| Donovan's Bookshelf |
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The Abduction
Danielle Kaheaku
Barking Deer Press
978-0-9994495-3-0
$2.99
Website: https://www.kaheaku.com/books/the-sa-tskir-brothers-chronicles/
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/The-Abduction
The
Abduction's sci-fi alien romance
is Book 1 in the 'Sa
Tskir Brothers' chronicles. Other stories of alien abduction tend to
feature
older characters who are one day swept from their car rides or ordinary
lives,
but young Samantha is anything but singular. She's just inherited her
father's
farm, also discovered her long-time boyfriend is cheating on her, and
she's
ripe for change. That's why she's fleeing to Las Vegas, along with
friend
Carly, in search of romance and adventure.
What she finds is not a flying saucer on a
dark road, but a young alien also in search of something different in
his life.
Samantha is on her way to the stars and an alien world...but somehow
this isn't
as exciting as she might have pictured, either.
After all, house arrest is house arrest,
whether on Earth or another world. Love potentials with her abductor
Krissik go
awry when his wounded older brother enters the scene and a fiery
response
sparks between them.
The sex scenes are steamy and descriptive,
and will lure and delight women who choose this story for its special
blend of
romance, sex, and alien interactions. This is no staid abduction story,
but a
close examination of evolving relationships and new possibilities that
also
contain some classic confrontations between the sexes.
As The Abduction unfolds, the
usual
desire to go home again is mixed with the knowledge that Samantha needs
to kill
in order to achieve her heart's desire.
As Rikist involves her in a war that has
injured him and changed his life, so Samantha finds an unexpected
battle within
herself over not just home turf, but love.
Given the initial scenes of chaos and mass
rape, it should be noted that even though a spark of spunk and fun runs
through
this tale, the sexual scenes are graphic. Readers who like their sexual
description on the staid side should look elsewhere for their romance
story
titillations.
Those who want a rollicking good romp
through the sexual and emotional connections between alien and human
will
welcome The Abduction's unique brand of humor,
action, and sexual and
romance exploration, which introduces the series with a bang.
The
Ascendancy of Warriors
J.L. Nicely
Braintree Press
978-1-7321010-4-3
$14.99
www.jlnicely.com
The
Ascendancy of Warriors is
the third book in the Womara
series. The story provides a focus on Seanna, a descendant of a clan of
women
warriors who confront and take charge of their world as she embodies an
ancient
prophecy that predicts that women warriors will rise again to define
their
legacy.
Caught
in the fray between prophecy
and a reality
that places Seanna at odds with her love and desires, she moves through
a world
where political associations rip at not just her life but the future of
her
clan. At the same time, characters are forced to contemplate the kinds
of
sacrifices that may last a lifetime.
Women
are strong warriors and
empowered leaders in
this story. The story will especially please those who look for
compelling
female forces that strive for equality and balance with their male
counterparts.
Readers
are swept into an epic saga
that requires
no prior familiarity with the other books to prove compelling and
understandable. The result is a gripping narrative covering exile,
alliances,
loss, and love in a vivid epic fantasy that brings women's struggles
and
strengths to the forefront against the backdrop of a world facing chaos.
Everyday
Monsters
Christian
Francis
Encyclopocalypse
Publications
Independently
Published
979-8682354672
$12.99
Paperback/$0.99 Kindle/$19.95 Audible
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Monsters-Animus-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B089G5ZX44
Website:
http://encyclopocalypse.com/?s=Everyday+Monsters&post_type=product
Everyday Monsters presents the first book in the Animus Chronicles
and opens with an
intriguing letter that serves as a captivating prologue—the writer
needs a book
and a head delivered. A head that isn't necessarily human.
This
neatly
leads to the story of the letter's recipient, Jaden, who is meeting
with a
threatening man and his undead Golem henchman, having received the
letter that
apparently set up this bad situation. He's accepted payment for a job
that he's
already starting to regret. This is just the opening salvo in a series
of
dangerous encounters that use wry humor to offset serious murderous
events: "Of
course this would happen to Jaden. Of course this was the kind of job
he was
hired for. Typical. Fucking Typical."
Jaden
is a
collector (nee: bounty hunter). His job has always been challenging,
but now
matters take a big step in an unfamiliar direction as his work for the
Order, as
a gruesome messenger, becomes a messy journey through death and danger
that
leads him to confront threats to reality itself.
An
undead man, a
prophecy, and a mission that places Jaden in an impossible
world-changing
position leads readers into mental prisons, vivid descriptions of
bloodletting
and attacks, and Jaden's dreams of a vacation away from the nightmare
that his
life has become.
Fantasy
readers
will find this story thoroughly engrossing as Jaden's quest and
objectives vie
with his inhuman status and objectives: "He hadn’t had a
break in many
years, so pondered what he would do. Maybe he would buy a big meal to
regenerate totally (which would take a substantial amount of flesh to
complete), then he would travel somewhere looking like a real human.
Maybe
Iceland? He’d always wanted to go there, see the fjords. See the
northern
lights. Wonder how much of a bonus I’ll get from this? he thought to
himself."
From
the
untapped power of the condemned dead to prophecies that dictate that
Jaden
can't escape his fate and job, readers will find this dark world
captivating
and engrossing.
It
will take a
reader with a strong stomach to traverse the trail of gore and death
that
follows in Jaden's wake, but those who absorb such descriptions as part
of a
greater good will find this story marches through death and destruction
with a
special purpose.
His
past life a
mystery, Jaden finds that solving some of this puzzle is intrinsic to
understanding his revised role in this world, beyond his job as a
deliverer. The
ultimate answer will delight readers who won't see this coming,
redefining the
monster's presence in the world and in Jaden's own life and providing a
fitting
surprise conclusion. This solidly ties up the loose strings in the
story while
leaving the door open for more books in the series.
Everyday Monsters is a captivating read that excels in unpredictable
twists, strong
characterization, and a plot that slowly reveals the real monsters in
this
world. Warning: they're not what the reader expects.
Preons: Alpha
Frederik T. Stevens
Independently Published
ASIN : B08HL7YPH2
$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Preons-alpha-Frederik-T-Stevens-ebook/dp/B08HL7YPH2
Military sci-fi readers who look for studies
in courage, revenge, and conflict will find Preons: Alpha
an engaging
story. It tells of David, who moves from being a survivor to avenging
the
deaths of those he loved. When his course of vengeance takes an
unexpected
turn, readers will be delighted and surprised by the foray into
unanticipated
waters that lends Preons: Alpha its momentum and
force.
It's been seven years since Earth was
attacked and Emily and Christian were murdered. Seven years during
which David
not only survives, but is now working with an alien creature, Rohu, to
undergo
a transformation that will turn him into a more effective killing
machine.
A wider-reaching mission with a bigger
battle structure draws David from his set course and sends him out into
the
universe, where he learns new lessons that augment and refute the
teachings of
his cruel instructor, offering a different approach to a new life,
instead.
As his search moves from his fixation on Xalapaz
to finding a new way to avenge his friends, readers receive a profile
in
transformation that moves beyond the cruel approach originally
encouraged by
the creature and into a more reasoned realm.
And then
there is the
alien princess, Hanla. She is being groomed to be the outstanding ruler
of a
conquered planet, but her role as future queen involves a puzzling new
alliance
that belays her peoples' independence and thrusts her into the role of
reconsidering the DNA-changing serum that enhances the humans.
Political
alliances
shift, alien and human relationships evolve to a different level, and
personal
change and interpersonal encounters affect peoples and races alike as Preons:
Alpha broadens its scope to a
universe-changing effort on the part of more than one character.
Readers used to the battle clashes of the
military sci-fi genre will find plenty of action here—but it's tempered
with an
attention to the details of racial strife and enlightenment that begin
with
several main characters and move into wider circles.
The result is a thoroughly engrossing read
that takes the usual confrontational trappings of military sci-fi and
expands
them into new universes. The result is a riveting story of change
powered by
androids, humans, robots, and opposing forces both internal and
external that struggle
for a new kind of control.
Military sci-fi readers will find Preons:
Alpha satisfying both for its cultural and its physical
clashes.
The Remaining
Danielle Kaheaku
Barking Deer Press
978-0-9994495-8-5
$2.99
Website: https://www.kaheaku.com/books/the-sa-tskir-brothers-chronicles/
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/theremaining
The
Remaining is the third book in
the 'Sa Tskir
Brothers' series and follows Samantha's life on Earth, where the Sa
Tskir
brothers are still part of her world. One is her mate. The other has
chosen her
best friend, Carly. They live on the ranch she's inherited, but all is
not
peaceful for any of them.
From conspiracies and government secrets to
war that pulls the brothers in different directions and challenges a
pregnant
Samantha, The Remaining draws together the prior
events in the books to
provide an outstanding special blend of romance, battle, and changing
interpersonal and political relationships.
From poppy-spiced tea that proves addictive
to Samantha's ongoing battles with Rikist, demons hide
behind armor and
pregnancy alike, forcing the brothers and their loved ones to face a
rising
resistance movement and military attacks.
Will
Samantha and
Rikist Sa Tskir's love endure? And what will happen when her unborn
becomes
part of the horror that threatens her life?
Familiarity
with the
prior books in the series, the haunting The
Abduction and Carly's changing world and place in it in The Keeping, will lend to a better
appreciation of the events in The Remaining.
Armed with the knowledge of how Samantha's
relationship evolved with these two brothers and how Carly found her
own role
and place in this alien-infused new world, prior enthusiasts are in the
perfect
position to appreciate the confrontations and outcomes explored in The
Remaining. Especially notable are its themes of abandonment,
life change,
and choices that arrive with commitment and job requirements alike.
Romance readers will find the contemporary
characters, their evolving struggles over home life and duty, and their
complex
interrelationships to be sexy, involving, and packed with realistic
commentary
on contemporary life.
It's the perfect romance alien read for
readers who like steamy scenes juxtaposed with serious inspections of
life-altering moments. Between the strength of the original premise,
its
expansion in this third book in the trilogy, and the heart-pounding
adventure
that pairs a steamy, sexually driven romance with alien confrontations,
The Remaining will
cross genres to
attract romance, thriller, and sci-fi readers alike.
The Sa Tskir Chronicles Books 1-3 Collection
Danielle Kaheaku
Barking Deer Press
978-0-9994495-7-8
$8.99
Website: https://www.kaheaku.com/books/the-sa-tskir-brothers-chronicles/
Universal buy link: https://books2read.com/thesatskirboxset
Because the Sa Tskir Chronicles is best read
as a series rather than pieces, the box set of the first three books
should be
considered a requirement rather than a suggestion, presenting the
series in a
convenient, attractive package that makes for uninterrupted reading for
newcomers and a keepsake edition for prior fans.
Danielle Kaheaku's box set option places all
the books in a convenient place at an attractive price that lends to
gift-giving. The real bargain lies in the ability to present an
uninterrupted
package of events to newcomers to the books.
It should be mentioned that these aren't the
only books in the Sa Tskir brothers adventures. But their focus on
abduction
and the clash between two very different cultures, and the romance that
evolves
from this, is nicely done, and the books weave into one another,
continuing the
saga in a seamless manner.
The
Abduction opens the series with a
high-octane
scenario in which a captured human becomes involved with an alien
lover. Young
woman Samantha is ripe for love, but she never expected her romance to
assume
extraterrestrial proportions.
The steamy romance intersects with
fast-paced human/alien confrontations in a satisfying manner that will
especially intrigue romance genre readers with a taste of something new.
The
Keeping keeps the focus on
Carly's love and
relationship, adding intrigue into the picture as she faces political
and
social conundrums stemming from her evolving relationship with an
alien: "Earth
is too small. But Earth no know that, so Earth is afraid and lets my
world do
as wants.” He looked at her, the earnestness in his voice almost
frightening.
“Do you understand?”
The
Remaining integrates the first
two books, rejoins
Carly and Samantha and their chosen ones, and expands the premise of
alien
interactions with Earth in a satisfyingly gripping crescendo of events
and
threads created in the first two books.
Holiday shoppers looking for romance/alien
blends will find this box set an appropriate, compelling gift indeed.
Singularity
to
Humanity
Daniel R Scott
Clipper Implants
Press
978-1-7340507-2-1
$16.99 Paper/$7.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Humanity-Transformed-Daniel-Scott/dp/1734050721
Book 2 of
the
Humanity Transformed series, Singularity
to Humanity, expands the story of a human race buffeted by
the double-sided
threat of bioengineering and AI development, returning the Cameron
twins to the
spotlight as they struggle to assure humanity's survival in a story
that was
introduced in Great Dieback to
Singularity.
This sequel
opens in
India, where Yasmeen Khan has left the University of Wisconsin when her
PhD
program is put on hold to return to a land replete with strife and
struggle.
The
introduction and
editors' notes section that follow Yasmeen's appearance might best be
placed
first, because it sets the stage and introduces the basic foundations
of a
compelling story that takes place between 2067 through 2076,
synthesizing
background from the first book and helping newcomers understand
Yasmeen's world
and its challenges. The color maps of the 'Great Melts' and the
character list
in this section might neatly set the stage for a more immediate
understanding
of setting and events, although beginning with Yasmeen's journey does
inject a
level of emotional attachment before these facts are revealed.
As chapters
move into
scenarios in which the AI known as Bold Beaver and other characters
(both
human, enhanced, and non-human) come into play, Yasmeen's world is
again
challenged by forces that would not just eliminate humanity, but alter
its
psyche.
Cultural
interactions
between different peoples and perspectives are very nicely presented as
the
tale evolves: "Addison said,
"My sister works to bend nature to her will as did your ancestors,
while I
work with systems to store and communicate that work much as the Inka
systems
did. Our grandparents were farmers, on a small holding, close to the
earth. I
think I would find beauty in the same parts of your culture as you
have."
It should be
mentioned that Singularity to Humanity is
a work of hard sci-fi and social examination. Readers with an affinity
for
technological and sociological works will find its action, challenges,
and
characters particularly intriguing.
It should
also be noted
that the timeline of events shifts back and forth. Chapter headings
clearly
delineating time and place assure that readers easily follow these
jumps as
various factions interact in the course of the singularity's rise.
The result
is a
thoroughly engrossing book that should ideally be followed by readers
who have
enjoyed the prior Great Dieback to
Singularity. This audience will find the sequel an
exciting enlargement of the issues and many of the characters in the
first
book, walking humanity through loss and transformation as individuals
face
evolving love and new possibilities for their uncertain futures.
Trials of
Uwe: The
Next Generation
Steven L Masia
Independently
Published
ASIN
: B08HX5TBYC
$3.50 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Trials-Uwe-next-Generation-Part-ebook/dp/B08HX5TBYC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+trials+of+uwe&qid=1602110076&sr=8-2
Six
universes and
several books ago, a self-aware universe was created. When it
recognized the
inevitable results of its own entropy, this entity created intelligent
beings
that would manipulate space and time to find a solution to the
challenge of
death. These first humans evolved to become feared as demons. The Trials of Uwe: The Next Generation
follows their ongoing impact as wizards, fairies, and other forces that
feed
off pain confront those who that would defeat and defy them.
Familiarity
with
Steven L Masia's prior Uwe universe books and their premises will lend
to a
smoother transition to this latest adventure. Those with such a
background will
find the same attention to adventure, action, detail, and clashing
forces as in
the other books, with more added purpose over fate, fortune, and Uwe's
magical
efforts to aid his children.
The
descriptions, confrontations,
and settings are very nicely done, with dialogue reinforcing these
worlds, how
they came to be, and Uwe's decision-making process: "I
would like to explore the new world, AWA, created by the
dwarves' workings and you to create a stable universe. The world is an
unexpected outcome of stabilization. Stray magic from your work has led
to the
creation of this world. It is strife with itself, storms of shifting
magic rage
across its landscape. I would like to explore this world and try to
tame it. I
would request a legion of knights and a legion of dragons combined with
wyrens
for such a task since they would be most suitable for facing such a
world's
dangers. I would request the mail shirt of life since the dangers I
encounter
would surly place my life in danger."
From those
who show
uncommon and dangerous sympathy for lesser beings who are slated only
as food
for others to demon princesses and complicated power struggles, Evilore
Uttera's struggle with her own body (which attempts to betray her
amidst battle),
and the struggle for peace between humans and demons, Trials
of Uwe: The Next Generation is filled with engrossing
maelstroms created by a magic-eating vacuum.
Fans of the
prior Uwe
universe will find much to like in this vivid, continuing fantasy saga
which is
replete with sexual encounters, emotional connections, good versus
evil, and
the struggles that define them all.
Wolf Time
Barbara J. Moritsch
Bear Clover Books
9780997986204
$16.95
www.barbarajmoritsch.com
Wolf Time is a lovely blend of fact and
fantasy. It presents a
visionary fiction piece revolving around wildlife biologist Sage
McAllister,
who finds two wolves on her doorstep, discovering that she can
telepathically
communicate with them to learn their story.
Charged with
narrating
this tale, Sage finds herself embarking on an extraordinary journey
herself,
shapeshifting to become one of them and seeing the world through their
eyes.
Barbara J.
Moritsch
takes the time to explain that scientist Sage has a prior affinity for
new age
concepts, which does a fine job of acknowledging that she is already
open to
experiences that the usual scientist might eschew: "I
must tell you it was my habit to talk to animals. I’d done so
all my life, but after Adam introduced me to Mary Beth Adelson a year
earlier,
I’d become a student of shamanism and animal communication. Much of the
practice involved learning how to “talk” to animals, plants, and other
nature
spirits."
This
background and
her standing between science and spirituality presents the perfect
platform for
absorbing the wolves' message and accepting the unique lessons and
journey they
offer. This draws on her scientific bent, as well, for a complete
understanding
of the ecological dilemmas they raise by their unusual presence on her
porch at
this point in time, when wolves are all but extinct in California.
Ideally,
readers will
also have such a blended background, because the story moves from
science facts
to time travel and beyond in the course of Sage's extraordinary
transformation.
What she
learns about
Wolf Time, the Council, and Links is not easily transmitted to more
skeptical
humans, as she finds when she attempts to confide in Adam, her
semi-beau.
As
real-world issues
of wildlife management issues intersect with Sage's wolf-generated
lessons,
readers receive a moving story that considers not only threats to
wolves, but
the discoveries that wolves Issa and Tisha make about Adam's real
nature.
Perhaps the
most
moving parts of the story lie not in Sage's realizations, but in the
wolves'
assessment of human impacts on the planet and what must be done to open
their
eyes: "In response to what we understand is a difficult time
for humans
on Earth, select members of the Animal Network as well as members of
various
elemental networks, like the Fire and Water networks, are becoming more
vocal,
and more visible, to try to show humans that there are other ways to
live. It’s
time for humans to take a huge step forward in their evolution, and one
of the
first tasks at hand is to develop reverence for all the
other-than-human beings
on the planet—the other animals, the plants, the rocks, the rivers and
lakes as
well as the objects you craft from these entities in order to survive."
The wolves
think it's
time for humans to "re-learn to honor the Earth." Wolf
Time explores many themes intrinsic
to these lessons as wolves and humans begin to understand each other in
new
ways. It is especially recommended reading for fiction enthusiasts who
enjoy
rare blends of science, fantasy, and new age thinking.
Becoming
a
Doctors’ Doctor: A Memoir
Michael F Myers,
MD
Independently
Published
979-8663704809
$14.99 Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Doctors-Doctor-Michael-Myers/dp/B08HGTJNS2
Becoming a Doctors’
Doctor: A Memoir provides both a
psychiatrist's memoir of
his entry into the profession and an unusual focus as he specializes in
providing mental health services to physicians.
This
note is
essential to understanding the importance of this memoir. The book goes
beyond
a personal career's evolution to delve into the mental health, career
challenges, and social milieu particular to physicians. Considering
these
influences and facets within the mental health field gives readers the
rare
opportunity to understand how physician mental health affects their
jobs,
perspectives, attitudes, and abilities.
Dr.
Michael F.
Myers moves through his early years of clinical practice, how he
developed a
focus on writing about and treating fellow doctors, and his struggles
to evolve
both his own career and overall physician wellness programs.
As
he traces the
process of becoming a doctor to other doctors, his story embraces and
reveals
all kinds of special challenges unique to the medical community,
illuminating
them for physician and non-physician audiences interested in how mental
health
processes work in professional circles.
The
memoir thus
moves from being a personal story to a broader probe of the medical
community's
mental wellness, offering insights into the political and business
structure of
medical facilities as a whole as Dr. Myers moves from clinical practice
to
overseeing programs and organizations that work with physicians.
From
his
blossoming career and international presentations to the case history
experiences which drive his efforts to foster better doctor care, Becoming
a
Doctors’ Doctor will prove eye-opening not just to
physicians, but to those
outside the medical community who may not be privy to details about
changing
resources or special challenges facing the medical community's mental
health.
Becoming a Doctors’
Doctor is highly recommended as
an astute probe of the medical community's
ability to care for its own. No medical collection should be without
this
hard-hitting book.
Trying
to Walk
Like a Man
Christopher
Wiehl with John Turner
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-68419-837-5
$24.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Trying To Walk Like
A Man: The Chris Wiehl Playbook
does more than provide the autobiography of
a noted actor. It traces his special challenges when doctors discover a
brain
tumor next to the auditory nerve in his ear, changing the successful
trajectory
of his career and life.
This
life
playbook could just as easily have been named 'How I Continued Living',
because
it charts a relentless course from achievement and fame to confronting
a
life-threatening cancer that forces Chris Wiehl to reinvent his life.
Many
books speak
about surviving cancer, but Chris Wiehl went on to thrive, expanding
his acting
horizons into writing and producing movies. He offers his personal
journey
through pain and suffering and out the other side of these experiences
into a
different, equally satisfying life.
Readers
needn't
be familiar with Chris Wiehl in order to enjoy his story. It provides
all the
foundations for understanding his life and its influences, beginning
with his
childhood experiences and moving through his career, his diagnosis, his
battles, and his achievements.
Indeed,
half the
book covers these roots—everything from an uncertain marriage to the
evolution
of career and life purpose—before it moves to the medical diagnosis
that
changed almost everything.
The
surgery he
had challenged his sense of balance not just for the projected 48 hours
afterwards, but for some time to come. It also changed his feeling
about
himself, his abilities, and his future.
From
his
spiritual strengthening to the help of friends and family who saw that
he got
back on his feet and resumed his relationship not just with God, but
with life,
this account offers many insights into the survival process on many
different
levels.
Readers
both new
to this actor and familiar with his achievements will find his playbook
of life
a riveting read. It features many insights and examples suitable for
anyone
facing a life-changing condition, who looks for insights on how to get
through
and past it.
Trying To Walk Like
A Man is an involving read
powered not just by medical explorations, but one
man's ability to recover and embrace life's newfound possibilities. It
is
highly recommended reading for those seek inspiration.
Code:
Deep Blue
Robert J. Stava
Severed Press
ASIN: B08J5PKL3M
$2.99 Kindle
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/Code-Deep-Robert-J-Stava-ebook/dp/B08J5PKL3M
Montauk,
Long
Island; Naval Lieutenant Vanek; and the crew of the U.S.S. Exeter
featured in
the book Neptune's Reckoning are again the focus in
Code: Deep Blue,
a prequel that should ideally precede one's reading of Neptune's
Reckoning.
Vanek's journey begins here as he becomes involved in testing the
experimental
technology unearthed in the previous story.
Set
in 1943,
this follows an effort to get a handle on a dangerous device that could
change
the outcome of the war. More than a World War II adventure, this adds
the focus
of a commander whose proclivity for breaking rules and regulations
leads to a
strange experiment in which he and his aging ship will prove expendable
if they
fail their mission.
His
drive to
understand mysteries has led him to this point in time in which a
cloaking
device could change the outcome of not just the war, but the world. And
yet,
Vanek uncovers more strange references in naval history which seem
farfetched,
including a crew that appears to have been rotting underwater for
centuries,
though they are indeed alive as specters of horror.
Clashes
between
U-boats, Destroyers, and science permeate an adventure story nicely
steeped in
naval battles and horror alike.
Readers
who like
satisfying blends of horror and thriller will find an absorbing blend
of
cat-and-mouse games and discoveries in Code: Deep Blue as
Lt. Vanek
exposes hidden truths, strange new inventions and threats, and
disturbing
reports not just about his mission, but his role in it.
When
he realizes
that his doomed mission may not only have been a possibility, but was
anticipated—and that not one but two new technologies are spiraling out
of
control—Vanek finds himself the pivot point in a dangerous situation
that pits
him against his own military best interests.
The
action is
vivid, the discoveries satisfyingly surprising, and the scientific and
military
exposés engrossing as the
story moves from a new assignment to an unpredictable threat and
questions
about who would knowingly send Vanek into a deadly state of affairs.
As
Code: Deep
Blue evolves, its mystery spirals into realms of horror and
intrigue. Those
who like vivid stories of high technology, horror, military conundrums,
and
individual struggles to reveal the truth will find Code: Deep
Blue a
powerful story that should ideally be read prior to and in conjunction
with Neptune's
Reckoning. Together these two books make a powerful force,
indeed.
Drowning
in Lies
Ann Eichenmuller
High Tide
Publications, Inc.
978-1-945990-38-0
$15.99 paperback/$4.99 Kindle
www.HighTidePublications.com
"Living on a
sailboat changes you...but it is not
real life." This introduction
to the latest Josh and Sandi murder mystery follows the prologue of a
murder
scene and is in stark contrast to the explosive violence that opens the
saga.
Readers
will
find this contrast between high-octane danger and a life sailing
relatively
smooth waters exciting and involving as Josh and his fiancée Sandi are
drawn
into their latest high-drama crime scene.
Josh
and Sandi
look forward to the next leg of their cruise, venturing into the
Atlantic, but
land issues draw them into deeper and more deadly waters when an
explosion in a
community center lands them smack in the middle of their latest murder
mystery.
In
a flash,
everything changes, and Sandi Beck is thrown into a desperate search
through
the Latino neighborhood to find answers to the violence that has
injured her
love and ignited a violent community response.
The
undercurrent
of interpersonal angst that grows from Josh's newfound friendship with
the
young woman he's rescued and Sandi's association with Detective Ramirez
as she
works with him to solve the crime is a nice touch to the mystery. This
is part
of what elevates it from a simple whodunit to a more complex
exploration of the
underlying motivations and feelings of perp and investigators alike.
Ann
Eichenmuller's ability to weave these two threads together to create a
compelling story focuses as much upon an evolving relationship as it
does on
the possibility of a dangerous serial killer on the loose. As the story
evolves, it turns out there's an underlying plot where murder is only a
piece
of the puzzle...a threat that involves children.
As
more girls of
color became targets and victims are added to the tally, Sandi is
charged with
multiple tasks, from finding a dangerous killer before a community
blows up to
accepting the past and future influences on her relationship with Josh
that
keep their lives in flux. Josh is soon working at her side again, but
much as
she longs for a more peaceful life and a quieter home, circumstances
place them
at the focal point of a demanding investigation.
As
Josh recovers
and wedding plans evolve along with murder probes, readers receive a
satisfying
juxtaposition of life that moves forward both within and outside of the
job.
The
fourth book
in the Lies series is designed as a stand-alone read, so whether or not
the
reader has digested The Lies Beneath and the
others, this addition won't
disappoint, and is easy to absorb.
The
result is a
murder mystery filled with the twists and turns of life circumstance
that make
for a realistic, engrossing life study. Murder mystery readers in
general and
especially those involved with Sandi Beck and Josh's other cases will
find Drowning
in Lies a fine series addition as well as a powerful
standalone story that
invites newcomers to partake of Sandi's previous adventures.
Hidden
Intentions
Alan Behr
Black Opal Books
9781644372845
$14.49
Website: www.alanbrenham.com
When
13-year-old
Cailey Marshall accepted a dare to enter a haunted house, she
didn't
expect to be kidnapped and held for ransom by non-ghosts. Hidden Intentions follows the dilemma
posed to her father, Barry,
who is forced to choose between his daughter's life and killing his
brother,
the price demanded by her kidnappers. It's a riveting conundrum that
keeps
father and daughter on their toes as each struggle to survive and make
the best
decisions under impossible circumstances.
The point of
view
moves between Cailey's experiences to those of her father, switching
chapters
in a clear manner that is identified in chapter headings, so readers
always
know who is 'speaking'.
"Parents are always saying what they’ll do to keep
their child
safe. What are you willing to do, professor?”
The perp in
this case
is sadistic, cruel, and will stop at nothing to force Barry to make
impossible
decisions that go against everything he believes in. The psychological
tension
and dark threat creates a powerful interplay between characters which
is
remarkable because Alan Behr takes the time to explore all the
emotions,
motivations, and thoughts and perceptions of both victims and perps
alike.
These reflections drive the action, logic, and changing scenarios of
threat,
juxtaposing emotion with atmosphere in a compelling manner that brings
the
story to life: "I didn’t dare go
near the windows. Not now. Not again. Escape was out of the question.
He’d
would hurt Mom and Dad. Only thing left to do was sit or lay on the
cot. Seated
on the edge, I watched a fly circle around the lightbulb then land on
the
ceiling. It stayed there a while then flew around the lightbulb again.
After a
while, it landed on a board covering the far window. It crawled behind
it and
disappeared."
Another
pleasure of Hidden Intentions is
that it doesn't
evolve in a predictable direction. Readers are kept on their toes as
the story
forges ahead with revelations and changes made on all sides in a
cat-and-mouse
game of demands, death threats, and murky intentions that are so
well-hidden,
even the characters don't always acknowledge them.
As the story
evolves
into a social dilemma that involves Cailey and her father in a world
neither
had known about, readers are both educated and entertained by a
thriller that
holds the ability to power its action through a blend of deep
psychological
inspection and fine suspense.
Hidden Intentions is a riveting saga that
crafts heroines and
heroes who are believable, ordinary people tested to the limits of
their
abilities to survive. Its mercurial, changing story will especially
delight readers
who look for the unexpected and twists of plot they didn't see coming,
and is
especially highly recommended for seasoned thriller readers who like
blends of
suspense and psychological inspection.
Lethal
Voyage
Kevin G. Chapman
Independently Published
ASIN : B08HSW1HPD
$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Lethal-Voyage-Mike-Stoneman-Thriller-ebook/dp/B08HSW1HPD
Lethal
Voyage is a thriller that revolves around
NYPD homicide
detective Mike Stoneman and medical examiner Michelle McNeill, who
can't seem
to catch a break away from their duties even when they attempt to take
a
relaxing cruise.
The
ship's security is supposed to be
in charge
when a passenger is found dead, but Michelle's more savvy nose for
trouble
indicates that this is a murder with nefarious undertones, and her
persistence
places her on the radar of a dangerous killer who is along for the
voyage.
It's
up to Mike to enter the fray and
keep her
safe, even if it means setting aside the concept of relaxation in favor
of
another problem-solving team effort.
No
prior familiarity with the feisty
team or their
appearance in the prior Mike Stoneman book is necessary in order to
appreciate
the tense standoffs Kevin G. Chapman employs in Lethal Voyage.
The
story opens with the bang of a
murder scene set
in 2018 in North Carolina which sets the stage for events to come. It
should be
cautioned that the murders it introduces are graphically portrayed—not
unduly,
but more so than many a murder mystery thriller. Readers who wish to
dance over
blood and gore for a more casual treatment of violence might wish to
skim over
these passages or look elsewhere. But it would be a shame if they did,
because
what evolves from this introductory scene is compelling and thoroughly
engrossing reading.
The
reader doesn't just get to know
Michelle and
Mike better. A host of characters enter the picture; all of whom have
different
perceptions of what they wish to get out of the cruise. Many of them
bring
their problems along for the voyage: "Rachel stepped forward
and handed
Shirley a tissue. “If you’re not happy being with Max, why don’t you
just
divorce him? Life’s too short to be unhappy in a relationship.”
Shirley’s face
softened. “Thanks, Sweetie. I love how you still think marriage is
romantic.
I’ve gotten over that. I’d throw the bum out but I have a pre-nup to
make sure
he can’t take my money if he dumps me. If I divorce him, he gets a
pretty big
payment. I don’t want to give him the money, so I’m waiting for him to
divorce
me, or die of a heart attack. Unless I throw him overboard first.” “Be
careful
saying things like that,” Michelle said. “You never know who might take
it the
wrong way.”
Other
conundrums evolve beyond just
staying alive
and locating the perp, including maintaining the illusion of a pleasant
voyage
for the rest of the passengers: "Mike had to admire what a
tight
operation it had been. None of the passengers would know that a bloody
murder
had just happened – unless somebody from the security team spilled the
beans.
Or, unless Mike, Michelle, Jason, or Rachel said something."
Kevin
G. Chapman is a master at
crafting absorbing
scenes with satisfying twists and turns that keep readers guessing.
Those who
choose this thriller for its compelling characters and setting won't be
disappointed.
Make It Right
Willie Mae Jackson, MD, MA
Publisher: Willie Mae Jackson, MD, MA
978-1-7354262-0-4
Paperback: $14.95; e-book: $3.99
www.Amazon.com
Chicago-based forensic
psychiatrist Donovan Montgomery is
an African-American woman whose area of expertise has helped solve
major
crimes. Her testimony is sought in trials and her books about the
psychopathology of murderers, as well as her ability to build their
profiles,
are avidly followed by law enforcement professionals.
But Donovan is changing. She
is turning into something
she has no control over: a vigilante killer charged with balancing the
books
whenever she sees there's a catastrophic brewing in the justice system.
Make
It Right is thoroughly absorbing because Donovan's mental
struggles with
good and evil provide no clear black and white definitions of perps and
good
people, but skates the thin gray line between them.
When trapped in a mass
shooting that kills innocent peers
and places her own life in jeopardy, Donovan's hardwiring allows her to
act
decisively and rationally, both during the crisis and in its aftermath:
"Donovan
remained collected and discerning in sharing her opinions about shooter
versus
shooters, the logical vantage point (or points) of the attack, and
possible
motivation. She was no one’s fool and could not be bullied by the press
for
statements, no matter how respectful and professional the
interrogation."
Her life isn't just about
justice and the redemption of
criminals or murderers, however. Themes of racism and patriotism
pervade this
story, and Donovan's confrontations, decisions, and how she navigates
the
legal, political, and criminal justice bureaucracies are fascinating to
watch
as she struggles to right obvious wrongs and tackle injustice.
These themes are actually as
much the heart of the story
as is Donovan's own psychological metamorphosis. The plot's twists and
turns
ultimately lead the psychiatrist to justify the very actions she
herself
commits—actions that she would condemn (and treat) in others.
There are many intriguing
subplots and engaging elements
throughout this thriller, including a kinky relationship with lover Tom
Karp
(and his richly described opulent lifestyle) along with her discovery
of his
sketchy extracurricular activities (and her determination to personally
right
this wrong, too).
Donovan is a strong,
likeable, achievement-oriented woman
whose values and viewpoints are constantly tested. As the plot evolves,
readers
too, may find their own ideals, concepts of justice, and moral insights
on
trial. When the justice system is perceived to be falling apart, who
will step
up to glue it back together? This book provides an answer—Donovan
Montgomery,
that's who.
Author Dr. Willie Mae
Jackson provides a gripping,
realistic story which goes far beyond the usual mystery or
psychological
thriller. While riddles, suspense, and mind games flavor the overall
tale, it's
the social issues which cement both Donovan's life and the plot.
The end result is a powerful
novel that will resonate
especially well with readers who like their books authentic, exciting,
unpredictable, and imbued with a respectful nod to the challenges this
nation
faces every day.
Murder in First
Position
Lori Robbins
Level Best Books
Print:
978-1-947915-74-9
$16.95
Ebook: 978-1-947915-75-6
$ 5.99
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-First-Position-Pointe-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08GQBDLN9
Murder in First
Position will especially please
readers who harbor dance-based backrounds.
Ballerina Leah Siderova becomes the prime suspect in a murder
when her
rival, Arianna Bonneville, is stabbed.
She
not only
found the body, but stands to benefit from the elimination of her
competition.
However, she is innocent. In order to save her career and clear her
name, Leah
must assume to guise of an investigator and solve Arianna's murder.
All
she's ever
cared about was ballet, but now Leah must expand her sights into a
bigger world
that she knows relatively little about.
The
world of
ballet competition and talent is revealed in the course of a story that
operates on two levels: through Leah's blossoming skills as a
problem-solver,
and her inherent determination to win which translates unexpectedly
smoothly
from the ballet world to that of criminal justice.
The
politics of
the dance world often collide with her questions and probes and are
also
realistically presented, adding tension to unfolding events as she
investigates
matters that quickly move beyond dance competition circles: "I
had too
much at stake to take offense, although, if I wanted to, I could have
pointed
out I hadn’t—as yet—been charged with a crime. And even if I had been
charged,
I was innocent until proven guilty. On a more practical level, since
she was
the costume mistress and I was a principal dancer, she was
contractually
obligated to get close enough to stick her nose in my armpits, if that
was what
was needed to get the costume properly fitted."
As
she probes
Arianna's family connections, which were used to promote the dance
company and
thus their daughter, and the swirl of lies, deals, and special
interests that
revolved around dance, she receives newfound lessons not just in what
may have
prompted Arianna's murder, but influences on the course of her own
dancing
career.
As
a dancer,
Leah has been disciplined all her life. Can this same special brand of
determination help her solve the crime?
Readers
interested in dance's routines, roles, problem-solving facets, and the
concerns
of a young dancer forced to explore underlying facets of company
politics and
special interests beyond her previous experience will find Murder
in First
Position intriguing, involving, and lively.
Lori
Robbins
uses the first person to cement the world as experienced through Leah's
eyes.
This lends a feel of realistic authenticity to her dance world and
experiences,
creating a riveting murder mystery especially recommended for those
familiar
with the complex world of ballet and its many political and personal
challenges.
Myface
Kevin Landt
Ripland
Publishing LLC
978-1735298108
$6.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Myface-Kevin-Landt/dp/1735298107
Angela
Fox's
Myface online account is achieving fame and going viral on the
internet,
but the stunning blond isn't real, and her allure is dangerous. In this
classic
case of a cyber version of Frankenstein, Sebastian Shafer's creation
has taken
off in an unexpected direction and her presence has already led to one
murder.
The
murder
thriller that evolves around a social media experiment gone awry,
ambitions
realized into dangerous realms, and the captivating, dangerous world of
gaining
followers and deadly results is a cut above the usual work of
psychological
tension. Indeed, Myface will attract readers of
contemporary literature,
psychological fiction, thrillers, and modern social dilemmas alike as
it probes
the elusive Angela's persona and Sebastian's attempts to regain control
over a
dangerous invention.
As
a focus on
actor Norman Jarrett evolves, Sebastian and his wife Liz are drawn into
a
struggle where Angela's persona assumes a nearly lifelike impact on
their
shared lives as well as those of Norman and others drawn into her spell.
Norman
has a
problem. He's addicted to money and fame. The former he has plenty of,
but the
fame has become elusive: "Fame was addictive. Fame was the
drug he
craved. And once it was taken away from him, once the roles stopped
coming and
he was reduced to being seen only in reruns, the fame disappeared. And
Norman
found, to his chagrin, that he couldn’t live without. He couldn’t not
be
famous. And so he now dedicated his life and all his savings to regain
that
fleeting fame."
As
Norman fields
his employer's requirements and holds onto his own zest for life,
Angela begins
making outrageous demands of both Sebastian and Norman. Whether she's
real or
not, life is about to get even more dangerous. It's up to some clever
detectives to unravel the complicated threads that entangle all three.
Myface
weaves a story of psychological entanglements and social media ironies
and
danger with the special focus of a creation that brings danger into
many lives.
Its tense blend of thriller and psychological inspection is highly
recommended
for modern social media users who will find the realistic scenarios and
discussions thought-provoking and captivating.
Neptune’s
Reckoning
Robert J. Stava
Severed Press
978-1922323644
Paper:
$13.95; Kindle: $3.99
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Reckoning-Robert-J-Stava/dp/1922323640
The
Long Island
seaside town of Montauk is nearly as famous as Roswell for its alien
and
conspiracy theories, so when a new threat arises, it's easy to believe
that it,
too, is unreal in Neptune’s Reckoning. But naval
historian William
Vanek, charged with uncovering the truth about a top-secret World War
II
mission called 'Neptune's Reckoning' that cost his grandfather's life,
discovers that the military effort actually revolved around a real,
deadly
threat.
This
thriller
probes his efforts to discern the truth, and what happens when he
discovers
that what lies beneath the waves could change the world.
From
the opening
descriptions in the story, it's evident that the characters aren't just
diving
into unprecedented dangers, but are bringing readers with them into an
engrossing underwater world of canyons, mystery, and peril.
Robert
J. Stava
is adept at building an atmosphere of rising horror and historical
investigation. This simultaneous focus will delight readers who seek
realistic
historical precedents and investigative methods from their thrillers: "I'm
a historian who builds ship models. You want me to give the police
lessons on
how to handle scale rigging?"
From
a dead
girl's unfortunate proximity to a well-hidden secret to cloaking
technology,
war graves, and sea-faring and Montauk legends, readers receive a
full-faceted
story that moves from events on land to underwater explorations and
back again.
A
budding
romance between Vanek and Michelle adds to the story's suspense,
building
interpersonal relationships against the backdrop of an involving
mystery that
draws readers further into the characters' lives and the outcome of
their
probes.
This
story also
contains messages about environmental issues and relationships that
flush out
the action and adventure. This isn't just a thriller alone, but a
consideration
of evolving agendas and special interests designed to will leave
readers
thinking.
Those
seeking a
blend of thriller and horror with political, social, and environmental
inspections added to the mix will find Neptune’s Reckoning
an engrossing
tale of intrigue that comes layered with surprising political
inspections.
Nuclear Option
Dorothy Van Soest
Apprentice House Press
Casebound: 978-1-62720-291-6
$27.99
Paperback: 978-1-62720-292-3 $18.99
Ebook: 978-1-62720-293-0 $ 6.99
www.ApprenticeHouse.com
Nuclear
Option tells the story of Sylvia
Jensen, who had
an affair back in 1984 with a fellow activist in the nuclear
disarmament
movement. Decades later, in her seventies, she's moved on from both
activism
and her former lover, but Norton's troubled son lures her into danger
with a
mystery involving a new situation that involves Sylvia and
investigative
reporter J.B. Harrell in a dangerous case.
As a result,
Sylvia
is drawn into a combination of
sleuthing and a battle for justice and truth akin to her younger years,
but
more complex and deadly in nature.
Dorothy Van Soest does an outstanding job of
capturing the politics, special interests, activist perspectives, and
events of
both past and present society. She places a myriad of characters in the
center
of a story packed not just with mystery and suspense, but a sense of
responsibility and love in a protagonist whose emotions have been
compromised
in the past by death.
Having an older protagonist who has lost
none of her spunk and savvy despite setting aside her youthful
enthusiasm and
optimism is a breath of fresh air, as is her introspective examination
of the
lasting legacy of her past: "...to those of us in the last
row, Norton
was a man who, despite facing a premature and unjust death, had
channeled his
rage and desire for revenge into positive action, a man committed to
the truth
regardless of the consequences. To me, Norton was the only man I had
loved and
the only man I had ever felt loved by, the man who’d entrusted his
briefcase to
me and only me, the man who had left to me a secret that I would hug
for the
next thirty-five years as tightly as I held it in that moment."
Norton's son Corey joins the cast for a wild
ride through the radical perspectives and literature of the past and
modern-day
challenges to both as readers explore social, political, psychological,
and
investigative worlds alike. A simmering revolutionary spirit influences
Sylvia's perspectives on justice and truth. Powerful women emerge who
address
modern nuclear threats, struggles for social change, the impact of
violent and
peaceful demonstrations on world survival, and the legacy of activism
and
atomic war veterans for future generations. Nuclear Option
is more than
just an investigative work, but a story replete with social and
political
inspections of nuclear issues.
Readers interested in a strong
woman-centered suspense thriller that is centered both on individual
responsibility and the nuclear arms race will find Nuclear
Option an
unusually astute read. It brings to life the revitalized purpose of a
single
woman who reassesses her choices and impact upon the modern world.
Its story of sacrifices and saving lives
will linger in the mind long after Sylvia's final revelations.
Scrooge and
the Great
Detectives
Curt Locklear
Warren Publishing
978-1-7357280-7-0
(Hardcover)
978-1-7357280-8-7
(Softcover)
www.warrenpublishing.net
What
happened after
Ebenezer Scrooge had his great revelation about his life's trajectory
and his
inherent selfishness? Scrooge and the
Great Detectives takes place a year later, when Scrooge has
already put a
great deal of work into reinventing himself and his life.
He didn't
expect a
return visit from Jacob Marley and an assignment to solve a mystery,
but Jacob
sends him on a journey to Cornwall to save the life and reputation of
one
Hezekiah Hiram Grumbles, who has been accused of murder.
Traveling
with a
business partner, office clerk, and nephew at his side, Ebenezer
encounters
puzzles at every turn as readers are steeped in the atmospheres of
Victorian
London and Cornwall alike.
Curt
Locklear's
delightful approach in winding Scrooge's redemption into a mystery
probe will
attract holiday readers who like a good mystery planted on the
foundation of Dickens'
world.
Scrooge
comes alive
as a changed character who now works towards different goals while
remaining
cognizant of the horror of the past that changed his life and forced
him to
confront his selfish ways: "...there
was a lot more good in
Scrooge’s
name now, coming upon the second year after that eventful Christmas
when
Scrooge became reacquainted with Marley. He was ruminating about the
fact that
Marley had been and still was as dead as a doornail, and that his ghost
had not
been lurking about for two years. He shuddered just thinking about his
encounter of two years past."
In this
takeoff,
Scrooge is not just a figure facing social and personal inspection of
his
impact on the world around him, but is forced to once again confront
his fears
and his effectiveness in the world: "Scrooge
drew a trembling breath, for he knew what had pursued him in the tunnel
behind
the store might be there still. Fear was in his throat and in his
bones. His
voice shook. “Let us proceed.”
Locklear
offers a
different take on selfish behaviors and intentions that expands the
original
Dickens story while remaining true to its feelings and purpose.
Scrooge's
reflections
of past and present require no ghost, here, other than that of failed
opportunities: "He had a winsome
memory of Isabelle, his intended bride of long ago. They had been but
seventeen
years of age when they became betrothed. After two years, she left him
because
he had become so hard and flintlike, caring more for financial gain
than
anything else in the world, including the woman he loved."
As he
encounters some
of the threats peculiar to fellow detective Sherlock Holmes and
unravels
threads that seem to connect to this famous man's similar struggles
with perps,
readers who enjoy a good Holmes whodunit will find themselves
captivated by the
blend of Scrooge's redemption processes and Holmes's ability to get at
the
heart of a dangerous puzzle.
The result
is a
holiday mystery that will delight fans of Dickens, Doyle, and beyond.
It's one
steeped in holiday flavors, the English countryside, and the efforts of
one man
to solve some of the biggest puzzles in his life.
Highly
recommended
for its astute attention to detail, strong characterization, and
realistic
atmosphere, Scrooge and the Great
Detectives is hard to put down and is a fine Christmas
mystery about
ongoing second chances.
Sinder
Kathleen Kaufman
Turner Publishing Company
978-1684423309
$16.99
www.turnerpublishing.com
Sinder's absorbing story of the occult will appeal
to readers who have a special interest in supernatural fiction and
thrillers,
and opens with Irish gal Ainsley Robertson's 1924 life in rural Cork
County.
She lives with an abusive father, has defied his desire for her to
assume the role
of a proper elder daughter of the Ceannaire of the Society, and finds
herself
pregnant in an era where unwed mothers are frowned upon. She dreams of
escaping
her destiny.
Two generations later, Ceit Robertson has
accepted her great-grandmother's legacy and become the Matrarc of this
Society,
in modern-day 1996. Her role, decisions, and power are based not only
on her
own strengths and inherited legacy, but in the fae blood that runs in
her.
Like her great grandmother, she's always
struggled with her heritage. Unlike Ainsley, she's determined to use
her
position to end the Society for good.
Kathleen Kaufman's story winds between these
generations to build a compelling blend of fantasy, occult, and family
connections. These elements come to life as Ceit considers her
heritage, its
potential toxic presence in not just her life but humanity as a whole,
and her
changing relationship with her younger brother Alan. Perhaps
predictably, she
finds herself in a precarious position between two worlds: "She
had been
a lousy substitute for a mother, Ceit knew that. She felt love and she
felt
pain, but her emotions were becoming muted. The realm of human
existence seemed
increasingly inane and noisy. The Night Forest called her more and
more. Amon
had told her this would happen."
The blend of intrigue, fantasy, and occult
thriller is very nicely done, powered by intergenerational connections
that
keep the story line vivid and compelling. The focus on how each female
leader
in the Robinson family steps up to the plate in a different way creates
an
engrossing read that is hard to put down as it moves through the Sinder
Avenue
community's greatest challenges from its own leadership.
Kaufman's vibrant language and descriptions
are part of what makes this story especially captivating: "I
need to
know if you’re ready to fight. I can do my part, but you will need to
rally. I
cannot set things right for you unless you are ready to allow yourself
to be
who you truly are, and that is not a pretty little girl from the
countryside.
You are dangerous and wicked and powerful beyond your imagining. You
can be a
savior for your people, or you can suckle orphaned babes until your
breasts
wither and your body dissolves to dust. It is your choice.”
Readers seeking an occult thriller about
powerful women determined to not just fulfill their destinies, but make
changes
in their worlds which require a special form of leadership, will find Sinder
compelling on many levels.
Strange
Deaths of the Last Romantic
Moses Yuriyvich Mikheyev
Independently Published
978-0-578-77914-0
$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Deaths-Romantic-Yuriyvich-Mikheyev-ebook/dp/B08KPMR2LS
Immortality
isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Sometimes it's a real problem, as in Strange Deaths of the
Last Romantic,
the story of Adam's curse and the losses he of self that he experiences
each
time he 'dies'.
The
story opens in a French café in Manhattan in
2007. A crazy naked man has just run up to Miss Anne-Marie Reneux's
table,
demanded the obituary section of the newspaper, read through it, and
killed
himself in front of her. This is a shocking prologue to a story that
only gets
more compelling as chapters explore how this man's special knowledge
dictated
his crazy actions.
This
lead-in is followed by another powerful
introduction in the first chapter: "The first time I
committed suicide
was when I was ten years old."
As
the story unfolds, romance blends into the
thriller component of an immortal man's endless choices and
confrontation with
forces that would use his condition for their nefarious means. Readers
become
thoroughly hooked on both the progress of his lives and the special
issues
immortality brings to the table.
Events
lead him to ask the most basic question of
all: "After he left, I sat for a while staring at the empty
plate
before me. Who
was I?"
As
the alluring Lilyanne leads Adam to consider a
more passionate life and perspective, the real cost of his condition is
sorely
tested when he discovers underlying motives behind his interactions
with
others.
From
his encounter with her to his meeting with Dr.
Bonn, the Wisher and his well-kept secrets, and the reasons why the
Schillersdorfs want him dead, Adam finds his life upended not just by
death,
but by the possibilities of love and redemption.
Not
only is immortality not all that it should be,
but love, too, feels mercurial and dubious to him.
Moses
Yuriyvich Mikheyev crafts a story that
borders between romance, thriller, and mystery. Characters interact on
various
levels (and there is a myriad of them) as the timeline moves from the
past to
as far in the future as 2026, which offers an unexpected prequel in the
final
chapter.
Readers
used to stories of passing ages and
different incarnations of characters will welcome this complexity,
paired with
an ease of explanation solidified by chapter heading dates and
introductions
which set not just time, but character and place: "The year
was 2026.
It was fall in Loudonville, Ohio. You could tell because the oaks and
maples
had already shed their green in favor of royal colors, like purple,
red, bronze
and gold. A thousand alder trees as yellow as the sun could be seen
from any
direction. I lived in a rural community, surrounded by simple people
who went
to church on Sundays and worked in the fields and small woodshops on
the
weekdays."
The
result is an absorbing story that compels on
several levels and proves hard to put down, especially for readers who
have
read other variations on the theme of immortality's trials and
tribulations.
This audience will find the additional conundrums posed in Strange
Deaths of
the Last Romantic add a fuller-bodied flavor to events than
most stories
about immortality.
Strange
Deaths of the Last Romantic is very highly
recommended for
readers who like their mysteries wound into the evolution of romance on
different levels.
Baby
Moses
John
Cowlin
Amika Press
978-1-937484-77-4
$16.95
https://amikapress.com/
Baby Moses is set in the South in the
1950s where Moses
(who, like his namesake, was found in a basket as an abandoned baby) is
returning home to visit the woman who rescued him. He never expected to
become
immersed in a local situation involving the robbery of Black
churches…nor in
the aspirations of several ne'er-do-wells who think themselves so
clever that
nothing can possibly thwart their plan. They think these plans are much
better
than robbing a bank.
John
Cowlin lays out this logic in a discussion that embraces both criminal
thinking
and irony as the characters assess the pros and cons of various methods
of
thieving: "Robbin’ a bank, that’s dipshit thinkin’. You
rob a bank, you got a gaggle of J. Edgar Juniors blood-hounding you to
high
ground. That money is guaranteed by the federal government, and while
Eisenhower might not come down from Washington and sniff out that
stolen cash
his own damn self, you can be three times goddamned sure he’ll send a
couple
agents from the F.B.I. to do it for him...we ain’t gonna rob the Piggly
Wiggly
’cause there’s too many people round and we might get recognized, even
if we
wore masks or covered our faces. Besides, you don’t rob a safe. You
burgle it.
But since neither me or you know how to crack one, we ain’t gonna
burgle
nothing. Not the Piggly Wiggly. Not the gas station. Not even a chicken
coop.
You get caught rummaging around in the dark, some ole boy more likely
fill yer
belly with buckshot than ask you what day yer mama was born.”
This
passage nicely illustrates the dialogue and sense of logic and irony
that winds
through Baby Moses, capturing the
Southern lingo, characters, and events that provide the foundations of
an
engrossing story.
They've
thought of nearly everything. But the dastardly duo haven't encountered
Moses,
yet. And Moses harbours more than a few tricks up his sleeve (and in
his duffel
bag) that hold the power to change the outcome of these and other plans
affecting the town's populace.
From
poker games and encounters with the Klan to a Chicken Shack beside a
pepper
field "busting loose with bright red cayennes," John Cowlin takes time to build
the
sights, sounds, smells, and culture of the South. This attention to
detail
draws readers into a lively, changing story that pits personalities and
perspectives against one another, surveys lives at odds with the town's
evolution, and probes race relations and the undercurrents of prejudice
and
change which affect the lives and ambitions of more than just a few.
As Moses
faces the vengeful terrorism of the Klan against those he loves and
realizes
its capacity for murder, he finds that his homecoming has resulted in
new
threats and a mission to defeat them.
At
once
an action-packed adventure, a series of social revelations, and a probe
of one
man's lasting connections to and impact on his home town, John Cowlin
has
created a gem of a story in Baby Moses
that will delight readers looking for an adventure thoroughly steeped
in
Southern culture.
With its
passages about folklore, fights, or long-standing feuds, Baby
Moses provides a fine read that blends intrigue and
confrontation with one man's lasting search for justice over revenge.
Beneath the
Devil's Bow
Sebastian J.
Groff
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-846-9
$16.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
The
story of how
young Nicholas Wescott comes to host evil in his own body
begins with a
prologue letter to Cardinal O'Connell in 1908. This tells of a
mysterious
journal received from abroad by a church girl whose love, Nicholas, is
due to
return home. The journal details not his affections for her but a
strange
story, indeed, which chronicles heinous scenes and acts that the girl's
beloved
fiancée surely never would have participated in, had he been in his
right mind.
She requests the Church's intervention, upon his return, to save his
spirit.
And so the terror begins.
Beneath the Devil's
Bow is an engrossing work of
horror—a slow-building story that
successfully percolates intrigue with the measured growth of a
supernatural
threat.
At
first the
juxtaposition of Wescott's diary entries with letters from his beloved
and
other forms of response feels mercurial. The priest's letter which
introduces
the setting is followed by Elizabeth Carter's request for Church
assistance;
then Wescott's writings themselves. The introductory chapter explains
how
Elizabeth comes to be the recipient of his diary: "At your
request I
should fill this diary with all news and experiences of my journey in
the
utmost detail. When I have filled this diary to the last page, I am to
have it
postmarked and returned, so that you may be relieved at my well-being.
That is
of course, assuming all is well."
The
initial
story buildup is slower-paced than one expects from a horror piece.
Sebastian
J. Groff takes time to build setting, purpose, and atmosphere. It
should also
be mentioned at this point that some graphic sexual descriptions belay
the
usual staid tone and presentation of the traditional Gothic atmosphere,
injecting a 20th century feel that could seem out of place to readers
who
choose the Gothic format for its circumspect language and descriptions.
These
notes
aside, tension is slowly built as a cursed violin enters the picture
and
Nicholas finds himself drawn into its threat and promises. Groff's
descriptions
at this point are excellent, compelling, and explore the violin's
dangerous
allure in a manner that will satisfy Gothic readers: "The all
so
familiar song of the spectral violin once again filled the air. This
time
however, it was no material instrument that was producing the cursed
melody.
The music, carried through the air by a gentle breeze, came in the form
of an
ethereal hum that too seemed all so familiar. It is as if in this scene
my body
was not present to be free or bound to any object. Rather I was viewing
it
through my own eyes like a ghost not really there."
The
ongoing
explicit descriptions of his sexual adventures again belay the story's
Gothic
horror feel even as Groff excels in building it up again. But part of
Nicholas's downfall is his increasing libido and involvement in the
cursed
violin's directions, and so his exploits reinforce the notion that the
devil is
at work in his life in more ways than one.
Readers
of
horror who aren't firmly wedded to a formula horror atmosphere will
find this
story absorbing. The pace begins slowly but builds nicely, readers are
interested in the dilemmas Nicholas faces as he confronts forces beyond
his
understanding, and the saga will intrigue horror enthusiasts who look
for solid
descriptions of how love and commitment change under the influence of
an evil
force.
Set
aside the
contemporary overlay of some of its descriptions for an emotional
journey into
music, a curse, and a young man's uncertain growth away from home as
his soul
is on the line. It's well worth the effort and delivers in its promise
of a
delicious horror story reading experience.
Book
Endings
Syntell Smith
Syntell Smith
Publishing
978-0-692-03698-3
$16.95
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Endings-Numbers-novel-Revelations/dp/0692036989
Book Endings: Loss,
Pain, and Revelations is a novel
that revolves around impending
loss and the office politics that heavily affect a library clerk's
life. Robin
Walker faces both a toxic work environment and the slow demise of his
grandfather, but is revitalized by dating a lovely Asian woman who
introduces a
note of positivity into his life.
When
the idealistic
college student finds this relationship, too, is fraught with strife,
he finds
his ability to be flexible and purposeful is challenged. Thus, he
becomes
compromised on many levels: in mind, heart, and the pursuit of
happiness.
One
of the
pleasures in following Robin's story is that its perspectives are
cultivated
from co-workers and others who touch his world; from Tommy, who has a
vested
interest in antagonizing Robin, to Ethel, who grasps at retirement with
a
similar determination not to let simmering office politics keep her
from her
prize.
There's
an
undercurrent of sometimes-macabre humor running through each
character's
descriptions of their entanglements and their motivations for
competition,
anger, and frustration: "Annabelle watched him leave. It
didn’t feel
right working with Cleopheous, but she knew he didn’t want to get his
hands
dirty going for Augustus’s head. She was almost relieved the plan
didn’t work.
Knowing the regional senior clerk by reputation, he would have
double-crossed
them somehow, the snake. Cleopheous stepped out onto the sidewalk
disgusted. He
pulled out a cigar and lit it, blew the smoke out the side of his
mouth, then
his nose. “Hmph, never send a woman to do a man’s job,” He said with a
grunt,
then took another puff. “Okay, I guess when you want the bacon, you
have to
look piggy right in those beady eyes and bring the ax down yourself.”
As
each
personality clashes and tempers rise, Robin must call upon
unprecedented
strengths to return professionalism into the workplace, save his own
reputation, and foster a lasting peace and respect for both authority
and his
own strengths.
Robin's
endless
stamping of books against the dual backdrops of a quiet library and a
stormy
clash of personalities creates a compelling atmosphere that brings the
story to
life with a realistic inspection of missed potentials and new
possibilities.
Syntell
Smith
excels at injecting high drama into the backdrop of what should be a
quiet
library world. The portrait of workplace personality clashes and the
evolution
of new goals and paths create a thought-provoking literary work that
will prove
appealing to any reader who view the library as a peaceful refuge from
the
world.
Counting
Heartbeats
Janet Frnzyan
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-982-4
$16.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
Counting
Heartbeats: A Journey of Perseverance Through
Loss is a coming of age
story
about a young woman who confronts her father's ALS diagnosis,
determined to
make the most of the time she has with him. Seven medical opinions have
not
offered any hope, and so Jessica hides the diagnosis from her father
and
herself even as she determines to do what she can, given an impossible
situation.
Janet
Frnzyan
adds the perspective and dilemma of a second generation Armenian
daughter to
the medical and psychological dilemma. This provides another layer to
the
quandary as Jessica struggles with a long goodbye that leads her to
confront
her love for her father and her inability to express it the way she
wishes: "I’m
suddenly at a loss for words. My mind travels to the thousands of trips
we’ve
taken over the years, the countless amusement parks we’ve gone to when
we were
younger, and the lifetime of love he’s showered upon us. I want to tell
him how
grateful I am for everything he’s done for me. For every heartache he
helped
cure. For always being there. But I’m speechless. I should be the one
thanking
him. But I can’t get myself to say it. I can’t get myself to tell him
that I
love him and that he’s my hero and that I can’t possibly imagine a
world
without him. I can’t say it. Instead, I nod, swallow the lump in my
throat and
look out the window. Just another day in a coward’s life."
Frnzyan's
use of
the first person allows readers to understand the process of a young
woman
watching her father slowly fade from an incurable disease, in charge of
helping
her parents through this experience even as she longs to be their
dependent
daughter again, under their protection.
Her
father's
English isn't strong, and so she serves as both interpreter and
moderator,
trying to stand in a middle ground that smoothes the real diagnosis and
perspectives of others into a more positive focus, against all odds.
As
her career
takes a dive and the rest of her life is put on hold, Jessica is
charged with
not only helping her parents field medical challenges and end-of-life
decisions, but deciding where her own future lies.
Readers
interested in stories of young women who step up to help even in the
face of
loss will find Counting Heartbeats a warm story of
life and death,
reconciliation, and survival. It lingers in the mind long after the
inevitable
conclusion and the possibility of new beginnings that come with it, and
is
highly recommended reading for those who look for stories of immigrant
families, ALS struggles, and determined young women who are survivors.
The Diplomat of
Florence
Anthony R Wildman
Plutus Publishing
Paperback:
978-0-6489454-1-3 $29.99
Ebook: 978-0-6489454-0-6
$ 8.22
Website: www.anthonyrwildman.net
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Diplomat-Florence-Novel-Machiavelli-Borgias/dp/0648945413
The Diplomat of Florence: A Novel of Machiavelli
and the Borgias is
set in 1498 Florence, where a people's republic has been established
after the
downfall of the ruling Medici.
Warlord
Cesare Borgia
threatens this new rule, but new diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli has other
plans
in mind. He may be an inexperienced negotiator, but he is forced to
quickly
learn the associations between France and Italy, and the changing rules
and
laws of the land, as threats emerge.
Anthony R
Wildman's
foundation of history in this story is particularly nicely set in the
beginning, from a black and white map and an introduction defining the
non-English terms peppered throughout the story to a cast of principal
characters organized by region, from Florentine politicians and
chancellery
members to Roman figures. This outline is necessary because there are a
host of
intersecting special interests throughout that would otherwise stymie
newcomers
unfamiliar with the milieu of 1400s Italy.
The plot
itself
seizes the imagination and injects a sense of the atmosphere and social
and
political clashes of the times. It uses vivid descriptions to draw
readers into
the evolving story's underlying politics and processes: "There
were still few signs of military occupation as they
wandered down the long, evenly paved main street that led towards the
central
piazza. Apparently, Valentino had bivouacked the bulk of his army a few
miles
away, outside the town of Fermignano, retaining only the soldiers of
his
personal bodyguard in the city itself. This was a remarkably
self-confident
thing to do, especially since the deposed Duke Guidobaldo was far from
unpopular there."
From the
clatter of
oxen-drawn carts in the streets to the inner chambers of political
meetings and
the battles that ensue from them, Wildman is adept at tracing the lay
of the
land and the influences of many different forces on its peoples.
Readers who
enjoy
cat-and-mouse games at top levels of political circles will especially
appreciate the time Wildman devotes to exploring these nuances as they
are
learned through the new diplomat's experiences: "Soderini
told me that once they were in conclave, none of the
factions was able to muster the necessary two-thirds majority and, in
the end,
the Spanish and the French combined to choose Piccolomini as a
compromise.
Anyone other than della Rovere.’ Who must have been furious to have
been denied
the papacy for a second time by the Borgia faction. Of course, if the
new pope
expired soon, the chess pieces would end up back where they had
started; both
sides would no doubt be hoping that they could strengthen their support
in the
meantime."
Readers who
like
historical novels that embrace political maneuverings and social change
will
relish this story of a young diplomat's first experiences of a
revolutionary
time in his country's history, its interactions with other countries,
and the
underlying forces that ultimately determine its fate.
Games
We Played
Shawne Steiger
Red Adept
Publishing
ASIN
: B08HM6C7MV
$7.99
Website: https://shawne-steiger.com
Ordering:
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Games-We-Played-Shawne-Steiger-ebook/dp/B08HM6C7MV
Barnes and
Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/games-we-played-shawne-steiger/1137620077?ean=2940162643265
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shawne-steiger
When
actress
Rachel Goldberg shares her views on a radio show, she becomes the
target of an
online harassment that drives her back to her old home town to escape.
Stephen
Drescher has also returned to that same home town after a dishonorable
discharge from the army. When they connect the dots between their past
and
future, a new game emerges that rests on old habits and new directions.
Games We Played is recommended for readers of contemporary women's
fiction, who will
find it an involving combination of social and personal inspection.
As
each
character faces prejudices, the consequences of their choices, and
newfound
revelations about their individual roles as well as their history with
each
other, readers are treated to an involving survey of the origins of
hate crimes
and the emergence of a new form of understanding: "While he
and Rachel
climbed to the attic, he imagined his grandpa waiting for them up
there,
waiting to tell them one of his war stories: how they’d rounded up and
killed
the ugly Jews, how he saw Hitler talk and knew he would do anything
that man
wanted, how the world would be different if only they’d won."
From
the
histories which are the driving wedge between them to the connections
that lie
in their roots and evolutionary process, Shawne Steiger does a fine job
of
exploring the modern world's influences, whether they involve
cyberstalking,
neo-Nazis, or a Jewish lesbian woman's return to a changed hometown and
childhood acquaintance. Here, the specter of the hate crime is injected
with
personal revelations which make each character more understandable,
appealing,
and ultimately more powerful.
Can
Rachel
escape this evolving cyber-threat? Can Stephen similarly escape his
past as he
confronts its influences on his future trajectory?
Steiger is especially sharp when detailing
these challenges: "But he couldn’t let go of the feeling that
getting
close to Rachel would fix something in him. Maybe he could see Aaron.
They
could do some magic together. He would have talked to his grandfather
if he
could have. In his last session, he had told Natalie a little about his
grandfather, and she said it was like he held two grandfathers in his
head, the
one he could never please and was always apologizing to and the one who
made
him feel loved. He hadn’t said anything about the Nazi stuff, just that
his
grandpa fought in the war and had wanted Stephen to be a soldier too."
The
resulting
contemporary story about prejudice, hate, and a young actress forced to
come to
terms with her Jewish heritage and its underlying grief will draw and
embrace
any reader with an interest in the lasting effects of history on
present
generation perspectives and objectives.
The Great
American
Jew Novel
Michael Kornbluth
Independently
Published
ASIN
: B08H6MC9M8
$20.00
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Great-American-Jew-Novel/dp/B08H6MC9M8
The Great American Jew Novel will appeal
to readers of Jewish
fiction and humor and tells of a precocious nine-year-old who becomes
her
"Do It All Dad" father's self-appointed talent agent to solve all his
troubles, from a failing marriage to comedy career aspirations.
Bashert
can't fix
everything, but what she gets her little hands on surely changes many
situations in a hilarious romp through stay-at-home dad Joshua's
evolving life.
Michael
Kornbluth
produces a survey that is, in itself, a comedic satire of the Jewish
personality and lifestyle. Joshua's uncertain navigation of his world,
his
ongoing ambitions beyond family, and the many challenges he faces in
the course
of realizing his dreams fuel a lively observational study in Jewish
psychology:
"...on a baser level, Joshua became
addicted to scoring laughs from rehearsed one liners or inspired riffs
in the
moment, synthesizing the scattered observations and punchlines of years
past,
because it made him feel like a less all over the place Jew. Feeling in
control
was important to Joshua. He’d been the only schmuck with a stutter who
graduated from the top communication school at Ithaca College in 99."
From
encounters with
a funny female rabbi to political correctness on trial, Kornbluth
provides a
series of evocative encounters. Readers should be prepared for
intensely
detailed descriptions that would border on run-on sentences, except for
the
fact that their underlying attraction lies in their very length and
depth: "She was funny, and very personable,
coming off like a flatter-chested, higher-IQ Judy Gold. He honestly
couldn’t
tell if she was a bush muncher or not. Still, he loved how she made the
Saturday Synagogue services very upbeat, welcoming and business-casual
without
stripping the house of worship of the deep-rooted holiness preening
through the
flawless stained glass windows, without the original Super Jew, Jesus
Christ,
anywhere in sight. But what bothered Joshua about the Rabbi, was a
conversation
over some Challah noshes after the service, when he tried to gain a
stronger
grasp on why Jews got so tense when the mere name of Jesus was brought
up in
conversation, especially when Joshua would get into his Pescatarian
schtick
about how if a diet of fish and veggies was good enough for Jesus, the
original
Super Jew, it was good enough for him."
Much of the
lingo and
cultural references make this story much more accessible to the Jewish
reader
already well familiar with this background than those who are not, or
who have
not been exposed to Jewish language and psychology in their daily lives.
These notes
aside, The Great American Jew Novel
excels in a
hilarious New York exploration of the world of comedy and Jewish
culture. It's
sometimes politically incorrect, racy, and ribald. This absorbing
viewpoint of
a father's drive for bigger and better goals and added meaning in his
world is
highly recommended for Jewish readers who enjoy the cultural lure of
satirical
social examination.
How
to Get a
Promotion When Your Boss is Trying to Kill You
Joseph Patrick
Pascale
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-844-5
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
How to Get a
Promotion When Your Boss is Trying to
Kill You doesn't sound like the
title of a novel, but this is a fiction survey even though it sounds as
though it
should fall in the genre of 'business novel'. Instead, it takes a dark
and
twisted turn into the realm of sleuthing and the absurd.
A
government
office clerk's ambition to rise to the top of the workforce to become a
senior
clerk changes when a meeting with the director results in his
recruitment on a
secret mission. This endeavor is replete with saboteurs, crackpots,
government
agents, philosophical confrontations, and individuals who may look like
hobos,
but who have greater ambitions that only this clerk can influence.
Joseph
Patrick
Pascale creates a satirical inspection of not just workplace politics
and
pressures, but the odd constrictions, alliances, and challenges of
government
work as a whole. His story toes the line between a spy novel and a
comedic tour
de farce. Readers seeking something genre-bustingly different will
relish the
story's ability to avoid pat categorization in favor of a brand of
creative
license uncommon in the modern novel format.
As
the nameless
clerk traverses a series of obstacles that continually challenge his
place in
society and his role as a clerk, readers will appreciate the romp
through
paperwork and business processes alike: "The backlog in the
inbox
seemed like a monumental task. Looking at that pile of work made the
clerk feel
the equivalent exasperation of being on the ground floor of the
government
building in the bigger city, and, realizing that the elevators were out
of
order, he’d need to climb the stairs to some ridiculous-numbered floor
like 67
or worse. He sighed, and the simile made him realize that he should
focus on
the work the director needed him to do, as that far outranked the
piddling work
that the manager wanted him to take care of.
It
may be
difficult to peg this story, but How to Get a Promotion When
Your Boss is
Trying to Kill You is a fun, top recommendation for anyone
familiar with
office and government politics, the ironies and inconsistencies of the
work
world, and business challenges that place personal ambition on a
collision
course with life purpose.
In
the Shadow of
Gold
Michael Kenneth
Smith
Independently
Published
979-8684953736
$13.99
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Gold-Tale-Confederate-Treasure/dp/B08JDTKG29
In the Shadow of
Gold is set in Richmond, Virginia
in 1865 and tells of two trains that each
carry a different kind of treasure. One is the Confederate president.
The other
is the Confederate treasury holdings.
The
train
holding Jefferson Davis and his cabinet is captured. And the treasure
on the
other vanishes. What happened to it? This novel's mystery is based in
reality
and provides a riveting examination of what could have happened to the
lost
Confederate treasure.
One
would expect
such a story to begin in the 1800s, but the opening chapter is set in
contemporary 2020 and tells of Josh Arvin's search for the original
source of
his family's fortune, only to become involved in an evolving secret
that has
its roots in the Civil War.
The
story then
moves to April of 1861, which introduces a sailor with a temper; then
1865,
where runaway slave Ellie makes her bid for freedom.
These
may
initially seem like disparate threads, but Michael Kenneth Smith really
knows
how to draw together the nuances of personal lives, history, special
interests,
and evolving drama as the chapters juxtaposing these and other events.
The
changing
perspectives and timelines are identified by date as each character
proceeds
with his or her story, making it easy for readers to follow these
differing
life experiences and trains of thought. The groundwork has been nicely
laid by
the time Chapter 5 evolves.
Speaking
of
trains, as midshipman Yancey moves from his familiar Richmond home into
uncharted territory aboard the train, readers will find this an
absorbing story
packed with realistic images of the South during this era: "Miles
after
the train had left the city, the glow of the burning cotton warehouses
was
still visible. Yancey had lived in Richmond since he was born, and the
fact
that it appeared to be totally destroyed gave him an empty feeling. Not
only
did he have no friends, but now he had no home, not even his naval
home. The
image of the Patrick Henry burning was seared into his mind. He wasn’t
going to
miss the ship, but it was still a part of him, and now it was gone."
Is
taking the
treasure the same as thieving? Yancey isn't sure about either his moral
and
ethical choices or the question of what is right during a war which
changes
everything.
Smith's
focus on
the evolving South and its desperate moves at the close of the war
bring both
the era and its various special interests to life, from Ellie's
altruistic
influence on Yancey over the true value of the gold to her perceptions
that
white men aren't all the same. Some are different. But, is Yancey one
of them?
The
social and
political issues that are wound into this historical treasure hunt are
nicely
done and bring the South and its history and people to life.
Readers
seeking
an involving blend of mystery, evolving relationships, questions of
moral and
immoral behaviors, and an alternate speculation of what could have
happened to
so much treasure will find that In the Shadow of Gold
excels in both its
sense of place and its sense of purpose.
It's an
involving story that draws together not just Yancey and Ellie, but
characters
who find themselves struggling for many different kinds of treasure as
the
Civil War brings slavery and lives to an end.
The Last
Act
Peter Toeg
Barnes & Noble Press
9780578793191 $8.95
www.bn.com
The Last Act opens with a desperate
statement by a
desperate man contemplating a final exit: "Somewhere between the television and the
bathroom, carrying puke in a bedpan and stepping in my elderly mom's
feces, I
decided to end it all. Life was too short to be miserable and doing the
staff’s
work for years in the assisted "dying" home. In her state of mind,
she would never know. I'd kill myself. In two weeks."
As narrator Leo explores his
life, rationales, and
frustrations, an edgy form of satirical humor evolves that adds an
unexpected
flavor to his musings and experiences: "The
doctor spoke with the compassion of Pol Pot. 'Pain is a good reminder
of life,
Leo. It can awaken something new in us as a result.' And it did. It
took a
week, most of which I spent in a comfy chair in the house, foot raised,
sound
muted on the TV. Blissful solitude. I listened mostly to the
commercials
hawking pharmaceuticals. A comforting voice informed me: 'Side effects
may
include fatigue, joint pain, dizziness, facial paralysis, inability to
swallow,
migraines, stroke, and, in rare cases, agonizing slow death.' The
doctor at the
hospital had said pain was a reminder of life. I was in pain. I was
reminded. The
smell. Cat urine."
Indeed, these elements of
the unexpected are what elevate
The Last Act from a predictable
story
of suicidal tendencies to a broader inspection of life's ironies.
Readers are
continually surprised by where Leo journeys during his life
inspections. This
is just one delightful element to a novella that moves from a final
choice to a
son's relationship with a mother with dementia, his bowling buddy
Mosby, and a
group of seniors who discover small pleasures in ordinary life
encounters.
Its journey into love,
acceptance, pleasures, and the
pursuit of the idea that life is worth living carries readers into a
world
where disparate individuals find their lives oddly entwined and
entertaining.
As Leo faces life in a
"withering body" with a
mind still capable of adventuring, readers absorb a tale that holds an
unexpected interpretation of what constitutes a last act affecting more
than
one life by its choices.
Unexpected, funny, and
thought-provoking all in one, The Last Act
is a story that lingers in
the mind long after reading.
Life Unbothered
Charlie Elliott
Waldorf Publishing
978-1-945175-28-2
$16.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
Readers interested in the lasting impact of
phobias on choices and ambitions will find Life Unbothered
a powerful
novel of psychological struggle and reconsidering life's quality and
allure.
Wade Hampton's phobias leave him nearly
paralyzed and housebound after he breaks up with Pamela, but he
counters them
by taking a big, life-changing step. He moves to Arizona where he
encounters
Sophia, a different kind of woman willing to help him overcome his
fears.
Sophia appears about halfway into this
story, which sets the stage for her appearance with Wade's series of
thwarted
encounters, from contemplating suicide to lessons learned about love
from an
older woman: "When you find that special person, within an
acceptable
age range of course, open up to her and let your heart go. That’s when
you’ll
reach the glory of absolute happiness.”
Though Wade has already achieved much by
confronting possible death and many challenges in his life, Sophia
promises
something different and better. This is a monumental task for both of
them,
especially since business ventures and women have not exactly worked
well for
Wade in the past. But her steady hand on guiding his recovery through
shared
experiences and gentle confrontations of his fears is nicely presented:
"The
first weekend trip was to Ojai, a little town nestled inland from Santa
Barbara, about ninety miles north from our home. The second weekend we
went
south to Temecula and visited a few wineries. Those trips were safely
accomplished, my car always tethered nearby in case I wanted to escape.
Agoraphobic thoughts poked into my head a few times, but Sophia never
let it
materialize to anything critical."
Charlie Elliott provides rare insights into
how the course of one man's life is dictated by his fears and the kinds
of
choices that ultimately lead to cure.
But when disaster strikes
twenty-eight-year-old Sophia, both are forced to draw on her lessons to
lend
them strength against an impossible outcome.
Readers interested in tense psychological
stories of overcoming phobias and life challenges to emerge from failed
romances and dreams into a better life will welcome Life
Unbothered's
wild, realistic ride through Wade's mental illness and life as he
strives for
elusive love and a semblance of normalcy.
The Music of
Women
Vincent Panettiere
Independently
Published
ASIN : B08JQPCCLV
$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Women-Vincent-Panettiere-ebook/dp/B08JQPCCLV
When does
success
equal depression and death? When you're novelist Charlie Forte, whose
reaction
to one of the biggest coups of his writing career is to contemplate
suicide.
The Music of Women presents Charlie's
foray into his life, the
twenty-four women who influenced its direction, and the music he
uniquely
associates with each female as he contemplates the trajectory of his
evolution
to this uncertain life-or-death moment in time.
First, it
establishes
that "Charlie's need to be validated
on his terms seeped into every sphere of his life but specifically
sprang from
his first book deal." The connections that have led him to
this moment
are rooted in the fame he has successfully concocted for himself. But
they also
lie in the types of associations he's learned from, and these are
explored from
the viewpoint of a genius non-conformist who finds that he must
re-define
romance, meaning, life history, and life purposes in order to move
ahead.
Vincent
Panettiere
moves through all the women in Charlie's life, from his mother to
others.
Insights on her early influence are particularly well done and
revealing: "Her husband wasn't good enough.
He
wondered whether, in the beginning, his father had been good enough. He
must
have been. Three children later, a husk remained of that man, or what
Charlie
assumed must have been a real man. Charlie inherited that reticence,
and by the
time the sisters came along, male majority had been overrun by female
tyranny."
As readers
move
through Charlie's life from the evolution of his successful career to
his
relationship challenges, they receive a juxtaposition of insecure
relationships
with women and career achievements by a man who eventually comes to
question
his success in life.
Charle's
unassuming
self-analysis and his prejudices and perceptions of those who interact
with him
will prove especially intriguing to readers who have psychology degrees
or
training, who will relish the processes Charlie takes to reconcile his
life's
actions. Especially inviting are the many moments of self-analysis
thoughout: "Labeling himself incompetent was
always on the surface, easier to touch than the hair on his arms."
From sexual
encounters and romance to survival strategies, readers who enjoy
psychological
fiction centered on growth and evolution will find Charlie's progress
through
life intriguing. It provides much food for thought as he confronts his
inherent
mistrust of women and considers why he never completely bonds with
anyone.
The
Prototype
Sam Mitani
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-976-3
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Be
careful what
you wish for. It could be a prototype for disaster. That's the opening
contention of The Prototype, a novel that revolves
around an automobile
prototype with the power to change the world.
It's
an
invention and possibility that drops into the lap of Stockton Clay, a
journalist who has long awaited a big break in his life. His efforts
revolve
around more than writing when this happens, involving him in a series
of
escapades that range from becoming the target of an assassin to facing
a
medical emergency. This prompts him to finally undertake a journey to
find his
long-lost father in an effort to tap the red blood cells that could
save him.
Add
a journey to
Japan, a mad Russian scientist, and a struggle that moves from
individual
health risk to world domination for a story that is complex,
enlightening,
fast-paced, and almost filled with too many threads to easily follow.
At
first
Stockton thinks the written threat he finds in his hotel room is a gag,
and
reacts with little concern: "He’d be damned if he was going
let some
lame gag spoil this once-in-a-lifetime experience of being part of the
biggest
automotive event of the year."
As
his ambitions
lead to entanglements that prove his life is in danger in more ways
than one,
readers are led on a romp through other cultures and the world of CIA
agents
like Maki, who seemingly wish to help him survive. Who can he really
trust?
More
importantly, how is the prototype, which he's privy to, remain in the
center of
conflicts that embrace all of his personal concerns? When he finds
himself in
the unexpected position of donating his own cells to save a
five-year-old, even
more challenges emerge that question his focus and intentions.
Sam
Mitani does
a good job of expanding the basic story from a prototype's
possibilities to its
ultimate impact on one ordinary individual's life. He creates many
subplots
during this process, but also does a good job in bringing together
characters,
motivations, and influences that at first seem disparate.
Readers
who
appreciate a complex, lively thriller that embraces international
espionage and
social, political, and psychological subplots will welcome The
Prototype's
special blend of action, reflection and automobile intrigue that
ultimately
rewards Stockton's efforts in a surprise move he (and the reader) never
expected.
Revelations
From
the Dead: Chronicles
of the Night Waster
Max Willi
Fischer
Independently
Published
9798684213694
$9.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Revelations-Dead-Chronicles-Night-Waster/dp/B08HT865FD
It's
1837, and
the legend of the "Night Waster"—a vampire which feeds on the living
to keep the dead alive—abounds. The real culprit was consumption, which
wasted
the body and consumed life, known as the "white plague" in the 19th
century.
Thomas
Sullivan
has long resented his father's dictate for him to become a cabinetmaker
apprentice for the Shaffer family instead of following in his footsteps
to be a
book merchant; especially since coffin-building is a major part of the
job.
When
Thomas
becomes more involved in helping the family confront the threat of lung
disease, superstitions surrounding health, an economic panic, and a
family
mystery with its roots in local legend and history, his occupation
becomes one
of an investigator who becomes more engaged with the world as well as
his
profession.
Max
Willi
Fischer is adept at capturing the nuances of this era's pleasures and
pain
alike: "Chase took the girl with the tortoiseshell comb by
the hand for
the moment, calling out, “With your right hand, clasp your partner’s
right
hand.” The dance master proceeded with his impromptu demonstration.
“Step
towards your partner and rotate in counterclockwise motion.” The dance
master
released the young lady from his hand, and she returned to her place in
front
of the apprentice. Thomas bowed to his dark-haired partner whose
enlarged
pupils indicated this was her first dance as well. It seemed like small
consolation for his own stomach full of butterflies. Once the fiddler
began to
massage his strings and Thomas caught on to the repetitive nature of
the
rotating movements, he forgot about any nausea and enjoyed the gaiety
of the evening."
It
should be
noted that Fischer includes many footnoted definitions for the
terminology of
the times such as 'Irish biddies' (nee: annoying women). These
footnotes may be
unexpected in a fiction work and, for some, their presence on almost
every page
may prove a distraction. They are well needed, however, and eliminate
any
possibility of confusion over colloquial terms and their meaning.
As
hidden
treasure, a mystery surrounding Benedict Arnold, and adventure and
opportunity
change Thomas's life, a vivid story evolves against the specter of an
epidemic
that is changing the world.
Readers
immersed
in today's struggles over COVID will find much to recognize in this
vivid story
of discovery, recovery, and threats that stem from illness, evil,
legends, and
lost treasure alike. The plot, characters, and historical setting are
very well
done, and though the plot shifts unexpectedly, at times, readers remain
involved and interested to the end.
The
vivid
descriptions of 1800s New England and the history which powers this
mystery are
very nicely done, making Revelations From the Dead
a recommendation for
historical novel readers who enjoy stories steeped in a strong sense of
place.
Sentinel 10: The Diamond Rose
Daniela Valenti
Brigid Book Publishing
978-1777427306
$12.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Rose-Daniela-Valenti/dp/1777427304
The
Diamond Rose tells of medical
school grad Amanda
Griffith, who finds her life altered by a solar flare that causes her
to lose
consciousness momentarily, in a painful reaction. This prologue sets
the stage
with her medical training and unusual response to an event that will
change
everything.
As chapters unfold, readers learn that her
long-time efforts to regain her footing in life after her parents died
has led
her to this uncertain point where her lack of a relationship and life
purpose
has led to uncertainty about her training, her abilities, and her
future.
When she and her friend Lydia encounter a
supernatural force on the beach which emanates waves of inhuman evil,
she's led
onto a quest to realize not only her own special powers, but her
ultimate role
in life, which is far beyond any training she could have experienced.
As The Diamond Rose unfolds,
it's
demonstrated that Amanda is actually a powerful paranormal warrior
(albeit
untrained), and that her identity as the Sentinel 10 is one of the
undiscovered
purposes to her life. Her encounter with a young fellow warrior, Matt
Chadwick,
and an evil form of psychic energy that feeds on people is the first
confrontation in a series of events that leads Amanda into not just a
renewed
life purpose and impossible new world paradigms, but romance.
Many paranormal romance stories focus so
heavily on the developing relationship that the paranormal part is
largely set
aside. Daniela Valenti's ability to construct an entire plausible
background
for this romance and add Amanda's evolving new purpose, as well as a
new
relationship, contributes to a story that expands Amanda's perspective
of her
evolving psychic abilities.
As she learns about the solar flares that
indict new Sentinels into a select fold of only a few hundred
individuals and
result in different degrees of power, Amanda struggles to accept the
thought
that she is the greatest of them all, charged with a special form of
duty that
places her in a unique position.
From evolving powers and ghostly presences
to a newfound ability to touch other souls, readers receive a
satisfying
romance that explores the boundaries of new abilities, new feelings,
and new
responsibilities.
Readers of supernatural fantasy will find
this story hard to put down as Amanda steps into a role and world she'd
never
expected, challenging herself in new directions fueled not just by
romance, but
intrigue.
Readers seeking a multifaceted story of
growth and discovery, in addition to evolving explorations of love,
will find The
Diamond Rose a thoroughly absorbing adventure.
Tower Blues
Inga Wiehl
Waldorf Publishing
978-1-68418-293-0
$16.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
Tower Blues:
Solving the Riddle of Confinement
is an excellent work of historical
nonfiction well grounded in fact. Inga Wiehl consulted Danish
historical texts
as well one Leonora Christine Ulfeldt’s own writings during the making
of this
biographical sketch. The story revolves around 1600s king's daughter
Leonora
Christine Ulfeldt, who was arrested, brought to the Tower, and spent
over
twenty years imprisoned in isolation in a small cell.
These
historical
documents and her writings serve as the foundation for a moving,
engrossing
account that opens with an introduction explaining the wellsprings of
Inga
Wiehl's early discoveries about and fascination with Ulfeldt's life and
dilemma.
As
she absorbed
historical novels, biographical studies, and Ulfeldt's own writings,
Wiehl was
moved to generate this work of "creative nonfiction" embellishing the
story and explaining Danish politics, processes, and Ulfeldt's life and
times.
Readers
might
expect they should have at least a cursory background in relatively
obscure
1600s Danish history, but one of the pleasures of receiving a
nonfiction survey
that reads with the urgency and description of fiction is that
oftentimes (like
this), no such background is required.
Wiehl's
ability
to capture the sights and sounds of the times through Ulfeldt's
first-person
descriptions, along with her choices and political influences, is one
of the
factors that gives Tower Blues such a sense of
immediacy and attraction
even for readers with no background in Danish affairs: "This
must be
the day I will meet my one-time half-brother, Frederik, King of
Denmark.
“Absolute Monarch” they call him. I have been betrayed, or it would
never have
come to this. Idle hands make no reins for a racing mind. And race mine
must,
forward to the royal encounter and backward to my recent English
encounters. I
was wrong to go to England, and I know it. But I have never been able
to resist
when Corfitz pleads. And I know, too, that all our good years
together
committed me to the bad years that would come."
From her travels and political struggles to
her survival of the Tower and the passage of so many years, this tale
not only
captures the nuances of her life's challenges, but weaves Danish
political and
social concerns into the story line so deftly that newcomers to both
are never
lost or wondering: "We labor through May and June and get
into July
when I learn through Karen’s gossiping with Per that sentence has been
passed
on the prisoner below. Dr. Sperling, who has never been dismissed from
his
office as court physician to the Danish king and therefore remains
Frederik’s
subject despite his residence in Hamburg, is to be executed for high
treason.
How well I know the procedure. More days pass as we await sounds of
execution
in the castle yard, as once we listened to those of
the mock execution
of Corfitz."
This
is largely due to the vivid reenactment
of Leonora Christine Ulfeldt’s thoughts,
dreams, encounters with guards and fellow inmates, and the currents
that keep
her life perspective unusually grounded and on course against all odds.
Readers
of this
story should have a prior interest in history and the devices of
historical fiction
to fully appreciate how completely Wiehl laces together the drama,
atmosphere,
and concerns of the times into the wealth of facts she uncovered.
This
is a
literary and historical achievement that will especially be appreciated
by
readers of the historical fiction genre. This audience will find the
nonfiction
depth and detail, combined with the overlay of drama and insight, to be
uniquely compelling reading—unexpectedly and especially delightful,
given the
complexity of its subject.
The Turn
DL Fowler
Independently
Published
978-0-9963805-3-9
$19.95
http://dlfowler.com
The Turn is a biographical historical
novel of runaway slave
William Henry Johnson, who becomes President Lincoln's valet and
unwittingly
enters the spotlight of early civil rights struggles over Lincoln's
move to
emancipate the slaves. It not only chronicles Johnson's dilemmas and
challenges, but Lincoln's evolving social and political platform as he
interacts with Johnson and juggles a changing society with
revolutionary new
directions for America.
The story
opens with
Johnson's escape and near-lynching, capturing in vivid description the
events
that almost claim his life: "Horses
thundered past. A musket stock rammed William’s shoulder, rattling his
teeth,
driving him to his knees. Pain ran up his neck, down his arm. A coarse
hemp
rope tumbled around William’s neck. A boot pounded his back until he
slumped
forward. Another boot caught him hard between his shoulders, knocking
out his
breath. A musket stock hammered him until he lay on his stomach, face
in the
dirt. A heel pressed into the back of his neck. He could hardly
breathe."
This level
of
description is evident throughout the narrative as DL Fowler portrays
not only
social and political events that affect the two men independently, but
their
interactions and emotions as they respond to threats from attacks to
conspiracy
theories raised by the Pinkertons, who uncover an early plot that
involves
Baltimore’s chief of police.
Lincoln's
ability to
grasp the gravity of this nation in balance, the importance of his own
decisions and their lasting consequences, and William's involvement in
and
influence on his choices makes for a gripping story. More so than most
Lincoln
novels, it holds a rare ability to delve into the heart and mind of the
man and
the results of his interactions not just with ideals, but a former
slave who
struggles with his own confusion over his revised role in the white
man's
changing world.
William's
perceptions
and life evolves both alongside and independently of Lincoln's. This is
another
satisfying feature of this story, offering the unusual ability to
contrast
their sometimes-different views: "...when
I see those white boys losing arms or legs or eyes or dying, fighting
our peoples’
fight, I feel like less of a man.” “How would bein’ dead or maimed make
you
more of a man?” Her chin quivered. He sputtered. “Stop. Here’s what
makes me
feel like less of a woman. Knowin’ you’d rather die in place of one of
them
than live for me. Want to know what I think? They’re the ones what
stole our
freedom. They can pay the price to buy it back.” She stood and stomped
into the
house."
The
questions raised
in The Turn by the unique
juxtaposition of these two men will delight historical fiction readers.
This
audience will find it thought-provoking, involving, and much different
from the
usual Lincoln coverage, on many levels. It's a fine choice for those
who have
some prior background in Lincoln's life and times, who would imbibe of
a richer
and more complex set of scenarios and influences than the usual
approach.
The Weight of Salt
Sandra Montanino
Edwards Publishing
Ebook:
978-1-7345090-0-7
Paperback:
978-1-7345090-1-4
$14.95
Hardcover:
978-1-7345090-2-1
$28.95
www.SandraMontanino.com
Historical
romance
readers will discover that The Weight of
Salt holds its own in a field known for novels that too
often meld romance
with a dash of history rather than the other way around. The plot gives
equal
emphasis and strength to both facets as it describes the milieu of 1906
Florida, where 15-year-old Italian girl Angelina Pirrello finds herself
and her
family trapped between the rising Suffragist movement, the Mob, and the
prejudice against the Italian-American community she lives in.
Adding
romance to
this already-multifaceted mix might seem over the top, but Sandra
Montanino
does a fine job of exploring all of the evolving social, political, and
personal forces at work in this young girl's life. This adds a rich
dimension
of reality to experiences which are, after all, cemented in personal
growth and
struggle.
One might
think that,
given its teen protagonist, the age group of this story's intended
audience would
be young adult; but to limit it to these eyes alone would be to do the
novel a
grave injustice.
With its
swirl of
political and social insights, The Weight
of Salt should ideally reach far beyond a young adult
audience to touch all
ages. Perhaps an older protagonist would have lent validity to an older
audience choosing the book initially; but from the very beginning it's
evident
that the attraction here lies in the depth and variety of events and
cultural
inspections, even during an initial description of childbirth choices: "Though middle-aged and with graying
hair, Signora Bertelli had something ageless about her—not in
appearance but in
her enthusiasm for life. With a look of scorn, she waved her finger at
Domenico. “Who do you think is more useful, a midwife standing right in
front
of you or a doctor who’s nowhere to be found?” She narrowed her eyes.
“This is
the reason why God, with His divine wisdom, never trusted a man to have
a
child.”
Another
strength to
this plot lies in its depictions of old-world Italian traditions in
contrast to
the new world cultural influences of America. One reason these insights
are so
realistic (they will be more than familiar to anyone who has grown up
second
generation in America, as has this reviewer) is that many of the
experiences
stemmed from Sandra Montanino's
own background and family tales.
These lend a
solid
set of insights throughout a story that embraces Sicilian family
traditions;
from the specter of an arranged marriage to a boy Angelina doesn't love
to the
choices she faces in confronting family over the changing milieu of
American
liberties and women's rights.
At times it
may feel
like there is almost too much happening as far as social pressures.
However,
this reflects the reality of the times and the many forces Italian
families and
communities faced; especially against the backdrop of Ybor City,
Florida, where
the promise of riches to be gained by hard work is overshadowed by
those who
would take advantage of hard-working peoples.
It's a
delicate dance
between Angelina's evolving emotions, her coming of age during these
times, and
the pressures that drive her to reconsider long-held family values and
personal
goals.
The various
insights
from other women Angelina encounters, along with their experiences of
marriage,
are particularly well done: "You see
that, Angelina? Just because I got married, it doesn’t mean I have a
husband.
It means he got a wife. The man I married likes to spend our money on
gambling
and saves his voice for talking to the dog.” Eva reached inside her
pocket and
showed everyone her coins. “Before I met him, I was an heiress. Now,
this is
all that’s left.”
Readers
receive all
these insights and more in a story that is compelling, complex, and
especially
satisfying. It's highly recommended reading for historical romance
readers who
look for an emphasis on the sociology and history of the times as well
as
evolving romance.
To limit
this book to
young adults alone would be to limit its potential. The
Weight of Salt will ideally reach beyond the historical
romance
genre to engross readers of immigrant experience, women's literature,
and
women's social issues alike.
Awareness.
Clarity.
Power.
Jill S. MacDonald
Warren Publishing
978-1-7337955-8-6
$14.95
www.warrenpublishing.net
Awareness. Clarity. Power. is a personal
transformation opportunity
that no growth-oriented reader should miss, whether they're already
grounded in
new age and self-help techniques or not.
Readers may
be
surprised to learn that part of empowerment embraces an ability to
understand
the forces that drain that power. Jill S. MacDonald surveys how
personal power
is given away; but mostly importantly, she provides the nuts and bolts
on how
to recognize when this happens: "What
does it mean to give away our power? It means we look to others, to
situations,
to relationships, to outcomes, to circumstances in order to validate,
acknowledge,
measure, gauge ...what resides within us. The circumstances,
situations,
relationships, and outcomes in our lives are reflections from within.
The
simplest way to know you’ve given away your power is by how you feel.
It never
feels good to give away our power, and it always feels good to tap into
it.
Most of us have experienced moments when we knew we stood in our power,
felt
our alignment, and listened to our guidance. Utilize those moments to
assist
you in accessing your power more often."
Various such
powers
are discussed, from that of faith in a 'bigger picture' to aligning
thoughts
and emotions to affect and translate experiences.
Each step of
her
process opens the chapter with a (often surprising) contention ("Conclusions are illusions") and
a discussion that revolves around how to move past self-limiting
thoughts and
concepts to reach for the stars.
One of the
many
empowering ideas here is to embrace and support the kind of fluidity in
thought
and approach to life that lends to better outcomes, more clarity, and
deeper
meaning.
Readers who
embark on
Jill MacDonald's journey will find it thought-provoking, revealing, and
filled
with not just admonitions, but accompanying life examples designed to
resonate
with the psyches and experiences of a wide audience of readers.
Anyone
interested in
meditation, self-awareness, and development-oriented reads will relish
the
passion, strength, and specific tools for growth that are carefully
cultivated
cornerstones of Awareness. Clarity.
Power.
The
Black Market
Charles
Moore
Petite
Ivy Press
978-1-7351708-0-0
$29.99
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Market-guide-art-collecting/dp/1735170801/
The
Black Market: A Guide To Art Collecting is
a primer for would-be collectors and provides information how to start
collecting pieces from African-American and Black artists. This
specific
approach sets this book apart from more general 'how to' manuals,
narrowing the
focus to the history, culture, and presence of Black artists on the
market, and
the elements which make their works collectible (or not).
More
than just a listing of Black
artists and art
values, The Black Market offers all the basics
necessary for understanding
their history and creations. Complimenting the artist profiles and
historical
references is the methodology and resources for educating oneself on
art and
the art market in general. This allows readers to move beyond this
introduction
to deeper inspections of Black artists and their relationship to the
art
market
Artist
biographies are used to follow
the basic
history of evolving black artistry, providing insights into the
progression of
its history from 1900 to modern times.
Following
these foundation discussions
are chapters
probing methods for expanding one's knowledge about collectible art,
from
museum memberships and art fairs and galleries to how art schools,
residencies,
and auctions work.
Newcomers
to either Black art or
collecting in general
thus receive information specific to both which assumes no prior
knowledge of
other, making The Black Market accessible to those
just beginning to
feel excitement over discovering this market and its opportunities.
Sketches
of collectors who have risen
in the field
add many tips and insights that newcomers will find invaluable and
interesting:
"During his early days as a collector, Craig developed a habit
that
would stick with him for the rest of his life: he bought art that
related to
what was going on in his inner life, making his decision based on
emotions. If
there was something that seemed to speak to him on a personal level,
then he
would pay attention to it—and buy it. In 2008, for example, while Obama
was
running for the Democratic nomination, Craig found an artist whose work
epitomized the inspiration that he felt seeing Obama on the national
stage. He
found the art irresistible because it connected to what he was going
through,
and following the artist’s progress, he picked up
several of his
pieces."
These
insights from seasoned art
collectors other
than the author is one of the cornerstones of this book's expansive
approach.
The variety and depth of these experiences lends it a full-faceted
flavor that
a more singular approach couldn't duplicate.
Anyone
who would enter the world of
Black art
collecting for the first time should consider The Black
Market: A Guide To
Art Collecting a 'must have' foundation exploration
of all its
possibilities. The book opens many doors particular to the Black art
market
that other, more general art collecting books don't hold. It is very
highly
recommended reading that captures the rise and trends of the African
American
art world.
A
Cause for Alarm: Mental Illness and
Public Policy
Joseph W. Vanable, Jr.
DartFrog Books
Print: 978-1-951490-48-5
$10.00
eBook: 978-1-951490-49-2
$ 3.00
www.dartfrogbooks.com
Mental
illness is
biologically-based, and
should be one of the more treatable diseases. So, why do so many people
go
without treatment and fall into medical insurance gaps? A
Cause for Alarm:
Mental Illness and Public Policy identifies the connection
between the
perception of mental illness and the public policy that governs its
treatment
and presents one of the major obstacles to recovery.
First,
Vanable sets the stage
with discussions
of how mental illness is categorized, different forms of mental illness
in
adults and children, and the history of early treatments. As chapters
review
the stigma surrounding mental illness, the evolution of public and
health
policies on treatment processes and how options are limited for many
who suffer
from mental illness, readers receive all the background needed to
appreciate
how both this condition and the public response to it have affected
access to
health care over the years.
Even
more important are later
discussions of the
evolution of public policies as they relate to medical, insurance, and
criminalization concerns. Each chapter contributes another piece to the
greater
puzzle of why mental illness, out of all the medical conditions,
experiences a
greater set of restrictions to adequate treatment.
More
often than is
the case for
other illnesses, social influences, perceptions, and legal
proceedings
dictate the kind, quality, and presence of medical care for mental
illness. A
thorough understanding of these procedures and barriers is necessary
before
anyone can consider breaking through them to revise public policy to
benefit
those who live with mental illness.
Vanable
takes the time to explain the
roots of
these concerns, from insurance industry focus on cost containment to
the costs
of transinstitutionalization, which places more people living with
mental
illness in prisons than in treatment centers. The human and fiscal
costs of
choosing prison over treatment are also outlined in a hard-hitting
examination
of what too often happens to mentally ill people who have nowhere to go
and no
effective medical treatment.
Suggestions
for improvements to the
system to
radically reduce the numbers of mentally ill who remain untreated also
provides
a backbone of strength to a title that does more than outline the
issues and
their history, but shows where public policies can be changed to save
money and
lives.
No
collection on mental illness, law,
or public
policy should be without the hard-hitting, well-researched and
footnoted A
Cause for Alarm. It raises many striking questions over
issues that need to
be addressed.
Have
a Peak at
This: Synergize Your Body's Clock Towards a Highly Productive You
Said Hasyim
Independently
Published
978-981-14-7038-7
Ebook:
$3.99/Paperback: $13.99/Hardcover: $24.99
Website: www.saidhasyim.com
Ordering: https://amzn.to/38lnWc6
Have a Peak at This: Synergize Your Body's
Clock Towards a Highly Productive You is more than just another treatise on improving
productivity, but links
the body's circadian rhythms to efforts to be more effective. It builds
a
foundation of efficiency based on the knowledge that these rhythms not
only are
the wellspring of energy, but are too often thwarted by synthetic
light and terrible sleep schedules—not to mention artificially induced
goals
for increased activity.
By working within a personal knowledge of one's
rhythms, readers receive the opportunity to tap greater energy without
diminishing it through synthetically enforced expectations of
unreasonable
schedules.
Case history examples pepper advice which
admonishes
that "When
you get your body’s clock in tune, you can plan difficult tasks for
when you
are most alert, and complete them faster
and at double the
quality than when you perform them at other times of the day."
Chapters discuss various influences on those
rhythms
which readers can personally take charge of, from different types of
exercise
and balancing sugar levels to practicing time-restricted eating and
understanding how circadian rhythms affect meal choices: "The circadian clocks of
our digestive organs
are not very optimal at night, as they are preparing your body for
maintenance
and sleep."
Science
and
health facts balance with lifestyle considerations and is supported by
both
research and case history examples throughout. This makes it easy for
readers
to connect the dots between the latest findings on how circadian
rhythms
operate and daily lifestyle choices.
Said
Hasyim
cultivates a clear purpose in outlining all these facets: "My wish and the reason I wrote this book is that
people will
realize they can reach the best of their abilities by harnessing the
power of
their own circadian rhythm."
His
information-filled self-help guide is especially recommended for
readers who
would not just increase productivity, but ultimately get their lives
more in
sync with their body's inherent system of wellbeing. It's especially
highly
recommended for health-conscious readers who seek to get the most out
of their
lifestyle choices for better energy and health.
The
Light of Days Gone By
Craig Varjabedian
Eloquent Light Editions
9780999673218
$34.95
www.eloquentlighteditions.com
Photographer
Craig Varjabedian spent
45 years
creating the photos for The Light of Days Gone By,
capturing
light-filled images from the glowing red hills of Ghost Ranch to the
white
dunes of White Sands and other locales. Reminiscent of the works of Andrew
Wyeth,
Grant Wood or John Singer Sargent, but with a more
powerful nature
focus, The Light of Days Gone By is an outstanding
synthesis of color
and New Mexican landscapes and peoples, and is a highly recommended
pick for
arts and American history holdings alike.
Curator
Cindy Lane provides an equally
compelling
essay introducing her thirty-plus years of professional relationship
with this
photographer and how she worked with galleries and museums across the
country
to foster and display his works. She's seen almost every photograph
he's ever
made, assisted on many shoots, and navigates the world of art
exhibitions with
an eye to promoting one of the most captivating photographers of modern
times.
Her
essay, along with the insights of
others,
compliments these color images, which serve as a testimony to Craig
Varjabedian's long-term career and the evolution of many themes in the
process
of his photographic endeavors and exhibitions.
Myra
Bullington's essay is another
powerful note
that lends further insights into his art and her relationship with it.
The
juxtaposition of black and white
and color
images, one to a page and in a good size for excellent resolution and
impact,
along with the arrangement of these pieces to reflect their evolving
power and
subjects, is simply exquisite.
Discriminating
arts and history
holdings seeking
exceptional—even extraordinary—works should make The Light of
Days Gone By
a mainstay and cornerstone acquisition for their collections.
Yes,
it is that good.
The
Mastery of
You
Renu S. Persaud
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-944784-83-6
$22.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
The Mastery of You:
A Journey Toward the Understanding
of Self is a self-help primer
designed for readers who would take the first steps toward personal
transformation by better understanding their motivations, fears, and
their
reactions to life. It's a discussion based on self-mastery that charts
a course
intended to be "interwoven into everyday practice," advocating
interpersonal
interactions that stem first from self-awareness, then acknowledgement
of
alternative options.
Now,
more than
ever, such an approach to life seems needed. While other books hold
similar
approaches, few provide the pragmatic, reasoned self-assessing tools
Renu S.
Persaud has cultivated as a program for change.
Chapters
advocate not just changing onesself, but caring for self before helping
others.
The author's interactions with hundreds of people, Her scholarly roots
as a
college professor, and her research into thousands of sociological,
psychological, philosophical, art, cultural, historical, business, and
neuroscientific sources lend to a solid survey. It moves beyond most
ideal-based new age treatises to embrace the nuts and bolts of
statistics and facts
surrounding self-mastery.
Many
of her
admonitions stem from the modern human condition, and feel all too
recognizable: "Despite today’s emphasis on selfhood, there
exists a
perilous loneliness. Even with the attention we receive from
technological and non-technological
sources, emptiness pervades. We are adrift and missing something
deeper. The
strength that stems from within and not one that is a showcase of
beauty and
privilege is important, yet we fail to recognize this. Today we are
searching
for happiness continually. Why is it that so many of us seek
happiness—why are
we seeking rather than being happy?"
From
corporate
examples of leadership roles and their choices to how helping others
aids in
self-healing, Persaud provides many insights into not just one
approach, but
various facets of the self-mastery process.
The
result is a
rare exploration of self improvement that is firmly rooted in science,
facts,
history, business, and other disciplines. This will delight and attract
a
pragmatic audience usually skeptical of ethereal thinking. The
Mastery of
You is very highly recommended for its solid examination not
just of the
ideal of self-mastery, but the various influences on making this part
of
everyday life choices.
Mortgaging
the
American Dream: What Were We Thinking?
R. Michael
Conley
Beaver's Pond
Press
978-1643438849
$24.95 Hardcover/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Mortgaging-American-Dream-What-Thinking/dp/1643438840
Mortgaging the
American Dream: What Were We Thinking?
asks a serious question about the kind of
world that is being created and left for future generations, tackling
the issue
of how current generations are 'borrowing' on future generations'
viability
through decisions that compromise humanity's survival, from the
environment to
economic and social strength.
Between
climate
change and cyberwarfare to pandemics and economic challenges, R.
Michael Conley
maintains that conditions are right for a 'perfect storm' that will not
just
compromise the lives of future Americans, but the ability of the planet
to
maintain an environment that supports human life as we know it.
The
insidious
progression of all of these forces is noted: "This was never
our
intent. We didn’t even know we were doing it. But like a chronic
disease, it
crept up on us and insidiously grew until it became too noticeable to
hide. The
warning signs were there, but they went ignored or unnoticed. Gradual
at first,
the forces of change are now morphing into existential threats."
Conley's
contentions take the form of a search for answers over how all these
seemingly
disparate pieces of the puzzle are coming together in a dangerous way.
As
readers move
through stories of Conley's own coming of age and realizations about
the
American dream, they provide close examination of evolving events that
began as
seemingly localized situations only to evolve into a dangerous bigger
picture.
His
personal
experiences and life are drawn into the story as he reviews his ideals,
the
realities of coming of age in a changing world, the policies and
processes set
by social and political decision-makers during this time, and
connections
between today's issues and how they came to be.
His
comments and
observations of this process serve as an eyewitness story that future
generations may turn to when they ask 'why?' and 'how did this
happen?', but
its real value lies in its ability to reach modern audiences when there
is
still some hope of effecting change.
The
call to
action which rounds up this summary is particularly compelling: "...recognize
that time is working against us. Powerful feedback loops are hastening
the
degradation of our life-support systems diminishing Earth’s capacity to
sustain
growth at current rates. The bias to act must be urgent and powerful."
Consider
Mortgaging
the American Dream a wake-up call. The clock is ticking, and
those who read
Conley's book can't claim they didn't see these things coming.
No
Prostate
Required
Serge Thomas
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64570-876-6
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Think
'prostate
cancer' and concurrent visions of erectile dysfunction and the loss of
sex
speed to the forefront of concern, in many cases superseding worries
over
health and longevity. That's why readers may be surprised to learn that
prostate cancer may not preclude a full and active sex life when they
read
Serge Thomas's memoir No Prostate Required, whose
subtitle is How I
Dealt With Prostate Cancer And Now Enjoy A Cancer-Free, Robust And Full
Life.
Any
couple
facing a similar diagnosis (and men, in particular, who view it as the
death
knell of sex) will find Thomas provides candid discussions of his
treatment
options, their lasting impact, and the role of physical and emotional
affection
in a relationship.
One
doesn't
expect an undercurrent of humor to run through such a story, but this
offers a
satisfying comic relief to the very serious topic of prostate cancer,
from initial
diagnosis to treatment: "What would be my first step? Yellow
pages, or
today’s version–Google: “Doctors proficient at radical prostatectomy”?
Or,
“Doctors proficient at radical prostatectomy who do not leave their
patients
helplessly impotent and incontinent”? Or, better yet, “Doctors
proficient at
radical prostatectomy, who simultaneously increase the size and length
of their
patient’s penis, improve sexual performance, and guarantee a more
fulfilled
sex life”?
There
are also
frank discussions of emotional impact and intimacy related to
perceptions of
sex's importance that pull no punches in outlining major obstacles the
couple
faced after diagnosis: "All that I was fighting for suddenly
had
disappeared and I had begun to flounder. Lisa, however, was rock solid
on her
love for me, reiterating if we may not be able to be intimate in that
way in
the future that nothing would change between us. I hate to say this,
but I did
not believe her. I believed that we all have requisite needs, in this
case sex,
and my not being able to perform would somehow change things."
Candid
discussions of intimacy, erections, and the pursuit of happiness also
embrace
the aftermath of cancer treatments and the various new routines and
compromises
that need to be made not only on a sexual and emotional level, but in
handling
basic bodily functions.
Readers
seeking
the level of explicit advice that is presented more coyly or not at all
in
other books about treatment options for prostate cancer will welcome
the
approach of an author who has been there and experienced many of these
options
and concerns.
The
atmosphere
of investigation; experimentation; understanding consequences and
compromises
to health, performance, and ability; and the ongoing struggle to
maintain a healthy,
active life drives a story that is filled with many insights and
opportunities.
This will prove especially important for those newly entering the
prostate
cancer journey.
The
result
should be on the top of the reading list of any individual and his
family who
faces a new diagnosis of prostate cancer and all the special challenges
this
entails.
Old
Testament
Readings & Devotionals, Volume 2
C.M.H. Koenig
Inscript Books, A
Division of Dove Christian Publishers
978-1-7348625-9-1
$19.99
www.cmhkoenigbooks.net
C.M.H.
Koenig's
second volume in Old Testament Readings
& Devotionals covers the books of Exodus, Leviticus,
and Numbers as
they reveal God’s spiritual plan for his people (redemption,
sanctification,
and perseverance), and continues the Biblical study introduced in the
first
book.
It should be
forewarned that this is no light synthesis. It's the second book of a
projected
14-volume series, and blends an in-depth study of each book of the
Bible with
devotionals supporting the read.
The readings
are
deceptively short. Each consists of, generally, one chapter from the
Bible,
while the associated devotionals provide excerpts from Robert Hawker
(1753–1827), Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), or Octavius Winslow’s
(1808-1878)
works. C.M.H. Koenig chose to quote the CSB version in the
introductions in
cases where the wording wasn’t critical to keeping it in the old
Authorized
(King James) Version (AKJV). There are many versions/ translations to
choose
from.
Readers who
follow
this study with Bible in hand will find the introductory Biblical
passage in
italics. This helps locate the key message of the chosen section and
juxtapose
it with the study quote from one of the above scholars, such as Robert
Hawker's
comment on Exodus 2:24: "This is a
precious scripture. My soul, put a note upon it. No sigh, no groan, no
tear of
God’s people can pass unobserved. He putteth the tears of his people in
his
bottle. Surely then he can never overlook what gives vent to those
tears, the
sorrows of the soul."
Readers can
read
along in whatever Bible version/translation of their choice. Free
online
versions/translations are available at Bible Gateway (https://www.biblegateway.com/
) or YouVersion (https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
).
Readings are
provided
materials for daily contemplation. This allows for a special brand of
study
that adds depth by spacing out the readings and devotionals for
in-depth
contemplation.
The works
gathered in
this collection are especially hard-hitting passages. This is yet
another
example for Day 56, from Leviticus 20: "… I am the LORD your
God who
set you apart from the peoples.” Leviticus 20:24
Let the Reader remark with me, in the perusal of
these verses, the
grounds on which the Lord enjoins sanctity of life and manners, and the
very
strong motives in which it is founded, namely, that the Lord is the God
of his
people in a covenant way, and that they are his people. So that being
thus
distinguished as the peculiar objects of his love, reason as well as
revelation
seems to demand that they should be the peculiar followers of his holy
law. See
what Moses elsewhere saith of this, Deuteronomy 33:29.
(Hawker, Poor Man's
Old Testament Commentary: Genesis-Numbers, 512)
This careful
juxtaposition of Biblical source material and the reflection expanding
its
meaning offers essential material suitable for self-study and Bible
study
groups alike.
C.M.H.
Koenig has
done the hard work of pulling out selected passages and pairing them
with the
thought-provoking insights of these seasoned scholars. All the Bible
study
student needs to do now is reflect upon and apply these meanings to
their own
understanding of the Bible's intentions and the progression of their
own lives.
Bible
students of all
ages who look for daily devotionals linked to explicit Biblical
passages will
find this approach revealing and accessible. There is no better way to
savor
the Scriptures and their underlying meaning than through a
well-organized study
plan such as this.
Side Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites
Amy Jean
Jean Publications, LLC
9781734476644
$19.66
www.amyjean.live
At first glance, the hard copy of Side
Steps Terrorizing Sound Bites appears to be printed upside
down. The front
cover leads to the upside down back of the story, and the reader opens
from the
back to begin. The back cover presents a poem that starts "Going
in
reverse caused me to curse/laboring to diffuse anger/from the course
I'd
traversed." This leads one to think that this is a
purposeful move
rather than a printer's error. And so the fun begins.
Each poem receives a color drawing by
illustrator Eric Savage, who provides visual embellishment for the
lyrical
works within. More so than most poets who choose to add color
embellishments,
these pictures of people, animals, places, and situations are suitable
artistic
enhancements that both support written words and stand on their own as
lovely
drawings supporting the epic poetry production.
Readers move through life experiences with
reflections that blend history, philosophical, and psychological
inspection.
Some question the nature of perception and reality, as in 'Facts': "A
story is a story;/What exactly are the facts?/—Your perspective/My
perspective—who can argue with that?"
Some are whimsical; others quite serious.
The free-flowing style moves between verse and free verse with equal
skill as
Jean weaves a powerful story with action calls that link history and
personal
choice and perspective.
Powerful reflections link daily life's
challenges to broader experience as in 'Back from the Front', which
connects
military endeavors with fifty years of "calculation, terrorism and
isolation" and describes them with a series of vivid images: "Mine's
a ride down a slide/a fall in an elevator,/a spin in a tornado
&/a climb up
a ladder/Again, and again, and again..."
The result is poetic social inspection at
its best: a journey of compelling, engaging historical examination that
links
personal experience and evolution to activism in a compelling, unique,
artistic
manner where everything in life is potentially revolutionary.
So
Your Plant
Sucks!
Casey Williams
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64316-583-7
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Readers
might
initially think So Your Plant Sucks! What Are You Going To Do
About It?
is about gardening, but it's about the workplace, advising managers and
business owners about the nuts and bolts of tailoring a profitable
production
plant even when profit indicators would seem to point to positive
margins: "I
remember a conversation with a plant manager during which I questioned
the
plant’s performance. He looked
at me and said, “We’re making strong
margins. What’s your problem?” Well, my problem was we couldn’t
continue performing
like that and expect to maintain those positive margins or any others
breathing
black ink.
Cost
Of Poor
Quality (COPQ) is the primary subject in Casey Williams's book, which
examines
lying, fibs, and other methods managers and participants use to ignore
early
warning signals until business turns and is often lost to more savvy
plant
competitors.
Charts,
diagrams, and a straightforward approach pulls no punches in outlining
the
sources of plant management issues, whether they come from leadership,
regulations, or concerns about the bottom line. Williams closely
considers the
roots of these problems and exposes them for managers who may not have
understood some of their origins: "Just a touch of honesty
about
value-added vs. non-value-added. What I said is true, but there’s a
type of
waste that doesn’t quite fall into either category. We call it
“essential
non-value-added” or “business non-value-added”. This is waste in the
purest
sense, but we’re going to do it anyway. These could be safety-related,
government-mandated, or quality-ensuring. They’re waste, but are not
optional."
This
is no
idealistic feature of what could be, but a solid, reasoned review of
what too
often happens to reduce plant efficiency and, eventually, its overall
operation
status. Plenty of concrete options for change are presented alongside
outlines
of the problem that afford not just food for thought, but materials for
changing both how plant operations are perceived and how they are
transformed
into something better.
The
result is a
business book managers will actually grasp and utilize for best
performances in
both their own leadership role and the overall plant's functions.
It's
a primer
which should be provided to every plant manager upon their new job's
start,
providing all the tools needed to move from identifying small problems
before
they become big to making the kinds of decisions that result in maximum
efficiency, production, and better leadership approaches.
Very
highly
recommended, So Your Plant Sucks! What Are You Going To Do
About It?
ideally will reach beyond management to draw the owner's attention.
You Are
Their
Lighthouse
Jill S. MacDonald
Warren Publishing
978-1-7355601-5-1
$14.95
www.warrenpublishing.net
Parenting
and being
responsible for another's life trajectory, guiding their most
influential
years, is a big challenge. Many have wished for a blueprint of advice
covering
major hurdles and best practices along the way.
You Are Their Lighthouse provides an
inspirational, uplifting
support system and is recommended reading for new parents, especially
those who
feel overwhelmed. It also helps to have a prior dose of new age
familiarity
with conscious-raising and self-help approaches, because You
Are Their Lighthouse incorporates these and more into its
advice.
From
parenting
blueprints and self-awareness exercises to insights and wisdoms from
experience
that are meant to help parents sync with their core values and
perceptions of
what it means to be both a parent and a child, this guide opens with a
thought-provoking contention: "Our
children choose us. And we choose them. It is a choice made at a soul
level. It is an incredible journey of loving, learning,
growing, and
expanding
for both parent and child. It is a powerful and sacred bond. We are
inextricably linked to our children––heart to heart, soul to soul."
It also
provides an
introductory caution—that parents who choose this book need to be open
to
self-awareness and growth: "The trick
to parenting in an awakened state is balancing self-awareness and
self-care
with lots of patience and parenting tools." Those who
initially think
the guide will include advice on rigid boundary-setting and approaches
to
controlling situations may be surprised at the emphasis of lessons
which
cultivate a sense of parental mindfulness in the parenting process.
As the
chapters
evolve, parents receive a primer that throws down a gauntlet of growth
and
guidance not just for the child, but the reader: "Continue
to challenge your beliefs of what a good parent should
be. Ask yourself if those beliefs are actually even yours." And
as these
lessons on how to be more self-aware are imparted, parents should see a
correlation
between their own growth and the evolution of their attitudes about
parenting
and their child's unique path in life both due to their influences and
independent of them.
You Are Their Lighthouse is simply
outstanding, detailing a
growth-oriented approach that celebrates and guides the parent's
efforts and
new role. It's the primer that should be a baby shower pick alongside
all the
guides covering the basics of how to handle a baby and raise a child.
Bricktown
Boys
Pete Fanning
Immortal Works LLC
978-1-953491-02-2
$12.99
www.petefanning.com
Sam
Beasley is almost a teenager, but
he already
knows two important things about the trajectory of his life: he wants
his
mother to quit dating the dubious men who come and go from their lives,
and he
longs to play football even though there is no team and no sports
opportunities
in dead-end Bricktown.
Middle
grade readers receive the
inviting story of
a dilemma when a well-meaning mentor becomes involved in helping Sam
and other
kids realize their sports dream, only to attach a price tag to her
sponsorship
that leaves them wondering if the effort is worth its cost.
Whether
it's confronting his mother's
issues or his
lifelong dream, Sam's perceptions and voice are dramatically presented
in a
pragmatic first-person voice that continually assesses his world's
realities: "The
screen door banged shut as I walked into our dump of a house. A blast
of
hairspray and perfume hit me head on, tangled in a cloud of cigarette
smoke
leaking from the bathroom. The radio blared. My mom hummed her happy
hums along
with a song. My shoulders dropped. She didn’t hum like that when she
was
sticking around. Happy hums meant my mom was going out for the evening.
This
was no good. My mom didn’t do so hot when it came to guys. Probably
because it
was always the same guy with a different name. Stupid guys who liked to
barge
into our house and start bossing us around. And that was if they stuck
around
at all."
His
astute analysis of others isn't
just limited to
his mother's boyfriends, either. His ability to interact with and
understand
his peers is equally realistic: "Around the other guys Tommy
was all
mouth, but when it was just the two of us he was an all right guy. And
even though
Tommy was a shrimp, he was confident. He never seemed to worry about
what
people thought or what people wore, he just did what he liked. And the
guy was
a whiz, always talking about computers and technology. Most of the time
I could
hardly keep up with what
he was
saying."
This
analytical ability both gets him
in trouble
and out of it as Sam faces increasing challenges at home from his
mother's
latest boyfriend, struggles with school, and finds that even his most
dubious
friendship connections provide a lifeline of help when tragedy strikes.
Pete
Fanning's portrait of a gritty,
determined boy
who finds ways to survive on many levels creates a compelling story
that proves
hard to put down. While readers might initially think it revolves
around sports
dreams, there's a lot more going on in Sam's life. His reactions,
choices, and
their consequences will prove thoroughly engrossing in a story highly
recommended for pre-teens.
Cotton Club Princess
Carla Diggs
Waldorf Publishing
978-1-945174-18-6
$16.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
Readers of African-American historical
fiction well know that the picks are slim in this category, compared to
other
genres. There simply aren't enough good books on the subject. But this
isn't
just why Cotton Club Princess is a recommended read
for young adults.
Set in 1928 and revolving around the coming
of age of teen Nostalgia Richardson, who does housework for a living
but dreams
of a better life, Cotton Club Princess captures the
atmosphere and times
of the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance for an age group that seldom
receives immersion in this era, let alone African-American lives of
yesteryear.
Nostalgia may be 'cleaning up after white
folks' in Spivey’s Grove, South Carolina, but she harbors big dreams of
a
different life. She's heard about the big city of New York and the
Cotton Club,
and she aims to go there and dance at the Club even if she has to
change the
trajectory of everything she's been taught, in order to do so.
Unlike most girls her age, Nostalgia never
stopped reading or dreaming. This curiosity and persistence serves her
well as
she moves from a small-town experience to becoming more worldly and
wise in the
world.
Carla Diggs does a fine job of outlining not
only Nostalgia's adventures, but the background and training that give
her the
special ability to go places few women in her position dream of
achieving.
As she becomes a performer and realizes many
dreams, readers are treated to a positive story of ambition and success
rarely
seen in African-American stories. Nostalgia faces adversity with the
grit and
determination of an independent woman, managing her own money, taking
on an
entertainment career, and making her way through the world by forging
new paths
for which she's had little prior training.
Also especially notable are the changing
times and attitudes towards women by the various bands that move
through the
Cotton Club. These social changes are duly noted by the now-savvy
Nostalgia:
"Some of the musicians in Cab’s band, especially Charles Sherman, asked
me
out on various occasions. I know I seemed unsociable, but they accepted
my
polite decline every time. The boys in the band were so different now.
Duke
Ellington’s men were quiet gentlemen who made sure if they saw one of
the
dancers leaving they would put her in a taxi, or do whatever needed to
be done
to see to it that she got home safely. Cab’s band members didn’t so
much as
open the door for us! They drank and smoked quite a bit much for me
too."
Nostalgia's drive to control and change her
life is affected by various forces, from her upbringing and family
roots in
Spivey's Grove to her new life in the big city. At times, they
intersect and
clash.
Throughout it all, young readers receive a
vivid story that embraces the changing tides of racial relationships
and
women's rights through the eye of a girl whose Cotton Club dreams come
true in
unexpected ways.
Readers of African American historical
fiction for teens well know the dearth of materials in this genre, but Cotton
Club Princess would be a standout even if it were laden with
superior
works. It will appeal to those who look for historical accuracy paired
with the
appealing saga of a spunky, determined young female protagonist who
goes into
the world to take charge of her life and realize her dreams to be a
performer
against all odds.
Deputy Pete
and the
Purloined Pickles Puzzle
James J. Griffin
Condor Publishing,
Inc.
978-1-931079-28-0 $10.95
www.condorpublishinginc.com
Winchester,
Texas is
home to the handsome Deputy Pete, who patrols its streets with purpose
and
effectiveness. But he may have met his match over the mystery that
unfolds in
the middle grade Western read Deputy Pete
and the Purloined Pickles Puzzle.
James J.
Griffin's
background in producing Western novels for all ages continues to prove
a plus
here, creating a story which nicely blends a mystery with a rural Texas
environment.
Deputy Pete
tackles a
big problem that Sheriff Sam Slade has been unable to handle. Even more
importantly, who would steal all the cucumbers and pickles in town?
More than
the perp and the deputy are in a pickle by the time the options are
considered
and the rationale behind pickle picking is presented.
Humor and
fun blend
with problem-solving approaches as the deputy puts on his thinking
cowboy hat
and rides out to confront pickle perp possibilities.
The dialogue
between
Pete, his parents, and others is often fun, offering plays on 'p' words
that
kids will relish: "But it is funny,
son," his father commented, "you just keep on pondering over pilfered
pickles." "Mr.
Porter,"
said Pete's mother, "I'm trying to get our son to relax, and you're
encouraging
him to worry about pickles."
As the savvy
deputy
works with three young sleuths, Libby, Ben, and Jose, to solve this
puzzle,
readers will delight in conversations that capture whimsical
problem-solving
approaches to his job.
James J.
Griffin's
ability to incorporate the folksy, homespun atmosphere of a good
Western with a
child's eye to solving a small town puzzle creates a compelling story
that will
delight kids interested in law enforcement conundrums.
It's a fine
read that
will keep young folk guessing to the end, and blends the atmosphere and
approach of a Western with a mystery that introduces kids to the
potential
range and strengths of the Western novel format.
Elevator
Jones
Meets the Wright Brothers
Dan Soderberg
and Greyson Soderberg
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-858-2
$12.95
www.WaldorfPublishing.com
12-year-old
readers will find Elevator Jones Meets the Wright Brothers
an unusual,
fun exploration of third grader Henry Jones and his imaginative world.
During
the day,
the hero is a mild-mannered schoolboy; but in his time off he becomes a
time
traveler who explores the past and solve its problems along with his
cohorts, Tommy and Horatio. It helps that the old Excelsior
Hotel where he
lives with his parents has an aging elevator that serves as a portal to
these
other realms.
It
also helps
that, in their latest adventure, a botched social studies test about
the Wright
Brothers leads them directly to the era in which the Wright Brothers
made their
legendary mark. There's only one problem. In their desire to solve
problems of
the past, they discover they've inadvertently changed air travel in
their own
time.
Now
they need to
go back and fix it, lest air travel turn into a figment of Henry's
imagination.
A
father-son
team has penned this story, added colorful, simple drawings, and
includes a
healthy dose of unexpected humor: "Horatio! Horatio!” yelled
Henry as
he approached Horatio’s table. “What’s the trouble Henry?” asked
Horatio, as he
lifted a spoonful of soup from his bowl.“We need help with the
elevator,”
replied Henry. “Carl’s filling in for me. I’m having soup. It’s beef
barley
night,” said Horatio as he took another spoonful of soup. “I understand
that
it’s beef barley night, but Carl can’t help us with this one,” replied
Henry.
“Don’t tell me,” answered Horatio. “Yep. This is a job for Elevator
Jones,”
replied Henry. “Nope. Not doing it Henry. No time travel on beef barley
night.
I wait all week for this day,” said Horatio."
The
blend of
whimsy, adventure, history, and time travel dilemmas makes this story
particularly inviting to prior fans of Danny Dunn and other time
machine tales
for kids.
From the dunes
of Kitty Hawk to struggles between the famous brothers, preteen readers
receive
a lively history-based leisure read that is compelling and hard to put
down.
Parents seeking read-alouds for kids who don't yet have reading skills
but are
interested in an absorbing time-travel adventure suitable for multiple
bedtime
nights will find this an excellent choice, as well.
Explore
the
World of Chemistry
Christi Sperber
Nanoscale
Scientists Publishing, LLC
9781953492005
$9.99 Hardcover/$4.99 Kindle
www.nanoscalescientists.com
From
'A is for
Atom', which explains how atoms form everything, to 'J is for Joule (a
measurement of energy), the bright illustrations of happy children
interacting
with and demonstrating basic principles of chemistry are exceptionally
well
done, providing the color and sense of adventure needed to engross the
very
young in the world of science.
Parents,
too,
will find these one-line explanations simple to understand, serving as
a
refresher course on many of the basic terms used in chemistry.
There
are many
chemistry and science books on the market for older readers, but this
picture
book primer is a top recommendation for parents looking to help young
beginning
readers get a head start on both their alphabet and the world of
chemistry.
Five Funny Tummy Men
Jean Reed
The Peppertree Press LLC
9781614937098
$14.95
www.peppertreepublishing.com
Five
Funny Tummy
Men requires good reading skills,
even though it's a slim paperback. It features fun drawings by Clyde
Seymour
and Jason Fowler and explores the physiology of what happens after you
eat.
Where does food go? Basic digestion concepts are explained via the
'five funny
tummy men' who process it.
A chatty observational style belays the
usual science-based discussion for young people. This invites them to
become
engaged in a funny story that blends imaginative ideas with real facts
about
digestion. In this story, the fictional five little men "...live
right
down in YOUR tummy. When your tummy aches - they are giving you a wee
little
kick. When your tummy makes noises, they are talking to you."
Dialogue between these men as they work to
digest food is whimsical and fun, as are the descriptions, but the
basic idea
is to present physiological functions in a more engaging style than the
usual
picture book approach.
Parents who choose to read this story aloud
to young ones will find it both entertaining and educational—a
satisfying blend
of imaginative characters and real facts that will lead kids to
remember these
physiological bodily functions and how they work.
Henry
the
Astronaut
Jonna Amato
Ocampo
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-859-9
$6.99
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Henry the Astronaut tells of Henry the teddy bear's nighttime musing
about the stars and
the possibility of his venturing out among them, and presents a lovely
picture
book rhyme about his adventures.
Jonna
Amato
Ocampo's drawings are perfect bedtime attractions as Henry makes his
journey
from bed into the stars via his imagination. The rhyme changes meter
throughout, which may stymie parents who begin the story with the
traditional
four-line rhyme and move into areas either unrhymed or differently
arranged.
But this approach adds variety and unpredictability to the story as
youngsters
follow happy Henry's enthusiastic encounters with the moon and stars.
The
underlying
message offers a positive vision of exploration, discovery, and
risk-taking as
kids absorb not just Henry's adventures, but his freewheeling, fun
attitude
towards new experiences.
Parents
will
welcome this story for its opportunity to instill such a spirit early
on in the
very young via an inviting bedtime read-aloud.
Just
Between Sam
and Me
Cat Michaels and
Rosie Russell
2101 Ink
978-0-9983372-3-4
$9.99 Print/$2.99 Digital
Author Website: https://www.catmichaelswriter.com/just-between-sam-and-me.html
Cowriter
Website: https://booksbyrose.com/just-between-sam-and-me/
Tweens
ages 8-12
will delight in a warm story about shy Olivia Martin, who is starting
sixth
grade without her best friend at her side. When she earns the unwelcome
attention of a school bully who challenges her, this leads her to write
of her
experiences in a diary directed to her cat Sam. Readers gain insights
into the
thoughts of a young victim and how she handles daily bullying.
After
a fine
third-person introduction to Sam's newfound journal-writing, the story
moves to
the journal format itself, which probes the heart of the bullying
experience
and juxtaposes with third-person objective descriptions.
Eleven-year-old
Olivia provides the background details of her new grade level, family,
and farm
life. The moves between journal and third-person story are nicely done,
and the
line drawings which pepper the account are good embellishments as
readers gain
perspectives about Olivia and her special sixth grade challenge in a
town she
loves, Spring Hope.
As
she new girl
Candace Mazare proceeds to make her life miserable, Olivia discovers
that
Candace is used to a bigger, fancier world than Olivia's beloved small
town,
and doesn't hesitate to criticize everything she sees. This is in fine
contrast
to the usual children's story of the shy new girl in town who becomes
the
object of attack. The new girl in this case is belligerent, critical,
and more
than capable of injecting division into a group of students who have
known each
other most of their lives.
Cat
Michaels and
Rosie Russell create a story that offers a satisfying twist on the
perspective
of bullying, victims, and even more importantly, how divisions are
created in a
group. These offer realistic, invaluable lessons that kids will find
essential
to understanding life events and how one person's attitude can change
everyone
around them.
Just Between Sam
and Me documents this process
with precision and realistic detail in a manner
most books about bullying don't begin to touch, getting to the heart of
how a
bully is created and how group dynamics change.
The
result is a
powerful story for advanced elementary to middle grade audiences. It is
highly
recommended reading for its very different approach to how bullying
happens and
how a small town girl ultimately rises to the challenge that emerges in
her own
close-knit school community.
Just Between Sam
and Me is very highly recommended
for both its educational message and its
exceptionally lovely pen and ink drawings.
The Metric
Clock
Phillip B. Chute
Independently
Published
978-1-7328855-0-9
$14.95 Paper/$4.99 ebook
www.phillipbchute.com
The Metric Clock tells of nine-year-old
Charles Wallace, who lives
a relatively isolated life with an often-absent father in New England
in 1946.
When a trip to rural Canada provides him with answers that encourage a
closeness
he's never had with his father before, Charles begins to see that
people other
than his one best friend, Mary Anne, could connect with him on a deeper
emotional level...if he can let them in.
When he
chooses to go
on an adventure, Charles discovers that keeping secrets and forming new
friendships can impact old ones...even those as solid as his pre-summer
friendship with Mary Anne: "She felt
something changed from before. They had been apart so much that when
they went
somewhere together now they were almost like strangers. She had seen
him
playing with the boys many times but could not spend any time with him
because
she would be with the other girls or with her little sister in hand.
She
wondered how he felt about her now."
The result
is a story
of war and peace, problems and solutions, evolving relationships, and
new
possibilities that all challenge Charles to move behind his shy comfort
level
to accept new possibilities from life.
Phillip B.
Chute does
a fine job of exploring these evolutionary processes, taking time to
focus on a
close friendship that changes with the seasons. As Charles examines
what is
important in his life, he comes to realize what kinds of people he
should be
supporting and cultivating from both new experiences and
tried-and-tested
encounters: "He felt good being with
her at this place. Charles was happy they could share it together. He
felt at
peace with himself and nature. “Mary Anne, you know we’ll probably
never see
this sight again as long as we live.” She looked at him in
confirmation. “If I
were here alone I wouldn’t enjoy it half as much,” Charles stated. “Being here with you is what makes
me happy.”
As the story
evolves,
a surprise ending looms that both changes everything and reinforces the
lessons
Charles receives about his life, its trajectory, and his relationships.
Middle grade
readers
will find The Metric Clock a
compelling story with a strong message about friendships, courage, and
embracing life.
My Friend the President
Lynn W. Leigh
Heart to Heart
Publishing
www.hearttoheartpublishinginc.com
One day, in 1941, Raymond Leroy Clark became
a special guest of the president. His role at this inauguration began a
79-year
tradition of handing off the Bible used in reciting the oath of office,
after
which the president would note and sign his seed corn book. My Friend the President documents this
ritual, which starts when the teen changes a president’s life and
becomes
embroiled in matters far beyond his experience.
The first note about My
Friend the President is that its fictional presentation
incorporates the drama and description of a vivid tale steeped in
American
traditions and culture. The president faces the special challenge of
getting
away from the demands of his office to take a secret break as a war in
Europe
looms: "He knew what the vice
president said was true. His reply was what landed him in this mess.
“The
public would never understand the president taking a break,” he had
replied.
“Really?” The vice president had countered. “Do you believe there is a
single
member of the human race who hasn’t, at some point, reached a time
where life
wasn’t worth living, only to come back after a break completely
recharged,
anxious to get back to work?”
Harry Caldwell, Director of the Secret
Service, is charged with arranging for a secret identity and the
president's
dangerous mingling with common men: an event that might compromise his
safety.
A chance meeting between a man standing by the side of the road in a
storm and
a young man who gives him a ride evolves into not just a friendship,
but a
connection between higher office and public affairs that blossoms over
numerous
presidents and Raymond's lifetime.
As good men, poor men, rich men, and
politicians mingle in an unusual series of associations, readers will
find My Friend the President a rich
story
that adds real-life events such as Orson Welles' dramatic broadcast,
which
challenged the beliefs and experiences of the common man (
‘I’m speaking from the roof of the Broadcasting Building, New York
City. The bells you hear are ringing to warn the people to evacuate the
city as
the Martians approach. Estimated in last two hours three million people
have
moved out along the roads to the north... our army is... wiped out...
artillery, air force, everything wiped out. This may be the last
broadcast.
We’ll stay here to the end.’), into the story of a
presidential getaway
like no other.
Character goals, ambitions, and dilemmas
spring to life, from car salesman Big Don's struggles and ideals to
Director
Caldwell's ongoing challenges in keeping the president's identity and
movements
secret. Raymond's blossoming friendship with 'Sam' introduces him to
new worlds
and tests his abilities. And then there's the added angst of a
convenient
kidnapping plot by an ex-con who sees an uncommon opportunity: "Mac read the message silently, his
eyes stopping on the last few words.
If my demands are not met, the president will be kilt dead.
The
signature was still legible. Nugent U. G. Bernard. Mac examined the
paper
closely. “Nice. High Cotton content.”
As Big Don faces the impact of these
confrontations and its effect on his reputation and business efforts, a
steady
stream of humor enhances the story: "The
people here are good folk, but these are hard times and they’ve got
suspicious
minds. Now, when they pass by and see this crowd of strangers there’s
bound to
be talk. Same thing happened when the Feds swooped in and closed the
Coffeyville Savings and Loan a few years ago. Place was crawling with
the
government. These people going to be looking through the windows and
see the
same thing all over again.” “Hardly,
we’ll be covering all of the windows with paper,” Stanford said, “This
is a
matter of national security, demands privacy, plus the director will
need
additional wall space for maps to coordinate the search.”
My Friend the President
is folksy, homey, amusing, and filled with down-home dialogue and fun: "You hit him?” Skeeter asked. “Twern’t
tryin to hit them,” he said shaking his head, “but they won’t be comin
back.”
He smiled. “Got their car two or three times before they made their
get-away.”
“Didn’t het nobody?” Nug asked again, hopeful. “Winged one of my fryers
was
all.”
It's a romp across America like no other,
and will keep readers involved in a heady blend of fun and
thought-provoking
intrigue as Sam, Raymond, and other characters all find themselves in
precarious
situations.
Readers
looking for a
lively, engrossing story filled with not only an unusual, blossoming
friendship
but a romp through American class and culture will find My
Friend the President a story hard to put down.
On
My Way to the
Lilikoi Tree
Jonna Amato
Ocampo
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-945176-64-7
$14.95 Hardcover
www.waldorfpublishing.com
On My Way to the
Lilikoi Tree is a multicultural
Hawaiian adventure
pairing fun drawings by Rich Olson with the story of a rabbit, turtle,
bear,
and two seal pup friends who explore Oahu in search of the lilikoi tree.
Kids
ages 2-6
receive an inviting, easy picture book that explores the evolution of
friendships during a cooperative venture involving a fabled tree and
the
various adventures they experience trying to reach it.
A
current of fun
and discovery runs through this gentle tale. Kids not only overcome
simple
obstacles, but cultivate a sense of teamwork in reaching a shared goal
as they
move through Hawaii's waters and land, appreciating its beauty and the
welcoming atmosphere that surrounds it.
Parents
looking
for a gentle read that couches its morals in adventure and fun,
especially
those interested in providing a sense of the colorful atmosphere that
Hawaii is
known for, will find this voyage of discovery inviting; especially when
reading
it aloud to the very young.
As
the friendly,
cuddly animals introduce Hawaiian phrases and terms, young readers
receive a
story steeped in the hospitality and color that makes Hawaii the
attraction it
is today.
On My Way to the
Lilikoi Tree is a real treat and
a fine cultural
introduction for the very young.
Sasha
Savvy Starts It Up
Sasha Ariel Alston
Gold Fern Press
Print: 978-0997135466
$12.99
Ebook: 0997135468
$
7.99
https://www.amazon.com/Sasha-Savvy-Starts-Ariel-Alston/dp/0997135468
Sasha
Savvy Starts It Up provides
middle grade readers
with the fine story of a spunky 12-year-old African-American coder who
has been
honing her skills since age 10. ( See first book in series, Sasha
Savvy
Loves to Code). Now in middle school, Sasha is used
to employing her
imagination and skills in different ways, and is encouraged to start
her own
small business.
Perhaps
this is a predictable move on
her part,
given that her mother is a software developer and her father a chef and
entrepreneur himself; but when Sasha ventures into the world of
business, she
finds new challenges that test both her skills and ambition.
The
business isn't just Sasha's
responsibility.
It's a team effort involving family and friends, teaching them new
lessons
about start-ups and collaborative efforts.
Sasha
Ariel Alston incorporates many
basic business
insights particular to start-up possibilities in the course of her
story. This
adds both depth and practical, educational approaches that will engross
kids
with an appealing story and teach them about basic business efforts: "In
the last ten minutes, the Love Kit team discusses what they will say in
their
pitch. Their slogan is “Love Kit, one for all.” The first team goes up
to pitch
their idea. They want to create a club named FAMP for high school
students who
are interested in starting their own business in Fashion, Arts, Music,
or
Photography industries. The purpose is to provide students with the
opportunity
to make money by following their dreams while still in school."
Color
drawings peppered throughout add
interesting
illustrations to the account.
As
the story evolves, Sasha learns new
lessons
about more than business as they head towards a launch and she learns
about
what she can and can't handle. The ongoing support of her parents, who
encourage her creativity and problem-solving and discuss the many
possibilities
she faces during business development, is especially nicely done.
Young
readers who are creative and
engaged in new
possibilities for their lives will relish this moving tale of a girl
who works
hard to make her dreams come true. It's just the ticket for empowering
young
girls, especially those of color, on their path to becoming more
effective
thinkers, leaders, and achievers.
Sock
Lobsters
Michelle Bulriss
Independently Published
978-1-7361126-0-1
$12.99
www.socklobsters.com
Sock
Lobsters is a fun picture book story for
youngsters with
good reading skills and parents who look for magical stories. It tells
of a
ball of yarn that receives the loving attention of a knitter
grandmother, who
makes from it a special pair of lobster socks for her grandchild.
Nonnie's
efforts are truly magic, because the socks begin to come alive even
before
being shipped to her granddaughter.
Upon
arrival at their new home, said
socks
immediately begin exhibiting very different personalities. While one
grumbles
about having to reside on stinky feet, the other springs from the box
enthusiastic about the lovely day and her role in warming feet.
"Sebastian
immediately saw the bad in the world and Lola saw the good. Even though
they
were terribly different, Sebastian and Lola were best friends."
As
the story line evolves, youngsters receive a fine tale of fantasy,
friendship,
and different perspectives about the world. This encourages them to
think about
their own views of life and how it affects that world's possibilities.
When
tragedy strikes, the very
different sock
friends must each muster their unique abilities to problem-solve and
survive.
Sock
Lobsters is heartwarming and fun. The
weave of
fantasy,
reflection, and adventure assures that kids from the very young to
older
picture book readers won't always anticipate its direction. This is a
special
pleasure in a world of picture book stories that often are all too
predictable
in outcome or plot.
The
positive message of Michelle
Bulriss in Sock
Lobsters is a very much-needed panacea for defeat and
despair, and is
highly recommended reading for all ages.
The
Snowy
Dave Schneider
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64136-850-6
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Teens
(especially teen boys, who love sci-fi action and adventure) will find The
Snowy an intriguing tale of four best friends who head out
for a
backcountry ski trip one day, only to face danger when they enter a
forbidden
area.
There's
a reason
why the volcanic area is out of bounds, and it's not just the
preponderance of
steaming vents. Another kind of danger threatens them in the form of a
rogue
wormhole that dumps them far from everything familiar, into another
world
filled with strange creatures and newfound threats.
A
concurrent
theme in the story involves desperate parents who try to bring this
band of
adventurers home against impossible odds. Its rare to receive a tale
that
shifts from the focus of teen experiences to adult concerns over their
disappearance, but this lends an extra depth to events. This keeps the
story
not just on track and interesting, but replete with added special
interests as
fathers Mark and Rob do their best to find out what happened and how to
fix it.
As
Sandy and
Sparky meet Tyfoona, Pizella, and Grell, the adventures expand to
include the
concept of a bizarre world that harbors many unknowns and new
challenges the
kids are ill prepared to tackle.
Young
readers
will find themselves drawn by the characters, atmosphere, and
compelling
adventure the group has fallen into. They will welcome an engaging
sci-fi story
that sizzles with action as the kids confront snow-filled days, aliens,
and
possibilities for healing that expand to embrace their own world.
Tales
from the
Unconquered Planet: Trouble with Gresslons
T.P. Ripley
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64316-571-4
$19.95 Hardcover/$10.08 Paper
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Readers
ages 13
and older who enjoy spunky female protagonists and space opera will
find Tales
from the Unconquered Planet: Trouble with Gresslons just the
ticket for a
fun adventure surrounding a young girl's mission to save Earth from a
wicked
alien queen.
Although
the
suggested age range runs to age 18, younger teens will be the main
audience for
Lily's story, even though many of T.P. Ripley's descriptions are
detailed
enough to stand out from the usual casual sci-fi surveys for this age
group: "...this
was no ordinary room, if room was the appropriate word. It was more of
a cavity;
a wet and sticky cavity, a moving cavity, a breathing cavity, a cavity
with a
life of its own. The flesh pink ceiling rose up and down like a great
pair of
lungs. The walls were coated with a yellow jelly substance from which
hung
thick folds of cloth-like skin. The entire structure was criss-crossed
with
purple rubbery tubes . These tubes
throbbed like grotesque veins with sticky
brown fluid pulsating through them."
Older
readers
might eschew the simple color drawings peppered throughout, but many
also will
appreciate descriptions which offer plays on words, such as the name of
Queen
Revolta Gressla, who rules over the planet Gresslonathaliaznusswatsit
('Gresslon' for short), populated by some of the most cruel,
destructive races
in all the universes.
The
Gresslons
have multiple ears, which they equate to status. They have been made
vile not
just by their choices, but by their Queen's leadership. And it's up to
ordinary
Earth girl Lily to stop them.
The
humor and
whimsy that runs through this story will be apparent to all ages,
though most
likely recognized in all its incarnations by those ages 14 and up. The
adventure itself is surprising, offering many intriguing moments, as
when the
country of Australia tries to give up to the invading Queen, driven by
the
simpering leadership of one Charlie Doo (nickname: Didgery).
What
at first
appears to be a space opera for pre-teen readers thus turns out to be
satisfyingly unpredictable, filled with whimsy and satire, and an
excellent
story for those who like a sense of irony and the unexpected inserted
in their
alien invasion themes.
Is
Lily really
powerless against this evil force, or does she have unique resources
that place
her on an equal footing with the strangest and evilest creatures in the
universe?
The
dual theme
of Lily's exploration of her own abilities and potential is
satisfyingly done,
but it's the tongue-in-cheek humor that will keep readers involved and
laughing. Those who don't necessarily look for a laugh-out-loud
experience from
their sci-fi adventures, nor a story that contrasts a young girl's
blossoming
powers with a world-saving confrontation, will find many happy
surprises in
this story of courage and unexpected transformations of all the
characters,
from Lily and her family to the aliens themselves.
To
the Top of
Greenfield Street
Ryan Standley
Found My Heart Publishing
978-0578741291
$10.75 paper/$.99 Kindle
978-0578786063
$18.00 hardcover
https://www.amazon.com/Top-Greenfield-Street-Ryan-Standley/dp/0578741296
To the Top of
Greenfield Street
will appeal to teens and new adults who enjoy coming of age stories and
tells
of fifteen-year-old Eric Daniels, who must rebuild his life in a new
town after
a tragedy which follows and haunts him.
Eric has always been fat and subject to
bullying, but this summer, he was determined to lose weight and build a
new
life. The fire that destroys his family's home changes everything yet
again
just when he is on the cusp of success, and injects despair and poverty
into
his family life.
On one level, starting over in Freeport, IL,
in 1993 in a place where he has no history seems appealing. On another,
it
seems to offer little new, as Eric finds the patterns and limitations
that
plagued his prior world have followed him into this one.
But as he embarks on escapades with Nate,
discovers girls, accepts secret invitations, and faces accusations of
being a
'charity case' with a druggie mother, Eric also learns how to cope with
his
family, his old and new friends, and the impact of his responses on the
world
around him.
As his romance with Jen reveals new
heartbreaks that stem from her own hidden angst, Eric better learns how
to
handle both himself and those around him. A dash of intrigue is added,
but it's
the relationship changes which make this story so compelling.
Ryan Standley does an excellent job of
capturing Eric's evolving life and the types of journeys he undertakes
to learn
new skills as he exercises his ability to absorb new opportunities. His
presentation of teens who interact with one another and gain new
visions for
their future and their place in the world are nicely presented,
realistic, and
compelling.
Readers of coming of age stories well know
that the best tales survey this growth process from different angles.
To the Top of
Greenfield Street's
ability to portray not just Eric's perceptions and conundrums, but
those of
teens and family members alike, creates a moving account that explores
body
image, interpersonal relationships, and what is brought from the past
to affect
the future when changes take place.
Its beautifully evocative story will keep
all ages engaged to the end, providing yet another twist on the typical
'underdog evolving' theme where the protagonist sees himself as
seriously
flawed, but actually is only human.
Top
Hat Society
E.M. Vick
Waldorf
Publishing
978-1-64316-615-5
$14.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
The
Top Hat
Society is a group of Victorian demon-worshipping men whose actions
changed
Lucy O'Rourke's life when they killed her twin. At this moment, she is
both
bereaved and yet believes her family is finally free of the Society's
attentions. There is no simple resolution to her situation, however.
When she
founds she is still on their radar, even more challenges emerge.
E.M.
Vick
creates a compelling story that takes the time to establish atmosphere,
setting, and purpose at the very start, drawing teen readers into the
mercurial
setting of Victorian London where Lucy resides: "The
nightmare crept in
on a cold October night, just moments before dawn’s attempt to stretch
through
the thick fog of Lynd’n. It was a typical evening, especially as winter
began
to settle between the bones of alleys. There were still a few lost
souls
wrapped in heavy cloaks. They wandered along the newly paved street to
wave
down the few hansom cabs still waltzing their lonesome trot. Various
Schkotsland’s Guards casually stepped along the walkways by closed
shops and
sleeping flats. The little light that did dare to illuminate came from
the
cornerstone gas posts, the old Cathedral Bridge that spread across the
Times
River, and the ever-watchful Clock Tower."
The
tragedy of
her twin's death isn't the only loss that Lucy faces as she confronts
the
ongoing onslaughts life brings to her remaining family and her life: "Lucy
had lost the one person she could always turn to for help, to be held,
to feel
loved and protected. And she didn’t even get to say goodbye."
As
Lucy faces
her own role in the awakening of The Seven and a demonic threat that
makes the
efforts of the Top Hat Society pale in comparison, she reluctantly
comes into
her own powers with the help of teacher Vann, whose presence changes
everything.
But
will his aid
and her remaining family be enough to confront a pack of savvy, ancient
demons
with determined plans that go far beyond even a talented young girl's
abilities?
Teens
who enjoy
supernatural horror and fantasy will relish this story not just because
of its
trappings of horror and realistic setting, but because Vick's
character, Lucy,
faces the challenges of her own heart and the consequences of her
beliefs and
actions in the process of coming of age.
Her
battles,
joys, and pain are compelling emotional attractions throughout this
growth
process, drawing in young readers with a backdrop of confrontation
spiced with
hard lessons Lucy must absorb if she (and her world) is to survive.
Not
only does
the story strike a hopeful note about her ability to confront this
powerful
force, but explorations of male and female abilities, their roles in
the world,
and the process of becoming a mature, life-changing force against all
odds make
Top Hat Society a thoroughly engrossing read. The
story holds the door
open for more adventures, yet provides a satisfying conclusion that
will keep
young adults involved to the end.
What Dragons
Like
Jared Eastley
Lurth Worx LLC
9781735570808
$19.95 Paper/$29.95 Hardcover
www.LurthWorx.com
What Dragons Like features outstanding
color dragon illustrations
that young picture book readers will relish, accompanying a fun review
of
creatures and experiences that not only dragons but young readers will
like.
These
include:
dinosaurs, exploring distant lands, going on adventures, climbing into
caves,
tropical beaches, and flying high in the sky, among other things.
The
combination of
whimsical adventures that dragons like with absolutely stunning color
images that
translate the written whimsy into lovely images suitable for framing is
exquisite. The lovely artwork sets this book apart from any typical
approach to
dragons and their lives.
Many books
are
written for young readers already captivated by the idea of dragons.
Few
capture the sense of fun and imagination of this story, which
outclasses the
competition with 34 fine art paintings by different contributors to
accompany
an interactive format that encourages kids to explore their own tastes
for
fantasy and adventure.
Parents
seeking
exceptional read-alouds that go beyond the usual child's picture story
to
represent fine art on every page will find What
Dragons Like is not just a cut above its competitors, but
stands head and
shoulders above any other dragon picture book for young people.
What Dragons Like should be a mainstay
for any collection seeking
either a picture book about dragons or a diverse set of images which
portray
different dragon countenances and varied approaches to depicting them.
What Dragons Like is very, very highly
recommended!
Young
Heroes Come of Age to Change History
Novels by Tom Durwood
Empire Studies Press
www.empirestudiespress.com
Four
young adult novels by Tom Durwood exemplify
the problem-solving abilities, courage, and fortitude of young people
with
studies that place different characters both on the cusp of adulthood
and in a
position to change history. Durwood places each of his young adult
protagonists
in a key position at the cusp of pivotal moments in history.
His
ability to portray the perspectives and
experiences of ordinary young adults caught in adult affairs and his
attention
to pairing this history with vivid, realistic action keeps all of the
books
absorbing and hard to put down.
Take
the collection Ulysses S. Grant in China
and Other Stories (978-0999143544, $15.40 Paper/$5.99
Kindle). This pairs
the action-oriented pace that is the hallmark of stories that attract
young
adult attention with young heroes and heroines who engage with their
world
beyond singular or individual concerns.
From
participation in violent confrontations to
choices in being proactive or reacting to unexpected events, Durwood
excels at
creating a variety of scenarios that test his young characters'
strengths and
evolving approaches to life.
Also
exceptional is Durwood's inclusion of notes
that precede each tale, giving each story's historical context and
character
development as they evolved from a series of drafts of the stories.
These
provide the background and insights essential for young adults to
understand
not just the underlying history, but how Durwood made choices in
representing
these young people.
Among
the winners in Ulysses S. Grant in China
and Other Stories is 'The Boatman's Daughter', telling of an
early Egyptian
girl's battles as the biggest waterway in the world (in its time) is
being
constructed.
Sixteen-year-old
Salima, the Boatman's daughter,
has arranged for her own future: going to a good school. Her education
not only
helps her father's business, but prepares her for confrontations to
come as she
assesses her place in a changing world and confronts assassins, love,
and
treachery alike.
This
short story also appears as a longer work, The
Illustrated Boatman's Daughter (978-1952520020, $19.00
Paper/$12.00
Kindle), which enjoys not just the expansion of all its themes and
additional
action, but talented art from Serena Malyon, Niklas Frostgard, and
Oliver Ryan.
Where
the short story excels in presenting succinct
action concentrating on one piece of Salima's life, the longer version
expands details
and provides further insights into her world and the politics that
drive and
influence her life.
The
title story, 'Ulysses S. Grant in China', is
set in 1877 China and follows the meeting of two remarkable leaders in
Peking.
A student musical group asked to play for them introduces Joseph, an
American
boy resented by the others. He finds that his playing and their efforts
change
the nature of discussions and understandings between early China and
America.
Young
readers of historical fiction will also
relish The Colonials (ASIN: B07Q9YSLGN;
$3.99 Kindle), a survey of
early America that features teen heroes who change the course of
history.
Having teens take matters into their own hands rather than simply
reacting to
adult forces adds extra depth to a tale that is thoroughly engrossing.
Another
addition to the story that elevates it
beyond a historical recap alone is the presence of mystery and intrigue
added
into the story of the foundations of the American Revolution.
In
school, young learners get the idea that the
American Revolution was primarily a concern of the British and the
Americans.
As this story takes place, the observations and concerns of a group of
teens
regulated to an elite boarding school shows that the battle actually
reached
into global territory, introducing issues of equality and freedom into
more
than American circles.
Who
would come from Europe to save the Colonials,
who are at a grave disadvantage? The answer is surprising. Teens who
chose this
story will find that the American Revolution and its various social and
political influences come alive even in Amsterdam, where Johannes and
others
observe these struggles and become involved on many different levels of
idealism and confrontation.
The
action is nicely done, strong characterization
creates a powerful draw, and readers will find this story compelling,
offering
a depth of subject and emotionally charged scenes that bring the issues
of the
1700s to life from the perspectives of young people concerned about
their
futures.
King
James' Seventh Company (978-0999143520,
$15.40
Hardcover/$5.99 Kindle) follows a group of teens who embark on a
journey to
solve what is going awry in the King's land. King James’ Seventh
Company not
only confronts scholarly influences on the production of the King James
Bible,
but considers the political and social impacts it and they have on the
land as
the result of their actions and choices.
This
vivid story of the Bible's evolution places
these teens at the crux of decisions that will not only affect their
society,
but lives around the world, for centuries to come.
The
story of the creation of the King James Bible
version is little-covered, which makes this account even more highly
recommended for choosing a historical event and era that is far less
familiar
to most young people than the usual historical novel's backdrop.
A
prologue that takes place in Wales in 71 A.D.
sets the stage for 1600s events which are narrated in the first person
to bring
the era to life.
As
a borrowed book snafu leads into revelations of
intrigue, mistaken identities, and a plot that involves printers,
scholars,
politicians and assassins, proactive teens take charge to change their
world.
All
these novels hold similar basic elements: the
teen characters are strong, responsible, clever, and dedicated to
influencing
the wider world around them. They also are all solidly based on
history, yet bring
that history to life through the eyes, senses, and actions of strong
young
adults.
These reads are uniformly
gripping and educational,
all in one. Pair action and adventure with social issues, political
confrontations, and the perceptions of teens effect positive changes
for a set
of historical stories that should be in the collections of any library
looking
to illustrate the attraction and power of historical fiction.