnas including the Beatles, Steve Jobs, Allen Ginsberg, Poly
Styrene of
X-Ray Spex, and Russell Brand, who married Katy Perry in a Hare Krishna
ceremony."
The
result, replete with a peppering of color photos throughout, is
highly recommended for Los Angeles history buffs, spirituality readers,
and
those who enjoy lively travel accounts that blend a "you are here"
feel with practical, destination-oriented tips for visiting these
spiritual
enclaves.
Return to Index
Never
Too Young to Change the World
Br. Dan O'Riordan
Independently Published
979-8666604489
$15.00
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Never-too-young-change-world/dp/B08NF356JQ
Never
Too
Young To Change The World: Inspiring True Stories Of Young
People captures
the
observations and sentiments of young Christians who embarked on
journeys to
change the world and succeeded in making difference. It's especially
recommended for disenfranchised young people of all colors who might
believe
their lives or youth make their ambitions ineffectual, and provides the
impetus
for positive change through example.
Each
story is spiritually grounded, linking religious approaches and
connections to God (through Biblical quotes and comments on teachings)
to Br.
O'Riordan's account of his work with these extraordinary young people.
Take
'A Girl With a Big Heart and a Big Hammer', for example. This
short piece tells of Ellen Salmi, a high school girl so determined to
help
others that her involvement in the school's "Bridges Program"
resulted in raising enough money to build a large storage space to hold
containers of clothing, books, and toiletries for all in need—a
community
helping hand that's still in use today.
Her
involvement in Marist projects which combined prayer with service
activities led to her becoming a missionary in Africa, where she
secured grants
to build a children's library for the village.
These
journeys of faith and community effort provide an invaluable
service, linking faith to concrete efforts made by young people to
change their
world for the better.
It's
an inspirational read that is highly recommended for any Christian
collection appealing to young adults who want to make a difference in
the world
through not just their faith, but faith-backed actions.
Return to Index
Piercing
Human Experience
Tushar Choksi
Advaya Press
9780578701608
$12.99
https://www.amazon.com/PIERCING-HUMAN-EXPERIENCE-MANDUKYA-KARIKA/dp/057870160X
Also available at Ingram Spark
Piercing
Human Experience Based on Mandukya Karika is recommended
for readers of Indian Eastern philosophy, and uses the Vedanta to
translate
human experience and perception and its spiritual lessons.
The
mind affects our experience in a myriad of ways and consists of
"...the experiencer, experience, and the means of experience."
Piercing this experience with the help of the Vedant or Shruti reveals
a
consistency and foundation that unifies the seemingly disparate
individual experiences.
From
detaching from personal self to true self in order to shine, to
focusing the mind on God and training the mind not only for meditation
but
absorbing Godly qualities in a form of mental worship, Piercing
Human
Experience demonstrates how to achieve a new level of
understanding and
awareness. It applies tried and true methods of contemplation,
reflection,
meditation and awareness towards a central, key goal, expanding beyond
a focus
on the nature of the self to consider greater purposes and connections.
The
mind affects our experiences as it translates them. This may also
be the element that leads to a better relationship between experience,
consciousness, and spiritual perceptions.
As
chapters discuss waking and dream states, the causes and remedies of
suffering, different states of experience, and restraining the mind
using
self-knowledge, they provide important insights that readers of Eastern
spirituality and philosophy, in particular, will find both enlightening
and
practical for applying to daily living.
Eastern
religion readers will find that Piercing Human Experience
connects dots between experience, mind, and consciousness, making for
an
enlightening and thought-provoking reflection.
Return to Index
A Plan B Camino
2020
Br. Dan O'Riordan
Independently
Published
979-8561342196
$15.00 Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Plan-Camino-2020-Pilgrims-Spiritual/dp/B08P1H4667
A
Plan B
Camino 2020: A Pilgrim's Prayer Journal for Future Spiritual Camino
Seekers
should be
required reading for any would-be modern-day pilgrim interested in
embarking on
the spiritual journey of a lifetime.
The
practice of making a pilgrimage is an old one. Many pilgrims have
not only done so, but have written about their experiences. While Br.
Dan
O'Riordan originally pictured doing the same with this book, Covid-19
interfered with his plans in 2020 and sparked a different kind of
spiritual
journey that holds lessons anyone can apply to their own journeys,
whether out
in the world or in inner space.
Br.
O'Riordan applies his discoveries to personal reflection processes,
discussing how enlightenment and new realizations changed his
perspectives and
possibilities: "The more I focus on my thoughts, efforts and
life on
looking at ways to authentically serve Jesus moment by moment, day by
day the
more I will find inner peace, joy, happiness, and a sense of deep
purpose in my
everyday living. Yes, thinking ahead and planning for the future are
essential
parts of life. Looking back and remembering can often be a gift. But I
still
can only embrace life in this present moment, and in the here and now."
From
local hikes to developing community solidarity, journaling, using
video and pictures to share with others in the future, and embarking on
a
Camino experience daily, using exercise to link to spiritual reflection
and
"bearing fruits everyday", this voyage of discovery links inner
contemplation with small actions that change the world in different
ways.
Poems,
songs, and a personal prayer journal from his fourteen-day
pilgrimage in the White Mountains of New Hampshire create a picture of
deeper
spiritual insights and how they connect to the world that goes beyond
the
physical rigors of a pilgrimage and into journeys of the heart and soul.
Readers
who contemplate embarking on their own spiritual adventure will
find this prayer journal offers many guideposts for the experience,
from how to
undertake one to connecting the dots between personal and spiritual
worlds.
It's highly recommended
reading that should ideally
be in any
spirituality collection.
Return to Index
Your
Destiny Is Inside
You
Ana Pat
Independently Published
9781698908267
$10.99 Paper/$.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Destiny-Inside-You-Guiding-ebook/dp/B08NF67J8T
Your
Destiny Is Inside
You: Be Your Own Guiding Light presents a spiritual journey based on a
single foundation idea: everything is comprised of energy. Thus, each
of us
already holds the tools to optimistic self-realization in the form of
wisdom,
strength, and spiritual attractions.
From
the start,
Ana Pat warns against the interpretative inclination of the mind, which
poses
barriers against true enlightenment processes: "Don't
intellectualize or analyze the words in this book, and
don't get too attached to them. Whenever you try to interpret,
intellectualize
or verbalize the text, you fall into the trap set by the mind, which
seeks to take
control of your inner self. The mind constantly verbalizes, interprets
and
intellectualizes everything, thus detaching you from the essence of
true
understanding."
Religious
readers also receive a firm reminder that this book serves as a
signpost, not
as a pointer to a particular belief system or paradigm.
As
such, Your
Destiny Is Inside You features
a different form of guidance that
sets aside analytical approaches for a more intuitive, self-born set of
perceptions. This, in turn, offers connections rather than impeding the
process
with logical dissection.
Can
you imagine
that everything is energy? That our destiny depends on our thoughts?
That "A particular situation is always the
way it stands. The only thing you can do is enhance it with your
negative or
positive attitude."?
Your
Destiny Is Inside
You
ultimately reminds readers of the power that lies within to view and
affect the
world in positive ways.
As such, it imparts a
perspective and
approach to life that supports positive thinking and individual
strength,
complimenting not just spirituality but psychology circles as readers
gain
renewal and strength from the pointers reviewed here.
While
Your
Destiny Is Inside You
is more likely to be seen on a new age or spirituality shelf, it's also
recommended
reading for psychology and self-help readers who would tap into the
intrinsic
possibilities of personal strength through a renewed interpretation of
personal
empowerment and connections to the world.
Return to Index