August 2023 Review Issue
Literature
Mystery & Thrillers
Black Wing
Sky
Kaylin McFarren
Independently
Published
979-8372293366
$13.95 Paper/$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-WING-SKY-Kaylin-McFarren/dp/B0C9KMB8MC
Prior fans
of Kaylin
McFarren's Gehenna series will find her epic story expandblossoms
in Black Wing Sky, the fourth book
in the
series, which follows Samara Daemonium's ongoing struggles between
Lucifer's
battles and the peaceful life she so desires.
Indeed, she
seems on
the cusp of achieving her goal. Lucifer's soldiers have captured his
brother,
the Seven-Star General of the Archangel Army of Heaven, leading Samara
to
predict that the outcome will be a revised, peaceful life with her
uncommon
soul-mate Damian Hunter.
When a
different army
of fire-breathing dragons led by Vetis Kidadl ("The Black Dragon")
threatens the newfound peace and future of Earth's sister planet Nexus,
Samara
is tapped for her warrior abilities and likely ability to fight this
threat.
Given this new mission, will Samara ever see Middle Earth again?
Kaylin
McFarren crafts
a powerful story in which Samara once again is charged with rising into
her
powers and applying them to yet another conflict. At stake are kingdoms
and
peace for all—but how often can she arise from the ashes like a phoenix
to
relive her destiny when the only future she wants to walk into is one
devoid of
adversity?
Prior fans
of
Samara's world will find Black Wing Sky
not just a story of new threats and the charge to rise above personal
ambition
to address them, but a supercharged, action-packed drama that probes
just as
deeply into matters of influences on relationships that fall to the
lure of
evil-inspired temptation:
"Shortly afterwards, he deeply regretted his
foolish actions, but
that didn’t stop Lucifer from fueling Samara’s anger with the
disturbing
reveal. In fact, he reveled in sharing it. As a result, Damian knew it
would
take a miracle to fix the damage he had caused in his relationship with
Samara."
The
juxtaposition of
relationship-building with world-building changes promise surprises,
revised
purposes, and challenged perceptions as Samara and Damian struggle with
Lucifer, one another, family influences, and the tides of political and
planetary change.
The graphic
sexual
scenes that pepper the story as Samara and Damian fulfill both their
love and
destinies are nicely crafted to prove both titillating and revealing as
an
angel bares herself emotionally and physically.
McFarren
keeps her
story fast-paced, her characters appealingly human in their desires and
anticipations, and the overall tension in their disparate lives,
influences,
and missions thoroughly engrossing.
Damien faces
Lucifer's daughter, the warmongering Lucinda, and the monsters she's
created
even as he also faces the impossibilities of his relationship with
Samara. As the
"wiley queen" of Lucifer gone astray, Samara should be forbidden
territory; especially since Lucifer has a vested interest in rejoining
his
family and has a seemingly ironclad plan to do so: "It
was the best way to bring his son back to Hell and his unconventional
family together again."
Even the
plans and
plots of demons and angels can go awry, as this story proves as
unexpected
twists keep Lucifer, Damien, and Samara on their toes and further
embroiled in
matters beyond even their special abilities and ken.
The family
ties that
link Samara, Crighton, Arial, and sons and daughters are also nicely
explored
in a story that doesn't just unfold. It explodes with action and
simmers with
psychological interplays and unpredictable revelations on all sides.
McFarren's
ability to build character tension based on surprises, transformations,
and
shifting alliances keeps the action swift and the predictability of the
outcome
satisfyingly mercurial.
Fantasy
libraries and
readers who have appreciated the previous three books in McFarren's
Gehenna
world will find the same astute attention to detail and character
development
evolves a companion story that is riveting and hard to put down.
Return to Index
Critical Habitat
Terrence King
Penguins & Ducks Press
979-8-9881209-2-6
$23.99 Hardcover/$17.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
Website: www.terrencekingauthor.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/CRITICAL-HABITAT-Terrence-King-ebook/dp/B0C4QXLBSC
Sci-fi readers interested in
futuristic dystopian worlds in
which environmental issues come infused with social inspection and
ongoing
ecological transitions will find Critical
Habitat a powerful story of rebellion and power plays. The
fate of nature
both hangs in the balance and influences human outcomes and struggles
in this
story.
The trappings of technology-infused
futuristic human
endeavors, from giant robot sentries to smart pills and secret weapons,
meet
the last of the honeybees head-on in a clash replete with inviting
insights
into what it means to be human, a survivor, or a fighter.
Terrence King creates a compelling
scenario in which the
remnants of humanity remain conflicted about their fate and confused
about
their connections to nature. Descriptions of the events that led to
this state
are vividly woven into the plot:
"Scavenger
nomads of the desert, Loners
had succumbed to disease from the land. She had heard about the
devolved
humans, their physical depravity unleashed. They congregated in groups
supposedly, in ruins. She knew to shy away from the crumbling
metropolises,
where the worst of the creatures buoyed a framework of haggling and
plague.
Danger was where Loners and their devolved cousins, the Reavers, were,
and she
was going to avoid them as much as fighting itself.
'In the dark,' Sun Bin added, 'they become
animals. Their hunger pulls out the worst humanity has seen.'
'I’ve seen the worst humanity brings,' Mel
said."
The worst and best of intentions come
to light in graphic,
action-packed scenes that juxtapose adventure with thought-provoking
moments.
These encourage readers to reflect on man, nature, and the pivot points
connecting and affecting both.
There are really three battles going
on: between generals,
rebels, and Mother Nature. King intersects these interests using vivid
language
and unexpected twists that represent forks in the road of intention as
the last
of the bees are protected in an unexpected gambit to survive.
What does it mean to be a rebel, a
hero, or the destroyer
of habitat and civilization?
More than a 'cli-fi' read about the
uncertain future, Critical Habitat
holds the attraction of
an ecology statement, the action and intrigue of a thriller, the
political draw
of clashing ideologies, and the soft drone of bees that survive against
all
odds despite of and due to human intervention in their lives.
Libraries
and readers that choose Critical Habitat
will find many
intriguing discussion points, food
for thought, and reflections in a dystopian novel that evolves in
unexpected
directions.
Return to Index
Darkness to
Light
David H. Maring
BookBaby
979-8-35090-853-4
Paperback: $17.95/ E-reader: $8.99
Website: dmaring.com
Readers of
dystopian
sci-fi have an ever-expanding list of books in the genre to enjoy, but
David H.
Maring's Darkness to Light is
perhaps
the most appealing over many, offering a unique perspective and social
and
cultural inspections of the long-term aftermath of a nuclear war that
destroys
civilization.
Where most
dystopian
sagas present a relatively simplistic view of barbarian versus
civilized
remnants of survivors struggling for control, Maring chooses to view
the
revitalization and evolutionary process from disparate sides. These
include a
young female Wo archaeologist who discovers the cryogenically frozen
John in a
basement, revives him, and introduces him to this strange new world and
Messianic Jews who control a portion of the former U.S. and have built
their
own force in the Northern Zone, staving off barbarians who would
destroy their
achievement.
These
different
perspectives and experiences enter into the bigger picture of social
control,
forbidden actions, and efforts to accept the results of two rogue
nations who
introduced physical and mental breakdown on a world-wide level.
Beth 20A
lives After
Great Catastrophe and works at uncovering remnants of the past and
indicators
of light that she might use to dispel the dark age which evolved after
the
world-changing conflict ended.
The efforts
of these
new orders to control their environments and prevent the chaos that
altered
their world forever are thought-provokingly presented:
"Beth was grateful that she was a wo. Her position
was secured
from birth by the selection process created by the council, a body of
eleven
that ruled her world. Some groups created in the laboratory after
fertilization
had lower intelligence. Scientific methods made sure their brain
capacity was
reduced to the point where they could be conditioned to perform
specific tasks
assigned by the government and never aspire to anything greater."
Raised both
with the
history of destructive choices and the possibility of becoming an
unorthodox
force in an overly ordered, regimented world, Beth 20A has long learned
to keep
her insights to herself. Neither mental illness nor aberration is
tolerated in
her world, and yet the creative force that stems from diversity cannot
be
denied.
Beth 20A is
a
survivor who harbors secrets. And in a world of order and control, this
is a
dangerous habit indeed; especially when her work uncovers new
potentials for
revising humankind's future yet again.
Maring
captures the
perhaps-predictable clashes between these forces, but the real meat of
his
story lies in the examinations of social and political interplays that
evolve
from a newly structured world still struggling out of its self-imposed
darkness: "...martial law was hardly
noticeable in a society already operating under such a regimented
lifestyle. In
fact, it only brought more focus on the current leadership and its
inability to
wield the reins of power effectively."
From
conspiracies and
rescues to managing survivors without sparking rebellion, Maring
interplays
characters and disparate interests with a strong eye to revealing and
contrasting different forms of darkness and enlightenment processes.
Readers
interested in
dystopian scenarios that incorporate but move beyond conflict into
moral and
ethical realms of managing survival and growth opportunities will find
plenty
of discussion topics throughout the social strata in Darkness
to Light.
As moments
are seized
and changes instigated, the story becomes a thought-provoking series of
insights into many facets of civilization and survival tactics that
will
motivate libraries to include Darkness to
Light in their collections not only for its dystopian
attractions, but for
its opportunities to reflect on how societies rise, fall, and achieve
balance
between control and creative evolution.
All these
elements
make for a gripping saga that is unpredictable, action-packed, and hard
to put
down.
Return to Index
Faytte
Tim Rayborn
Armin
Lear Press
978-1-956450-76-7
$22.95 Paper/$9.95 ebook
https://arminlear.com/
The fourth
and final
book in the Qwyrk Tales world, Faytte,
is highly recommended reading for prior enthusiasts of Tim Rayborn's
special
form of urban fantasy. Here, a peculiar encounter begins with a key.
Qwyrk,
Holly, and
other characters from prior adventures return to face a new situation
in this
story of mystical surveying and the residual magic which could come
from
imagination, but probably represents yet another sea change in
experience and
outcomes.
Tim Rayborn
excels in
crafting a fitting conclusion to his series that follows the ongoing
magical
and real-world encounters between and among a group of young misfits
whose
special abilities come to represent a positive force in the world.
This latest
saga continues
the relationships fostered in previous books while expanding elements
of magic
and intrigue that permeate the characters' lives.
From goblins
and
talking animals to efforts to reclaim the world from humans that
involve small
mortals in grand schemes and roles, Rayborn crafts an involving,
riveting
fantasy powered by shockwaves of love and change, all tempered by an
undercurrent of humor: “Just stay by the
obel-, obli-, the big rock thingie, all right?” Qwykk ordered as she
continued
her uneasy orbit around said thingie."
As Qwyrk and
her companions
confront not only world-changing forces but the reasons why they are
ineffective and Qwyrk's group is so successful, readers of all ages
gain an
appreciation for the power of friendship, magic, and proactive thinking
that lead
an unlikely, ragtag group of participants to tap their humanity and
strength.
Rayborn is
particularly adept at evolving further challenges to friendships and
growth
which keep all the characters learning more about themselves, each
other, and
their revised positions in life. What they ultimately will choose to
keep their
lives and roles relevant is a subject that lends particularly well to
young
reader book club discussions.
The action
is fun and
unpredictable, the characters multifaceted, flawed and powerful all in
one, and
the plot evolves some satisfyingly unexpected twists that will keep
prior fans
and newcomers engrossed and wondering at the ultimate outcome.
Libraries
and those
who have enjoyed the prior Qwyrk Tales adventures will find all the
elements of
the previous books (magic, adventure, friendship, and warmth) present
and
powerful in this final event, which involves the end of one world and
the
evolution of something better in its place.
Return to Index
Neverscape
Kevin Cox
Silvettica
979-8-9866368-4-9
$13.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
Website: authorkevincox.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C52BTHQB
As the third
book in
the Bewilderness series, the fantasy Neverscape
continues both building and shattering worlds and paradigms as thief
Malidora
escapes the shadow realm, only to find the Shadows present and
threatening the
end of the world on the planet Kandom. This time there is no escape,
because
the universe-gobbling Shadows plan on an invasion and consumption of
all
energy, giving them access to all dimensions and realms.
The darkness
isn't
just all around her and everywhere in the universe, either. It's also
within. Thus,
Malidora becomes a target as well as an adversary in more than one way,
forced
to assume the unlikely role of a hero as she confronts both her self
and the
darkness bewitching and consuming everything around her.
As she
confronts an
affliction of the mind that pits Brightlanders against each other as
well as
the forces that would manipulate everything, Malidora becomes both a
beacon of
hope and a threat that represents challenges to beliefs, changes, and
peoples
struggling for survival on many levels.
For some,
the threat
contains a dreadful opportunity for power beyond conventional thinking:
“A great presence has communed with me.” The
zinugal leaned forward.
“They speak of a savage darkness. A darkness that has already engulfed
much of
this world. While it consumes the unworthy, it will meld us with an
omniscient
mind, and we will not stand in its way. It beckons us to a greater
calling, a
greater understanding. We shall ascend from this universe to the realms
beyond.”
To others,
it's a
force to be reckoned with. Malidora's task becomes that of both
acknowledging
and turning side personal desires in favor of achieving a greater
purpose in
her life:
"Dabradan lay on the sand staring at the sky.
'We’re both going to
die someday; you may as well live while you have to chance.' His words
echoed
in her mind. They lay next to each other waiting for the engines to dry
out.
Perhaps he was right, but she couldn’t take that chance. There was too
much
work to be done, too many wrongs that she had to right. She wasn’t in a
place
in her life where she could allow someone into it."
Newcomers to
Kevin
Cox's Bewilderness series would do well to imbibe of the prior books to
gain a
fuller feel for the setting and milieu of this universe, but they will
also
find that starting with Neverscape
is
not an impossible task. The story opens with a compelling bang, the
characters
and confrontations that evolve are presented in a logically
understandable
manner, and Malidora's pursuit of something greater than her own
desires is
both thought-provoking and compelling.
The action
is nicely
tempered by a focus on what drives individuals to rise above their
circumstances and training to walk improbable paths of personal and
political
empowerment, with characters such as Malidora holding the torch of
revelation
and growth alongside battles that test their moxy and motives.
The result
is a
powerful, action-packed bend of personal and paradigm clashes and
struggles
that will appeal beyond young adult readers. Neverscape
reaches out to all ages interested in epic journeys that
embrace a touch of romance, growth, and the dreams and nightmares of
ordinary
individuals who step up to become leaders against all odds.
Return to Index
Perpendicular
Women:
Adventures in the Multiverse
Chris Coward
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-922-8
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the Multiverse
juxtaposes two
alternate universes. In one, wife and mother Kara Cuesta struggles to
heal a
dysfunctional family. In the other, older tech executive Pandora
Garnett may be
the only force that can stave off World War IV. The perpendicular lives
of
these women intersect in the arena of special interests, from the
family focus Kara
represents and fosters to the bigger issue of humanity's survival that
Pandora
struggles to assure.
These
disparate yet
somehow entwined lives are presented as a series of juxtaposing
chapters of
connection, playing out the strands of each woman's experience in
alternate
viewpoints of experience that emphasize each character's disparate life
from
the start:
"Kara Cuesta never considered herself an
adventurer. As a wife,
mother of two teenage girls, and marketing manager for a small company,
she was
a worker. A peacemaker. A runner on the treadmill of ordinariness. Her
world
afforded no time for adventure."
Housewife
Kara's
world of 2012 and leader Pandora's two-moon world of 2028 are connected
by
experiences and phrases that link these two lives: "There
was much to celebrate and much to fear."
From their
different
ages and concerns to the bigger pictures that reach out to shake their
worlds
and affect the future, Kara and Pandora represent two forces that both
create
and destroy new possibilities as they penetrate the veil of time and
discover
new aspects about their abilities to change their worlds.
Chris Coward
writes
with a seasoned, reflective hand that adds a dash of humor into the mix
("We’ll save the world while we pay the
attorney.”) but keeps the focus steadily on the evolving
connections and
compassion between characters forced to confront abusers, users, and
their own
complacency and courage in changing their worlds.
As these
worlds and
interests intersect, bigger pictures emerge that readers won't see
coming,
which lends a very satisfying complexity to the story that places it
above any
singular consideration of women on the verge of transformation.
“I believe Paradise is a feeling, not a place. We
can all be together.”
The
multifaceted characters
that permeate this Multiverse environment and their interconnected
lives and
decisions makes for a story that is unpredictable, satisfyingly complex
in its
social and psychological observations, and filled with the movement of
wonder
and change as incredible stories prove true and characters come to
realize what
a force they can be to affect the world's evolution and progression.
Libraries
looking for
stories replete in heady psychological and social reflection will find Perpendicular Women: Adventures in the
Multiverse holds just the right mix of science, personal, and
social
inspection.
Return to Index
ReForm:
Combating the
Algorithmic Mutation
Scott Bollens
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-860-3
$15.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Although its
title
sounds like this book will be a mathematical exploration, Scott Bollens
has
crafted an admirable sci-fi adventure in ReForm:
Combating the Algorithmic Mutation that takes a step away
from the familiar
classic Colossus to posit a world
in
which a supercomputer's domination and war has taken place not just in
the
outside world, but in the chip-laden brains of humanity.
As the story
opens,
humanity appears to have won. The computer's control factor has ceased.
Or, has
it?
Computer
addictions
are on the rise, the chip-encouraged violence of humanity is ebbing,
and the
interconnect supercomputer that has fostered these dangers is actually
reinventing itself.
Computer
domination
is not a new theme—but its self-transformation into a different form of
human
dictatorship is, as assaulted, numbed citizens find themselves as in
thrall
through the comparatively, seemingly benign computer program of ReForm
as they
did during its violence-inducing phase during the Turmoil.
ReForm isn't just a story of computer
versus man, however. It also
presents the efforts of a flawed human investigator whose seizures have
confined him to a mental institution, surprisingly, insulating him from
some of
the computer-generated influences of this strange new world. In his
case, the
flaw is a survival trait as Jared Rohde faces a difficult choice
between
regaining an independent form of cognitive thinking or succumbing to
the allure
of computer addiction and its alluring fantasy environment.
His ReStart
field
work may be over, but Jared's new mandates and life is just beginning.
Sci-fi
readers will walk in his shoes as Jared faces a new understanding about
his
life and everything that influences and directs it. Under computer
control, how
can reality itself be defined and recognized; and what constitutes
quality of
life?
As Jared
pursues
answers, his readers will appreciate the vivid first-person reflections
that
will spark discussions and higher-level thinking about artificial
regulation
and computer attractions in modern society. The passages of reflection
and
history are thought-provoking:
"Life under the interconnect
God is buffered and cushioned from direct experiences such
as this. So
many denizens in our country have no awareness of such things
happening. Their
internalized manufactured mental spaces cannot see such beautiful
analog
phenomena. The fabricated space feels safe, so we buy into it. It is
all
curated."
When is a
perfect
life imperfect? When it is recognized as an illusion and an incarnation
of
control at the hands of an outsider who just so happens to be
artificial.
As Jared
struggles
under the hands of humans and machines determined to take away his
executive
function under the guise of ReStart and connectivity, readers will be
prompted
to reconsider their own computer relationships and addictions.
The path to
freedom
takes on an unfamiliar feel as Jared makes discoveries about human
nature,
choices, and "The raw
interconnectedness of all the natural elements. The organized
complexity that
is beyond the reach of machine and man."
Libraries
will thus
find ReForm: Combating the Algorithmic
Mutation not only thoroughly engrossing and appropriate for
sci-fi readers
interested in issues of computer domination and direction, but perfect
for book
club reading groups engaged in thoughtful discussions over life's
meaning,
direction, and what happens when control is willingly and purposefully
relinquished.
Return to Index
River to the
Multiverse
David Gittlin
Entelligent Entertainment, LLC
979-8-9858605-3-5
$3.79 Kindle
Website: www.davidgittlin.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9G6XCS6
David
Gittlin's
latest addition to the Silver Spheres series offers prior fans a happy
surprise, because the original books were billed as a trilogy, and River to the Multiverse is the fourth
book. The space adventure opens with an alien coming to earth with a
peace plan
in mind, to help humanity avoid the destruction that eliminated her
world in an
intragalactic war. Because the story picks up where the third novella, Promise of
the
Visitor, left off, this continuation will especially be
appreciated by
prior fans who wanted more (though newcomers will find it equally
accessible
and compelling).
Successful mystery author Jacob
Cassel, his new bride astronomer Amy, and the telepathic AI Arcon
return in a
story that centers around the arrival of Aneleyan scientist visitor
Silenna, whose
vested interest in helping Earth is quickly thwarted by a distress call
from
the last survivors of her race.
Gittlin
incorporates a wry sense of humor from the start, which adds
value to the story by expanding its characters and injecting comic
relief into
many serious moments:
“By the way, I wouldn’t be making a loudmouth out
of myself if you
found the time to teach me how to speak telepathically. It isn’t like
we have a
catastrophe pending that requires our immediate attention as the case
has been
since I’ve known you. It can’t be terribly timeconsuming to teach me.”
Arcon
makes no reply. He is most likely off somewhere pondering the mysteries
of the
universe."
Moral and ethical dilemmas in solving problems,
prioritizing the
survival of a mission of mercy over a rescue attempt, and interacting
with
aliens, AIs, and adversity permeate a tale that excels in not only
vivid
descriptions of extraordinary encounters, but equally vivid color
illustrations
that provide visual embellishment.
The humor continues as AIs and humans attempt a series of impossible
problem-solving beyond
their experience or imaginations:
"My
eternally pragmatic soulmate has spoken. Heeding Amy’s advice, I make a
wide
turn around the scattered pieces of the late heavy cruiser.
“I wonder what the Oranian warship was doing here in the middle of
nowhere,” Amy muses.
“Probably looking for new worlds to conquer. There are nine universes
to choose from here with planets ripe for the picking.”
“Your theory is plausible,” Arcon says.
“That’s twice in a row you’ve agreed with me. Are you feeling okay?”
Admittedly, the science portion of the sci-fi tale
is a stretch. But,
no more than many other sci-fi writings whose intrinsic value lies not
in
sterling scientific concepts, but in the interactions between
characters who
each find their values and perceptions challenged ... even the AI
bigger-thinker.
Gittlin provides a fast-paced story based on the
premise of an alien's
goodwill and legacy and the events that accompany her initiatives to
change the
world. As a companion to the Silver Spheres stories, it further expands
the
actions and relationship of Amy, Jacob, and Arcon, but adds the value
of a new
mission that challenges each character to change course for the greater
good
and survival of the world.
Action-packed and thought-provoking, River to the Multiverse represents
a journey that should not only be in any library seeing popularity with
Gittlin's other books, but in sci-fi circles seeking stories suitable
for book
club debate and discussion.
Return to Index
Shards of
Light
Bundle - Audiobook
William Hahn
Independent Bookworm
ASIN: B08248V7QC
$22.79 Audio
https://www.amazon.com/Shards-of-Light-Bundle/dp/B08248V7QC
Why listen
to the
audio version of Shards of Light? In this case, the audio version lends
added
value not just because it's narrated by author William Hahn, who is
intimately
familiar, as creator, with every intended nuance of his epic fantasy
story, but
because the audio version's dramatic flairs lead to understanding and
absorption of the tale on a level that print simply can't equal.
William
Hahn's
narration is clear, dramatic, and compelling. It needed to be such,
because
listening to four books in one audio bundle represents over 22 hours of
pleasure
(or pain, were it to be read under the wrong voice). Hahn's ability to
inject
and reflect the underlying dramatic moments and pivot points of the
epic
fantasy lends a feel to not just the plot, but the characters
themselves as he
adjusts his voice to capture each character and the interplays between
them.
As
conspirators,
seers of the future such as W’starrah Altieri, and new imperial officer
Justin,
who is just as convinced he has no future, clash, the epic struggles of
individuals and kingdoms come alive in audio to bring forth a powerful
saga of
individuals and traditions on the cusp of change.
From
infantry clashes
with longbows and the dragging hours of battlefield pauses to "smoking
wounds" and the heat of fire arrows and destruction, Hahn brings to
life
losses for the empire and individuals like as death and slaughter
buffet Justin
and all around him.
The power of
an audio
version of a book ideally is to bring the story to new life. When this
force is
applied to a four-book bundle, it takes a strong voice and compelling
blend of
plot and oral narration to keep readers thoroughly engrossed.
The bundled
audiobook
version of Shards of Light achieves
these goals in a manner that sets it heads and shoulders above most
fantasy
book narratives. What is demanding in print becomes smooth and
compelling in
audio, making Shards of Light Bundle
a top recommendation for those who would listen with baited breath and
unflagging interest to an artist as adept at audio drama as he is at
putting
pen to paper.
Return to Index
Shards of
Light
Bundle - Paperback
William Hahn
Independent Bookworm
978-3956811418
$14.99 Paper/$7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Shards-Light-Bundle-William-Hahn/dp/3956811410
Shards of Light Bundle is an epic fantasy
collection that embraces
four books and the evolution of a world rich in political strife,
secret
missions, and the impact of hidden lives and choices that simmer to the
surface
to confront a world's threat.
This
gathering
includes the books of its four component titles: “The Ring and the
Flag,”
“Fencing Reputation,” “Perilous Embraces,” and “Shards of Light.” As
such, it's
the first and last place to go to absorb the breadth and depth of a
four-volume
story that holds a disparate cast of characters, from elves and humans
to
halflings, demons, and horses.
Reading this
collection back-to-back allows for a journey that moves smoothly from
individual to world-confronting circumstances. The heroes featured
within don't
fall into a predictable pattern; for each is flawed in some intrinsic
manner,
forced to operate outside their comfort zones and familiar patterns of
action
and reaction. They take on decisions and new perceptions of the world
that
ultimately affect not only their place in it, but the ways in which it
is
challenged or preserved.
Justin, a
new
imperial officer, is on the cusp of entering a new time in his life,
but
ironically sees no future in his pursuits. Living legend Stealthic,
Feldspar,
is a master of every disguise but the greatest challenge—presenting
himself. Church
leader W’starrah Altieri
also perceives no set course in her future. Being a visionary, all she
sees
coming is either heartbreak or death.
These three
forces
clash, interact, and intersect in unpredictable ways as their stories
unfold,
bringing with them the disparate forces that reflect rich sources of
confrontation and change.
William
Hahn's
bundled stories are not light reads. They demand from their readers an
attention to detail, disparate paths and perceptions, and absorbing the
entwined lives of individuals who view their worlds and place in them
in very
different ways.
The choice
of
descriptions written in the second person offers readers a "you are
here" experience to place them in the center of a maelstrom of social
and
political events that swirl around the characters and their concerns:
"He walks deliberately toward the southern gate
district, no doubt
to the same festival but likely with a different purpose. Where does he
fit in
this web of schemes? And what hold does he evidently have on Tanar’h,
other
than the proximity of his monastery to the High Heart’s childhood home?
For a
man who talks so much about family, your rival has been at great pains
only to
show you the one he constructed for himself since arriving in
Cryssigens. A
family he invited you to join. Your heart is settled, but doomed..."
The people
of this
time and place are both recognizable and intrinsically flawed, both in
their
perceptions of their places in the scheme of events and in their
reactions to
set courses of action which are, in fact, fluid and ever-changing.
The three
main
characters come to their realizations about the evil growing under
their noses
in different ways, with parallel timelines introducing a complexity
which takes
time to absorb. This effort is rewarded with an exceptionally rich
scenario
that places the reader in the position of being audience, judge, and
participant as they walk alongside each character and consider courses
of
action that are both in keeping with and outside of their usual choices.
There is not
just one
problem buffeting the city and its characters; not just one hero who
faces
transformation and growth; and not just one outcome to their different
lives.
Hahn embraces military clashes, social inspection, and psychological
revelation
at many levels as he unfolds a story exceptionally rich in its
world-building
paradigms.
Libraries
and readers
seeking the epitome of epic fantasy, holding the complexity of Lord of the Rings and the psychological
depth that can only come from a detailed contrast between characters
and forces
that operate at different levels of realization and self-interest, will
find the
Shards of Light Bundle thoroughly
engrossing, satisfyingly rich, and hard to put down.
Return to Index
Space
Ships & Other Trips: A Short Story
Collection Book II
Raven Oak
Grey Sun Press
978-1-947712-08-9
$13.99
Print/$4.99 ebook
Website: www.ravenoak.net
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Ships-Other-Trips-Collection-ebook/dp/B0C3PQZTB9
Readers of speculative fiction well know how
relatively scarce this genre is, compared to the profuse writings of
the sci-fi
and fantasy worlds. Space Ships & Other Trips: A
Short Story Collection
Book II represents works from the last decade of Raven Oak's
writing career,
gathering stories that represent the diversity and possibilities in the
speculative fiction genre.
"The Loss of Luna" opens the
collection with the vivid story of sentient celestial beings and
contemplative
relationships between Earth and the stars. The ethereal relationship
between
Luna and Earth is explored in an otherworldly dialogue that creates
both an
extraordinary interplay and possibilities that become "lost in the
brilliance of life." To feel the processes of planets that hold the
ability
to reflect on former connections, loss, love, and beyond in a milieu
where
humans and life is but an adjunct to stellar events gives much pause
for
contemplation.
"Drip" is another story that opens
with how night brings not respite, but the solidifying horror of
nightmares of
real-world events as viruses and wildfires consume the nation. Is there
a trick
to sleeping, or to survival under such news and circumstances? Is the
dripping
sound from the tub a leak, or a portent of rain?
Anyone who suffers from insomnia well knows
the night terrors that too easily replace counting sheep, and the
background
noise that become foreground portents of danger. In this case, the
climate
change brought to the foreground is but one thought that challenges the
wanna-be sleeper's efforts.
Each story reflects philosophical and
psychological power through speculations that consider real-world
experiences
in a new light. Each offers compelling insights, whether they are about
technology, human impact, or the nature of living.
Readers of speculative fiction well know how
rare is the opportunity to digest a treasure trove of works that truly
reflect
parallel worlds of reality.
Space
Ships &
Other Trips: A Short Story Collection Book II is a sterling example of the genre's flexibility
and thought-provoking
opportunities. It should be a mainstay in any library strong in
speculative
works, on the reading lists of anyone attracted to thought-provoking
short
pieces, and used as discussion material for book clubs interested in
engaging subjects
about life's meaning and impact.
Return to Index
Transform the World
B. Morris Allen, et.al.
Other Worlds Ink
978-1-955778-53-4
$6.99 eBook, $19.99
paperback; $29.99 hardcover
https://www.otherworldsink.com/book/transform-the-world/
Transform the World:
Fourteen
Sci-Fi Writers Change the Planet features a
satisfyingly
diverse set of visions of the future that come from a single question:
how
could the world work better?
Whether the writer choose to run with issues
of equality, pay inequity, environmental issues, or other subjects, the
result
contributes a powerful tone of achievement and positivity to subjects
that
usually receive somewhat grim predictions in the sci-fi worlds of the
future.
Take 'Default' by Xauri’
EL Zwaan, for one example. The story opens with an
ordinary busy day in Joy's world. Climate engineering has shown some
success in
addressing climate change issues, but her teen child is obsessed with
ranking
and achievement while Joy herself considers her own options: "To
really
make it big in the Luxe market, you had to do something that brought in
a lot
of revenue without having to share it with too many other people."
Joy admits she feels she's “...drifting
farther and farther away from the life I wanted" as she
contributes to greasing the wheels of Plex society while feeling like
she's
helping others more than herself.
As issues of labor choice, gaming's allure,
and the promises and failures of social obligation and work affect Joy
and her
child's relationship and disparate visions of their future and its
attractions,
readers receive a thought-provoking examination of freedom,
responsibility, and
ambition that is challenged by futuristic pressures and scenarios.
Each story builds a very different vision of
how the world could work better, how it's evolved, and how characters
reconsider their own motivations and participation in society to affect
the
future.
More so than most sci-fi short story
collections about future social issues, these short stories encourage
dialogue
and discussion about what elements could work better for the planet and
its
people.
Libraries and readers looking for especially
diverse, thought-provoking sci-fi forays into not only what works, but
why,
will find Transform the World a
potent gathering of forces that juxtapose tales of hope, social
inspection, and
a feeling of peaceful opportunity into the sci-fi short story world.
Return to Index
The Zone
Stu Jones
Dropship Publishing
978-1-954386-09-9
$14.99
Website: www.stujonesfiction.com
Ordering link: https://www.amazon.com/Zone-Cyberpunk-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0C7DQ18TW
The Zone is a cyberpunk thriller that
incorporates sci-fi and
elements of military engagement in its story of the future. It revolves
around
tech addiction and law enforcement in the city of Neo Terminus, where
nano-boosted gladiators (Enforcers) fight to the death in the
Conglomerate-controlled event known as The Zone.
Chance
Griffin has
become an Enforcer for the Conglomerate, driven by the health needs of
his
child. He rises quickly to professional success, then is invited to
compete in
a coveted Zone event that promises further wealth and an end to all his
problems.
It's
anything but. In
fact, it portends a revised and new form of oppression which will
result in the
complete enslavement of the citizens of Neo Terminus, and which also
will
cement his own reliance on the Conglomerate without its promise of
solution and
redemption.
As Chance
trains for
his big event, he becomes immersed in the underlying motivations,
politics, and
scenarios the Congolmerate has struggled to keep hidden. Stu Jones
peppers
these realizations with the step-by-step training process that keeps
Chance on
his toes and learning new skills that he'll eventually apply in
unexpected
ways. The action-packed descriptions simply sizzle with exciting "you
are
here" impact:
"Chance’s shouts of excitement died in his throat
as he blasted
from the launch tube onto the training grid. A twilight world of haze
gray and
matte purple filled his vision, the strobing lights of his HUD
flashing out of sync. He somersaulted
through the air, his body twisting wildly as he fell.
“How the hell do I—?”
“Don’t fight it, knucklehead.” Sam’s voice filled his ears. “Let the
suit compensate for the landing.”
“I can’t see,” Chance called out, his world inverting over and over
again.
Chance's search for answers leads readers into scenarios filled with confrontation. The surprise realizations will prove delightful challenges even to seasoned cyberpunk and thriller readers who usually see patterns unfold and scenarios unwinding far in advance. Not here.
The result
is a
cyberpunk production that holds the ability to reach beyond its roots
in sci-fi
and into thriller audiences seeking edgy, action-packed descriptions
and delightful
twists they won't see coming.
Return to Index
The Blue Whale Sings From Afar
Josefina Bérard
Atmosphere Press
9781639888115
$12.99
www.atmospherepress.com
The Blue Whale Sings
From Afar
intersects nature with human affairs, binding its free verse
explorations with
a sense of color and purpose that swim through revelations as sweet and
poignant as the poem 'The Swan Who Sang With a Heart,' in which the
flow of
identity, purpose, and purity evolves from the ordinary effort of
drinking a
cup of coffee: "A white swan was
swimming in my coffee/As in a pond of everlasting sweetness.../The
swan, he had
a heart with him/The heart of forgotten times..."
Josefina Bérard unearths poetic reflection
from cups of tea or coffee, Victorian afternoons, and attempts to grasp
the
elusive daily act of living a full life when purpose and pleasure pull
away.
Each carefully crafted piece is like a
jigsaw puzzle, both able to stand on its own and yet contributing a
broader
sense of perspective to the greater efforts. Such an example lies in
'With a
Cat's Leap':
"So, to the harbor I
went/To feel the sea, the boats, the stripped garments/And the sense of
freedom
to the core./To love the rain dripping in my face/And love the rain
dripping in
my soul."
Whether stripping away dark matters of the
soul or fully embracing and thus exposing them to the reader's eye,
this
collection holds a unified connection to nature. Quests for peace and
the
opportunity of holding gems of seasonal change and poetic evolution
live side
by side here, in The Blue Whale Sings
From Afar.
Libraries seeking strong, contemporary free
verse examples of literary connections to nature will find The Blue Whale Sings From Afar a fine
example of celebrating life
and nature in all its incarnations. As one season ends and another
opens, so
the flow of these poems move betwixt opportunities and observations,
ever into
the light of an accessible form of literary inspection that promises to
reach a
wide audience.
Return to Index
Faster,
Annihilators!
Travis Hupp
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-892-4
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
If its
unusual title,
Faster, Annihilators!, doesn't pique
interest, the LGBTQ+ poetry will. Written over a period of some
twenty-four
years that follow Travis Hupp's evolution as a gay man from high school
into
adult circles, they provide enlightenment, humor, and social
observation that
moves beyond autobiographical reflection and well into the field of
psychic
awakening and struggles with social expectations and mores.
Poetry
readers can
anticipate vivid pieces of interpersonal and life connections that are
wide-ranging in nature, from a grief process involving a cat to gender
identity
and community involvements.
Each poem
chronicles
survival tactics, both on a humanity-wide and a personal level: "We still debate/exactly what
happened/as if the madness was alien to us/when in fact we were the
madness..."
The
microcosm/macrocosm juxtaposition of these works provides satisfyingly
thought-provoking opportunities to reflect on cause, effect, and the
impact of
repression, yet undercurrents of hope permeate many of the pieces to
add new
possibilities to the forces of oppression and repression that evolve
from inner
and outer influences: "No clocks in
this fortress/that protects the world/from my wounded heart/Once
branded a
criminal/time means nothing at all/You just get wrung out/trying to
wash the
stain off/Still I choose wild hope/in the face of creeping torture..."
It's that
"wild
hope" that keeps these poems entering into realms of new possibilities
and
options. It's that sense of "turning the angry blue/of my latest
bruise" into vigils of transformation that will attract readers into
Hupp's life and the literary forces that permeate his exploration of
his world
and place in it.
Rarely does
LGBRQ+
literature hold the ability to reach traditional readers, but this
vivid piece
extolling the challenges and possibilities of social change and
personal
transformation is clear in its message of hope and opportunity, which
will
reach a wider audience of poetry and social issues readers than the
usual work.
"I try to drag into the light/truths people
wouldn’t/be caught
dead telling/One day I’ll outfeel intellect/One day/I’ll outreason
rebellion..."
When
rationale,
social observation, and personal evolution collide, the result is
powerful
indeed. Libraries seeking poetry works that toe the line between memoir
and
social examination will find Faster,
Annihilators! just the ticket for book clubs and readers
exploring
bigger-picture thinking about life trajectories, choices, and social
influences.
Return to Index
Ghosts of
Mr. Baker
Brian Zaffino
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-869-6
$15.99
www.atmospherepress.com
While Ghosts of Mr. Baker may sound like a
supernatural exploration, it actually represents poetry and prose that
resonates on different levels of awareness, leading readers through
time and
space in a literary effort designed to engage audiences by capturing
the
unseen, mysteries of life and afterlife, and the evolution of complex
relationships between self and the world: "Freedom
is running with the blind/not listening to the suffocation of a brain."
Brian
Zaffino is
"forever chasing ghosts," but these are spirits of conscious and
subconscious nature whose elusive countenances accompany happiness and
realizations that typically "only last a moment." Also inherent in
these inspections of life, self, and ghostly echoes are reflections on
God's
place in this greater scheme of haunted life: "God
doesn’t hear dead men/but I hope he answers them/unless the
phone ringing in the distance/simply can’t be picked up."
Zaffino
creates both
a tribute to Mr. Baker ("Hobey", who is "hockey royalty")
and an inspiration and an acknowledgement of the ghostly echoes and
influences
of the past, with icons of wonder guiding present-day life. His
inclusion of a
childhood girlfriend's summation of his group of friends and their
milieu is
captured in a pointed prose tribute to Mr. Baker's lasting influence:
“It’s kinda scary how similar you all are. All
really good looking,
really good hockey players, really funny, and have all these other
musical or
artistical talents but somehow are all still so insanely sad about
life…I don’t
know, something about all of you St. Paul’s hockey boys.”
The meat of
these
works lies in making sense of life, recognizing home, and acknowledging
the
impact the spirits and souls of people hold on everyday lives that
unfold
alongside or without them.
"I swore I’d never run away/So god bless the broken
force that
always brings us back." Ghosts of Mr. Baker 's haunting
reflections on
faith, loss, growth, and falling in love with past and present memories
will
earn it a place in any library strong in contemporary works blending
autobiographical experience and bigger-picture thinking about the
ghosts that
influence life, and how we become them, in spirit.
Return to Index
Harvest: Short Stories
Richard Scharine
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-884-9
$15.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Harvest: Short Stories
is a literary continuation of the collection Richard Scharine
introduced in The
Past We Step Into, offering six
tales that move from the author's Wisconsin roots to his health
struggles as an
adult.
Each story
demonstrates that the notions of survival and growth in America may not
be as
cut-and-dried as some would think as a progression through the years
continues
to expand the notion of fruitful life experiences and strength.
The opening story
'Harvest' chronicles a coming-of-age in the late 1940s, where family
farms that
portended a blossoming empire have turned into communities where the
Temple
family hierarchy raises more than crops, but beliefs:
"If Peggy were to describe her calling,
after automatically listing her community-determined categories of
wife,
mother, Christian, etc., she would say that she was
a Witness: someone who saw the world as truthfully as possible,
evaluated it
according to a standard, but withheld judgment out of love and pity.
It’s a
calling she would have liked to pass on to the son who stands
impatiently by
her side.”
From inheritances, tenants, and other
evidences of power and control to a child's blossoming perceptions of
what
these hierarchies mean to his life and future, Scharine captures the
sense of
the Midwest and its local color. He doesn't remain captivated and
rooted in
this environment, but expands the stories to other milieus as this
central
influencer also moves into other territories, there to take root under
new
environments and experiences.
Under his hand, these stories grow as deeply
as their characters, resting on preliminary roots of experience, but
gravitating into American cultural and social encounters that also
translate
their power and impact into life perceptions and perspectives: "Rik knew immediately what he was
searching for and why he didn’t want to be questioned."
The stories evolve different characters,
ideals of homestead and hearth, and reflect changing social and
political times
in America.
Libraries and readers seeking literary yet
accessible productions that capture the heartbeat of American
experience will
find Harvest: Short Stories an
evocative, thought-provoking attraction that deserves profile in book
clubs
interested in literary works tracing American communities and growth.
Return to Index
Tales From the Hereafter
Ted Myers
Deuxmers, LLC
978-1-944521-18-9
$14.95 Paper/$6.99 ebook
www.deuxmers.com
Stories about the hereafter are typically
gloomy, scary, or ominous. Ted Myers here imagines some seventeen
post-death
experiences, offering first-person accounts "direct from the afterlife"
which vary wildly in their notions of heaven, hell, and whatever lies
in-between.
Take the opening short story, 'Bardo Train
to Canarsie.' This opens with an unexpected bang as the narrator admits
that
death is not all he'd thought it was going to be:
"My body had been dead
for two days. I could hear my brother monks chanting the mantra of the
dead the
whole time: “Go to the Light. Do not be distracted by the demons of the
bardo…”
If this was the bardo, it certainly was not what I was expecting."
The narrator's effort to "go to the
light" results in a subway encounter with the ragged Leroy C.V. Jones,
a
poet (and possible demon) who doesn't just interfere, but messes with
the
narrator's vision of his final mission to go towards the right light.
As he faces tricks in locating and leading
Leroy into the fabled white Light of Canarsie, readers will be
surprised at the
course his final mission takes.
Compare this to 'For All Eternity,' in which
a fifty-year marriage doesn't end with death, but contains new
opportunities
and insights that redefine commitment.
“I want to go where
Sarah goes.”
But is this even possible, given the new truth that emerges to thwart
the
narrator's deepest desire?
Each story provides a thought-provoking
twist that will prove unexpected and surprising. Each tale offers a
startling
new vision of the afterlife, its purposes, and ironic results that stem
not
just from choice, but new realizations.
The stories also excel with surprising
diversity, whether exploring the afterlife of a Black worker, a monk,
or dreams
that fall into truths that shake the afterlife.
Libraries and readers seeking a powerful
compendium of thoughts about what an afterlife could ultimately bring
and mean,
especially those involved in book club or spiritual discussion groups
interested in literary works that excel in their disparate visions of
these
possibilities, will find Tales From the
Hereafter a hard-hitting series of vignettes that grasp with
creative
surprises and unpredictable scenarios and outcomes.
Return to Index
Tangled Iron Cages on the Prairie
Cecil Homer
Atmosphere Press
978-1639884056
$14.95
www.atmospherepress.com
Tangled Iron Cages on
the
Prairie offers a lesson in Midwestern culture and
irony as it inspects not the wagon train era, but the wild ride of
modern times
in the 1960s. Three main characters (Bob, Jennifer and Helen) explore
their
world and its influence through flashbacks, intersected experiences,
and lives
that resonate with Illinois culture and period influences.
The uncommon literary devices Cecil Homer
employs in this study will prove especially accessible and appreciated
by
students of Midwestern contemporary literature, who will find in the
story and
its presentation build a powerfully compelling atmosphere in which
values and
experiences are put to the test of self-imposed limitations from these
same
perceptions.
What is the message, here? Just as the Bible
is not always evident in its revelations, so the characters discover
that life,
too, harbors an element of disguise and puzzle that both thwarts and
supports a
search for truth and meaning.
Each character reflects on their
circumstances, life trajectory, and the nature of this journey in
different
ways. Readers can expect philosophical, historical, and psychological
insights
to emerge, all centered in Midwestern values and experience, as the
disparate
topics grow to embrace history and origins:
"Plainsboro is an
unusual
name for a town; how did it come about? Here on the plains of Illinois,
it
seems right to call a town Plains. But that is too ordinary, so why was
“boro”
added? The Scotch Irish from North Carolina did it. Our town had no
name except
“Jones” after the first grocer. He was a crook – hanged, which created
a
problem for the citizens. At the time, there was a large number of
country
folks from North Carolina – the Scotch Irish. They wanted a name to
remind them
of back home as a way to mitigate the loss and sorrow from moving west.
That
is, if they chose a good name for the town it might bring good fortune.
Goldsboro was first proposed by a would-be promoter and marketer of the
day."
Readers familiar with Midwestern psychology
and culture will be especially appreciative of the threads of each that
Homer
winds into his tale as the comedic farce plays out and the characters
contemplate exciting new lives and opportunities.
As graduation and the promise of
transformation looms, the story assumes added attractions of love,
grief, and
moving between worlds as the contest between Plainsboro and Seattle's
lures
plays out.
Libraries and readers seeking books rooted
in contemporary Midwest culture and promises will find Tangled
Iron Cages on the Prairie an excellent literary study that
deserves discussion and debate in any book club or reading group
interested in
self-imposed cages and limitations and the blossoming of friends,
lovers, and
new adults.
Its heartfelt characters and their
interconnected lives and ambitions keep readers thoroughly engaged and
lightly
challenged by the format and diversity of perspectives and experiences.
Return to Index
Under Her Eye
Lindy Ryan and Lee
Murray, Editors
Black Spot Books
978-1-64548-137-9
$14.95 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Under-Her-Eye-Horror-Showcase/dp/1645481379
Under Her Eye: A Women
in
Horror Poetry Showcase, Vol. II
is a literary gathering of women's horror poetry writing. It
complements
the first volume and adds new insights about women who struggle with
particular
forms of horror that include abusive and dark situations at home and in
society.
This
wide-ranging
definition of horror allows for an equally broad inspection of its
identification and incarnation, creating a powerful anthology of horror
and its
concurrent antonym, hope.
Vivid
scenarios and
strong emotions mark a literary prowess on the parts of each
contributor to
this anthology. This translates to a focus on physical and
psychological
incarnations of horror experiences, as well as the kinds of disparate
responses
that lead to survival. Just as there is no set definition of what
constitutes
horror, so there is no singular path towards mitigating its impact, as
these
pieces demonstrate.
As for the
works
themselves, their complexity, diverse subjects and approaches, and
strengths
create a unified interpretation of horror that will both enlighten and
intrigue
readers on many levels.
Take 'Plain
White
Cotton Dresses' by Emma J. Gibbon, for one example. The seemingly mild
title
and the image it conjures are tempered by the tragedy that evolves as a
town's
women awaken to discover "When they
woke up that morning in the mist and green,/in every yard, a plain
white cotton
dress./Hanging from a wire coat hanger on the tree, fence, on the
washing line./Pure
and white and cold/and on each dress, a small note pinned/a white
square piece
of notepaper./In formal handwriting, in gray-black ink,/two words:/Why
not?"
Why not,
indeed?
Their uniform response to this discovery turns a mild event into a form
of
rebellion readers won't see coming.
Each poem
holds the
power to provoke thoughtful, strong reactions from its readers. Each
embraces
the quiet, feral, or forceful reactions of women to horror in a
different way.
Another example of this diversity lies in Christina Ladd's 'Burn It
Down':
"I will drill holes in my own strong bones/To fill
them with fire/I
will pluck out my eyes/And set the sockets with flint/So that when I
scrape my
gaze/Over this place/It will catch./Do you know what twenty years of
fear/Will
do to a person?"
No easy read, these
poems of rebellion and agony—but, an essential one for survivors and
women
navigating their own life currents of horror. Ideally, Under
Her Eye: A Women in
Horror Poetry Showcase, Vol. II
will not only be included in women's literature and poetry libraries,
but will be profiled for group discussion by book clubs, women's
groups, and
psychological circles focusing on abuse, empowerment, horror, and
recovery.
It's that important.
(As an
additional note, the Under Her Eye
series represents charity showcase developed in
partnership with The Pixel Project, a global non-profit organization
focused on
eliminating violence against women worldwide.)
Return to Index
Florence My Love
Graceann K. Deters
Legacy Notes Press
979-8218187897
$15.99
Paper/$6.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Florence-My-Love-Remarkable-Chautauqua/dp/B0C2SVRPWF
Libraries and readers
looking for biographies about women
in theater will want to acquire and study Florence
My Love: The Remarkable Life of a Chautauqua Star. It follows
the life of
author Graceann K. Deters's mother-in-law Florence Poling, offering a
rare
glimpse into the theater world of the earlier part of the 20th century.
It
reveals how an Iowa farm girl traveled the world and made her impact
upon it
far from home.
Florence achieved many goals
uncommon for a woman of her
times, from enrolling in a
prestigious music college and obtaining a degree in an era where women
rarely
went to college at all to contributing her vivid singing voice to
Chautauqua,
one of the largest and most revered cultural movements in the history
of the
United States and Canada.
Readers
might think
that daughter-in-law Graceann's story stems from unprecedented personal
access
to the stories, but it was her discovery of Florence's record of her
achievements (newspaper clippings, programs, and memorabilia) that led
to her
exploration of this remarkable story and its eventual publication here.
Serendipity
is a
funny thing, because Florence's biography does more than focus on one
woman's
remarkable achievements. It explore her times, the history and
contributions of
Chautauqua, and the hidden history of a woman whose passion for living
her life
against all odds resulted in a distance from her son and family that
largely
played down her achievements.
Another
reason why
this biography was even possible in all of its detail is that Florence
saved
virtually every program from every single recital she'd participated
in, along
with newspaper articles.
The
temptation to
focus on Florence's life and impact was great, but an even stronger
mandate was
to support Florence's belief that music changes the world. And so the
story
unfolds powerful connections between Florence's evolving life in music
and the
social changes it brings to her milieu and the country as a whole.
Deters
captures a
strong sense of place as well as that of purpose and career evolution
from the
start, crafting a compelling, rich loam of insights that readers will
find
appealing:
"Florence Poling was born in America’s Midwest,
surrounded by
neverending emptiness: sky, land, water. Surrounded by farmland in its
stark
and unrelenting presence, and a horizon so expansive it could swallow
you
whole. Even now, all these years later, if you drive 50 miles from the
depths
of any midwestern city, you’ll be devoured by rolling hills and flat
expanses
of fertile soil. Florence found it unnerving, all that emptiness, at
once gorgeous
and devastating. But here it was that her roots were planted."
Because the
story
reads with the excitement, passion, and personal attention of a novel,
it
incorporates the draw and drama of fiction into its nonfiction story.
This adds
additional layers of understanding to Florence's milieu and personal
struggles
in life: "No matter how much you
know a thing, it can still knock you down just as if you never saw it
coming."
The story
moves
through Florence's world and then into her influence on Graceann's
husband
Bill, tracing decisions, perspectives, and choices influenced by the
sum of her
life (even though its full processes weren't common knowledge to her
son).
Between the
"unending charisma" that gained her numerous easy friendships to the
travels that connected her to the music world and the correspondences
that kept
her grounded, Florence's vivid milieu comes to life in a biography that
celebrates faith, family, and creative endeavors alike.
Deters
crafts a
celebratory story that is vivid in its descriptions, taking the time to
ground
Florence's world in a sense of place and purpose:
"As always, the end of summer brought with it a
sudden and
inescapable pang of panic. Florence could feel the open road and the
opportunity for performances and rapt audiences collapse around her as
the
world pulled into greater darkness and chill. As she sat on a bench
overlooking
the Mississippi river, Florence tried and failed to fight off the dread
and
instead enjoy the late August sun falling through the oak trees
overhead and
the curve of gold that was the river below. “Itchy” is what John had
called
it—another name for the same energy that had always compelled Florence
to look
to the horizon. The only solution, in this moment anyway, was to think
of what was
right in front of her: a performance that evening at The Sheldon
Theater in
downtown Red Wing."
The result is lively,
personal, eye-opening, and celebratory. Anyone interested in music,
theater,
and women's shifting roles in the world will relish the romance,
career, and
travels captured in Florence
My Love.
Return to Index
Glove Shy
Janet Hurley
Lystra Books & Literary Services
979-8-9850083-5-7
$18.85 Paper/$7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Glove-Shy-Reckoning-Janet-Hurley/dp/B0C25437XG
Glove Shy: A Sister's
Reckoning demonstrates what the memoir format can do
under the right hands and approach. On the surface, it details a family
affair
based on journals, letters, emails, interviews, press clippings,
biographies,
autobiographies, photos, public documents, and artifacts. Under this
veneer of
well-researched study into boxing history and a brother's involvements
are also
heartfelt stories of personal interactions, and growth that reach
through
generations with influence and power.
The opening salvo of description clearly
makes this connection from the start:
"THAP,
thap, THAP, thap, THAP, thap-thap-thap-thap. Our
ten-year-old son, Liam, is hitting the heavy bag, the sound now in
concert with
my heartbeat. If he were older, with more weight behind his blows, I
might be
hearing thud, thud, thud. Maybe even punctuated with those airy-raspy
sounds
that come from exhaling through the nose, the sounds every boxer makes
when
throwing a punch. Sounds that resonate from my childhood, from a
basement in a
ranch-style house in upstate New York, where my older brother, Brian,
attacked
this same heavy bag, fervent, at first, with ambition."
Family live revolved around these sounds in
author Janet Hurley's youth, when her older brother Brian chose boxing
as his
goal and the sky seemed to be the limit for his abilities.
While boxing takes the center ring of family
developments, its incarnation and growth leads to and influences family
interactions as underlying emotional forces simmer beneath the veneer
of a
family effort to foster a child's success in the world.
Whether winning or losing, this story of
brother Brian's boxing efforts, broader insights, and their impact on
the
family (which both comes apart and together in unexpected ways) creates
an
interplay of faith, determination, and flawed perspectives that are
gripping
and astutely examined.
From fellow boxer Andy Schott's experiences
and battles to bigger-picture questions of how walls and bridges are
chosen and
built both within and outside of the family, readers will find far more
going
on here than a singular account of the boxing world or a brother's life.
Janet Hurley's special form of reckoning and
remembrance draws readers into a milieu of battles and conflict that
move
beyond the ring and into the heart:
"For years, I
remembered
the flicks of white bread that my mother spewed out as so much yeasty
venom.
Now, I can see it was desperation. It wasn’t that Andy took Brian’s
place as the
golden boy at the gym, or that he had the amateur career Brian always
wanted,
or that he got to turn pro. The real sin was that Andy was able to
leave boxing
behind him, move on, take on the next challenge. He could look back
with a
realistic eye and no regrets. And then, to add insult to injury, he had
my
trust and confidence, something Brian had squandered so many years
before."
The resulting candid, raw take on family
affairs, success, and relationship-building and deconstruction is
highly
recommended for libraries seeking powerful memoirs of growth, healing,
and
transformation. It will also attract book clubs and psychology groups
looking
for particularly revealing discussion points and insights that come
from the
world of boxing and family decisions and dynamics.
Return to Index
Honeymoon at
Sea
Jennifer Silva
Redmond
RE:BOOKS
978-1-7389452-0-7
$22.99
https://rebooks.ca/
Honeymoon at Sea is a memoir about
relationship-building, a
seafaring adventure, and a year spent living in close quarters on a
twenty-six-foot sailboat. From the start, Jennifer Silva Redmond admits
that
the major attraction to this journey wasn't about the experience of
sailing the
Pacific Coast, but about the atmosphere it embraced:
"When I recount our first long sea voyage, the
number one question
people ask is: “How did you two get along so well in that tiny space?”
My reply
is always the same: If you are in love and like spending a great deal
of time
together then a small boat has room to spare. If you aren’t thrilled to
be with
your partner twenty-four hours a day, then no yacht in the world is big
enough."
The second
common
question is: does she like living on a sailboat. The answer is no. She loves it. And this love permeates a
story of exploration and discovery that heads into previously uncharted
waters
for the author and stories of revelation for her readers as they
vicariously
sail along with her.
One striking
feature
of this journey is that Redmond cultivates a "you are here" feel
throughout, taking the time to incorporate descriptions of the passages
and
processes of living on a sailboat full-time:
"We barely made it to sunset, but it was worth
staying awake for.
The hills had turned a deep violet and the sky was illuminated with
golds and
deep reds, all reflected on dramatic cloud formations that spread
across the
cerulean sky in rose, gold, and hot pink billows and streaks. The water
of the
bay reflected all the colors on its glassy surface, mirroring the
celestial
glory. La Paz sunsets are justly famous, and though I am still partial
to
dawns, sunset would prove to be a highpoint of each day to come."
This isn't
just a
lone venture: Redmond meets fellow nautical families, couples, and
individuals
along the way who each represent another facet of adventurous boating
life: "The next day on the beach at the
Annual La Paz Dinghy Regatta we met another unusual couple. Mike and
Karen
Riley were completing a circumnavigation . . . on a 24-
foot Columbia. Yes, they had the same kind of boat as us,
even smaller than ours. And their sailboat had no engine."
Sailors,
readers who
would live the sailing dream through the pages of personal experience,
and
those who would navigate their own treacherous relationship waters to
better
understand their lives and the lure of travel will find Honeymoon
at Sea especially revealing in its ability to traverse
other cultures while exploring the nautical world's characters and
challenges.
As she works
on being
fluent in Spanish and in the language of love and independence, Redmond
finds
she is growing into her prowess as a writer and a sailor alike. She
brings her
readers along for an unexpected foray into new experiences that will
especially
delight armchair travelers interested in stories of living simpler
lives and
experiencing such riches.
Libraries
and readers
attracted to warm stories of love, relationship-building, journeys, and
life
encounters who find the sailing experience especially inviting will
find the
rich and warm-hearted stories of growth and discovery to be alluring
and
compelling in Honeymoon at Sea, as
the author's relationships and family expand.
Return to Index
I Love You More…To Suzanne, From Mark
Mark Mallardi
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-891-7
$24.99
www.atmospherepress.com
At first, I Love You More…To Suzanne,
From Mark seems yet another memoir about a couple battling
cancer and their
emotional and medical realizations in the face of the disease. Look
further to
understand that this memoir is something more than a personal journey,
documenting the failures of the United States cancer care system from a
perspective few couples can claim—both Mark and his wife were diagnosed
with
Stage 4 cancer just a few months apart.
One might anticipate that such an event
would lead to shared experiences, but here it also leads to increased
perception about the real approaches and limitations of traditional
cancer
treatment options as the couple learns that alternative (and viable)
cancer treatment
options had been systematically repressed in the U.S.
They journeyed outside the country in
pursuit of better alternatives. This is their story of that process of
diagnosis, options, realizations, and sordid realities, and it will
bring
information, understanding, and likely not a few surprises to those who
believed the U.S. offered state-of-the-art cancer treatments.
As much as medical and research information
is included, I Love You More…To Suzanne, From Mark is
not meant to be a
definitive guide of advice to other cancer patients, but a chronicle of
two
journeys and the individual decisions and discoveries that stemmed from
them.
Chapters embrace pilgrimages to Mexico City
and other environs, incorporating spiritual reflections into the
experiences to
bring these worlds and the two observers to life:
"That
was
Suzanne, always taking on the pain of all those around her. She was
steeped in
empathy, and given her heightened spirituality, her heightened
sensibility, and
her receptivity to Divine signals, I truly believe that being on that
hallowed
ground, in that place where miracles had happened, and hearing that
song, with
all the power it conveys, and especially sung by children, who she
loved
dearly, she was in fact able to tap into the bottomless well of joy,
and pain,
that make up the human condition."
The candid tone Mark Mallardi employs also
informs readers how difficult decisions and pursuits were made, and the
mindset
alternations that needed to take place in order for him to do so:
"As
difficult
as it is for me to make this admission, the reality is that in order
for me to
leave Suzanne that day, and to do so in a way that enabled me to
completely
commit myself mentally, physically, and spiritually to the battle I
would wage
with cancer at CHIPSA Hospital, in my mind I had to act as if Suzanne
had
already passed away. That’s the mind-set I had to adopt in order to
have the
strength to say good-bye to her that day. Nothing less would have
enabled me to
do so."
From how alternative cancer treatments are
marginalized and suppressed in this country to how Mark and Suzanne
relied on
faith, love, and determination to uncover these alternative pathways, I
Love
You More…To Suzanne, From Mark introduces a spirited and
thought-provoking
discussion of cancer politics and science that will lead readers from
all walks
of life to reconsider the focuses and priorities of the U.S. medical
system
itself.
Libraries and readers seeking a memoir that
tackles bigger-picture thinking will find I Love You More…To
Suzanne, From
Mark holds much food for thought, discussion, and
understanding that goes
beyond individual experience and builds a platform for pursuing
different
options and better understanding treatment logic and illogic.
It should be in any library collection
strong in cancer issues and U.S. medical system pursuits.
Return to Index
There Are No Answers Here, Only Questions
Charles Bruce
McIntyre
Tall Clover Publishing
9781088082027
$27.99 Hardcover/$17.27 Paper/$11.49 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/There-Answers-Here-Only-Questions/dp/1088082025
There Are No Answers
Here,
Only Questions details transitions and life-changing
moments that happened not once, but twice, nearly concurrently, marking
big
changes in Charles Bruce McIntyre's life that resonate to this day.
One story covers selling the business he'd
built for over thirty years. The other involves his battle with cancer.
Both
transitions introduced cathartic changes which would transform the
remainder of
his life in different and unexpected ways.
Readers who choose There
Are No Answers Here, Only Questions for its dual themes of
professional and personal transformation will find the memoir also
introduces a
particular form of philosophical life inspection. This holds insights
and
thought-provoking moments for anyone on their own journeys through
transitional
moments.
As McIntyre reveals business campaigns and
approaches that proved successful, he also probes the underlying
questions and
objectives of his ventures:
"My campaign had
worked.
Visibility and exposure, or what some call “connections,” might be the
most
misunderstood privilege of all...We won contests, Broker of the Year,
and other
awards. Herb never regretted his decision, and I never forgot the
lesson of not
taking no when there’s a yes if you keep looking."
More than a story of individual achievement
and struggle, McIntyre's reflections on business and personal life
decisions
reflect a greater purpose and results:
"My plan was simple:
our
folks needed an advantage, a leg up, an unleveled playing field that
sloped in
their favor for a change. “Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day,
but teach
him to fish, and he eats for a lifetime,” wrote Lao Tzu, the
contemporary of
Confucius. And we wanted our fishermen successful—we’d stock the pond."
From community-building involvements and
support systems to applying some of these concepts to his own world,
McIntyre
creates a set of questions, responses, and ultimate answers that
embrace the
meanings of philanthropic thinking, business goals, and life.
Libraries and readers seeking a wide-ranging
memoir that elevates beyond business or personal adversity to reach
into
community circles and opportunities for growth and transformation will
find There Are No Answers Here, Only Questions
astute, hard-hitting, and unexpectedly inclusive in its move between
business
and personal pursuits and personal choice and perspective's impact on
other
circles. Ideally, it also will be profiled in book clubs seeking
memoirs that
hold inspiration, enlightenment, and examples of building and
disseminating
power into the world.
Return to Index
Mystery & Thrillers
32 Minutes
Andrew Diamond
Stolen Time Press
978-1734139273
$12.99
https://www.amazon.com/32-Minutes-Freddy-Ferguson-Book-ebook/dp/B0C6GZ9P5S
32 Minutes is the third book in the
Freddy Ferguson mystery series,
and follows Freddy's inquiry into the disappearance of corporate
executive Karl
Larsson. From its opening lines, Freddy's first-person inquiry adopts
the savvy
of an investigator able to take first impressions and run with them:
"My first impression of Leighton Graham? The man
didn’t like
anyone but himself, and he may even have been on the fence about that.
Which
made him perfect for his job."
Freddy's
particularly
astute ability to sum up the nature of a man with a few succinct
insights is
confirmed by the resulting dialogue which only cements his inherent
dislike of
the man who has hired him to find his company's executive officer:
“Do you know where he was last seen?” I asked. “And
when?”
“Why don’t you ask his wife?” Graham was abrupt and unpleasant.
“Do you want to find
this guy?” I asked. “Because you’re not being very helpful.”
“What do you mean, do I want to
find him? He’s my CTO.
I’m trying to run a damn company here. I got his wife crying in my ear
and his whole tech team worried and distracted.
They’re not getting anything done. How much do you think that costs me
each day? Find the guy, okay?”
Find the
guy. Should
be relatively simple. That's Freddy's area of expertise, after all.
But Freddy
begins to
sense he's at a disadvantage as the case unfolds, because conflicting
business
and personal special interests dovetail to create a special case in
which
everyone has part of the answer and yet nobody seems to know the bigger
picture.
As in his
previous
Freddy mysteries, Andrew Diamond has crafted a flawed but likeable
character
whose talents often seem work against him as much as in his favor.
Freddy
brings a streetwise savvy into his inquiries that lends him a special
mantle of
knowledge others may not have: "It’s
hard to know when an addict is lying. Some of the ones I’ve known lie
for no
reason at all." But even this personal overlay of expertise
proves
lacking as Freddy is drawn into a story that holds no beginning and
possibly no
clear-cut ending, either.
Diamond
excels in
placing Freddy in the center of not just a mystery, but the lives of
addicts
and survivors who will do anything for and with him in order to satisfy
their
needs. Freddy's dilemmas evolve on personal and professional levels
readers may
not see coming. The story adopts many unpredictable twists and turns
that
continually test Freddy's astute analytical ability as well as his
drive to
survive and solve his latest case.
Newcomers
need no
prior familiarity with Freddy's persona and past in order to find 32 Minutes thoroughly compelling, while
prior fans will relish the opportunity to follow Freddy through another
dilemma
that tests his own determination to do his best against all odds.
Libraries
looking to
add to their Freddy mystery collections, as well as new readers
interested in
an investigation that profiles the investigator as much as his subject,
will
find 32 Minutes hard-hitting,
involving, and personality-driven. Its review of how circumstances and
individuals try to force Freddy's hand is thoroughly absorbing and
completely
unpredictable.
Return to Index
192 Days
Missing
Sue Denver
JGF Press
ASIN: B0BTV5QPL8
$5.99
https://www.amazon.com/Days-Missing-Sara-Flores-Werewolf-ebook/dp/B0BTV5QPL8
In 192 Days Missing, P.I. Sara Flores holds
an edge over most other detectives and investigators. She is a
werewolf. Her
special abilities typically lend her unusual perspectives that enhance
her
ability to problem-solving and find perps—but not in this case.
In fact, the
disappearance of Alaska Brown from a parking lot may prove Sara's
greatest
challenge yet, no matter what form she assumes, because Alaska has
invited the
anger of a billionaire who holds the purse strings to not only make
people
vanish, but mask any clues about their demise.
Readers need
not have
prior familiarity with the introductory Werewolf
for Hire in order to appreciate Sara's background and special
abilities in
this unfolding mystery. A succinct recap of Sara's world and its
influences is
provided in a one-page overview which is easy for prior readers to skip
and
essential for those new to Sara's circumstances.
Sara's
heightened
nose for trouble indicates that far more is going on here than one
disappearance alone. There's a simmering sense of evil about the entire
affair
that leads her on a dangerous journey. Her werewolf condition doesn't
always
give her an advantage: "Better
eyesight is not one of my
gifts
from my wolf. Just the opposite— I think my vision is worse than it was
before
my transformation."
Navigating
her new
abilities is only one conundrum Sara faces as her case keeps getting
bigger and
more puzzling. Her adversary not only has the money to evade justice,
but the
foot soldiers in place to reinforce and protect his position.
It turns out
that
Alaska Brown's disappearance is only the tip of the iceberg of
adversity that
draws Sara ever deeper into truths she (and her readers) doesn't see
coming.
Sue Denver's
ability
to make Sara's condition a part of the action rather than its central
focus
will delight readers who enjoy stories with supernatural elements, but
really
look for the mystery component to be prominent. She develops a fine
tension
between Sara's skills and the case at hand and keeps evolving in new
directions, creating a character whose moves, logic, and reactions are
both rational
and memorable.
Cross Sara
and she
becomes an animal—literally. But the fine line drawn by her
investigation
forces her to confront other elements of her personality and deductive
abilities which invite readers to become involved in her life.
A fine
undercurrent
of humor also traces lines of special interest as Sara candidly
narrates events
and her reactions to them:
"Mason guided me, unerringly, to the cameras and
then to the
computer running them. Then he told me to do one thing after another,
almost
none of which I understood. But, hey, I do know how to follow
directions. No
matter what some people might say."
Libraries
and readers
interested in a follow-the-money saga that also follows Sara's heart
and her
ability to dig out the truth will find the mystery and psychological
draw of 192 Days Missing to be
impeccable. Its
exploration of decisions made for the greater good, romance, and
financial
entanglements are as riveting as its protagonist's struggle with her
inner werewolf
and all-too-human reactions and abilities.
Return to Index
Behind
the Lies
Maren Cooper
She Writes Press
978-1-64742-587-6
$17.95 Paper/$9.95 ebook
Website:
marencooper.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Lies-Novel-Maren-Cooper/dp/1647425875
In Behind
the Lies, boss Chet Sutherland is more than a legend in
biotech circles who
has been grooming Will to be BioteKem’s next CEO. He's been
like a father
to Will. So when Will is called on the carpet with accusations of
impropriety
by Chet, he's flabbergasted. Underlying his concern is the fact that
Chet isn't
acting like himself at all.
The truth is that Chet is right, in some
ways. But this involves knowledge nearly impossible for him to have,
and when
Chet's life hangs on a thread hours later, it's up to Will to find out
what's
going on.
The story that evolves embraces intrigue and
mounting threats that come from both personal and professional circles
as a
cyberattack pairs with Will's efforts to help Chet's family in the face
of a
devastating illness.
Obviously, Chet uncovered some kind of truth
that is haunting and daunting. As Will searches for answers of his own,
he
finds Chet's course fraught with deadly danger that lies closer to home
than
he'd expected.
Maren Cooper creates a powerful entanglement
of strong personalities and business pursuits as the mystery grows. She
weaves
the realistic story of Will's transgressions and his own secrets with
the
bigger picture challenges of Chet's discoveries and their implications
for
Will's future.
As BioteKem investigations heat up, readers
are led through a rabbit warren of possibilities that will keep even
the most
avid thriller or mystery reader guessing about outcomes and nefarious
involvements.
In building the mystery around a
suddenly-imploded close relationship and following outcomes into
unexpected
arenas, Cooper crafts a business-centered story of intrigue which is
hard to
put down.
Libraries and readers seeking mysteries
especially powerful in connecting emotional, technological, and
business dots
of contention will find Behind the Lies
an intriguing survey of rebuilding rock-solid business and marriage
foundations
against all odds.
Return to Index
The Fifth Student
Geoffrey M. Cooper
Maine Authors Publishing
978-1633813595
$4.99 ebook/$18.95 paperback
Website https://geofcooper.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6YHYQ49
The Fifth
Student
provides the sixth book in the Brad Parker and Karen
Richmond series, and follows the unexpected web of lies and deceit that
unfolds
when Professor Brad Parker attempts to help a student accused of
cheating, only
to find he's opened a can of worms involving murder and bribery.
FBI agent Karen Richmond joins him
once again in pursuing
the truth, which leads to ever more complicated entanglements as the
duo
discovers that what seems a simple case has turned deadly and complex.
The developments between classroom,
test situations, and
rising questions about a student's involvements lead Brad to realize
that his
student's persona may not be what she'd exhibited to him.
Drawn into an investigation of a
mysterious fifth student's
identity, Brad employs his skills as a professor to enhance the
investigation
in non-traditional ways:
"...let me
try digging into these exams.
I think there’s another way to figure out who our fifth student is.”
Conway looked puzzled. “How the hell you
gonna do that?”
I gave him a playful wink. “Magic of
science.”
When trivial test mistakes lead him to
new revelations,
Brad finds himself mired in a test of his analytical skills as he draws
connections between seemingly disparate errors to arrive at surprising
truths
the average investigator can't begin to uncover.
Geoffrey M. Cooper takes a
step-by-step approach to following
Brad's logic and his special abilities, connecting the dots of a
mystery that
perhaps no other person could solve.
His detailed descriptions of how these
processes affect
Karen and Brad's pursuit of the truth creates a compellingly realistic
atmosphere,
engrossing readers in a murder mystery that rests not just on
revelations, but
dangerous gambits.
Libraries and readers needn't be
familiar with the prior
Brad and Karen mysteries in order to appreciate the nuances and
approaches of The Fifth Student.
With its surprises,
unexpected news, and Special Agent Karen Richmond's involvement in
young,
bright undergrad student Penny's life and scholarship, The
Fifth Student proves a rich story that highlights its
intrigue
with revelations readers won't see coming in an academic atmosphere
that is
filled with revelation and revised possibilities for achievement.
Return to Index
In$ured to
the Hilt
Charlotte Stuart
Level Best Books
9781685123406
$5.99 Kindle and $16.95 paperback
Website: https://www.charlottestuart.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/ured-Hilt-John-Smith-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C15G8469
John Smith
is a lowly
insurance claims trainee in In$ured to
the Hilt whose working life is not his own. Called on the
carpet by the
vice president of the company, he feels the need for a two-gulp shot
before
bracing himself for the storm that will inevitably follow from this
meeting.
He'll need
more booze
than this for what's coming, because a perfect storm emerges from his
meeting
with Martin van Droop which both fulfills his long-time passion to
become a
P.I. and tests his resolve over his chosen profession of claims
adjustor as a
poor (but profitable) second choice.
Charlotte
Stuart
injects humor into Smith's wry observations of his situation and those
around
him. This is one of the hallmarks of a mystery that both titillates the
imagination and leaves readers chuckling:
"His present to the junior staff had been to let
them rub elbows
with him while they munched green bonsai Christmas tree cookies and
drank weak
punch that made some of the admins giggly. My elbows had been among
those
rubbed. Perhaps my elbows were as forgettable as my face."
As it turns
out,
Smith has more affection for intrigue than physical dead bodies: "Yes, it might have worked. If she
hadn’t been dead. Damn. People were dying right and left, and they
seemed
determined to involve me in their messy departures. Why couldn’t they
leave me
alone to deal with crumpled fenders and sore necks? If I wanted to look
at dead
bodies, I’d have become a mortician."
As new
discoveries,
family affairs, work challenges, and personal clauses come to life,
Stuart
creates a vivid story of insurance, risk, and assessment. These
challenge Smith
beyond his capabilities or desires, forcing him to tackle not one, but
a series
of circumstances that feel unlikely and downright impossible.
Obsessions
with
safety, reputation, and alcohol permeate a story that produces a foggy
set of
affairs in which Smith is continually tested and forced to face various
kinds
of obstacles to the truth. His ongoing confrontations with the caustic
Emma and
his ability to constantly elude both unemployment and death make for a
delightful mystery that romps through whimsy and serious encounters
with the
added value of fun:
"After railing at me for several minutes, she
finally paused and
asked, “Are you alright?” Her tone implied that any condition short of
death
meant that I was totally responsible for my own actions. Unless I was
dead, I’d
better have a damn good excuse for whatever it was she was calling me
about."
Unable to
make
progress on either a settlement or an investigation, Smith faces
professional
and personal tragedy unless he can muster up better excuses and resolve.
Stuart's
ability to
present a likeable character in a flawed insurance investigator who
can't even
meet his own company's expectations of resolve creates a mystery as
packed with
psychological tension and attraction as it is intrigue.
Readers
seeking a
story embedded with the seriousness of a failing insurance investigator
who
inadvertently becomes the suspect in not one, but two murder
investigations
will find plenty of intrigue and twists in the tale that keep its
outcome
satisfyingly unpredictable.
Libraries
seeking
mysteries that excel with multiple layers of possibility will find In$ured to the Hilt a portrait in
uncertainty, redemption, and flawed perceptions, whether it is about
self,
insurance matters, or individuals who always feel they are owed
something in
life ... even when it comes to light that their perceptions are
underinsured.
Return to Index
Mainely
Wicked
Matt Cost
Encircle Publications
978-1-64599-460-2
$26.99
Hardcover/$16.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4D86219
Mainely Wicked adds to the Mainely series
of mysteries set in Maine
featuring Goff Langdon. Here, he faces a series of missing person cases
that
seem tied to supernatural influences in the Church of Satan.
Langdon
never thought
he would be treading on such mercurially dangerous paths in his
detective
efforts, but this case holds wide-ranging challenges and influences. He
enters
into a world of human sacrifices, diabolical intentions, and not just
one but a
circle of missing people who have fallen prey to deadly wicked
intentions.
The story
opens with
Liam, who is set to be not just sacrificed, but turned into human stew,
before
it moves into a chapter where Langdon reflects an interesting touch of
real
world Maine culture and literature through his endeavors:
"'That one's wicked
good,' the man at the counter said, his heavy Maine accent dripping
from every
word. Langdon was unpacking books from Encircle
Publications. He looked
at the book in his hand. It was Death
Through Destiny’s Door by C. M. Wendelboe. 'We sell a lot
of them,' he
said. Only Mainers would take a word meaning evil, he thought, and turn
it into
the opposite. Just to be contrary."
As his
latest mystery
confronts those with "...an insatiable appetite for human flesh,”
unexpected
levity sparks throughout the story in a way that will be especially
appreciated
by anyone with more than a casual familiarity with Maine's wry sense of
humor: “They have an insatiable appetite for
human
flesh.”
“Holy fucking donut,” Bart said. “You’re saying that some sick fucker
is planning on eating Annie Brown on the night of the Blood Supermoon?”
As everyday
Maine
life blends with impossible scenarios of the wicked undercurrents
affecting the
state, readers receive both a mystery and an unexpected foray into
satanic
circles which are always affected by the special community focus that
drives
many Maine environments and, surprisingly, also holds the power to
limit
Langdon's abilities:
“Want I should call the office now?” Chabal asked.
“Not yet,” Langdon said. “I’m not sure where to park.”
“Side of the road?” Chabal said sarcastically.
“This is the kind of neighborhood where an old Jeep parked on the side
of the road gets ten phone calls to the police.”
As Langdon
and his
wife Chabal move ever deeper into probing the community's underbelly,
their
effort to solve a mystery turn into a struggle to survive the truth of
what
they discover.
Once again,
Matt Cost
has created a rich interplay between Maine atmosphere, mystery, and
special
interests that evolve to affect Langdon and Chabal's seemingly familiar
world.
Nobody is immune to the possibility of becoming human stew as the story
progresses.
Libraries
and readers
interested in mysteries built on the platform of a firm sense of place
and
local flavor, replete with action and surprises that evolve as the
investigators find their trail leads into personal threats and
bloodletting,
will find the vivid interactions between perps, detectives, and Maine
culture
to be compelling.
Its
unexpected
developments and conclusions makes Mainely
Wicked a fine addition to the series as well as a powerful
stand-alone read
that will prove especially inviting to anyone familiar with Maine
culture, who
will find delightful its presence and evolution in the peoples and
conundrums
of this story.
Return to Index
Missed Cue
Lynn Slaughter
Melange Books
ASIN:
B0CB72TDVX
$5.99
https://www.amazon.com/Missed-Cue-Lynn-Slaughter-ebook/dp/B0CB72TDVX
There's a
reason why
a ballet production of Romeo and Juliet could seem so stunningly
realistic and
compelling. And that reason is death.
The sudden
demise of
a ballerina onstage could have come from natural causes, but detective
Caitlin
O’Connor doesn't think so in Missed Cue. What killed Juliet/Lydia
is all too real, as
a missed cue reveals.
As the
mystery
evolves, other missed cues arise. There are many possible perps and
motives for
murder—but there is no actual evidence that a murder took place.
Caitlin is
missing the cues that would point her in the right direction.
Ironically, the
missed cues and puzzles of her own life relationships and choices
mirror the
failings of the young ballerina as Caitlin's probe of Lydia's life
reveals the
connections and options that contributed to her demise.
Lynn
Slaughter's
special brand of intrigue lies not just in identifying a perp and
murder modus
operandi, but in closely examining the methods, perceptions, and impact
of the
investigator's life as she navigates murky waters both onstage and off.
As threats
fall
closer to home and lead Caitlin to realize that Lydia's life isn't the
only one
at stake, readers are led into a world of disillusionment, anxiety
patterns,
and anguish that explores a soap opera series of dramatic connections
while
still considering that the death may not, in fact, be a homicide.
Unable to
make a
clean break from her relationships with married men and their confusing
consequences, Caitlin finds her life too closely tied to Lydia's demise
and its
puzzles as she navigates her own treacherous world and comes closer to
both
solving problems and revealing deadly new ones. The time and attention
Slaughter gives to building Caitlin's personal dilemmas and weaving
them into
her own motives for action and inaction provide fine psychological
tension and
realistic drama:
"I slept fitfully that night and beat myself up all
Saturday
morning for my inability to make a clean break from Chet. All I’d had
to say
was I no longer cared in the same way, and I knew he’d leave me alone.
Yet I couldn’t
do it. I felt hopelessly stuck, confused."
The story's
move
between whodunit to how characters fall prey to dangerous forces in
their lives
creates an intriguing contrast between worlds which evolves to make
Caitlin's
personal dilemmas every bit as compelling and convoluted as her
professional
investigation.
The result
is a
winning murder mystery that lures genre readers with a case of murder
and
matters of the heart which may not even be a crime at all.
Libraries
and readers
looking for a different take on intrigue and explorations of the worlds
of
dancers who live on the edge in more than one way will find Missed Cue a compelling murder mystery
filled with delightful revelations and unexpected relationship results.
Return to Index
Otobong's
Gift
A. Wilson Steele
Mouse Hole Farm Press
979-8-218-22464-6
Signed hardcover: https://www.advancedequinestudies.com/mhf-press
Ebooks/print: www.amazon.com
Audiobook: Tantor
Media
Otobong's Gift, the third book in the Griegg/Eastwood
series, combines history with mystery, building an atmosphere of
intrigue
through family connections and a puzzle that leads from Mississippi
roots back
to Africa.
When Alana
perceives
miscarriages of justice in both her family’s past and present time, the
Griegg
team of investigators move in to set things right.
With the passion and determination that has
carried readers through the first two books, Alana and Sigmund embrace
the
methods of genealogical research, and investigative clues to
reveal unexpected family secrets on both sides of the Atlantic.
A. Wilson
Steele's
astute development of intrigue within the broader story of family
visionaries
and the impact of past choices upon present-day decisions and
conundrums makes
for a riveting plot. Alana grows into her abilities to not only embrace
them,
but consider them growth opportunities for better understanding her
expanded
role and influences in life.
The stormy
encounter
between Sigmund and Alana that was introduced in The
Trap and expanded into an uneasy camaraderie in Zen develops further in Otobong's
Gift, a progression which will
make this story especially attractive to prior readers of Alana's
adventures.
Perhaps the
most deeply
moving of all is the progressive evolutionary process that builds on
prior
foundations of relationships to continue to expand into new directions.
Steele
recaps and builds upon these precedents with an astute eye to drama and
discovery:
“While the police could capably investigate the
murders,” he said.
“They failed to grasp the link between a World War II era letter and
the
current day murders. That was the role my investigative team played.
“It was a harrowing ordeal that almost killed my father, and Alana,”
Sigmund explained, “but we solved the mystery of what we called the trap and we’ve moved on.”
“We flew here, not knowing if Jett’s death was a crime, but several
alarming coincidences make us ready to help in any way we can. We just
want to
find the truth.”
The result
combines
elements of history, mystery, thriller, and psychological evolution as
each
character confronts their own past, present, and possible futures, both
together and apart.
Libraries
and readers
will relish the depth and complexity of a story that embraces African
and
American encounters and culture, moving from the 1800s to modern times
in a
manner that brings spirited revelations to audiences who might think
they know
where the mystery is heading.
They won't
... and
that is just one of the delights of this heady story, highly
recommended for
cozy mystery readers looking for stories that enter uncommon
international
settings in a search for character understanding, resolution, and
acceptance.
Return to Index
The Arsenal
of Deceit
Donald Levin
Poison Toe Press
978-0-9972941-9-4
$22.95 Paper/$4.69 ebook
Website: www.donaldlevin.com
Ordering link: https://www.amazon.com/Arsenal-Deceit-Donald-Levin/dp/0997294191
The Arsenal of Deceit is a story of
intrigue and social inspection
set in Detroit in 1941. It focuses on a cast of characters who
investigate
their worlds, from P.I. Elizabeth Waters, who is probing Detroit's
pro-Nazi,
Christian nationalist groups, to Black detective Clarence Brown's
discovery of
a deadly racist conspiracy and Eva Szabó's mission to uncover the
source of anti-union
violence.
Four
investigators
seemingly making their own paths through the political and social
turmoil of
Detroit find their worlds intersect in more than professional manners
as they
navigate uncertain (and uncharted) waters of treachery and plots. Their
conclusions will shake the foundations of their personal missions and
society
as a whole.
The
dialogue-driven
story is especially strong in interactions between different characters
and
players on all sides of the law, contrasting the search for justice
with the
deeper inspection of personal ethics and motivations for actions that
don't
always fall on the side of propriety.
It's no easy
dance to
present the concurrent evolution of four different characters; or to
move
between them with such grace that readers are carried by the momentum
of each
character's charisma and ongoing developments, with little confusion
experienced during these transitions.
The
discoveries about
special interests fostering social conflict in America are especially
thought-provoking as events mirror modern-day turmoil affecting broad
circles
of society:
"Issues of The
American
Vindicator. The Detroit National Workers League
Newsletter. They call
for immediate impeachment of FDR for throwing “our young American
manhood into
the BLOODY JEW REVENGE WAR IN EUROPE.”
“What does your father do with all this?” Denny asks.
“He gives it to people so they can distribute it.”
“Where does it come from?”
“A lot of it comes from Germany. A lot comes from the Christian Front,
here in America.”
The organization Father Coughlin promotes; they want a white Christian
America. The boys who stole guns from Eppinger’s belong to the
Christian Front;
they took the guns to arm the group."
Readers well
aware of
modern history will find the events and well-researched backdrop of
this story come
to life, spiced not only by the strong character development and
contrasts in
motives and influence, but by the powerful intersection of research
into
American history which lends a real foundation of truth to matters that
test
the characters and their readers.
Perhaps at
no other
time would the events of the 1940s outlined in The
Arsenal of Deceit prove so compelling to both history buffs
and
average Americans with little familiarity with the past. Its echoes and
resemblance to present-day scenarios is eerie, offering much food for
thought.
Libraries
and readers
interested in novels that promise appeal outside the usual historical
fiction
circles will find The Arsenal of Deceit
not only highly recommended for thoughtful readers who like their
intrigue
spiced with real-world events and questions, but for book clubs
interested in
debating the underlying influences directing both political and
community
circles in past and present American society.
Return to Index
Beth's
Behavior
Maggie Sims
Independently
Published
979-8-89044-402-8
$5.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CC3VX89F/
In the
fourth book of
the School of Enlightenment series, Beth Jenkins exhibits both high
hopes and
hijinks as she balances society's rules with her own free spirit and
the
oversight of cousin Lady Althea Egerton, who is tired of Beth's ability
to
flaunt propriety and social mores with equal unconcern.
Her
explorations of
her sexual attractions and strong identity have been reinforced by the
School
of Enlightenment's teachings, but once let loose in the world, Beth has
exhibited a nonconformist attitude that challenges her cousin's
training and
management:
“You have likely heard—how do they say it?—I am not
the most
discriminating. I would argue that I am simply more open-minded than
much of
the Ton but still discerning.”
“What do you mean?”
“I do not only enjoy blonds or tall men or large-breasted women.” She
winked, and he grinned, feeling his shoulders drop away from his ears.
She continued. “I like many shapes and sizes. In part, because I look
beyond the physical, even for a casual encounter. I prefer to spend
time with
kind, generous, thoughtful people. After all, as you demonstrate
here”—she
swept her hand from the restraints on the bed to the open
trunk—“smarter people
offer more interesting ways to be intimate.”
Dalliances
aside,
Beth is about to receive quite a different education in the form of the
enticing and comparatively shy Robert Orford, whose attractions to the
unusual
are mitigated only by his interest in staying in the background of
social
affairs and romance, having been bullied in the past.
Beth's fiery
passions
set him on fire and threaten to consume them both as the story plays
out. As
Beth uses her vast network of contacts (both in the Ton and working
class) to
help Robert and others, their relationship develops. Her ability to
contribute
to Robert's business through networking and matchmaking is yet another
new
experience for Robert. Her disregard for rules results in different
outcomes as
Beth finds her free spirited ways unexpectedly challenged and changing
in new
directions.
Detailed
descriptions
of interplays between Beth and Robert and some same-sex encounters
provide
sensual descriptions of physical intimacy that aren't recommended for
romance
readers seeking lessons in propriety alone.
Maggie Sims
embeds
Beth's character with the same powerful, sensual passions and pursuits
as in
previous books and characters' lives, but adds the value of a spirited
young
woman whose outrageous behaviors may ultimately vanquish the very
attraction
that has replaced her search for conquests. Concurrently, Robert, too,
must
decide if he can overcome his past and stretch beyond his comfort zone
to
embrace a love and partnership with a young lady so willing to help him
in
business and in life.
Threads of
ironic
observation permeate Beth's sexual discoveries and add a sense of humor
to the
ribald encounters she experiences: "You can’t say you’re bored
now.
She rolled her eyes at her inner voice."
The result
is another
titillating story of discovery, in which a powerful and proactive
experimenter
meets her match and must assess whether the price of falling in love is
worth
bowing to convention or maintaining her independence and outrageous
reputation.
Readers
seeking no
holds barred sex scenes which evolve in the course of a determined and
sexually
active young woman's embrace of not just happily-every-after, but
satisfied-for-life will find Beth's
Behavior just as passionately engrossing as the prior School
of
Enlightenment characters and scenarios.
It's an
attraction
filled with surprises as Beth's behavior evolves to enter uncharted
territory.
Return to Index
The Covenant
Sacrifice
Lee Allen Howard
Three First Names
978-1733700948
$19.99 (trade paperback), $4.99 (ebook)
Website: https://leeallenhoward.com/book/the-covenant-sacrifice/
Ordering: https://a.co/d/5gwuVzp
The Covenant Sacrifice is a novel of
horror that covers death,
rebirth, and an ages-old curse that returns to life.
There are
many
'trigger' moments to this story as it unfolds in disparate,
satisfyingly
unpredictable directions, from blood and bullying to addiction, abuse,
and
occult operations. Readers who are sensitive to these themes may wish
to look
elsewhere; but those able to accept their injection into the plot as
part of
what keeps its developments rich and involving will find The
Covenant Sacrifice a powerful novel of faith, sacrifice, and
endurance.
"You were brought here, together, for a bigger
reason than finding
a little girl."
Jarod
Huntington's
return to his rural roots in the town of Annastasic Creek leads to not
just
personal growth, but new revelations about missing persons and the
mandate of a
defrocked pastor who has gone astray in more than one way.
As
homophobia and
horror dovetail, Jarod's mission becomes one of not only
self-discovery, but
redemption and rescue as he and Scott interact, fulfill their
destinies, and
find in each other both promise and threat.
As The Covenant Sacrifice unfolds, it
reveals new possibilities between the "man who never came home" and
he who wants to settle down and start a family, couching personal
interactions
and revelations within the larger picture of community involvement,
straight
and gay relationships, and family struggles.
"Who are you living for?" This becomes
the central
question in Jarod's world as he considers alternative possibilities for
his
life's course, coming to realize that alternate realities exist under
the
veneer of everyday life.
Replete with
strong
characters whose interactions reflect social pressures, mores, and
choices, The Covenant Sacrifice
couches its
horror component in a strong sense of social inspection. The plot
demands from
its characters a newfound vigilance as ancient curses are evoked and
modern
dilemmas unfold from them.
Whether
readers
choose The Covenant Sacrifice for
its
paranormal promise or its social inspections, one thing is certain: its
draw
and thought-provoking scenarios are powerfully rendered attractions.
They are
designed to appeal to a wide audience, surprising those who expect
formula
products with bigger-picture thinking that goes beyond supernatural or
horror realms
to delve into matters of the human heart and soul.
Libraries
and readers
seeking a story that holds disparate threads of attraction will find The Covenant Sacrifice a winner.
Return to Index
Final Lullaby
Sasha Lauren
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68513-257-6
$20.95 Paper/$5.99 ebook/$17.46
Audiobook
Website: www.blackrosewriting.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Final-Lullaby-Sasha-Lauren/dp/168513257X/
In Final
Lullaby, Tucker and Angela are
gentle, sweet souls who have found in each another a kindred spirit.
Tucker's
blues music talents lure Angela, who contemplates the surprising
scenario of a
connection developing between them:
"Tucker
took my hand as though helping me out of a
luxury limo. I
stood face to face with this shining mystery man I’d met ever so
briefly at the
party of a childhood friend and could only giggle in response to his
grin. The
two of us would make lousy poker players."
Love is in
the air
from the very beginning ("Tucker
showed me his house with the earnestness of a bighearted lap dog who
only wants
to share himself and be loved."), proving it is possible to
fall in
love in mere seconds. This is not the end of the story, however—it's
only the
beginning.
<Sometimes
love is not
enough. In Tucker and Angela's case, love drives an examination that
revolves
not just around romance, but dances through impossible conundrums,
social
expectations, and taboos that come to rest on their shoulders.
Unexpected
developments pull Angela into worlds with moral and ethical dilemmas
she'd
never closely examined, much less dreamed of.
Sasha Lauren
cuts to
the chase in her candid probe of a topic many fictional approaches
would shy
away from. From issues of medical system corruption that introduce
impossible
pain to sufferers to the observation that "heartache is a ravager,"
Lauren creates a powerful series of interplays that open with love and
move
deftly into forbidden territory and subjects that test the hearts of
characters
and readers alike.
The ongoing
influence
of former soul friend Madeleine in Angela's life, the decisions to
foster her
legacy in different ways, and the impact of loving again are all
powerfully
rendered in a tale of best friends, old and new friends, and the
process of
mourning and recovery. All this is complicated by a medical system that
harms
as much as it heals.
Ideally, Final Lullaby
will be chosen not just by
romance readers who will find the unfolding story departs from
predictable
paths to enter thought-provoking realms of social inspection, but by
book clubs
interested in debating many of its issues.
Libraries and readers will find Final Lullaby a compelling journey into love, healing, and recovery. It operates on different levels, introducing thought-provoking reflections that ultimately demand the reader's engagement on more than just appreciating a romantic interlude and new possibilities of growth.
Final LullabyReturn to Index
Dorian Box
Friction Press
978-1-7346399-4-0
$11.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Funeral-Daze-Dorian-Box-ebook/dp/B0C57C6B9M
Funeral
Daze
is a macabre and hilarious novel that intersects the lives of several
bizarre
and oddly compelling characters. It centers on the current dilemma
facing a
former lottery winner who was once framed for murder and aided by a
family of
morticians that included seven-year-old embalming expert Jessica. Fast
forward
five years, and Jessica is now tapping Danny for help.
When the mortuary is
suddenly sold and her
family vanishes, Jessica's return portends more nefarious influences as
she
reveals her mission to locate her missing parents and get their funeral
home
back.
Jessica's dilemmas
force Danny into a form
of payback he never saw coming as he unwillingly gives her refuge for a
night,
only to find he's become entangled in yet another strange dilemma.
As if its plot didn't
portend hilarious
moments, Dorian Box's descriptions present satirical and fun
observations of
social norms in the year 2000 which are wry, delightfully original
examinations:
“Welcome
future lawyers
of
America!” The greeting boomed through a massive sound system erected
for the
post-ceremony celebration, headlined by a classic rock band that had
two
legitimate hits in the seventies and featured one of the original
roadies. A
few lazy whoops. The graduates lounged in various states of
intoxication on
blankets and chairs scattered across the law school plaza. Many had
broadly
interpreted Florida Casual on
the invitations to include swimsuits, although No
Nudity signs spoke to the solemnity of the occasion."
These insights and
observations, delivered
with the deadpan wit infecting otherwise-solemn occasions and
circumstances,
lend Funeral Daze a decidedly light
romp through situations of intrigue and investigation:
“These
are the doors
for
loading and unloading clients. They lead straight into the embalming
room and …
darn.”
“What’s wrong?”
“They changed the lock.”
He almost blurted Great! “That’s
too bad,” he said.
“Let’s get out of here.”
By now, it should be
apparent that Funeral
Daze is remarkable for its wit,
its sense of discovery and adventure, and its unlikely juxtaposition of
two
characters that keep their own failures and determination close to
their
hearts.
Extortion, drugs, and
murder are normally
not laughing matters. They are here. As Danny enters into the role of
unwilling
guardian more than willing to let the savvy twelve-year-old Jessica
manage her
own affairs, a scheme pulls both of them into a centrifuge of threat
and
unpredictable disasters that just keep coming.
Dorian Box masterfully
directs the story
into a series of unpredictable and uproarious events that are
deliciously
ironic, unexpectedly thought-provoking, and always edgy and dark.
Fans of the prior Psycho-Tropics
will find this rollicking sequel
worthy of
the same acclaim, while newcomers will find this story stands nicely
alone with
its heartwarming attractions.
Libraries and
readers looking for a satirical novel centered in modern Florida that
exposes
the underbelly of simmering special interests there will find Funeral
Daze
packed with memorable moments and satirical criminal encounters of the
best
kind.
Return to Index
The Lost
Princess of
Alicante
E.V. Padilla
Atmosphere Press
9781639888863
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
The Lost Princess of
Alicante is a
historical novel that moves from
the Caribbean Islands in the 1600s to the modern American Southwest,
and back.
The legacy of a ruler's dream of building an enlightened society has
come to
roost in corrupted ideals that moved away from this vision and into a
political
and social structure that is anything but ideal.
Two women,
Inés and
her Aunt Sofía, find themselves mired in choices of the past and their
incarnation in their present-day lives as they navigate the politics
and social
requirements of a newly installed princess who holds little familiarity
with
her revised role and heritage.
Don Román
Velásquez,
Sofía's wealthy cousin, may have uncovered a truth, but he's shaken
their lives
with not just his discovery, but a kingdom's recovery of a leader who
steps
into a new role and faces the fact that a few days with Prince
Agustín's
carefree son Alejandro has resulted in a new legacy that portends her
ongoing
connections to this strange new world.
Her
confrontation
with spies, the dangerous Grizzle-Beard, and abuse that transfers
handily from
her aunt to greater struggles in her new life injects life and
surprising
twists into the story of a young woman who doesn't step into a new role
and
life, but is pulled and falls into it with few choices.
Can
descendants
really restore an ideal and a dream? Should they be called from their
own
worlds to do so?
E.V. Padilla
poses
many interesting questions in the course of building a novel that rests
not
only on historical precedents and modern conundrums, but the psyches of
women
who find themselves mired in a situation they never dreamed of.
From the
birth and
death of dreams to portents of the future which emerge in unexpected
ways, the
social and political confrontations are just as vibrant as the personal
revelations Padilla builds among characters that hold their own special
interests and perceptions of choice and future in hand.
The Lost Princess of
Alicante presents
many characters and forces
at work in the evolution of its story. No light read, it will pique the
mind
with shifting relationships that come from arenas of abuse, domination,
political struggle, and personal growth.
Libraries
and readers
seeking historical novels that represent intriguing discoveries that
require
characters move beyond their personal ambitions to assume bigger roles
in life
will find The Lost Princess of Alicante
filled with discussion points and thought-provoking moments.
Return to Index
Running at Hialeah
Don Marinelli
Atmosphere Press
9781639884445
$19.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Running
at Hialeah
presents an effort to return home, with perhaps-misguided and certainly
unexpected results. Retired New York City bus driver Bernie Buccellato
journeys
to South Florida after his father's death to reclaim the family home
and cast
his father's cremated remains at the Hialeah racetrack. Both seem
outwardly
logical, simple goals, but promises of freedom seldom turn out to be
easy (nor
is returning home), and so events unfold that prove anything but
predictable.
Don Marinelli presents
a believable,
engrossing tale that is partially based on his own life and fully
intriguing,
adding twists of humor into the reflective process that will bring
smiles of
recognition and ironic acknowledgement to the reader's face:
"Bernie
had that rare
gift of being able to think on his feet. Ever since reading Tom Sawyer
in
elementary school, Bernie admired Tom’s ability to get other people to
do his
work. Reading how Tom was able to get kids in his neighborhood to give
him
small trinkets and treasures for the ‘privilege’ of doing his tedious
work
sounded very much like the way the wise guys in Brooklyn operated.
Sure, the
difference was that instead of utilizing reverse psychology to convince
the suckers,
they simply threatened to bash in their skulls. The process might have
been
different, but the result was the same. Alas, times change. Bernie
conceded he
might have lacked Tom Sawyer’s persuasive skills, but he had something
Tom
lacked: cash."
As the politics
surrounding South Florida
special interests, the Hialeah Racetrack, and Bernie's objectives come
to life,
Marinelli creates a satisfying romp through disparate cultural
contrasts as New
York culture meets South Florida and comes up unexpectedly short-handed
in
strategy and reaction.
Ironic humor permeates
dilemmas, leading
readers not only to absorb the disparities in lives and special
interests, but
the dramatic and intriguing responses of characters to circumstances
beyond
their control or ken:
“What
do you think this
means?” Yolanda asked tenderly.
“Don’t know, really, other
than the clock is ticking,” Bernie surmised. “Hopefully, I’ll find out
more
when I go in today. I imagine everyone’s going to be bummed. Mr.
Testone
stressed that without those prime winter dates, Hialeah might not be
able to
make it financially. It might have to close, shut down…shit. Oh, the
inhumanity
of it all.”
Readers of novels about
South Florida will
want to add Running at Hialeah to
the
list of inviting stories that are hilarious, culturally inclusive and
reflective, and revealing on more than one level as Yolanda, Bernie,
and others
find their fates tied to Hialeah's finishing line.
It's time for Bernie to
shift matters into
high gear, time for readers to appreciate the race against time and
purpose
that evolves from his effort, and time for libraries and book clubs to
place Running at Hialeah on reading
lists as a
top recommendation. It's worthy of reading, laughing, and discussion as
Brooklynite Bernie builds an unexpected new life purpose in "the most
unlikely of places."
Return to Index
Stone
Mother
Malve S. Burns
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-924-2
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Stone Mother may
sound like a fairy-tale,
with its story of a young
girl raised in a German castle, but it's also a work of historical
fiction that
embraces post-World-War-II history with a psychologically poignant
story of
family psyche, abuse, and survival.
The story
opens with
an especially compelling first-person observation from five-year-old
Marie:
"To
a child,
parents are like weather—all around you and constantly changing. They
come and
go at will, are the spring rain and autumn fog, refreshing cold and
blistering
heat. They’re the gray days that last forever or star-filled nights
after a
drenching rain. My own mother was both a firebolt and freezing cold,
and
constantly around me..."
Even at age
five,
Marie has learned to navigate her mother's volatility and explosions.
What she
has yet to learn is how to navigate the larger forces in life that
bring the
outside world to their doorstep and prompt further changes after the
Allies
defeat the Germans and her changes yet again.
Stone Mother
represents both an inward
and outer journey that operates
on many levels. As a story of abuse, family dynamics, and survival
tactics, it
breathes a breath of fresh air into such accounts by placing Marie in
disparate
positions as she grows up and confronts other forces in her life.
Especially
poignant
are the contrasts between the lifestyle and culture Marie has known of
her
Germany, and the experiences of others, which might as well come from a
foreign
land far from Marie's ken:
"Sophie and I had never
been hungry or had to walk
barefoot. Our Germany, the
Federal Republic of
Germany, was a quiet and peaceful land where everyone had food on the
table, a
roof over their head, and clothes to wear."
Reflections
on how
Hitler rose to power through promises and an almost visionary hypnosis
that
acknowledged Germany's inner psyche and frustrations to how Marie not
just
survived, but thrived despite family and social buffets, make for
engrossing,
thought-provoking moments that bring the nation and its people to life.
Between
changing
points of view as other characters explore their own evolutionary
process and
reactions to the methods the characters use to confront darknesses of
the past
and promises of the future, Malve S. Burns creates a powerful novel of
trauma,
healing, and recovery that operates on both a personal and national
level.
Whether seeking fiction about post-German recovery or individual
survival of
family dynamics, libraries looking for exceptionally vivid, evocative
stories
that blend the magical perceptions of youth with the staid absorption
of adulthood
will find Malve S. Burns has created a gem in Stone
Mother that ideally will also earn a place on book club
reading lists.
Return to Index
Trippy Hippy
Sebastian
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-858-0
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Sebastian
excels at
capturing the heady feel of those times and this atmosphere with a "you
are here" approach from the very start of the story:
"That year began as
strangely as it ended. It
seemed as if
everyone had contracted a fever, and the real world was blown away.
Everyone
lived their fantasy. Normal people you saw at the office or the market
left
their occupations—a few at first, then suddenly many trucking—yes, trucking—down the streets toward the
parks and beaches. Before you could say “free love,” little groups were
popping
up like mushrooms all over Golden Gate Park after a rain."
First-person
narrator
Arnie Epstein is still working downtown San Francisco in an office, but
he's
beginning to let his hair grow (not a common front for a CPA firm) and
he knows
that "The times were a-changing
before my very eyes, and I wanted somehow to be a part of it."
The creation
and
growth of Adler’s Ashram is chronicled in all of its volatility and
hope. As
Arnie moves from a closed-door world to one with an open-door policy,
he is
endowed with the new name of Gator and begins building a new identity
that
fully embraces the hippy lifestyle.
Any modern
reader
wanting to know more about the emotions, perceptions, and experiences
of those
days will find the heady hallucinations, attractions, and misadventures
capture
the evolving 'anything goes' atmosphere of those times, adding in the
maturing
sexuality of a young man who delves into relationships that involve
trips both
psychic and physical.
These
journeys root
the protagonist in a shifting world which supplements the San Francisco
Bay
Area culture with a personal observational style that is evocative and
provocative:
"At that hour of the
morning, when you’re standing
exposed to the
stiff wind off the bay, the streetcar is named Imaginary, and an hour
is an
eternity."
The
possibilities are
endless and the relationships evolving and often transitory, but Arnie
remains
in an active embrace of a hippy lifestyle that feels much more
realistic than most
novels that attempt to describe these times in San Francisco.
Perhaps this
is
because Sebastian himself is well-rooted in San Francisco
counterculture and
experiences, and holds the ability to translate these encounters and
their
logic into the 1960s milieu for a more realistic, candid romp than most
novels
can represent.
Libraries
and readers
seeking powerful additions to their LGBTQ+ literature that also embrace
the
flavor and times of hippy San Francisco will welcome the strength of Trippy Hippy's road trips and personal
map of evolution and exploration.
Return to Index
Under
the Southern Cross
Aurion du Preez
Anaphora Literary Press
979-8595602006
$25.00
Paper/$2.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Under-Southern-Cross-Aurion-Preez/dp/B08T4882GW
When
aging missionary John
Rice goes missing in Botswana, young American schoolteacher
Benjamin Greene is sent by his church to investigate, only to find
himself
caught in the crossfire of a war that engulfs the southern African
region in Under
the Southern Cross.
Ben
is still learning many
things—about the world, his
mission, and navigating the cultural, religious, and political world of
South
Africa. His interactions and discoveries carry readers into new
environments as
he is forced to examine his prejudices, preconceptions, and his own
faith in
the process of discovery and investigation:
"Providing
aid
to underdeveloped countries had a ring of intrigue and significance
that Ben
had not seen in his personal ministry, or in his upbringing for that
matter. He
ardently believed in a humanitarian expression of Christian faith, but
he
didn’t often see it demonstrated in a bold and sacrificial manner."
As
Ben navigates unfamiliar
territory that tests his
heart and soul, Christian readers will appreciate a journey that
explores the
concept and fostering of missionary work as well as the impacts of the
vanishing world of apartheid on Christian endeavors.
The
juxtaposition of flawed
characters with equally
flawed systems and concepts of justice and salvation makes for not just
engrossing reading, but thought-provoking insights that, of necessity,
require
a slow consumption by those who will be forced to reconsider their own
beliefs
and attitudes about missions and the impact of charitable activities.
From
a harrowing experience
in Momanga that almost claims
Ben's life to political and religious clashes that force special
interests and
disparate groups to struggle for survival in a strange new world,
Aurion du
Preez endeavors to capture a complex world's mercurial threads of
intention and
change for present-day readers. In this, he more than succeeds; but the
revelations don't come without effort on the part of readers to not
just absorb
the fictional progression of the novel, but understand its underlying
impact on
their own belief systems.
As
naive young pastor Ben
discovers far more challenges
than he had anticipated from his mandate, readers walk in Ben's shoes
to gain
new possibilities from what feels like a series of disasters that can
hold no
positive outcome:
"I
need to
know you’ll move on to a new life. I know we all once believed we had a
special
calling, and our lives were led by the Holy Spirit. Then it all fell
apart, in
different ways for all three of us. But life isn’t over. We just have
to
believe there’s a life beyond the walls of Castle Rock, and far away
from the
grip of Alexander Van Hemel. Millions of refugees have survived a lot
worse.”
While
Under
the
Southern Cross can and should be marketed as a Christian
novel, to
pigeonhole it as nothing but would be to do it a grave disservice by
limiting
its audience too much.
As
a powerful survey of the
beliefs and influences of a
bygone era which test the mettle and faith of all sides, Under
the Southern Cross proves a mind-rattling foray into social
and political issues that hold concurrent power with Christian faith
and its
special interests and objectives.
Not
only Christian
collections, but general-interest
libraries seeking to acquire thought-provoking stories of missionary
work and
political entanglements will find Under
the Southern Cross a delight. It should be recommended, as
well, to book
clubs and reading groups with a special interest in fiction that
follows social
and spiritual transformations with a keen eye to questioning the
foundations of
faith and intention that underlie them.
“I
was concerned
for your soul,” Alexander said. “And loyalty to the church. You just
couldn’t
keep those screwy liberal ideas out of your head.”
“I was always
searching,” Ben said. “I guess our ideas of truth and right were
different,
yours and mine.”
Return to Index
Vessels of
Wrath
Thomas D. Holland
Independently
Published
9798392970841
$14.99
https://www.amazon.com/Vessels-Wrath-Big-Elmore-Novel/dp/B0C51RRY52
Vessels of Wrath
is the third installment
in a series of novels
centering on the investigative efforts of Ray (“Big Ray”) Elmore, who
has
become the chief of police of the small Arkansas community Split Tree.
His
encounters arrive in the form of a rough-hewn oral history, which lends
the
feeling of local lingo authenticity to a riveting story that embraces
not just
his perspective, but characters who reflect their community's
prejudices,
secrets, and personalities.
Thomas D.
Holland
writes with a focus on authenticity in representing these homespun folk
and
their experiences. The dialogue may seem daunting, at first, but is in
keeping
not just with the atmosphere and setting of the story, but the
progressive
discoveries of characters who find themselves mired in conundrums that
ordinary
individuals don't face:
"Who'd have 'tought dat
man's head, she come off so
easy? Mon
Dieu! Da'ting, she roll like da bowlin' ball, Gilbert Gervais thought
to
himself...Gilbert had no intention of killing the man; certainly not
pulling
his head off its stalk like a damn ripe tomato."
From events
that led
to the gentleman losing his head in the opening salvo of the story to
Chapter 1's
first-person reminiscences from the perspective of Big Ray, who has
returned
home to Split Tree after a brief stint in the Navy, and who has no
intention of
ever leaving again, Holland evolves an intriguing community-based
story. Its
mystery and interpersonal relationships form the crux of a rawly
revealing tale
where events unfold in such a manner that "Which
one you believe depends on your sense of optimism."
An
observation that
applies to conflicting signs also evolves to represent disparate
viewpoints and
circumstances that test Big Ray and various community members. These
range from
the Trimbles, whose family heritage and impact involves lessons on "how
to
be a monster," to strange missing cars that may hold clues to perps and
processes simmering under the community's veneer of odd, homespun
connections.
As Big Ray
explores these
coincidences and conundrums, his unexpected foray into Locust County
events
holds the feel of history and the powerful development of fiction.
There is no
Split
Tree, Arkansas, except for these pages. Holland's ability to evolve
scenarios
and entire town political and social developments against the backdrop
of a
murder mystery that attract, then pulls in readers to a quagmire of
relationship issues, makes for a story far more detailed and compelling
than
the usual genre read.
Except for
its
fictional overlay, the story reads like the history of a real place and
people
whose interests don't just dovetail, but clash.
All these
elements
translate to fine tension and powerful characters whose lives and
concerns feel
larger than life, making Vessels of Wrath
highly recommended for newcomers and prior Big Ray fans alike.
Libraries
and
collections seeking compelling mysteries that embrace small-town lives
and
characters will find Vessels of Wrath
just the ticket for thought-provoking reading. It comes packed with
unexpected
developments and undercurrents of possibility that will keep readers
engaged
and thinking to its unexpected conclusion.
Return to Index
Bacon
Master of the
Apocalypse
Frank Morin
Whipsaw Press
978-1-946910-27-1
$29.99 Hardcover/$15.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
Website: https://www.frankmorin.org/books-shop/books/bacon-master/bacon-master-of-the-apocalypse/
Bacon Master of the
Apocalypse is a rich
introduction to the Bacon
Master series that sets the stage for a mouth-watering romp into
apocalyptic
and culinary circles.
Chapter
headings rich
in humorous food references ("The Icing on the Cake of Fallen
Dreams," "The Mixing Bowl of Divine Intervention") capture the
culinary wizardry that offers unique and creative twists on the epic
fantasy
genre that will expand its audience into strange arenas, such as
culinary
circles and foodies who may never have chosen a fantasy read before.
From its
opening
salvo, Bacon Master of the Apocalypse
injects delicious experiences into its plot: "Rasher
Dilskin shoved an entire cream-filled pastry into his
mouth and savored the explosion of sugary sweetness. No enhancements by
confectioners or muffin mages. Just pure, uncomplicated pleasure."
The lack of
complications is about to be filled in by something not so sweet as
Bacon
Master Rasher employs his secret to gaining "extra sizzle" to the
events in life which swirl around him to challenge his world and status.
Frank
Morin's ability
to create richly mouth-watering cenarios of fast-paced action touched
with a
topping of ironic humor makes for a story that is unpredictable and
delightfully full-bodied.
Hero Rasher
may be a
superhuman warrior on some levels; but on others he is a somewhat
fearful hero
whose mild aspirations and powers are tapped when monsters invade the
kingdom
and a bacon-tinged superhero is forced to come to the rescue.
The social
and
political intrigues which swirl around this unlikely savior are
delightfully
rendered throughout. Think The Princess
Bride, with its undercurrents of serious action, tempered by
the sassy
irony of a bacon-infused personality whose bumbling powers work against
one
another way too often.
Both
successful and a
flawed character, Rasher is called upon to rise above cakes and foodie
concerns
to enter a battle he holds little hope of winning as he faces down
Reapers, a
Food Court who may yet remove him from the war, and hero finders who
couldn't
find anyone better to tap.
Sci-fi
readers who
look for rampant humor in their stories will find it in droves in Bacon Master of the Apocalypse, which
holds the uncommon ability to pair side-splitting chuckles with
thought-provoking insights into the makings of a hero, a war, and a
culinary
disaster alike.
While Bacon Master of the
Apocalypse will
likely be chosen for its epic fantasy promise, libraries and readers
who look
for greater literary prowess and themes that promise to expand the
initial
audience from sci-fi to general interest reading will find the book
attractive
and unique.
It's highly
recommended not just for individual and book club pursuit, but possibly
movie
expansion. Its ribald humor and world-romping encounters are vivid,
nicely
presented, and flavored with all the attraction of culinary art and
fantastic
encounters alike.
Return to Index
The Boldly
Inclusive
Leader
Minette Norman
BrainTrust Ink
978-1-956072-11-2
$24.95
www.braintrustink.com
The
Boldly
Inclusive Leader: Transform Your Workplace (and the World) by Valuing
the
Differences Within explores the concept of 'boldly
inclusive' leadership, crafting
an invitation to leaders (and would-be leaders) to reformulate the
skill of
directing others through a variety of self-examinations and pathways
that,
Minette Norman admits, follow no singular blueprint of success.
Indeed, the
heart of this message lies in its
encouragement of leaders interested in fostering inclusion in new ways.
These
varied paths to success lie, themselves, in disparate opportunities
that
traditional leadership approaches usually miss, from adopting new
skills based
on truly listening to others to fostering the kinds of self-awareness
that
don't consider empathy and compassion to be business liabilities.
As Norman
considers
the various incarnations of inclusive leadership, she peppers her
findings with
case history examples. These both personalize the efforts and
demonstrate their
own diversity of approaches, solutions, and revelations.
The
Boldly
Inclusive Leader is a "put your money where your mouth is"
kind
of book. Plenty of books and leaders parrot the ideal of inclusion, but
have
few guidelines to define this concept and even fewer roadmaps on how to
actually
achieve it. Norman tackles both in a vivid challenge to the status quo
and the
processes of corporate leadership that too often thwart their own
stated
ambitions and altruism.
Especially
thought-provoking are the considerations and examples of unconscious
bias in
the workplace, which every leader needs to consider and acknowledge:
"I witnessed a blatant
example of unconscious bias
at one of the
software companies where I worked. In the software industry, one of the
most
highly respected and coveted titles is software architect. The software
architects are expert software developers who take on a role beyond
writing
code—they design complex systems and often act as the primary
engineering
contact with the business and clients, so they are both a software
engineer and
business leader. While the number of female software developers in the
company
made up only about a quarter of the total developers, the number of
female
software architects was abysmally lower. I became painfully aware of
this the
first time I attended a gathering of all the software architects and
saw one
woman in a room of about a hundred men. This was a clear example of
unconscious
bias at work—the women software developers were being overlooked as
potential
software architects."
Norman's honest
and penetrating exploration of
critical DEI issues makes this a book that not only belongs
in
any serious business literature collection, but also should spark spirited dialogues on
diversity and inclusion in corporate boardrooms and in business and
leadership
book clubs and groups.
Not
one to repose on
a library shelf until its lending popularity is spent, The Boldly Inclusive Leader deserves and requires high-profile exposure to
a wide audience who would take the first steps towards empowerment and
enlightenment in the process of managing, directing, and encouraging
leaders
and workers to be all they can be, regardless of gender, race, age, or
life
outlook.
Return to Index
The Cassandra Curse
Sallie Bissell
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-900-6
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
The
Cassandra Curse
follows twin Augusta Delaney as she traverses her life with newfound
realizations about her latent abilities and their impact on everyone
around
her.
Augusta is a portrait
painter. When her
abilities change to produce pictures that reflect a person's soul after
an
attack changes her life, she is compelled (both by her new realizations
and the
disappearance of her twin) to seek answers for not just her revised
artistic
abilities, but the questions that they bring.
Desperate to uncover
the secrets that reside
just beyond her perception of reality and her newfound talents, Augusta
begins
to understand that a man in whom she has begun to place her love and
trust may
be the force that has influenced her transformation and now threatens
her
future.
Sallie Bissell creates
a compelling story that
centers on dreams, recovered memories, and truths that Augusta is able
to
unlock in various ways. Love can all too quickly "shrivel into hate,"
as Augusta discovers when she 'reads' her lover, only to find truths
she never
quite wanted to know.
Does she harbor a
power, a curse, or a
blessing?
Bissell's ability to
unlock key moments of
realization and transformation as Augusta navigates a vastly changed
world
after an attack creates an engrossing story of intrigue and
psychological
discovery. The balance between love, hate, and powerful new
realizations about
the world is tempered by a mystery which draws Augusta and her readers
into a
milieu marked by new opportunities and concurrent dangers.
From murder and
kidnappings to power plays,
the tension is nicely developed and unpredictable:
"I
felt as if I were
the
last speaker of a dying language, understood by nobody but me. Kirk
said,
“Look, I know how badly you want to find out what happened to your
brother.
That’s totally normal. Everybody needs to know the why of the shitty
things
that happen to them. But you’re chasing a ghost, something drawn from
Jules’s
imagination.” He kissed my palm, as if to convince me further. “For the
last
time, Gus. Give this up. Cartoon characters don’t jump off the page and
have
ailing art professors murdered.”
Libraries and readers
interested in an
intriguing first-person story of discovery and survival will find The Cassandra Curse especially astute in
its cat-and-mouse game between disparate forces that hold game-changing
impact
not just on personal lives, but everything and everyone involved.
Return to Index
The
Cyborg's
Crusade
Benoit
Lanteigne
Self-Published
978-1-7779002-5-0
$3.99 ebook/$12.99 print
Website: https://thecyborgscrusade.com/
Ordering: www.amazon.com
The
Cyborg's Crusade features
an
unusual format in a six-book series of novels designed to mimic a
television
series. It consists of some seventeen episodes following the adventures
of an
ordinary man transported to extraordinary circumstances involving
aliens,
angels, and a guardian overseer who may not bring him the support he
thinks he
needs.
In
Book 1, James Hunter mysteriously teleports to another universe, where
he finds
himself in the country of Nirnivia, which is embroiled in a cold war
with
another country called Ostark. The people in this new world hate him
for an
unknown reason. Luckily, a winged woman named Rose helps him adapt.
James
Hunter was just an average man on his
way to a date. But something extraordinary changes the trajectory of
his life
when he's teleported to another world and must navigate the land of
Nirnivia,
whose inhabitants are familiar with humans, but don't especially like
them.
James has
survived through honest work, although he hated his job. He's long felt
like a
failure. Even though his successes were many, these were small
achievements
that didn't meet the bigger-picture expectations others had for him.
Is it possible to disappoint an angel? If so, James believes he's well on the path to failing her expectations of him, too. With expanded choices come added responsibilities he's not sure he's prepared to face.
Benoit Lanteigne injects the first-person thoughts of James into the story line, which leads to better understanding and deeper reflections as the adventure unfolds.
Angel
Rose's
perspective, the religious dilemmas that evolve, and her role as
Melkar, who
charges others with not harming James, makes for an intriguing
examination that
operates on both spiritual and psychological levels.
It's
unusual to
find a story that moves through monsters and Scripture alike,
juxtaposing
reincarnation and priestesses with prophets and angels who are anything
but
predictable.
All these
elements (and the length of the episodes) combine to create a series of
multifaceted, complex stories of an extraordinary journey that one man
undertakes. Soldier Janice Ricdeau and a cast of supporting characters
each
hold their own special interests and influences, adding depth to the
plots.
Book 2 ups
the
stakes as the president of Ostark, the titular cyborg, contacts James
to warn
him he can’t trust Rose. This causes major panic, as it implies a
security
breach for the military complex that both James and Rose live in for
Rose’s
safety. This book releases in November of 2023.
In Book 3, the cyborg contacts James again about how Rose is lying to him. This leads James to investigate his benefactor, with questionable results. This tale releases in January of 2024.
Book
4 sees
Nirnivia preparing a secret mission to assassinate the cyborg. Chances
of
success are low—survival, even less so. Readers will learn more on the
book's
release in June of 2024.
In
Book 5, the cyborg
reveals his real identity to James. This sparks a devastating chain of
events,
leading to a dangerous choice by Rose. Book 5 releases in January of
2025.
Finally,
Book 6
explores the consequences of Rose’s decision and serves as a conclusion
to previous
events while also hinting at possible future stories. It releases in
2025.
It's hard to
neatly peg the audience for The Cyborg's Crusade. Elements
of spiritual
investigation, wry irony, decisions and their consequences, and
confronting
human connections with the earth create a multifaceted story that will
appeal
to sci-fi, fiction, and literary readers alike with a format and
evolution that
is at once complex and unpredictable.
Readers
invited
into this tale of truth, illusions, connections, and adversity will
find The
Cyborg's Crusade a thought-provoking episodic novel that
creates
mini-series scenes with different characters, and then links them all
in
unexpected, enlightening ways.
This story
of
transformation and confrontation will appeal to any thinking audience
interested in tales that hold compelling structures and unusual,
interrelated
characters whose lives are transformed. The Cyborg's Crusade is
especially highly recommended for metaphysical and spiritual readers,
who will
find its premises compelling.
Return to Index
The Fortress
T.A. Styles
Transcendence Press
979-8987968406
$16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-T-Styles/dp/B0C655ND5Q/
As the story opens, Sim
has shot to death
his wife and young daughter two weeks earlier. He's no murderer,
however, but a
compassionate father and husband who has saved them agony from a
torturous
disease which has killed off most of the world.
Yes, he's robbed them
of life—but what kind
of life was it destined to be? When young Elizabeth appears in his
life, it's
at just the right moment, her redemption seeming a salve for his sins.
Is Sim a
coward for not following through on the suicide pact with his wife, or
has he
saved himself for a higher purpose?
As T.A. Styles unfolds
the events in The
Fortress, a sense of fate, survival
tactics, and redemption permeates this now-lonely man's life, helping
him
navigate a strange new world post-pandemic.
The rise of such
post-virus survival novels
since COVID has been prominent, but what sets The
Fortress apart from others is its story of how Sim becomes
involved in building a bastion of survival against all odds. He
assembles and
directs a band of orphans who learn the rudiments of hunting,
gathering, and
confronting man and nature through his guidance.
Rare moments of ironic
humor pepper a story
about fate and survival that personalize these orphans and their new
leader and
lives, but it's the world-rebuilding focus, which juxtaposes different
kinds of
survivors with confrontations that stem from a fortress of promise and
pain,
that makes The Fortress stand out
from the crowd.
Styles incorporates a
sense of building not
just safety, but family from seemingly disparate influences as the tale
evolves. Life goes on despite its seeming end, and despite the fate
many of the
characters face in their efforts to salvage the remnants of
civilization.
Thought-provoking
passages about growing new
connections and who really saves whom in the struggle for reinventing
life and
humanity provide fodder for book club discussion, making The
Fortress a recommendation for reading groups interested in
comparing the events and perspectives of end-of-the-world scenarios
that hold
new beginnings and powerfully compelling characters a cut above the
norm.
Libraries and readers
interested in
dystopian stories that embrace bigger-picture thinking about the
choices in
living or dying will find The Fortress
hard to put down, action-packed, and astute in its contrast between
different
types of survivors of all ages, and their choices.
Return to Index
Hidden Price
Tags V.
2: Works of Art
C.J.S. Hayward
C.J.S. Hayward
Publications
979-8376516492
$2.99 Kindle, $12.24
Paperback, $20.24 Hardcover
Website: https://cjshayward.com/books/
Ordering: https://cjshayward.com/hpt2
C.J.S.
Hayward's
intersection of science, spiritual thinking, and technology receives an
uncommon and powerful focus in Hidden
Price Tags V. 2: Works of Art, which operates as both a
supplement to his
prior treatises on technology and spiritual thinking and a unique
intersection between
elements of Orthodox Christian works and an analysis of technology's
impact on
spiritual thinking in the world.
Hayward
builds a case
for caution and outright abstinence as the ever-increasing list of new
technologies
affecting daily lives promises not only revised visions of reality, but
impacts
on spiritual thought and choices. This, in turn, reflects a more
reasoned
approach to choosing and employing technology's assets based on its
long-ranging impact rather than just its artificial allure.
He tackles
some heady
subjects, indeed:
"'What is good for us as
human beings?' This in
turn includes
'What use and abstention from technology is good for us as human
beings?' That
question drives this whole series. I do not write to reason you into
being
Orthodox, but I would be mistreating you to use anything less than the
best
resources I know to answer the challenges of technology and using
technology
without burning yourself."
Hayward
adopts a
wide-ranging, freestyle approach to his subject, injecting analysis of
such
disparate works as Damon Knight's thought-provoking short story "To
Serve
Man" and Douglas Adams's "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."
These readings are linked with key facets of technological choice and
perception, with personal reflection and group debate encouraged
through
questions that promote readers to link their literary pursuits with
concurrent
reflections on choices in technological employment (or deployment, as
the case
might be).
Few other
treatises
would juxtapose subjects ranging from Louis Carroll to vaccines,
Einstein, and
Biblical scholarship. Few, also would tackle the wider-ranging
applications of
Christian Orthodoxy to matters of public health, mental acuity, and the
dark
side of technological developments.
Though some
might
critique the wide-ranging nature of Hayward's connections here, indeed,
their
ability to enlighten, educate, and provoke discussion and debate is one
of this
book and the series' strengths. It examines a seemingly-disparate
collection of
artistic and literary works as they relate to issues of choice,
spiritual
pursuits, and ultimate impact.
Perhaps the
greatest
application of Hayward's rambling and revealing discourse will be to
spark
debates among younger generations who view technology as a given part
of their
lives without fully understanding the wider-ranging impact of their
choices. In
this, Hayward offers particularly thought-provoking food for thought:
"Technology has its uses,
but when technology is a
drone, noise in
the background that prevents silence from getting too uncomfortable,
then it is
a spiritual problem, a tool to medicate experience. And there are some
technologies, like video games, that exist
to medicate experience."
The title Hidden Price
Tags comes with a caution:
entering the book's title on Amazon and other places results in too
many 'hits'
for similar-sounding 'price tag' guides. Those interested in Hayward's
specific
book would do well to utilize the ordering link to go directly to his
title.
Libraries,
readers,
and book groups either familiar with Hayward's previous writings or
interested
in works that are heady, revealing, potentially controversial, and
immersed in
Eastern Orthodoxy's connections to modern life will want to include Hidden Price Tags V. 2: Works of Art in
their collections and on their reading lists.
Its ability
to draw
creative connections between Orthodoxy, modern thinking and beliefs,
and
underlying spiritual connections makes it a standout of vast importance
to thinking
readers.
Return to Index
The Joy of
Costco
David & Susan
Schwartz
Hot Dog Press, LLC
978-1-959-50500-6
$35.00 Hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Costco-Treasure-Hunt/dp/1959505009
The Joy of Costco: A
Treasure Hunt from A to Z romps
through Costco
warehouses around the world, and is written by a couple who has visited
some
200 of Costco's 800+ warehouses.
One might
expect this
survey to take the form of a travelogue and consumer manual, but the
authors
utilize an A-Z format to cover everything from the demise of Costco's
relationship with American Express to the benefits of buying hearing
aids from
Costco (which involve more than a favorable price, and outlines
accompanying
maintenance services), the history of Costco's Kirkland brand and
signature
items, and how Costco maintains food safety in its meat departments.
Each item on
the A-Z
list receives intriguing coverage, facts, and history that documents
all facets
of Costco's operations, from its product lines and company structure to
how it
maintains and supports its image and transactions.
The
unexpectedly
lively nature of the narrative is supported by boxed sidebars of
information,
succinct but precise descriptions, and operational facts:
"Costco has a fleet of
some 5,300 trailers and 700
tractors, along
with 1,600 drivers. All the vehicles are monitored in real time by
individual
depot control systems that track fuel usage and other issues. Safety is
paramount: drivers are not allowed on the road in dangerous weather or
other
hazardous situations."
While the
primary
draw of this book will be to Costco fans and customers, its wealth of
business
insights will also be intriguing to business readers interested in the
box
store's background, development, and methods.
These
audiences will
find the celebratory nature of The Joy of
Costco to be attractive, with its structure and visuals
lending to an
unexpectedly easy-to-read title that will appeal on different levels of
information and entertainment. For
Costco superfans it will make an ideal gift.
Libraries
and readers
need not have a Costco membership card in order to imbibe. All that's
required
is a basic interest in the company's processes and in the bigger
picture of
inventory control, product acquisition, and operating a retail chain
box store.
Return to Index
Library
Lin's
Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs
Linda Maxie
Spoon Creek Press
979-8-9859234-2-1
$19.99
https://librarylin.com
Library
Lin's
Biographies, Autobiographies, and
Memoirs is written by a retired
librarian with a lifetime of making nonfiction recommendations to her
patrons.
Her first reference book, Library Lin’s Curated Collection of Superlative Nonfiction, did
not include
biographies or memoirs solely because this subject would have made the
reference far too weighty. Clearly, these categories deserved a book of
their
own. And here it is.
After
defining
the difference between a biography, autobiography, and memoir in her
introduction, Linda Maxie chooses a theme subject listing to organize
the books
into these categories. This allows readers to choose books based on
their
interests, whether ethnic group experience, explorers or activists,
travelogues
and immigrant experiences, or social, political, or artistic figures.
It's
important
to note that these category choices, besides adeptly organizing and
defining
their subjects, represent the bulk of biographical and memoir topics,
allowing
readers who choose by themes to easily access other writings which
represent
major contributions in these areas.
She
also
includes a "collective biography" at the end of some of these
chapters—listings of associated books that provide "brief narratives of
two
or more people's lives."
It
should be
noted that these works are largely contemporary in nature. While some
from the
1970s and 80s are included in the listings, the bulk of writings are
from the
1990s and 2000s. This approach to organizing and promoting modern
writings will
especially appeal to audiences looking not for historic works already
well
featured, but those which stand out in the modern scheme of new books.
As
for the
synopses themselves, Maxie creates detailed yet succinct descriptions
that
embrace the intention, presentation, and importance of each book in its
broader
category. One good example of such a descriptor appears in the chapter
on
Indigenous Peoples for Davi Kopenawa and Bruce Albert's book The
Falling
Sky: Words of a Yanomami Shaman.
"Bruce
Albert is a
close friend of Brazilian Davi
Kopenawa, a shaman and spokesperson for the Yanomami. Albert helps his
friend
tell the story of his childhood, his initiation as a shaman, and his
experiences with cultural outsiders like government workers,
missionaries, and
cattle ranchers. The devastation his people have endured led him to
become a
global activist for them. In his pursuit of justice, he has traveled
the globe
to show people how industrialized society and its greed have been
destroying
the planet. Then, through his own culture and experience, he tries to
show
another way."
Maxie
is candid
about the effort involved in defining and selecting categories and
books to be
included or excluded from them. Her introduction holds almost as much
food for
thought about this process of creating a reference list as the rest of
the book
holds important keys for identifying significant works in each subject:
"People
are
mixtures of good and bad. I decided
early on that judging these people was not my role. Some have recently
found
themselves on the wrong side of public opinion. Rather than classify
people
based on mistakes, I placed them under what they are most known for.
For
lawbreakers and people who harmed or killed many, I put them in “Law
and the
Prison System.” And not everyone in that chapter qualifies as a
lawbreaker.
Some are there simply because a big part of their story involves arrest
or
incarceration. In other words, my chapters and my groupings are not
perfect.
I’m only partially satisfied with them myself."
The
result is a powerful,
useful reference that lends as
much to leisure browsing through its significant descriptors as it does
in its
primary purpose—to point out the rich wellsprings of works that might
otherwise
be missed in the sea of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs being
published today.
Libraries,
reading groups, and any reader interested in
biographical and autobiographical productions needs to have this book
not only
in their collections, but on prominent display. It can be used as a
focal point
for identifying and choosing significant, thought-provoking writings
that may
be unfamiliar to them.
Return to Index
Wisdom of a
Yogi
Rizwan Virk
HarperCollins
Publishers India
9789356991350
$14.95 Paper/$9.99 ebook
www.harpercollins.com
In 1946,
long before
'new age' was a term, Indian wisdom was largely acknowledged in Western
circles, or Paramahansa Yogananda was known to the world, the
publication of Autobiography of a Yogi
reflected his
life and evolution as a spiritual thinker and young man. Over the
decades, the
book became a worldwide classic filled with the monk's
paradigm-changing and
challenging thoughts that brought the ancient lessons of karma, yoga,
and
meditation to Western minds.
Wisdom of a Yogi
is a much-needed book
that re-envisions the
lessons in Autobiography for a
modern
audience. It comes from an unlikely source—a technologist and
entrepreneur who
incorporates internet and video game technology's modern focuses into
the finer
art of synthesizing and interpreting the Yoganada's fourteen lessons
for modern
audiences.
How do
stories of
miracles in the Himalayas and acts of psychic and physical
transformation apply
to modern technology-laden (but spiritual) readers?
Just as
Yogananda's
spiritual lessons reached into the hearts and minds of generations, so
Virk's Wisdom of a Yogi presents
these
reinterpreted lessons in a manner that modern audiences can more
readily
understand and apply to their lives.
The
contemporary references
allow greater access to the basic underlying concepts of the original
work than
one might think, with chapter headings as varied as "Go Out of Your Way
For ... Pilgrimages" and "The World is Like a Movie, a Dream..."
Key to
understanding
and absorbing many of these new perspectives are links between
traditional yoga
and current thinking:
"While traditionalists
will say adapting yoga to
other traditions
is not really yoga, if you use Patanjali's definition, then any
practice that
helps to smooth out the whirlpools in the river of consciousness is a
type of
yoga. And there is no greater authority than that ancient sage.
Yogananda
himself wrote: 'Anyone who practices a scientific technique for divine
realization is a yogi.'"
Especially
intriguing
are analyses that could only come from a writer such as Virk, the
founder of
Play Labs at MIT, who here applies his technology focus to matters of
spiritual
enlightenment and intention. Why consider this overlay to be so
essential?
Because, as Virk points out, "Assuming we develop some of those
technologies, which are the crux of what's now called the Metaverse,
it's
likely we will also develop a 'full immersion' mode for ourselves
within a few
decades."
It's
refreshing to
view a new age spiritual focus that doesn't necessarily eschew
technology, but
reconsiders its place in the larger scheme of humanity's evolutionary
processes.
The fourteen
lessons
Virk synthesizes from the esteemed Swami's original reinterprets his
ages-old
advice, taking his
classic stories and
examples and providing new focus by adding stories of modern seekers,
teachers,
and students.
What does
karma,
yoga, or meditation have to do with video games, social media, and
avatars?
Plenty, as Virk points out in vivid chapters that will appeal to a new
generation of readers and thinkers.
This group
needn't
have prior familiarity with Autobiography
of a Yogi (although this is preferable as either a preface
building even
stronger appreciation for Virk's approach, or as an adjunct to remind
prior
fans of the importance of staying relevant to modern times and
technologies).
Libraries
and
spiritual thinkers seeking a path to new interpretations of traditional
yogi
wisdom would do well to consider Wisdom
of a Yogi a mainstay in their collections. The book
synthesizes and
reinterprets the original tales and lessons in a manner that promises
its wide
accessibility and discussion to seekers of all ages.
Return to Index
Zen and the Art of
Navigating College
Peter Klein
Mascot Books
978-1-63755-508-8
$24.95
www.mascotbooks.com
So
many books have been written about the
college experience that one might wonder at the need for yet another,
but Zen
and the Art of Navigating College: An Inquiry into the True Nature of
Education
and the Power of Self-Discovery
is as much an art form as it is a guide to higher education, and
deserves acclaim for its unusual approach as well as its many insights.
The
foundation of this
survey lies in its teachings on
how to look beyond typical and ordinary perceptions and pursuits of
higher
education to consider the hidden hazards and opportunities of
navigating a
foreign realm like college.
This
bigger picture involves
learning how to strategize,
network, and self-promote, showing students how to consider others and
present
their abilities and potential in a revised light.
Peter Klein's focus on
maximizing the
outcome and potential of college expands his subject beyond the usual
'how to'
realm and into areas of fostering achievement, discovery, and a life
approach
that will carry new adults through and past their college years with
routines
that apply equally well to life.
Readers
may be surprised to learn that Zen
and the Art of Navigating College isn't a catch-all promotion for higher learning.
Klein points out that
major problems are inherent in the pursuit of something different. He
points
out the signs of these portending obstacles, as well as strategies for
either
avoiding or learning from them.
These
obstacles are
typically not reviewed in books for
the college-bound such as this, but they are ever-present, and are one
of the
many ways a college education can unwittingly go awry: "Another
danger to be aware of is that higher education is often
laced with indoctrination. Some indoctrination is supplied under the
approval
of the institution, while other forms of indoctrination are propagated
by
fellow students and others affiliated with the university, though what
they are
offering may not be sanctioned by the college."
Armed
with special knowledge of the
opportunities and dangers of such pursuits, readers of all ages will
find Zen
and the Art of Navigating College covers not just educational quandaries, but
social, political,
psychological, and spiritual tests inherent in the college milieu, yet
rarely
presented to students as other areas to be aware of.
The
result is a different
kind of college educational
overview that should be a graduation present to any college-bound
student who
would take these lessons and run with them into life.
Libraries
seeking materials
that lend especially well to
college-bound book discussion groups should make Zen
and the Art of Navigating College a mainstay.
Return to Index
Betrayal of
Hope
Justin Doyle
Justin
Doyle Publishing
979-8-9860299-2-4
$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-Hope-Justin-Doyle-ebook/dp/B0C68LH2N8
The third
volume in
the Star Marked fantasy adventure for teens is recommended for those
who have
absorbed and enjoyed the prior volumes, and brings to a conclusion the
ongoing
efforts of Darynn, Fyra, and Kaylaa to navigate through a war and save
the
starving Olan-Har while tying up the loose ends of their connections to
and
impact on the world.
Darynn is
tapped by
his commander to infiltrate enemy ranks in an effort to confront the
enemy and
turn the tide against them, as well as tackling the rising magical
abilities
that simmer in his psyche.
Joined and
supported
by a loyal band of friends, Darynn comes to question who and what he is
really
fighting for even as he struggles with the dual mission of preserving
the
secrets of the gods, which need to get into the right hands in order to
fulfill
potential and prove a benefit.
Just as in
his previous
books, Justin Doyle creates a winning, action-packed adventure that
tests
hearts and minds as much as magic and loyalties. Many close calls test
the
characters as they each strive to become something greater than their
calling
and move beyond their seemingly set fates in life.
The search
for
balance, momentum, and salvation continues as bloody confrontations vie
with
efforts each character makes to support their lives, mission, and one
another.
Teens
seeking vivid
magical encounters and stories of confrontation and realization will
appreciate
the fast pace and action in Betrayal of
Hope, but it's the thought-provoking moments, which carry the
young people
to their greatest confrontation yet, which make this concluding volume
to the
trilogy such an attraction.
Of
particular note
are the twists on ideas of redemption, torture, and revenge which
introduce
thought-provoking passages about survival and realization:
"I finally realized how
this torture chamber
worked, and why a
Vastirian had never been in it. It took all of the consequences of my
magic and
struck me with them at once. Pain from wounds I never had after healing
people.
Unleashing the bloodthirsty demon inside. The guilt and remorse I felt
from
killing all of those people in the embargo and since."
The result
is a
compelling, fiery conclusion to the series. It is very highly
recommended for
libraries and readers who found Justin Doyle's prior books powerful,
and who
will find that Betrayal of Hope
puts
the closing touches on a story that sizzles with entertainment, magic,
and a
revised sense of home and loyalty.
Return to Index
CHILDREN, A WORD PLEASE!
Linda Yianolatos
Independently
Published
9798387781384
$9.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1JB5J1T
CHILDREN,
A WORD PLEASE!
is a rhyming picture book emphasizing that words can change the world,
and
informs the very young that words can do all kinds of good in the
world, from
"bringing comfort on a sad day" to spreading love.
Conversely, words can
spread discord and
hate, if not chosen and utilized properly.
Linda
Yianolatos
employs vivid, colorful illustration examples of kids interacting with
the
world to support her contentions about words, showing how even kids can
save
lives by listening to others' words as well as using their own voices
more
thoughtfully.
The contrast
between
supportive word use and those which harm receive equal emphasis: "Others cut worse than a knife. These
words are remembered for the rest of your life."
Yianolatos
teaches
kids by example, showing them how words can not only harm or support
others,
but boomerang back to do the same to oneself.
Teachers and
read-aloud parents who would show kids the power of word choices have
few
better picks than CHILDREN,
A WORD PLEASE! to encourage realizations about word power
and how it works in daily life. Its uplifting, thought-provoking
message needs
to be heard by many who choose this book. Ideally, the book will also
be used
as an interactive discussion point in children's reading groups
supporting
child empowerment and empathy.
Return to Index
ForeverChild: A Novel
of the Future
Mark Lavine
Independently Published
979-8-218-13094-7
$14.95 Paper/$4.95 ebook
Website: http://www.marklavine.net
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/ForeverChild-Future-Second-Mark-Lavine/dp/B0BYR88TXK
ForeverChild:
A Novel
of the
Future will reach young adult sci-fi fans with its
compelling saga of the haves and the have-nots in 2315. Endless youth
is
available for those lucky enough to qualify, but this means that others
will
fall short of this ideal life. Trouble seems inevitable.
And so these 'forever
children' are isolated
from the majority of others who must live out regular lifespans in the
world
outside of the hives.
Kianno and
Seelin are
two very different children in this futuristic world who face
impossible
choices and events. Their decision to trade places to experience
disparate
lives of both opportunity and angst will not only change their futures,
but
affect the set protocols and processes of their society.
Mark Lavine's story
evolves a
thought-provoking series of dilemmas about the moral and ethical
conundrums
inherent in both worlds. Young adults will be especially intrigued by
the
questions which the characters confront in the course of their
dangerous social
experiment to test their boundaries and lives: "How
does it feel to grow again, Kianno, like the rest of us? How does it feel to
finally leave your childhood behind?"
From kidnapping and a
conversion process to
new revelations that Kianno and Seelin navigate through increasing
danger,
Lavine paints a powerful story of a futuristic world whose foundations
are
coming apart in more than one way.
As politics and
violence collide, Kianno and
Seelin prove to be on the cusp of world-changing decisions that test
them all.
The special value of ForeverChild
lies in its strong character developments, its
juxtaposition of bigger life questions that affect the entire social
structure,
and the action embedded into Kianno and Seelin's lives and choices.
Lavine creates enough
detail and insights to
produce an especially thought-provoking story of a future world
teetering on
both destruction and rebirth. This lends itself especially well to
classroom
and book club discussion, making ForeverChild
a top recommendation for collections seeking more depth and debate
opportunities from their sci-fi acquisitions than most books offer to
this age
group.
Return to Index
Jett Jamison
and the
Secret Storm
Kimberly Behre Kenna
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68513-243-9
$16.95 paper/$4.95 ebook
www.blackrosewriting.com
Jett Jamison and the
Secret Storm
presents another book in the
preteen Brave Girls Collection, juxtaposing the social issue of banned
books
with a personal secret that both lead Jett to tap her inner resources
to expose
all kinds of secrets to the world around her. This is something she has
resisted heavily.
From its
opening
lines, first-person Jett reflects on a daring act that will redefine
the
reader's ideas (in this case, of graffiti):
"Dad calls it a criminal
act. I argue that if done
respectfully,
it’s more like speaking out. I looked it up. The definition of
vandalism
includes the word malicious. I am not malicious. I do what I do to
remind
myself of where I’ve been and where I’m going."
Jett is not
just
reminding herself. She's reminding the world of its hidden
undercurrents, and
by exposing these varied secrets, she is both applauded and challenged
by her
own choices and actions.
How long can
one be
brave and defiant, even if making small gestures of resistance? Jett
doesn't
know. What she does know is that her restroom refuge is not only
limited, but
likely can't continue. Her ability to candidly self-assess her options
is but
one of the strengths of her story: "I’ve
got to quit running away to this restroom. But, oh how the silence in
here
calms my heart right back to where it belongs."
Kimberly
Behre Kenna
crafts a delicate dance between hiding and exposing Jett's experiences.
The
unusual fears Jett harbors, such as that of jet noise ("It’s
a big joke that Jett hates jets. Their
noise is almost as bad as the voices."), is only the overt
sign of
what simmers beneath the surface.
As various
forces
coalesce around Jett, from classmates and friends to adults, her growth
process
is outlined from both internal and external forces that inject wisdom
and
reflection into her emotional processing:
“Look, all I’m saying is
that being afraid doesn’t
mean you’re abnormal
or that you need to be fixed. Once you welcome fear into the rest of
your
family of emotions, you’ll feel more peace inside yourself.”
What is the
connection between banned books and hidden emotions? “Fiction
reveals truth that reality obscures.”
As Jett's
emerging
courage and supportive connections force her to confront "bad
stuff bubbling away deep down inside of me," Jett
walks into the strength of a survivor who reflects her struggles into
bigger-picture actions rather than simply hiding.
Libraries
and readers
seeking exceptional pre-teen fiction that focuses on abuse, growth,
recovery,
and resources for healing trauma that operate and influence on
different levels
will find Jett Jamison and the Secret
Storm powerfully written and compellingly presented.
Ideally, the
book
won't just repose on library shelves, but will assume a more active
role in
book clubs and tween discussion groups focused on these subjects and on
stories
that speak of the unspeakable: childhood sexual abuse and how
everything can
change.
Return to Index
Kid's Word
Cookbook,
Book 2
Scott Ravede
Scott Ravede Books
978-1-7348671-5-2
$10.99
www.ScottRavedeBooks.com
Kid's Word Cookbook, Book 2
employs silly
stories, artwork, and a
sense of fun to explain the quirks and puzzles of the English language
in a
manner kids can not only easily understand, but will find compellingly
entertaining. This approach to language takes the form of wordplay
"dishes" that highlight contrasts in words such as "ties,"
which receives a lilting rhyme and equally captivating illustrations by
Rivka
Ravede as it considers:
"Tie.
Two ties.
Tying two ties.
Tying two ties tightly.
Tying two ties too tightly.
Trying to tie two ties too tightly.
Trying to tie two ties too tightly takes two tries to tie two
ties."
The recipe
portion of
the entertainment looks like a formula for the kitchen, but reads like
a prescription
for better understanding and employing the English language. In the
above
example, "Teas and Ties and Tees and Thais," the 'ingredients' are
tied to Language Elements that further emphasize English:
INGREDIENTS
Thai
tie
tide
Tied
two
too
To
by
buy
LANGUAGE
ELEMENTS
Homophones
Homonyms
Alliteration
Assonance
Identical Rhymes
Rich Rhymes
The
resulting formula
for successfully understanding elements of English is especially highly
recommended for home schooling parents who would explain and explore
the
incongruities and intrigue of the English language, as well as for
educators
seeking to teach through a sense of fun adventure.
Whimsical
stories from
the foundation of learning encourage kids to seek out and identify the
different forms of wordplay in each narrative.
Tied to the
first
successful wordplay 'cookbook', Kid's
Word Cookbook, Book 2 represents yet another building block
in literacy for
young readers and ESL students who struggle with the English language's
oddities,
alliterations, and puzzles of linguistic description.
Return to Index
Kid's Word
Cookbook,
Book 3
Scott Ravede
Scott Ravede Books
978-1-7348671-8-3
$17.99 Hardcover/$10.99 Paper
www.ScottRavedeBooks.com
Five silly
new
stories, a glossary of literary terms, and a sense of adventure mark
the third
book in this series of kids' wordplay cookbooks, furthering Scott
Ravede's
unique approach to teaching the difficult English language in a more
appealing
manner than most books.
Why should
teachers
and parents consider this third addition to the series? Scott Ravede
points out
that "The books ascend in level of
sophistication as you progress through the series. So, beginning
readers will
want to start with Book 1 and go in order."
This, in
itself,
makes each book uniquely rich in its building block approach to
teaching
language, but their additional attraction lies in the diversity of
stories
created to emphasize, explain, and entertain young readers about the
English
language's attractions and incongruities.
Here,
heteronyms,
homonyms, and homophones receive rich examples in 'Too Many Toucans,'
'Left
Leaves,' and more. The rhymes that open each story are intriguingly
original: "If a left-leaning tree/has only
leaves
on the left,/will the tree go upright/when the leaves have all left?"
Silly
scenarios
evolve a better understanding of language, which will lend particularly
well to
adult/child interactive experiences as the engaging tales unfold,
enhanced by Rivka
Ravede's equally whimsical, fun illustrations.
Parents and
educators
who work with kids will find the concluding questions reinforce the
lessons,
while the glossary of terms and insights on language offer formulas for
better
understanding the basic elements of language.
While home
schooling
parents and educators will want to have this book (and its companions)
in their
personal or school lending libraries, ideally the Kid's Word cookbooks
will
receive more of an interactive assignment as classrooms and reading
groups
absorb a silly/serious discussion of English's words and ironic results.
It's rare to
see
'fun' and 'learning English' in the same descriptor, but the wordplay
whimsy of Kid's Word Cookbook, Book 3 achieves
both with a sense of wonder and serious inspection that will attract a
wide
audience and will even educate into adult circles.
Return to Index
Montana's
Mission:
Protecting the Forest
Victor Hess
Independently
Published
978-0999564066
$10.95 Paper/$4.99 ebook
www.victorhess.com
Montana's Mission:
Protecting the Forest
is the second book in the
Christian children's adventure series The Wesley Club Adventures,
introduced in
Florence's Journey: Proving Something).
It follows events in the late 1950s as young Montana MacCarthy fosters
a
special appreciation of God and nature as part of an adventure club
charged
with three rules of conduct: "First,
do no harm. Second, do all the good you can; and Third, do all you can
to be
close to God."
Lofty ideals
for
young people, but Montana and the five other kids from confirmation
class
strive to make the most of their lives and make the most positive
impact in the
world by tackling mysteries and situations most adults would either
bypass or
not see.
Family
picnics,
church outings, and community ties might not seem exciting topics for a
children's book, but Victor Hess brings the kids and their lives to
rich
reality, presenting their unique abilities, their upbringing and
connections,
and the mysteries that permeate their world.
Their
explorations of
the natural world that surrounds them and the dilemmas involving its
interactions with the community brings the added value of an
appreciation for
all of God's creatures into the fold of an adventure that rests on
growing
mysteries and conundrums that test the kids' spiritual and
psychological mettle.
As clues
mount in a
mystery that involves beavers, rabbits, and other creatures, the young
investigators and their followers come to new realizations about their
lives,
missing eagles, and the forces that work within and against the
community (and,
perhaps, God).
Libraries
and readers
looking for a special brand of Christian fiction for young people that
melds
adventure with experiences that lead the young characters to become
Wildlife
Agents on a new mission will find the blend of intrigue and spiritual
and
mystery issues in Montana's Mission:
Protecting the Forest an outstanding read. It furthers the
Wesley Club
members' connections to each other and the human and natural
communities around
them.
Return to Index
No,
You’re Crazy
Jeff Beamish
Roundfire Book
9781803412160
$21.95
Website: https://jeffbeamish.com/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/No-Youre-Crazy-Jeff-Beamish/dp/180341216X
No,
You’re Crazy is an
unusual coming-of-age novel about sixteen-year-old Ashlee
Sutton, whose
particular (and peculiar) form of mental illness translates to a belief
that
she can see the future.
Ashlee is on
the run
from both her ability and those who would use it to their advantage.
All she
really wants is peace, but even strangers pursue her with different
intentions
in mind: "Even if he wants to help,
can’t he see that I want to be left alone? That all I desire in this
world is
to be free of everyone else and the pain that comes with them."
Between
family ties,
misdiagnoses and perceptions of what constitute mental illness and
extraordinary abilities, and Ashlee's own desire to detach from her
body and
life to find the peace and freedom she imagines await her, the story
evolves
many delightfully unexpected threads of connection and realization.
Ashlee's
journey carries readers into a milieu in which her vision of the
perfect life
is debatable.
Underlying
her
journey is the uncertain evolving faith that things can change—even for
the
better, and against all odds.
As
her conviction
that people can change their own reality translates to revised
relationships
with her grandfather and life, readers receive a thought-provoking
story that
comes not just from Ashlee's experiences and perspective, but the lives
and
influences of those around her, such as her grandfather:
"It
was a glimpse of eternity that hinted at all life’s answers, one that
told a
story of distant places and cultures that forever changed for better
and worse,
even if the faces taking them in never did. And in this never-ending
panorama,
a greater truth screamed to be heard: that something far more precious
was
being squandered with each passing second, with each rush of wind and
water.
Maybe Ashlee was right that we all get to choose our own reality."
These
shifting
perspectives from other characters lend further insights and depth to
Ashlee's
life and beliefs, expanding her personality and perceptions in a manner
that
links her to family, friends, and choices that redirect her belief
system and
values.
Teen
to new adult
readers will find Ashlee's exploration and evolution thoroughly
engrossing. It
holds the kind of attraction that expands a compelling saga of being
lost,
found, and coming full circle to recognize the real value of life.
Libraries
and
readers seeking unusual novels of growth and evolution will find
Ashlee's story
a remarkable effort that brings to life a teen's compelling vision of
her
possible futures and the impact of her choices in the world:
"Kimberly
can’t understand why someone with my ability to look into the future is
unable
to see everything that awaits. I am not sure myself. Maybe we aren’t
meant to
see all things or have all the answers. Maybe some are meant to reveal
themselves as surprises, forcing us to respond on the double from the
heart."
Return to Index
The
Reluctant Ones
David B. Bond
Independently Published
ASIN: B0CB7XZNSS
Price: $3.99
Website: www.davidbbond.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Ones-Young-Sci-Fi-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0CB7XZNSS
A
ball of fire crashes to
Earth in a "glorious
explosion," bringing with it three infants who are placed in foster
homes
until they come of age. The alien visitation scenario in The
Reluctant Ones thus evolves into a very different scenario
than
most First Contact alien stories—one in which a farming couple is told
that the
strange crashed aircraft is an experimental military vehicle.
Fast
forward to a bullying
situation, in which
fifteen-year-old Yara taps into abilities she never knew she had in
response to
physical threats. Zayne, too, is fifteen and is responding to an
emergency when
his powers come to light. And Xenia is a teen genius who talks to
animals.
David
B. Bond unfolds a
story in which this trio not only
exhibits unusual abilities, but is being secretly followed by the
military,
which aims to exploit these superpowers. But, before they can, monsters
emerge
to test these forces in unusual ways. These reluctant young heroes may
prove
the only force able to defy them. If they dare.
Their
initial response to
danger is to not respond at
all. Seasoned by past experience and charged with hiding, these
reluctant young
heroes find they can't always command their powers or control their
emotional
responses.
Bond
creates a shifting,
realistic interplay between the
teens and the battle they are pulled into. Their emotional reactions to
adversity prove an unsettling key to success as the struggles continue,
connecting the dots of reaction and action in new ways the cooperative
trio
begin to perceive both within themselves and from one another: "There was no way of telling how long
it would have taken anyone else to connect the dots, but Xenia did it
immediately. Whatever that bubble was, Yara was doing it."
Bigger-picture
thinking
about decisions that are humane,
inhumane, and either reckless or intelligent permeate an action-packed
story
that presents not only the coming-of-age of three potentially powerful
young
people, but the forces on all sides that would influence and manipulate
their
evolving abilities.
Teens
and new adults
interested in stories of super
powered individuals struggling to step into adult decision-making roles
will
find The Reluctant Ones replete
with
unpredictable action, confrontations with monsters who assume various
guises,
and a different perspective on what makes for aliens and humans that
casts an
original and unpredictable light on the usual alien encounter scenario.
Libraries
and readers
interested in alien stories that
are very different from the norm will appreciate the ability of The Reluctant Ones to create
thought-provoking moments that ultimately examine the true nature of
alien and
human interactions and definitions.
Return to Index
Sun Child of the Moor
Tricia D. Wagner
Independently Published
9798398767193
$3.99
eBook; $16.99 paperback
www.TriciaWagner.com
In Sun
Child of the
Moor, fourteen-year-old Bastian has been stalked by a dark
force since he
was a child. His earliest memories portend something waiting for him at
night,
and so he fears the darkness and its goblins and other forces which
apparently
only he can see.
Bastian's fears seem
rooted in his England
childhood
experiences where the mythos of the Sylphic Kingdom, filled with
goblins and
dragons, has often seemed more real to him than his everyday life. It's
a
baggage he's carried across the sea to his new home in San Francisco,
and one
which continually plagues his dreams and life.
Predictably, Bastian's
worries prove real as his
family
returns to England in a move that reawakens the worst of his
nightmares. Night
terrors aren't the only thing he struggles with. Life-threatening
asthma
attacks are not only a constant event, but lend to the feeling of
something
ominous threatening his life.
Readers that choose this
fantasy will find the
story
steeped in the interplay between fantasy and real-life confrontations
as
Bastian learns pathways to new skills and healing from Master Sayre,
Bastian’s
new Ryudo martial arts teacher.
His teacher is a rare and
good friend who
acknowledges
Sylphic frights and possibilities while providing Bastian with the
tools for
fighting imaginary and real forces. His deepening involvement in
Bastian's
struggles introduces new realms of possibility (both physically and
mentally)
as Bastian comes to new realizations about the duties and possibilities
of a
legendary Sun Child able to battle evil forces and how to wield the
power and
the responsibilities that come with it.
Teens receive a vivid
story that intersects
fantasy,
physical struggles that play out on internal and external fields of
controversy, and elements of building strength that come not just from
revised
perceptions, but visualization lessons. These elements add strength
into the
equation of magic versus reality.
Libraries and readers will
find that this story
goes beyond
the anticipated coming-of-age of a young man who is faced with uncommon
danger
to delve into the nature of wielding powerful growth in a socially
responsible,
aware manner.
The story and its lively,
engaging action will
encourage
discussion and debate in teen circles about the consequences of special
abilities and the contrast between imagination and reality, making Sun Child of the Moor a top
recommendation above many other action-packed fantasies for this age
group.
Sun Child of the Moor
Return to Index