August 2024 Review Issue
Literature
Mystery & Thrillers
Call
Me Adam
Jo McCarty
Crazy Pages
Publishing Co.
978-1-941175-01-9
$16.99 paperback;
$3.99 Kindle Unlimited; $25.99 hardcover
Website: https://jomccarty.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Call-Me-Adam-Jo-McCarty/dp/1941175015
Call Me Adam blends dystopian fiction
with dark fantasy as it
surveys the post-COVID world of rural Michigan in general and the
dilemma of
protagonist Louie in particular. He literally can’t die. And,
ironically (in
contrast to most humans who struggle), he actually doesn’t want to live.
So begins an
existential dilemma in which Louie surveys the possibility of ending
his life,
only to be reincarnated again and again while the world around him
struggles to
survive.
Louie’s
personal
drive towards demise is altered when he meets Katherine, who is equally
determined to survive against all odds. Whether they live or die proves
the
least of their problems as the world intrudes its own mandates for
change and
challenge.
From this
description, readers might anticipate that Jo McCarty’s story will be
yet
another predictable read filled with romance, transformation that stems
from
interpersonal connections, and social change. Embrace surprise; because
the
twists and turns reflected in this process are anything but predictable.
For one
thing, there
are insights on suicide, “dumb ways to die,” and world-ending signs
that both
characters either ignore or are convinced they can alter.
McCarty’s
special
talent lies in traversing the ins and outs of not just a society under
siege,
but individuals similarly in conflict. Louie and Katherine come to
realize that
their uncommon connection changes everything and is, indeed, something
to be
not just cherished, but tapped for strength and support:
When she could finally speak, she whispered into
her lap, “I was so
scared, Louie. I thought you were crippled, or worse. I thought, How will I ever do this alone?”
As Louie
reflects on
his many suicide attempts and remembers his penchant for relentlessly
surviving
against all odds, he also comes to realize that there is a penance and
price to
pay, which is delivered in the acknowledgment of his many
transgressions and
poor choices.
McCarty’s
slow
revelations of these moments of discovery may serve as triggers to
readers who
have also struggled with suicide and its aftermath, but is ultimately a
novel
exploration of the issues and costs of survival, that spins a fine yarn.
“Dystopian
fiction”
thus receives a makeover in a redefinition of individual purpose and
relationships to the planet that injects bigger-picture thinking into
the
story, which feels at once alien and too close to modern-day truths.
Libraries
seeking
dystopian fiction that stands a cut above others in its genre will
relish Call Me Adam’s focus on old
patterns,
new beginnings, and revised ways of thought. These strengths make it
especially
appropriate for book club recommendation and discussion.
Return to Index
Outbound:
Islands in
the Void
Richard M Anderson
Precocity Press
979-8989830466
$19.95
Paperback/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Outbound-Islands-Void-Richard-Anderson/dp/B0D1C9H3R1
Outbound: Islands in the Void takes place
in the year 2248, after
climate disruptions have changed Earth.
Humanity
exists on both
Earth and in space, including on Mars, and yet humans still grapple
with basic
issues and the same patterns of choice that led to the vast changes
impacting
Earth.
Readers
needn’t know
rocket science in order to appreciate the hard sci-fi aspects of this
journey.
But they should cultivate the ability to view problems from disparate
perspectives as engineers, visionaries, and reactionaries build
sometimes-disparate pictures of the future, powered by adventure and
options
unprecedented in human history.
Readers also
should
cultivate an interest in interlocked characters whose individual lives,
drives,
and experiences influence outcomes, productivity, and personal
initiative. The
interconnected characters and stories neatly dovetail into a unified
future in
which the passion for development continues into space, impacting that
environment in unpredictable ways.
From
conundrums
facing the newly constructed Ceres Island in space to issues of
governing,
building, and managing human endeavors under all kinds of environmental
conditions, Richard M Anderson has put together an admirable series of
scientific, political, and social interactions. Together, they form the
nexus
of a powerfully thought-provoking read.
Sci-fi
readers who
enjoy hard science juxtaposed with philosophical and social inspection,
all powered
by the action of individual and group choices, will find Outbound
a compelling exploration. It also considers the process of
accelerating growth and climate change impact.
Set against
scenarios
of confrontation, contemplation, and action based on internal and
external
struggle, Outbound creates a milieu
which will prompt readers to expand their personal definitions and
perceptions
of climate change and human impact.
Libraries
that chose Outbound to enhance
their sci-fi
holdings will find these stories especially highly recommendable to
book clubs of
‘cli-fi’ genre readers. The collection stands out from the crowd with
its
extraordinary settings and especially wide-ranging examination.
Return to Index
Time-Marked
Warlock
Shami Stovall
Capital Station Books
978-1-957613-71-0
$5.99
https://sastovallauthor.com/
Urban
fantasy readers
are in for a treat with Time-Marked
Warlock, because P.I. detective work blends with magic,
psychological
trials, and action-packed scenarios to draw readers into a world marked
by
magic and mayhem.
When
powerful PI
warlock Adair Finch makes a grave error that results in the death of
his
beloved brother, he goes into hiding. Emotionally devastated and
shaken, Adair
is not only hiding from his PI and magical talents, but he turns his
back on
his place in the world to either recovery or remain in isolation for
the rest
of his life.
Were it not
for
twelve-year-old witch Bree, who well knows his fame and decides she’s
the only
one who can save her from a deadly assassin, that might have remained
the case.
The issue is that Adair is now rusty and retired. Can he step back into
his
skills and his life enough to make a difference in hers?
Shami
Stovall excels
in writing that opens with a literal bang and embeds nonstop action
into every
experience:
It was extremely important to note that Adair Finch
woke at exactly 4:34 a.m. Someone was banging on his front door.
Readers
receive a story
spiced with the allure of wry ironic humor that emerges at unexpected
moments
of serious confrontation:
DoorDash and Amazon had significantly cut down on
his need to interact
with magicless mortals.
This added
touch of
the unexpected enhances the story from the start as Adair comes to
realize that
the plight of one young girl is actually connected to sinister events
in the
outside world that he’d missed while in his self-imposed isolation,
struggling
with grief.
Witch Bree,
Kullthantarrick the Sneak (a fox), and others join his increasingly
active
investigations and participate in his life and new revelations about
it, adding
to the drama with strong characters that each operate outside the norms
of
experience and even magic.
Adair serves
not just
as investigator and powerful mage, but as a teacher to his new charges
as they
all investigate the wellsprings of danger which have evolved since
Adair’s
early retirement.
The action
is solid,
cemented in interplays between these characters and the shifting world
around
them. Readers who delight in the unexpected will appreciate the twists
and
turns this urban fantasy takes as it navigates Bree’s challenge of
becoming
“the best warlock” herself, Adair’s of fostering new relationships and
strengths in the face of impossible challenges, and Kull’s magical
contribution
to their efforts.
As they
sneak through
situations that even lead them to steal from friends, the story sizzles
with
impact and action that draws readers into a variety of situations and
scenarios
that challenge each of the characters in different ways.
The overall
strong
characterization, intriguing portrait of this world, and contrast
between the
making of a new warlock and the remaking of an old one makes Time-Marked Warlock a top recommendation
for libraries seeking novel urban fantasies that hold the ability to
reach into
general and non-fantasy-reading audiences and book club discussion
groups
alike.
Return to Index
The Wayward
Mage
A.S. Norris
Independently
Published
979-8985459302
$19.99 Paper/$.99 eBook
Website:
www.asnauthor.com
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/Wayward-Mage-Adventures-Jack-Wartnose/dp/B09WQ4S6XN
The
Wayward Mage:
The Adventures of Jack Wartnose is the first book in a series
charting the
exploits of a novice mage who finds himself grappling with issues that
lie in
unexpected territory outside of his goals … including marriage.
Heroes
usually don’t
take their families on dangerous quests and adventures, but Jack is
forced to
do so, honoring a promise that places them all in danger as he
struggles to
locate the legendary artifact, the Tome of Time.
All the
elements of
an exciting fantasy are present, from a dangerous world-changing search
to
petty squabbling between family members and those who join Wartnose on
his
mission.
Humor
abounds,
related through character dialogue and interactions which are
especially
intriguing (and often unexpected):
Caught off guard by the rude answer and accusatory
language used
against her husband, Muriel indignantly cried, “How dare you accuse my
husband
of slacking in his duties!”
“Muriel, dear, please,” her husband reached over and gently touched her
arm, “I
can defend myself. Thank you, though.” Returning his attention to
Skully, he
continued, “Alright, I agree to your demand. The first day I go to the
library,
I will take you and Brien there as well. In fact, let me take everyone!
Maybe
with more eyes looking through these books and charts and other papers,
we
could more quickly find some answers.” Now it was Skully who was caught
off guard. He did not expect his companion to
call his bluff. Looking like a fool, he could only manage an indignant,
“Fine!”
back at Wartnose. Having no other objections, Wartnose concluded that
subject.
It’s rare to
find an
action-packed adventure fantasy that arrives with the overlay of ironic
confrontations and situations, but A.S. Norris cultivates an atmosphere
replete
and ripe with twists and turns of character, perspective, and
objectives that
many a reader won’t see coming.
From
assassins and
monsters to threats from within the group that is supposed to support
him,
Wartnose receives more than his fair share of adversity and personal
challenge
as he rises to the demands of romance and world-saving alike.
Libraries seeking
fantasy stories replete with fun, thought-provoking moments will find
much to
recommend in The
Wayward Mage: The Adventures of Jack Wartnose as Jack navigates relationship snafus, the
possibility of financial ruin, and the quips of frustrated thief
Skully, who keeps
Jack on his toes.
Book clubs
seeking vivid fantasies that embrace a
different flavor of discovery and the definition of an adventurer will
find
much to enjoy from the discussions certain to arise from reading The Wayward Mage.
Return to Index
Literature
Journey Bread
Ruth Thompson
Broadstone
978-1-956782-77-6
$27.50
https://www.broadstonebooks.com/shop/p/journey-bread-new-selected-poems-by-ruth-thompson
Journey Bread is akin to taking a trip
through time, space, and
fantasy. Ruth Thompson details the spells, songs, incantations, and
sometimes
insanity of her life’s journey.
She revisits
some
published poems from the perspective of greater literary and
psychological
impact, and shares new ones.
This
narrative may be
one reason why Journey Bread is so
exciting in its scope, presentation and visions.
The
collection begins
with the thought-provoking ‘What the River Says’:
Who cannot go straight will go crooked.
Who cannot stand will go bent.
Who cannot sing must speak in a whisper.
Who goes alone will hear voices.
It then
delves into
the past with ‘In My Grandmother’s Garden’, where:
Under the lemon leaves I went to ground.
Headless fuchsias danced en pointe,
mad hibiscus spoke to me in tongues.
Consider
this
collection a presentation of ‘mini-journeys’ that come together to form
a
bigger picture. Consider Thompson’s life journeys and reflections
cultivated
with the wisdom of hindsight to be windows into not just her life, but
the
moments of experience and pleasure which dovetail into a metaphysical
and
psychological journey replete with philosophical touches, as in
‘Speaking of
the Muse’:
My Muse comes up behind me and says Honey
(she calls me honey)
you don’t have a lot of time here.
Look! Here I am!
Dappled with oceans, furred with green and gold –
Honey, give me your full attention here!
Flavor
insights and
progressive experience with the overlay of family, fantasy, and nature
for a
sense of the powerful effect these free verses create for their readers.
Libraries
interested
not only in modern poetry but in poetry as memoir will find Journey Bread a fine example of literary
and autobiographical craft. It’s more than worthy of acquisition,
recommendation, and perhaps even book club attention from reading
groups
interested in works of deeper reflection on past, present, and future.
Return to Index
Not the Same
River
W.A. Polf
Atmosphere Press
979-8891323056
$26.99
Hardcover/$17.99 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
www.atmospherepress.com
Not the Same River harbors a literary
countenance, its short
stories reviewing the nature and impact of time and individual choice.
It will
attract audiences that have a special interest in short stories filled
with
psychological depth and inspections replete with a sense of place and
growth
opportunities.
Take the
short story
‘Lunch at the Dahesh’, for example. Here, Collin once again joins
Glenda for
lunch at the Dahesh (late, as usual), and together they face the end of
old
patterns and attractions and the beginnings of new things.
A love of
art bonds
them—yet less apparent (initially) but equally compelling is their
shared love
for the art museum Dahesh that once served as the mainstay of New
York’s
artistic community (and their relationship), capturing moments of
‘suspended
tension’ that reach from art observation into life experience.
As academic
debate
and expression coincide with personal shifts, W.A. Polf invites reader
into a
world which began as set on a foundation of shared experience, and has
evolved
into something more:
He began to feel uneasy, unsure why. Nothing seemed
different; they had
been in this very place many times before. Yet the situation seemed
changed, as
though he had shifted his position and now saw “The Water Girl” from
another
perspective.
Contrast
this with
‘The Elephant Train,’ in which an elephant train tour at the zoo
reflects
scenarios of loss and transformation in which the characters …lay there silently, their world dissolving
around them, the new one not yet fully formed.
Routines
interrupted
by adversity and surprise receive prominent display and attention in a
story
that surveys the irony of a kill-or-be-killed world and a microscopic
situation.
Each
scenario plays
out against a very different backdrop. Each short story operates as a
tale of
individual revelation that, when viewed as a group, relates different
versions
of choice, impact, closure, and recovery.
Libraries
and
college-level professors seeking literary works that vary widely in
their
atmospheres, sense of place, and psychological calls and responses will
find
the diversity in Not the Same River
satisfying. It reflects a deeper attention to revelation and growth
which
deserves not only individual recommendation, but can serve as appealing
fodder
for classroom and book club discussions.
Return to Index
Quick and
Quirky
Stories and Photos
Lorin Lee Cary
Independently
Published
979-8-9900571-0-4
$10.99 Paper/$2.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Quirky-Stories-Photos-Lorin/dp/B0D67VVTK7
Quick
and Quirky
Stories and Photos represents the concept of flash fiction
at its best,
synthesizing life experiences into vignettes of under 1,000 words. This
will
especially appeal to modern audiences whose attention spans or
schedules limit
their ability to digest longer works, but it also highlights a literary
device
in which the most can be said in the least amount of words.
In Lorin
Lee
Cary’s case, the focus on diverse characters and disparate situations
contributes to the surprises readers will experience as each story
unfolds.
Take ‘The
Key’ for
one example. The one-page story succinctly documents the discovery of
an
unusual key, the finder’s fantasy about the story behind it, and a
reality
which surprises.
In contrast
is
‘Superhero,’ in which an uncommon occupation is stymied by a medical
condition
which challenges the superhero patient in an unusual manner. As the
physical
and emotional prowess of a superhero is inspected, readers receive a
delightful
interplay of wry humor and thought-provoking encounter.
Each story
delivers a
punch of uncommon development that will especially delight those
seeking
surprises in their reading. Each promises and delivers observations and
revelations that enhance both the short story individually and the
collection
as a whole.
Cary is
particularly
gifted at building extraordinary conclusions from seemingly common (and
also
uncommon) scenarios, wielding the flash fiction’s potential for
excellence in a
manner that modern literature or creative writing classes will also
find
attractive.
The black
and white
photos which liberally pepper these stories add their own special brand
of
attraction and, often, surprise that encourage readers to think.
All these factors
play into Quick
and Quirky Stories and Photos
being a top recommendation for a wide audience of short story and flash
fiction readers, from those looking for entertainment value to others
who will
appreciate the sense of wry humor that often permeates these adventures
and
experiences.
Return to Index
Replacement
Parts
Marc Dickinson
Atmosphere Press
979-8-89132-178-6
$17.99 Paper/$9.99 eBook
www.atmospherepress.com
The haunting
literary
short stories of Replacement Parts
embrace a sense of place (Dexton, Iowa), character purpose (all want to
escape
their hometown roots in one form or another), and events that
compromise the
characters’ ability to either truly get away from or form a new
connection with
Dexton’s culture and history.
Each story
in this
collection focuses on a very different person, contrasting ages,
attitudes, and
angst. They are delivered in varying tones and styles to reinforce the
idea
that these residents who share one thing in common also share a
compulsion to
recreate a sense of community in a milieu firmly mired in precedent and
history.
Marc
Dickinson
dovetails these lives via vignettes that tastefully ramble through life
events
and outlooks with an attention to exploring the jurisdictions of
precedent and
control that overlay each experience.
As ordinary
as many
of the characters may at first appear, there is much that is
extraordinary
about their perspectives.
Most of the
stories
open with a bang. Take the title story ‘Replacement Parts’, for one
example:
Madeline Davis-Dempsey entered our second-grade
class with magic hair.
The
compulsion to
continue, on the reader’s part, is rewarded by a tale packed with
magical
observations of Madeline Davis-Dempsey, the “girl next door” whose
ability to
capture attention, captivate, and inject her unique ability into
Geoffrey’s
elementary school (and life as a whole) creates a passionate draw of
magic and
possibility:
…she already knew what notes were called in music
class. How she played
piano while we were just beginning to puff on recorders. In gym, while
jumping
rope, Madeline taught us double-dutch, the hypnotic chants stuck in our
heads
all afternoon. The day we learned to count in Spanish, Madeline
whispered
something under her breath, and Mrs. Hoover made her repeat it, like
maybe it
was a dirty word. But when Madeline spoke again, using sounds that
weren’t
really words except to Mrs. Hoover, we all sat slack-jawed—as if the
girl’s voice
had suddenly become possessed by some invisible spirit. So though we
tried,
nobody could forget her name. She was impossible to ignore.
As the
mysterious
Madeline works on transforming those around her, she injects a special
form of
magic into her classmates that introduces bigger-picture philosophical
thinking
into one young man’s life.
Dialogues
and
discourses reveal far more about Maddy than her neighbor and classmate
could
fathom—including the wellsprings of her magic:
…
it’s why people always get cursed at the end of the
story.”
“Because everyone always gets what they deserve?”
“No. She said because it’s an act of selfishness. To give up on the
gifts
you’ve been given. But maybe you’re right,” she said, tears cracking
her voice.
“In other religions, it’s just another way to punish. Or repent.”
Such
small-town signs
of life and transformation also take place in adult Jack Dunbar’s story
in
‘Down the Line,’ where aging and ability rapidly progress into
unfamiliar
territory, forcing him to reinvent both his life and his vision of the
future.
Each short
story adds
another dimension to the changing milieu of Dexton, Iowa.
Libraries
seeking
literary short stories steeped in a sense of place and individual
character
circumstances, that dovetail in unusual ways, will find Replacement
Parts highly attractive for not just literary
audiences, but general-interest short story readers. All will
appreciate this
collection, which builds atmosphere and cultural revelation through
seemingly-disparate yet entwined lives, embracing Iowa culture in the
process.
Return to Index
And She Was
Never the
Same Again
Natasha Pryde
Trujillo, Ph.D.
Violet Echoes Press
979-8-9895443-0-1
$17.95 Paperback/$7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D28P8T67/
And She Was Never the Same Again takes
the memoir form and turns it
upside down, pairing a psychologist’s experiences and insights with the
life
lessons to be gained from losses that come outside of death.
Trigger
warning: the
contents of this book are emotion-driven and can provoke psychological
angst
and self-reflection that, at times, may feel overwhelming. That’s why
this book
should not only come with a caution sign, but the advice that it should
be read
and digested slowly, in bits and pieces, so as to mitigate any impact
and allow
time for recovery and revelation, which go hand in hand in these pages.
Multiple
losses come
in various ways and throughout a lifespan. They result in unexpected
strengths,
often-unwelcome (at the time) transformations, and soul and
character-altering
conditions that not just prompt, but force one to go in new directions.
The
collection of
narratives is disparate, personal, and insightful. In probing her
family (both
biological and chosen), Natasha Pryde
Trujillo places her own experiences in the limelight of close analysis
and
examination. Undoubtedly, this approach led to a birthing experience
that was
challenging and powerful; because its impact on the reader assumes
similar
proportions of pain and discovery.
There are
many
unexpected moments in Trujillo’s journey and in her reader’s eyes.
Take, for
example, the experience of playing sports:
Getting accustomed to the life of high school
sports also meant
addressing the losses suffered at the end of each season when the
seniors
graduated and moved on. Each year, there was a predictable reshaping of
the
team that introduced grief, particularly at the beginning of a new
season as we
became accustomed to the changes. Our relationships, roles, strengths,
and
weaknesses shifted collectively and individually. We had to cope with
the
longing for things we missed from past seasons while also relishing in
the joy
and optimism we had for what our new team could achieve. Basketball
stopped
being fun and became a burdensome job between my sophomore and junior
years.
As she
reviews the
pivot points of loss and change that buffet her life, so readers will
be
encouraged to consider their own losses and underlying influences on
their life
choices and paths.
These
vignettes and
revelations elevate And She Was Never the
Same Again from a personal memoir to the status of a
self-help guide to
navigating life.
Libraries
and readers
seeking memoirs that go above and beyond a narrative life experience to
probe
the deeper psychological and philosophical impact of these events will
find And She Was Never the Same Again
thoroughly absorbing. It will not only compliment other self-help
memoirs, but
should be directed to book club and reading groups interested in the
mechanics
of loss, redirection, recovery, and change.
Return to Index
The Devil’s
Crossroads
Alexis Brunet
Rhymes Junkies
979-8-218-36235-5
$15.95 Paperback/$4.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Crossroads-Adventures-Musings-Hitchhiking/dp/B0D4GJ17XK
The
Devil’s Crossroads: Adventures and Musings Hitchhiking the Road
of Life is a
literary
reflection/memoir of music, memories, life experience, and crossroads
of
change. It comes from a musician/surfer/husband/father who pinpoints
many of
the crossroads in his own life which forced him into unexpected
directions, for
better or for worse.
The lyrical pen of Alexis
Brunet is evident from his
opening lines:
The
Devil is a
cruelly brilliant architect. Calculated and practical, his brutish
designs mock
the holy curves of every gilded archway and treasure-adorned shrine
that
strains to elicit worship and inspire blind faith. If I have learned
anything,
it’s that the guilty go to church and the desperate bargain with this
fallen
draftsman.
If, by this opener, readers
anticipate a blend of
spiritual, philosophical, and psychological form of autobiography, they
would
not be far off. But, woven into this fabric of opportunities and
experiences
lies a sense of literary and social reflection that translate the
seemingly
mundane into bigger pictures and higher-level thought.
Take Brunet’s experience of
researching blues music
history and his approach of dovetailing this interest with the
intersection of
his own life. Call it a memoir or a musical piece, as you will, but the
strength of this special blend lies in its ability to move from the
Mississippi
Delta’s blues origins to topics of family dysfunction and broader life
experience.
Brunet moves through the
world powered by his love of
music and life. This sentiment is echoed by words that capture both as
he
engages in unexpected opportunities, from becoming a stock operator to
the
contrast between his origins as a homeless kid in Morocco to “wining and dining in some of the best restaurants
in New York, sipping on five-hundred-dollar bottles of wine.”
From voluntarily assuming
his parents’ mortgage payments
when they retire without adequate planning to defining his own morals,
values,
and definitions of healthy versus unhealthy patterns of behavior (“I never thought any of this was unhealthy. I
assumed it was my responsibility to provide for those who had failed or
were
unable to provide for themselves.”), The Devil’s Crossroads
traverses constantly-shifting ground as Brunet navigates the influences
of his
past and the possibilities of creating a different future.
Libraries
and readers
interested in life journeys which lead to the development of gratitude,
responsibility, revised values, and honesty and respect will welcome
the opportunity,
in The Devil’s Crossroads, of
learning just how these life values develop and are influenced by
interests,
objectives, and change.
Many a book
club will
also find The Devil’s Crossroads
the
perfect choice for discussing life transitions as well as the influence
of
music and culture on these pivot points and choices.
Return to Index
The Road to
Courage
Roy Taylor
Koehler Books
979-8-88824-376-3
$26.95
Hardcover/$19.95 Paperback/$7.99 eBook
Website: https://roytaylorauthor.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Courage-Adventures-Americas-Frontier/dp/B0D43SV5PT
The
Road to Courage: A Boy's
Adventures on America's Last Frontier documents the life of Roy Taylor as he journeyed to
and experienced
Alaska in his childhood. Sounds idyllic? It was—but the exploration
also held
challenges that Roy (and, vicariously here, his readers) unearths and
navigates
in the course of documenting the wilderness and culture that is Alaska.
At this point, it should be
noted that this memoir is as
much about family dynamics and faith as it is about the Alaskan
backdrop that
shaped them.
As young Taylor and his
brother labor alongside their
parents to help construct a church in Valdez, encounters with bears,
moose, and
matters of the heart form a continuous loop of action that moves from
Alaska’s
external challenges to internal matters of the heart.
From the opening lines of
the story (which sets its roots
in 1950s Cincinnati) to the adventures that follow, Taylor demonstrates
an
ability to enliven nonfiction with the high-octane drama of fictional
description:
The
bird hurtled
through our open window on the same day the letter arrived. The letter
that
would hurtle us into the unknown. Like a treasure map, it lured us into
a world
of peril and adventure and changed my life forever. Given the
importance of the
occasion, one might have expected a more auspicious omen. Perhaps a
messenger
pigeon, a mourning dove, a quail, or a pheasant. But no, it was a
simple city
pigeon. We ate it anyway. When you’re hungry, everything looks like
fair game.
As he recreates first-person
dialogues to reinforce
relationships and interactions, weaving in a child’s-eye view of
Alaska’s rich
natural wealth, readers will delight in the ‘you are here’ feel of
events,
which is a powerful attractor, reinforcing an overall sense of urgency,
drama,
and insight:
To
our right,
Valdez Glacier curled out of the mountains onto the plain like a
colossal
winter dragon. Gray, silty water spilled from its massive jaws and
slithered to
the sea, a sinuous tongue passing close enough to taste the town. I
shuddered.
What if the dragon awoke?
As they struggle to raise
the walls of their church in
the short season before Alaska’s famous winter sets in, the dynamics of
their
attempts come to life in gripping passages of wonder and new skills,
from
hunting to coping.
All these facets make The Road to Courage
highly
recommendable to a wide audience, from memoir readers who enjoy the
overlay of
fictional drama and vivid descriptions to reading groups that will
appreciate
material suitable for discussions about upbringing, faith, and
different forms
of courage.
Libraries
that
include The Road to Courage in
their
collections will find all of these attributes thoroughly attractive to
patrons.
Return to Index
Sky Ranch
Linda M. Lockwood
She Writes Press
978-1-64742-634-7
$17.99 Paperback/$12.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Ranch-Reared-High-Country/dp/1647426340
Sky Ranch: Reared in High Country at
first appears a memoir of the
ranching life—but to limit its audience to would-be ranchers or
armchair
farmers alone would be to do it a disservice. In fact, it’s a family
portrait
of mental illness, workloads and choices, and difficult decisions which
synthesizes
the experiences and impact of schizophrenia on a family.
Linda M.
Lockwood is
forthright about her memoir from the start:
My childhood was a wild and thrilling and sometimes
terrifying series
of adventures that included roaming isolated hills, taking on a bucking
horse
and deadly rattlesnakes, and navigating the mysteries of Mother Nature
and
human nature with very little guidance and almost no supervision. I’ll
share
many of those tales in these pages, but much of my life has found me
engaged in
a search for truth, and this story won’t be the whole truth if I don’t
include
an exploration of the schizophrenia that plagued my mother’s mind and
perplexed
those who loved her.
Thus, there
are two
reader draws to her story: the lasting impact of mental illness, and a
life
spent in the ranching milieu, experiencing its dual connections to
nature and
human endeavors and lessons about both which dovetail nicely with the
mental
illness reflections.
Those who
choose Sky Ranch for its promise of
ranching
life explorations and experiences won’t be disappointed. Lockwood
attends to
bringing to life the rancher’s world—complete with a love of the
outdoors that
it introduced into her life:
Around that age, I began to discover my love of the
outdoors. I was
happy playing in the woods and along the creek that adjoined our
backyard,
watching bumble bees, hearing birdsong, picking flowers, making
bouquets for
Mommy, and braiding grasses or leaves to make wreaths and belts.
Her memoir
thus
evolves on a dual platform, moving from the outside world to the inner
as she
explores horseback riding and ranching jobs alongside riding the
shockwaves of
mental changes and challenges that rocked her family.
Of special
interest
is how her mother’s mental illness forced Lockwood to confront her own
mental
perceptions and condition as she grew to maturity and faced similar
circumstances.
Her mother’s
love of
the ranching life transmitted to daughter (and, here, to her readers)
as the pivot
points of their lives and values intersect.
Libraries
seeking
memoirs about family mental illness thus will find Sky
Ranch much more multifaceted than the usual account. It
serves
up portions of life experience and connections to nature and wellness
that will
also do well as powerful discussion points for book clubs.
Vivid,
all-encompassing, passionate and thought-provoking, Sky
Ranch deserves a place in general-interest libraries, highly
recommended for any individual or group interested in considering the
impact of
mental illness on the family.
Return to Index
Stories
I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You
Andy
Romanoff
BookBaby
979-8-35-090726-1
$29.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/stories-ive-been-meaning-to-tell-you
Stories
I’ve Been Meaning to
Tell You
is a
memoir that embraces a wild ride through coming-of-age adventures and
confrontations. It will delight readers interested in absorbing a
character who
journeys on the darker path of reaching adulthood, and reflects the
avid “you
are here” feel of a storyteller who certainly knows how to spin a good
yarn.
Whether
he’s stealing motorcycles, being thrown out of yet another school, or
dabbling
in the dubious film industry, Andy Romanoff’s vivid experiences portend
only
one thing—the unexpected.
These
adventures come to life in a manner that proves that the allure of the
memoir
genre lies not just in life events, but how they are depicted. Stories
I’ve
Been Meaning to Tell You also embraces facets of identity,
Jewish
connections and upbringing, and the rituals of family of origin, family
of
making, and the family of God, which doesn’t work for the narrator in
earlier
years when he actively spurns every aspect of religion:
Time
passes. For the next
thirty odd years I am Jewish, but only if you ask me what I was born. I
am
drugged or busy and share the universe with other living beings — not
dead
ones. I marry, have children, a wife. She is Darcy, born questioning.
She is
the one who finds kinship among the Jews, and becomes one. I am her
reluctant
partner in this. She teaches me about ritual, and over time I
experience it. I
learn the importance of repetition, and slowly I submit. God doesn’t
hear, but
it doesn’t matter. Being reminded of what is important; chanting with
the
others, resetting the course is enough.
Lovely
color photos pepper these accounts, bringing to life the places and
atmospheres
Romanoff traverses in the course of his journey. Set in Chicago (where “Schools
were giant machines, 3–4–5 thousand kids in a single building, busy
learning
the post-war skills they would need to be part of the economy, the
world”), the
candid and unexpectedly wry observations Romanoff makes not only
document the
world around him, but admit to personal psychological failings (as
evidenced in
the vignette ‘Stupid People I’ve Been Along the Way’).
As
Romanoff moves from job to job and through life experience to life
experience,
the nature of his world and ways comes to life in a journey that moves
from
Chicago to Miami, London, and various world locales before he winds up
in Los
Angeles.
Readers
seeking a rollicking ride through cultural confrontations and
experiences,
whether they be Jewish identity, Southern California filmdom, or
personal
growth processes, will find this memoir revealing.
Libraries
seeking memoirs that are immersed in the flavors and experiences of
yesteryear
will find Stories I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You’s
interconnected
vignettes to be especially attractive to patrons who want life stories
served
up with succinct power.
Return to Index
Strip: A
Memoir
Hannah Sward
Tortoise Books
978-1948954679
$17.99 Paper ($14.40
on Amazon)/$7.99 ebook
Author Website: hannahsward.com
Ordering: Strip: A
Memoir
Strip: A Memoir presents the life
challenges of Hannah Sward, who
was abandoned by her mother, lived with her poet father on an isolated
island
devoid of cars or stores, was kidnapped and molested at age six, and
(unsurprisingly) then became a drug-addicted stripper and prostitute
(although
she tried drugs during that time, her active addiction didn’t manifest
until
later).
The memoir’s
opening
presents the gritty, matter-of-fact tone which swings from a bewildered
child’s
eidetic memory of loss to an adult’s observational analysis:
My mom left when I was two. While I was in her
belly and my dad was
standing on his head to find a poem, she’d met a sculptor, Paul. After
I came
out of her belly, she fell in love with him and didn’t want me anymore.
This unique
sense of
personality and purpose gives Strip
the feel of candid assessment that blends personal and analytical eye
in an
unusually compelling, literary manner. This belays the usual experience
of such
a background as being fodder for analytical exploration rather than
emotional
connection.
By
incorporating both
into her presentation, Hannah Sward creates an inspection that stands
out from
the plethora of memoirs about addiction, abuse, and recovery.
As Sward
explores
making money working for Madame Ava and interacting with fellow women
in the
sex trade, the milieu shifts to reveal many underlying issues and
answers as to
why and how women fall into such circumstances.
Sward
attends to
juxtaposing sometimes-surprising elements of past history and
present-day
experience in a manner which will prove a satisfying allure to her
readers:
I wore one of the suits I had saved from my days
with the Madame. I had
kept it in the back of the closet in a plastic suit bag, the kind with
the
zipper on the side that always reminded me of a corpse bag. I bought an
alarm
clock and stockings like the ones my mom had worn when she had worked
at
Burdines. I kept hearing her voice when I looked at all the varieties
at the
department store. “The worst two years of my life.”
Readers (and
libraries) should anticipate explicit sex scenes that come to light
alongside
efforts to at first hide from her past, then escape it, then confront
it. These
facets lend Strip an
extraordinarily
intimate tone of realism that reaches for personal empowerment while
describing
lures and influences of the past that often emerge at unexpected points
of
recovery.
All these
elements
mean that Strip is not just highly
recommended for memoir readers, but for book club and psychological
group
discussions where topics of sex industry processes, recovery, and
personal
empowerment are of special interest. Libraries that choose to recommend
Strip to these audiences will find
its
candid literary tone embraces both controversy and revelation, making
it
perfect for debate and discussion.
Return to Index
Counted
With the Dead
Peter
O’Keefe
Grendel
Press
978-1960534118
$12.99 Paperback/$3.99 eBook
https://bit.ly/3K08Jig
Counted
With the Dead is a horror/crime thriller that
poses the dilemma of exactly when a seasoned hit man can retire. The
answer is:
usually never. But in Jack Killeen’s case, that answer is too
simplistic,
because Jack finds himself drawn into an extraordinary milieu in which
his
particular area of expertise must be applied in a different manner … to
monsters.
Killeen’s
last victim has risen from the dead thanks to a mad scientist’s
efforts, and is
hell bent on destruction. There’s no recourse with either the Mob or
the
police; both of which are out for his blood. Even his priest won’t help
him
when he goes in search of absolution. To further complicate matters,
Killeen
finds himself skirting the treacherous territory of love.
In
order to dovetail all these undercurrents in a logical manner, Peter
O’Keefe
must walk a fine line in capturing all kinds of influences,
circumstances,
sources of angst and pleasure, and wellsprings of confrontation and
challenge.
With
so many subplots and influences emerging, in lesser hands, the story
might
prove cumbersome or confusing. However, O’Keefe creates just the right
flavor
of insights versus engagement in Killeen’s character, seasoning rapid
back-to-back action scenes with the spice of psychological developments
as
Killeen discovers that his motivations, intentions, and outcomes are
changed by
monsters that arrive in different forms to confront him.
A
delicate sense of “you are here” immediacy is provided by O’Keefe’s
deft
employment of the third person, present tense to capture narrator
Killeen’s
experiences.
O’Keefe
is equally adept at depicting a range of mercurial and challenging
relationships as Killeen finds his support list diminishing and is
forced to
team up with his estranged brother Marty, whose coming out as gay had
previously driven them apart.
O’Keefe
ramps up the tension in a believable, methodical manner as Killeen
finds
himself stalking an unbelievable monster through late-90s Detroit. He’s
accompanied by dubious help and equally questionable motivations and
convictions which are constantly being challenged by situations beyond
his
experience and control.
The
psychological ebb and flow proves particularly engrossing when Killeen
is
forced to re-examine his stormy relationship with Marty at the same
time as he
faces his deepest nightmares.
These
juxtapositions of action, relationship insights, and psychological
suspense,
tempered with forays into crime worlds and supernatural influences, set
Counted
With the Dead apart from the usual crime thriller’s tendency
towards
formula writing. All these pluses make this story highly recommendable
to not
only thriller and horror audiences, but those who normally eschew
predictability.
Libraries
and readers will find Counted With the Dead comes
packed with surprising
twists and turns and equally strong in psychological revelations which
drive
events into directions even seasoned thriller readers won’t anticipate.
Return to Index
Dead
Sure
Jerry Masinton
Anam Cara Press
978-1-960462-30-5
$22.99
https://anamcara-press.com/
Wrong Man Down introduced the character
of Millie Henshawe, a gay ex-GI
whose sassy approach to mysteries, life, and survival tactics created a
memorable saga of murder, assassination, and a wacky cast of characters
whose
worlds are permeated with dark humor and wry irony.
Dead Sure returns Millie to reader
attention, but requires no prior
familiarity with her brazen history in order to prove accessible and
compelling
to newcomers to her world.
Even
hit women
experience "one of those days," sometimes:
"It had started out
as a simple hit. Millie
had a contract to whack one guy in
Kansas City—that was it. But
things got
complicated, one thing led to another, and before you know it she’d had
to take
out two guys in Des Moines, three in Brooklyn, and one more in Kansas
City."
Only,
this time
turns out to be more than even Millie bargains for, between a contract
on a
possible dead guy, questions about her dubious career of choice (“But
you
worked your way through Harvard. You
could be making a killing. Oops! I mean, a lot of money.”),
and a rabbit
warren of complexity that leads her to confront thugs, shootings, and
Russian
affairs.
Jerry
Masinton
crafts a compelling saga that weaves through investigations, personal
life
conundrums, and the savvy responses of a hired gun who finds her chosen
profession leading her in unexpected, challenging new directions.
His
ability to
highlight swift action with intrigue that swirls around secret accounts
and
hidden motivations lends to a story powered by Millie's strong take on
her
abilities, choices, and their consequences.
Sheila's
Rule is
that nobody leaves the firm, once they enter. Will Millie be the
exception?
Masinton's
ability to intersect the stories of characters whose lives dovetail in
unexpected ways makes for a brilliant tour de farce that toys with
notions of
conventional intrigue, powering its tale with a proactive and
determined woman
whose strategy is based on confrontations and revelations.
Libraries
and
readers looking for outstanding blends of murder and social inspection
topped
with a sense of hardboiled detectiving will find Dead
Sure just as compelling as its predecessor, as striking in
its twists and
turns, and equally hard to put down.
Return to Index
Deadly Choice
S. Lee Manning
Encircle Publications
978-1-64599-564-7 $19.99
Paperback/$6.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Choice-s-Lee-Manning/dp/1645995631
Fans of S.
Lee
Manning’s previous Kolya Petrov thrillers will find the
spin-off story
introduced in Deadly Choice to be
just as intriguing and immersive as the original Petrov series.
The story
opens with
Patricia’s first-person reflection on her daughter (a “golden girl,” to
her
mother), who has always been high maintenance. Midway into her
reflections, it
is evident that Patricia is writing her thoughts to one Dr. Martin who,
it
turns out, is literally a captive audience:
“You
take things
for granted. Lovely home. Lovely life. A wife. A son. All the good
things in
life that you think you're owed. No reason to risk it, is there?”
Dr. Martin
“may be
the first” on Patricia’s radar of revenge—but he won’t be the last.
Readers
won’t fail to discern the foundations of Patricia’s choices and angst,
either.
The story covers the consequences of both as she plays a deadly game
that
dovetails the white lies of Lizzie (former assassin Lisette, turned
private
detective) and her business (Lizzie
Vaughn Investigations).
When Dr.
Martin’s
widow contacts her for help to investigate whether her husband's death
was
murder or suicide (and, if a murder, by whom), Lizzie finds the case
intriguing.
She accepts the job even though she has other things going on in her
life thanks
to being monetarily comfortable; rescuing horses; and embarking on
other
ventures that lie well outside the realm of detective work.
A series of
characters emerge to face challenges, from artist Isabella Ramirez, her
young
daughter Nina, and husband Wyatt Hanson. Their stories contribute to
insights
on the makings of a sociopath, and what that means for all involved. Deadly Choice spins an ever-thickening
web of deceit, deception, and decisions. These will keep readers on
their toes
and guessing about possible outcomes.
Manning’s
ability to
build exquisite tension by juxtaposing diverse lifestyles and
characters creates
a feel of rich discovery as deadly secrets and circumstances blossom.
Patricia,
too, has a
vested interest in controlling the fates of others, cultivating
insights on
life-or-death situations which impact young and old alike. She seeks
resolution
on her own terms, blending psychological savvy with her own peculiar
interests
in others’ lives:
“…crazy fathers who kill their wives sometimes kill
their kids as well
before committing suicide.”
Manning’s
use of the
first person to more closely capture Patricia’s logic and insights
contrasts
well with her choice of employing the third person to cover Lizzie’s
investigations and life. Chapter headings pinpoint these changing
viewpoints,
but almost aren’t needed, due to the ease in which the first person and
third
person appear, making it crystal clear who is speaking and thinking.
From revenge
and
child-killing to mitigating the impact of deadly choices made by not
one, but a
variety of characters, Manning creates a perfect storm of creative
insights.
This lends her suspense story a delightful foundation of psychological
depth.
Personal ambition and ideals thus pair nicely with evolving threats,
giving Deadly Choice a gripping
countenance.
Highly
recommended
for libraries interested in superior character development and
interplays
between characters that are not above deception and subterfuge, Deadly Choice is a real winner.
Return to Index
Finding Ricky
Terrence Poppa
Demand
Publications
978-0-9664430-5-9
$14.95
https://druglord.com/thrillers-by-terrence-poppa/
Finding
Ricky is a thriller that operates
on the playing
field of psychological undercurrents and intrigue, and portrays a
crime-busting
father challenged by the task of recovering his son, a runaway living
on the
streets.
Further irony and confrontations emerge as
Cowboy’s role as a deep cover agent is threatened by his pursuit of his
son.
Terrence
Poppa’s
strength lies in exploring the lives, motivations, and consequences of
hard
life choices that each character makes. His descriptive character names
(“Cowboy,” “Awesome,” “Scorpion”) add an extra layer of insight and
interest to
the story, solidifying the personality of each character as events
unfold.
When Cowboy
finds his
different avenues of investigation shutting down over his search for
Ricky, he
begins to question his abilities and the methods by which he solves
problems:
Cowboy stretched out on the bed. He stared for a
long time at the
ceiling thinking about Ricky. “Where are you, Ricky?”
Because his
son’s
fate becomes entangled with other jobs (such as an assignment to take
out two
bad guys which he suddenly feels ill-equipped to handle), Cowboy enters
a
surreal realm of introspection and challenges which force him to
confront his
role in his son’s escape from life.
Another
strength
Poppa cultivates here is an attention to contrasting the usual
proactive
thinking of the protagonist with bigger-picture insights about heroism,
trust,
and questions over split personalities and dubious emotional ties.
The intrigue
and
thriller elements dovetail nicely with these issues and questions,
lending to
an atmosphere in Finding Ricky
that juxtaposes different worldviews and approaches to solving problems.
As a supervisor (“the Soup”) becomes
involved in helping Cowboy consider the nature and impact of his
perspective,
actions, and reality, readers receive a multifaceted story that
operates as
strongly in psychological revelations as it does in exploring a mission
gone
awry.
Libraries and readers interested in stories
that are gripping and hard to predict will appreciate the many fine
threads of
discovery and revelation that make Finding Ricky a
solid story of not
just finding a lost son, but a renewed sense of self.
Return to Index
In Deep and
Far Out
Richard G. Opper
Konstellation Press
979-8-9908181-2-5 $14.95
Paperback; $3.95 e-book
www.RichardOpper.com
Richard G.
Opper’s
first book, The Body
in the Barrel, was set in 1970s San Diego and represented
Opper’s debut appearance as a hard-boiled mystery writer.
Book II in
the
trilogy, In Deep and Far Out,
continues the intrigue and attraction with a story that simmers with
tension.
It opens with Tina’s first-person experience of a phone call that
threatens to
pull her from her successful Los Angeles life back to Guam, where
trouble and
danger loom.
Tina is
determined
not to be pulled back (“There’s no
trouble at my door; I left and I’m not coming back.”). But even though she
thought she moved far
enough away, Foghorn (aka Judge Scraggins)’s threats force her to
return to a
dire situation she apparently can never quite escape. The fact that her
mother
is a cop, and that she has secrets to keep hidden (which Foghorn knows
and uses
against her) forces her hand. Can Tina escape her past, protect her
mother, and
preserve her future by “taking away his power by owning up?” Not likely.
Richard G.
Opper
switches points of view frequently, from Tina and Foghorn to
pornography film
producer Mona and her new beau, harbor policeman Gary. Grief drives
motivations
and choices and introduces a host of new possibilities as
seemingly-disparate
characters move into different milieus they are ill equipped to
navigate.
Scenarios
also are
fluid, moving between Los Angeles and Guam to a child from Vietnam who
is found
on a Point Loma beach, where he’s spent the night.
As cops and
lawyers,
specters of horror from the past (that show up in judges’ robes with a
perp’s
proclivity for blackmail and horror), and new possibilities buffet
Gary, Tina,
and the people around them, readers of The
Body in the Barrel will enjoy the
same attention to psychological drive and detective intrigue that made
Opper’s
first book so notably compelling.
Both San
Diego
culture and Gary’s prowess and personality evolve from his first
appearance.
This lends to a story that operates as both a stand-alone tale of
intrigue, and
as a complimentary story expanding the growths of urban area and
individual
alike.
Between
inherent
craziness in environment and special interests and a slow simmer of
growing
romance, In Deep and Far Out proves
an attractive story that deftly contrasts different personalities,
perspectives, and motivations.
Libraries
and readers
seeking stories immersed in not just cat-and-mouse plays, but survival
tactics
that expand to embrace bigger-picture thinking (such as the presence
and impact
of Vietnamese refugees) will find In Deep
and Far Out as thought-provoking and engrossing as it is
entertaining.
Return to Index
Molly’s
Milestone
Marlys Beider
Wheatmark
97988874716
$18.95 paperback/$28.95 hardcover
Website: https://marlysbeider.com/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Mollys-Milestone-Marlys-Beider/dp/B0D3XV4LHZ
In Molly’s Milestone, an accident at age
four has erased Molly’s memories and led to her being raised without
her
mother. Surrounded by Mateo and Marco Miraldo (her grandfather and
father, who
have emotional difficulties and harbor secrets), Molly’s life has
always been
one of turmoil and mystery.
Fast forward
to her
thirties, where a mysterious phone call recalls the puzzle of her lost
mother
and twin brother, hinting that they are somehow alive, against all odds.
Who wouldn’t
then
embark on a journey to find them? Be careful what you wish for, because
an
unexpected result of Molly’s newfound probe reveals a tangled web of
deceit and
danger orchestrated by her father and grandfather, portending
involvements she
would do best to avoid.
What was a
quest for
missing links becomes a lesson in discovery, recovery, and survival as
Molly
navigates new truths about a world she thought she knew well, finding
herself
in jeopardy, as a result.
Marlys
Beider does a
superb job of building unexpected twists and turns into Molly’s story.
This
drives a sense of discovery that keeps readers not only engaged in
Molly’s
newfound dilemmas, but interested in how she absorbs and deals with
them.
Readers
already well
versed in mystery and thriller genres will find that this psychological
component of Molly’s investigations lends to a strong, believable,
likable
character. Uncommon dilemmas and pursuits fuel the action with notes of
insight
and intrigue, keeping readers not only guessing but thoroughly involved
and
invested in Molly’s outcome and possible resolutions.
Adjunct
characters
such as Mateo Miraldo, Miggy and Ursula receive their own strong
depictions and
complex involvements as their lives dovetail with Molly’s, raising
further
questions of intention, purpose and connection.
Family
connections
and quasi-love are shaken in the course of truths that come to light,
only to
offer dubious forms of comfort, redemption or resolution.
Molly loves
surprises. But not this one!
Molly also
loves to
challenge herself. As repressed memories emerge to pose frightening new
questions, readers will especially delight in the dialogues and
interactions
(including therapy sessions) that spark these new revelations,
presenting new
problems for Molly:
“Molly? What’s wrong?”
“I think I’m remembering something from my past.”
“Do you need a break?”
“Absolutely not!”
Such
dialogues also
reinforce the story’s realistic, engrossing aspects of discovery,
creating a
fine supportive juxtaposition between action and reaction as Molly
moves
towards understanding impossible truths about her family and life.
While
thriller
readers will appreciate the investigative prowess of this story, it’s
the
enthusiast of family ties and psychology who will especially appreciate
Molly’s
evolving discoveries and their impact.
Beider
exhibits a
dual strength in character-building and plot development. This serves
her well
as she creates Molly
as a three-dimensional
figure worthy of reader affection and support.
Libraries
that chose Molly’s Milestone for
its mystery and
thriller components will find so much more to appreciate and recommend
in this
novel.
Return to Index
My Dark
Secret
Dawn Hemmings
Atmosphere Press
979-8891322783
$15.00 Paperback/$7.99 eBook
www.atmospherepress.com
My Dark Secret is a thriller that
delivers the lure of a suspense
story, the attraction of a psychological dive into obsession, and the
multifaceted promise of a saga that traces a secret’s incarnation,
progression,
impact, and ultimate resolution.
The subject
under
consideration is librarian Isla, who cultivates a secret interest in
true crime
and the motivations for criminal actions. Isla begins her journey
rooted in the
reference ambitions of a staid librarian, but soon crosses over to the
dark
side as her interest turns into a fascination with the geography and
roots of
evil.
Dawn
Hemmings’s
choice of rooting the story in the first person lends both an
authenticity and
psychological draws to the tale which prove irresistible:
The metamorphosis was unmistakable. Outwardly, I
remained the same—an
unassuming figure in society’s vast tapestry. Yet, in the shadows, I
transformed into a mastermind, wearing the cloak of normality during
the day,
while at night I was the puppeteer of my sinister design. My head was
constantly awash with all this information.
Thriller
readers
looking for nonstop action will need to be satisfied by some of this
action
component coming from self-realizations and insights; both of which are
exquisitely detailed:
The feelings of guilt and
trepidation had given way to a chilling detachment. A transformation
had occurred, rendering me unrecognisable,
capable of executing this dark deed. The realisation that I had crossed
a line
from where there was no return was both terrifying and liberating.
As a study
in not
only good and evil, but the evolution of a psyche that enters into and
becomes
mired in the dark side of secrets and events, My
Dark Secret eschews one-dimensional thinking, character
construction, and action in favor of a deeper, richer vein of
revelation. This
focus will particularly attract book clubs interested in the psychology
and
evolution of a perp.
This is why
libraries
seeking a thriller that is embedded in psychological discovery, and
readers
willing to replace singular action with the suspense of a secret’s
evolutionary
process, will both find My Dark Secret
a satisfyingly superior venture into the soul. It stands
head-and-shoulders
above the normal mystery or thriller read.
Return to Index
Once a
Detective…
Larry Terhaar
Atmosphere Press
979-8891323247
$17.99 Paperback/$7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Once-Detective-Larry-Terhaar/dp/B0D3WK6FZ9
In Once a Detective…, NYPD detective Dan
Burnett faces retirement after failing his physical at age fifty-five.
However,
he is not ready to call it a day, so he takes the logical path of so
many
before him and becomes a private investigator. In this revised role, he
may not
be able to tap the camaraderie and force of the NYPD … but he does face
a
newfound independence that lends nicely to him being able to solve
crimes
unfettered by political or employment regimens.
Such is the
case when
Dan moves from assisting his new partner (who is teaching him about
P.I. processes)
to tackling his own case which the NYPD has all but abandoned: a woman
who is obsessed
with resolving her brother’s mysterious death.
The case
dovetails
with his vastly changed circumstances (not only has he escaped a desk
job at
the NYPD, but his wife has divorced him and he’s moved onto his beloved
sailboat) as Dan investigates a case where mounting debt and hidden
secrets are
exposed.
None of this
explains
the murder—yet. As Dan moves closer to a complex truth about
relationships and
financial realizations, he interacts with his adult daughter Hannah in
different ways, faces moral and ethical quandaries about evolving a
personal
relationship with a client, and slowly comes to terms not only with the
mystery, but too many unresolved elements in his own life.
Larry
Terhaar excels
in weaving mystery with personal growth and revelations. This approach
gives
his story the added flavor and value of unexpected insights and
conclusions that
many readers won’t see coming. The heady mix of interpersonal and
professional
growth permeates the story, building an atmosphere that relies on more
than
intrigue alone to cement its attraction.
Also present
are
forces of discovery, recovery, and transformation. Each push Dan beyond
his
established comfort zones and into new territory.
All these
facets
create a detective story that stands out from the crowd. Once
a Detective… is especially recommended for libraries seeking
rich, multifaceted stories with characters whose personalities and
personal
conundrums are just as much a draw as the underlying problem and its
challenges
in solving it.
Return to Index
One of You
Lorie Lewis Ham
Mystery Rat's
Books
9798325667381
$2.99 ebook
https://www.mysteryrat.com/
One of You is the second mystery in the
Tower District Mystery
series, which continues to be inspired by the atmosphere and culture of
the
Tower District of Fresno, California; here semi-fictionalized for the
purposes
of this story.
Newcomer
Roxi
Carlucci, a transplant inland from coastal California who has moved in
with her
P.I. cousin Stephen Carlucci, is adjusting this new milieu. To make
ends meet,
she both works with him and holds other jobs.
All her
endeavors
coalesce when she finds a dead body shortly after her move, forcing her
into
the roles of fellow investigator and interested party. Unexpectedly,
her
involvement in the first Tower Halloween Mysteryfest has led to this
series of
circumstances. This tests her newfound ability to solve murders, as
well as complicating
her intention of blending seamlessly into Fresno’s community.
Suddenly,
Roxi is
operating above and beyond her familiar roles. She makes inquiries that
could
lead her to the killer of cozy mystery writers, assessing motivations
and
involvements in the mystery writing world that place her at odds with
her goal
of blending in.
The result,
like a
picture-in-picture, operates as a mystery-within-mystery as Roxi
navigates
increasingly puzzling, dangerous territory armed only with an uncommon
ability
to piece together puzzles that lie somewhere between motive and
relationship
secrets.
Lorie Lewis
Ham
excels in crafting a cozy mystery that brings to life not just Roxi’s
personality and family relationships, but the Fresno community.
Her
injection of
whodunit tips, attention to shifting writer’s relationships (both
psychological
and political), and especially her ability to build tension based upon
not just
evolving revelations, but astute methods of connecting the dots, gives
readers
a satisfying, thoroughly engrossing experience.
Libraries
seeking
cozy mysteries that layer events with action and inspections that
prompt
readers to think about many possible outcomes will find One
of You an outstanding series of twists and turns. It will
keep
readers delighted with the plot, characters, and especially the
strongly
realistic setting of Fresno’s Tower District.
Return to Index
Point of
Origin
Betta Ferrendelli
Independently
Published
ASIN: B0D64ZN9RX
$2.99
https://www.bettaferrendellibooks.com/
The seventh
book in
Betta Ferrendelli’s wildly successful Samantha Church mystery series, Point of Origin, sees dogged
investigative reporter Sam hot on the trail of arsonists who have
killed her
daughter’s best friend.
Family ties
aside,
Sam is bound and determined to halt the trail of fire and death that
these
particular arsonists have in mind—even if she must sacrifice important
values
along the way.
At this
point, it
should be cautioned that readers who harbor their own traumas from fire
will
receive exceptionally vivid fire descriptions as the story unfolds:
Thick flames climbed into the night sky. Flashing
lights from emergency
vehicles produced a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors, made only more
vibrant by
the darkness. Fire engines hummed over a collection of men’s voices,
who were
shouting to each other in deep, hurried tones, as they pushed, pulled
and
pointed two-and-a-half-inch-thick hoses, fat and heavy with water
everywhere,
soaking everything in its path. Water cascaded from one of the fire
engines,
drenching the rooftop of a single-family home. Despite the deluge,
flames
continued to shoot out the windows.
The ‘you are
here’
feel cultivated by Ferrendelli thus may not be for everyone—but mystery
fans
who do not harbor such limitations are in for a treat. At every step of
her
investigation, Sam is proactive, creative, determined, and headed for
trouble
that, at times, is completely unpredictable.
Part of the
reason
why the Samantha Church series has been so successful long-term lies in
how
Ferrendelli tailors each mystery, exposing more aspects of Sam’s
personality
and motivations.
Book 7 is no
exception to this approach, providing newcomers and prior fans with a
fluid
blend of action and insight that keep Sam’s case hot and her reactions
on fire.
Shadowing
Sam’s
efforts is the equally proficient prowess of an elusive perp whose
penchant for
fiery destruction receives close inspection through subtly shifting
viewpoints
integrated into Sam’s investigative footsteps:
The
police activity managed to briefly take the attention of everyone
standing on the street away from the fire to the old man being hustled
into a
squad car. One man in particular.
He watched with barely an imperceptible smirk on his face as the police
cars
left the scene. He played with a Bic lighter in his pocket. He used the
blue-colored ones and the Bic brand because it was easy to light and
provided a
steady flame. Ah. The elemental power
of fire.
Sam also
confronts
the ghost of her late husband, as well as the lasting miracle that is
the focal
point of her world (besides her investigations): her daughter.
The result
is another
compelling, evolving story that furthers Sam’s career, experience, and
ability
to attract and investigate trouble even when it hits too close to home.
With
superbly developed tension and psychological revelations peppered
throughout, Point of Origin
displays the same
powerful attractors as in previous Samantha Church stories.
Libraries,
especially
those that have seen ongoing patron interest in the prior series books,
will
find Point of Origin easy to
recommend to individuals, and eminently suitable for mystery book clubs.
Return to Index
The Running Club
Ben Gross
Moonshine Cove Publishing
9781952439827
$20.00
Paperback/$4.99 eBook
Website: https://www.ben-gross.net
Ordering: https://a.co/d/0bV7WKTY
Mystery genre readers well
know the levels to which the
sub-definitions have gone, from cozy mysteries to psychological
whodunits. Now
add ‘comic mystery’ to the options, because Ben Gross’s creation in The Running Club takes genre definitions
into a satisfyingly different realm.
Part of the
reason why The Running Club may
resonate so strongly with the younger, active
reader in particular is that its author mirrors many of the physical
challenges
and efforts that play out in his story. Even the short author bio which
precedes the tale reflects the special blend of achievement and humor
as Gross
maintains that he is “…a fifteen-time
Boston Marathoner who hikes, runs or skis every day of the year, mostly
with
his three dogs and sometimes with his reluctant teenagers. Long time
ago he
went to football games at Penn State and emerged with a degree in
Political Science.” Not everyone can also add that they were
“briefly mayor” of a
small town.
From the introductory subtle
note Adam makes about an
unlikely possible runner who sports frame like the Hulk to a
detective’s
investigation which receives the unexpected culinary reference, Gross
is adept
at placing description and characters within the realm of the
exceptional:
Custer
procured a
pen from his jacket pocket and probed the bloodstained ribbon wrapped
around
the dead man’s neck, like he was fishing for the last shiitake mushroom
in a
bowl of udon noodles.
Quirkiness abounds, whether
it’s in characters,
descriptions, or setting, as a Utah running club sets its eye on
murdering a
disgraced Mormon convert acquitted of human trafficking. Said club
doesn’t
consist of seasoned pros in any realm … they are amateurs just testing
the
waters of not-so-divine retribution.
As Mitch the Red, Kate, and
a host of characters come
into play and toss their running skills in the same pot as their
ability to
exact justice, instructions on success emerge, from how to actually
kill a
victim to winning a bigger game.
The
Running Club
is not your usual singular cop-investigator piece, but a close
consideration of
group dynamics and personalities who join together in a cause far
outside their
original attractions or objectives.
Again: the comic relief that
runs through even crime
scene descriptions injects irony and satire throughout unfolding
events, giving
the story an edge that other murder mysteries don’t embrace:
Neighbors,
runners
and cyclists stopped and took selfies in front of the Police Line Do
Not Cross
tape. An off-leash dog ran under the tape and returned from the
backyard with a
large bone, causing several onlookers to scream until someone figured
out it
was deer leg.
Investigator Custer enjoys
being the object of media
attention … as long as he actually can finger the perp in a timely
manner.
Evidence indicates he’s dealing with a pro, but a surprise lurks in the
wings
of everyday experience that adds a twist to his theories about
motivations and
perp profiles.
As the culture of runners
unfolds against the backdrop of
uncommon pursuits, the finish line looms replete with many surprises
mystery
fans will find refreshingly original.
Fast action, strong and
diverse characterization, and
quirky twists paired with humor … what more could a mystery genre
reader wish
for; especially those more than tired of formula writing who seeking
something
truly different.
Libraries
that choose The
Running Club for these qualities will find it easy to
recommend outside the
usual genre-reading patron, to anyone interested in running,
problem-solving,
and just plain fun.
Return to Index
The Secret Truth
Barry Finlay
Keep On Climbing Publishing
978-1-0688371-0-4
Print: $16.50/ebook: $4.99
www.barry-finlay.com
The Secret Truth
adds to the Jake Scott mystery series, immersing Jake in
yet another challenge that tests his problem-solving acuity. In his
past two
books, Barry Finlay placed Jake in novel situations that tested not
just his
methodology, but his heart and soul. The
Secret Truth represents yet another twist in Jake’s life and
approaches to
removing obstacles to truth.
Jake is a Canadian living in Ottawa who enjoys
control.
Indeed, his entire life has been spent in one community. In the opening
paragraphs of this story, Jake plans to spend his day leisurely killing
time.
He has his goal half-right, because killing quickly enters the bigger
picture
to, once again, challenge Jake’s investigative prowess.
First, a calm and pleasant day concludes by someone
trying
to run him down. As if that weren’t enough, when he limps down the
street to
his temporary housing, it’s to see the building erupt in a fireball
explosion
that rocks not only the block, but his brain.
What could so completely destroy a building in
minutes? And
why, despite its being his temporary residence, should Jake become
involved in
an investigation already headed by the police and fire department?
One reason is that he’s like a bulldog with a
bone—he just
can’t sit back and let others do the hard work. Another reason also
becomes
clear to him:
…he needed to plunge into
his own
investigation until the fire investigator proved conclusively the blast
was an
accident. Either that or try to forget about it altogether. The second
option
was not in his DNA. He needed answers for himself and to honor the
victims.
Thus emerges a new case which spirals Jake into
increasingly murky waters as he navigates a new situation with friend
Dani,
makes lists of who holds motivations and special interests, and finds
himself
up against an impossible adversary.
At every step, Finlay flushes out his character’s
psyche,
motivations, methodology, and purpose with daily life encounters that
go beyond
supporting the investigation to delve into life choices as Jake comes
to
realize that he is being stalked.
His pursuit of the truth turns into fielding
personal
threats, finally entering the realm of confrontation with deadly forces.
Fine tension is created throughout, but the real
notable
force of The Secret Truth lies as
much in the care Finlay takes to fully develop his character,
motivations, and
approaches to life as in the underlying secret and mystery that link a
seemingly-disparate group of individuals.
Readers familiar with mysteries that largely focus
on
methodical investigations will appreciate the psychological and social
undercurrents which keep this story firmly rooted in realistic
scenarios and
clues to the psyches of all involved.
Tension is exquisitely developed, Jake’s prior fans
will
enjoy the further embellishment of his life and perceptions, and
newcomers will
relish the ‘you are here’ feel as his dilemmas and life unfold.
This is why libraries looking for strong series
mysteries
that either stand nicely alone or complete the series as a whole will
find The Secret Truth a superior
choice,
recommendable to a wide range of patrons who love a good investigative
piece
powered by astute psychological revelations.
Return to Index
That Was Then
M.K. Tod
Heath Street
Publishing
978-1-0688311-0-2
$1.99 eBook
www.mktod.com
As thrillers
go, That Was Then takes the cake
for its
unexpected pursuit of trouble and truths. It immerses its readers in an
especially rich, colliding world of politics, journalism, and sexual
assault.
The latter
topic will
prove a trigger point for those who have struggled with sexual
assault’s
aftermath (especially future threats of repeat circumstances), but the
notable
draw of That Was Then is that
Andrea
Larson is not only set on escaping past trauma, but confronting its
future
incarnation in her life and, with a bow to bigger-picture thinking, in
the
world.
Like too
many
rapists, Brad Greiner moves on to not only repeat his devastating
predatory
ways, but hone them from a further position of power—politics,
beginning with a
bid for being the Governor of Massachusetts.
Unable to
stay quiet
about her experience, Andrea decides to pursue justice with the aid of
her twin
sister, setting up a scenario in which Brad’s true nature comes to
light.
The trick
lies in not
just exposure, but cleverly creating a scenario which keeps Andrea and
her twin
safe while forcing Brad into a type of limelight he’d never envisioned
or
wanted.
Andrea’s
decision to
not run from Brad, but infiltrate his inner circle, introduces a
dangerous
game, indeed—one which she is well cognizant of:
Every hour that passed without finding information
to expose Greiner
was an hour that might expose me instead.
The stakes
are high,
but ideals of a greater good compels Andrea to not only risk herself,
but her
twin as the two edge closer to another truth that introduces further
challenges
and revelations.
M.K. Tod is
a master
at building character, tension, and unexpected developments. This
powers the
story with a sense of immediacy and discovery as Andrea and Emma
confront
dangerous political and personal challenges.
Another
technique
that reinforces the compelling characters is the juxtaposition of
first- and
third-person usage between Andrea and Emma. While chapter headings
would have
clarified these viewpoints even better, it’s fairly evident whose
perspective
is being presented as the story evolves.
Libraries
and readers
seeking engaging thrillers that juxtapose political with psychological
tension
will welcome That Was Then’s
ability
to draw upon multiple levels of action, entertainment, and
thought-provoking
questions of moral and ethical challenges.
Return to Index
Again and Again Back to You
Andrea Ezerins
She Writes Press
978-1-64742-748-1
$17.95 Paperback/$12.99 eBook
Website: Andrea's Website
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Again-Back-You-Novel/dp/1647427487
Again and Again Back to
You
is a novel that comes from a business executive who never thought she'd
wind up
writing fiction. Good thing she did, because this story of young love,
breakup
and distance, and hindsight that comes from independence and growth is
one that
deserves a place on any library shelf. It will attract patrons seeking
vivid
accounts of what happens when a woman is presented with the opportunity
to
change her past.
The prologue opens the story, set in 1964
Sri Lanka. Young Cholan's flashback to the past in the midst of a fire
that
burns him is a portent of the time-traveling elements of the story that
emerge
in different places, bringing to life the close proximity of past and
present
in a vivid scenario of prayers answered and painful life.
Fast
forward to the magic of first love,
which young Marta experiences in 1976
Brunswick, New Jersey. Even as kids, "She
knows she will always be connected to this boy sitting next to her, no
matter
what."
Her
realizations
about love, connections, and relationship growth evolves as Kevin
uncovers more
of who she is, and both come to realize the potential of change to both
solidify and erode their blossoming romance.
Andrea Ezerins takes the time to describe
this process as the years go by and Kevin and Marta move from youth to
adulthood. Daydreams and destiny coalesce as Cholan also grows and
moves away
from his youth, tapping into a channeling process that belays his
terrible burn
injuries and disfigurement to offer an unusual form of healing that
holds the
potential to reach into the audiences he attracts in the future.
Ezerins uses clearly defined chapter
headings to trace these concurrent journeys of time and character. This
allows
for smooth transitions between themes and lives as the story unfolds.
Her
ability to capture serendipity as Cholan and Marta meet against all
odds, where
Marta contemplates an extraordinary journey and opportunity, translates
to a
story packed with vivid psychological, spiritual, and metaphysical
impact.
The contrasts between reality and Kevin and
Marta's involvement with a channeler who lets them revisit and
transform their
experiences and connections are vividly presented from both their
perspectives
as Kevin, too, considers the possibilities and consequences of revising
history: "Maybe this channeler can
overpower those gods all those years ago and have them make a difficult
call."
The result is a novel that depicts the past,
present, and future of three characters who uncover unusual connections
and
revised life purposes that could change them all.
Again and Again Back to
You
will appeal to a broad audience, from fans of romance stories and
time-travel
experiences to book clubs interested in discussions which can emerge
from a powerful
blend of fate, revision, and shared extraordinary connections.
Libraries will find Again
and Again Back to You a unique, compelling acquisition.
Return to Index
Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna
Separate Us
Trisha Sugarek
Independently
Published
9798321013212
$13.90
www.writeratplay.com
Hannah Mae stepped
past the gunny sack that acted as a door to their shack and walked into
the
yard. A heavy-set woman in a hideous polyester suit was struggling up
the dirt
path. “Can I hep’ y’all? Ya lost?”
“I’m looking for the guardian for the children of
Daisy McAllister. Name’s Betty Jones. I’m from the St.
Charles Home’s
Ladies Auxiliary, St. Vincent De Paul Society.”
When almost adult Hannah Mae
and her younger brother are
left orphaned upon their mother’s death, they find themselves at the
mercy of the
St. Vincent De Paul Society. With her brother young enough to be
considered for
adoption, Hannah Mae faces the reality that, at
sixteen-nearing-seventeen, she
is likely to remain under the care of the Catholic Children’s Home
until she
comes of age to make her own way in the world.
Hannah Mae
clings to
one mandate—remain at her brother’s side against all odds. And so Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us
traverses the rocky world of older siblings raising younger ones sans
any
family support system, fueled by Hannah Mae’s determination to not let
outsiders tear them apart.
Readers who
anticipate that the story will revolve around this struggle alone will
be
pleasantly surprised to find more depth in these still waters, because
Jerry is
actually a musical prodigy. Hannah Mae finds herself fostering his
talent as
much as she reinforces his connections to her.
Despite the
focus on
Hannah Mae in the beginning, the limelight edges over to Jerry’s
talents,
achievements, and the many changes they portend as the two stand
against a
world that would divide, repress, or misunderstand them.
Trisha
Sugarek
cultivates the environment, feel, and culture of the South, setting her
story
in the small Mississippi town of Laurel in the 1950s. She reviews a
lifestyle
that opens with siblings threatened by separation, then grows the story
to fully
embrace the Southern milieu.
Early
descriptions
cement the story with a sense of place and purpose. This creates a
compelling,
thought-provoking examination of influences, both personal and
cultural, that
drive Hannah Mae’s determination to search for remaining family roots
despite
the risks she takes by evading the foster care system:
Hannah Mae's reluctance to give anyone their last
name and her fear of
the foster care system was outweighed by her deep desire to have access
to all
these lovely books. She whispered,
“Hannah Mae and Gerald McAllister.”
Jerry, too,
grows in
unexpected directions as he receives musical instruction on the
harmonica that
allows his innate genius to blossom. As the tale evolves, its focus
shifts between
Hannah Mae and Jerry’s growth as each field both new opportunities and
adversity.
Whether
she’s
navigating the foster care system or responding to racial inequalities,
Hannah Mae
keeps her eyes on the ultimate goal of not just survival, but family
connections and growth.
Sugarek’s
outstanding, realistic portrait of the 1950s South and the forces that
buffet
two children reaching for more than rote safety creates a memorable
tale. It
will reach a wide audience, from those interested in Southern settings
and
portraits to readers of coming-of-age stories and sagas of survival,
musical
growth, and foster care struggles.
Sugarek’s
attention
to probing the underlying responsibilities, choices, and consequences
of not
just individual action, but systems geared to provide support, is
especially
notable:
Now
a white man,
unknown to all of them, was threatening to take her baby brother away
from this
safe home they’d made for Jerry. Hannah
Mae wasn’t certain she could make the right decision for anyone.
Sugarek’s
research
into blues music (Muddy Waters, in particular) lends realistic
background and
observation into this world as she spices her own memories of the times
with
intensive research. This reinforces both the atmosphere and facts about
the
entertainment industry which dovetail over the social issues of a
changing
South.
All these
facets are
why Ain’t Nuthin’ Gonna Separate Us
is a thoroughly compelling read that’s highly recommended not just for
library
collections interested in powerful portraits of young lives under
siege, but
book clubs. These audiences will find plenty of fodder for discussion
in the many
ways Hannah Mae and Jerry cement their relationships, values, and life
connections.
Return to Index
Adriel
Peregrine
Michael G. Tavella
Atmosphere Press
979-8891323032
$27.99
Hardcover/$18.99 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
www.atmospherepress.com
Historical
fiction
readers who settle upon Adriel Peregrine:
The Tale Of A Wanderer Who Becomes A Pilgrim will quickly
discover that the
tale is of a man of faith who loses his belief, falls into the world of
drugs
and depravity, and finds himself clueless and rudderless in an era
recovering
from the Civil War’s atrocities and soul-bending conflicts.
In an effort
to
disengage from both the past and his present-day choices, Adriel
becomes a
nomad searching for his soul. His story brings to life the dual
dilemmas of a
faithless existence as he confronts the deepest layers of truth and
loss within
him in an effort to not only survive, but recover his sense of self.
Michael G.
Tavella
filled his story with memorable encounters, thought-provoking moral and
ethical
choices, and excursions undertaken in the late 1800s. These transform
him from
a young man to a passionate adult, luring readers with passages
reflective of
the vivid events of the times.
The
atmosphere and
sense of place that introduce Adriel’s character are particularly fine
introductions that create invitingly realistic discourses of time and
observation:
The beautiful Pennsylvania
countryside was an elixir that stimulated
Adriel’s imaginative inclination. It was a formula that invigorated his
young life. He took the land into himself as a restoring potion. Love
of the nearby inspired his thoughts of the far
distant. He exulted in the panorama of his home that lent to his
appreciation
of the faraway and exotic. Both worked together to give ecstatic vision
to his
young mind.
The fact
that the
action does not stay rooted in Pennsylvania (or, even, in America) does
not
detract from this strong story, which displays the extent of Adriel’s
ability
to observe his surroundings and consider his place in the world.
Tavella
continues to
juxtapose this sense of place and self with the world-wide travels this
wanderer undertakes in search of spiritual, psychological, and moral
redemption:
Adriel learned these Buddhist principles from a
sailor from Ceylon whom
he encountered in Hong Kong and a Chinese sailor on the Sea Wind who practiced the Chan (Zen
in Japanese) form of the religion.
His wanderings exposed him to many ideas and ways of looking at things
that, at
home, he would never have entertained.
From the
opium dens
of London to revelations provoked by Adriel’s openness to many things (Adriel’s life was changing, and he was
changing with it), readers receive a fine contemplative
journey that
invites them to walk alongside Adriel as he opens up the world and
considers
new possibilities for himself.
Readers
won’t
anticipate that murder and love will play a part in these
adventures—but, they
do.
The result
is a story
of faith, deliverance, and darkness. It is especially highly
recommended for
libraries seeking historical novels that simmer with psychological
growth and
tension, readers that enjoy compelling accounts of spiritual struggle,
and book
clubs that look for vivid reading and issues perfect for debate and
discussion.
Return to Index
The
King of Italy
Kent Heckenlively
Arcade
978-1956763959
$32.99 Hardcover/$18.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/King-Italy-Novel-Kent-Heckenlively/dp/1956763953
The King of Italy:
A Novel is a wide-reaching
historical
fiction debut introducing young man Vincenzo Nicosia, who harbors a
resentment
against Duke Alesandro de Leone for imprisoning his father.
This leads him to become
associated with Benito Mussolini, who plots to wrest control of Italy
from the
Duke’s hands in a bid for power that attracts Vincenzo on more than one
level.
The problem is that dictators can’t always be trusted. Perhaps predictably, Benito betrays Vincenzo after the young man performs his agreed-upon duties, forcing Vincenzo to flee Italy for San Francisco, where he faces new challenges that provoke his buried, inherently violent nature.
The start of World War II brings
new opportunities for revenge (and, perhaps, redemption) as Vincenzo’s
attempt
to forget about the past backfires, involving himself and his family in
contemporary political conflicts abroad.
Readers follow Vincenzo’s growth
into middle age as he transmits wisdom to younger generations and
reflects on
the impact that life and politics have held on his values and efforts:
“Consider it a
challenge,” said Vincenzo. “I’m turning forty next week, and it’s
making me
think about a lot of things. Eveyrthing feels right. Do you know how
that
feels? He immediately felt foolish for asking such a question. How could his nephew
possibly
know?
Kent Heckenlively excels at not
just following, but explaining thought processes, emotional motivations
and
choices, and how life events intersect with serendipity to influence
future
decisions:
He thought of all
the lives that had to intersect for this atrocity to take place. He
thought of
the Italian soldiers with the courage to defy Mussolini and who were
imprisoned
for their principled stand.
From insights on why communism
is a popular concept and choice for ordinary citizens to how Mussolini
betrayed
trusts and changed the psyche of a nation, Heckenlively personalizes
the
political with powerful psychological insights that are revealing and
captivating.
Employing the form of a sweeping
epic family story that embraces nephew Alex’s increasing involvement in
Italian
affairs provides added benefit, in that different layers of
intergenerational
angst and relationships are also explored.
The result is a historical novel
that will attract even readers usually reluctant to undertake
history-based
adventures, and those who may hold relatively little background in
Italian or
World War II history.
This
is why the novel’s special
brand of intrigue, when added to explorations of events often
overlooked in
broader historical coverages, will prove so enticing. Libraries seeking
novels
that shine with compellingly rich notes of discovery will find The King of Italy a top acquisition.
The King of Italy is also highly recommended for reading groups
interested in how
historical fiction can educate and entertain simultaneously. This group
will
find much food for discussion, in this story.
Return to Index
Lincoln’s
Angel
DL Fowler
Harbor Hill
Publishing
979-8-9889640-3-2
$29.95
Hardcover/$19.95 Paperback/$5.99 eBook
Website: www.dlfowler.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-Angel-Rebecca-Abraham-Stories/dp/B0CQLWYTXV
Continuing a
historical novel series centered on nearly-forgotten Abe Lincoln events
is Lincoln’s Angel: The
Rebecca Pomroy Story, a survey of Rebecca
Pomroy’s daily journal,
letters, and recollections that comes rooted in real people and events.
The ‘Abraham
Lincoln’s Lost Stories’ series thus receives a vivid addition to
exploring the
lesser-known history of his times and experiences, focusing on an
individual
who, at first, may seem to be a tertiary adjunct in Lincoln history.
In fact,
Rebecca
Pomroy, a Civil War army nurse, ultimately confronted and cured the
underlying
anguish carried by President and Mrs. Lincoln. Her efforts not only
moved them
from despair and self-doubt to hope, but cemented the future of America
during
the course of her healing efforts.
DL Fowler
draws
compelling, strong connections between not just Pomroy’s life and
Lincoln’s new
government, but the threads of PTSD, despair, and struggles that
permeated
these times and thwarted attempts to rebuild and recover, on many
different
levels.
Even more
importantly
is the attention Fowler gives, in his conclusion, to just why many of
these
figures and facts have not received their due attention:
There are reasons for the gaps in our knowledge
about Rebecca Pomroy.
She was viewed by people around the Lincolns as a household servant.
Nurses of
that day were generally considered to be merely changers of chamber
pots and
soiled linens and washers of mangled flesh.
This
attention to
detail, finely tuned and enhanced by the real-life contribution of
Pomroy’s
writings, creates a story that will prove even more vivid and
thought-provoking
for its intersection of fictional drama and nonfiction facts:
Rebecca visited the President’s House infrequently
over the remainder
of March. During that period, Mrs. Lincoln grew restless from
languishing in
bed and her vitality increased. But with renewed mobility, she came
face to
face more often with reminders of happier times. Each such encounter
prompted
her to redouble her defenses against thoughts of the idolized one. She
refused
to enter the Green Parlor where Willie’s coffin had been displayed.
Neither
would she venture into the Prince of Wales Room where he grappled with
and
succumbed to that wretched fever.
From Mrs.
Lincoln’s
failing physical and mental health to Rebecca’s own struggles with
aging and
nursing, Fowler creates a compelling saga that is not just highly
recommended
for libraries strong in historical fiction, but a ‘must’ for
collections
interested in lesser-known figures and events of Civil War
post-reconstruction
efforts.
These
audiences will
find Lincoln’s Angel outstanding
not
just for its compelling portraits, but for its solid roots in real
research and
its gift for exposing and returning to historical circles the
lesser-known
experiences of Lincoln’s life.
Return to Index
Lost Family
Katherine Williams
Atmosphere Press
979-8891322776
$17.99
Paperback/$8.99 ebook
Website: www.katherinewilliamswriter.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Family-Katherine-Williams/dp/B0D2HHTYC2
Lost
Family
combines historical fiction and a World War II setting with romance as
it
traverses past and present. It opens in 2020, seesawing back and forth
in time
to build a multifaceted story about a doppelganger experience that
leads Ben
Griffiths to realize that his look-alike really exists—in France.
In 1939 France, teen artist Amélie Maurois struggles with the Nazi occupation
and resistance
efforts. These lead her to become involved with a British agent.
Shunned by
frightened neighbors and those who would expose her deepest secrets,
Amélie
goes into hiding, feeling relatively powerless to change anything—much
less
help herself.
As the story
moves
between 1940s France and the 2020s, readers receive a powerful set of
connections that move between two individuals, two romances, and
settings
ranging from Wales to France.
Family connections
evolve in unexpected ways that keep readers connected to the history
and
events, lending Lost
Family a
realistic, psychologically-driven strength that will attract even those
not
usually given to reading historical novels, much less World War II
history.
Katherine Williams’s intense
focus on daily living under
Occupied rule gives readers a solid sense of discovery, bringing
history to
life as the two characters field challenges in their lives and find
their
romances and family connections dovetailing between past and present
events.
As Ben confronts Sian with
the fact that her love may be
unrequited, Amélie becomes involved
in a hijacking that broadens to include her own stolen heart.
Central to
the story
are revelations of how each character came to make choices outside
their
influences and comfort zones:
“Bruno had to shoot
the driver of the bus—he was so young. But we had no choice; if we’d
let him
go, he would have recognized us.” Amélie reached out and touched her
hand,
remembering how she’d felt when she’d seen a soldier kill the old man
in the
street. “That’s horrific. Seeing someone killed is something you’ll
never be
able to forget.” Her bottom lip trembled. “How has it come to this?”
The result is a
gripping saga that brings history and hearts to life in an especially
compelling way. Libraries seeking World War II historical fiction that,
more so
than most, centers on navigating daily life within and outside of the
war, and
which covers the resonating impact of that war decades later, will find
Lost
Family worthy of
acquisition
and patron recommendation. Referral to book clubs interested in
supercharged
World War II scenarios driven by emotion, growth, and new revelations
about the
world provides an added plus to its enjoyment.
Return to Index
The Matter
of Honor
A.S. White
Three Towers Press/
HenschelHAUS Publishing, Inc.
9798990820357
$26.95 Hardcover/$18.95 Paperback
www.henschelHAUSbooks.com
Author N.
Scott
Momaday wrote, about honor:
It's a matter of
honor, death. It's your white page, do you see? Or your shame. Either
you're
worthy of it or you ain't. To accept it, to face it with honor and
respect and
goodwill, to earn it, that is
to be brave.
The Matter of Honor is a novel that
revolves around life as much as
death … the life of ordinary attorney Alan Gold, who is bored with his
job and
subconsciously seeking something more meaningful.
Be careful
what you
wish for, because in The Matter of Honor,
he who is drifting “…along the shore of
placid Lake Mediocrity, floating nowhere” is actually in the
process of
courting (pun intended) the biggest change of his life.
Now, avid
poker
players and attorneys are well used to beating the odds by employing
clever
side-stepping and thinking. The death of a young new mother at the
Women’s
Correctional Institution, however, draws Alan into a case filled with
intrigue
and suspense as he finds that his usual methods of deflection don’t
work.
Challenged
to move
away from his comfort zone and into a more active role, Alan discovers
that,
despite all his training, he actually knows less about prison life than
he’d
thought:
“Mr.
Gold, you won’t understand lots of things around here, but it’s
what we live with.” The guard announced, “Time’s up. LaGreaux. Let’s
go.” Gold
shook his head as he walked through the WCI parking lot. I’ve been coming here at least once or twice
a month for years, yet I knew nothing about the Hole. What else don’t I
know?
Indeed. His ongoing post-mortem probe pits
him against other legal counselors, an incarceration system filled with
pitfalls and threats, and a dubious hand of quasi-justice which rocks
his moral
and ethical foundations.
Alan’s character is astutely drawn as he
moves from hippie-idealist to a jaded lawyer mired in routine and
compromise, then
an activist who immerses himself in social, political, and judicial
matters far
above his legal training.
From the backroom politics of a mayor
running for re-election to battles between attorneys and clients who
become
immersed not only in struggle, but new realizations of exactly how the
justice
and prison systems fail, readers receive a bucket load of insights.
These lend
to reflections not just about the drama and action of The
Matter of Honor,
but the correctional system’s premises and ideals, in particular:
After he concluded his assault, Stone gestured his
profound regret to
the jury that Alan’s crystal-clear evidence was, in truth, blurry,
distorted,
and filled with many unknowns. He sat down, his back to the jurors, and
smiled
to his staff, unobtrusively reveling in his performance. Millie’s eyes
were
afire, while her heart was broken. How can he live with himself, making
nothing
into something? So cruel.
A.S. White
embeds his
story with insights on reform, mistrials, back-room legal compromises
and
manipulation, and psychological revelations that affect the personal
morals and
lives of all involved.
This
attention to
political and personal detail lends a gripping atmosphere to the story,
elevating it to the level of a prime book club selection for groups
interested
in discussing issues of morality, justice, and redemption.
This is why The Matter of Honor deserves a place not
just on general-interest and legal library shelves, but as an active
instigator
of reader discussion and debates. Its attention to juxtaposing
realistic detail
with moral dilemmas and insights enhances its intrigue, resulting in a
commandingly vivid read.
Return to Index
The
Mighty Sixty-Ninety (690)
Alexander
Hamilton Cherin
Independently
Published
979-8-9894672-0-4
$19.99 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Six-Ninety-Alexander-Hamilton-Cherin/dp/B0CPPD6VPL
Spanning
the 1970-1980s in Southern California, the tale opens with four
strangers who,
carrying shovels, independently arrive at a baseball stadium without
the goal
of viewing or participating in a game (not that of baseball, anyway).
Upon the
hallowed playing field of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a final event
unfolds that
represents the culmination of events which began in 1980 (which the
proceeding
chapters return to).
Alexander
Hamilton Cherin injects just the right amount of intrigue and
possibility into
his opening chapters, rather than immediately depicting the heart of
the hunt’s
special purposes—the identity and involvement of the Mighty 690 station
and
corporate efforts to save a failing (but popular) radio world, which
prompts
their radio-sponsored contest.
The
participants in this manufactured treasure hunt are all desperate for
the
redemption and are lured by the promise of big bucks. Less obvious to
them is
the concurrent draw of peace and security which underlies their
passions.
Cherin
takes time to build the characters and individual anguish of a number
of
disparate contestants, from single mother Sally Long (who struggles
with her
job as a bank teller and the concurrent job raising her nine-year-old
son) to
Danny Baker (to whom motorcycle racing is everything) and Michael
Kingman (who
drums up the contest notion, and is in charge of where the money will
be buried
and how many of the events will play out).
In
the process of following these special interests, the radio world and
pop
culture of the 1980s comes to life, flavored by attempts to piece
together a
puzzle that moves from corporate to personal special interests
surrounding
redemption and discovery.
Clues
provided to the contestants arrive with the feel of “subtle destiny” as
Sally
and her peers employ all their deductive skills to win a prize that
will change
each of their lives. What they don’t realize is that the real prize
involves
much more than a wad of cash or efforts to retrieve it.
Cherin
is adept at building atmosphere, tension, and characters in such a way
that the
story becomes grippingly unexpected. It reviews the fates of entwined
lives and
the ironic involvements that emerge from these new associations:
Sally
allowed herself to
dream a bit of what-ifs. The irony that the man who was singlehandedly
going to
bury her was also the man who gave her a clue to help cover her tracks
was not
lost on her.
The
Mighty Sixty-Ninety
(690) forges
new roads in revealing radio station management, survival tactics, and
the
creation of a contest that blows back on its creators in unexpected
ways,
producing as much promise for the station’s future as it does for the
contestants. It proves an adventure hard to define, firmly rooted in
real-world
events and equally difficult to put down.
Libraries
and readers interested in topics of financial, corporate, and
psychological
redemption will find this tale packed with revealing moments and
discoveries
which reaches far from its radio roots to embrace all manner of
Southern
California culture.
This
is why The Mighty Sixty-Ninety (690) also deserves
top recommendation to
book clubs, who will find its pointed creation of a milieu of promise
and
discovery to be utterly compelling and worthy of many different types
of
discourse over a contest that prompts new alliances, friendships, and
connections
that transform both individual and radio worlds.
Return to Index
Origin Story
Jendi Reiter
Saddle Road Press
9798987954157
$25.00 Paperback/$7.99 eBook
Website: https://saddleroadpress.com/jendi-reiter.html
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Story-Jendi-Reiter/dp/B0CZ4FQHGG/
Origin
Story is a
novel set in the late
1990s in New York and is steeped in political and social gender issues.
It
follows the life of Peter Edelman, whose creation of a comic-book hero
mirrors
his own convictions about good, evil, life, and the process of rescuing
others.
His work in
a group
foster home has led him to his co-author and artist, genderfluid teen
Tyler
"Tai" Wick. Together, they pose a formidable creative force whose
conjoined efforts confront established beliefs. Peter and his
boyfriend,
fashion photographer Julian Selkirk, help the youth navigate a foster
care
system that tries to get Tai to repress their female side in order to
be more
adoptable. But Peter's creative process also brings up unexpected
traumatic
memories that challenge his understanding of his own family.
Though Origin
Story is honest and
explicit
about the sexual atmosphere pervading the lives of these young gay men,
the
novel is about much more than their erotic inclinations. Jendi Reiter
evolves a
story whose nitty-gritty comes from not just the sexual advancements
and
advances of its characters, but from their emotional and political ties
and
clashes.
As Peter,
Tai, and
Julian fine-tune and promote their comic-book creation, The
Poison Cure,
its metaphors and impact are injected into atmospheric confrontations
and
realizations that are vividly represented:
At
a table so
minimalist that the appetizer platter made it tilt ominously, Marco
slurped on
chicken wings while locking eyes on my boyfriend’s mouth. He was around
thirty,
with olive skin and gelled dark curls that tumbled in a fake-messy way
over his
forehead. I let him buy us vodka shots as well as my usual one bottle
of beer
on the wall. I ordered stuffed jalapeños just to make a “poppers” joke.
I was
breathing fire. A half hour of flirty bullshit later, during a lull in
the
disco noise, Marco got down to examining my color xeroxes of our first
“issues”
of The Poison Cure.
No way
I’d let the originals within range of alcohol spills. Call me OCD but I
firmly
believe there’s no excuse for having only one copy of anything. “Huh,
hmm, very
edgy, really different,” he talked to himself while skimming the pages.
“Ooh,
we could get some hot complaints about that one.” A sweep of blue light
from a
rotating strobe showed me he was at the scene where Pharmakon assaults
the
anti-gay priest.
This passage
illustrates how deftly Reiter moves between character and creation,
capturing
the underlying impact and wry satirical humor of not just the comic book The
Poison Cure, but the origins of its idea,
ideals, and creators.
Whether
tracking
thoughts of suicide when there’s nowhere to run, or considering family
interactions, recovery from the death of a child, or queer attractions
and identities,
Reiter creates satisfyingly complex dialogues:
“Love?” That
ambiguous clucking sound again. “I loved who he seemed to be. The
future he was
going to give me. Women didn’t have many choices, in my generation. Not
like
you. Never settle—don’t be star-struck by someone who’s going to keep
you in
his shadow.”
“It’s okay, Mom. I’m not a spotlight-seeking kind of guy.”
The result
is a novel
that both embraces and challenges the boundaries of gender, love, and
sexuality.
Readers
interested in
a novel that fully embraces the pitfalls and promises of creative
effort,
social and political obstacles, and interpersonal relationships and
growth will
appreciate the atmospheric, revealing psychological overlay that
gives Origin
Story such a
marked sense of
realism and discovery.
Return to Index
Rem’s Chance
Dave J. Andrae
Kaji-Pup Press
979-8-89372-156-0
$9.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Rems-Chance-Dave-J-Andrae-ebook/dp/B0D3187CC5
Mix a
cross-generational romp through music and morality, flavor it with the
reality
of a midlife crisis, punk band politics, and leftover pandemic
nightmares, and
inject a healthy dose of romance and what do you have? Rem’s
Chance.
Dave J.
Andrae’s
novel embraces so many subplots and subjects that its allure actually
lays not
so much in a predictable linear progression as in its series of
literary and
social reflections. These embrace the psychology of aging and life
meaning,
contrasting these insights against the values and observations of an
also-aging
society.
Andrae is
adept at
depicting the politics of racial relationships, whether it be between
an Arab
man and a white woman or the nefarious intentions of a stalker who has
Gene
Pawlus in his crosshairs for Gene’s role in his brother’s undoing.
Relationships
breed
more relationships as Rem’s friendship with Gene’s sister Julie leads
to an
unexpected romantic development that moves from friendship and
philosophical
waxing into something more.
Wry
tongue-in-cheek
humor flows through these events which will especially please astute
readers of
satire and irony, as in the scheme evolved by a member of PonziTech
Industries.
Musical
references
drive the plot, which simmers with talent and unresolved dreams that
motivate
Rem and those around him to make novel choices in the interest of
musical
creativity. Music is one of the redemptive forces affecting Rem’s
course in
life, introducing facets of achievement, success, and new revelations
that push
him through his middle-age crisis and into new opportunities.
Andrae
ultimately
portrays not one, but four lives transformed (Gene, Nadine, Rem, and
Julie).
His attention to building each character as individuals whose clashing
and
dovetailing goals intersect to add high drama and growth to the plot,
results
in a compelling vision of change that’s hard to put down.
Libraries
interested
in fiction immersed in psychological and literary strengths will find Rem’s Chance a powerful, compelling
acquisition.
Return to Index
Remnant
Katie Sweeting
Resource
Publications/Wipf and Stock Publishers
979-8-3852-0371-0
$26.00 Paperback/$2.99 eBook
Website: www.katiesweeting.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Remnant-Katie-Sweeting/dp/B0D1K1J6JT
Remnant will be especially welcomed by
any library strong in
developing Black and African-American fiction. It presents readers with
a story
steeped in Olu’s experience of being kidnapped from her Nigerian home
to become
a slave in America, forced to work on a South Carolina rice plantation
in 1753
while harboring dreams of escape.
In contrast
to her
life is that of Joanna Vassa, a biracial orphan whose knowledge of her
Aunt Olu
is sorely lacking.
Katie
Sweeting
dovetails these two lives in a manner that creates appealing,
unexpected
contrasts between different forms of racism which may have changed, in
some
ways, over the years, yet remains the same in too many forms.
In 1753, Olu
is
eleven, her kidnapping already a memory that happened “many suns ago.”
Her
recollection of this experience introduces the first surprise: a female
was
involved in her abduction.
As she and
her
younger brother pass from hand to hand, sold and in servitude, Olu
moves from
being a happy, contented child to one haunted by violence and
uncertainty.
Sweeting
takes the
time to describe all the events that proceed to impact Olu’s young life
before
turning to Joanna, who has her own struggles being a young woman of
color,
which white society doesn’t understand:
“She’s practically black.” Miranda hastened out of
the parlour like a
dark cloud, taking her negative energy with her. An awkward silence
ensued. I
looked down at my practically black hands
folded in my lap. I wondered, can I not be practically
black and English? Oh, how I wish my mama or papa
were here. Uncle John was wonderful, but we didn’t speak about these
things. He
had no idea what it was like to be a young woman of colour in England.
In this
initial foray out into the world—I had led a sheltered life thus far—I
encountered attitudes and opposition I didn’t expect and didn’t know
how to
deal with. Where did I fit in? How did others view me? Was I English or
African, and are those mutually exclusive?
Sweeting
reviews
social changes and turmoil that range from abolitionist efforts and
movements
to how each girl adjusts to and impacts the world around her.
As political
and
social battles come to light, past and present dovetail in ways that
will undoubtedly
spark debates and interest among audiences that will find that these
two girls
are excellent examples of different forms of racism, historical
precedent, and
methods of handling prejudice.
The healing
process
embraces others’ attitudes, reactions, and changes, as well. This
introduces
further threads of social and psychological examination as the early
1800s come
to life. Even when Sweeting’s character explores romance, strong
connections to
underlying themes of choice, consequence, and action are included,
creating
thought-provoking moments and bigger-picture reflections:
I believe we don’t know how we really feel until a
choice is offered,
and we accept or decline.
The result
is a novel
steeped in the experiences of two women who make headway in confronting
prejudice, assumptions, racism, and empowerment (or the lack thereof)
in their
lives.
Libraries
seeking
historical fiction that is highly recommendable to general-interest
readers as
well as book clubs holding special interest in themes of recovery and
transformation from social strife and struggle will welcome the
opportunity to
acquire Remnant for their
collections.
Return to Index
The Second
Convention: America, 2036
Douglas E. Congdon
Independently
Published
9798324665524
$3.99 ebook; $9.99 paperback
Website: www.dougcongdon.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Convention-America-2036-ebook/dp/B0D154Z4L8?ref_=ast_author_mpb
The Second Convention: America, 2036 is a
novel that mirrors
current political events, but goes a step further in predicting and
depicting
future impact and outcomes.
Tom Powell,
as a
patriot and leader of the Revolutionary Party, is willing to battle for
democracy and radical political change. His actions have already
incited a riot
as the country teeters on the brink of civil war and ineffectively
struggles
with climate change impacts and other social, political, and economic
challenges.
Sound
familiar? But
this story is set in 2036, so it extrapolates beyond present-day
scenarios and
convictions to envision a Second Constitutional Convention and how to
heal a
nation so divided that its complete collapse seems inevitable.
So far,
there are few
surprises … but the delight of this story lies in how Tom’s convictions
and underlying
biases are brought to light, forcing him to confront the mechanics of a
changing democratic ideal and matters of his own heart.
Douglas E.
Congdon
excels at intersecting social and political concerns within the
experiences and
perspective of one individual whose passion for change translates to
evolving
conundrums.
His creation
of
powerful, reflective dialogues between characters both cements issues
and
introduces touches of wry ironic inspection from the novel’s opening
lines:
“Need I say it again?” Abby Powell said at the end
of breakfast.
“They’re coming for you tomorrow.”
Tom Powell drank the last of his coffee. “I know.”
“So, what do we do?”
Tom chuckled. “Disappear?”
“You always laugh at the wrong times.”
“I know that, too.”
As readers
trouble
themselves over the specter of Tom’s bid for enacting change at a
Second
Constitutional Convention which may not happen before the nation falls,
elements of transformation and political analysis contrast the efforts
of those
who would purposely tear a democracy apart in order to properly build
it back,
albeit much differently.
The various
ideals,
methodology, and challenges in such an effort will certainly give rise
to vivid
classroom and book club discussions as Tom and his fellow patriots face
murderers,
anarchists, military operations, and confrontations both within and
outside
their ranks.
Readers who
are more
than casually interested in the directions America can go, today, will
find the
novel’s astute insights and thoroughly engrossing action to be both
realistic
and thought-provoking.
This is not
to belay
the story’s entertainment value. Tom is a thoroughly believable,
likeable
character whose dilemmas, actions, and reactions mirror many of the
complexities of modern political and social efforts.
The plot is
replete
with satisfying twists and turns that many won’t see coming, holding
the
ability to draw not just through its political focus, but from
characters that
confront their own struggles and ideals in the face of an increasingly
fluid
America.
This is why
libraries
will want to welcome The Second
Convention: America, 2036 into their collections, highly
recommending it to
patrons interested in the legacy and milestones of democratic process
who are
willing to think about and reconsider the role and methods of
revolution and
revision in the democratic process.
What does it
take to
ratify a new Constitution?
Read The Second Convention: America, 2036 to
consider the possibilities and perils of vast social and political
transformation.
Return to Index
The
Sentinel’s
Daughter
Maria Ereni Dampman
Lickenpoodle Press
978-1-7371770-4-3
$24.95 Paperback/$9.99 eBook
https://a.co/d/5BGcWi0
The Sentinel’s Daughter is the third
novel in Maria Ereni Dampman’s Daughters of the New American Revolution
series,
but this doesn’t mean that it should be limited to prior series
readers. In
fact, it both compliments its predecessors and stands nicely alone as
another
cornerstone of future women’s lives and challenges.
Set in 2046, the story opens with narrator
Emma’s experience of a blistering planetary heat that dictates
protective gear
and sparks the reflection that, should she die, her husband and brother
will be
in conflict over her choices and fate. She’s a soldier on a mission,
but also
has recovered from past trauma in which her father conscripted her to
marriage
to a monster.
However recovered she feels, this influence
continues to resonate in present-day choices that drive her to assume
different
roles in life than she was raised to believe in. From wresting control
from the
fists of her father to now fielding a pregnancy which portends vast
changes for
her people, Emma confronts a “life of fear,” the transformative
experiences of
moving in unfamiliar directions through strange social, political, and
psychological territory, and the mandate of being a figurehead of
change.
Emma’s perspective is not the only one
cultivated in this story. Lady Consort Louise adds her insights and
reflections
into the bigger picture mix by confronting threats and cultivating
protective
responses to them. Trinity is driven by hate and a drive for redemption
(There
are many people I’ve met over the years that I’ve despised for one
reason or
another, but never have I hated someone more than I do our beloved Supreme Regent, Edward James
Bellamy). Various characters involved in confrontation and
rehabilitation
all coalesce in a shifting world where ideals and adventures clash.
Maria Ereni
Dampman
includes just enough background references to assure that newcomers
don’t get
lost and will enjoy an immediate feel of connection to this world and a
kingdom’s subjects. She spices the action with psychological twists and
insights on past history and future motivation, giving the tale depth
and rich
flavors.
Declan,
Emma’s
partner in crime, who helped her expose political special interests in
past
adventures, also presents his perspective, enriching the tale with a
sense of
purpose and passion that results in thoroughly engrossing scenarios of
transformation.
Equally rich
are
astute political insights which, for many a reader, will resonate with
events
unfolding in our modern, real-world times:
How the people of this nation believe whatever they
are told without
question baffles me. I know that any form of dissension is considered
treason
and punishable by death, but is nobody capable of thinking for
themselves?
Declan and I exposed our government’s lies, the Universal Church’s
greed, and
detailed the human rights horror show that is the Purity Police, and
yet few
are willing to join us and fight for change. Everyone is so afraid that
things
will get worse that even those with nothing left to lose are reluctant
to stand
up against my tyrant father.
The result
is a story
that operates like fantasy, but embraces the feel of modern social
challenges.
These elements make The Sentinel’s
Daughter highly recommendable on many levels, and to a wide
audience,
whether the reader is interested in recovery from trauma, political
twists, or
psychological drives and connections.
Libraries
will also
find it especially easy to recommend The
Sentinel’s Daughter to book clubs seeking a combination of
vivid
characterization, fast-paced, world-changing action, and discussions
that
embrace all kinds of shifting worldviews and issues, which connect to
modern
times and dilemmas.
Return to Index
The Women of
Shah’s
Place
Yolanda Randolph
Yolanda Randolph
Publications
978-1734385373
$27.70 Hardcover/$7.49 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Women-Shahs-Place-Yolanda-Randolph/dp/1734385375
The Women of Shah’s Place hosts four
women: Andra, River, Genesis
and Karla—each of whom struggles not just with the usual themes of
secrets and
change, but the impact of happiness and success, which also hold
transformative
moments and challenges.
Alternating
viewpoints and lives are clearly marked by chapter headings. Yolanda
Randolph
takes time and care to build each woman’s background, family
connections, and
personal perspectives on life and spirituality.
These
components
create an engrossing story in which the women field seemingly disparate
(but
surprisingly interconnected) goals and, despite their different
backgrounds,
come together in efforts which are ultimately healing, as well as
revealing.
This melding
of minds
and hearts, set against the backdrop of lives brought together by
chance and
circumstance, create a winning formula for an enlightening, engrossing
story in
The Women of Shah’s Place.
Randolph
points out
the disparities in these lives, which become conjoined by the place
they reside
in:
The families living in the apartments were very
different from one
another, but the one similarity they all shared was their views about
children
being home before the streetlights came on. North Carolina had lots of
cities
and junctions that held spots on the National Crime lists, but the town
of Shah
was not one of them. That wasn’t a factor for the women, though. It was
just
the way it was—a generational thing— as everybody’s mama and grandmama
forced
the rule.
The sense of
place
and altered minds coalesce to contrast different generations, training,
family
experiences, and connections to God.
This, in
turn,
enhances the overall plot as the women grow in unexpected ways,
choosing new
paths, both as individuals and as a group.
The sense of
connection and evolution that drive the plot also will motivate readers
to dig
deeper into their own pasts and present-day influences, lending
especially well
to book club discussion groups interested in women’s writings and lives
that
transcend both upbringing and economic status.
Libraries
interested
in works that outline sticky situations (and questions), deliver
lessons both
from life encounters and the backdrop of influence, experience, and
perception,
and cover flawed (but likeable) women’s lives packed with high drama
and
unexpected twists and turns will find The
Women of Shah’s Place a winning contrast between lessons and
life.
Return to Index
Black
Men and Racial Trauma
Yamonte
Cooper
Routledge/Taylor
& Francis
9781032554112
$170.00
Hardcover/$35.96 Paperback/$31.69 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Men-Racial-Trauma-Interventions/dp/1032554118
Black
Men and Racial Trauma:
Impacts, Disparities, and Interventions is a survey that
moves far beyond the usual
identification and definition of racism to enter into the realms of
healing and
recovery.
As
such, its focus both compliments books already on the market and
elevates the
reader’s knowledge of racial trauma and its lasting, wide-ranging
impact on
Black men. Even more important, however, is its approach to recovery
processes.
As Yamonte Cooper, a licensed clinical counselor, navigates the milieu
of
racial bias and its deep-rooted wellsprings and impact, so he creates
opportunities for dialogue and discovery that go above and beyond rote
theory.
The
first chapters attend to defining racism, mental health, racial trauma,
and the
coping mechanisms Black men have traditionally employed to overcome a
rigid and
relentless social paradigm that has not just ruled their lives, but
shaped
their reality.
Cooper
creates many novel approaches to his subject, first identifying the
physiological and mental impact of racism on Black men:
Black
Americans experience
earlier deterioration of health than whites. The inherent stress of
living in a
racist society that stigmatizes and disadvantages Black men may cause
disproportionate
physiological deterioration that may manifest the morbidity and
mortality that
would be typical in a significantly older white individual.
As
Cooper chronicles the many impacts of racism, his concurrent attention
to the
equal possibilities of healing creates a discourse on racial profiling,
disparities, and history that moves between subjects of developing
Black
capitalism and mindset to social techniques employed to undermine Black
male
agency. These sometimes arise from unexpected places, such as feminist
efforts.
Eye-opening
and certain to be controversial, Cooper’s analysis, contentions, and
revelations are firmly rooted not just in psychology and mental health,
but in
social and historical analysis. This creates a powerful set of insights
not to
be found in any other book on black males, their psychology, or social
analysis.
The
clinical eyes of mental health professionals working from various
disciplines
are incorporated into an analysis that interrogates gender constructs,
with
footnoted references accompanying scholarly insights:
Blackness
ruptures Western
ideas of gender but the complex lives of Black people who don’t fit
into the
universalist accounts and narratives of grand theories such as Black
feminism,
queer theory, or Marxism are censored in order for these theories to
remain
legitimate. There is no empirical evidence to support the idea that
race,
class, and gender are defining aspects of interactions between groups.
Between
group dynamics, ideological worldviews and politically driven
assumptions, and
depictions of groups, Cooper’s wide-ranging discussions offer important
food
for thought for not just psychologists, social workers, and healers,
but
college-level classrooms discussing racial bias, racism’s history and
impact,
and new methods of addressing repression.
The
result is a powerful discourse highly recommended for libraries
interested in
scholarly works about racism and healing; for book reader discussion
groups
debating history, precedent; and for clinicians working directly with
Black
males and populations, who will find invaluable such insights as:
Anti-Black
misandry
manifests in beliefs that Black males are not victims of societal
sexual
violence but perpetrators, which denies them of the ability to be
victims of sexually
predatory acts. It is not unlikely that untreated Black male victims of
sexual
violence are living with trauma. Therefore, it is imperative that
clinicians
provide compassionate and
responsive care in order to afford them the opportunity to heal and not
be
consumed by the wound of trauma.
In
short: any collection covering cultural anthropology, racial bias,
clinical
healing, or trauma recovery should not only make Black Men
and Racial Trauma
a mainstay, but should keep it prominently displayed for recommendation
to any
patron interested in a deep analysis and applied mental healthcare that
moves
from individual experience and circumstance to broader racial concerns.
Return to Index
Can You Help
Me Give
a Sh*t?
Rebecca Block and
Grace Edwards
Atmosphere Press
979-8-89132-290-5
$17.99 Paperback/$8.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? Unlocking Teen
Motivation in School and
Life is a guide to life engagement. It offers concrete,
thought-provoking
insights about the educational process and how educators, families, and
teens
can collaborate to make learning more meaningful and attractive.
Keys to
building
student interest involve providing more choices, building student
abilities in
a different, supportive manner, and encouraging peer relationships that
enhance
studies.
Rebecca
Block and
Grace Edwards point out that students quite often can’t engage with
typical
study plans and rote methods of learning. A different approach is
suggested,
here—one that encourages close relationships between students and
teachers,
blending family involvement into the bigger picture of assuring that
lessons
are not just relevant to modern learners, but exciting.
Case
histories of
these types of routines, engagements, and approaches that inject this
aura of
excitement into study pinpoint the experiences and options involved in
creating
discourses that are not just relevant, but cognizant of the underlying
social
prejudices that too often erode the learning process, as well as peer
relationships.
As chapters
survey
all these influences, both subliminal and overt, teacher reflections
also
cement the sense of discovery and self-analysis about teaching options:
When I was a new writing
professor, and I was struggling to understand
why some of my students just didn’t seem to get seemingly basic things
about
writing, no matter how often I talked about them, my advisor explained
this to
me as the difference between “implicit” and “explicit” learners. She
came from
a family of engineers and said she would have been one herself if she
hadn’t
been born at a time and place where women going into engineering just
wasn’t a
thing, where the assumption was that if she was going to go into an
academic
field, it would have to be English. But her brain worked more like an
engineer’s brain, and she worked hard to make all the implicit
expectations of
writing become explicit so she could learn it. Later, this meant she
was very effective at teaching it to students who found writing more
confusing than
science and math. If I hadn’t worked closely with her, I may not have
ever
realized how many of my expectations for what good writing looked like
were
tacitly woven into my beliefs of what it meant to be a good student who
was
capable of, and interested in, success.
Another
strength to
this discourse comes from its collaborators (educator and parent Dr.
Rebecca
Block and undergraduate student Grace Edwards) and their mission to
interview
teens across the country to get a better sense of how educational
systems
succeed or fail.
Any library
strong in
topics of education, teaching, and learning need to make Can
You Help Me Give a Sh*t? a key part of their collection. It
ideally will attract book clubs and discussion groups centering on teen
engagement,
education, and revised opportunities for all kinds of learning, and is
a
powerful consideration that deserves reflection and real-world
enactment.
Return to Index
Freeman’s
Challenge
Robin Bernstein
University of Chicago
Press
978-0-226-74423-0
$27.50 Hardcover/$26.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Freemans-Challenge-Murder-Americas-Original/dp/022674423X
Readers interested in
the judicial system, legal proceedings, and true crime and prison
history will
find Freeman’s Challenge: The
Murder That Shook America's Original
Prison for Profit of
special
note and interest. It fills a gap in the literature of prison
management and
history by covering a ground shaking event that changed the ideals and
face of
prison-for-profit management processes, but goes beyond these topics to
educate
students of racial history and conflict.
Despite its chronicle of
events that occurred many
decades ago, Freeman’s story will also serve as a strong classroom
discussion
point for students interested in modern prison system issues and reform
processes.
Those who operate largely
ignorant of how incarceration
works on a day-by-day level may be surprised at Robin Bernstein’s
opening
salvo:
American
prisons
are worksites. Of the 1.2 million Americans currently incarcerated in
state and
federal prisons, two-thirds have jobs. They cook, scrub floors, wash
laundry,
or maintain buildings. Beyond the prison, they fix roads or fight
forest fires.
Some raise crops or work in factories. Unlike their free counterparts,
incarcerated workers do not have the right to refuse to work, and
almost none
earn more than one dollar per hour. In many states, prisoners earn
nothing at all. Yet every year
they produce more than $2 billion worth of commodities and $9 billion
in
services.
This immediate connection
between imprisonment and free
labor may not outrage those who believe that, by their very act of
imprisonment, prisoners have no rights. However, the point Bernstein
drives
here forms the crux of an entire paradigm that equates prisoners with
not just
free but lucrative, profit-making labor. The history and discussion is
one not
to be passed over, even by those who believe that their very actions
and
incarceration makes prisoners justifiable fodder for exploitation.
New York State’s Auburn
state prison was a model example
of profiteering at its best and worst (depending on what side of the
coin one’s
belief falls on). Its money-making efforts went far beyond making the
prison
profitable and ultimately enriched the entire town of Auburn … all on
the backs
of a quasi-slavery not just condoned by New York, but celebrated by
authorities
and fellow justice systems everywhere, who viewed it as a model
approach to
incarceration management.
It took the efforts of one
William Freeman, a young Black
and Native American 1800s teen convicted of horse theft and
incarcerated in
Auburn for five years, to challenge that system against all odds,
winning
against great odds before tragedy concluded his efforts. William’s
story more
than deserves to be told. It sets an example for resonating and
sweeping
changes to viewpoints on prisoners, prison management, and
profit-making
ventures that hold impact and relevance to this day.
Freeman insisted that he was
not a prison slave, but
deserved equal rights as a citizen and a worker. His revolutionary
contentions
resulted in violence and turmoil, both against and around him.
Ultimately,
Freeman then stunned the world further by committing a quadruple
murder,
cementing his permanent status as a prisoner.
In order to do this story
justice, Bernstein presents it
in three distinct parts. The first section focuses on the history,
ideals, and
growth of the Auburn State Prison system, providing much background
into not
only its development, but the driving forces that sent it in unique
directions.
The second part focuses on
Freeman and his motivations
and perspective for confronting a system which, to outsiders, seemed a
model of
proper prison system management. In this section, connections to
personal
experience and racial overtones of the times are analyzed in an effort
to place
Freeman’s actions in light of American society in general and prison
system
culture in particular.
The third part ties together
these sections with a vivid
portrait of how one man’s determination spread not just enlightenment,
but
violence among Blacks and whites around him, sparking revolutions in
thought
and management systems that resonate to this day.
In taking the time to create
this history on several
different levels, Bernstein produces a remarkable blend of passionate
observation and historical fact that not just engages his readers, but
forces
them to reflect on contrasts between past and present prison system
management
and attitudes towards incarceration. This effort will succeed in
probing
underlying beliefs about white supremacy and racial profiling:
…
white Auburnites rose so
adamantly against
Freeman because he successfully threatened the Auburn State Prison. The
threat
was effective not only because it took the form of violence, but also
because
the Auburn State Prison had preexisting vulnerabilities due to the misjudgment, amorality,
and ineptitude of its
white leaders. In other words, the white people who made the prison
strong
simultaneously made it weak—a fact that Freeman’s actions had the
potential to
expose. White Auburnites responded to this threat by collectively
contriving
the larger-than-life Black criminal—an early moment in the making of
this national
myth. In short, a devastating formation of white supremacy was, at one
point of
origin, essentially defensive: white people criminalized African
Americans to
avoid confronting their own shortcomings.
This and other revelations
is why Freeman’s
Challenge is very highly recommended not just for students of
judicial
history, but for anyone reviewing the records of racism, prejudice, and
worker
rights in America.
Libraries
seeking
scholarly, footnoted references that are firm in documentation roots,
yet
highly accessible to non-scholar audiences, will find much to like and
recommend in Freeman’s Challenge—especially
to book clubs tackling the heady subjects of labor, prisoner, and human
rights
issues.
Return to Index
Hollywood Remembered
Darwin Porter with
Danforth Prince
Blood Moon
Productions, Ltd.
9781936003921
$65.00
www.bloodmoonproductions.com
Hollywood
Remembered: Glamour, Glitz, Triumph, & Tragedy is
a tribute to
classic Hollywood, presenting an oversized coffee table celebration of
some 500
pages of short stories inspired by Darwin Porter’s long years as a
Hollywood
reporter The theme
that unites them is
Fame and its ironies—an art form, he argues, that’s as unique as the
American
experience itself.
Readers who enjoy
classic films and previously “underground” stories about their actors
will
relish the revealing, candid comments and experiences described herein.
Concurrent with (once repressed) underground histories, it’s an
overview of
Blood Moon Productions and its success as a bellwether of America’s
fascination
with celebrities and their delightfully delicious intrigues.
Its backlist of
celebrity exposés (more than 50 of them) generated floods of tabloid
flash
worldwide during the decline of the entertainment industry’s golden age. Commentary on that adds to
the poignancy of
this “Deep in December” overview from a media pro.
The account is packed
with vintage black and white photos, movie stills, and then-headlining
news
inspired by Blood Moon’s backlist and how its “discoveries” and points
of view
were replicated and reviewed within the pages of major newspapers
around the
world during the early Internet Age.
Much of it was
inspired by revelations that Porter, through Blood Moon, released
(sometimes
feverishly) after decades of concealment by the Hollywood
“Establishment.” It
also includes references to Darwin Porter’s many up-close and
indiscreet
encounters with players within the industry.
He was, for
example, a
decades-long acolyte of
Marlene Dietrich, penning a roman-à-clef in the 1970s about her
life and times that
became “required reading” for aging actresses still frenziedly
promoting their
careers.
His exposé ‘Raymond
Burr: The Secret Life of Perry Mason’ reviews the actor’s achievements,
his
sudden fame in the Perry Mason syndicated series, and how he had to
invent a
fictional life as a heterosexual in order to mask his
homosexuality.
As readers move
through Hollywood Remembered, they will be
struck by the compelling
insider-ish tone of these stories, expressed with a voice which could
only have
come from a film historian who’s been immersed—up close and
personally—in the
gossip genre since childhood.
Much more than most
Hollywood histories, biographies, or exposés, Hollywood
Remembered assumes
the allure of a personal diary and the heady giddiness of a gossip
column.
Even the visuals
(derived from hundreds of photos) illustrate
how Hollywood was presented, marketed, and perceived. Throughout, it captures
the passion of
personalities whose efforts and achievements made Hollywood a subject
of
fascination for millions of 20th-century
fans.
Few other writers
could have produced such a book. Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince have
created
a masterpiece of memory lane that walks readers into the lives and
realities of
film stars who, until now, were “undefined” even to classic film
buffs.
All of this
makes Hollywood Remembered a top
acquisition for libraries
devoted to media studies and film history.
Return to Index
Into the Lure of Time
Vera Bell
Timebound Publishing
979-8-9896124-3-7
$24.99
Hardcover/$16.99 Paperback/$5.99 eBook
Website:
www.VeraBellAuthor.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CZT76BST
Book 2 of the ‘Always
and Forever’ time-travel/romance trilogy, Into
the Lure of Time, gives newcomers and returning fans a run
for their
reading money. It returns to the scene of Through the Veneer
of Time to
focus on Siena and Ryan’s evolving dilemmas as they continue to
struggle with
past and present influences.
The medieval timeline
here is rooted in two historical scenarios: the events preceding the
English
crown’s plantation of Ulster; and the real life of legendary Irish hero
(and
adversary of Elizabeth I) Shane O’Neill.
As in the previous
story, historical elements both enhance the believability of situations
and
choices and expand character personalities and efforts, drawing readers
into a
vivid series of dilemmas powered by realistic events.
Siena and Ryan live
their lives mirroring many of these past trends and choices. This lends
their
efforts and options an added dimension of thought-provoking revelation
as they
survey not only outward manifestations of struggle, but inner resources
shaken
by discoveries which change their notions of historical precedent, each
other,
and themselves.
Vera
Bell spices
history with romance and psychological developments, giving her tale a
multidimensional feel as the story expands from the introductory
experiences
and settings of Through
the Veneer of Time to embrace deeper-level themes of domestic
conflict and psychosexual struggle.
More
so than the first book, these new elements at first may not only prove
surprising, but triggering, to some readers. All these facets are
reinforced by
a first-person exploration that brings thoughts, emotions, reactions
and
quandaries to life.
The
allure of forbidden fruit is adeptly described as the tale unfolds and
Siena
confronts her own morals and values through the lens of her past life:
“Can I say something
and...please, I don’t mean to offend. But your
husband must be very sure of himself to leave a woman like you alone in
D.C.”
I shivered in the silence that fell, traces of déjà
vu whirling around me in a confused flurry. “I don’t know
what you mean.” I pushed against
the stool, gaining an inch.
Her encounters in
1565 Ulster, Ireland are no less demanding:
How could he not
know this meeting was our last? “Will you come willingly then—” he
murmured
into my hair, oblivious, “or shall I bind you like a captive—the
loveliest
anyone has ever seen?”
In contrast to the
first book, Siena’s
emotional undercurrents are even more vividly portrayed as evolving
dilemmas
force her to field political and psychological matters with revised
dreams of
what her present and future can be in two very different lives:
I’d
rip this new indignity
from my mind. And when the time came, I’d ride fast as the wind. Home,
home,
home.
The result is not only
a satisfying
continuation of Siena’s growth process, but a story that simmers with
intrigue,
passion, historical insights, and thoroughly engrossing revelations.
Hard to put down and
impossible to resist,
while Into the Lure of Time
can serve as a stand-alone read, it’s best imbibed by Bell’s prior
fans, who
will enjoy the added value and treat of a second book that builds
wonderfully
complex insights and attractions from the first title’s foundations.
Libraries and book
clubs will relish the opportunity to acquire and recommend Into the Lure of Time.
Return to Index
Keep That Day Job!
David H. Lewis
BearManor Media
979-8-88771-483-7
www.BearManorMedia.com
Keep That Day Job!: How to Enjoy Chasing
Showbiz Without
Going Mad contrasts with numerous other
books about artistic pursuits, in that it narrows the focus to show
business
and maintains that keeping a steady job on the side can take the panic
(and
potential poverty) away from one’s endeavor. Thus, art returns to the
status of
a joyful pursuit without the pressure of having to make a living.
David H. Lewis weaves accounts of his passion for
show
business and his own life experiences as he enacts that passion. For
some, Keep
That Day Job! may feel like more of a memoir than a how-to
guide. Those who
believe this from the story’s opening pages will be delighted and
surprised
with the many personal details that cement the business and art
realities Lewis
gleaned from his approaches to work.
As he moved through different kinds of jobs and
gained
experience in workplace politics, processes, and perspectives, Lewis
also
explored the industry he loved, experiencing similar revelations about
its
business underbelly and artistic contrasts:
I also spoke with local sponsors, a
critical key in
communication. At the time, American circuses were heavily dependent
upon them,
for this justified their setting up phone banks (boiler rooms) and
pitching
blocks of free kids’ tickets to local merchants. The appeal turned on a
deceptive promise of the proceeds going directly to a “worthy “cause,
be it a
children’s hospital, veterans fund, or distressed Indonesian worms
sanctuary.
Now, if the sponsor happened to be a police or fireman’s league, how
could any
merchant dare turn down the appeal? Thus, the show might be able to
sell
thousands of advance tickets, most of which ended up in waste baskets
or
ignored at grocery and drug store check-out counters. Worse still, the
“sponsor” would be left with a pittance of the haul, while a criminally
high
percentage of it (up to 90%) slipped anonymously into the dark deep
pockets of
phone men and circus owners.
Lewis navigates a wide range of jobs, creates
musicals, and
lives his ‘real life’ off hours while fueling his passion with work.
This
alternates between satisfying and challenging as his story becomes one
of
identifying what supports artistic endeavors and what detracts from
them … and
what creates personal satisfaction.
Whether he’s temping or doing supplemental jobs,
Lewis
stays the course on also realizing his artistic dreams. This approach
gives Keep
That Day Job! a thoroughly engrossing countenance replete
with changes,
challenges, and success.
Libraries seeking memoirs that fully embrace the
dichotomy
of work life and artistic pursuits will find Keep That Day
Job! not just
an excellent, inspirational recommendation for struggling artists, but
perfect
fodder for book club discussions where art and work opportunities and
experiences are being juxtaposed and examined.
Return to Index
Manifest
It! Action Planner
Nakeya T. Fields
Atmosphere Publishing
979-8-89132-220-2
$16.99
Paperback/$9.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Manifest It! Action
Planner’s manifesto is clear: it’s designed “to support the
development and
implementation of healthy wellness routines.” But, what does this look
like in
real-life terms? This is where Nakeya
T. Fields shines, because this is a
step-by-step self-help guide with a difference.
Fields has created charts, discussion points, and
tools for
self-assessment that tackle common barriers to tapping personal power,
including the types of perceptions and assumptions that influence the
nature
and incarnation of this strength.
As chapters delve into the foundations of
empowerment,
limitations, transformation, and potential barriers to overcome, a
program is
presented that includes plenty of workbook fill-ins, inviting readers
to
undertake the journey of self-realization.
These encouraging fill-in-the-blanks may preclude
library
lending, to some extent, but it is absolutely perfect for group
discussion as well
as individual endeavors. The goals presented aren’t just lofty ideals,
but
in-the-minute admonitions to enact changes, from identifying and
addressing
potential barriers to forming weekly ‘action steps,’ creating a
communication
plan, and celebrating achievements.
If all this sounds daunting, be advised that Fields
has
actually taken the guesswork out of the growth process, lending it a
structure,
flexibility, and direction that lets readers embark on a journey
specific in
its descriptions and purposes.
For example: just one week’s activity assignment
includes
identifying ‘scarcity beliefs’, challenging them (by examining the
evidence
that supported them and reconsidering whether these are presumptions,
assumptions, or based on real facts), and, finally, practicing
gratitude as an
antidote to scarcity thinking.
No step is unsupported.
No step is unessential. And no
self-help reader truly interested in change should be without Manifest
It! Action Planner,
which
takes the guesswork out of transformation. It only requires an
inquiring mind
and a determination to enact concrete, positive changes not just in
lifestyle,
but in one’s thinking patterns and beliefs.
While Manifest
It!
Action Planner may feel individual-driven, it also will prove
an exciting
collaborative effort when applied to psychology, self-help or reading
groups
interested in not just reading about, but actually enacting real change.
Return to Index
Of Aragon
Caroline Willcocks
Atmosphere Press
979-8-89132-316-2
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Of Aragon opens as a letter from a mother
to her daughter, setting
the story in 1500s Elizabethan times as it reveals Kat Cooke’s
fascination with
Henry VIII's Queen Katherine of Aragon.
Kat’s
opportunity to
enter their Tudor court gives rise to new insights about royalty,
politics, and
the shifting roles of women in quasi-positions of power as she absorbs
not only
the realities of Katherine’s life, but makes headway in resolving the
questions
surrounding her own birth and heritage.
Caroline
Willcocks
represents this era and the daily lives of subjects both within and
outside the
court with a sense of ‘you are here’ realism. She covers both the pomp
and
circumstance of politics and the realities that unfold behind the
scenes as
servant girl Kat narrates her experiences:
I cheered myself by
thinking of the Queen. At last, after weeks of
spectacular show, intrigue and courtesy, she would soon be back in her
chambers. Back, with the familiar ritual of court life, so
magnificent and splendid, but yet with the ability to withdraw into a
private
space where she was a woman as well as a queen.
These
insights about
women’s lives and statuses during this era lend to the story’s feel of
immediacy and historical appreciation that will prove especially
inviting to
young adult readers not ordinarily attracted to historical novels:
“Do not talk to me of love. If you loved me, you
would release me. But
instead you cannot bear to let go! I am kept a prisoner by my so-called
wife!”
His face was flushed red, and his hands were balled into fists.
“But your Majesty….” she attempted, but he cut her off.
“How many times do I have to tell you, Madam? You are not my wife. You
never
have been. I do not love you.”
Adults, too,
will
welcome the opportunity to consider these times in more depth, and with
more
connection than any nonfiction survey of Tudor times could achieve. The
emphasis on psychological and social developments creates a delightful
interplay between personal ambition and political realities that
educate and
entertain, simultaneously.
Given its
compelling
1500s setting, its attention to rich details and atmospheres of the
times, the
inclusion of notes of intrigue and romance that lie in unexpected
directions,
and its ability to enchant with vivid clashes and characters, Of Aragon should be on the top of the
reading list. It will appeal to young adult and adult audiences
interested in
Tudor times in general and the shifting positions and perceptions of
(and
contrasts between) women residing at very different places on the
socio-economic ladder of Tudor times.
Return to Index
Seasons of
Four Faces
Benjamin Kwakye
Cissus World Press
979-8-9889745-9-8
Website: https://www.benjaminkwakye.com
Ordering: www.cissusworldpressbooks.com
Seasons of Four Faces adds to Ghanian
lawyer and novelist Benjamin
Kwakye’s lineup with a vivid, wide-ranging story of Africa presented in
four
parts. It incorporates a good deal of history; yet due to Kwakye’s
self-admitted ‘tampering’, it should not be viewed or quoted as a
historical
novel completely, as its fictional components have been enhanced to
dramatize
and increase its allure.
As the
Asante nation
and Ghanian perspective and politics unfold, Kwakye creates a moving
and
intriguing story as accessible to Westerners who may hold little prior
familiarity with Ghana events and people as it is to African readers
who will
relish the familiar backdrops and attention Kwakye injects into his
saga.
Surprise
lies in not
only the turns of events, but the inclusion of poetry and prose
excerpts from
previous writings, which support and enhance the overall atmosphere and
focus
of this story.
The novel
opens with
the reflections of a woman facing death. From its opening lines, it’s
evident
that Seasons of Four Faces also
embraces a literary reflective format that melds philosophical musing
with its
insights, which will prove a satisfying feature to fiction readers
looking for
as much literary prowess as entertainment value from their pursuits:
It was one thing to know that death would come some
day and another to
face it. In the stifling inner chamber, she looked through the window,
but the
darkness was as dense as death itself; and she was thick with regret
that found
twinship with her fear. At the same time the darkness soothed her with
the
deceit that she would survive.
As the woman
faces
her maker with all the “metaphoric representation that she could
negotiate,”
readers are immersed in an end-of-life experience that morphs into the
next
scene, where Pharaoh Hatshepsut searches for relaxation in a secret
getaway
that requires she journey at night. Other characters enter the picture
to
clarify the fact that she wields her power and image with the authority
not of
a strong female, but with the look and feel of traditional male
leadership—a
fact which rankles some:
One of them, the only woman among them, was
offended in particular by the
way Pharaoh had depicted and ordered herself to be depicted in statues
and
paintings as a male pharaoh, with a beard and large muscles. What was
she
trying to convey with this portrayal? What was she saying to the couple
of
female Pharaohs who had come before her or those that might come after
her?
Despite its
vivid
depictions of this time and place, and the powerful women who reside in
it, the
story evolves very different threads of discovery as characters emerge
to
transform the world of the Nile, with its wars, male privilege, plots,
and
evolving romances.
Kwakye casts
wide his
net of characters and events as the saga unfolds, moving through
treacherous
times and changing lives as Sharifa, a healer and child of the Nile,
finds
herself unexpectedly very far from everything familiar. His ability to
capture
these characters’ emotions with depth and discovery lends an exciting
feel as
the story progresses away from Africa:
…she felt like she was being separated from so
much, as if a knife was
cutting through the finely wrought tapestry that had been her life in
Egypt.
As Sharifa
and army
leader Tiempo move forward both independently and with one another, the
psychological and social connections that stem from their shared roots
stretch
to embrace and influence their revised lives.
Readers also
may not
expect the influence of Christian values to emerge from their lives and
experiences, but the inclusion of Jesus, Moses, and other figures
central to so
many cultures and lives moves the novel into unexpected territory as
these
peoples and experiences evolve.
These
spiritual
reflections also add an extra dimension of contemplation and discussion
to the
historical, social, and literary journey Kwakye undertakes:
“But isn’t this Christianity a religion of the
white man? They are
after all the ones who brought us the Bible in exchange for our land.”
“I
have heard that said many times. First, just because something comes
from
outside, even if from an oppressor, does not automatically render it
bad. We must assess it for ourselves. Second, it is not true that it is
the religion of the white man. Moses was not a white man. Jesus was not
a white man, although many
have depicted him as such.”
Libraries
seeking
African-authored literary fiction that embeds its drama with spiritual,
psychological, historical, and cultural insights suitable for book club
and
reader group recommendation will find the multifaceted journey of Seasons of Four Faces to be compelling.
It promises much more connectivity and accessibility to its audience
than many
fictional pursuits of African experience, placing it heads and
shoulders above
many similar-sounding literary ventures.
Return to Index
Starman
After
Midnight
Scott Semegran
Mutt Press
979-8218415945
$14.99 Paperback/$4.99 eBook
https://bookshop.org/a/152/9798218415945
Starman After Midnight: A Novel-in-stories
is a literary collection
of small-town characters and situations. At their nexus are the lives
of
neighbors Seff and Big Dave, opposites who are attracted by the
mysteries and
puzzles that permeate both of their lives.
Their very
different
worldviews lead to meteoric clashes over diverse approaches to life and
their
own small pieces of it, creating an atmosphere of inquiry and
discovery. This
will especially attract readers interested in surrealistic settings,
dark
influences, and intriguing solutions to threats and possibilities.
The first
attribute
to note about Scott Semegran’s approach is his immersive language. He
captures
these vignettes of daily challenges through dialogues that are astute
and
packed with interest:
“How did you come up with something like that?” I
said.
He finished the last of his beer. “Fox News. Beer me.”
I finished my beer and put a new beer in his outstretched hand. “Fox
News isn’t
news,” I told him.
“What do you mean it ain’t news? It’s in the title. Fox News.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? It ain’t no more ridiculous than a naked bear in the woods
flashing its
pecker at a choir of gophers.”
“Huh?”
“You heard me. A spy, dammit. A gosh-dern-naked Russian-voting-system
spy. Son
of a biscuit.”
The
scenarios which
contribute to the greater whole and crux of the story aren’t what you’d
anticipate from a pair of beer-guzzling buddies who hold such disparate
attitudes
about the evidence and circumstances that revolve around them.
Indeed,
elements of
psychological and social surprise that are woven into each tale create
milieus
which both stand nicely alone in individual chapters, yet are
indicative of the
strong outcome of these entwined experiences and mysteries.
Throughout
them all,
Semegran’s language ties together these oddballs and oddities in a
manner that
will especially please creative writing teachers seeking modern
examples of
powerful character-building devices:
The next afternoon, I was hot-to-trot in the
writing department and
finished a pivotal chapter in my zombie family novel, one where the
father
questions his existence and begins to wonder if he’s actually living
his
“afterlife” rather than his “real life.”
Humor
juxtaposes
nicely with serious reflection about community and individual
involvements as
the story unfolds in a series of picture-in-picture moments.
The tale is,
quite
simply, utterly compelling, fun, and attractive. Starman
After Midnight will reach audiences interested in humor,
puzzles, interpersonal relationship quandaries, and community
challenge. It
will also delight libraries looking for accessible, modern literary
works that
sizzle with originality and delightful surprises.
Return to Index
Through
the Veneer of Time
Vera
Bell
Timebound
Publishing
979-8-9896124-0-6
$23.99
Hardcover/$15.99 Paperback/$4.99 ebook
Website:
www.VeraBellAuthor.com
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNQ8162V
Through
the Veneer of Time is the first book in the
‘Always and Forever’ series that places a mural artist, Siena Forte, in the crosshairs of solving a
serial killer case … which is usually her FBI husband’s bailiwick.
Siena comes
with an
added ability that no amount of investigative prowess can match—she’s
been
reborn in this century, complete with the talent of astral projecting
to her
past life. This uncommon gift allows Siena to go where no woman has
gone
before, drawing connections between her visions and past and present
events.
These give rise to a forgotten vow for revenge that she must address in
order
to stop the killer.
Convoluted?
The plot may
sound complex and challenging, but Vera
Bell’s ability to tap Sienna’s past life
to change her present world drives the story with psychological
dilemmas and
attractions. These pair past life regression with resolution tactics in
an
entirely novel manner.
(Ironically,
it was author Bell’s own efforts to get in touch with herself that
resulted in
such an emotionally attractive read, here.)
Siena’s
moves between
past and present place her in very different milieus requiring
different
concessions, choices, and actions. Disparate atmospheres are
wonderfully
captured in a story that evolves many surprises about her lives, her
husband,
and the killer’s course.
Astute
dialogues
between characters reinforce their natures and relationships:
“I mean to have a rest
from talk of war today, a rún. All
talk and no action are fit
to drive a man mad.” He
massaged his neck. “‘Rein it in,’ you said yesterday, your wee hand on
mine. A
brave soul, are you? I’m not myself when I’m in that state.”
I let my gaze rest on him. “It’s a weakness to let them see you this
way.”
“A dainty lass of eighteen to lecture me on proper conduct?
You’ve more mettle than is your rightful share.”
As
well-developed as
the time travel and romance components of the story are, the driving
force behind
Siena’s character lies in her proactive abilities and sense of
discovery. These
strengths drive her choices into disparate directions as she navigates
the
treacherous territories of emotional and historical landscapes in an
effort to
not only survive, but better understand herself.
Against the
backdrop
of love, hate, and a killer’s threat lies the attraction of a
thriller’s fast
pace and heated twists and turns which will keep readers guessing,
surprised,
and moving between the urban milieu that is Washington D.C. and the
wild world
of Ireland.
Libraries
seeking
fantasy explorations that contain more depth and thought-provoking
discoveries
than the majority of books billed as either time travel, thriller, or
romance
genres will find the combination here to be absolutely enthralling.
Book clubs
seeking
multifaceted reads that open a series will find much to discuss in Through
the Veneer of Time’s characters
and plot.
Return to Index
Your
Past Can Set You Free
Karin Stettler with Maitra
Opening the Lotus Publishers
9798322639916
$18.99
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Past-Can-Set-Free/dp/B0CPDGJCGQ
Your Past Can Set You Free: How
Insights From Past Lives Can Heal Current Issues translates
(from German
into English) the work of seer Maitra. She has the ability to not only
reveal
past life experiences, but to teach how to learn and grow from them,
applying
their lessons to present-day dilemmas.
Where
other books about past life regression focus on the methods and
understanding of past lives, Maitra draws important connections between
her
work and the healing opportunity it can represent to participants in
the
present.
Important
toolkits accompany each chapter, addressing such
bigger-picture issues as tackling trauma, spiritual crisis, the
experience of
enslavement, and more. Past trickles into present incarnations to
affect
personalities, perceptions, reactions to life, and objectives; but
within these
influences, healing opportunities arise that are connected to one’s
past life.
Accompanying
these revelations are in-depth examples of readings and
results. While self-help readers seeking the quick-and-dirty
nitty-gritty of
succinct writing may find the detail challenging to absorb, this level
of
analyzing readings and their progression and impact is key to fully
understanding the nature of past life experiences and their lessons.
The
toolkits that follow are highly effective and will especially
please readers looking to apply past life experiences to their own
growth:
At times, Laura’s mother was so
controlling that her behavior verged on abusing her power. Sometimes,
her
behavior crossed the line into real abuse. Her daughter was in revolt
and
trying to find her power, without becoming like her mother. Our task,
to own
our power, is well defined by the dilemma of these two women: How do we
take
ownership of our
power and exercise it,
without being abusive or controlling?
These
keys to applied past life knowledge are an essential part of this
book’s message—and why Your Past Can Set
You Free is a standout above other more experiential
coverages of past life
regression.
It’s
also why libraries strong in self-help, psychology, spirituality,
and growth will find Your Past Can Set
You Free important not just for collections covering any of
these subjects,
but as a recommendation to book clubs interested in lively discussion
and
debate material about how past experiences
influences current perceptions and growth.
Return to Index
The Blue-Ribbon
Radishes
Shelli R. Johannes
and Kimberly Derting
Picture Window
Books/Capstone Publishing
978-1484679838
$6.99 Paperback
https://shop.capstonepub.com/Shop/s/product/detail/
Book 1 of
the picture
book Farm Friends series by Shelli R. Johannes and Kimberly Derting, The Blue-Ribbon Radishes,
combines
a chapter book of adventures with large-size, bright color
illustrations by Kristen
Humphrey as it follows young third-person narrator and farm girl
Poppy’s
reflections about her life on the farm.
She lives there with her family and her best
friend, Vincent Van Goat. He tries to help her with farm chores, but
too often
gets in the way, and just wants to play.
The first-person intro is followed by fun
stories presented in the third person as Poppy investigates the case of
the
missing cucumbers and works on winning a blue ribbon prize for her
gardening
efforts.
Kids receive an absorbing account of not
just farm life, but proactive problem-solving and thinking as young
Poppy
tackles projects and issues and her mother imparts some powerful
insights into
her efforts:
“Sometimes you have to celebrate the work you do,”
Mom said. “Not focus
on what you win.”
These
insights drive
the story with bigger-picture thinking. They are a strong reason why The Blue-Ribbon Radishes is
highly
recommended for read-aloud adults and young readers alike. Its focus on
not
just reaching for a prize, but understanding its real value makes
Poppy’s story
especially compelling and revealing.
Return to Index
A Day at the
Beach
Paul Padgett
Independently
Published
9781959662037
$12.99 Paper/$8.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Day-at-Beach-Squirrelsville-ebook/dp/B0D3YCKNQJ
Book 2 of
the
Squirrelsville picture book series follows the enterprising squirrels
to the
beach, where they walk out of their lush forest world to explore a very
different environment one lovely summer’s day.
Accompanied
by an
uncle and aunt who have given them this opportunity, the enthusiastic
little
squirrels anticipate a day of sand castle building and fun. While the
beach
delivers on these promises, it also is an ecological system that sports
a very
different environment than the squirrels are used to.
The value of
this
story lies as much in their recognition of this different milieu’s
properties
and its contrasts with the forest as it does in it bow to choices the
squirrels
can make which enhance their visit, while being environmentally
conscious:
“Aunt JoJo, will you please pack the Inial 8
mosquito spray and the
ocean-safe sunscreen?” asked Uncle Paul.
There are
plenty of
‘a visit to the beach’ picture book stories on the market, but this
second in
the Squirrelsville adventure series stands out for this special brand
of
consciousness, and its attention to teaching kids that the beach is
more than a
big sandbox.
Elementary-level
libraries and read-aloud adults interested in early messages about
environmental consciousness will welcome the playful, uplifting,
discussion-provoking nature of Paul Padgett’s A
Day at the Beach, supported by thoroughly cheerful, engaging
illustrations by Andhika Abhiramadhan.
Return to Index
A Grandma
Spells L-o-v-e
Sheri Poe-Pape
Independently
Published
979-8218432164
$14.99
www.sheripoe-pape.com
In the
picture book A Grandma
Spells L-o-v-e, Sheri Poe-Pape opens with “Grandma
spells l-o-v-e in so many ways.”
What are
those ways?
That’s what the story outlines as illustrator Nejla Shojaie adds
colorful,
large-size art to bring to life not only a message of love, but how
it’s
transmitted.
In this
story
(narrated by a young observer), the grandmother has “…waited
a long, long time for brother and me.” Not only love, but
patience and the acknowledgement that children are “a
gift from God” present bigger-picture thinking than the
subject
of love alone. This approach creates important discussion points
between adults
and children about the nature and impact of love, and gifts that appear
in many
different ways.
Sheri
Poe-Pape’s
story isn’t unique in the realm of picture book stories of family love,
overall, but its special attraction lies in these larger observations
of life
and meaning that inject A Grandma Spells L-o-v-e with many topics
and connections perfect for family read-aloud participation.
Parents
seeking
choices that support family affection and togetherness will find that A Grandma
Spells L-o-v-e achieves both with its rhyming stories of a
child’s experiences
of a grandmother’s love. It’s also very highly recommended for
elementary-level
libraries seeking supportive celebrations of family connections.
Return to Index
Haunt
Nichole Calabrese
Unearthly Stories
979-8989871902
$12.99 Paper/$3.99 eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Haunt-Book-One-Nichole-Calabrese-ebook/dp/B0CW1CKW42
Young adults
interested in ghost stories that embrace coming-of-age events will find
this
first book in the Haunt series introduces compelling characters and
scenarios
that nicely support the specters of ghosts and growth alike.
First-person
narrator
Gemma LeClair has a secret. She can see, hear, and speak with ghosts.
This and
other factors defy her interest in leading a normal life, especially
since said
ghosts are both trapped in the places they died in, and are desperate
for
attention.
Gemma’s move
to live
with her grandfather offers new possibilities; but as it turns out, her
high
school is even more haunted than her past … and the chief ghost there
proves to
have no record of dying.
As Gemma
comes to
realize the small town holds secrets equal to or greater than hers, she
is
drawn into a mystery that leads her to confront not only spirits, but
her own
assumptions and growth.
The mystery
evolves a
satisfyingly creepy feel as Gemma comes to acknowledge that the
inherent threat
from ghostly friends and enemies alike is more than she can
handle—especially
in her revised roles at home and at school.
Under
another pen,
these events would either have come across as mystery alone, or
supernatural
thriller. Nichole Calabrese’s strength lies in walking a delicate line
between
the two, in which her protagonist faces not only reality and death, but
her own
role and future.
This drives
a story
that is creative, engrossing, and thought-provoking as Gemma is forced
into a
limelight she keeps trying to avoid at all costs:
I didn’t want to try. I wanted to not be publicly
humiliated by
vindictive math teachers. I wanted to go unnoticed, be left alone. I
felt my
anxiety mounting, as it had too often lately.
Buffeted by
psychological insights, trauma, new revelations about her abilities and
their
dangers and the process of trying to reinvent her world and
perspective,
Gemma’s story will prove as satisfying to readers attracted to tales of
psychological growth and revelation as to those who just seek a
thoroughly,
satisfyingly spooky tale.
That’s why Haunt is highly recommended reading for
teens and should be on the bookshelves of libraries catering to them,
who will
find its allure translates to book club recommendation, as well.
Return to Index
Holidays in
Trees:
Christmastide
Cammy Marble
Atmosphere Press
9798891322851
$14.99 pb/$24.99
hardcover/$8.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Holidays in Trees: Christmastide is the
fourth book in the Holidays
in Trees picture book series. It follows the creatures who reside in
the Black
Walnut Ridge Resort as they celebrate Christmastide—for twelve days.
Community-wide
and
family celebrations come to light as the creatures acknowledge and
rejoice over
the birth of the Sun Child, and the seasonal snow that appears around
this
time.
The tale is
narrated
by Chester Scamper and his wife Autumn, who lend a chatty, fun tone to
observations of how different creatures contribute their skills and
findings to
the holiday experience:
Before Christmas, Jay and Flappy Feathers bring in
a supply of fragrant
cedar boughs with pinecones, jolly holly, and pumpkin-orange
bittersweet from
The Ridge for anyone who wants to use it for decorating.
The result
is a
winning, appealing picture book celebration that will engage kids and
read-aloud
adults with an animal-centric sense of joy and community involvement
that’s
perfect for either the holiday season or year-around reading.
From a
house-wide
treasure hunt for gifts and the myth of a Santa Claws to family gifting
traditions, Holidays in Trees:
Christmastide paves the way for adults to introduce and
discuss family
engagements and traditions with the very young, who will appreciate the
bright
animal characters and warm descriptions of cooperative celebrating.
Elementary-level
libraries that choose this book for a different kind of Christmas
message will
welcome Cammy Marble’s attention to whimsy alongside underlying serious
messages about what makes for a celebratory, special atmosphere both
within and
outside the home.
Return to Index
Izzy Strikes
Gold!
Larry F. Sommers
Three Towers Press
(Imprint of
HenschelHAUS Publishing, Inc.)
9781595989925
$19.95 Hardcover/$14.95 Paperback
Izzy
Strikes Gold! - HenschelHAUS Publishing, Inc (henschelhausbooks.com)
Twelve-year-old
Izzy
is just a small-town boy in the ordinary town of Plumb. Aside from his
diminutive size and youth (in comparison to his classmates), Izzy
doesn’t have
a lot going for him … nothing except a brain full of schemes and dreams.
Even though
Izzy
appears ordinary, in fact Izzy fields many family dilemmas, from
parents who
don’t quite know how to be adults to a sister too young to know what’s
going on
and a favorite grandfather who’s been relegated to a distant hospital.
Izzy’s
childhood
explorations of the Bottoms, dreams of secret, magical escapades and
escapes,
and becoming a spaceman all supercharge the story with action.
Set against
the
backdrop of the 1950s, this coming-of-age saga for middle-grade readers
sparkles with possibility, opportunities, and moments that drive Izzy
into the
adult world of practicality from a child’s world of dreams.
When Izzy
and best
friend Collum make an extraordinary discovery that could change their
lives,
they struggle with adult decisions on how to manage their fluctuating
lives.
Larry F.
Sommers
excels in strong dialogues that cement the characters and their
interactions
and intentions. These form the crux of a compelling drama that moves
between
magical play and real-world dilemmas, whether adult or from childhood,
bringing
middle-graders a fine sense of place, purpose, and growth insights.
It’s not
easy to
juxtapose action with deeper inquiries about values and life
progression, but
Sommers displays an adept ability to dance between family and
friendships,
navigating both milieus through the eyes of Izzy, whose experiences
with his
parents’ fighting challenges him in different ways.
The
atmosphere of
family attractions and interactions in the 1950s, whether it be
watching Perry
Mason and Oh, Susannah on television or going for a family drive, adds
a
realistic feel to unfolding physical and psychological discoveries,
keeping
kids engaged and interested.
Libraries
looking for
middle-grade stories steeped in a sense of place, family connections,
and
schemes to get rich (or, at least, financially survive) will find that Izzy Strikes Gold! reveals and defines
more kinds of riches than young readers (and many an adult) might
initially
anticipate. This makes for a delightful journey, indeed.
Return to Index
Me and the
Missouri
Moon
Nancy Stewart
Monarch Educational
Services
978-1957656670
$24.99
Hardcover/$15.99 Paperback/$9.95 ebook
www.monacheducationalservices.com
Fifth grader
Scarlet
Burnes is faced with a moral dilemma in Me
and the Missouri Moon: she was in the car with her father
when he hits a
bicyclist and doesn’t stop, changing her life forever when he, afraid
of going
back to jail, insists that she can’t tell anyone.
His charge
makes her
an unwilling accomplice in his actions, resulting in a situation that
draws her
ever deeper into lies and subterfuge as a police probe moves closer
into her
school and life.
Nancy
Stewart injects
realistic and compelling notes into her story from the start, making
Scarlet a
likeable girl whose relationship with her father already embraces many
quandaries because of his actions:
“Yeah, well that person
was
stupid to be out in this weather without a light on their bike. Who’d
do such a
thing? Somebody real dumb, that’s who. This ain’t my fault.”
His words ricocheted around the car, loud and clear. I squeezed my seat
belt
strap tighter than I thought possible. My mouth shut up. But my brain
didn’t.
And my heart didn’t.
What’s wrong with you? kept
playing over and over in my head. But I knew. I already knew. Everybody
in town
loved to hate my daddy, and he usually gave them good reason. But he
was my
daddy, and I had to love him. Sometimes he made it awful hard to do.
The rich
dialogues
employed from the start involve readers of all ages in Scarlet’s life
and
observations. She can’t even tell her mother about the accident, which
fairly
well isolates her until a new friend at school introduces further
conundrums
that challenge her mandate of silence.
Astute in
her
thinking, Scarlet represents a good girl whose ideals of the right
thing are
shaken by adult emotional situations that test her ability to stay good:
How
could
everything go on normal as pie when my whole world had changed forever?
A savvy
mother
imparts advice and wisdom to her troubled child without really knowing
the
entire situation (“You and Billie? I want
you girls to be able to make the right choices in
life, even if they’re hard ones. But they need to be the ones that are
good for
you. Ones that’ll move you forward to where you want to go.”),
but ultimate
Scarlet feels alone and heavily challenged in her ability to make the
right
choice when it involves her beloved father, a flawed but important
leader in
her life.
Can she
trust her
father to step up and do what is right, himself? Can she trust friends
and
matters of her own heart when it comes to family and moral values?
Stewart
introduces
many bigger-picture moments and revelations in the course of presenting
Scarlet’s life, creating compelling and thought-provoking events and
connections that will prove thoroughly engrossing, covering subjects
not
usually approached in fiction for young readers ages 8-12.
These
elements of
discovery and contemplation not only give Me
and the Missouri Moon a sense of realism missing from many
stories for this
age group, but invite book club and classroom discussions on all kinds
of
topics, from flawed family relationships to bigger realizations about
parental
choices and actions in the world outside the family home.
These
elements are
why libraries will find Me and the
Missouri Moon a special acquisition, not only for its
inviting leisure read
that stands out from other books, but for its deeper layers of
inspection and
subjects which widely lend to all kinds of dialogue.
Return to Index
The
Midnight Rose
Catalina
Paris
Crimson
Rose Publishing
978-0-6459563-0-6
$15.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
www.catalinaparis.com
The
Midnight Rose will reach young adult readers
interested in fantasy stories and coming-of-age dilemmas. It follows
sixteen-year-old alchemical
apprentice Leo through his unexpected foray into the Realm of the Fey.
There, he encounters
romance, threats, and myths as he forms new alliances with unlikely
compatriots—including a warlock, a witch, and a fairy.
Catalina
Paris keeps her story fast-paced, satisfyingly unpredictable, and
packed with
not just intrigue, but an evolving cast of characters (Lucien, Flora,
and
Lisandre, to name but a few). Their individual special interests and
concerns
dovetail with Leo’s proclivity for both helping and getting into
trouble.
The
fantasy elements replete in The Midnight Rose
revolve around alchemy and
the juxtaposition of unexpected worlds and encounters as four new
friends find
connections and special challenges in their shared quest for magical
talismans
that can solve all problems.
Strong
character development and situations which bind a seemingly disparate
group
together create satisfying ebbs and flows of action and psychological
entanglements as royalty, commoners, and would-be heroes step up into
their
abilities and strengths.
As
the halls of the Midnight Palace are traversed and traitors and lovers
face
condemnation and vastly revised lives, readers become immersed in the
politics
and fantasy of a world threatened by the growth of an unstoppable power.
The
rationale behind not only the quest, but character directions and
choices,
becomes thoroughly engrossing as the story unfolds.
The
result is a vivid interplay between changing interests, characters, and
uncertain outcomes that creates a compelling story of magic and
evolving
friendships.
Libraries
and readers seeking young adult fantasies that embrace psychological
growth as
well as action will find The Midnight Rose an
excellent contrast between
romance and world-changing efforts.
Return to Index
Mom Equals
Dad
Raymond M. Patterson Jr.
Little Life Skills
978-1-963959-00-0
www.littlelifeskills.org
Picture book readers
have a growing number of life skills and psychology insight books to
choose
from, and Mom
Equals Dad should
take its place at the top of this list. Adults who choose it for
read-aloud
will find the story incorporates many discussion points and
opportunities for
dialogue as it follows an annual elementary school’s ‘Donuts With
Dads!’
celebration—an event that seems to leave out young Larry, who has no
father to
attend.
His concerned friends want
to help (after all, they all
love donuts), but how can they?
As the story unfolds, Juan
and Steven receive lessons in
friendship, support systems, and the importance of both mothers and
fathers in
a family.
Even though Larry well knows
his hard-working mother does
everything she can to assume both roles in their household, the event
only
reinforces his lack of a father figure.
How can his friends and his
concerned mother fill such a
big gap?
Although its approach is
whimsical, the real subject of
absent fathers is presented in an inviting manner which will encourage
young
readers to begin dialogues with adults and peers for better
understanding all
around, between those who have fathers and those who do not, for
whatever
reason.
The characters interact over
their mutual attraction to
donuts in a manner that reinforces ideas about friendship and life
meaning,
giving kids an outstanding reference point for absorbing how kindness
and
thoughtful actions make a difference.
Elementary-level collections
seeking simple-appearing
picture books with big, colorful drawings and big, appealing ideas to
back them
will want to add Mom Equals Dad not
only for its donut attraction, but for delivering a strong message
about
accepting and being a support system to others.
Return to Index
Our Earth
Jane Calame
Atmosphere Press
978-1639888870
$13.99
Paperback/$17.95 Hardcover/$7.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Picture book
readers
and their read-aloud parents will find the rollicking rhymes of Our Earth lends especially well to
verbal exploration as author Jane Calame works with illustrator Daniela
Frongia
to reinforce a celebratory introduction to the world, starting with a
child’s
birth.
The “little
mystical
child” is treated to an overview of all the natural and human wonders
the world
contains in a survey that not only creates an anticipatory delight of
life’s
pleasures, but includes the cautionary note that such delights involve
stewardship and sensitivity to nature.
Thus, the
meat of the
story lies in “tips to help befriend and protect” the planet. What can
a young
child do? Plenty, as it turns out.
Calame
reveals
approaches to living that embrace family and personal choice, from
being
mindful of water conservation to choosing a sweater when it’s cold
inside the
house, over turning up the heat.
The entire
family can
get behind these tips, which embrace the underlying message of the
importance
of conservation and respecting resources. Daniela Frongia’s good-sized
illustrations reinforce interest and colorful examples.
This is why Our Earth is highly recommended for
elementary-level library collections and read-aloud adults interested
in
imparting the basics of resource management to the very young.
Return to Index
Play Outside
With Me
Kat Chen
Penguin Workshop
9780593659731
$8.99
www.penguin.com
Play Outside With Me will reach readers
ages 1-3 with a board book
that invites kids to partake of the outdoors.
Young
listeners
follow the cheerful narrator’s foray into a variety of fun endeavors,
from
blowing bubbles and popping them to drawing on sidewalks with chalk,
accompanied
by her stuffed animal companion Squirrel.
Kids receive
invitations that engage them in vivid adventures, creating a shared
‘you are
here’ experience that reinforces the many activities that can be
enjoyed
outdoors.
Lorraine
Nam’s fun
illustrations follow the playful child, while dialogue that feels as
though the
child is directly speaking to her picture book audience is not only
fun, but
offers subtle keys on how play can be a cooperative venture, depending
on the
different natures of the players.
Uplifting,
supportive, celebratory, and fun, Play
Outside With Me lives up to its billing as a “playdate in a
book,” portraying
interactions which will help kids learn about acceptance, friendship,
give-and-take, and the nature of shared activities.
Elementary-level
libraries and read-aloud adults looking for supportive, engaging,
interactive
picture books that reinforce these concepts and more will welcome the
early
opportunities for enlightenment represented in Play
Outside With Me.
Return to Index
To Become a
Brother
Lindy Bell
Day Agency Publishing
978-1-7365604-6-4
$9.95 Paperback/$2.99 eBook
Website: www.Lindybellwrites.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Become-Brother-Beyond-Badge/dp/1736560468
To Become a Brother is a novel that
follows young Lucas, whose
father was killed in a training accident at an Army base, devastating
his
mother and changing their family’s happiness and trajectory. Lucas’
former
association with Mr. Andy, a firefighter, introduces him to the rigors
and
experiences of being a firefighter, leading him to formulate this goal
for his
own future.
Life changes
yet
again when he’s forced to leave his firefighter friend and home in
Abernathy to
enter a series of foster homes after his mother’s death, where violence
and
confrontation rule his days.
As he
struggles with
bullying, instability, distancing himself from drugs, and constant
moves
between foster homes, Lucas finds himself ever further from the comfort
of
family and the promise of the career which can change his life.
Still, life
has a way
of coming full circle—and so it does when Lucas encounters and embraces
relationships from earlier in his life, albeit he is much-changed from
the boy
he used to be.
Lindy Bell
does a
great job of describing the forces that buffet young Lucas and change
the
direction of not only his life and loves, but his psyche. These are
convincingly portrayed in a tale that embraces coming-of-age themes,
yet
quickly moves beyond them to follow adult concerns and issues which
blossom
around Lucas and affect his perceptions and ambitions.
Bell is
masterful at
crafting a story which works on many different levels as it charts
personal
growth, interpersonal relationships, the rising drug situation in
schools, and
how Lucas becomes a key force in saving others (albeit not in the way
he’d
initially envisioned).
By building
contemporary issues and scenarios into her story, Bell crafts a
thoroughly
involving, realistic tale that incorporates a key character from Brotherhood by Fire, the first book in
her Beyond the Badge series, but allows To
Become a Brother to stand nicely alone for newcomers.
Libraries
seeking
young adult novels steeped in contemporary issues, insights on
firefighting
camaraderie and experiences, and adult themes of drug dealing and
murder will
find To Become a Brother filled
with
exciting twists and insights that are especially highly recommended for
Bell’s
prior readers.
This
audience will
find Lucas’s continued growth and evolution to be powerful supporters
of his introductory
role in Brotherhood by Fire, adding
history and events that cover how he enters into adulthood with purpose
and
passion.
Return to Index
Spirals of
Stardust
Diane C. Jerome,
Ed.D.
Atmosphere Press
979-8-89132-254-7
$14.00
Paperback/$7.99 eBook/$22.00 Hardcover
www.atmospherepress.com
Young adults
looking
for evocative fantasy reads have plenty of reading options, but Spirals of Stardust should be added to
the top of the list for those seeking evocative, memorable characters
whose
perspectives on life are moving and engrossing. Protagonist Jill is the
epitome
of such an attractor:
I’m
in a pickle.
Teachers are talking to me in a foreign language. It would be so much
easier if
they just spoke to me the way my family talks. They look at me like I’m
some
kind of beast. It would help if my teacher would stop with those frowns
every
time I do something. I know I can’t be wrong 100% of the time! Why
aren’t my
answers ever in the answer choices on these tests? I know I know what
I’m
supposed to know. If every test is going to be like this, then I’ll be
more
than in a pickle. I’ll be in a jar with a tightly squeezed lid, soaking
in
pickle juice, picked up by outside gawkers who glare at me like I’m
radioactive
or something.
The surprise
is that
she’s not human. Humans went extinct during the Great Shift in the 23rd
century, after a gene-changing event from space returned them to their
wild
roots.
Earth had
long lost
its rainforests … or so it was believed. So when orangutan explorers
Orly and
Adir discover Jill’s home, it’s with an excitement that portends
planetary
healing and recovery for the future.
Diane C.
Jerome moves
back in time to explain and explore the roots of this revised Earth,
deftly
creating a foundation of history before returning to Jill’s dilemmas
over
shifting bonds with family and friends.
The line
between
human and animal blurs in an innovative, thought-provoking manner as
Jill
immerses her audience in her life and its many changes.
Human-centric
concerns, such as getting an education or losing a father, juxtapose
with
fantasy elements of futuristic endeavors, influences, and situations.
This
encourages young adults to think about not just this extraordinary
setting and
scenario, but questions about human and nature connections.
The poetic
reflections that permeate and drive the plot are especially notable:
How could I put myself in such a situation like
this? I feel in over my
head, like I’m drowning. There’s knowledge up above the surface of the
water.
It comes in the form of sunrays. It’s warm. It’s inviting. It’s
peaceful. It’s
helpful. But I’m drowning farther and farther down. Into the depths of
the wide
ocean of water I fall. I’m descending. My heart is pounding. My chest
feels
heavy. I can’t breathe. I can’t see farther than right in front of
myself.
As suitable
for
classroom assignment and book club reading group debate as it is for
individual
entertainment, Spirals of Stardust
crafts a milieu that is more complex than the usual young adult fantasy
story—but, thus, potentially much more inviting.
Return to Index
The
Traveler: Quest
for the Twins
Frank Schütz
Atmosphere Press
979-8-89132-260-8
$16.99
Paperback/24.99 Hardcover/$8.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Aylon has
enjoyed an
isolated yet acceptable life in the Western Mountains, so what could
force her
to embark on a journey to the lowlands? The disappearance of her aunt
and
uncle. The Traveler: Quest for the Twins
covers not only her journey, but the growth process which accompanies
it as
Aylon faces not just a new environment, but questions that shake her
notion of
who she is and her standing in the wider world.
The sleepy
village of
Trail’s End is an introductory backdrop to her journey and efforts,
inviting
readers to follow her evolving discoveries as she struggles with
resolving the
kidnapping of her cousins and the unexpected opportunities that lie
within the
kingdom.
Hollin is
introduced
to riches beyond her ken but also faces the cruelty of imprisonment,
while
Georg’s nightmares about their fate drives his angst and worries about
their
ultimate futures. Their psychology and concerns receive vivid
observation and
thought:
I
could see in her
eyes and hear in her voice that she wanted to hurt me. What is wrong
with her?
How could anyone enjoy hurting people? What about Georg? Where are you,
my
brother, my friend? I have never needed you more! What awful things are
they
doing to him? I don’t think I ever really knew what it meant to hate
before
now! She was only just beginning to
understand it.
From history
between
individuals that rises above long-held secrets to buffet relationships
with new
information, to reflections by each character about the moral and
ethical
consequences of their choices, Frank Schütz creates a vivid series of
psychological-enriched observations that nicely compliment the story’s
action:
I
never thought of
this! I don’t want this. At least I hope not, my body seems to want it!
This is
not how I was raised, it’s wrong! This is not really a reward. It’s a
test. Oh
no. My desire is showing. What can I do? If I do this, I will have
taken a big
step into their world. If I refuse, they will know I’m not really with
them. I
have to think!
All these
facets
contribute to a vivid sword-and-sorcery story that also will attract
young
adults and anyone interested in coming-of-age sagas couched in
bigger-picture
thinking, making The Traveler: Quest for
the Twins perfect fodder for book club discussions and young
adult reading.
Libraries
and readers
seeking sagas that go beyond an adventurous quest and spirited
character will
find the added value of Schütz’s attention to psychological detail,
interplays,
and atmospheric richness creates a story that operates both within and
above
and beyond the typical action-packed sword-and-sorcery scenario.
Return to Index
What’s An IV?
Melissa Fatal and
Rosemary Peng
Yorkshire Publishing
9781960810571
$24.99
www.yorkshirepublishing.com
There are
plenty of
medical introductions on the market for picture book readers which
explain the
basics of a doctor’s visit or general health check. None, however,
delve into
the possibilities and experience of getting an IV.
Here, child
life
specialist Melissa Fatal works with emergency department RN Rosemary
Peng and
artist Edward Ernest to bring the processes and experience of an IV
insertion
and maintenance to a young reader’s attention.
What’s an IV? is an essential addition to
any elementary-level
library seeking to build a comprehensive, in-depth collection of
medical
insight books for the very young.
Librarians
and
read-aloud adults will find it packed with both visual appeal and a
chatty, yet
practical tone that goes beyond general explorations of hospital
culture and
activities to narrow its focus to IVs.
Basic
physiology and
anatomy pair with discussions of emotional reactions to unfamiliar
procedures
in general and IVs in particular, encouraging kids to better understand
not
only the medical world, but their reactions to it.
The
step-by-step details
of receiving an IV is accompanied by a glossary of terms, concluding
questions
designed to reinforce what has been covered, and a word search puzzle
that also
supports new terminology.
Any library seeking picture books specific to kids experiencing medical procedures will find What’s An IV? an essential addition. It’s designed to not just inform, but spark understanding and discussions between adults and children, both within and outside of the hospital setting.
What’s An IV?Return to Index