January 2022 Review Issue
Literature Mystery & Thrillers
An Island of
Light
Timothy S.
Johnston
Fitzhenry &
Whiteside
1554555817
$21.95
www.timothysjohnston.com/anislandoflight
Trailer: https://timothysjohnston.com/anislandoflighttrailer/
An Island of Light is the fourth book in
the Rise of Oceania series
and covers a murder in the underwater city of Trieste. In 2080, the
number of
people living on the ocean floor topped 100,000. By 2130 (the year this
story
is set in), Trieste has faced battles for independence, led by Mayor
Truman
McClusky, from the U.S., China, and the USSR.
As the story
opens, Meg McClusky is about to commit premeditated murder. Her
intended
victim, Admiral Taurus T. Benning, is one of the most powerful military
men in
the Gulf and Caribbean regions. He believes this gives him license to
do
anything he wishes. She—and he—are about to have another thing coming.
This futuristic political and murder mystery
is replete with thought-provoking moments, high-octane action, and an
engrossing evolution that offers many satisfying twists and turns.
These events
are marked by observations that are intriguingly defined ("Irony at its most violent.").
As a murder attempt against the city's mayor
results in Meg's intention to protect everyone in her city, intrigue
builds on
the history of countries attacking Trieste and the community becoming a
pivot
point in world political strife.
The city's mayor has long been playing a
dangerous game against the world's underwater communities. The last
thing he
needs is domination by the United States Submarine Fleet. The last
thing Meg needs
is to become caught up in the political forces that operate through
high-tech
submarines, as she's already involved in the murder of a man who
murdered she
and her twin brother Mayor Mac's father.
As Mac's political determination clashes
with his family relationships, both Meg and Mac face challenges to
their lives
and their community, confronting a plot that could overthrow everything
they've
worked for.
Timothy S.
Johnston crafts another action-packed social examination of a
futuristic
underwater community threatened by the political struggles within and
outside
of it.
Readers holding
prior familiarity with submarine warfare will relish the authentic
descriptions
of sub environments and interactions, while those who are more
interested in
the evolution of psychological trauma and recovery processes will
especially
appreciate the attention to detail given to Mac and Meg's past and
present
challenges.
As both recover
from past trauma and face present conditions in different ways, readers
will
find the interplay between personal and political choices to be
realistic and
thought-provoking.
Take a murder
mystery, combine it with a futuristic setting, and add elements of
psychological and social reflection for a sense of the action and focus
of An
Island of Light, which requires no prior familiarity with its
predecessors
in order to prove thoroughly engrossing on many different levels.
Thriller, sci-fi
and mystery audiences alike will find it crosses these genres with
high-octane
action and appeal.
Return to Index
Bride of the
City, V. 1
Acharya Chatursen
Translated by
Pratibha Vinod Kumar and A.K. Kulshreshth
Cernunnos Books
978-9811495502
$22.90 Paper/$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Bride-City-Vaishali-Ki-Nagarvadhu/dp/9811495505
Volume 1 of Bride
of the City introduces an Indian story set in Vaishali. The
tale first
appeared in the 1940s, written in Hindi, and here receives a new
translation
that brings with it the opportunity for Westerners to appreciate this
classic.
Its author,
Acharya Chatursen, was one of India's most prolific writers, producing
some
eighty volumes spanning the genres of fiction, drama, politics,
literary
criticism, poetry, and medicine.
Here, he tells of
an abandoned infant found in an orchard who is destined, by her extreme
beauty,
to become a courtesan (a Bride of the City) under Vaishali’s laws,
which
maintain that such beauty must be shared.
Many women in her
position would have been broken, but the determined
Ambapali decides to
instead hone a position of power from her circumstances, building an
unexpected
strength that enables her to not just survive, but flourish.
Western readers
might think that the subject and origins of Bride of the City require
prior
familiarity with Indian culture and history, but Chatursen excels in
capturing
these elements, along with the atmosphere of the times and this nation,
in an
evocative manner that requires no previous knowledge of or special
interest in
India, from his readers: "Spring was beating a retreat.
Evening had
descended, but the lights of thousands of lamps lit the city of
Vaishali.
Throngs of people were on their way home after the day’s work, on
horseback, in
chariots and on foot. Some people, dressed in bright colours, were
clearly out
to socialise. Slowly, the bustle subsided, and the lights became fewer
and
farther between. Then darkness descended on Royal Avenue. There was a
wine shop
on the southern fringe of the city. A single oil lamp bathed it with a
flickering light in which the large pots of wine seemed to perform a
drunken
dance. The old shopkeeper sat slumped on his bench. The roads outside
were
mostly deserted by then. The remaining trickle of pedestrians consisted
of the
poor – fishermen, butchers, boatmen, barbers, potters. These were the
trades
that dominated this part of the city."
Under his hand,
the perceptions of men and women's roles in this society are explained
and
defined: "Bhardwaj spoke without standing. ‘Are we to
understand the
wife is not her husband’s life partner? And that she is not inseparable
from
her husband for rituals?’
Angiras said, ‘They stay life partners, but
on the clear terms I have mentioned earlier. The husband and master has
more
rights.’
Vaishampayan said, ‘So, men and women are
not equal?’
Aitreya stood and interjected: ‘No. And I
wish to add here that my contribution to the code of conduct specifies
a man
may have many wives, but a woman may not have many husbands. I also
wish to
codify that for four generations from a paternal viewpoint, there may
be no
marriage within blood relations.’"
From soldiers to
interactions between castes, friends who help princesses and kings, and
the
cycles of a spiritually rich life challenged by change, Chatursen
captures the
legends and facts of history in a fictional survey that explores
changing lives
and the choices that dictate not just individual futures, but the
evolution of
a country.
From depictions
of piousness and beauty to how very different lives intersect to change
each
other and their world, Chatursen cultivates a powerful story that
historical
fiction readers will find involving and educational.
Readers
interested in stories of changing personal and political empowerment,
status
quo challenges, and the influence of a beautiful young woman destined
for more
than a sanctioned life as an obedient courtesan will find Bride
of the City
thought-provoking, enlightening reading.
Collections
strong in Indian history and women's issues will find Bride
of the City
a powerful literary and historical acquisition.
Return to Index
Bride of the
City, Volume 2: Vaishali Ki Nagarvadhu
Acharya Chatursen
Translated by
Pratibha Vinod Kumar and A.K. Kulshreshth
Cernunnos Books
978-9811495533
$18.90 Paper/$2.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Bride-City-Vaishali-Ki-Nagarvadhu/dp/981149553X
Bride of the City, Volume 2: Vaishali
Ki Nagarvadhu is recommended
reading for readers who have absorbed the introductory events of Book
1. It
continues the story of Ambapali, who was forced to become a courtesan
(a 'Bride
of the City') under Vaishali’s laws, which dictate that a woman as
beautiful as
she cannot be only one man’s wife.
In
this continuation of her saga, Ambapali thirsts for revenge. Having
built herself an unexpected and unusual position of power, she is still
constrained by the many rules that dictate her actions in this
position. She
also seeks revenge.
Acharya Chatursen
builds social, political, and spiritual components into her ongoing
story as he
captures Hindi society and interactions between castes in what can only
be
described as a sweeping epic that spans hearts and minds of all levels
of
Northern Indian society in 500 BCE.
From soldiers and
generals to common men and women, Chartusen's story embraces a wide
range of
disparate special interests as Ambapali continues her journey.
Readers traverse
a wide range of communities and experiences in the course of this
story. The
spiritual components are particularly well done as beliefs, shadow
threats, and
spiritual foundations are revealed.
The story is
delivered from many different perspectives, so readers should cultivate
the
ability to absorb a wide cast of characters and different levels of
concern and
reactions as the characters interact.
From divided
rules and debts to decisions that ripple out to translate into social
and
political changes, Vaishali's war and battles to recover its glory are
brought
to life as Ambapali's Palace of Seven Worlds foundations are shaken to
their
roots.
Historical
fiction readers, especially those with a particular interest in Indian
events
or women's roles, will find this (and its predecessor) exceptional
reading.
Collections
interested in Indian literature and women's issues, who look for
stories
thoroughly steeped in historical fact and social inspection, will find
both
volumes of Bride of the City essential reading.
Return to Index
The N.M.E.
Ryan A. Kovacs
PHIR Publishing
978-1-7370627-5-2
$18.99 paperback; $25.99 hardcover; $7.49
ebook
www.amazon.com
The N.M.E.
features the surprising format of a novel in verse and presents Michael
and his
friend Bruno, who are on a mission to kill Michael's father.
Bruno introduces the story. He "was’a
man/that some would call
legend/others’d call an imposter./he was not real/ an’/he was not
fake./he was
a man/who, when born/did not cry for, he wasn’t afraid of this/ugly
world."
This introductory passage cements the fact
that not only the format, but the language, will be anything but staid.
Ryan A.
Kovas creates a vivid sense of place and people as he follows the story
of two
men, who are imprisoned, yet embark on a mission of revenge.
Poetry fans will find rare and exceptional
the idea of crafting an entire novel in poetry; much less one which
features a
lingo very different from most fiction.
This approach captures emotion and
experience in unexpected ways as the perps analyze their motives and
expectations about their task: “what are
you going to do/when you finally confront your father?”/she asked
eagerly./Bruno spoke up/“how many times does the guy have t’say/kill’m
b’fore
ya understand that?”/I know you’re going to kill him./but, are you
going to
declare who you are?/tell him what he did to you?/what you had to
endure when
he left you?”/she directed her questions t’me."
The language and usage will undoubtedly
challenge some, but literary readers who appreciate the epic poem
format and
its ability to capture both raw emotions and the language of a son bent
on
patricide, who considers his actions and reactions on different levels,
will
find this makes for a gritty and revealing story of how one man becomes
"notorious" via intentions and deeds.
The N.M.E.
will best be appreciated by literature followers interested in
different poetic
structures, idioms, and stories that are embedded in reflective
language filled
with surprises and insights.
Audiences who study the epic poem structure
typically receive little modern renditions in this style. The N.M.E. is such a creation and resides
in a class of its own,
recommended as a thought-provoking psychological and social examination
of pain
and redemption on different levels.
Literary collections strong in epic poems
and modern literature need to add The
N.M.E. to their holdings.
Return to Index
The Second Death of E.A. Poe and
Other Stories
Jack Matthews
Personville Press
ASIN: B09GJ95753
$4.00
www.personvillepress.com
The Second Death of
E.A. Poe and Other Stories is a
fun gathering of odd and insightful inspections. It opens with
"Trophy for an Earnest Boy," which tells of a college sophomore
football player who harbors a "wildness of spirit" and dreams about
his future success.
Only a nineteen-year-old could
take a game that is a miserable
experience for a "...gullible, earnest
nineteen year old boy who went out on a soggy field and struggled in
the icy
mud for two exasperating hours" and turn it into a lesson on winning,
losing, and an ethical dilemma over a trophy's assignment.
Contrast this with "Indispensable
Ghosts," in which a
collector of 16th century devotional literature considers a fellow
collector
who is "...grimly possessed,
frying like a rasher of bacon in a chrism of bibliophilic madness."
Everyone needs
someone or something to push against, as the narrator's wife observes: "...some
people need that sort of tension, don't they?" "What sort?"
"Somebody to push against. To feel their presence against." Waldo
Kiefer serves that function in this story, which juxtaposes literary
collectors
of devotional material in a competition which erupts into a
professional war
between competing bibliophiles, where more is at stake than ownership.
Readers of these
literary examinations will find Jack Matthews cultivates a diverse
set of scenarios, voices, and
experiences that especially stand out with metaphorical representations.
His language is bright, original,
and refreshingly startling. This is
one reason why each short story is a standout—that, and his attention
to
capturing different details in disparate lives and experiences.
Each story is refreshingly unique.
Each captures the nuances of choices
which often embrace betrayal, loyalty, and passion.
Literary readers seeking a
collection that embeds whimsy and fun into
its life inspections will find The Second Death of E.A. Poe
and Other
Stories is filled with unexpected moments and revelations
that shine.
Return to Index
A Sky Full Of Wings
Ksenia Rychtycka
Finishing Line Press
164662615X
$14.99 Paper/$24.99 Hardcover
Ordering Links: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Full-Wings-Ksenia-Rychtycka/dp/164662629X
A Sky Full
Of
Wings, Ksenia Rychtycka’s
first
poetry chapbook, adds to the publisher's New Women's Voices series, and
delivers on the promise of its evocative title as it captures a journey
through
Europe to her ancestral homeland of Ukraine, moving far from the
first-generation Ukrainian-American poet's familiar home.
Both a sojourn that connects
modern-day America with family roots in another culture and an
inspection of
evolving values and new experiences, A
Sky Full Of Wings embraces the heritage of grandparents who
left everything
behind to journey to America and a mother who returns to her native
land in
1990 after fleeing the old world: "With
Father, Mother danced the tango, fast/as gunshots once chasing her
across
Europe./Here, mother treads slow—pointed toes/and stiffened
arms—relearning
first steps/on native soil."
Themes of escape, return,
evolution, and revisiting the past permeate lovely free verse
expressions: "You’ll think it’s silly, but
let me
tell you/when a lime-green bird flew onto my Kyiv/balcony, things
changed for
the better."
The dances of life, the interplays
between nature and emotional response ("My
door was open and the sky was sad."), and the circle of life
between
generations comes to light during the course of a journey that captures
the
family's move from Ukraine to Detroit, and their longing for
reconnection:
"Oh, my child, if you knew how much your family longs to see
you,/you
would fly to us from the farthest corners."
From
new realizations about the homeland's experiences which evolved after
the
family left to reunions of the heart and soul that draw broken families
back
together some fifty years later, Ksenia
Rychtycka
creates a vivid exploration of homelands, immigrant experience, and new
associations.
A Sky Full
Of
Wings should be a part of
not just
women's literature and modern poetry collections, but any library
seeking to
reflect family connections and immigrant experience: "...lost
years/shuffled underfoot as we all came together one last
time."
Return to Index
Under Her Skin
Lindy Ryan and Tony Miller, Editors
Black Spot Books
978-1-64548-044-0
$14.95 Paper/$5.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Under-Her-Skin-Toni-Miller/dp/1645480445
It's
rare to see
horror and poetry mix, but Under Her Skin
represents an unusual meeting of the minds. Contributors provide works
that
embed the trappings of horror into lyrical description, making for
highly
recommended reading for horror and poetry readers alike.
Tabatha
Wood,
Mercedes M. Yardley, Cassondra Windwalker, and others provide varied
themes,
approaches, and poetic structures that create a diverse series of
horror
inspections.
This
diversity
is one of the strengths of Under Her Skin,
illustrating various definitions of horror, both internal and external,
as the
poems describe confrontations and revelations alike.
Take
"The
Right Frequency" by Jessica McHugh, for example. Here, the dead awaken:
"My body erupts/in a riot of ghostly
roots/braving my heart/like a hunt..." This succinct, moving
story of
a form of awakening and haunting moves from graveside to knock on the
front
doors of the living.
Contrast this with "Shed" by
Vivian Kasley, which describes a different form of transformation and
horror: "Each month I shed./Skin, thick
layers
of arid lining, painful blobs of disappointed./blood, and another
chance./Each
year I shed./Youth, tears that sting, dewy charm and tethered
dreams,/friends,
more blood, and more chances."
As the shedding of hopes, dreams, and life
turns into an unexpected series of changes, readers connect the dots
between
life shedding its form and the finality of turning into a non-living
entity.
Each poem captures a different aspect of
horror. Each represents a very different countenance of horror.
Even their formats diverge in a satisfying
manner. Some poems are dialogues, some are self-inspections, and others
provide
accounts of transformation, danger, and revival.
All are hard-hitting pieces, spiced with
black and white eerie visuals by Marge Simon that intersperse with
written word
throughout the collection to bring the atmosphere to life (or, is it
death?).
Volume 1 of this collection of women writers
of horror poetry is unparalleled in its scope, creativity, and literary
strength. It is highly recommended for any collection strong in women's
writings, horror, or literary works.
Return to Index
The Actual Dance
Samuel A. Simon
The Actual Dance,
LLC
978-1-7379097-0-5
$14.99
https://www.theactualdance.com/
Many, many books
have been written about and by cancer survivors; but The
Actual Dance
didn't begin as the usual memoir of experience. It was a one-act play
written
by a husband whose wife struggled with breast cancer.
More than a testimony of struggle, however, The Actual Dance is a love story that
follows how two individuals meet, fall in love, and grow into their
lives with
one another.
The story is not fiction, but a memoir/play
that has seen hundreds of performances at dozens of venues. Another
difference
is that it's more than an account of love and health challenges. It's a
story
of how the author became a LovePartner™ and a caregiver, how his role
grew and
evolved during the course of wife Susan's illness, and how he came to
new
spiritual and psychological realizations because of this.
The Actual Dance
could have been titled 'How to Be a LovePartner™, because its
instructions
ultimately provide guidelines and paths for others facing the illness
of a
loved one and the threat of their loss. Why, then, is this story called
The Actual Dance? Samuel A. Simon
explains his choice in a lovely tribute to life's energy: "There
is a
dance, a dance that one day each and every one of us will dance. The
dance
takes place in a grand ballroom with a fabulous orchestra. The
orchestra, I
think, plays whatever song the dancers themselves want to hear...The
Actual
Dance...can be wonderful, and intimate, and beautiful. As the breathing
slows
and becomes shallow, the sound builds, and the dance intensifies. The
breathing
slows and softens even more, and the dance becomes more intense, and
even more
intense, and then even more intense! And then it stops. The dance ends.
The
music ends. It is as if the world itself has ended."
Simon found himself in this envisioned
ballroom at the pivot point of his thirty-fourth year of a good
marriage. It
was the "perfect time of our lives," when everything was smooth and
stable. Until it wasn’t.
As The
Actual Dance evolves, it lives up to its name, providing a
breathtaking
series of steps and movements that lead Simon into new and unfamiliar
territory
as the spouse of a critically ill wife.
How he handles the fear, loss, and struggle
forms one aspect of this dance: "Unlike
any other period in my life, I wrestle with who I am and what I am
supposed to
be. For nearly twenty-five years...I’ve received significant
recognition and
experienced enormous pride in my children and family. Now I walk deep
in the
valley of the shadow of loss. Who am I? What am I supposed to be? Where
am I
supposed to be?"
As the "new normal" becomes a blur
for him and he journeys into
unfamiliar
territory, his faltering steps turn into a different kind of dance as
he
ventures into being a partner and friend who gains clarity into the
process of
living and dying.
Caregivers and those charged with offering
love and support receive specific insights into this changing process
and its
promises and pitfalls as Simon navigates unfamiliar territory and grows
from
his experiences.
Simon cultivates a powerfully descriptive
voice throughout that captures this world in a manner that is
thoroughly
compelling: "Every day, I listen. I
listen with my heart where my love sits for any indication that a new
orchestra
has been called to play the song that only Susan and I can hear. Is
that them
playing? Is that the orchestra playing our song?"
The result is not a staid "how to"
book, but a journey that is, indeed, a dance. Metaphorically displayed
and
beautifully presented, The Actual Dance
is an invitation not to mourn or accept defeat, but to take the first
moves
into a different series of actions, reactions, and understanding.
Any collection strong in memoirs and books
about cancer survival and caregiving, as well as surveys of family
relationships and changing connections, will find The
Actual Dance a standout in its approach and ability to inject
a
celebratory, positive tone that reinforces love connections against all
odds.
Return to Index
An Indelible
Event and Detour Through a Global Childhood
Henry M. Silvert
Independently
Published
978-1-09835-699-6
$28.99 Paper/$7.99 ebook
Author
website: www.Henrymsilvert.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Indelible-Detour-Through-Global-Childhood/dp/1098356993
More so than most
memoirs, An Indelible Event and Detour Through a Global
Childhood
represents a vivid account of survival, transformation, and a journey
through
other cultures. It is highly recommended reading for those who look for
travelogues blended with life-altering events.
At age six,
author Henry M. Silvert was a creative, gifted child who played violin
and
bridge and approached life with a "can do" attitude. A
life-threatening car accident may have changed his trajectory, but it
didn't
defeat his attitude; because Silvert grew into a political activist,
employing
a social inspection that embraced both his South American experiences
and
childhood and a growing optimism undaunted by the rigors of adversity.
The juxtaposition
of personal life interests and experiences with bigger-picture thinking
about
social issues and personal impact on the world contributes to a story
that
moves at a fast pace from childhood to adulthood.
From outings to
Parque Rivadavia where he was charged with interacting in Spanish, a
language
he barely knew ("...this was a new country, whose people
spoke an
unfamiliar type of Spanish, and I didn’t know anyone. Besides, I had
hardly
spoken with anybody but my family since we arrived in the city.
However, my
father encouraged me to do all the talking.") to going to
undergrad
school in New York City and moving from Latin America to the U.S.,
Silvert
provides an uplifting journey that traces his footsteps of evolution
and
experience.
The contrast
between these different worlds is one of the most enlightening parts of
this
memoir: "City life excited me because of the fond memories I
had of
living in many cosmopolitan cities in Latin America. Yet, I had never
lived in
New York City, and many of my friends in Hanover and Norwich had told
me that
the city was very dangerous. I knew that these people rarely if ever
visited
the city, so I didn’t believe them, but their admonitions stuck in the
back of
my mind. They warned me not to walk outside after four in the afternoon
and,
never, under any conditions, to take the subway after five. As soon as
I
arrived in the city my experience completely contradicted these
warnings."
Like anyone else,
Silvert has worries and concerns about entering the world. What stands
out here
is his childhood influences and attitudes about approaching these
worlds. These
make for enlightening moments as he approaches social issues in America
and
abroad with a background that at times clashes with his educational
ambitions
and perspectives.
These insights
contrast different cultures and attitudes to elevate his memoir above
that of
individual experience, offering insights on life and social conditions
that
keep readers thinking about not just his experiences, but global
interactions
and differing interpretations of political and social worlds alike.
Whether An
Indelible Event and Detour Through a Global Childhood is
chosen for its
memoir foundations or its cultural inspection, it's an engaging read
about
physical and mental challenges, how worldviews are shaped, and how
adversity
and dark times can be offset by attitude which moves from a childhood
accident
to an identity relearned and re-envisioned.
Readers seeking a
memoir embracing a global perspective are in for a treat.
Return to Index
Entrenched
Linda Lee Blakemore
Leonella Press
978-1-7369947-1-9
Hardcover:
$29.99/Softcover: $21.99/ebook: $14.99
Publisher
Website: www.LeonellaPress.com
Author Website: www.LindaLeeBlakemore.com
Entrenched: A Memoir of Holding On and
Letting Go is about one
woman's experience entering into, surviving, and letting go of a
destructive
relationship. It depicts a series of failed relationships that revealed
similar
patterns of choices in men and their attitudes towards her.
Many
autobiographies take a similar approach to revealing these issues, but
what
differentiates Blakemore's story from others is her attention to
underlying
issues of her familiarity with and attraction to abuse and, even more
importantly, the lasting impact of abandonment.
Her story
acknowledges and embraces a basic contradiction and psychological
quandary...she came to see that "staying with a man who left
would keep
her forever entrenched in the very thing she needed to move beyond."
Blakemore
realized that stories have more than one perspective, and took the
unusual
approach of inviting her exes to read her drafts and provide their own
stories
of what had happened between them. Some declined. Others accepted,
adding a
focus on honesty and clarity that is evident through the trials and
processes
Blakemore endured to survive.
From prenups and
business interests to coming together and separating, Blakemore charts
the
promises and pitfalls of relationship-building with an astute eye to
exploring
the illusions, influences, and choices that often lead to bad decisions.
When a child is
hurt, Blakemore faces one of the hardest decisions of all, parsing
various
behaviors to get at the heart of which should be forgiven and which
hold
long-term dangers not just for herself, but others.
Entrenched is more than a memoir
about holding on and letting
go. It's about considering the long- and short-term consequences of
relationship choices and influences not just on oneself, but the world
at
large.
Women who live
in, tolerate, or struggle with abusive situations will find Blakemore's
descriptions thought-provoking, familiar, and revealing.
The conclusion of
her story of life lessons holds hope for all who find themselves in her
position—which is, sadly, likely to be an unexpectedly wide audience.
Return to Index
Not
Book Club
Material
Aaron Zevy
Tumbleweed Press
Inc.
9798596940893
$10.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Club-Material-Aaron-Zevy/dp/B08TFYJF6Q
Not Book Club Material is a memoir packed with wry humor,
mouth-watering revelations, and insights that are candid,
thought-provoking,
and fun all in one. The introduction to this collection captures all
these
facets in a few succinct lines: "Before
my first collection came out, I toyed with the notion of adding a
recipe
section in the middle of the book because many of the stories were
about the
Egyptian Jewish food I was raised on. Books, especially self-published
story
collections by completely unknown former powder paint salesmen are, as
it turns
out, surprisingly hard to market and I thought the recipes might be a
compelling hook. One July morning, over a breakfast of scrambled eggs
at the
cottage, I made the mistake of casually suggesting it might be of
interest for
book clubs. I actually thought it was a pretty good idea. This led my
sister-in-law to utter the sentence which became the family’s favorite
line in
the summer of 2020. “Your book,” she said in her completely honest and
unfiltered style, “is not book club material.”
Thus,
the title
was born...and a rollicking ride through a life that introduces (and
quickly
answers) the question of what makes a good book club read and why this
book
likely doesn't fit that definition: "Book
clubs, they explained, read thick best-selling novels with complicated
themes,
motifs, and plotlines. Grey matter material they could discuss over
coffee and
low-fat gluten-free banana muffins. They went on to list a bunch of
books as
examples. Most of them appeared to have the word Crawdad in the title.
Anyway,
book clubs, they stated emphatically, did not read short story
collections."
This
belays the
point that book clubs, above all, enjoy vivid, thought-provoking
material.
Ironically, Not Book Club Material's
stories represent these very things, and it would be a shame if book
clubs
judged the title by the size of its tales. Here lies bright, sparkling
jewels
of insight and experience in fun mix of reality and fantasy that
features a
host of characters and dilemmas and more than light references to food.
Take
the opening
story, 'Home Made Cake'. Here, facts about his mother's Cairo life meld
with
the memory of a Cairo French patisserie owned by Greeks, called Home
Made Cake.
Zevy brings to life the atmosphere of Cairo and his family's love for
this
quirky place: "...every time they
spoke about the patisserie on rue Ismaili Pasha I never, not once,
heard the
words Home Made Cake. Only Om Met Kek. Of all the food my family was
nostalgic
about after leaving Egypt, the one they missed the most was not
Egyptian at
all. It was from Home Made Cake."
The
strange
pronunciation comes back to haunt him in adulthood when Zevy decides to
get to
the heart of his memories about Home Made Cake, only to stand corrected.
The
delightful
family stories usually conclude with ironic twists. Each stand-alone
piece adds
to the strength of the collection as a whole, providing enticing
tidbits of
facts and whimsy to delight the heart and mind like sugar on the tongue.
Perhaps
now,
more than ever, there is an exceptional need for the laughter, fun, and
family
reflections of the stories in Not Book
Club Material. And these facets make for, ironically, perfect
book club
material indeed as readers navigate the Jewish culture, Egyptian
heritage, and
observations of food, love, and learning that permeate this collection.
Jewish,
literary, and general-interest humor and memoir readers who delight
stories of
in food and family will all find Not Book
Club Material a major attraction. And, yes, book clubs
interested in any of
these subjects should put it high on their reading lists.
Return to Index
One
Hit Wonder
Kevin R. Kehoe
Izzard Ink
Publishing
9781642280715
$22.95
www.izzardink.com
One Hit Wonder: The Real-life Adventures of
an Average Guy and the Lessons He Learned Along the Way is a memoir that delivers its message with a
blend of humor and thought-provoking inspections. Its story of one who
faces
both success and challenges on different levels will intrigue anyone
who feels
that their life story is just 'ordinary'.
A
foreword by
best-selling author and Kevin Kehor's friend Robert “Cujo” Teschner
perhaps
best sums up the intention and presentation of Kehoe's life: "If you ask him what his mission is, he
will tell you that it is to leave the planet a better place than he
found it .
. . in some small way. If you ask him about his personal values, he can
rattle
them off quickly and with a description of what each means to
him—excellence;
service; sacrifice; integrity; responsibility; and generosity. Finally
he’s a
guy who—as one friend put it—takes you to places where you might not go
on
their own."
Indeed,
if the
purpose of One Hit Wonder is to
lead
readers to "places where you might not go on your own," this goal is
more than filled as Kehoe's life unfolds.
From
Kehoe's
Catholic roots and Irish heritage to his business successes, his
struggles with
cancer, and his humble attitude about living a good life, readers
receive a
vivid story of adventures, escapades, and thought-provoking moments: "I’m not the smartest guy on the
planet, and I’ve been around long enough to know that, and keep trying
anyway.
I don’t know famous people, but I like the people I do know. I’m an
average guy
with some thoughts about how to live and maybe even be happy in a world
where,
too often, by the time you’re my age, you’ve either exhausted all
patience with
people and want to buy a cabin far out in the woods, or you’ve learned
to
accept people for who they are and live with that."
Why
read a
memoir by an "ordinary guy?" Because, within this cloak of ordinary
life lies nuggets of wisdom and experience that serve as inspiring
models for
those who also seek to live better, more engaged, effective lives.
With
advice on
everything from health to approaches to divorce for the "good-deed
doers
and nice guys of the world"
to interpersonal relationship decisions that support the morals,
ethics, and
positive approaches Kehoe honed in his life, readers receive a vivid
portrait
that juxtaposes his life experience and lessons with pointers for
"doing
life better."
From
the nuts
and bolts of hiring and working with landscapers and other business
people to
Kehoe's thought-provoking consideration of his life results ("Have I made the most of what God gave
me, and have I contributed and done enough to make my own little world
better
for everyone around me?"), One Hit
Wonder serves up inspiration in a digestible form that makes
it a hit not
just for memoir readers, but those seeking self-help inspirations
presented in
a form that is easy to read, understand, and apply to their own life
trajectories.
Collections
strong
in memoirs, self-help, and inspirational as well as business guides
will find
plenty of real-world experience and accessible information in Kehoe's
thought-provoking memoir.
Return to Index
Open Up
Alex Woodard
For The Sender,
LLC
9780983988632
$6.99
https://www.amazon.com/Open-Up-Alex-Woodard-ebook/dp/B09M9J4SQX/
Open Up
offers a true story of growth and maturity as the narrator, a
singer-songwriter, seeks to establish his identity and life apart from
his
mother's dementia, continuing the story begun in a previous book: "This
book’s slightly raucous, unruly fraternal twin, Living Halfway, told
my life-in-a-day
story through that bitter angel’s eyes, as I navigated the loss of my
mom, as I
knew her, to dementia. I didn’t focus my lens as tightly on her journey
in
those pages, but the frustrated social commentary woven through the
tale was as
much a mirror to my own grief as, dare I say, an ode to what many
of us
think about our comparative culture, but rarely express."
Newcomers
anticipating a staid review of life, dementia, or independence will
find Alex
Woodard's gritty recollections pull no punches as he reviews the paths
of his
career, choices, and family interactions.
It uses lyrics to
explore emotions both past and present, drawing many evocative
connections
between these different experiences and time frames: "On the
drive
home, I told Chuck what I’d seen, and after his post-show whiskey, we
wrote a
song for her, wondering what her place looked like, and if she had
anyone
waiting for her at home. The lyrics weren’t only just about
might’ve-been’s,
though. I sing the chorus in a low murmur, at first hearing my mom in
every
word...Is that my mom, or me?"
The narrator
moves through the promise and toxicity of social media, grapples with
evolving
life connections and new ideas, and embarks on dialogues of discovery
with his
mother's fading memories, his own experiences and interpretations, and
the
impact of his past. Readers gain a blend of social, familial, and
personal
inspection that brings different worlds, possibilities, and the
consequences of
actions to life.
Particularly moving are passages in which
the author reconsiders his story and other paths in life: "I watch travelers drift in front of my truck’s
hood, trudging to
their rental cars or own cars or other people’s cars, their heads at
right
angles to their bodies, staring down at their phones. They’re
programmed, just
like me, living within the four walls of their hand-held device, one
side built
with well-designed dopamine bricks, the other with sturdy confirmation
bias,
one side with rigid comparative happiness, the other false narratives."
The result is a moving autobiographical
expression that takes a step away from dementia's usual description to
reflect
on deeper life influences: "And
while my mom has forgotten her past, I’ve forgotten my present, that I
ever
wrote this song, this reminder to my heart to find the fire waiting
under
love’s door, whatever she may look like."
Open Up is
a
gift waiting to be unwrapped: the story of a songwriter son who opens
his heart to those he loves and to strangers who read his story for
inspiration,
advice, and insight.
Return to Index
Rise
Above It,
Darling!
Judy White
Staber
The Troy Book
Makers
978-1-61468-671-2
$21.99 Paper/$9.99 ebook
www.thetroybookmakers.com
Rise Above It, Darling: The Story Of Joan White,
Actor, Director, Teacher, Producer and
(Sometimes) Mother provides the biography of a woman who made a
name for herself in theater, but was less effective as a mother. It is
written
by her daughter, who pulls no punches in contrasting the disparities
between
her mother's theatrical talents and involvements and her role at home
as a
single working mother.
At
the age of
four, Judy Staber was placed in what was effectively an orphanage for
the
children of busy actors. Usually kids stayed at this institution for
only a few
years. Judy, however, remained there until age 16 because her mother
Joan was
thoroughly engrossed in her career and had little time to raise her
children.
This
daughter's
attempt to understand, define, and forgive her mother provides a
thought-provoking story that will resonate with any reader critical of
their
parents' choices and presence or absence in their lives.
The
idea here is
not to condemn, but to understand, reconcile, and outline a different
kind of
parenting style than the usual portrait of a devoted mother figure who
always
stays at home and chooses children over career.
Theater
tales,
her mother's writings, and Staber's own insights dovetail in a story
that
captures performances, opening nights, and Joan White's children's
involvement
in the theater world as they witnessed their mother's successes and
failures.
Memories
of
Staber's sibling are added to round out the insights into the theater
world and
her mother's struggles to succeed. The synthesis of child's-eye
perspective and
evolving career challenges is really quite remarkably portrayed: "...when they got to the Comedy Theatre
in London, Mother had misgivings, West End first-night audiences were
more
choosey. She was proved right. The audience just sat there, resplendent
in
their dinner jackets and jewels, and dared the actors to make them
laugh. Worse
was the reaction from those seated in the normally friendly ‘Gods,’
(the cheap
seats). They booed and hissed and shouted all manner of unseemly
epithets.
Mischa Auer was distraught. After a lifetime in Hollywood films, he was
unused
to dealing with audiences that, although ‘live’, appeared to be dead or
obstreperous."
As
Judy White
Staber absorbs lessons from her mother's teachings, experiences, and
her own
role in her mother's life, she imparts insights that document her
mother's
leading roles in many different worlds.
These
lively
accounts of the acting milieu will delight entertainment and actor
readers who
will find the bygone years of the 20th Century captured from a fresh
bird's eye
perspective by one who was both an intimate part of this world by way
of her
birth, and yet lived outside it.
Joan
White's
acting roles and impact on the theater world never ended. As her
daughter
celebrates her mother's achievements, readers receive an uplifting
story.
Better
editing
might have made the read smoother, but Staber's words and experiences
still
shine, and are recommended for anyone interested in what happens to
family
structures under the rigors of the acting environment. It's a kind
tribute to a
great lady and kids who turned out all right in the end: "She
wanted to be remembered kindly, who doesn’t, and to make
amends where she could."
In
the end,
Staber does more than remember her mother kindly, here. She celebrates
Joan
White's life in a vivid, accepting manner that will, in itself, prove
inspirational reading for both career moms and their kids; especially
those
immersed in and affected by professional acting.
Return to Index
The Wolcott
Circus
Michael Snarr
Gatekeeper Press
978-1-6629-0771-5
Hardbound: $24.95; Softbound: $15.95;
Ereader: $10.99
https://www.amazon.com/Wolcott-Circus-Michael-Snarr/dp/1662907702
The Wolcott Circus provides memoir
readers with an intriguing story
of a college frat exploit in 1965 that turned out to be more than a
prank. It's
a story that evolves beyond a single semester or year to depict a
"sneak" that moves from 1965 to 1971, involving and re-involving the
members in an exploit that keeps them connected beyond the usual
college
fraternity years.
Set against the
backdrop of an "amazing world" of bygone years in which these events
held unique opportunities to grow, Michael Snarr's descriptions also
capture
the 1960s era, experiences that "transformed my life and changed it
forever," and connections which kept resonating, posing new challenges
and
satisfying moments through the years.
Anything seemed possible in 1965. In 1974,
the author's frat house and home, the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house
at 51
North Wolcott, burned down. With it went a "golden era" which Snarr
reflects on from the vantage points of time and hindsight: "I didn’t think about this being the demarcation of
my life on
campus, or a symbol of how the world would be different going forward,
having
just passed through one of the most tumultuous periods in US history.
Looking
back, though, it was both."
As readers embark on this journey through
bygone times, they absorb the lessons learned from a frat boy's life
and the
ongoing "sneaks" which result in life-changing events.
Along the way, the sights, sounds, smells,
and circumstances of the frat experience come to life in amazing
stories that
readers will find thoroughly engrossing and eye-opening. As Snarr
recalls and
shares these vivid memories, he acknowledges that "Boy,
were those good years. Every one of them."
How and why they evolved this way forms the
nucleus of a story which will thoroughly engross future generations as
it
captures both the nuances and frat culture of bygone times and their
ongoing
moral, ethical, and psychological impact.
Snarr often told his buddies that
"someone needs to write a book about all this." But, he didn't know
that he was destined to be the chronicler of the past, bringing to life
the
shared destinies and efforts of a special group of new adults. At a
recent
fraternity reunion dinner he reminisced "...how
lucky I had been to be part of something that was dedicated to making a
difference in the lives of others. So, I just took it all in, letting
the
spirit emanating from the men around me just linger. Even though I
didn’t know
everyone there, I felt a connection. I was glad I had become part of
something
bigger than me."
Life is a whirlwind of choices. Reading this
memoir should be one of them.
As Snarr concludes: "Luckily,
the only thing that burned up that night was the
house." The memories remain forever, captured neatly for
future
generations in The Wolcott Circus.
Return to Index
After the Fact
Jeff Cooper
Red Adept Publishing
978-1948051835
$12.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948051834
After the Fact
is a legal thriller that follows attorney Jack Collins as he moves from
a small
Connecticut office to the big time in New York City, where his clients
and
co-workers include elite, wealthy, famous people.
Clearly, he's hit the big time in the legal
world. Or, has he? The truth is closer to the fact that Jack has
entered into a
dangerous situation in which he's not a celebrated legal bigwig, but a
pawn in
a larger blackmail plot blackmail that involves his boss.
The foundations of the intrigue open not
with Jack, but with Abigail and Harold Walker and the big mistake she
makes in
ending his life. Four years later (which begins in the first chapter),
people
are still paying for her choice, and are making their own life-changing
decisions based upon it: "He was
just thirty-one, yet carried the regrets of a man twice his age. And
this
morning was his chance to finally live the life he should have lived
long
ago."
As different characters pursue divergent
paths in life that move from the criminal world into the justice
system,
Abigail Walker draws old friends into the fold of danger, creating
circumstances that test their relationships and loyalties.
Readers who expect that Jeff Cooper will
limit his observations and dilemmas to protagonist Jack Collins alone
will be
delighted at the avenues this story takes as it embraces a host of
victims and
criminals.
Everyone holds a special interest and a
particular perception of their place in the world. These attitudes are
explored
within an evolving series of conundrums that test not just Jack, but
everyone
around him. The psychological depth is astute and welcoming as the
legal
thriller moves from a tortured, sick old lady's struggles to career
criminals
and lawyers who find their abilities and ideas tested on different
levels.
The inspections of wealth, power, and
possible redemption on various sides is especially well done, adding to
not
just the intrigue, but the social, ethical, and psychological depth of
all the
characters.
Those who anticipate After
the Fact to be another courtroom drama will welcome a story
that largely takes place outside legal chambers. It probes the heart
and soul
of characters who are each challenged, in different ways, to handle
public
scandal, heartache, and the consequences of their actions.
The psychological and social components of
this suspense story are well-done and inviting, lending to a story
packed with
confrontation, realization, and ideals of fresh starts that are haunted
by past
decisions.
It's a legal thriller that grips with action
and vivid characters whose dilemmas remain multifaceted and absorbing
to the
end, and should find a welcome home in any legal thriller collection.
Return to Index
An
Apology to
Lucifer
Wayne and Sean Haley
D. X. Varos, Ltd
978-1-955065-30-6
$4.99 ebook
978-1-955065-29-0
$18.95 Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Apology-Lucifer-Sean-P-Haley-ebook/dp/B09JF9CQKL
An Apology to Lucifer is a paranormal thriller that delights with
intrigue, and opens with a story of fallen Angels and an eternal pledge
for
redemption. The prologue sets the metaphysical stage for the tension
that
evolves as Wayne and Sean Haley pursue the story of a
precious book the Vatican will do anything to get their hands on, the
real
story behind Lucifer's fall from Heaven, and a Boston psychoanalyst,
author,
and atheist who becomes involved in the mystery of why his good friend
Albert,
a controversial exorcist, took his life.
The answers to many disparate special
interests' questions lie in a book that will change the world. It's a
book that
should not exist, and its presence represents a threat to social and
spiritual
order that leads a host of contenders to want it for their own purposes.
As book authenticator Lorenza Pellegrini,
atheist David Wright, and Father Thomas Morelli find their lives
unexpectedly
joined by a dangerous purpose and pursuit, readers enjoy a chase
through
different worlds and possibilities as the investigations revise history
and
reconsider the impact of belief systems.
The Haleys inject a sense of wonder into
their story that considers the impact of an ancient war and decision
and
antiquarian special interests on present-day lives: "All of
those old books
and people acted like they were made of gold when they saw them,
Carlos thought. So many words printed on
pages. Knowledge that made people crazy, happy, or angry. It was not
something
that Carlos wanted to worry about."
Their story is replete in vivid descriptions
of world-changing events that keep readers spellbound: "The
wind was howling up there. She believed she heard screams
from across the city. The storm had intensified significantly in a very
short
period. The reverberation from the thunder nearly knocked her to the
ground.
The wind was ripping at her clothing and hair. Unholy sounds were
coming from
the black cloud—like the screaming of a thousand demons. She could feel
the
blood starting to drip from her ears."
Those who enjoyed The
DaVinci Code and other stories of metaphysical intrigue and
inspection will find the thriller component is strong, here; as is the
inclusion of demonic forces that influence mortal affairs.
While
An Apology to
Lucifer will appeal
to thriller audiences, it will prove
equally engrossing to those who like supernatural and metaphysical
inquiry.
These readers will find this story replete in both nonstop action and
solid
ethical, spiritual, and moral examination.
Return to Index
Counterintelligence
Michele Packard
Platform Publishing
9798691626647
$4.99 digital, $9.99 paperback, $19.99
hardback
https://www.amazon.com/CounterIntelligence-Aesop-Michele-Packard-ebook/dp/B09M92GD59
Counterintelligence
takes place in a world where a virus has changed everything, and opens
with an
astute inspection of the changing political climate in the U.S., which
is
seeing its freedoms erode from a deluge misinformation and
misunderstandings.
Matti and her family of genetically altered
intelligence pros stand in the middle of this hurricane of change
virtually
alone, since the President who had employed her is no more, and a new
administration leaves her team in limbo.
That's not to say that she's idle. Far from
it. She maintains a professional
acuity
during nonstop action that places herself, her family, and her friends
in a
crescendo of investigation and danger that challenges even their
supercharged
abilities.
Counterintelligence
takes place in a very believable world reinforced by current events.
Michele
Packard takes the time to explore motivations, changing loyalties,
challenging
choices and impossible consequences, and political changes.
This mix of thriller and social and
political inspection keeps the action fast-paced, but what really
powers the
story is Matti's ongoing exploits, courage, and determination.
If the characters seem larger-than-life in
their ability to confront their enemies and each other, that's because
the
story itself is intrinsically woven into a milieu of believable events
that
keep the characters (and their readers) on their toes and hyper-aware.
A wry sense of humor lends comic relief (“Does Doc McHottie realize that he probably
won’t be working in the public sector anymore, after this?”),
while Matti's
determination fuels a series of proactive responses to her changing
situation.
A heady dialogue that connects characters and reinforces their purposes
also
keeps the story riveting.
Thriller readers used to the usual pragmatic
approach of heroes will find something different in Matti: a sassy
sense of
purpose and courage that dictates her actions and confrontations to
keep her
not just realistic and likeable, but thoroughly engrossing. The musical
references and contemporary song lyrics that pass through Matti's mind
during
the action scenes will especially delight contemporary pop music fans.
How has Matti's world been changed from
birth onwards by an edict to protect America?
This thriller moves from past to present and
considers a much-changed future in a manner that will attract political
fiction
readers as well as fans of espionage, action, and powerful female
protagonists.
Counterintelligence is very highly
recommended for its unique brand of social inspection and death-defying
action.
Return to Index
Crystal Skull
Daniela Valenti
Independently Published
979-8499893852
$6.79 Paper; $1.29 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Skull-Sentinel-10-Novel/dp/B09K1TWFJB
Thriller readers who enjoyed Desert
Rose will appreciate the
follow-up story in Crystal Skull,
which blends elements of suspense with the genre trappings paranormal
and
romance genre trappings. Familiarity with Desert
Rose will provide a smooth transition to this story of Amanda
Griffith, a
Sentinel 10 psychic who is still struggling with the death of her first
love
and soul mate Alain Proctor while trying to build a new relationship
with
James.
Someone is killing Sentinel 10s. And it's
someone only Amanda's extraordinary powers can stop (even though she
proved
powerless to stop the forces that led to Alain's death).
As Amanda faces the cartel of death,
premonitions of possible futures underlie her past and present
decisions. Her
search for stability shaken, Amanda must decide on her priorities in
life,
syncing her memories and dreams with real-world challenges and threats
that
shake the foundations of her world and choices.
As in Desert
Rose, Daniela Valenti develops tension from two areas:
romance and
paranormal confrontations. As Amanda and James embark on a new life
together,
her abilities are tested in new ways that keep them on their toes and
growing
together.
Vivid descriptions spice the action
throughout: "She raised her arms and
poured her psychic pulses into her shield. It was an entirely novel
approach
for her, and she hoped it would work. The force-field greedily absorbed
her
energy, growing stronger but also storing it. The demonic vortex of
debris
continued its dance, occasionally slamming into her shield. She bided
her time,
preparing for the final blow."
As the specter of Alain re-enters her life,
Amanda is charged with deciding whom she really loves and how to move
on and
survive: "She still loved him.
Yet...he was leaving her again!
Forever lost to her. So close, and forever out of reach. Love could not
save
him then, and it could not bring him back now. And she’d better get
over it
fast because she was about to enter a fight for her life, and that of
every
Sentinel in her cohort."
The balance between paranormal
confrontations, love, and changing life decisions creates a delightful
interplay between suspense and romance that will attract audiences not
normally
familiar with thriller/paranormal reads.
Newcomers will find that Valenti weaves past
and present events in a manner that makes Crystal
Skull accessible and inviting.
Challenged with resetting her priorities and
interests not just twice, but multiple times, Amanda's conundrums and
unexpected confrontations are thoroughly engrossing and completely
unpredictable contributing to a story that is hard to put down.
Return to Index
The Devil's Heart
Robert Rapoza
Bowker
978-1732391239
$13.99 paper/$3.99 ebook
http://www.robertrapoza.com
The Devil's Heart
opens in the southern Argentinean jungle where Professor Jim Grady and
his
archaeological team are on the verge of a great discovery. Grady is
called away
from his team and returns to find they have vanished without a
trace.
Desperate for help, he calls upon fellow
archaeologist Nick Randall and daughter Samantha, who are charged with
tracing
the team's steps through the jungle to locate both them and their find.
When they enter a chamber and fall into the
clutches of a deadly adversity, Nick and Sam discover they've stumbled
into a
legendary mystery that threatens not only the relic they've discovered,
but
their lives.
A Nazi stronghold, military engagements and
battles, and efforts to free themselves profiles Sam's strengths and
cunning as
much as her father's abilities. That's one of the strengths Robert
Rapoza hones
in this vivid adventure.
Think Indiana Jones, but in a jungle setting
where a female character's push for both the truth and her own survival
are
just as powerfully depicted as the efforts of her father. Add nonstop
confrontations and actions which turn a jungle foray into a series of
revelations that tests Nick's ability to respond to military tactics
and
battles and his daughter's ability to survive. Then, top all these
events with
a romp through international affairs and special interests, for the
ingredients
of a solid action story that intrigues on many different levels.
As The
Devil's Heart moves from the jungles to Germany and Sam and
Nick uncover a
dangerous plot and truths, the story crafts a sense of purpose beyond
survival
that tests both the father/daughter relationship and each individual's
unique
expertise.
Robert Rapoza's special brand of nonstop,
staccato action will especially please thriller audiences who like
their
stories spiced with ongoing confrontations. These encounters keep
emerging from
different and changing circumstances, and will also attract readers who
will
appreciate the specter of a strong young woman as determined to
participate in
her own survival process as her father is to rescue her from danger.
Readers will find the psychological
inspections just enough to support the plot's action and mystery, and
will
appreciate the political intrigue that emerges as one of the surprises.
Fast-paced, unexpected in its twists, and
engrossing...what more could one ask for from an action adventure story?
Return to Index
Enough to Make
the Angels Weep
Ernesto Patino
Black Opal Books
978-1-953434-23-4
$15.99 print; $5.99 e-book
Ordering: https://amazon.com/dp/B09FJ4Q136
Author
website: www.ernestopatino.com
Imagine you're a
professional P.I., hired to solve a murder that completely stymies your
best
investigative efforts. There are simply no clues, no suspects, and only
the
body of an elderly woman that reveals nothing. When historical
examination
unfolds a strange plot to murder the descendants of an elite Mexican
unit of
Irish fighters, Joe Coopersmith finally hits the investigative jackpot.
Or, has
he just become mired in the quicksand of past events?
Enough to Make the Angels Weep is a story that, on
the face of it, is about the
death of Dorothy Delaney. Four years later, the
relative who hires Joe to solve this mystery seeks answers that will
force the
police to re-open the case. What she and Joe uncover are answers that
actually
open a world of trouble connecting past to present, introducing new
threats and
perceptions that might best have remained buried.
Ernesto Patino
creates a progressive series of inspections that add heat to a cold
case and
bring into question ongoing efforts to quash the truth.
How a battle from
the past reaches out to take the life of a woman in her eighties (and,
more
importantly, why this matters) makes for a riveting journey through the
past as
Joe seeks closure for Carolyn, money for Cecilia's project, and answers
about
his own moral compass: "Had he struck a deal with the devil?
He
wondered. And he wondered if he’d let him off too easy."
Vivid in its
mystery and historical inspection and thought-provoking in Joe's
journey
through disparate lives and their influences, Enough to Make
the Angels Weep
takes many satisfyingly complex twists and turns as the mystery unfolds.
While readers
anticipating a simple whodunit may find some of these directions
unexpected,
they are always intriguing, and fit nicely into a story that holds many
layers
of inspection. These elements make Enough to Make the Angels
Weep highly
recommended both for avid genre fans and those who only occasionally
choose
mysteries (and, when they do, who seek more depth and development than
the
usual mystery story.)
Enough to Make the Angels Weep belays the usual
formula approach to produce a
story more creatively powerful than many in its genre.
Return to Index
FitzDuncan's Alchemy
John J. Spearman
Independently Published
9798480203714
$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/FitzDuncans-Alchemy-FitzDuncan-Book-2-ebook/dp/B09JL14TF6
FitzDuncan's Alchemy
is the second adventure revolving around Casimir FitzDuncan, exploring
the
conundrums that evolve when a swindling attempt backfires and the
swindler
becomes the victim in a similar scheme.
The historical mystery takes place six weeks
after his last adventure. That experience involved a plot by the
younger of two
royal princes, Wim, to usurp his older brother, Albert, in the royal
succession. Prior readers who appreciated the setting, characters, and
adventures of Casimir in the first book are in a perfect position to
appreciate
the ongoing dilemmas presented in this follow-up story.
Newcomers will find that Fitz recaps his
past and his connections to royalty in a succinct, easily accessible
manner,
while prior readers will find that this review of past events refreshes
their
memory, setting the stage for what is to come.
From dubious partners and a ruse to
confiscate the gold to Caz's creation of a dangerous game that evolves
with
cat-and-mouse precision, John J. Spearman captures a sense of history
and
intrigue, adding a touch of humor to Caz's first-person experiences as
he
develops a "where's the money?" tale of intrigue.
Interacting with Caz is the also-loveable
character of Freddy (nee Lord Rawlinsford), his "somewhat-intended"
Greta Hawkins, and a host of other individuals, including Lucy’s
father, the
Duke of Gulick. A romp evolves that embraces action and adventure,
social and
political change, and confrontations that result in injury and angst.
Spearman is adept at weaving these disparate
lives into a story of kidnapping, subterfuge, threats, and power plays
that
operate on psychological, financial, and political levels.
The result is a multifaceted story
especially recommended for prior fans of FitzDuncan's exploits, who
will find
much to relish about his latest adventure as well as a conclusion which
leaves
the door ajar for more.
Return to Index
Her Flawless Disguise
Barbara Ebel, MD
Independently Published
978-1-7349847-3-6
$3.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Flawless-Disguise-Barbara-Ebel-ebook/dp/B09HVCLJS4
Her Flawless Disguise
is a medical novel that departs from Dr. Ebel's previous medical
mysteries. It
will reach a wide audience interested not just in mystery stories and
medical
thrillers, but ethical conundrums at the intersection of medical
practice and
patient experience.
Molecular Genetic Pathologist Dr. Hook
Hookie's mission in life is to search out medical clues to illness
through DNA
analysis.
As perps such as middle-aged Duane Harper
and plotter Belinda Sisko are introduced and special interests affect
her
medical investigations, readers receive a story of intrigue revolving
around
art theft, schemes, and the efforts of a DNA doctor to put the pieces
of a
puzzle together: "In the new, modern
world of high-tech inventions and crime-solving methods, he believed
that
nothing was ‘virtually impossible’ to detect or discover like Kent
Wadsworth
had said."
Will a cancer survivor's second chance at
life result in changed outcomes for the medical group and patients
around her?
Can a detail-oriented lab technician find
the missing pieces that careless perps left behind as clues?
Dr. Barbara Ebel's medical background
contributes to a realistic backdrop and a probe that reaches from a
mystery
investigation to embrace ethical issues, as a cured patient embarks on
a path
that threatens disaster. Her ability to weave disparate characters and
special
interests into a story filled with medical and moral conundrums
contributes to
a riveting cat-and-mouse investigation that excels in twists and turns
readers
won't see coming.
All is not narrated from the perspective of
Dr. Hook and his associates, either. By including the perceptions and
purposes
of Belinda and Duane and considering the impact of their actions, Dr.
Ebel
creates a complex, involving story that considers patient recovery and
choice
as much as medical professional responses and reactions.
The result is a medical thriller that
operates on more than one level, inviting readers into a fine tale of
schemes,
redemption, and the choices involved in living life and surviving
adversity.
Return to Index
Hot House
Lisa Towles
Indies United Publishing House, LLC
978-1-64456-421-9
$12.99
indiesunited.net/hot-house
Last year, P.I. Mari
Ellwyn was shot. This year, she's recovered and is looking for a
partner to
back her up. In Hot
House,
she
taps ex-cop and former
detective Derek Abernathy to
watch her back.
The story opens with a cryptic
text from Sophie, moves to a quick roundup chapter in which Mari admits
her
limits ("...whomever was threatening Appellate Court Judge
Conrad McClaren was
somehow threatened by my investigating the matter, and that finding the
“who”
and “why” now held more significance than I thought. But there was a
third
reason, one I’d barely even acknowledged to myself, about why I had to
find
these answers. The fate of my family and my heart depended on it."),
then provides a succinct but hard-hitting impression of her new
partner: "Unmistakable Beantown accent. Light
hair, gap-toothed smile—I always liked that—bad skin, and earnest green
eyes.
My mother would say drug use from the bad skin, and she thought
gap-teeth were
indicators of a big heart. I’m usually wrong about first impressions.
We’ll
see."
These two quotes capture Lisa Towles's
ability to employ strong descriptions with hard-hitting, sharp jabs to
heart
and mind which immediately draw readers in and waste no time in
outlining
characters, action, motivations, and reactions.
A sense of humor threads through serious
confrontations to and examinations of Mari's personality, which comes
to life
as she encounters new people and situations, Towles provides a story as
notable
for its powerful psychological interactions as its plot.
Mari is a savvy P.I. who leaves no stone
unturned. She even investigates her potential partner's likes and
dislikes: “All right, fine. How’d you know I
like
Sweet’n Low?” he asked with an attitude now that wasn’t there a minute
ago.
“And not only that but three. Where do you even buy that shit
nowadays?”
“I’m a private
investigator,
Mr. Abernathy. It’s my job to know stuff about the people I work with.”
“Oh, is
that what we’re doing? Working?” He didn’t hide that he was both amused
and
flattered."
As she surveys people of interest and
influence, the life of charming Sophie (who was used to getting
anything she
wanted), and a bullet journal that holds an unusual approach and
secret, Mari
and new sidekick Derek find their skills challenged. Their
controversial
investigation culminates in vanishing journalists and a clever spy's
secret
notes which include Mari's family as part of the focus.
Between the contrasts between seemingly
disparate cases and the investigative team's foray into dangerous
political
waters, Towles keeps the tension high and the mystery componenet solid.
But, it's her exceptional characters that
really drive the tale, leading readers into a page-turner that's hard
to put
down. The moral and personal conundrums provide hard-hitting personal
and
professional challenges to the new P.I. team as they learn more about
their
cases, each other, and their own hearts.
Fans of investigative thrillers and
mysteries will be the audience for Hot
House, but its ability to craft a sassy, fun series of
dialogues and inspections,
its portrait of capable, savvy protagonist Mari, and its ongoing
mystery of
Sophie Michaud's logbook creates an exceptional read with a powerfully
unexpected conclusion, leaving the door more than ajar for a follow-up.
This
will attract audiences both within and beyond the thriller and mystery
genres.
Return to Index
Kirkwood
John Alvah Barnes, Jr. and Naomi Lynn Barnes
Alvah Arts
978-1-7350947-6-2 $4.99
ebook/$14.99 print
www.alvaharts.com
"If you want my
opinion,
electrocution is a lousy way to try and kill yourself," she said softly.
The Kirkwood Medical Center is
prestigious—just the kind of place that might entice an ex-musician
into taking
on the quieter, more lucrative job of being a biomedical electronic
technician.
But when Jay's test of a piece of medical equipment lands him in the
hospital,
it also reveals a series of mysterious malfunctions that lead to a
greater
mystery involving he and ER nurse Debbie Farrell in both a romance and
an
investigation.
Readers of medical thrillers will find Kirkwood features strong tension,
intricate characterization, and a compelling plot development.
The story opens with a bang of recovery from
a potentially lethal accident. It keeps a quick pace as readers catch
up to
Jay's dilemma as he recovers from a terrible shock and tries to avoid
the
defibrillator that sent him into the ER in the first place.
This quickly moves to bigger-picture
thinking as Jay investigates what comes to look like deliberate
sabotage,
navigating both increasing danger and a steadily building romance at
the same
time.
Readers will enjoy the realistic and
action-packed emergencies that permeate Jay's world to keep the story
both on
track and unpredictable. Tension is delivered in just the right doses,
the
workplace romance evolves with a realistic approach, and the machines,
operations, and atmosphere of the OR and hospital processes are
pragmatically
portrayed from the first-person insights of a character who has
everything to
lose and much to gain in the evolution and outcome of his job and life.
John Alvah Barnes, Jr. and Naomi Lynn Barnes
provide a gripping story of investigations, intrigue, and revenge that
takes
full advantage of its medical world backdrop to feature a dilemma that
involves
Jay on more than one level.
Readers looking for a satisfying blend of
thriller, mystery, and workplace romance will find all these elements
in a
story that uses hospital politics and policies to cement an intriguing
story of
revenge, redemption, and love.
Mystery and thriller readers alike,
particular libraries that see strong patron interest in Robin
Cook-style
medical stories, will find Kirkwood
a
worthy, well-crafted selection.
Return to Index
Knights of The Air, Book 1: Rage!
Iain Stewart
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-131-4
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Knights
of
The Air, Book 1: Rage! blends a military story with aviation history to
create a thriller story replete with nonstop action. It is recommended
for
audiences who like their stories multifaceted.
Discussions
of piloting challenges and friendships weave real-world
military events with a backdrop of impossible scenarios. Add a dash of
old
demons (which character Lance keeps deeply hidden even from Arthur and
Clayton,
until they can remain a secret no more) for an involving story that
takes
military aviation and World War I encounters to different levels.
Readers
who anticipate a World War I fictional piece alone will be surprised
to find that Rage! represents a powerful
intersection of military and
aviation history. This novel is replete in military confrontations,
strategies,
and clashing political alliances based on real-world events, while
military or
aviation history readers will find satisfying the different directions
the
story takes as it toes the line between fact and fantasy.
The
aviation encounters and air battles are vividly portrayed, which
will delight readers who look for action in the skies: "Lance
scanned
the sky—still no sign of Jasta 6. There wasn’t much point in providing
high
cover if the ground fire shot down Arthur and Ball’s flights before
Jasta 6
even arrived, so Lance led his flight down in a curving dive to ambush
the
defending machine gunners from behind. They never saw C Flight before
Lance
fired his Vickers. Bullets kicked chunks of turf and flesh into the
air,
catapulting bodies out of the machine gun emplacement like a giant
threshing
machine."
Military-minded
readers will take special interest in specific descriptions of battle
strategy:
“Lance is right. The high-altitude Huns
will come over in droves, and Lance is our best high-level hunter. On
the other
hand, the letter is signed
by
Petain. Who outranks even Trenchard by a very long way.”
The
result is an
action-packed saga that covers elite pilots who struggle to keep their
relationships, lives, and battle approaches intact.
Military
history readers who like their
stories couched in the drama and psychological examinations of fiction
will find
Knights of The Air, Book 1: Rage! a story of
combat, unexpected romance, friendships tested by war, and a rise to
leadership
commanded by events that test even the most seasoned of pilots. The
language
and consideration of lasting impacts of decisions is riveting: “Hawker,
Leefe Robinson, and now Albert Ball were brave and popular leaders who
deserved
their Victoria Crosses. But their brainless tactics caused men to die
who
should have lived. We need to become smarter. To beat the Circus on a
consistent basis, we need better tactics, better training, better
discipline.”
Return to Index
The Man Who
Transformed Africa
Peter D. Cimini
Halo Publishing
International
9781637651162
$19.95 Paper/$8.99 ebook
www.amazon.com
The Man Who Transformed Africa: The Rebirth
of a Continent appears in a
second edition to provide a political and religious thriller centering
on
Vatican intrigue and influences.
A clash between
liberal and conservative cardinals leads to a different kind of pope,
who uses
his position to conduct a Catholic war on poverty, the likes of which
shake the
foundations of his church.
Can he really
sell Vatican treasures to fund and prop up the middle class in Africa?
As the
first two years of his project unfold, interactions between the pope,
an
ex-president of the U.S, and an African nationalist bring the nation's
conflicts to the forefront, using a fictional backdrop to examine the
real-world dilemmas in modern Africa's social and political choices.
The strength of
this novel lies in its ability to weave suspense into a story that
highlights
Africa's unique scenario of wealth existing side by side with extreme
poverty.
This approach offers a solid, close inspection of Africa's nations and
their
approaches to everything from infrastructure to healthcare and
production.
Peter D. Cimini
has long been interested in Africa's contradictions, injustices, and
possible
futures. The Man Who Transformed Africa represents
a different way of
exploring how its ongoing dilemmas may be addressed, considering how
middle-class elements are injected into a milieu in which a powerful
religious
force becomes proactive in paying more than lip service to addressing
poverty.
Especially
intriguing are the legal and political interplays between this pope and
elements of social order challenged by the mandate to change.
From his
carefully planned objectives to the unforeseen forces that work against
them,
Cimini creates an interplay between special interests and long-range
planning
that considers how economic status and social order can change (or not).
Cimini's novel is
filled not just with intrigue and evolving, changing political
structures, but
close inspections of motivations, processes, and how can church
officials
influence these through the management and distribution of papal wealth.
No light read,
this dense, educational, involving story will best be enjoyed by those
with
some prior interest in Vatican processes and the history of social
dilemmas in
Africa.
This audience
will welcome the close inspection Cimini provides during the course of
his
story, and will find that this fictional survey of the Build Africa
Together
program holds not just a good read, but much food for thought.
Set in the near
future, it's a tale of conflict, redemption, and a long-term visionary
project
that shakes the foundations of many engrained beliefs and approaches to
poverty, which makes a riveting and thought-provoking read.
Return to Index
Razormouth
Howard Butcher
Deep Reef Books
9781737960300
Hardback: $29.95/ebook: $4.99
howardbutcher.com
Razormouth: A Novel of Blood in the Sea is a nautical thriller that is as much
about marine life and natural history as it is about a collision
between
intellectual scientists and a vicious cartel.
Two
marine
biologists conducting research in the Bimini Islands discover evidence
of a new
deep-sea threat. Simultaneously, a dead man appears on their dock to
involve
them in a Colombian drug cartel's actions and direct confrontation with
the
sadistic "Queen of Cocaine," Concha Dores.
That's the basic plot; but Howard Butcher's
ability to craft descriptions that capture the exotic marine world and
human
intrigue alike supercharges the tale from its opening lines: "Cael Seabrook took the morning flight
from Miami to Bimini in the Bahamas, early summer 1983. It was his
first time
flying, his first time leaving the USA, and his first time seeing an
ocean from
the sky. The world was fresh and new and extraordinary; he felt higher
than the
airplane he rode in. Like he’d hit the mother of all jackpots. He was a
twenty-eight-year-old ichthyologist flying into the best future he
could
imagine."
The
"you
are there" feel to the story doesn't just draw readers in; it immerses
them in a world regulated not just by research aspirations and
findings, but
the rapacious nature of mankind.
Thriller
readers
used to staccato action may not be surprised at the story's high octane
events;
but Butcher's attention to metaphorical description adds a lyricism
that is
unusual in the thriller genre: "A
mile beneath the wings of the plane, hazy blue radiance spanned from
horizon to
horizon. There was no land anywhere—just deep, boundless ocean, liquid
brilliance shining back the sun, etched with tiny waves and ribbons of
foam."
Also
compelling,
as events evolve, is the blend of intrigue and international concerns
as
scientists Seabrook and Aja, dedicated to the rigors of research,
become
embroiled in a plot that involves big money, special interests, cartel
killers,
and a new discovery in the "hungry, deep sea."
Bahamian
police,
politics, and deadly danger converge as the story unfolds, with many
surprising
twists and turns marking its progression. For instance, Seabrook's
conflict
with Reverend Bastareaud leads to a murder investigation that
implicates him,
while struggles on local, national, and international waters emerge to
immerse
a range of characters in a harrowing conflict that unfolds on many
different
levels.
Butcher
is a
master at crafting believable characters, scenarios, dialogue, and
scenes that
crackle with tension and keep readers thoroughly
engrossed. Why is
this story especially believable and vivid? Perhaps this is due to the
fact
that author Howard Butcher has worked as a shark researcher in the
Caribbean
Sea and as an apprentice commercial diver in the Gulf of Mexico. His
experience
gives authenticity and real-world description to his thriller.
Seabrook
can't
believe what he is facing . . . or what he must do to try and stay
alive and
rescue his true love, Aja. Readers will find his struggles and
decisions both
believable and thought-provoking.
Set
against the
backdrop of a scientific world rocked by more than one discovery, Razormouth
is the kind of thriller that will attract both readers of international
intrigue and those who like blends of science and murder mysteries with
truly
formidable villains.
Return to Index
Restitution
John A. Daly
BQB Publishing
978-1-952782-50-3
$19.95 Paper/$8.99 ebook
Website: https://www.johndalybooks.com/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Restitution-Sean-Coleman-Thriller/dp/1952782503
Restitution
is the fifth book in the Sean Coleman thriller series and opens in
1970s
Mexico, where a young boy taught to handle a gun at an early age faces
a
violent confrontation. He assumes that his mother is involved in
turning tricks
for drugs, and the violence comes from a drug cartel looking to
eliminate
competition; but this isn't quite the truth. And ten-year-old Alvar
receives
restitution money for his actions, which involves his mother's death
and shakes
his family's foundations.
Fast forward to present-day 2003 in Las
Vegas, Nevada. Security guard Sean Coleman has come here to attend a
bachelor
party. Romance is also on the wind—but so is adversity, as Sean faces
the rise
of past threats and future possibilities.
John A. Daly crafts a suspenseful thriller
replete in desert encounters, crime cartels, and a struggle to deal
with
soulless individuals.
As Sean faces gunfire, interstate chases,
and moral and ethical dilemmas, he is reminded by others that "...You are a
good man. I’ve seen you with the weight of the world on
your shoulders, and I’ve seen you lift that weight. When I look in your
eyes, I
don’t see bitterness. I see kindness. I see sincerity. I see a man who
wants,
and tries, to do the right thing. I see a man who others should aspire
to be.”
Will this sense of propriety and commitment
remain intact against the onslaught of criminal forces?
Part of the reason why Daly's latest book
works so well, both for newcomers and prior fans of Sean's world, is
that it
closely considers the elements of crime that affect not just the
psyches of
criminal decision-makers, but those that fight against them.
Replete against the developing plot is a
moral and ethical interplay of emotions that juxtaposes fast-paced
action with
serious character development and changing perspectives.
Restitution
may be the fifth book in the series, but its solid attention to detail
and
action makes it a powerful read on levels that move beyond suspense
alone,
providing an especially satisfying story for those who like their
thrillers
multifaceted, operating in arenas of personal assessment as well as
physical
struggles for survival.
Return to Index
A River of Lies
John Crossan
DartFrog Books
978-1-956019-14-8
$15.99 Print/$4.99 ebook
Publisher: www.dartfrogbooks.com
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Imagine that your girlfriend has been found
murdered, washed up on the beach, and that you are the immediate
suspect in her
death. In A River of Lies, Carmen
Vaughn struggles with both a girl's demise and his uncertain legal
position.
This moves him to become actively involved in solving her murder and
clearing
his name.
It's a good thing Carmen's college
professor, Timothy Pickering, is an ex-prosecutor who's in the perfect
position
to help him. It's a bad thing that P.I. Adrian Watson and Carmen
discover that
the current prosecuting attorney is deliberately hiding evidence in
order to
prove that Carmen is the murderer, protecting the real perp.
Pickering must gauge just how truthful
Carmen is being, while struggling with evidence and facts that
challenge his
reputation and skills.
As evidence comes to light that Jillian may
have been dating more than one person at a time and that she may have
become
involved in something over her head, Professor Pickering and Carmen
find
themselves in the crosshairs of a murder investigation that takes many
unexpected twists and turns.
John Crossan creates an excellent interplay
between victims, perps, and special interests as he unfolds this story.
Committed to playing the victim card, attorney Victoria Donovan seeks
to mask
her real involvement in this special case as readers move through
changing
scenarios that escalate tension in different ways.
Crossan examines the ethics and conundrums
of all involved—even professionals who try to play both sides of the
law: “You and I both know how often
prosecutors
lie to the court and get away with it. We are talking about Victoria
Donovan,
Tim! For the past decade, she has been looking for every opportunity to
advance
her career, even if it is at the expense of a defendant. She has
repeatedly
thumbed her nose at the defense bar as long as I have known her. You think lying to a judge is beneath
her?”
The result is a fast-paced story of murder
and a seemingly cut-and-dried case that embraces a host of threats as
the
characters interact, struggle to preserve their lives and secrets, and
make new
discoveries about lies and truth.
Murder mystery readers who want a more
complex examination of motivations, influences, and legal processes
will find A River of Lies builds
exquisite tension
as it exposes some unexpected truths.
Return to Index
The Rookie and the Raven
Kevin Wilde
Independently
Published
979-8478413781
$21.99
Hardcover/$12.99
Paper/$8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/ROOKIE-RAVEN-present-gripping-thriller/dp/B09JJ9DKXK
The Rookie
and the
Raven is a thriller that
will
especially delight readers who like stories of cat-and-mouse games and
espionage.
When CIA trainee Christina
Jordan is called upon to track an arms shipment and capture sleeper
agent
Raven, she feels her novice skills being tested, challenged, and
awakened by
the daunting tasks at hand.
A prologue introduces an
intriguing scenario involving the Shaman, whose telephone conversation
with the
Contessa reveals that he's fulfilled his duty. The reader learns the
arms have
been placed on the ship, and the mercenaries are lined up. Part 1 opens
ten
days before an attack. It introduces Nicholas Crowe, an agent of the
European
Intelligence Community who has become privy to the arms shipment and,
later, to
the secrets the arms dealer, Terlizzi, held before a bomb was planted
in his
limo, leading him to involve Crowe in retribution for the thwarted
murder
attempt.
As Christina and Crowe's efforts
mirror one another's increasingly dangerous conundrums, readers embark
on a
romp through various nations as the two solve logistical problems and
tackle
bigger issues.
Author Kevin Wilde shifts points
of view as he moves through Crowe's first-person observations and
third-person
descriptions of evolving events.
As the mercenaries are
infiltrated, loyalties are bought and sold, bombings take out
adversaries and
build new enemies, and vivid action permeates the efforts of Christina
and
Crowe to survive and complete their missions against all odds.
Kevin Wilde excels in nonstop
action, surprising twists even seasoned suspense story readers won't
see
coming, and a vivid series of encounters which reflect "...the
cat and mouse deciding who would move first, although both
knowing only one was truly in charge."
Between tested loyalties to the
duplicity that operates on an international scale, readers will
appreciate both
the changing scenarios and actions and the struggles of each character
to stay
alive.
Can those cursed with bringing
disaster find a happy ending from these ongoing, violent tests?
Readers will find that The
Rookie and the Raven joins the
forces of a relative novice and a seasoned agent in a story filled with
hard-hitting punches of realization and action. Just the ticket for a
cold
winter's night: a vividly unpredictable read.
Return to Index
She-Wolf in the Shadows
F.B. Nobles
Crystal Publishing, LLC
978-1-942624-72-1
$15.95
www.amazon.com
She-Wolf in the Shadows
describes Doctor Ava Wolfe, who has it all: intelligence, a
career, and
wealth. So much so that she attracts the attention of wannabe lover
Sean “Mac”
MacIntosh, who envisions riding on her coattails of success.
Ava's intelligence keeps her from falling
prey to his plot. Indeed, HE becomes the victim when he vanishes and
involves
the community and Ava in finding out the truth.
F.B. Nobles keeps the action fast-paced as
both Ava and Mac's perspectives are presented: "Threaten me,
will she?
Take away my clubs? How can I get and keep this bitch I had to marry
off
balance? Mac thought. She may be beautiful, but
she is also conniving,
cunning and mean."
Ava's mission of revenge has made Mac persona non grata in
Halifax. But just-as-clever Mac fosters his own schemes and
connections, so the
cat-and-mouse game of revenge is elevated by the plays each make
(financially,
psychologically, and socially) to discredit one another in the
community.
Readers who like stories of control,
manipulation, and unexpected developments will appreciate the
chess-like
strategies Mac and Ava employ to deal with one another.
As each extend (and overextend) their influences,
readers are treated to a rollicking ride through clashing special
interests and
intelligence tests that keeps them wondering about outcomes and
changing
perspectives.
From investigations and counter-moves to
romance and how Ava moves from thinking to feeling, Nobles crafts a
story of
intrigue and love that is both entertaining and thought-provoking...one
in
which gold-diggers and lovers get what they asked for, albeit in
unexpected
ways.
Neither fully a mystery nor a romance, She-Wolf in the Shadows excels in
creating a sense of intrigue and psychological inspection that pits two
agile
and savvy contenders against one another.
It seems unlikely that an acrimonious
divorce will lead to true love, but somehow this happens, in an
unanticipated manner.
This will delight readers rooting for Ava's goal of living 'happily
ever
after.'
Those who seek an
equally powerful pairing of fiery personalities and purposes and
elements of
intrigue and self-examination will relish She-Wolf
in the Shadows, which should be on the
shelves of any romance or mystery library, recommended for readers who
look for
unexpected twists and depth in both genres.
Return to Index
Silent
Winter Solstice
Bonnie Oldre
Gatekeeper Press
9781662916533
$14.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook
www.GatekeeperPress.com
Nothing speaks of murder and mystery more
than a body discovered and then gone missing. Library assistant Beth
Williams
faces a special conundrum when this happens to her in Silent
Winter Solstice, a cozy historical mystery set in a small
town in Northwestern Minnesota in the late 1960s.
It is a few days before Christmas when Beth
makes her discovery. Apollo 8 is on course for the moon, and anything
seems
possible. Beth has just broken up with Ernie, after realizing she
doesn't want
to be a doctor's wife after all, and is now living independently from
her
parents for the first time.
As the Apollo 8 landing creates attention
and excitement, Beth struggles with her own special conundrums, which
nicely juxtaposes
with the cozy family atmosphere that Bonnie Oldre cultivates: "Soon, her mind wandered from the
picture on the TV screen to wonder about Crystal. Had she been
imagining
things? Was she still alive, out there, somewhere? Beth didn’t believe
it but,
if she was, would she go back to living with Allen in that sleazy
whorehouse?
The poor girl...Beth tuned back in as the voice of one of the
astronauts
described the moon as “foreboding…stark…unappetizing.” He sounds homesick for Earth, she
thought. I bet he wonders if he’ll ever
get home
again. She glanced around her, appreciating the cozy
family scene. As
the half-hour program neared its end, the three astronauts took turns
reading
from the book of Genesis in the Bible. Beth leaned over and tapped her
father’s
foot to wake him. He wouldn’t want to miss this."
This atmospheric detail is part of what
makes Silent Winter Solstice
especially appealing. Under the snowy layers of a December family
setting lays
the threat of a murder and a perp who enters Beth's life to track her
movements
and alter her perceptions.
As she and best friend Evie Hanson pursue
the truth, books, libraries, and small town and family interests alike
converge
on the holidays to introduce a special flavor of murder and mystery to
everyone's
lives.
Oldre
excels in
juxtaposing the atmosphere of the late 1960s and changing times with
Beth's
observations of home and community. Silent
Winter Solstice exemplifies the fundamental
roots of a cozy mystery, integrating intrigue with community and
individual
interests.
Readers
who look
for holiday spirits, 1960s atmosphere and concerns, and mystery wound
into a
small town's developments and community will relish Silent
Winter Solstice's
ability to bring all to life, with a healthy dash of suspense added for
just
the right touch.
Return to Index
The 31 Near-Death Experiences of Jenny Black
F.E. Shearer
Pumpjack Press
978-1734519747
$16.95 Print; $7.99 eBook
www.pumpjackpress.com
Loretta Sparkman is becoming a zombie in The
31 Near-Death Experiences of Jenny Black. It's not the
brain-eating specter
of horror novels; but rather, Loretta reflects that “I’m
certainly not hungry for brains. And it’s not that my ability to
think and be smart and read and talk and love and so on is gone. It’s
just, I’m
no longer sure who’s doing that stuff anymore. Like, there’s no ‘I’
inside me.”
Matthias, her husband, responds with
questions about the specific way in which Loretta is fading from life
and
emotional connections. As the story evolves, so do ethical
considerations that
move from the introductory description of Loretta's changing state of
mind to
events that provoke medical conundrums and social inspection.
F.E. Shearer's story is compelling on
several levels. First, it excels in character descriptions that capture
underlying emotions and reactions in a succinct, hard-hitting manner: "Loretta sees in the slump of his
shoulders—pushed down now by the weight of a decades-old scream—a man
determined to do good in the world."
As Loretta moves from increasingly reactive,
zombie-like response to life to embracing a host of new challenges, she
becomes
involved in a case of misplaced sperm — a PR nightmare for the
university where
she works — and simultaneously, her childhood friend Jenny's near-death
occurrences. Each holds special challenges to her and her work for the
university, forcing Loretta to re-engage with life in a different
manner than
she chose in the past.
Her friend, world traveler Jenny, is on the
cusp of a new experience for 2020. And it doesn't involve predictable
change,
either for her or for Loretta.
Jenny has had twenty-two near death
experiences, which medicine has yet to explain. Her ability to draw
Loretta
into a strange new world of possibilities embraces many evolving issues
that
change both their lives.
Readers won't anticipate the concurrent
development of issues related to medical research, including bias in
mental
illness diagnoses, treatment, and progression; scientific racism; and
the
cosmological limitations of cultural analysis.
As consciousness, neuroscience research into
the nature of reality, and spiritual and philosophical elements are
brought
into play, Loretta and Jenny find their connections changing on more
than one
level.
Readers will find in The
31 Near-Death Experiences of Jenny Black a story that
evolves
on many thought-provoking levels. Those who anticipated a zombie horror
scenario from the book's opening introduction will instead find a
delightfully
unexpected series of inspections into social and medical communities
that comes
full circle in a surprising way.
Collections strong in stories about social
and medical issues will find The 31
Near-Death Experiences of Jenny Black riveting reading that
considers self,
ego, and how near-death experiences lead to revisions of life, death,
and what
lies between them.
Return to Index
Binge
Anne Pfeffer
Bold Print Press
978-0-578-34629-8
$0.99
preorder
www.annepfeffer.com
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Binge tells of Sabrina Hunter, whose goal in life
is to become a
best-selling novelist. Now twenty-seven, she works at a dead-end job
under
demanding boss Josh and is no closer to her goal of being a full-time
writer.
Her
life is made tolerable by binging on candy, and as she puts on more
weight, Sabrina ("Bree") acknowledges that the failures in her life
are causing stress and promoting binge eating responses.
Alone
in her life without a partner, but fixated on the romantic
writing she produces that envisions better possibilities (if not for
herself,
then for her fictional characters), Sabrina embarks on new routes that
bring
her to the cusp of realizing one of her greatest dreams.
As
she struggles with diets, spirituality, and new options in career
and love, Sabrina questions her motivation for losing weight and the
changes
this effort will introduce to her life.
Her
concerns expand to broader inspections of her world as she
questions why God seems so unfair, why she appears incapable of getting
what
she wants, and how new revelations about family and loyalty are
affecting the
patterns of her life.
Anne
Pfeffer crafts a fine women's read about life changes,
transitions, and sacrifice. As Sabrina's focus on weight loss
transforms to
bigger-picture thinking, her life shifts and her relationships and
ideals bring
with them new opportunities.
Pfeffer
is especially adept at capturing the flow between Sabrina and
family and love matters, keeping her character fully engaged in both
her own
pursuits and her interactions in business and personal worlds alike.
While
stress-eating is one theme of the story, Pfeffer carries these
habits into a broader spectrum of psychological examination that makes
for an
involving story of one woman's determination to "live the dream."
Fiction
readers who appreciate portraits of contemporary women who
forge their own roads to success in different ways will find Sabrina
and her
upward trajectory realistic, satisfying, and memorable, all in one.
Return to Index
Black Truffle & Spice
Mathis Bailey
Independently Published
978-0-9959193-4-1
$19.99
Website: www.Mathisbailey.com
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Black Truffle &
Spice
is a novel celebrating food, cooking, and modern living. It joins Confused
Spice and Brown Sugar
&
Spice with another story of LBGTQ romance and urban living.
Half Indian/French food critic Darshan Singh
is observing prep cook Anushka in action in her restaurant kitchen.
It's
obvious that author Mathis Bailey knows his food, because delicious
descriptions are part of this story's allure to foodies: "Darshan
watched her over stuff a crêpe with tandoori chicken, green
peppers, and onions; their edges charred to a crisp. Gooey Camembert
cheese was
added last, with a thick dollop of spicy crème fraiche to finish it
off. The
dish was an Indian dosa spinoff,
this was what the Indo-French fusion bistro was all about."
More than culinary aromas are in the air.
Romance, too, simmers steadily on the stove with a come-on scent that
lures
readers into a vivid kitchen scenario with a full pot of relationship
potential
and promise. But wait...something tastes different.
Even though the man of her dreams has walked
into Anushka's life, exhibiting an intoxicating allure of "pink
peppercorns and burnt leather," something else is actually simmering
beneath the surface.
As the story moves from this opening
scenario to the main feature (chef Pierre Jackson, owner of the new
Spice Café,
whose sexuality lives up to the name's alluring promise), readers are
treated
to a different kind of romance that embraces personal and professional
ambitions alike.
Mathis Bailey infuses his story with special
interests, private lives, backburnered passions, and business partners.
As Pierre's partner Zola begins to tread on
dangerous grounds and romantic competitions escalate on the culinary
playing
field, Bailey provides an astute examination of hearts and kitchens at
war, and
ethnic roots that are tangled and complex.
Darshan is Indian. Zola is black. He's a
chef. She's a cook. He's rich. She's poor. And Pierre has not known
much of
this information about Darshan's background—or his latest business
pursuit.
Zola is flirting with more than unrequited
love and cultural bias. Her actions are coming home to threaten
Pierre's own
beloved café and, fueled by Anushka's information and conniving, all
involved
are about to face crashing and burning both in their love lives and
their
careers.
Bailey's ability to move readers from
kitchen to bedroom and back again, his attention to exploring culinary
and
social bias, and the interactions between ex-husbands, potential future
husbands, and lovers who operate in different worlds makes for a
steamy,
alluring story.
The descriptions of foods and how they add
layers of intrigue and surprise to the romance set Black
Truffle & Spice apart from the usual one-dimensional
romance focus, making it an exceptional read: "She
set the macarons and coffee on the table. The smell was rich
and intoxicating. He took a bite of the rose-flavored macaron. It
crumbles
under his teeth. The cream melting on the roof of his mouth and tongue.
It was
baked to perfection. Her father ate it in three bites and washed it
down with
French coffee, which left a thin layer of froth on his lip. It took him
a
moment to lick it off and start on another macaron. This time saffron.
He
gobbled it up. His favorite so far. He wondered would they ever do paan flavored."
As Anushka and Zola face heart-shattering
confrontations over their love, readers are treated to a story of
choice,
consequences, and food world conundrums that explore a milieu beyond
the usual
romance focus on passion and promise alone.
The resulting multifaceted story will simply
delight culinary fans, whether they are romance genre enthusiasts or
novel
readers looking for an involving, delicious read.
Return to Index
Daughter of Hades
Mack Little
Inklings Publishin
978-1-944428-68-6
$15.00 Paper/$4.99 ebook
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FCQC8YZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Daughter of Hades
is a unique historical novel that embraces LBGTQ relationships, pirate
ships,
escape from slavery, and interracial connections alike. Its story is
replete in
diverse elements as it explores 1600s Barbados and "alliances of
convenience" that evolved on many different levels.
True stories about slave ships, evolving
relationships between Maroons and buccaneers, and connections between
Maroons
and landowners form the foundations of this piece, and will educate
readers
about these changing times and their impact.
The focus on interracial relationships, the
story of Chinese man Lei (who tells about his experiences on the Hades
and the
fall of the Ming dynasty), and the prevalence of same-sex relationships
aboard
pirate vessels all have their roots in real-world events. These lend to
a
vibrant story that holds much educational value for readers who may not
know
much about the Caribbean during these times, but will see this world
vividly
through Lei and Dinny's eyes.
Other characters provide their own realistic
experiences. Slave Geraldine's rape and humiliating fate changes her
life. Assaulted at
the hands of her owner, Owen
Craig, she faces a path to freedom which begins at sea and introduces
new
obstacles and opportunities.
As she becomes a pivot point in a deal that
is based on revenge and retribution, the story moves through various
lives
affected by these complex social and political relationships.
Mack Little excels in creating a historical
novel backed by solid facts and experiences the average reader won't
know
about, and events they won't see coming.
Under her hand, the 1600s come to life
through interpersonal relationships that both reflect and challenge the
standards of their times.
It
should be noted that graphic descriptions
and erotic moments are part of this story. Little includes these as a
matter of
course, exploring the various facets of lives which embrace both heterosexual and LGBTQ partnerships and the
social milieus of their evolution.
The
result is a
vivid story of the 1700s Caribbean world that brings to life love,
conflict,
and the paths individuals choose in a world that offers both
opportunity and
adversity, as violence changes heroes and villains alike.
Daughter of Hades
is highly recommended reading for anyone who would better understand
this era
and the forces that influenced the course of Caribbean history.
Return to Index
Entente
Stephen Finlay
Archer
Manzanita Writers
Press
9780990801955
$14.95
www.manzapress.com
The ancient
clans' pact and influence that was outlined and developed in Searchers
expands in Entente, Book Two of The Irish Clans
series.
Here, Irish
revolutionaries involve Germany in their cause as World War I emerges,
challenging
Irish Republican Tadgh McCarthy and his lover Morgan to continue their
battle
for Irish freedom, albeit under the cloak of a wider-ranging war.
As these events
take place, Irish-Canadian Collin continues to agonize over his
vanished sister
Claire's fate and his own failing marriage.
The interplays
between politics and personal lives and family clans and world events,
that
began in Searchers broadens and continues in Entente,
where the
overlay of war changes everything in a blend of fact and fiction that
keeps
readers involved not just in politics, but personal lives.
Stephen Finlay
Archer's ability to weave history into a gripping, action-packed story
line
that captures disparate characters' special interests and dilemmas
keeps his
series absorbing even for readers who may harbor little initial
interest in the
historical fiction genre.
Morgan and
Tadgh's relationship and concerns were introduced in Searchers,
but here
the two really blossom as world events expand to encompass and
challenge their
beliefs and objectives.
From blockades
and risky confrontations to preparations for a Rising that operate
within the
confines of bigger conflicts, Archer creates another thoroughly
engrossing
story that contrasts Irish interests and perspectives with events going
on in
the rest of the world.
His ability to
keep these developments moving swiftly on both a personal and political
level
makes Entente a powerful story. It builds on its
predecessor's events,
but also stands nicely alone as it weaves a tale of Irish forces
continuing
their struggles under the atmosphere and outside conflicts of other
nations
during World War I.
Readers who like
historical fiction infused with the lives of ordinary people turned
revolutionaries will find Entente's ability to
craft believable
characters and scenarios based on historical truth spiced with
fictional events
makes for riveting reading that, once again, is hard to put down.
Return to Index
Etta's Fishing
Ground
Eva Pasco
Independently Published
979-8495162594
$19.95
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J8WMH9Q/
Readers of contemporary women's fiction who
look for evocative stories will find Etta's Fishing Ground an inviting read.
The story is set
in Rhode Island, where Etta's fishing ground is located in the remote
southeastern corner of Providence County, bordering Connecticut. It
captures
the atmosphere of the small town of Foster, which has a history of low
crime
and Klan rallies. Nothing much ever changes there—but nothing stays the
same
forever.
Obie's wife's
best friend Etta is a real catch. And he should know since he's a
stickler for
details—as a former police officer used to documenting facts.
As Obie, wife
Muriel, and others navigate the changes in their lives in later years,
shattered psyches and discordant notes introduce new perspectives,
challenges,
and events.
Etta's "pageant-perfected
poise" leads her to offer uncommon advice to Muriel as humor, revised
purposes and lives, and small town dilemmas enter into the picture.
Eva Pasco is adept at capturing
these scenarios with an astute eye to
detail: "Etta stepped aside for Muriel to cross the threshold
into the
great room and forge on ahead to the kitchen while she shut the door
behind
them, closing them in for a kill. Preoccupied with unzipping the
carrier she
set on the counter, and removing an object of pretension, Muriel found
her
tongue. “Thought you and Keith might enjoy my cheesy
sausage-and-croissant
casserole for tomorrow’s breakfast.” Any footing she thought she’d
regained for
striking up a conversation on the subject of Keith slipped away."
As legal and criminal proceedings
enter the small town's relationships
picture to further entangle its residents, Pascoe provides a compelling
portrait of gambles, absurdity, and irony that embrace the town's
residents
with an overlay of unsolved murder and muddled feelings.
Pasco's background as a lifelong
native Rhode Islander enhances a story
that captures community interactions, culture, and a specific sense of
place.
As murder, sexual contention,
looming divorce and the promise of a
fishing hole refuge coalesce, readers should break out the cheesy
sausage-and-croissant casserole and settle in for a warm romp through
Foster
that leads to Etta's fishing ground's real impact and meaning.
Etta's Fishing Ground proves a
delightful novel of small-but-growing town pains
that keeps readers involved in a myriad of disparate, delightful lives
and
motivations. It is highly recommended for any collection where novels
about
simmering love and hate reside alongside small town trappings of
family,
connection, and angst.
Return to Index
Finding
Cristina
Emilia
Rosa
Independently
Published
979-8747686946
Paperback:
$19.99; large print: $29.00; Kindle: $9.99
https://www.amazon.com/Emilia-Rosa/e/B093YQ2MHY
Finding
Cristina is set in the
1920s in Rio de
Janeiro, where young Cristina
inherits her father's house—and a load of debt. Pianist Cristina
already feels
ill-equipped to handle his estate, her mother's growing illness, and
the new
demands placed on her life, but when romance enters the picture, she
feels at
odds with just about everything in her world.
As truths, traps, and
concessions emerge, Cristina defies social norms, receives life lessons
from a
countess, and explores a secret from her past that changes everything
in her
present, including her goals for her future.
Readers will be delighted in the
manner in which Emilia Rosa presents her spunky, strong character's
response to
the mystery and love that lead her in unexpected new directions.
Rosa creates a story nicely
steeped in Brazilian culture. This is likely because of her personal
background, growing up in Brazil, and the childhood years she spent in
Rio de
Janeiro.
As Cristina confronts the truth
about her heritage, readers receive a warm story of transformation and
problem-solving that follows Cristina's road to a very different life
than the
one she'd envisioned for herself.
Replete in family connections,
secrets revealed, and a romance that introduces these changes, Finding Cristina's journey through the
social and musical world of Brazil and beyond will especially appeal to
women
who like their female protagonists strong, flexible, and subject to
change.
Emila Rosa has already started
the sequel to Finding Cirstina, so
stay tuned.
The romance that encourages this
transformation is a strong reason why Cristina keeps moving forward in
her life
and perspectives. The story that operates on different levels to
involve
readers with its powerful blend of intrigue, romance, and personal
inspection,
and is highly recommended reading for those who like evocative
psychological
inspections set in Latin America.
Return to Index
The
Fourth Wall
Scott Petty
Atmosphere Press
978-1639881178
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Readers
of
supernatural fiction who enjoy vivid suspense stories of war and
monsters with
an Afghanistan backdrop will find plenty to relish here. Army reservist
Captain
Thomas Jett seeks to escape the demons that plagued him in the U.S.,
only to
discover they are even more prevalent in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
It'd
be easy to
pin a mass murder under wartime conditions to the Taliban, but locals
insist
that something more sinister is going on, and Jett is tasked with
listening to
them and uncovering the real source of these murders.
One
would think
that a pragmatic military officer would be the last to accept the
possibility
of supernatural influences, much less devise a method of thwarting
them, but
Jett is no ordinary man. In fact, he's the perfect person to tackle an
impossible scenario that holds ramifications for the rest of the world.
Author
Scott
Petty is a veteran of the Afghanistan war, and is in the perfect
position to
bring the country, its peoples, and the story to life. The unexpected
weave of
a murder mystery with supernatural forces is offset by the military
environment
and inspection which perfectly dovetails two seemingly disparate ways
of
viewing the world.
To
avoid the
confusion some military books bring to civilian readers, Petty provides
a
glossary of military terms that introduces the story. A reading of
these terms
will assure that no military abbreviations are misunderstood.
The
story opens
with a pull that many in military service will find familiar: “You look like you just got kicked out of
fairyland and landed in the real world. Was everything gumdrops and
cherry
trees for you? One minute you’re in fairyland, the next minute…BAM,
welcome to
Afghanistan.”
As
Jett
acknowledges the one-handed observation imparted by a sassy Air Force
man, he
immediately introduces readers to the juxtaposition of reality and
fantasy that
will extend beyond military and civilian service to grow into an
observation
about the supernatural and modern worlds that coexist side by side.
Readers
who like
military operations, supernatural stories, and magical realism will
find just
the right touch of all these elements and more in The
Fourth Wall.
Petty
adds
different characters and narrative choices to move the story along,
capturing
diverse points of view and satisfying transformations. Jett writes of
his dilemmas
("You know where I am. You know what
an important clue this is. It’s not just a game. My (incomplete) draft
of the
CONOPS is attached to this letter. It may look like a game or a
description of
a dream, but it isn’t. It will look strange to you, but if it was
complete, and
if I was there to explain it, you would understand. Don’t send the
cavalry
after me just yet (or your crazy mother-in-law…is that something you
mentioned
or my imagination?)."), documenting personal reflections and
inspections that are constantly challenged by evolving circumstances.
His
war turns
out to be not against the usual adversaries, but the minions of another
reality
itself. And that is a big challenge for a military man to handle.
The
military
command structure and Jett's place in it receive close inspection in a
vivid
manner that will delight those familiar with military operations in
general and
Afghanistan in particular. Its unexpected backdrop brings characters
and
extraordinary circumstances to life, making The
Fourth Wall a story of intrigue and action that will appeal
beyond the
usual military or supernatural reader.
Anyone
interested in a thriller/suspense mystery that features exceptionally
strong
grounding in both real and mystical worlds will find The
Fourth Wall unique, compelling reading.
Return to Index
Hot Air
Charlie Suisman
Independently Published
978-0-578-99328-7
$12.99
Website: https://charliesuisman.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GZV971P
Hot Air
is a series addition to the introductory story Arnold
Falls that will
delight both prior readers and newcomers who are interested in upstate
New York
scenarios.
The story of Arnold Falls picks up where the
first book left off, with a series of fun local conundrums and dilemmas
which
bring a smile to the face from the prologue's introductory lines: "The fact of the matter is, somebody
stole the statue of Hezekiah Hesper, and for months nobody
noticed...The old
rogue had then languished in a corner of Benjamin Arnold Park, ignored
by all
except the dogs, fine judges of character, unwavering about the sort of
tribute
Hesper deserved. When the statue was removed from its stand one
moonless night
in March 2018, Hesper was in people's thoughts the same as he ever was,
which
is to say, not at all."
Will and narrator Jeebs have been together
since last fall. Now is the sleepy summertime when nothing usually
happens. But
change is in the wind for this small town, and as events unfold,
"living
in the present tense" becomes a thing of the past.
As two gay men reflect on how everything
seems warm and peaceful in their summertime world, Chapter 2 introduces
more
characters and a sense of transformation from the third person
perspective as
things change.
Judge Harschly faces a not-so-antisocial
hermit in his courtroom and senses something is off in his
jurisdiction: "Over the years, Judge
Harschly’s ears
had become highly reliable tuning forks, sensitive to the merest wisp
of a
tendril of off-note prevarication. A Rolls Royce of b.s. detectors, as
his wife
says."
Marvin the Hobo and others bring with them a
discordant bag of possibilities that evolve to challenge the small
town's
traditions and façades.
In a world both bent on staying the same yet
facing changes from outside forces not always understandable or under
its
control, can the small town's residents preserve what they value most
in life?
Charlie Suisman crafts a fun story of a
different kind of small-town milieu. He spices his tale with strong
dialogue
between disparate characters, laces events with a wry sense of humor
and
observational irony, and weaves a dance of confrontation and change
that
embraces hot-air balloons, fraying feelings, and new lives.
Small town events permeate this wonderful
romp through life to provide ongoing whimsy, while serious inspections
of
evolving times keep these disparate individuals realistic and
emotionally
moving.
From mystery and turmoil to performances
that entice audiences to become involved in various characters'
choices, Hot Air is a delightful
tour de force
that juxtaposes serious messages with light-hearted inspections. Just
the
ticket for a warm read on a cold winter's night.
Return to Index
A Kiss for Maggie Moore
Micki R. Pettit
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68433-838-2
$19.95
Paper/$6.99 Kindle
www.blackrosewriting.com
In
A Kiss for Maggie
Moore, protagonist Margaret Emma Moore is sassy, brash, and
forthright. Her
first-person story represents this personality from its opening lines
as Maggie
confronts a pretentious competitor and his statement that she is "just
a
girl".
Fast
forward a few years in the future. Maggie and Bucky are
best buddies and have evolved a close friendship since that day on the
hill
when she defied his pat perception of her. A beautiful new neighbor
girl
enchants Bucky with her countenance and attitude, which are far
different from
Maggie's assertive persona.
Melinda
Thomas becomes their best friend in an unlikely trio
of opportunity and angst that changes them all.
As
a perhaps-predictable romance emerges, Maggie is faced
with a moral and ethical conundrum that tests not just her courage, but
her
heart.
While
A Kiss for Maggie
Moore is a coming-of-age story that might seem destined for
young adult
readers alone, it would be a shame to limit its audience to this group.
Maturity
brings with it small prices to pay and large costs
for bad decisions, which Maggie discovers during her growth process.
From new
responsibilities and new reactions to revised lives, Micki R. Pettit
crafts a
memorable saga of a small town and individual lives facing changes.
rom
drugs to love, Maggie is "beginning to
understand self-loathing."
As
she moves through revised relationships, threats, and
small town experiences, her experiences will delight readers of all
ages who
look for feisty, strong young women willing to do battle not only with
the
world outside themselves, but with their own inclinations and reactions.
Pettit's
story is vigorous, enlightening, and filled with
strong characters who cultivate different visions of their futures.
This
memorable read deserves repeated consultation and a place on the
bookshelves of
any reader of coming-of-age stories and small-town life.
Return to Index
La Esmeralda Imperfecta
David Carroll
Camino Alto Publishing
978-1-956705-00-3
$10.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook
www.amazon.com
From its title, one might assume that La Esmeralda Imperfecta: Paradise Lost in
Costa Rica will either appear in Spanish or be the
nonfiction story of a
move to Costa Rica gone awry.
Neither supposition is true. This novel is
in English, with Spanish words added throughout to reflect its Costa
Rican
setting; and the events that unfold are fiction, even though the
prologue
provides a short history of the country's evolution.
Part of this evolutionary process is the
drug trade, one of the focuses of this novel. Readers are forewarned of
the
story's likely direction in the prologue's concluding words, which lead
directly into the first chapter, in which a pilot crashes and a country
begins
to stir to life one early morning—a life not always appreciated by
those new to
its rhythms: "Juan Carlos didn't
need to wake up early, and he valued sleeping into the mid-morning, but
no way
was that happening. Country living is gonna take more time getting used
to than
I expected, he admitted to himself with annoyance. “First one rooster,
then
another, and the next—to fuckin’ infinity. The whole damn town
cockadoodlin’
with roosters. And right behind the roosters come the birds screechin’,
monkeys
howlin’, dogs barkin’, and bitches bitchin’.”
As events move into the cocaine trade, set
against the backdrop of volcanoes and action, readers receive an
adventure
story that traverses the underworld of Costa Rican society as it probes
both
the country's underbelly and the pulse of its wonders.
David Carroll takes the time to capture the
sights, sounds, and smells of a nation; whether it's the physical
beauty of the
area or its civilized attractions: "They
ordered shrimp cocktails, conch drenched in butter and garlic, and
grilled
mahi-mahi. The meal was delicious. Macho paid and handed the waitress a
fat
tip. She passed him her phone number."
From how lucrative incomes evolve outside of
conventional circles to relationships built upon "powder sales
associates
and close friends," Carroll's ability to probe the lesser-known (but
equally vibrant) world of Costa Rica will feel authentic to those well
familiar
with the country's heartbeat as well as newcomers to Costa Rica who
might only
have heard of its tourist attractions.
From family matters and uncertain, mercurial
friendships to how Juan Carlos and Rafael (Rafa) manage adverse
situations in a
risky business, the dual processes of life and love unfold in a manner
that
reaches out to not just embrace, but immerse readers in Costa Rica's
culture.
This explosive story of the pursuit of
wealth, happiness, and love reveals all aspects of Costa Rica's worlds,
which
exist in layers alongside one another. The plot does a fine job of
mingling a
sense of place and purpose with cultural and social insights. The
resulting
tale of intrigue and action keeps readers absorbed as well as wondering
about
the ultimate outcome of family men involved in dangerous ventures.
La Esmeralda Imperfecta
will reach a wide audience; but especially those already interested in
Costa
Rica. It holds thriller components, but should be described as
something more,
because its psychological and social inspections are just as central as
the
intrigue. La Esmeralda Imperfecta
also holds cultural insights, but with a twist that focuses on Costa
Rica's
lesser-known milieu.
Readers
of stories steeped in other
countries who want a vivid and candid inspection of Costa Rica's
motivations,
business, and society will find La
Esmeralda Imperfecta outstanding.
Return to Index
Like A Complete
Unknown
Anara Guard
New Wind
Publishing
978-1-929777-25-9
$18.99
www.newwindpublishing.com
Most novels about teens speak of the
parents' insistence that their child at least graduate high school, but
Katya
Warshawsky’s parents are different. They insist she drop out of school
to begin
her working life. And Katya, an aspiring artist, wants more from her
life than
working on a cleaning crew.
And so she runs away. It's the late 1960s:
an era of flight, freedom, hippie dreams and hopes, and the promise of
a new
world which beckons Katya with change—albeit in a different manner than
her
parents had envisioned for her future. And Chicago isn't the bastion of
counterculture opportunities Katya had hoped for.
When she gets into trouble and needs medical
help, she involves widowed doctor Robert Lewis in her plight. He
already helps
those less fortunate; but when Katya appears and then vanishes, he's
drawn to
find her. This pulls him away from his office and from traditional
medical practice
and into a world he's only touched lightly.
As Katya confuses freedom and opportunity
for love, her feelings and emotions are solidly represented: "This was what she had longed for; it
was the true beginning of her new, free life."
Trusting Katya doesn't know anything about
drugs, and little about the counterculture life she's poised to enter.
Her
naivety and trust are part of what makes her so vulnerable to the
ideals,
paranoia, and follies of those around her.
Doc, on the other hand, is savvy, straight-laced,
and wise.
Anara
Guard does
a fine job of juxtaposing these two seemingly disparate individuals,
showing
how their lives come together by chance, the lessons each learns from
the
rising tides that buffet their world and expectations, and the plight
of street
teens who are homeless and vulnerable.
As
Katya's
predicament brings her full circle to contemplate returning home and
Doc's
encounters lead him further from his practice, readers receive an
involving
window into the hearts and minds of those who face restrictions on
their
trajectories in life and chafe against them.
This
story of
change, transformation, and growth captures not only the social and
political
milieu of the 1960s, but its pitfalls and opportunities. Readers who
want a
sense of what these times were like and the struggles experienced by
those both
within and outside of the system will find Like
A Complete Unknown a vivid, thought-provoking story that
captures this
world from two different experiences.
Return to Index
Long
Live the
Night
Brandon Collier
Xanetik
Entertainment
978-0-9895203-8-6
$14.99
www.xanetik.com
Long Live the Night is a novel about slaves and pirates,
struggles for survival, and adventure. It is recommended reading for
those interested
in stories of pirates, politics, and kings.
From
swashbuckling fights involving leader Prince Ade from the Gold Coast to
a
treasure hunt that tests loyalty and alliances alike, Brandon Collier
crafts a
tale that embraces both nautical and landside adventures.
The
characters
are often “like ships in the sea with nowhere to go" as an island
economy
changes, international relationships and special interests are tested,
and new
alliances are forged, from Nassau to Spain and beyond.
Many
have Ade to
thank for their changes in fortune. Others curse his name. Rodrigo and
his
sister Selima are among those whose lives were changed for the better,
having
grown up very poor on the streets of Marbella, Spain. Rodrigo was a
thief who
often got caught until he changed his life, first by working at a local
inn
catering to sailors and then by becoming a cook for a ship tasked with
bringing
slaves to the new world, as ordered by King Philip the Fifth.
Each
of his
decisions changes his life and that of his sister. Each leads them into
a world
far different than street life in Europe.
Brandon
Collier
presents a wide-ranging story that moves around the world and through
disparate
lives. Having a sense of the time of these events would have been
helpful, but
the focus on each character's background, interactions, and revised
purposes
creates a lively journey that carries readers from land to sea and back
again.
Long Live the Night is a moving story of battles, struggles for
treasure and survival, and the intersecting lives of disparate people
who find
their interests and purposes aligning in unusual ways.
It's
a novel
highly recommended for historical fiction readers and those who look
for
satisfying blends of action and adventure, and social and political
inspection.
Return to Index
A Long Time Ago in the Future
Robert C. Marsett
Ranges Press
978-0-9841030-2-7
$11.87 Paper/$9.65 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Long-Time-Ago-Future-Chronical/dp/0984103023
A Long Time Ago in the
Future
opens in 1974 in North Slope Alaska, where Vietnam veteran Bob Hasett
has
relocated in hopes of finding peace after his wife's death.
What he discovers, instead, is a conundrum
revolving around crime, an Inuit woman's involvement, and a challenge
to his
sense of duty that introduces new problems into his life.
Bob faces more than the needs of a woman
recovering from her own adversity: he confronts wolves, bears, and some
of
Alaska's most dangerous hunters.
As his involvements in pipeline security and
matters of the heart evolve, Bob finds himself part of an unlikely team
that
operates against all kinds of threats.
It's ironic that the woman who got him
involved in this mess is also the one to save him from himself.
Robert C. Marsett creates a vivid story of
self-discovery, challenge, and a relationship which brings both
characters into
new arenas of ethical and moral inspection.
As skeletons emerge from closets, Marsett
inspects different characters' motivations, interactions, and
intersections. The
result is a vivid
story of transformation, adversity, and courage that operates on many
different
levels.
Readers anticipating the usual story of a
Vietnam veteran will find this vivid present-day inspection of Alaskan
life
creates adventure and revelation as Bob attempts new choices and makes
challenging crossings in the river of his life.
The Alaskan backdrop is vibrant, providing a
brilliant atmosphere for this story of new connections, skills, and
survival
tactics.
A Long Time Ago in the
Future
is highly recommended for fiction readers interested in stories that
blend
adventure with personal discoveries made on many different levels, and
should
be in any collection strong in Alaskan themes and action stories.
Return to Index
The Love That Frees
Rebecca Leo
Big Table Publishing
978-1-945917-70-7
$17.00
www.bigtablepublishing.com
The Love That Frees
is a sequel to The Flaws that Bind and
continues the story of Jacqueline, who has fled an abusive marriage in
Jamaica
and now struggles to make a new life for herself with $350 in hand and
three
exhausted children in tow.
It's 1979, and the hurricane they face as
soon as they arrive in St. Croix is only one outward indication of the
storms
that continue to shake their lives even after freedom is supposedly
achieved.
Dependent on friends who are also
experiencing their own life transitions, and stuck in a cycle of
poverty that
keeps their options limited, Jacqueline must forge new dreams and
opportunities
even as her life appears to be coming full circle to return her to her
oppressive situation. In her efforts to flee David and this past,
Jacqueline
must forge new relationships that test her on many different levels.
While readers ideally should be familiar
with the events in The Flaws that Bind to
get the fullest flavor and benefit from this sequel, in reality,
newcomers need
not worry that they will find Jacqueline's history confusing.
Rebecca Leo weaves a recap of past events
into the story early in the tale so that readers understand not only
Jacqueline's history, but the fears and motivations that drive her to
recreate
her life.
From journaling to creative writing and
child-rearing, Jacqueline learns to develop the kinds of insights that
not only
"get to the heart of things" but provide lessons in how to perceive
alternative routes in her life and choices.
This process is simply fascinating. Rebecca
Leo takes the time to detail the psychological complexity of
Jacqueline's
endeavors, the life events and forces that both send her reeling and
offer new
opportunities that she must teach herself to recognize and consider,
and the
behaviors of family and friends who influence her along the way.
As Jacqueline analyzes her family influences
and their impact and learns new routes to love and freedom from
different
sources in her life, she fosters the courage to make real changes that
will
alter the course of her future and that of generations to come.
Leo's story provides no easy paths or
predictable subplots. Much like life, it winds through intricacy,
ironies,
circumstance, and life influences with an attention to detail that is
complex,
yet appealingly recognizable.
Life goes on—and so does the road to a love
that offers truly different options rather than simply repeating
patterns of
the past.
Readers will welcome the opportunity to
understand how a single mother arrives at the point where her life
blossoms.
They will find that The Love That Frees
offers inspirational and realistic scenarios and evolutionary events
that
mirror much of the unpredictability and resilience of people living
life to its
fullest.
Its reflections about the road to recovery
operates on many different levels, providing a warm story of how one
family not
just survives, but comes to thrive against all odds.
Collections strong in epic stories about
love and change will find The Love That
Frees a powerful addition.
Return to Index
McCarthy Gold
Stephen Finlay
Archer
Manzanita Writers
Press
9780998691046
$14.95
www.manzapress.com
Book 4 of the
Irish Clans series takes place after the Easter Uprising chronicled in
the
third story, and follows The Clans' search for the McCarthy gold
treasure and
the ongoing efforts of Collins to find his sister.
Containing more
of a treasure hunt atmosphere than the previous books, McCarthy
Gold
will engage readers with a different tone and flavor that retains the
historical backdrop while moving into puzzles and problem-solving
scenarios to
intrigue those interested in hidden treasures and suspense.
Each character
continues to develop as new dilemmas affect their choices. Will Collin
permanently abandon his wife and their newborn child in Canada to
pursue the
truth about his sister's whereabouts? Can Tadgh and Morgan keep their
activities secret from the Protestant Times and other forces like rogue
policeman Boyle that would interfere with their mission?
From the
historical religious significance of the O'Donnell Clan to Boyle's hunt
for
treasures (now likely in possession of the McCarthy Clans Pact),
Stephen Finlay
Archer provides a story that entwines politics, passion, and intrigue
with an
edict to fulfill forefathers' noble plans: "We are the
generation chosen
by God and destiny to recover the treasures of our Clans so that they
can be
used to fuel our glorious revolution."
Once again,
history and mystery entwine with cultural revelations that probe the
foundations of social and historical change in Ireland.
Because the Clans
and their stories and books are interwoven and build upon a foundation
established in Book 1, it's highly recommended that readers adopt a
sequential
pursuit of this series. The rich development of characters,
perspectives, and
missions of transformation and discovery could not be gained from
reading just
one of these books, while the progressive action and adventures that
build upon
one another to further the story are nicely constructed.
McCarthy Gold introduces new
considerations about the affects of
heritage, wealth, and the attitudes of traitors and believers on events
that
unfold here.
Its development
further intrigue and suspense keeps the action vivid as the historical
backdrop
expands, making for a fine series addition that continues to grow its
characters and purposes against a historically accurate, rich backdrop
of
action.
All these books
should be standard acquisitions for any library interested in Irish
history and
culture.
Return to Index
Open
Marisa Rae Dondlinger
Moonshine Cove Publishing
978-1-952439-23-0
$16 paperback; $6.99 Kindle
Website: www.marisaraedondlinger.com
Ordering: www.amazon.com
Open
introduces a surprise from the start: Lila's husband, Alex, has
just proposed an open marriage after trying futilely to defeat the
grief and
ennui which has permeated their relationship after their third child is
stillborn. Lila's first-person reflection on the lasting impact of this
event
on their relationship is astute: "We
functioned well as a family, as co-parents, but when it was the two of
us? That
required talking. A concerted effort to pretend we hadn’t become
strangers.
After spending the afternoon with the kids, staying engaged, emotive, happy, I had nothing left to give. To
myself. And certainly not him."
Tackling the lasting depression
that stems from the loss of a child often leads to revised decisions
about life
and marriage. The tragedy that unifies some couples in grief is tearing
apart
Lila and Alex, who hold different ideas about how to react, and how to
rebuild
their family.
They are losing each other over
the battle for another pregnancy. More importantly, they are losing
their
selves and their existing family unit.
Readers who have been in similar
circumstances will readily recognize the struggles Lila and Alex face
as they
come to terms with and confront not just a terrible loss, but their
future
together.
Dondlinger provides an
insightful portrait of how Lila reconsiders their past dreams,
present-day
experiences, and new perceptions of her husband: "When
the kids got home from school, I explained that I had to
visit my mom for a couple days. A plausible explanation given her
issues.
Instead, I drove to Chicago, walked the streets where we met, fell in
love,
married. Back then, it was easy. We shared the same dreams. Interests.
Values.
Sure, we argued occasionally, but always came out on the same side.
Lovers.
Friends. Parents. I challenged myself to see it from his perspective,
drew upon
our sixteen years together, but came up empty. Nothing could excuse his
duplicity, his callousness."
As she changes and grows, so do
her observations of how to create a different life with a revised
purpose: "But this wasn’t just about me
anymore.
It was about how my pain was hurting those I loved. It was about being
a good
mother. I couldn’t bring Milo back, but I could learn from my mistakes.
Put my
children first."
Alex has at last captured her
attention by proposing an open marriage arrangement.
It's up to Lila to explore all her options,
and their impact on their family.
Dondlinger creates a heartfelt
novel that traverses Lila's healing process. Her choice of the first
person
brings home Lila's thoughts, emotions, and the logic behind her
responses,
crafting an exploration of re-inventing a marriage on a different level
while
healing from a host of past psychological wounds.
She moves between Alex and
Lila's viewpoints with clearly labeled chapters that include
self-examination
from both sides of the marriage. Especially astutely presented are
moments of
self-analysis in which Alex and Lila come to terms with their grief and
different ideas about managing life: "I
encouraged parents to keep a health journal for their kids. Sometimes
it takes
a global perspective to home in on the real issue. Other times, small
issues
mutate and spiral. I dispensed this advice, followed it with my
children, yet
dismissed its value when it came to me."
The result is a powerful saga of
loss, recovery, growth, and transformation that will completely engross
and
involve any who have walked in Lila and Alex's shoes. Women's fiction
collections will find it a solid acquisition, while discussion groups
on grief,
open marriage, and family values and processes will find much to
consider by
examining Alex and Lila's experiences.
Return to Index
The Potentials
Kathleen Rapp
Padua Publications
978-1-7358603-0-5
$14.98 Paper/$7.98 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Potentials-Novel-Journey-Beyond-Expectations/dp/173586031X
Readers of Christian fiction are in for a
treat with The Potentials. It's a
story that doesn't open in the usual manner that foretells religious
developments: "They emerge from the
darkness, these thieves in the night. No words are spoken, no looks
exchanged.
Yet without hesitation, each assumes his position in order to block any
possible escape. Once they have encircled me, they advance. Obviously,
they
have zeroed in on others like this before. It’s too well choreographed
to be
otherwise. The message is clear: I’m their mission, not a target of
opportunity. Barely a foot away, I see final judgment cemented in their
cold,
indifferent eyes. Their body language screams that punishment is soon
to
follow. So be it. Nothing I can say will prevent it. One thing I can
do: stop
their foul breath from polluting my face."
And that's one of the many pleasures to be
found in The Potentials. It holds
intrigue, psychological suspense, and conundrums that capture reader
interest
from the start, creating a mystery that then moves into spiritual
arenas that
invite contemplation through an exploration of new possibilities and
other
worlds.
From the start, The
Potentials crafts a series of intriguing conundrums as
protagonist Sunbeam moves into memories, dreams, and secrets that test
her
courage, relationships, and the senses, which slowly return to embrace
the
world's possibilities. As she reconciles the horrors of a nightmare
with the emerging
new realities of her life, Sunbeams faces new realizations that expand
her
ability to not just survive, but grow.
Kathleen Rapp's story is a powerful, moving
tale of adaptation and change. By shrouding Sunbeam's evolution in
mystery and
following her footsteps through newfound discoveries, connections, and
abilities, Rapp creates a memorable character whose life represents an
emotional rush of twists, turns, and revelations: "Life
just is. Living, now that ain’t so simple.”
The heartwarming tale of flawed individuals
who are each on paths of growth is a thought-provoking, emotional story
that
touches the heart on many levels.
Even readers accustomed to thriller and
mystery reads will find much to enjoy in The
Potentials, which draws with realistic, alluring characters
and situations,
fostering many surprises even for savvy readers who won't see this
conclusion
coming.
Return to Index
Revolution
Stephen Finlay
Archer
Manzanita Writers
Press
978-0998691091
$14.95
www.manzapress.com
While it may seem
that revolution already fuels the atmosphere in the first four books in
the
Irish Clans series, Book 5 takes a closer look at the unfolding events
that
opened the series in 1915 and moves towards a civil war in 1922–1923.
Once again, the
lasting legacy and rekindled growth of the McCarthy and O’Donnell Clans
add
fuel to the fire of anti-British forces and internal debates that
threaten to
tear Ireland apart.
Hidden treasure
and new possibilities again play a major role in the uprising as
individuals
pursue both personal goals and wider-ranging ideals. But the heart of Revolution
lies in its ability to depict connections between historical events,
the 1900s
challenges that affect Morgan and Tadgh's lives, and the forces that
bring them
to the brink of drowning.
From puzzles and
their connections to quaffing drinks in pubs that foster the plans and
rudiments of war, Morgan and Tadgh navigate an increasingly dangerous
atmosphere that's on the brink of exploding. Readers are introduced to
Irish
culture and sentiments in a manner that brings these times and
perspectives to
life.
As Archer builds
his series, it's evident that its foundation of solid historical facts
(reviewed in the back of each book, to provide history buffs with
detailed
information) lends to the evolving story.
It's easy to
absorb medieval Irish history, myths, and culture when these elements
are
presented through the eyes, hearts, and experiences of memorable
characters
whose individual concerns and pursuits become embroiled in Irish
politics.
Revolution both enhances the
series and, once again,
concludes in a cliffhanger designed to set the stage for the next
addition to
the series.
Archer's ability
to build intrigue, incorporate a secret pact and treasure hunt into
Ireland's
evolving struggles, and present all events through the eyes of
characters who
each hold personal strengths and ambitions creates a story that is
engrossing,
hard to put down, and another strong compliment to the series as a
whole.
Collections
strong in historical fiction, treasure hunt intrigue, and Irish culture
and
history will find each book in this series a sterling example of the
ability of
historical fiction to educate in a lively, compelling manner.
Return to Index
Rising
Stephen Finlay
Archer
Manzanita Writers
Press
9780998691008
$14.95
www.manzapress.com
Book 3 of The
Irish Clans, Rising, continues the evolving story
of Irish rebels Tadgh
and Morgan, and Irish-Canadian Collin, whose sister is still missing.
Here,
Tadgh and Morgan participate in the Dublin Easter Rising while Collin
makes the
decision to leave his wife and newborn son to continue his search for
his
missing sister in Ireland.
As the Clan
continues to look for the Clans Pact treasures and faces many
opponents, the
tides of war rise. The 1916 era is brought to life by Stephen Finlay
Archer's
attention to not just historical detail, but interpersonal
relationships.
As events move
from Canada to Ireland and characters move beyond their comfort zones
to tackle
new problems and possibilities, readers gain a vivid sense of the
times, its
influences, and the conundrums faced by all as the world changes: "This
is only the beginning, Sean. You mind me. We will exterminate the
British here
in Ireland." O'Casey pretended not to hear.
From a battle on
the Irish Sea at Dublin, Ireland to terrible situations experienced by
those
devoted to the Cause in that city, and clues provided in the Clans
Pact,
readers receive a combination of treasure hunt, evolving social and
political
challenges, and changing hearts and minds. Each character is charged
with
operating outside of their experience and expectations, growing from
their
decisions and world influences alike.
Between dangers
on the waters to intrigue on shore, Archer juxtaposes disparate
journeys of
life and death and brings tension to a riveting new level as each
character
searches for answers, lives through atrocities, and uncovers answers to
their
personal and political conundrums.
It's hard to say what
is more compelling: the intrigue and plots evolved by rebels Tadgh and
Morgan
as they struggle to uncover the Clans Pact secrets, or Collin's
desperate
attempts to find his missing sister against all odds.
Sometimes, the
love for one's life and country clash. Sometimes the characters despair
of any
kind of resolution that will allow them to live in freedom, health, and
happiness.
The intrigue and
questions keep Rising fast-paced as Archer
highlights the ideas and
actions that lend to an inevitable clash, personalizing Irish and world
politics in a manner that will keep even readers without a ground in
Irish
affairs engrossed and wondering what will happen next.
That's because
each character's individual perspective, efforts, and convictions shine
in a
story replete with action, unexpected twists, and ongoing challenges.
Historical
fiction and Irish readers are in for a treat.
Return to Index
Risky Restoration
E.F. Dodd
Warren Publishing
978-1-954614-66-6
$17.95
www.warrenpublishing.net
Risky Restoration
is a novel about dating, revenge, attraction, and moving forward from
failed
relationships. It is a story designed to delight women, who will
readily
recognize themselves in the obsessions of Kez Walsh, who can't quite
move on
from her ex-husband (he is remarrying while she remains mired in a
sense of
romantic failure).
The world of online dating and the quagmire
of becoming involved in friends' romantic dilemmas while continuing to
support
them makes for not just familiar-sounding problems, but fine reading.
Kez
navigates her world and brings her besties along for the ride into new
relationships that hopefully don't mirror what she's tried to leave
behind.
E.F. Dodd is especially astute at
pinpointing the patterns and associations which both keep Kez stuck in
the past
and finding new ways to move on with Jackson...methods that involve
confronting
her ex once and for all: "Leaning
down so we were face-to-face, I said, my words like chips of ice. “Look
at
yourself, Miller. Take a good, long look in the mirror, once you regain
feeling
in your testicles, and think about the man you see looking back at you.
I
wonder if you’ll even recognize him because I sure don’t.” I walked
away,
holding out my hand to Jackson. He looked over at where Miller was
still
crumpled on the ground, then down to my outstretched hand. The anger in
his
eyes eased off a bit, and his lips tipped up into a smile. His palm
engulfed
mine, and he led me back down the hill, neither of us wasting another
look at
Miller. “And here I was going to be your knight in shining armor,” he
said
blithely. “That guy usually turns out to be some asshole wearing
tinfoil. I
like you much better in jeans.”
As humor, irony, evolving friendships and
old ties intersect; Dodd creates an inspection that comes steeped with
romance
and revised ideals of Mr. Right.
A road trip, an attraction, and a final
accounting bring everything into perspective as Kez contemplates moving
on at
last. Dodd masterfully juxtaposes all these ideas and special interests
in a
story that maintains a fast pace as it moves through events both funny
and
pointed.
Risky Restoration
probes a dating game that women will find captivating and recognizable.
It's an
exploration of love, friendship, and growth that leads to a steamy
conclusion
and unexpected revelations.
Readers of women's literature and romance
stories that embrace growth processes are in for a treat.
Return to Index
Rx
Garin Cycholl
Atmosphere Press
978-1639881444
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
First, do no harm. But, can this edict be
followed in modern times?
There's only one problem with assuming your dead father's identity as a
doctor.
You may be called upon to operate outside your skill level, and your
venture
may come to light even if a small town is your base of business.
That's what
happens to a clever con man who reflects the disintegration of America
around
him as he comes to suspect that a new and virulent virus might be
coming from a
local chicken coop.
Presenting the
specter of a new civil war in America that has begun on many levels,
both
internally and externally, the narrator embarks on a romp through life
that is
filled with threats, opportunity, and irony.
The narrator
struggles to define his fluid identity in this rapidly-changing world,
seeking
to grasp new meanings of value, purpose, and perspective as everything
familiar
slips through his grasp.
What are the
ethics of grief? As he confronts his own losses and those of others
around him,
the protagonist finds his fictional role as a physician gives him
special
insights into the flim-flam men and patients who have evolved their own
schemes
to survive.
As he begins to
see signs of an evolving pandemic and comes to suspect its roots, he
faces a
moral and ethical conundrum, because his own barely-adequate disguise
and farce
has placed him in a position where he can't expose what he comes to
suspect as
the truth.
What is Skaggs
cooking up in his henhouse? It's certainly more than eggs.
As the narrator
considers his part in possible end times ("Was I myself
watching the
country in some slow burn—a fixed, congenital fascination with the end?"),
readers receive a combination of wry humor, social inspection, and
moral and
ethical conundrums that reflect both modern dilemmas and personal
challenges
against a backdrop of irony.
Garin Cycholl has created a
novel that reflects modern times with its violence, threats, and ironic
situations; but weaves an atmosphere of intrigue and fun into the
inspection.
The result is a delightful romp
through modern America that will delight readers looking for something
different, based on today's social dilemmas.
Return to Index
Searchers: The
Irish Clans
Stephen Finlay
Archer
Manzanita Writers
Press
9780990801931
$14.95
www.manzapress.com
Searchers: The Irish Clans is the first book in a
series of novels about the
Irish revolutionary wars between clans. It's especially recommended for
historical novel readers who want an in-depth touch of the military,
social,
cultural, and religious history of Ireland's clans, politics, and
Celtic
heritage.
It's a fictitious
epic that presents the premise of a secret Clans Pact that hides wealth
from
the British, crafting an engaging series of clashes and scenarios from
real-world experiences.
In this opening
story, a death in 1915 Ireland fuels the flames of revolution while
concurrently, in America, Irish immigrants who remain connected to the
Old
Country become immersed in the conflict. Three very different
characters are
drawn into this fray: Claire, an Irish girl who has amnesia by Tadgh. She has connections
to the past that could influence future choices; Tadgh, a rebel sea
captain who
becomes embroiled in a decision that will lead to his validity as a
Clan
Chieftain; and Collin, a Canadian husband faced with an impossible
choice.
This story
operates on many levels as it outlines a search for identity, wealth,
redemption, and validity which captures disparate personal
transformations.
Irish peoples
around the world became embroiled in the revolutionary clashes that
emerged
between 1915 and 1923. Searchers displays an
attention to detail that
captures these events as they evolve on more than the home soil of
Ireland.
From growing
commitments to the cause displayed by Morgan and others to relics,
secrets, and
emerging political battles with the British, Stephen Finlay Archer
crafts a
story replete in the special interests, that's both personal and
political,
centered on and reflected by characters who stand up to each other to
support
their ideals of the Irish identity.
Dialogue between
these characters neatly sum up and outline many of these dilemmas: "Don't
ya be throwing Denis McCarthy's words back at me, Sean," Tadgh
protested.
"Parnell tried the pen, and the British bastards spoke with forked
tongue.
Look what's happening to the Home Rule Bill to finally integrate our
homeland.
These demons are allowing for the buildup of arms for the Ulster
Volunteers to
stop the bill by force if necessary."
Readers might
think they need prior familiarity with Irish history in order to
appreciate the
evolving scenario in Searchers, but the only
prerequisite is an interest
in Irish culture and affairs.
Archer takes care
of the rest, personalizing the simmering politics of the nation and
times by
creating a host of characters who display special interests and values.
These
take on new meaning under the changing, volatile political environment
that
affects the world.
The result is a
fine introduction to the series that successfully crafts a series of
encounters
and scenarios to set the stage for future stories of each individual
and
Ireland as a whole. Historical fiction collections and any interested
in Irish
heritage will welcome the detailed survey introduced in Searchers:
The Irish
Clans.
Return to Index
Shared Sorrows
Vincent Panettiere
Independently Published
9781667807676
$12.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Shared-Sorrows-Vincent-Panettiere/dp/1667807668
Shared Sorrows
is a story of longevity, thirty years of marriage, and reconsidering
life's
purpose. After a family history of death and a violent confrontation
with a
stranger, two characters confront their mortality and life's meaning.
Frank DioGuardia dreads October. It's a
month when he's traditionally been depressed because it's the
anniversary of
his father's death and this coming October, Frank will surpass his
father in
age. What will he do when his goal to outlive his sire has been reached?
Vincent Panettiere explores the ongoing
impact of the past's influence on life and death, creating a vivid
story that
closely examines real and imagined events and their blows: "...while the death of someone racked with terminal
cancer is not
unexpected, the impact of the actual event is profound."
Frank's trajectory changes when a chance
encounter with a stranger brings him into the ER and world of physician
Laurie
McDevitt, who harbors her own form of grief and questions about its
resolution.
These two disparate individuals interact in
a story of heroism and redemption that navigates six months of
transformation.
From social conflicts and issues surrounding
rapists to "living for the right reasons," Frank is forced to
reconsider both his objectives and his impact on the world.
Panettiere creates a fine interplay between
Frank's growth process, his evolving relationships, and his method of
looking
at the world and his place in it changes over time.
As
Shared Sorrows journeys through survivors' memories and
perspectives and
social issues that bring them together to challenge them both, readers
will
find the novel replete in inspections that prompt them to analyze and
think of
their own approaches to adjusting to life and formulating goals.
These elements make for an especially
thought-provoking story that lingers in the mind longer after the
reading is
done. Shared Sorrows is a top
recommendation
for audiences interested in thought-provoking stories of growth and
change.
Return to Index
Shenandoah Dreams
Clinton Harris
Legacy Book Publishing
978-1947718890
Paperback: $19.95/Hardcover: $24.95
http://www.shenandoahdreams.com
Prepare to be inspired.
These are the words of Bridgett McGowen's
Foreword introduction to the novel Shenandoah
Dreams, in which 12-year-old Johnny grasps his dreams,
realities, and new
opportunities as he grows up in the 1930s in an honorable but poor
farming
family.
Clinton Harris provides the first-person
focus on a young man set to embrace his dreams in new ways as the Great
Depression unfolds alongside Johnny's life: "I
always had a vivid imagination, but one day I knew I wouldn’t have to
just
dream anymore, I could actually be who I wanted to be."
Harris provides a story that moves from this
foundation of hope and dreams into a future where dreams of the past
permeate
the nightmares of war's realities. As Johnny contrasts what his life
has become
with what he'd once dreamed it would be, readers gain a sense of just
how much
has changed from experience, the perspective of maturity, and the
challenges of
war: "This is not what I envisioned
when I was a child. I wanted to be a pilot, flying to the lure and
praise of
those around me, a celebrity in its own right. My flights now do bring
praise,
praise for not dying that day and bringing my aircraft home in one
piece. Praise
for protecting my comrades, praise for blowing my enemies out of the
sky. As a
child I wanted praise to save lives, or to bring joy and wonder to
people
through my skill as a pilot, now I do fly, but I earn praise for the
opposite,
I don’t earn praise for saving people, I earn praise for killing them."
This juxtaposition of life's evolution,
dreams, and decisions born of love and hardship brings readers into
Johnny's
world on a tide that draws and then pulls back as Johnny moves from the
farm to
war and then returns home much changed, to a very different milieu.
Harris injects a good deal of
thought-provoking philosophy into his story which will delight readers
who seek
more than an involving tale alone: “You
see son, when the sun sets it is simply giving way to the night in
order for a
new day to come, essentially a new start. Just as in life we sometimes
have to
allow the sun to set on our past in order to move forward with our
future.
People don’t see their misfortunes as anything but that, but in reality
our
misfortunes and setbacks are lessons to make us stronger and prepare us
for the
long-term hardships that life actually brings us between the good
times."
With the "panoramic glory" of the
Shenendoah Valley as its backdrop, Shenandoah
Dreams excels in a sense of place, purpose, and contrasts
between childhood
memories and adult dreams. As Johnny uncovers lessons about values,
survival,
and interpersonal connections, readers gain a vivid story of life
trials and
the ongoing dreams that mitigate their impact to lead him in a
different
direction.
Evocative, beautiful, and compellingly
thought-provoking all in one, Shenandoah
Dreams is a story of choices made in dealing with pain,
family, and life.
Its inspirational lessons on life's impact and revised approaches to it
makes
for a story replete in psychological and literary examination, highly
recommended for readers who like coming of age stories that cross
generations
of experience.
Return to Index
Solitario: The
Lonely One
John Manuel
Atmosphere Press
978-1639881376
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
"You have to love the life on the
river. The chance to teach, to lead. To figure out a way through each
rapid."
Climate change
brings with it new opportunities and revelations in Solitario:
The Lonely
One, which follows Texas river guide Robbie Ducharme on the
journey of a
lifetime when rising waters lead him to a river run through a desert
arroyo
that has seen no previous water explorers.
One of the great
pleasures of Robbie's life is canoeing through the Rio Grande,
introducing
clients to the outdoors. The trouble that changed this life two years
before
has passed, and Robbie is back to work, doing what he loves.
His latest journey, however, ventures into
an undiscovered territory of relics and ancient peoples that introduce
new
threats to his love life and relationships.
Any reader who has embarked on a river trip
will readily recognize the sights, sounds, and experiences presented in
John
Manuel's story: "Everyone took it
well at first, exchanging comments about this being a “surf and turf”
trip,
fake arguing about who weighed the most and, therefore, needed to get
out and
push. But by noon, the humor of the situation had vanished. People
slogged in
silence over the sandbars, dragging the boats behind them. The sun beat
down,
the heat went up."
As client Jason Holmberg and Lara Hart, a
client who went missing years ago, and other characters bring past and
present
worlds on a collision course, intrigue builds over a canoe adventure
that will
ultimately test the loves of Jason's life.
Is it time to step away from everything
that's happened on these trips over these last years? Is it time to
also
abandon what he loves?
John Manuel creates a fine story of intrigue
and confrontation that returns Janey to Jason's life, while capturing
the
heart-pounding experiences of river running against emerging issues of
love,
trust, and reality versus fantasy.
Group and individual experiences on the
river bring with them new opportunities and adversity alike as readers
embark
on a vivid adventure brought to life by Manuel's descriptive attention
to
detail: "Gradually, the clouds gave
way to patches of blue. The walls lit up like movie screens. A falcon
darted
out of one of the boquillas. Ducks flew past headed upstream. Around
every
bend, distant views of the towering canyons grew more and more
dramatic."
Anyone who has wanted to run a river, make
new discoveries, or connect the dots between past and present
experience will
find Solitario: The Lonely One
a powerful story of a desert legend, The Solitario. It brings to life
the
experiences, thoughts, and hearts of characters who make new
discoveries about
themselves and their place in the world, and should find a solid place
in any
fiction collection.
The appeal to
readers who would run that river of life and intrigue themselves,
albeit
vicariously, is unparalleled.
Return to Index
Still
the Night
Call
Joshua Senter
Roubidoux Press
978-1-7375856-1-9
$7.99 ebook
978-1-7375856-0-2
$21.99
Hardcover
Audible ASIN:
B09L5765JL
$14.95 Audio
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/STILL-NIGHT-CALL-Joshua-Senter-ebook/dp/B09B2WDT5Y
Website: www.joshuasenter.com
Still the Night Call revolves around a staid, calm Missouri
dairy farmer named Calem Dewayne
Honeycutt, who sees his world and livelihood
changing at the hands of
social and political forces beyond his control.
The
Night Call
referenced in the book's title is the force of worry and angst that
comes, too
often, under cover of darkness, "intertwining fact and fiction
until
they become a mutated gospel of the world around you as well as your
place in
it."
Calem
struggles with
his inner demons and their presence in his life as he faces guilt over
what
could have been, and his role up to this point in his life: "You
are
guilty — guilty of it all! The goal you missed. The move you didn’t
make. The
lies you can’t take back. The hurt you can’t fix...You’ve been born at
the
wrong time in the wrong country on the wrong planet. And all this you
could
have changed, all this you could have done differently. This is what
the Night
Call assures you, even if you try to believe it’s not true — even if
it’s not
true."
Calem
makes
final decisions about how he will inject truth into this world and
change his
choices and goals. Readers receive reflective descriptions that capture
this
simple rural farmer's logic and echo his sense of place and purpose: "...tonight I’ll have some fried
hogsuckers fresh out of the crick with Miles. And then, before the
Night Call
begins in earnest, I’ll shut it up right quick. I’ll get off this damn
conveyor
belt. I’ll escape the herd. Nobody is gonna wrangle me up no more. I’m
gon’ be
free."
Joshua
Senter
creates an excellent story of family, place, and adversity that reveals
disparate connections and struggles. The dialogues he incorporates
between
these simple folk and their interconnected lives is particularly well
done,
capturing family interactions as Calem traverses a path that carries
him away
from all that he loves.
Many
of his
struggles to separate reality from illusion from lies reflect current
societal
efforts to do the same. Senter's story thus resonates on levels that
wouldn't
have been possible even several years ago, reaching audiences who will
find
much to relate to in Calem's world and the ways he chooses to empower
himself
against its tides of change: "There’s
lots of us who wonder what’s actually real and what we’ve just been
lead to
believe is real.”
From
unreliable
weather and environmental conditions to the human condition, Still the Night Call reveals matters of
the heart, family, and rural living.
In
many ways, Still the Night Call is
a call to
action. The first step is reading this book. The second lies in
recommending it
for discussions about free will, choice, civil war, and social change.
Return to Index
The Sweet Shrub Inn
Hilah Roscoe
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-096-6
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
In The
Sweet Shrub Inn, Cora Graham is training to be a therapist,
but finds it
difficult to help herself as her life falls apart.
Dumped by her boyfriend and called back to
her small-town home to help an estranged father diagnosed with
Alzheimer's,
Cora is pulled into a conundrum involving handling the Sweet Shrub Inn,
which
her father has purchased.
It's hard enough to handle a parent's slow
mental decline without adding in lost loves from the past, but Cora's
move
forces her to do both. These unresolved issues form the nexus of
conflict and
transformation that make The Sweet Shrub
Inn an involving story.
Hilah Roscoe employs the first person to
capture Cora's emotions, responses, and interactions with others. This
creates
a depth and familiarity that makes the twenty-four-year-old's life
vivid and
understandable on an intimate level.
As a romance with Jenson (who once rejected
her overtures) evolves, Cora wonders if she's simply repeating past
mistakes
and patterns, or truly breaking out of them to create something new for
her
future.
Readers who look for romances tempered by
the pulls of daily life and family relationships will find The Sweet Shrub Inn a satisfying story
that excels in self-reflection
as Cora considers the changed course of her life and her wish for a
different
future outcome from romance: "I want
to tell him that, in a perfect world, we would live in the same place
and get
to see each other more often than every few weeks. But the truth is, I
don’t
know that he’s prepared to hear me say these things. He’s got feelings
for me,
sure, but that doesn’t mean he’s contemplating what it would be like if
I were
to be back here in Taloowa full time. And I’d be lying to myself if I
didn’t
admit that a big part of me is scared of being too honest with him
again. I
know things are different now, but just how different, I don’t actually
know."
Anyone who has struggled with returning to
the past to right wrongs and make different choices will find Cora's
dilemmas
involving and revealing.
The result is a compellingly delivered story
about running away from heartache, only to come full circle.
Women who relish tales of self-discovery and
change will find The Sweet Shrub Inn
hard to put down.
Return to Index
Taken by the Wind
Ci Ci Soleil
Beach Read Press
9798985066029
https://audreymillerwrites.com/beach-read-press/
Taken by the Wind
is a novel steeped in inspections of new beginnings, endings, and
Miranda
Wright's efforts to control what happens in her world.
Her ability to remain flexible in the face
of adversity is apparent from the start ("...she
spun around, her heart racing as a splintering sound rendered the air,
followed
by a crash and a loud thud. She ran to the window to see a large branch
fallen
across half the patio; her giant planter lay in shards among the
collateral
damage of the once-potted petunias. “Well, shit. That’s not good
timing. Okay…”
she thought aloud. “Change of plans. So, no guests on the patio.”),
as
she's determined that no wind will alter her trajectory and plans.
But as she finds herself the author of a
best-selling book, Taken by the Wind,
Miranda begins to experience the blow-back of fame, fortune, and fan
fantasies
about her influences and life.
Suddenly, everything is out of control. And
Miranda finds herself losing her edge, on many levels ("I’m
trying hard to fight my way back to where I was.").
How close to reality is the story she's
created, and how does it influence the course of her life?
Readers will find Taken
by the Wind an exceptional story of change, transformation,
and new opportunities.
Life gets messy, sometimes. How various
characters handle ongoing adversity and changes over a period of time
lends a
realistic, thought-provoking atmosphere to Taken
by the Wind that will especially engross women interested in
changing
fortunes, love, and relationships.
The result is a novel that will delight
women who look for already-strong female protagonists who are not
afraid of
re-examining their relationships, attitudes, and perspectives in the
face of
new experiences.
Return to Index
The Trouble with Belonging
Magdalena Stanhoff
Independently Published
978-83-962426-0-0
$3.99 ebook
Website: https://www.magdalenastanhoff.com/
Ordering: www.amazon.com
The Trouble with
Belonging
is a novel of street kids, strangers who become family, and struggles
for
survival. It tells a story of Chen Kehuan, a "lone wolf" who has no
friends or family, and whose accidental meeting with the street kid
Nikki at
the age of eight creates an unusual and uncertain bond formed by
coincidence
and necessity.
Nikki is also a loner with no sense of
belonging to anyone or anywhere. Kehuan seems an unlikely defender or
parental
figure for her; but as the two develop connections from very
disconnected
lives, they traverse unfamiliar territory as they grow older.
Taiwanse, Polish, Korean and other cultures
come to life as Nikki and Kehuan's story evolves. Magdalena Stanhoff
brings
these worlds to life with an attention to psychological and social
descriptions
that form solid backdrops for the events that move the two into more
social
situations.
As caretaker Anna observes her young
charges, she uncovers cultural and psychological clues about their
backgrounds:
"Then there was also Korean. It had
taken Anna some time to realize that when the Soengs came over, they
weren’t
talking with her stepson in the same language which Kehuan and Veronica
used
between themselves. When she’d finally worked it out, she became
curious, since
these kids were supposed to be Kehuan’s relatives. It would be simple
to ask
Veronica about the language, but she wanted to get to the bottom of it
all, and
so she found that box with old photos and a few letters and documents
in her
husband’s closet."
The discussions of racism, Anna's mystery,
and how Nikki and Kehuan evolve a relationship makes for a powerful
story of
psychological and social revelation.
Stanhoff creates a wonderfully evocative
tale of two children whose connections turn their lives upside down in
unexpected ways.
Her story illustrates third culture
experiences, issues of abandonment, trust, and love, and the sense of
"inescapable necessity" that keeps Kehuan firmly connected to Nikki
against all odds.
Readers looking for novels replete in
cultural experiences, identification, and social inspection will find The Trouble with Belonging compelling,
warming, and thought-provoking, all in one.
Return to Index
You Speak for Me Now
Sandy Graham
Independently Published
9798536818060
$17.00
https://www.amazon.com/You-Speak-Now-Sandy-Graham/dp/B09M544RL9
You Speak for Me Now
introduces young Emma Simon, who is trying to fit into a normal
classroom
environment after years of attending a school for the deaf. She's
entering her
teens as a stranger and oddity in a classroom filled with students have
shared
hearing abilities, but she's also a minority girl of color navigating a
sea of
possible prejudice.
However, class leader and kind extrovert
Johnny McEwan recognizes her as a fellow soul, right away: "Humility came from an empathy that invariably led
him to stand up
for the less fortunate. That first day, Emma struck him as one of them.
Discussing her with his mother introduced him to the world of sign
language and
like learning to play the piano, he made mastering it a project."
Therein lies the key to changing not just
class dynamics, but Emma's life, making it both inclusive and connected
in ways
she couldn't have envisioned in her years in a school for the deaf.
As Emma traverses 11th grade and grows into
adulthood, the support and struggles she experiences in childhood
blossom into
unexpected controversy as she becomes embroiled in social and racial
issues.
Did she deliberately plot to have a US
citizen murdered, or was she the victim of a man who tried to kill her?
You Speak for Me Now
holds many unexpected twists and thought-provoking moments that move
beyond a
story of prejudice or a young deaf woman integrating into society—and
that's
part of its charm.
Sandy Graham could all too easily have made
this a predictable story about integration issues. Instead, he creates
a
masterful inspection of "the American Way" and various challenges to
its institutions that arise from clashing perspectives and social
strife.
As violence escalates and issues of moral
and ethical choices enter the picture, readers are treated to a milieu
in which
Emma becomes the focal point of social controversy.
Graham's ability to depict his character as
representative of the tragedies that divide Americans and challenge
hearts,
souls, and values creates a story that operates on many levels.
His ability to begin with the nexus of
personal experience and perspective and work outward to embroil Emma in
the
types of social issues that confront Americans today makes for a
thought-provoking novel that is thoroughly involving and enlightening.
Collections strong in fictional
representations of American cultural and social struggles will find in You Speak for Me Now a powerful story of
interconnected lives, ironic twists, and democratic challenges that
move from
the personal to the political and back again in a compelling,
thought-provoking
manner.
Return to Index
Beyond
the Human
Realm
Gene Helfman
Luminare Press
978-1-64388-659-6
$4.95 ebook/$16.95 paper
Website: https://genehelfman.pubsitepro.com/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1643886592
Given
that the
key character in this story is an orca, one might be tempted to think
that this
book's audience will be young people who relish animal-oriented
fiction. It would
be a shame to make this assumption, because Beyond
the Human Realm's special brand of environmental mystery
lends to its
appreciation not only by literary readers, but adults who look for
vivid
stories steeped in and powered by conservation issues.
The
story opens
with a captive whale's experience of daily life: "Each
day was a replica of the one before. And the one before
that, as far back as he could remember. His routine only changed when
they
wanted him to perform silly tricks, before they gave him food. A
split-tail got
into his pool (he hated that). She blew a whistle twice, pushed a ball
with her
nose, and threw the ball to another on the hard land. It was obvious
what they
wanted him to do."
This
whale was
captured very young, and has no memory of freedom. Everything changes
when
another, very different whale, Nan, is introduced. She has had quite a
different life: “I imagine I’m escaping,”
she said, matter-of-factly. “I know it’s a fantasy, but, for a brief
moment,
I’m away from here.” Her response hurt his feelings, knowing that she
would
rather be somewhere else than with him. But she had known freedom,
while he had
been a captive essentially all his life."
As
the story
evolves the whale's life changes. And, not for the better.
Gene
Helfman
introduces Dr. Rudy Laguna next: a scientist whose new home in the
Pacific
Northwest lends to his studies of fish behaviors and his growing
fascination
with orcas.
From
encounters
with Cassie, who is equally fixated on the whales and chooses them over
romance,
to scientific curiosity which leads to data-collecting and new
revelations,
it's evident that Beyond the Human Realm
represents a special brand of eco-fiction. It offers mystery, twists
and turns
of plot, evolving insights about ocean creatures and their natural
history, and
solid science set against the backdrop of a compelling story of human
and whale
evolution and interaction.
Helfman
excels
at interplays between these two disparate worlds, profiling the
dilemmas faced
by human and whale interactions. From romance to responsibility in
freeing an
aggressive captive whale, Helfman's story touches upon different moral
and
ethical conundrums, outlining contrasting perspectives of human and
animal
worlds.
Beyond the Human Realm is a vivid, engaging work of fiction that's
especially recommended for readers who like strong natural history and
science
injected into their stories, cemented by human and animal concerns.
Return to Index
Duke Ellington:
Notes the World Was Not Ready to Hear
Karen S. Barbera with
Randall Keith Horton
Armin Lear Press
9781956450040
$35.00 Hardcover/$16.95 ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duke-ellington-karen-s-barbera/1140566774;jsessionid=B49591BCF1F24B1F68941BC2E7784C37.prodny_store02-atgap11?ean=2940165616259
Jazz
music giant
Duke Ellington chose Randall Keith Horton as his assistant composer,
conductor
and pianist in 1973. Horton, the co-author of this book, is thus in the
perfect, unique position to contribute information and enlightenment to
Karen
S. Barbera's survey of four of Ellington's (today) less familiar
compositions,
part of a controversial show that prompted racist reactions from
American
society.
While
jazz
enthusiasts may anticipate the music history and biography in Duke Ellington: Notes the World Was Not
Ready to Hear, its inspection of race relations in America
might come as a
surprise. The unexpected connections between social issues and musical
choices
create a compelling examination of more than just Ellington's influence
and
experience beyond the jazz world, showing how pioneering thinkers can
change
the status quo through the arts, and discussing how Horton's changing
roles led
him to a revised consideration of Ellington's works and their impact.
Perhaps
this is
why, in repressive societies, music and the arts are considered
instruments of
dangerous change and influence, and are subject to being banned. As Duke Ellington: Notes the World Was Not
Ready to Hear evolves, it becomes an inspection of the
personal, the
political, and the artistic mind's intersection.
The
story opens
as autobiography, tracing how the authors met, by chance, on an Amtrak
train.
The underlying importance of a seemingly casual encounter is portrayed
with a
philosophical and social flair: "Horton
delivers a string of softly phrased words, a totally non-judgmental
bridge of
understanding and common ground, at least with me. He kindly says,
“Yes, we
have to be vigilant about what we do
and do not allow into our
minds. What we allow in is powerful. It leaves a lasting impression;
good
music, good ideas, good images, good deeds move us forward; the
negative stuff, unfortunately,
not so much.”
As
Horton moved
from briefly being Duke Ellington’s former assistant composer,
conductor and
pianist in the early ‘70s to being hired by Ellington's family after
his death
(to "concertize her brother’s three Sacred Concerts, and by his son
Mercer Ellington and G. Schirmer Publishing to write a full-length concerto grosso orchestration of his
father’s magnum opus, the big band piece Black,
Brown and Beige. These
were extended-length works that Ellington considered ‘the most
important music
he ever wrote,’ but which remain largely unknown, and certainly
under-appreciated to this day."), a partnership born of a
serendipitous encounter emerged to produce this ground-breaking
coverage.
It
should be
cautioned that Barbera's is no light examination. It's a heavily
footnoted,
well-researched foray into the world of musical composition,
interpretation,
and choice that considers not only Ellington's opus productions, but
Horton's
process of lending them new life and relevance: "The “Ellington-Horton”
Beige continues the
composer’s story
of Harlem life from the early 1920s with era-specific samplings of
Ellington
songs, then reach into the mid-twentieth century with the interpolation
of Come Sunday and the Twenty-Third Psalm in anticipation of
the mid twentieth century American Civil Rights era.
Horton’s embedding of three additional Negro
spirituals and five Harlem song samplings now underpin each of the
three
movements, broadening elements of connectivity, consistency, richness,
meaning
and cinematic quality that some critics argue were particularly
lacking. It is
in Beige where Horton feels
Ellington’s
musical intentions most powerfully."
As
Horton
interprets these works, conducts orchestras, and refines his vision for
translating Ellington's most unique pieces, it's evident that this is
as much
about Horton's life and professional challenges in the musical world as
it is
about Ellington's musical legacy.
Barbera
does
justice to both, entwining lives, music, and social challenges and
capturing
each for audiences who may have relatively little technical musical
background,
but who will appreciate the many insights on how compositions are
interpreted
and brought to life.
While
jazz music
fans will be the obvious target audience for Duke
Ellington: Notes the World Was Not Ready to Hear, it should
prove just as inviting and educational for collections strong in
musical
biography and American civil rights history: "...imagine
the daring and conviction it took for Ellington to
write, conduct and produce an even more outspoken musical revue—22
years
earlier — that was unapologetically outspoken about America’s racial
issue and
featured an all-black cast."
Return to Index
Golf 360
Stephen Altschuler
Sacajawea Press
9798475167342
$16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Golf-360-Current-Players-Considering/dp/B09L56BZKP
It's unusual to find a golf book that can
appeal to a wide audience of all types of players. Typically, golf
coverages
are tailored either to newcomers to the sport, or those already well
versed in
golf who seek to improve their swings or learn more advanced techniques.
Golf 360: For Current Players and Those Who
Are Considering the Game lives up to its subtitle by providing lessons and
appeal for all levels
of player. All that's required is a prior interest in the game.
Another
plus
that sets Golf 360 apart from
competing golf titles is its well-rounded approach, which adds
spiritual and
psychological components into the discussion of playing and improving.
Instructions
cover such basics as keeping a steady head during shots, learning new
techniques from the pros, and deconstructing different methods employed
by
golfers who hold a proven track record of success.
Instructions
in
the first segment cover the physical aspects of golf, but the heart of
this
survey lies in its second and third sections, which cover mental
aspects of
golf shots and how to troubleshoot common problems and barriers to
success.
Each
segment
includes case history examples and is delivered in a lively, personal
tone that
instructs, educates, and entertains: "I
think it’s a good way to play this game, for all of us. One shot after
another,
not reacting much to the outcome, just regrouping, recalculating, with
your
only reaction being how to play the next shot. Of course, we all have
our
particular personalities, and I’m not saying to stifle all expressions
of
pleasure and annoyance. Just tone it down some. Restrain yourself and
focus on
the matter at hand. For what’s at hand is playing golf. And playing
decent golf
requires your full attention and concentration."
Readers
may
expect (and receive) the lessons on techniques, rules, and improving
one's
game; but the surprise inclusion of spiritual and psychological lessons
are
just as astute and important to success.
Making
them an
intrinsic part of the instruction and pairing them with case history
examples
of revised approaches to golf not only sets Golf
360 apart from most of the other golf how-to books on the
market, but
places it in a special category of its own.
It's highly
recommended for all levels of player, those who would better understand
golf
from a spectator viewpoint, and for any library collection where golf
attracts
patrons.
Return to Index
Grand Theft Weight Loss
Michael Alvear
Woodpecker Media
ASIN: B09L8K4PPH
$9.99
https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Weight-Loss-Discoveries-ebook/dp/B09L8K4PPH
Grand Theft Weight Loss
eschews expensive products from the diet industry in favor of exploring
the
science behind these diet plans, which is accessible to anyone.
Its science-based premise allows readers to
develop their own custom diets without the need for expensive specialty
foods
or memberships in programs, and also allows for a satisfying contrast
between
approaches to dieting that incorporates the goal of all such diets:
permanent
weight loss.
Michael Alvear synthesizes the latest
findings of brain researchers, Addiction Medicine specialists,
evolutionary
biologists, behavioral psychologists, and physiologists as he explores
various
studies and the process of integrating healthier eating habits into
one's
existing lifestyle.
He provides a compelling introduction that
readers will find surprisingly attractive, in contrast to the usual dry
diet
book: "Scientists broke the weight
loss code without telling anyone about it. They didn’t even tell each
other.
Hell, they don’t even know that’s what they’ve done. For example, when
brain
researchers discovered The Meal-Recall
Effect they didn’t realize they developed a technique
that cuts hunger
by up to 50%."
This lively tone, with its underlay of
humor, also sets Alvear's book apart from the typical diet survey,
offering a format
and approach that readers will find hard to put down.
As readers absorb scientific discoveries and
information, many related insights are provided that will delight
readers who
look for links between everyday experience and the dieting process.
Many
unexpected connections are made, such as the importance of memory in
dieting: "Your brain is in constant
prediction
mode. It needs data to guess how hungry you are, what you should eat
(if you
should eat) and how much will fill you up. The data it gets is often
confusing,
contradictory, and vague. Maybe the brain is having a hard time making
sense of
the hunger hormones. Maybe a food ad triggered a hunger that wasn’t
there
before, sowing confusion. Maybe the brain can’t separate the need for
fuel from
the desire to calm itself with food."
From the challenge involved in establishing
proper baselines to taper off addictive eating habits and snack choices
to
insights on portion control ("A
meta-analysis of sixty-five studies involving 109 separate observations
showed
that doubling the amount of a portion results in approximately a 35%
increase
in the amount of food eaten. Scientists can come to no other
conclusion: Bigger
portions incentivize us to eat more."), the result is a
science-based/backed survey that proves as inviting to digest as chips.
Humor, science, and concrete links to daily
choices and practices make Grand Theft
Weight Loss a top recommendation for would-be dieters. It is
easy to read,
apply, and enjoy, and should be required reading for anyone tired of
the usual
programs and approaches that rely on diet industry-provided facts and
figures.
Return to Index
Hold On To Your R.A.F.T.!
Charles Humphrey, Jr.
Willa Robinson, KP Publishing Company
978-0-692048-11-5
$14.95
Website: www.charleshumphreyJr.com
Ordering: Hold
On To Your R.A.F.T.!: Principles to Preserve Godly Purpose: Humphrey
Jr,
Charles: 9780692048115: Amazon.com: Books
Hold On To Your
R.A.F.T.!
Principles to Preserve Godly Purpose outlines the principles of
Responsibility, Accountability, Faithfulness, and Transparency (R.A.F.T.). It explores each of these elements
with an eye to emphasizing life purpose as it relates to crisis,
opportunity,
adventure, and self-image.
Definitions
of
achievement and success take on new meaning as Charles Humphrey Jr.
questions
why popular, wealthy, successful, gifted, and prominent people often
choose destructive
and self-destructive paths despite their seeming bounties and blessings.
Hold On To Your
R.A.F.T.! answers
this and other questions as it reviews the tenants people live and die
by,
considering the epidemic of "letting go" that has resulted in a vast
segment of the population drifting away from their moral, ethical, and
spiritual foundations.
It should be noted that Humphrey tailors his
discussion to men: "They are letting
go of the basic principles and foundational values that got them to
their place
of prominence, prosperity, and popularity. Men are letting go of the
cornerstones of their manhood. With ease, they abandon cornerstones
like
respect, integrity, consistency,
and
being a man of your word."
Women may chafe at being left out of the picture
and discussion, here, but there's more at stake than ego. Humphrey
discusses
what happens to everyone when these principles are abandoned: "The problem is when men let go, they
are not only letting go of critical life principles, they are letting
go of
something much greater. They are letting go of purpose."
The impact of such decisions affects
everyone in the world, so there should be no singular audience for a
survey
that assesses the problem and considers how to mitigate the impact of
letting
go with a newfound attention to building and rebuilding a sense of life
purpose
and spiritual connections.
The ability of faith to help cement life
purpose is outlined throughout the coverage, as are nautical references
about
safety, staying in the R.A.F.T., and perseverance.
Christians who turn to Hold
On To Your R.A.F.T.! will appreciate the Bible-based quotes,
the attention to incorporating spiritual support systems into life, and
the
focus on reconciliation with people and
God that runs through the case studies and examples of those who have
somehow
gone off course.
Men who choose Hold On To
Your R.A.F.T.! will find it an enlightening spiritual
self-help title that addresses the challenges of maintaining faith,
staying the
course, and leading a God-inspired life through challenges and
temptations to
go astray.
Its special blend of self-help and spiritual
examples provide not only much food for thought, but is recommended for
Christian discussion and men's groups, who will find its examples and
directions
purposeful and specific.
Return to Index
Jazz
Puzzlers
Kyle Branche
Independently
Published
979-8537835851
$11.99
https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Puzzlers-Search-Challenger-Puzzles/dp/B09HHKFLJ2
Readers
with a
special love of jazz music (or who know jazz followers that seem to
already own
every history or biography on the subject) now have another fresh
approach to
jazz knowledge: the challenges presented in Jazz
Puzzlers: 70 Word Search Super Challenger Puzzles + 7.
Here
lies the
perfect opportunity for the jazz genre expert to test his knowledge
about the
people, trends, and styles of jazz through a series of word search
puzzles that
pose different levels of difficulty.
Readers
might
anticipate a set of puzzles that are geared to very basic knowledge
levels; but
Kyle Branche has conducted meticulous, in-depth research into his
subject. This
goes well beyond a simple approach geared to novices. Indeed, herein
lies an
opportunity to not only solve puzzles and self-test knowledge, but to
learn
more about jazz, in a different manner: "What I try to do, with regards to song
selection for this series, is to create or weave a story through the
history of
music based on the artists and bands that I’ve chosen to be in each
book."
The
puzzle sections start off with full artist/band discography song
selections, then are further arranged by music albums and focus on
classics,
from single to double and triple albums and live shows.
Jazz
album
titles are included under the names of the puzzle subjects, mixing
bands,
composers, and artists by instrument. The "super challenge" nature of
the puzzles translates to being "...larger
in grid size on average, looking up multiple-word song titles with a
challenge
level of medium to high. Word placement is utilized in all directions –
left to
right/right to left, top to bottom/bottom to top, bottom left angled to
top
right and reverse, and top left angled to bottom right and reverse."
Designed
to encourage
more thinking about jazz music as enthusiasts move through tricky and
mind-challenging puzzles, Jazz Puzzlers appeals
on many levels: as a leisure pursuit to wile away the hours on public
transportation; as a series of brain challenges to keep mind and memory
engaged; and as a probe of jazz history and the people who made this
musical
genre great.
Given
an
overwhelming category of music to cover, cuts were necessary. Kyle
Branche did
so with an attention to preserving the foundations of both challenging
puzzles
and information and producing a smooth review of the jazz genre.
From
Louis
Armstrong to the Dorsey brothers and Duke Ellington, all the
powerhouses of
jazz receive specific examination through word puzzles that will
challenge even
the most savvy puzzle-solver and jazz fan.
Jazz Puzzlers is a presentation that operates on different
levels; but more specifically, a jazz enthusiast can tap into prior
knowledge
and bring it to the surface as the puzzles encourage visual acuity and
mental
flexibility.
Other
books in
this series provide different musical focuses, but the specific subject
analysis of Jazz Puzzlers is
designed
to appeal to an audience already well versed in the subject, who want
to
reconsider and test their perceptions of jazz music, musicians, and
history.
Return to Index
Marriage Minded
Marcia Naomi Berger, LCSW
She Writes Press
978-1-64742-179-3
$16.95 Paper/$19.95 Audio/$8.49 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Minded-Dating-Guide-Lasting/dp/1647421799
Marriage Minded: An A to Z Dating Guide for
Lasting Love
is
recommended reading for women who want to embark on constructive dating
routines with a solid goal in mind: locating the best marriage prospect.
Inherent
in this
effort is the knowledge of what makes for a good match and
self-knowledge of
one's needs, aspirations, and blind spots. That's where the dating
advice in Marriage Minded comes
into play. It
helps readers set the stage for dating approaches that lead to the best
results
by identifying and overcoming obstacles early in the game.
An
A-Z chapter
arrangement allows readers to jump to sections about everything from
kindness
and hookups to identifying compatible values and keeping expectations
realistic.
This
unique
format lends to easy browsing by subject for those who want to delve
into
specific dating and marriage issues, but so many of these subjects are
interconnected that Marriage Minded
is best digested in an orderly manner in its entirety so that no topic
or
approach is neglected.
The
onus for
locating and creating the framework for a lasting marriage isn't just
on the
potential partner, but the seeker, as Berger points out: "A
man might seem to have all the basics. He could be good-looking,
caring, and share your values and some interests. But is he fun to be with? While it’s not
realistic to expect to be continually entertained or excited by him, if
you
often feel bored in his presence, move on. The exception to this
guideline is
feeling bored or depressed because of your own life circumstances. You
can’t
fairly expect someone else to make a life for you. Make sure to do this
for
yourself. Cultivate your interests and try new things. You’ll be
happier and
more appealing."
Tips
move from
dating to what makes a successful marriage: "It’s
not the presence of conflict that stresses the relationship; it’s how
the
couple responds. Coping with differences positively and respectfully
can keep a
marriage thriving."
Marriage Minded encourages readers
beyond the initial realm
of dating and selection and into the marriage itself, creating a
thought-provoking review that will appeal to women (and also men) who
are both
single and looking, and married and seeking to improve their
relationship.
Marriage Minded thus is recommended reading for a wide
audience of women (and men, too): daters of any age, and also those who
are
already married and who want to make better choices and decisions that
support
the relationship.
Return to Index
Old
Testament Readings & Devotionals, Volume 5
C. M. H. Koenig
C.M.H. Koenig
Books
978-1-956475-00-5
$14.99
www.cmhkoenigbooks.net
Old
Testament
Readings & Devotionals, Volume 5 is the fifth addition to a
projected 14-volume study of Old and New Testaments and examines
portions of
second Samuel, first Chronicles, and Psalms.
As
with its predecessors, the Bible selections are paired with
associated devotionals excerpts from Robert Hawker (1753–1827), Charles
H.
Spurgeon (1834-1892), and Octavius Winslow’s (1808-1878) works.
The
intention is to provide an in-depth chronological review that
allows for daily contemplation in digestible segments that even the
busiest
Christian can readily absorb.
Because
these devotionals are taken directly from each author's works,
spelling and grammar fluctuates—but not so much that the readings
aren't
smooth. C. M. H. Koenig has tweaked some of the words to make them
uniformly
simple to read through, while the Scriptures associated with them are
either direct
quotes or paraphrases from the Authorized (King James) Version of the
Bible.
This
volume contains some particularly provocative food for thought.
Some devotionals provide background and set the stage for the day's
reading
through introductions, as in Hawker's commentary for Day 33's readings
of 1
Chronicles 18: "Reader! while reading the wars of David, do
not
overlook the spiritual wars in which David’s Lord engaged for the
salvation of
his people. Jesus hath indeed spoiled principalities and powers, and
made a
shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
Other
sections take a single passage and elucidate its value, as in Day
74's reading of Psalm 24, with accompanying commentary by Spurgeon: "The
one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what
is
false, and who has not sworn deceitfully.” Psalm 24:4
Outward
practical holiness is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared
that
many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith
in such a
way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive
everlasting
contempt at the last great day."
Footnotes
provide additional cross-references to other Biblical
associations that further enhance the reader's ability to absorb not
just these
single passages and commentary, but interrelated Biblical insights.
It's
hard to properly emphasize the value of having these devotionals
in a format and with references that elevate their connections to
modern daily
experience.
C.
M. H. Koenig has done all the footwork and research to bring them
into the light. All that's needed is a Christian reader interested in
Bible
study and contemplation.
This
audience will find the succinct daily devotional format the ideal
method of choice for reading and re-reading the Bible in the manner it
should
be: with repeated, close attention that eschews speed in favor of
better
understanding and appreciation for its messages and their underlying
meanings.
Return to Index
Old
Testament
Readings & Devotionals, Volume 6
C.M.H. Koenig (compiler)
C.M.H. Koenig Books
978-1-956475-05-0
$14.99
www.cmhkoenigbooks.net
The
sixth volume
of Old Testament Readings &
Devotionals continues to expand the series with another
segment that allows
Christians interested in Bible study to access to the Old Testament in
a new
way.
This
book covers
portions (or all) of 1 & 2 Chronicles, first Kings, Song of
Songs/Solomon,
Proverbs, and Psalms. The primary focus is the reign of King Solomon,
from 970
BC – 961 BC, and the works often refer to scripture other than the key
verse(s)
or scripture reading passage. Some are cited in the original works and
others
are not.
Each
reading is
generally one chapter, accompanied by devotional excerpts from Robert
Hawker
(1753–1827), Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), or Octavius Winslow’s
(1808-1878)
works.
Newcomers
to the
series might anticipate a dry, scholarly rendering of philosophical and
spiritual inspection, but C.M.H. Koenig continues to delight with a
study that
blends flowery, enlightening language from the pen of his chosen
commentators: "It is hardly possible to read
the
order of things observed in the days of David, without having our minds
led out
to consider yet more, the beautiful disposition and order made in the
house of
our Almighty Spiritual David, the Lord Jesus Christ, after that he had
taken to
himself his great name, ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and
sat
down on the throne of his kingdom."
The
enthusiasm
and faith shine in passages which are both revealing and celebratory,
providing
a lively tone that may prove unexpected to those used to drier Biblical
probes.
The
meticulous
pairing of Scripture passage and commentator analysis will delight
readers who
look for inspiration as much as enlightenment, as in a pairing of a
Bible
passage from Kings 4:20-21 (“Judah and Israel were as numerous
as the sand
by the sea; they were eating, drinking, and rejoicing. Solomon ruled
all the
kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as
far as
the border of Egypt. They offered tribute and served Solomon all the
days of
his life.”) with a delightful inspection by Hawker in his Poor Man's Old Testament Commentary: "Perhaps the splendor and greatness of
Solomon’s person, court, and subjects, were never equaled by any
prince. He not
only governed his own people, but other nations were tributary to
him...But
delightful as this relation is, as an history, the glory of it is
nothing
compared to the spiritual sense, considered with an eye to Jesus and
his
kingdom. If the Reader will read the 72d Psalm with this chapter, and
mark the
features of both in reference to the Lord Jesus, he will discover that
though
in that psalm many things said in it may
be applied to Solomon; many more
in it cannot be applicable
at
all to him; and must be applied
to the Lord Jesus Christ."
Daily
reflections such as these do more than educate. They inspire. And,
isn't that
one of the underlying foundations of the Bible: to provide stories,
proverbs,
and inspections that lead readers down the path of understanding and
reflecting
God?
C.M.H.
Koenig
does all the legwork of making these important connections between
Biblical
content and Christian belief, choosing passages and supportive analysis
that
move into daily living with messages and considerations to support the
Christian experience and belief system.
Bible
students
are in for a treat with this latest addition to a series that continues
to
expand heart, mind, and spiritual roots.
Return to Index
The
One Inside
Tammy
Sollenberger
Pure Carbon Publishing
978-0-9676887-5-6
$16.95
Paper/$7.99 ebook
www.purecarbonpublishing.com
The One Inside: 30 Days to Your Authentic Self
offers a key to self-analysis designed to help readers reach and
understand
their real selves through a 30-day series of self-reflective exercises.
The
clinically
proven Internal Family Systems method comes from a therapist who has
employed
the technique successfully, both in her own life and with her clients.
Many
self-help
books and programs promote developing better self-awareness; but how
many offer
a step-by-step program to inner harmony that can be easily explored in
small,
digestible pieces through "soft curiosity, compassion, and
kindness."?
The One Inside utilizes the IFS model to promote further
acceptance of internal dialogues, fine-tuning them to create assets
from what
at first seem like negative messages: "One
of the assertions of the IFS model is that all parts of you are trying
to help
you in their own way. They have one idea of how to help and they stick
to this
idea, not knowing that it may cost you in other ways, particularly if
other
parts are not in agreement or aligned. What if we were open to what
these parts
wanted to tell us instead of trying to change them or make them go
away?"
While
many
readers will find this system new, it should be noted that therapist
Tammy
Sollenberger didn't create it. The Internal Family Systems Model of
psychotherapy
was founded by Dr. Richard Schwartz over thirty years ago. She just
fine-tunes
that model for modern times, shorter attention spans, and the rigors of
modern
living. This gives readers an opportunity to apply various components
of the
system to resolving ongoing conflicts in typical approaches to life. It
"...helps us understand, work with, and heal the conflict going on
within,
the disharmony we are all experiencing."
Case
histories
and examples reinforce this program of growth, compassion, and
self-examination.
All
that's
required in order for The One Inside
to prove successful is a willingness to self-analyze, understand, and
give
voice to the components of reaction that affect attitudes,
relationships,
connections, and interpersonal communications.
Readers
dedicated to self improvement will find The
One Inside contains all the instructions needed to better
understand the
messages that different parts of the psyche impart, and how better to
integrate
them for a more positive outcome in all aspects of life.
There
is no
shaman needed, in order to access this inner wisdom. All that is really
required is willingness to self-examine and change...and the
step-by-step
instructions provided The One Inside, which
is highly recommended reading for psychology, self-help, and new age
collections and readers.
Return to Index
The
Physics and
Poetry of Eastern Herbal Medicine
Judyth Shamosh, PhD
Pure Carbon Publishing
9780967688749
$25.95
www.purecarbonpublishing.com
With so many books on the market covering
herbal medicine and Eastern traditions readers might wonder at the need
for yet
another. However, the evidence of Dr. Shamosh's unique approach lies in
The
Physics & Poetry of Eastern Herbal Medicine's subtitle: How
Modern Physics Validates Eastern Medicine. Here in lies the
difference between this book and others.
Readers already familiar with Eastern
medicine (specifically, Ayurveda and Chinese medicine) receive an
exploration
that focuses on both the history and language of Eastern medicine,
whose "foundations are based on the same
sophisticated theories that modern physics has recently rediscovered in
the
twentieth century."
Traditionally poetic, metaphorical
descriptions of this medicine typically stymie the usual Western
analytical
mind and descriptive process, which is why many of these concepts have
not been
covered and connected in other books. Another reason why they've
remained
hidden for so long is that scientists studying both Eastern and Western
medicine
rarely add a grounding in either linguistics or physics into the mix.
Dr. Shamosh tackles the daunting prospect of
integrating these seemingly diverse elements into an analysis that
exposes the
roots of not just Eastern medicine, but its unique approach to
problem-solving.
This bringss this tradition into an arena more understandable by
mainstream
medical students and anyone interested in exploring the foundations of
Eastern
approaches to health, disease, and medicine.
As the chapters review Ayurveda perceptions,
phases of health and disease, and Chinese medical terminology, readers
who keep
an open mind to absorbing spiritual, psychological, and scientific
concepts
alike will find the synthesis of these areas lends to a deeper
understanding of
not just illness, but treatment approaches and options.
Dr. Shamosh draws connections between
Eastern and Western concepts and ways of viewing the world: "Climate and weather are something
everyone has experienced because we live in the conditions created
daily. Therefore,
describing bodily conditions in terms of internal weather renders The
Five
Phases and their attributes understandable in a more experiential way.
These
different climatic conditions capable of invading the body are called
pathogenic (capable of producing disease) factors in Eastern medicine."
Herb listings are linked to functional
principle and organ system, providing medical students and lay readers
alike
with specific keys to understanding the links between modern lifestyle
choices
and health or disharmony.
For example: "...Chinese
Medicine...asserts that most mental symptoms are due
to phlegm, ama or toxins
that
obstruct the system of the Heart-Mind or shen.
The source of these toxins is unwholesome foods, such as
processed foods
and the greasy, slimy, and energetically hot animal products to which
people
have become habituated. These patterns of disharmony in the
Heart-Mind-System
can lead to symptoms of manic-depression, violent behavior, confusion,
and
lethargy. Therefore, if we choose a high-protein animal-based diet, our
body-minds become toxic, stagnant, dull, and confused. Consequently,
one will
not be able to discern The Six Tastes accurately enough to determine
which of
The Six Tastes are present in an herb or food."
The result is an educational, accessible,
pleasing synthesis of Western and Eastern thinking which offers a base
of
history, builds upon it to cover modern living, medicine and times,
then
creates a discussion of what best promotes harmony and health.
Medical
students, lay readers, and those who
cross over from various philosophical, spiritual, and medicine
disciplines to
choose The
Physics & Poetry of Eastern Herbal Medicine will find it an enlightening,
thought-provoking read. It covers systems thinking, interdependent
relationships between health, poetry, and science, and how everyday
experience
and analysis may better be integrated for a different approach to
personal
empowerment and medical approaches to healing.
Return to Index
SOL: Still Our
Lions
Gary Evans
Cresting Wave
Publishing
978-1-956048-06-3
$18.95
www.amazon.com
SOL: Still Our Lions provides a sports
history of the Detroit Lions that
is highly recommended for sports collections and those with an interest
in
Michigan sports.
From the roots of
the Lions and the birth of the Spartans to the NFL's interactions in
Detroit
and its influence on Detroit culture as a whole, readers receive a
concurrent
history of sports and Detroit.
Gary Evans weaves
social and political observations and influences into this story. This
may
surprise readers who anticipated a play-by-play description of great
games
alone. Those who choose SOL: Still Our Lions anticipating
this approach
will find that the coverage reaches out to fully embrace the cultural
changes
which affected both Lions fans and the city as a whole.
Aside from great
wins, epic failures, and playoff history, the story of the Lions is
much more
than that of a single team. It's a story of Detroit's evolution and the
influences on its growth. This wider-ranging approach creates an
absorbing
history that will initially attract sports enthusiasts, but holds the
potential
to reach beyond this audience alone.
Blending the
formats of a sports examination, a memoir, and a social history is no
easy
task. All these elements are to be found in SOL: Still Our
Lions, which
crafts an interplay between personal experience and team efforts to
personalize
the sports history facts: "The original Tecmo Bowl, released
in 1989,
was a smash hit, at least in my neighborhood, even though most teams,
including
my Lions, were not represented. The team featured only a handful of
teams. And
because the first Tecmo Bowl software didn’t have a license with the
NFL, they
couldn’t use team names—a game might be Chicago versus Miami, but not
the Bears
vs. the Dolphins."
Behind the story
of wins and losses are changes that affected players and fans alike.
All these
and more come to life in a sports history that holds information for a
wide
audience; from those with a special interest in Detroit's bygone era to
NFL
enthusiasts and readers who hold an affinity for the Lions.
Return to Index
War in the Mountains
J. L. Askew
Covenant Books, Inc.
978-1-64468-576-1
$23.99 Paper/$9.99 ebook
www.covenantbooks.com
War In The Mountains: The Macbeth Light
Artillery at Asheville, NC 1864-1865 belongs in any military history collection strong
in American battles
and strategy, documenting a mountain conflict that precipitated a
special kind
of crisis during the War Between the States.
It
gathers
experiences of the mountain war in North Carolina and East Tennessee,
exploring
raids, skirmishes, and battles that challenged leaders and fighters to
adapt
military operations and approaches to a different kind of environment
and
battle milieu.
As
Union raids,
confrontations, and new laws challenge both sides, J.L. Askew provides
a
military history that is especially pointed in its step-by-step
examination of
these struggles: "Before the Yankees
could recover and replace the losses suffered that evening, the
Confederates
wanted to complete the destruction of the railway bridge. The following
night,
another set of rebel scouts, members of Henry’s Battalion, descended on
Mossy
Creek and this time were able to set the bridge afire, completely
destroying
it. This action forced the Federals from their stronghold at Bull’s
Gap, which
they abandoned two days later. With these successes, General Vaughn
began
implementing plans to drive them even further west."
Askew's
focus
provides many insights that the typical, wider-ranging Civil War story
doesn't
offer: "Hardened veterans of Second
Manassas and Antietem, the Macbeth would see a different face of war in
the
mountains, fighting a different kind of enemy, often not in any
uniform, native
Southerners disloyal to the Confederate cause, conscript evaders, and
deserters." The focus provides perspectives that compliment
other
Civil War military coverages, filling in many gaps about the special
circumstances, conditions, and challenges facing fighters on both sides.
Mountain
warfare
is unlike other types of battle environments. Askew captures these
experiences
using a narrative style that reflects the drama of fiction reinforced
by the
researched facts about these battles.
The
result is a
foundation study highly recommended for any military history collection
strong
in Civil War events.
Return to Index
Working
While
Black
Dr. Tana M.
Session
Isabella Media
9781735725642
$26.95
www.isabellamedia.com
Working While Black: A Woman's Guide to Stop
Being the Best Kept Secret is highly recommended for business and women's
issues collections. It
shares the stories of black professional women who have tackled a
system that
works against them on many different levels.
More
than a
series of biographical business sketches alone, this collection is
especially
strong in offering different remedies and insights into these problems,
strategies for furthering a career against all odds, and tips into how
to get
around that system's often-unspoken rules of engagement.
Ironically,
many
of the obstacles that black women face in the corporate world are the
very
reason why they start their own successful businesses, so there is an
upside
story about building success in the face of adversity.
That
said, it
shouldn't need to take prejudice to spark the extraordinary effort that
entrepreneurship involves. This candid collection of stories of Black
women
from different backgrounds and experiences provides specifics on what
happens
to them when they try to move through the corporate world in the same
manner as
white employees.
From
mentors and
sponsors to "being the only one" to represent an experience of
success, these stories enlighten, educate, and provide solid examples
of just
how oppression and prejudice operates in the workplace. But, it's the
keys to
overcoming prejudice and achieving against all odds which make this
collection
so eye-opening.
As
Working While Black moves through
executive worlds and workplace encounters, it captures different kinds
of
interactions, choices, and approaches to educate all readers about
typical
barriers to success and how to overcome them.
These
stories
expose secrets and routines, presenting lessons on growth (i.e. "[Michelle] advises women of color to
figure out what will work for them and drive their individual career
trajectory. One of the things that she learned is that membership in
the
corporate elite just doesn't come easy, and in her opinion, it requires
more
than just intellectual horsepower. Being a member will require grit, a
keen
sense of self-awareness, and the right mentors and sponsors.")
Working While Black should go beyond being added to the shelves
of libraries interested in books about prejudice, business success, or
women's
issues. It should be given to every young Black woman aspiring to
succeed.
Return to Index
The Aquamarine
Surfboard
Kellye Abernathy
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-124-6
$11.99
www.atmospherepress.com
In The Aquamarine Surfboard,
Condi is
thirteen and is dedicated to surfing. Her ambition to learn is stymied
by the
changing atmosphere of her small beach town, which is turning into a
resort
area with private beaches and limited beach use for those who don't own
them.
Also moving in alongside newfound threats to
her lifestyle and world is mystery, as she meets a fellow surfer, is
invited to
enter a forbidden surfing area, and then encounters Koan, the
Riddlemaster of
the Sea, and other strangers who introduce her to quite a different
world
residing alongside her own familiar town.
Suddenly, Condi is a stranger in her own
home, her ambitions and future tested by forces she'd never known
existed.
One reason why this story will appeal beyond
young adults who already like beach and surfing stories is Kellye
Abernathy's
ability to create an atmosphere of mystery from the start: "People say Windy Hollow is haunted. A lonely
place, the tall
tower of stone juts out of the sea on the far side of the cove,
catching the
worst of ocean gales and ragged surf. A crooked finger of shore bridges
the
tower to a high overlook. There the ruins of an abandoned mansion and
an
ancient spa hotel perch side-by-side, crumbling into the sea."
Another is that Condi freely enters areas
forbidden to most kids in her town. Her ability to reject barriers to
her
goals, whether it be entering the world of the rich surfer kids from
the big
houses around the cove (who largely have the sport locked down) or to
enter
areas forbidden to those who can't afford the cost of a surfboard or
wetsuit is
part of the underlying message of this adventure: Never give up on your
dreams.
Abernathy infuses these dreams with the
salty air of the seaside ("Don’t.
Think. Just. Breathe. Pressing her toes into the smooth deck of the
terrace,
she leans into the breeze. Eyes closed, she lifts her chin, setting her
breath
to the salty thrum of the sea. In her mind’s eye, the wood under her
feet melts
into a polished surfboard.") as she hones worlds of fantasy,
reality,
and a gray area in-between, cementing them with the feisty, determined
Condi's
dreams and activities.
As untold stories and hidden truths come to
light, Condi embraces new opportunities that change her life with her
grandmother Grand Ella and the dreams that she fosters from the arrival
of her
beloved surfboard Aquamarine, which introduces new challenges and
relationships.
The weave of mystery and evolving
connections are very nicely presented. Readers become engaged with
Condi's life
and objectives through this combination of psychological insight and
interpersonal relationships, which evolve from unexpected places to
impart
unanticipated lessons.
As she interacts with the Beachlings, she
learns new ways of viewing the world: “'Telling
never works anyway,' Trippy says with a snort. 'People must find their
own
way.'
'Don’t ever interfere
with
another’s journey,' Charlene cautions. 'I understand,' Condi promises."
The result is a fine story that both
entertains and provides many thought-provoking moments. Its story of a
magical
journey that tests Condi's desires and sense of community alike will
attract
teens who will find her ambitions and experiences thoroughly absorbing.
Return to Index
Arko: The Dark Union (A Sci-Fi Adventure
Series)
U.W. Leo
Ultra Particle
EBook: 978-1-7375361-3-0
$2.99
Paperback: 978-1-7375361-0-9
$9.99
Author website: https://www.uwleo.com/
Publisher:
www.ultraparticle.com
Middle grade to young adult readers who
enjoy works of speculative fiction and adventure will find Arko: The Dark Union fits the bill with
its blend of Indiana
Jones-style action and sci-fi thriller.
A group of scientists journey to Mexico's
Yucatan with their families to conduct research in the jungle.
Twelve-year-old
Ariel Hyden's father is one of them, but Ariel is a "child scientist"
himself with a vivid imagination, inquisitive mind, and educational
curiosity
beyond his years.
He's part of a group of twelve-year-old
friends experiencing typical summer fun when everything changes into a
more
serious venture.
U.W. Leo brings to life the pyramids and
atmosphere of the Yucatan jungle, and the Mayan myths and legends that
swirl
around the archeological relics it holds from ancient times.
He also establishes early on that this group
of kids holds special abilities and talents that set them apart from
their
peers.
These foundations of myth and reality emerge
further as the story develops into extraordinary areas of inspection,
theory,
and dilemmas.
Leo injects science into these fantasy
realms to give Arko a realistic, thought-provoking backdrop: "...you can’t cover the pterosaurs in
screens or metamaterials for a simple reason.”
“Which is?”
“They won’t be able to
fly.”
Isaac pondered this for
a bit.
“Of course, you’re correct. So
what do you propose?”
“Camouflage using
simple
lighting.”
“Meaning?”
“We’ll attach a system
of
lights to blur their appearance, like
they used in the
Vietnam War
on Phantom jets.”
“I know of it. That
project
was called Compass Ghost, but
back then the lighting
could
only achieve partial obscurity.”
As pterosaurs appear and mysteries evolve,
adults and children become caught up in the realization that myths
about
Quetzalcoatls and prehistory are coming to life to introduce new
realities and
dangers that could change their world. The influence of a strange,
technologically advanced structure buried in the jungle becomes
apparent as the
children are charged with very adult assignments and new roles.
The adult elements of a thriller format,
unusual to see for this age of reader, come into play as human threats
clash: "Zhukov furrowed his brow. What should
he do now? He was unsure. The systems were malfunctioning terribly.
Someone was
toying with them, and quite maliciously. Perhaps it would be best to
wait and
do nothing. But then his crew members might see it as a sign of
weakness. The
men relied on the foundation of his mettle. If he weakened, everything
could
come crashing down. Still, he found himself contemplating at length.
His
hesitations were cut short by Ivanovsky."
As Gaia, Gustav, and adults and children
alike confront Arks, spaceships, pterosaurs and other impossibilities,
they
come to realize that their choices and actions are the pivot point for
humanity's future.
It will be the "next leap of human
evolution" to embrace these changes and see them to fruition.
U.W. Leo's powerful story offers food for
thought on many different levels. It holds many adventure and fantasy
elements
like Indiana Jones, but also contains a deeper flavor of
self-realization and
improvement that gives all ages a story that builds a new sense of
purpose and
insight.
There are numerous characters and special
interests and influences involved which may challenge tweens with
complexity
and subplots, but ultimately adds to the story's diversity and
unpredictable
events.
Tweens and young adults who look for
high-octane action injected into thought-provoking stories will
appreciate Arko: The Dark Union's
ability to engage
on many different levels. It's the first book in a series and ends on a
note of
possibility that portends more adventures and challenges to come.
Return to Index
Burning Bright
Michele Kwasniewski
Rand-Smith Publishing
978-1-950544-34-9
$20.00 Paper/$8.99 ebook
www.Rand-Smith.com
Burning Bright
continues Dani Truehart's story (introduced in Rising
Star) and follows her dream of stardom. A year has come and
gone, and Dani has had a string of musical hits during that time. Now
sixteen,
she's touring the world and making new friends, hobnobbing with the
stars.
And she's still considering her roots,
influences, and who her friends truly are. Are they the fans that
spearhead her
movement, The TrueHart Nation, who follow her shows like Grateful Dead
groupies?
Are they the people she left behind in her
rise to fame?
Or is the real challenge of stardom to deal
with not the love, but the underlying greed of those who would take
advantage
of her revised position, using past connections to build future wealth
by
hanging on to her shirttails?
Michele Kwasniewski builds on the first
story, continuing Dani's self-examination and considerations of the
world
around her.
From encounters with the paparazzi in London
to the ability of her fans, the TrueHarts, to destroy those who
threaten their
image of Dani in any way, Dani must reconsider her personal impact in
order to
find a way through and past a hectic, demanding career that leaves
little time
for personal space or contemplation: "There
is not one minute of the day when I’m not expected to be somewhere,
fulfilling
a publicity obligation for MEGA, preparing for an upcoming event, or
learning
something new. I’m exhausted, harried, and constantly annoyed."
Her compelling story works best when read as
a follow-up to Rising Star, but
also
stands well on its own as a portrait of a successful young woman who
considers
the end results and impact of her talents on herself and the world
around her.
Young women who would undertake their own
bids for fame and fortune will find Burning
Bright (and its predecessor) a powerful examinations of
culture, community,
friendships and motivations that keeps both Dani and her readers
guessing about
her choices, their consequences, and the ultimate outcome of her life.
The cliff-hanger conclusion of Burning
Bright portends another addition
to the series as Dani continues to field challenges beyond her control.
Collections strong in young adult novels
about young achievers (especially those who already have Rising
Star) will find Burning
Bright a powerful saga of strength, adaptation, and ongoing
life
challenges.
Return to Index
Cloud Monsters
Francine
Piriano-Davila
Mascot Kids
978-1-64543-821-2
$14.95
www.mascotbooks.com
Cloud Monsters is recommended for
advanced elementary to middle
grade readers, who will find its action-packed fantasy story just the
ticket
for an involving leisure book choice.
The story is
narrated in the first person from the perspective of Jack, Charlie's
older
brother, who is ready to help his sibling celebrate his birthday. But,
it's a
day filled with more than gift surprises when the cloud monsters invade
and
begin to carry away everyone he loves.
It's not unusual
to have a storm in the middle of spring, but this one comes out of
nowhere to
change a bright, sunny day, and heralds the arrival of monsters.
When aliens force
Jack's family to flee the party, they stick together even when the
impossible
happens.
It's unusual to
see an alien invasion scenario in which the entire family is involved.
Typically, the teen protagonist operates outside the family unit in
struggles
with monsters; but here, the entire family becomes involved in an
impossible
adventure. That's one of the strengths of Cloud Monsters.
Jack is not
operating alone, and his entire family faces the prospect of threat and
a new
life together.
Both alien and
humans share an ideal: "We are all family, and we help each
other."
The expansion of
the concept of interconnected lives that grows to embrace alien
experience and
a changed concept of home results in a vivid story that carries its
characters
and the reader far beyond the usual alien invasion scenario.
Young readers who
enjoy stories about monsters that may prove to be otherwise, will find Cloud
Monsters thought-provoking. Its unexpected twists and turns
keep them
thinking about who the monsters really are, and how survival and a
better life
can emerge from seemingly insurmountable adversity and strife.
This novel approach
to the alien invasion theme is refreshingly different.
Return to Index
Eighteen
Jenny Jaeckel
Black Rose Writing
9781684338610
$19.95
https://www.blackrosewriting.com/womens/eighteen
Eighteen-year-old
Talia is searching for her place in the world, and speaks to readers
about this
process. Her story opens on a gray day, as she rides the Green Tortoise
bus
into Washington to begin her new life.
From
the start, her first-person discussion is evocative and compelling: "The
thing I wanted to tell you about, the thing I
forgot to tell you about, was that time two years ago I saw seven
rainbows all
in one day, and I thought it was a good sign, but of what exactly I
didn’t
know. It was before I started college, before I met Renee, and before I
met
George and messed things up with George, and my days started feeling
like I was
climbing over mountains made of a thousand sharp peaks."
As
she confesses
that "the idea of
home was one which has always slipped through my fingers" due to her
hippie parents' commune journeys and their break-up, the origins of her
nomadic
existence and longing for a home she never knew become engrossing
realistic and
poignant.
From
the start,
Jenny Jaeckel's character
is straightforward, savvy, and cognizant of the impact of this past on
her
search for a future. She's also candid about her fear of change and new
things,
despite the fluidity of her background and life.
As
she moves into
a relationship with
George, who harbours a passion for sailing and life, she begins to
explore
something also new to her—love: "I
could feel his beating heart, and my own heart pressed up against his
back, and
I wondered about liking and I wondered about love."
Just
as she's
formulating these new ideas,
however, George is offered an opportunity that takes him on a different
path,
challenging Talia to identify her course in life in a more definite and
different manner than she's ever had to do before.
Jenny
Jaeckel's
story of the legacy of
being a child to parents who are rootless and separated, and the
struggle to
find a place in this world that feels firm and true, is thoroughly
engrossing.
It will especially appeal to those raised under similar circumstances,
who will
find Talia's efforts to move on from both her childhood and adult
decisions to
be compellingly realistic: "And even
though I was supposed to be moving on, even though he’d made things
pretty
clear, I was still thinking about George."
A
year later,
Talia is still in love. And
she doesn't know what to do about it. Her decision to move ahead
without moving
on changes everything.
This
coming-of-age
story is sweet and
inviting. Talia comes across as a three-dimensional character because
Jaeckel
draws together all facets of her life: past, present, and future. Her
ability
to capture Talia's dreams and memories and weave them into the process
of
making important decisions about the rest of her life are convincing
and gripping.
Readers
of all
ages who enjoy coming of
age stories will appreciate Talia's efforts to move beyond her
upbringing and
into a different future that brings her closer to a sense of belonging
and
connection than she's ever had before.
Return to Index
Fedor
Brant Vickers
Atmosphere Press
978-1637529447
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Young adult historical fiction readers will
find Fedor an intriguing story
based
on the true life of Fedor Adrianovitch Jefticheff (aka JoJo the
Dog-Faced Boy),
an exhibit subject of P.T. Barnum's Circus in the late 1880s.
More than a circus curiosity, Fedor was an
intellectual, an avid reader, and encountered many notable, famous
individuals
during his time. From his vantage point in a cage as a circus
attraction,
Fedor's life unfolds to prove richly attractive even to young adults
who likely
will not have heard of him before this story.
Brant Vickers creates a vivid fictional
survey that is narrated from Fedor's first-person perspective, bringing
events
to life: "They didn’t believe the
stories told about us by our manager. They were smart. Young Nicholas
kept
looking penetratingly at me. I smiled, but he couldn’t make it out, and didn’t react. I think
the empress recognized
somehow that I could understand, so she switched to German, not knowing
that I
speak three languages. That made me smile. Again, I don’t think they
could tell
I was smiling."
Choosing a delivery that moves from the
perspective of the main attraction to observations of the impact that
circus
displays have on viewers creates a particularly thought-provoking
series of
interactions. These provide much more than one individual's story, but
probes
the politics and approaches of the circus world and its place in 1800s
society.
The political, literary, and intellectual
discourses enjoyed by Fedor, who speaks three languages and is
well-read,
outline not only his abilities, but a sense of the cultural, political,
and
social forces of the times as readers are introduced to this world.
These juxtapose with candid psychological
inspections about being the subject of curiosity rather than a human
being
capable of experiencing emotional depths and desires like anyone else: "He didn’t really get to know me at
all, and I realized he never intended to. He only wanted to be able to say he met me."
Under another hand, it would have been all
too easy to maintain a focus on circus life, the prospect of being a
curiosity
on display to the world, or the social interactions between circus
people and
others. But Vickers provides a full-faceted inspection that reflects
changing
times and opportunities as others in positions similar to Fedor's find
their
lives changing: "I think we’re a
curiosity for towners. They don’t see us purely as freaks or blacks,
but we
bring in the kids and locals accept us now. Mille and Christine speak
several
languages and can help teach the little babies, too,” Krao said."
The result is a vivid display that operates
on many levels. Fedor is highly
recommended for young adult collections strong in not just historical
fiction,
but social inspections that move between psychological and cultural
insights.
Populated by realistic people, plans, and
experiences, Fedor's bid for freedom lingers in the mind long after his
story ends.
Return to Index
Finish the Story! Harriet Tubman's Secret
Raid
Jeffrey Bensam
Storyopolis Ventures LLC
978-1-7373361-3-6
$13.99
www.storyopolis.com
Finish the Story!
Harriet
Tubman's Secret Raid tells of two children who are watching TV
when a storm knocks out the power. What is there to do? Grandma has a
story to
tell them; but it's not your usual tale. It's a time-travel adventure
that
involves two kids in Harriet Tubman's secret mission for the Union army.
As it evolves, this story attracts readers
who may not know the history of this part of her life, using fictional
components to invite kids to not just read and learn, but participate
in the
plot's development through a format embedded with interactive elements
designed
to keep kids both engaged and thinking.
Jeffrey Bensam creates a platform upon which
the young reader joins characters Danny and Kenna in exploring Tubman's
real
story. It tells of "a military
mission that took “General Tubman”
from a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad to the first woman
to lead
an armed military assault in U.S. history. On your Civil War adventure,
you’ll
need to help Danny and Kenna steer their way through mazes, find hidden
clues,
and solve puzzles. Finally, you’ll need to help Danny and Kenna decide
which of
three paths they should take to finish this story."
From free downloads of challenges and
puzzles that can be shared with a group of friends to critical thinking
encouragement to be found in hidden inconsistencies within this story,
young
people are invited to engage not just in history, but in
decision-making,
problem-solving, and considering history's mysteries.
More than just an individual pursuit, Finish the Story! Harriet Tubman's Secret
Raid can be used by adults for children's groups to guide
them to learn in
an exciting new way that builds not just history knowledge, but
critical
thinking skills.
With its bright, colorful illustrations and
activity-reinforced story, Finish the
Story! Harriet Tubman's Secret Raid is in a class of its own
as a fine
learning tool designed to engage even the most reluctant young history
learner.
Return to Index
The Friendly Bookshelf
Caroline and Katherine Brickley
Blossom Children's Media Group
9780998782714
$18.99
www.blossomchildrensmedia.com
In The Friendly Bookshelf,
a
picture book for young readers, Bibli is introduced as a
bookshelf who was
the very first bookshelf in his library. As the library grew, Bibli
found
himself surrounded by other bookshelves, and
is relegated to the back
of the children's room. Only Ms. Grammar, the head
librarian, visits him
regularly to choose a book from his aging shelves.
One day, Bibli begins to wonder about the
existence of a story about a bookshelf like him. Surely, in this
now-expanded
library, there must be such an autobiographical representation!
And so Bibli sets out to find that
story, but is quickly censured by the other shelves. "Bookshelves are
meant to hold stories, not have ones of their own." they tell him. So
Bibli tries to "be the best bookshelf he can be," but
continues to carry his question. One day, he can't help but reach out
to a
little girl who similarly feels excluded and unseen. And
everything changes,
as a result.
Daniela Pérez-Duarte provides whimsical
drawings that nicely capture the little bookshelf's personality and
world.
The Friendly Bookshelf contains
fine messages about loneliness, inclusion, meaningful
connections,
and friendships. Its ability to create a story that eventually answers
his
question in an unexpected way makes for a tale that provides readers
with a
gentle message about representation, being true to who you
are, and making
space for everyone — no matter how different they may seem on the
outside — to feel
included.
Return to Index
Happenstance
Farms: A New Home
S. McMichael
Ek-9 Solutions & Services LLC
979-8985032802
$11.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Happenstance-Farms-Home-S-McMichael/dp/B09JFH73KJ
In Happenstance
Farms: A New Home, young horse rider Savanna faces change
when her trainer
moves away and she is brought to a new horse farm to work with someone
different.
At the old farm,
she had lots of friends. Here, she is a stranger. Her horse, Coffee,
has also
been brought into this new environment, and both must adjust to
different
situations.
S. McMichael provides an appealing picture
book story of horses, young riders, and change. The vivid color
illustrations
which capture Savanna's new world and the people in it are strong
draws
complimenting a story of finding new connections at Happenstance Farms.
Read-aloud parents will want to use this
story to warm young horse enthusiasts to the idea that change and new
experiences can be welcoming.
The affectionate approach, which adds
adventure and interest for picture book readers, will best benefit by
adult
discussions of how to welcome change.
The beautiful drawings reinforce a message
of embracing rather than confronting life changes, offering many
opportunities
to absorb important lessons about growth.
Return to Index
Malik's
Magic
African Alphabet Hat
Malik and Oni
Adunni
Mascot Books
978-1-64543-991-2
$16.95
www.mascotbooks.com
Malik's Magic African Alphabet Hat pairs a rollicking rhyme with a geographic
survey of Africa. This picture book story will delight those seeking to
teach
kids about Africa's diverse cultures and peoples: "One
day Malik’s dad, Abdullar, promised/that they’ll travel to
see/landmarks and places and do things/in African countries from A to
Z."
It
also offers
an unexpected lesson about grief, recovery, and the magic in a hat that
allows
Malik to fulfill the travel plans his father wished for him.
Lovely,
colorful
illustrations by Rashad Malik Davis accompany a story that captures the
festivals and peoples of the Ivory Coast, Burundi, South Africa,
Rwanda, and
other African nations.
As
Malik
fulfills his dream journey via magic and his father's vision, he not
only
learns about other cultures, but develops a "state of awe" about his
father's shared dreams and how to achieve them.
Educational
and
evocative, the story will resonate with any who look for picture books
combining adventure with a collection of multifaceted discoveries about
African
heritage.
Return to Index
Max and the Isle of Sanctus
John Peragine
Crumblebee Books
978-1-7353896-9-1
$24.99 Hardcover/ $14.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
www.lostevineyardpress.com
Max and the Isle of
Sanctus
adds the second fantasy story to John Peragine's Secrets of
the Twilight
Djinn series for young adults. It
is especially recommended for prior fans, who will find Max's latest
challenges
thoroughly engrossing action reading.
As Max confronts
a fire-breathing dragon and the rising powers of an evil Djinn, his
nautical
world comes to life in a first-person presentation that immediately
involves
readers in its atmosphere: "As I opened the cabin door, I had
to hold
my hand up to shield my eyes from the bright sun reflecting off the
water and
the pristine white walls of ice that surrounded the bay. Horns blasted
from the
Ice Palace far above the bay."
Can Max's magical
powers cope with the onslaughts and threats he faces from multiple
sources? Add
the fact that his beloved mother faces a terrible curse, and it's
evident from
the start that Max more than has his hands full.
While prior Max
readers will find his latest experiences thoroughly engrossing, it
should be
noted that newcomers receive references to past events and settings
that allow
them, too, to enter Max's latest story supported by knowledge of past
events: "I
remembered reading about ice giants in the book my father had given me,
Secrets
of the Twilight Djinn. They had dominated the tundra and had ruled most
of
Arctus before Agus the Just, my dad, had created the snow bears to
drive them
out. No one had seen them for centuries, and it was assumed that they
were gone
forever."
The problem is
that Max's magic is unpredictable. He must rely on friends and helpers
to
achieve his goals.
From explosions
and potions to a desperate search for a missing mother and a dubious
reliance
on a form of magic that "lies in the heart" and is not always on tap
when needed, John Peragine offers another
adventure-packed saga that will delight young adults interested in
tales of
transformation, discovery, and courage.
The strong characters, from Max to Annalinda
and other supporting people in his life, compliment encounters that
continually
test Max's abilities and courage: "...the
infection of the Djinn had spread across the high seas. Nowhere was
safe."
While young adults from middle grades to
high school will be the main audience for this story, many an adult
fantasy fan
will be equally delighted by the dilemmas and history of a struggle for
magic
and control.
Max's ongoing ability to learn and grow from
each impossible task creates a delightful interplay between adventure
and
education, keeping readers thoroughly engrossed.
Fueled by a character challenged by his
unreliable abilities and changing life, all ages will find much to
enjoy as Max
and his Spice Thieves continue to confront the Twilight Army in new
ways.
Return to Index
Max Goes to Town
Cynthia L. Clark
Outskirts Press
978-1977244390
$15.95 Paper/$3.99 ebook
www.outskirtspress.com
Max Goes to Town
is based on a true story, and will warm the hearts of young picture
book
readers who like tales about cats.
Paintings by Blueberry Illustrations are
beautifully rendered and provide a warm and alluring scenario that
captures the
sassy personality of cat Max. His adventure is presented in a
rollicking rhyme
that reflects Max's ongoing presence and importance to the humans who
live in
his house.
When the family decides to go to town for
dinner without him, Max takes matters into his own paws.
It's hard to keep a determined cat from
wandering, as his family discovers after his first foray into the wider
world.
A surprise ending shows how the family
handles their little stowaway's determination to join them. Max
Goes to Town is a delightful story that kids with cats will
find especially
inviting and fun.
Return to Index
Open Eyes, Happy Heart
Carolyn Thompson
Independently Published
978-1735440118
$24.99 Hardcover/$9.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook
Website: www.openeyeshappyheart.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735440116
It's rare to see a subject embracing sexual
abuse and childhood trafficking arranged in such a way that teen
audiences can
absorb the details without graphic, inappropriate descriptions, but Open Eyes, Happy Heart: A Story of Healing
from Sexual Abuse and Childhood Trafficking is designed for
this audience.
This is an even more important note because, of all the age groups of
reader
for this subject, teen audiences are the most vulnerable to these
threats and need
to read about them—albeit in an appropriate manner, represented here.
Spiritual questions about God's intentions
and purpose (in allowing Carolyn Thompson's childhood abuse) intersect
in a
memoir that presents her hidden history sans the graphic descriptions
that
usually keep this subject far from teen hands.
The Biblical references and religious
foundations of this book thus will appeal to Christian audiences who
want
materials appropriate for young adults.
Broader issues of God's purpose, forgiveness,
and finding not just freedom but joy from life after such experiences
are
addressed in the course of reflecting on these religious questions: "That Scripture started life change. I
was now sure of my Heavenly Father’s purpose: my childhood suffering
wasn’t for
nothing. While He grieved it because He loved me, He could also see the
path
that presented the greatest opportunity to minister to others. If I was
willing
to share my testimony, He could use that to save lives. That rocked my
world
down to its core. When the dust settled, I had a completely new
perspective on
the Holiness of God."
Through adult experiences of love and
divorce, Thompson searches out and presents discussions of patterns of
behavior
that "create a positive loop," both in interactions with others and
through self-analysis and processing trauma.
Open Eyes, Happy Heart
provides specifics on healing on many different levels:
psychologically,
spiritually, and socially. As Thompson reviews her life's ups and
downs, she
creates the connections between Scripture and God and adversity and joy
that
allow the entire family to come together to consider how life
challenges may
better be absorbed.
The result is highly recommended for a
variety of collections, from those geared to teen audiences to
religious,
psychology, and self-help holdings.
Return to Index
The Polar Bear
and the Dragon: Dawn of an Alliance
Debbie Watson
Mission Point
Press
978-1-954786-05-9
$14.95 Paper/$7.95 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bear-Dragon-Dawn-Alliance/dp/1954786050
Whitney is
thirteen, and this summer was supposed to be filled with plans and
excitement.
But what evolves that year, described in The Polar Bear and
the Dragon: Dawn
of an Alliance, is anything but a good time as she faces
terrifying
nightmares and the emergence of strange new abilities and develops
unexpected
longing for a father she’s never met. He perished trying to save a
family from
a burning building the night she was born.
Faced with all
these challenges, Whitney's first instinct is to confide in her mother
Susan,
whom she feels close to. But even that reliable rock of strength is
thwarted
when Whitney senses that doing so could put her mother’s life
in danger by
those who now threaten her.
Whitney feels
entirely alone until a circle of new friends emerges from an unexpected
place
to help her face a life that's becoming far different from anything
she's ever
encountered.
Traveller, a
visitor from Yagdi, has returned to Earth in search of young Whitney.
She soon
discovers that traveling long distances, especially with a little
dragon named
Aiden in tow, is a difficult task and regrets having closed her portal
between
the two worlds.
It turns out that
Whitney's destiny is far stranger than she could have imagined as she
faces
these impossible beings, learns about her early charge to be a
Protector
Warrior (the 'Chosen One'), and grows into her abilities and a heritage
far
outside what she has always known.
Whitney's unique
perspective on life, as well as her powers, hold the key to saving not
only her
life and her world, but the lives of her new acquaintances and
their distant world.
Even at age
thirteen, Whitney's experiences and upbringing help her understand
others: "Whitney
felt a new resolve building inside her.
Knowing how difficult this would be for her own mother
helped her
understand the depth of concern Aiden’s parents must have to send their
young
son away to keep him safe."
Her empathy,
changing perspectives, and connections to family, friends, and new
possibilities keep The Polar Bear and the Dragon: Dawn of an
Alliance a
riveting read on more than one level as Whitney figures out how best to
help
herself and those around her. She and new friend Edward find themselves
in
training for the struggles to come.
Debbie Watson has
crafted an engaging fantasy for young adults. It operates on different
levels
as it explores personal transformation and renewed connections between
self and
the world.
As magical realism
combines with a coming of age story with a twist, readers become
engrossed not
just because of its fantasy elements, but by their influence on young
Whitney's
evolving persona.
Having the
psychological growth factor an intrinsic part of not just realizing new
powers
and stepping up to use them appropriately, but re-drawing perceptions
of and
connections to the world, results in a read that is captivating both
for
adventure-oriented readers and those seeking stories of young women on
the cusp
of personal empowerment.
The Polar Bear and the Dragon: Dawn of an
Alliance opens a series
that is highly recommended for middle grade and young adults, whether
they are
interested in fantasy or coming-of-age sagas. It should be noted that
this is
the first book in a two-book series, so readers who appreciate this
story have
another to look forward to.
Return to Index
The Polar Bear
and the Dragon Dream Jumper
Debbie Watson
Mission Point
Press
978-1954786394
$22.95 Hardcover;
$14.95 softcover; $7.95 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bear-Dragon-Dream-Jumper/dp/1954786395
The Polar Bear and the Dragon Dream Jumper, Book Two of a
two-book series, is recommended for
prior fans of Book One who want to continue the ongoing story of teens
Whitney
and Edward, newly charged with protecting young Aiden, the future
dragon ruler
of Yagdi.
Aiden awaits his
own transformation into a powerful force; but until that time, Whitney
and her
friends must keep him safe. And threats abound from a dangerous
potential ruler
who would take over Yagdi before Aiden comes into his powers.
What's a good way
to attack one's enemies? Divide them. Whitney’s alliance has been
divided as
some must return to Yagdi to battle their enemy while Whitney and
Edward remain
on Earth. They must protect the young dragon, Aiden, just as
communication
between alliance members becomes increasingly difficult.
Middle grade
readers and teens ages 10 and older will find the dilemmas Whitney
faces
captivating on many levels as she struggles to thwart forces that would
take
over and quash the banished wizards who have created a nightmare.
As new
"amazing assets" to their cause step up, Whitney and Edward face an
impossible mission that tests their resolve, their perceptions, and
their
blossoming abilities.
As in her prior
story, Debbie Watson focuses on the alliances, growth opportunities,
and
revised visions of life that drive the characters onwards and upwards
in their
mission.
Fear forges alliances
to a "hideous boss," but something with much greater powers motivates
those who defy him.
As the dream
jumper/wizard and young Whitney summon their powers for the final
confrontation, readers receive an epic series of encounters that
reflect an underlying
belief that "everything happens for a reason."
Even disaster?
Watson's story is
a powerful fantasy that will appeal to middle graders and young adults
into new
adult audiences.
As both Traveller
and Whitney cultivate new directions in their lives ("I
plan to surround
myself with
those who give me
happiness.”), readers receive a
vivid adventure that reflects revised values and visions of the future.
Collections strong in
epic fantasy sagas will find this series a fine acquisition that
operates as
both entertainment and psychological education.
Return to Index
Popper and
Friends: Popper Finds a New Home
IL Ritchie
Mascot Books
9781645439929
$16.95
https://www.amazon.com/Popper-Friends-Finds-New-Home/dp/1645439925
Popper Finds a New Home introduces the first
book in the 'Popper and
Friends' picture book series, and enjoys whimsical, delightfully
appealing
drawings by Yulia Potts as it presents a little woodpecker who grows
out of his
bed and his familiar life.
Not only is he no
longer a baby, but it's time to leave his parents' home and build his
own nest.
As Popper enters
an unfamiliar outside world filled with possible locations that don't
really
work well for woodpeckers, he's charged with learning all the elements
that
make for a good woodpecker home.
His new nest must
not be near water or low to the ground and it must be outside, where he
can
"create his home in the fresh air." Indeed, there are so many
requirements for the perfect woodpecker abode that Popper wonders if
he'll ever
find the perfect locale.
Kids learn about
woodpecker natural history, problem-solving, independence, and growth
as Popper
navigates this new world, makes new friends, and faces his first real
dilemma
in life.
Popper Finds a New Home introduces these
concepts for the young,
cultivating an encouraging voice that, in the end, leads to Popper's
unexpected
choice and a successful outcome.
Read-aloud
parents will relish this early lesson on maturing and achieving goals,
supported by the observations and help of those who become unexpected
new
friends.
Return to Index
Rising Star
Michele Kwasniewski
Rand-Smith Publishing
978-1-950544-16-5
$20.00 Paper/$8.99 ebook/$17.46 audio
www.Rand-Smith.com
Book One in the Rise and Fall of Dani
Trueheart series, Rising Star,
reaches young adult girls interested in stories of struggle and
achievement. It
documents the story of fifteen-year-old Dani, who is being pushed by
her mother
to use her musical talents to become a pop star. Dani seems just as
driven
towards reaching this goal. Or, is she?
Ironically, just as she's beginning to
reconsider her scheming mother's influence, Dani achieves her dreams
and leaves
familiar circles to enter a world filled with new influences and people
who
push her in different directions.
Sporting a new legal guardian, a new
manager, and dubious new friends, Dani moves into the music industry
and her
singing career without benefit of the forces that have supported her
all her
young life.
One strength to Rising
Star is Michele Kwasniewski's attention to capturing Dani's
evolving feelings as she butts heads with her parents and the world: “So much has happened in the past few
days. Everything is changing except for the fact that my mom cannot
stop making
everything about herself. I feel horrible because I said some terrible
things
to them. But I gotta be honest, Martin. I really meant what I said. I
just
wish…I don’t know…”
“That you’d said it
differently?” I nod at the phone. “Yeah.”
Dani's first-person observations, analysis,
and insights drive the tale of a talented young woman's first forays
into the
professional world, the challenges this world poses to the young and
uninitiated, and what happens when she leaves not just family, but all
her
familiar support systems behind.
Dani may be moving on (and moving upward),
but at heart she's still an impressionable, naïve teenager. And her
desires and
abilities are still fluid.
Kwasniewski is also skilled at capturing the
emotions and motivations of everyone around Dani. While Dani still gets
to tell
the story from her perspective, her growing maturity and ability to
understand
what drives others to achieve creates moving dialogues between parents,
friends, and new influencers alike: "I
never asked to do all this in the first place. I was just a little kid
who
wanted to take tap. This was all her idea!” I shove my hands in my
pockets. “I
just wish she loved me for who I am. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
My dad stares down at
me,
listening and chewing his lip. “I know it’d mean more coming from her,
but she
does love you very much. I’m sorry she doesn’t express it as well as
she
should, but you and Geena mean the world to her. Maybe if I let her
know how
you’re feeling…”
“No! Dad, please don’t.
It’ll
only make things worse. You know every time someone says something that
isn’t
positive, she takes it personally and gets all upset. Then she’ll
somehow turn
it into something to be mad at me for, like I was bad mouthing her or
something..."
Sometimes you don't know what you want, but
have to accept that life brings the best you'll get.
As Dani moves into, through, and past her
new life, young women who read her story will find themselves taking a
second
look at their own life trajectories and influences.
The result is a moving story not just of
achievement, but coming of age. This rising star shines brightly.
Collections
strong in young adult fiction for young women who reach for their own
goals
will find Rising Star examines the
foundations of achievement in a satisfyingly complex, different manner
that
doesn't eschew the concept of success and stardom, but looks at them in
a
different, life-changing light.
Return to Index
Romancing the Darkness
Tyler R. Snyder
Crystal
Publishing, LLC
978-1-942624-62-2
$19.95
www.amazon.com
Book 1 of a young
adult fantasy series, Romancing
the Darkness, leads readers into a rich milieu in which
Tristan defies the rule which governs his life (that royals and
commoners
cannot mix) and finds himself in trouble. Rayna is a princess. He is
her
half-elf guardian. And he's something more, to the headstrong princess.
As a guardian, Tristan has heard and
believed in these guiding words all his young life: “Protect
the royal family members with your very being. And protect
each other.”
But as the edicts of his duty fade and fall
under siege from forces of destructive Dividers, Tristan learns that he
may be
the only force that can save them.
One discovery Tristan makes is that, despite
his upbringing, his world is always changing...and so are the roles of
royals,
guardians, and others. In order to maintain his place and purpose, he
must
adopt a brand of flexibility, in turn, that was never part of his
training.
Rayna doesn't want to be protected. She
wants to fight the evolving battle. And Tristan finds that his purpose
and
efforts are changed by her attitude and the rise of forces that may
prove
undefeatable by the strengths that either of them holds.
Tristan finds himself in prison, separated
from Rayna and Morgan and his charge to keep them safe. He manages to
overcome
this and other obstacles, noting wryly that "saving everyone does have
its
perks" while he fights a war in which winning is the goal. Or, is it?
Tyler R. Snyder crafts a young adult fantasy
replete not just in action, but moral and ethical issues as Tristan
seeks to
redefine his goals, his loyalties, and his purposes in life.
Snyder adds social inspection to this story
as the characters evolve, from protected princesses who become fighters
for a
surprising cause to guardians who must accept their revised roles.
The characterization and interplays between
Tristan and those around him are nicely done, filled with unexpected
twists
that keep young readers engaged and wondering, while the action and
fantasy
elements are solidly compelling.
The result is a fine story of personal and
social evolution that will delight young adult fantasy fans looking for
an
exceptional adventure story.
Return to Index
When Sadness Comes to Visit
Faith Joy Solum
Faith Joy Books
9781737572619
$15.76 Hardcover/$9.99 Paper
www.faithjoybooks.com
When Sadness Comes to Visit
illustrates a problem for picture
book readers (indeed, all ages will benefit from its message): that
when
sadness lies in the heart, it's important to 'sit' with it and
acknowledge it
rather than deflect its underlying messages via the distractions of
life.
But, parent coach and former behavioral
health specialist/author Faith Joy Solum offers more than advice on how
to
'sit' with and connect more fully with one's emotions. She also gives
an
anecdote to sadness and grief that comes along with 'sitting':
gratitude.
When Sadness Comes to Visit
cultivates two important approaches
to sadness: acceptance, and cultivating gratitude in order to move on
more
effectively in life.
The story opens with a child's-eye
reflection: "When my feelings come
to visit, I always invite them in." This is followed by an
acknowledgement that some feelings are more difficult than others ("When sadness comes to visit, he
usually stays the longest.").
Accompanied by blue Sadness and differently
colored visual figures, the story chronicles how Sadness follows the
young
narrator throughout his life and day. No matter what is happening or
how hard
the young protagonist tries to hide, Sadness is close by.
Sadness often brings along his friends,
Pity, Shame, and Regret.
Faith Joy Solum does one of the best jobs
this reviewer has seen (in 40 years of reviewing) of illustrating
emotions and
their impact in word and pictures for all ages. The impact is
especially
powerful paired with the beautifully captivating illustrations by Ethan
Roffler.
Picture book readers and their read-aloud
parents will readily understand these emotional characters and their
impact;
especially the difference between the uninvited Sadness, who will stay
a very
long time, and Gratitude, who
"...doesn't usually stop by. I have to invite him over."
Empowerment, understanding, and acknowledgement
are the strengths of this picture book story and are the perfect places
for
growth and better approaches to understanding Sadness and Gratitude
alike.
If there were only one primer chosen about
exploring emotions for the very young reader and their families, When Sadness Comes to Visit
should be at the top of the list
for every home and in lending libraries where young children come to
visit
books and emotions alike.
Return to Index
Zulu
the Pupa
Joyce Y. Taylor
Independently
Published
978-1-956202-00-7 $17.99
Hardcover/$12.99 Paper
www.joyceytaylor.com
Zulu the Pupa
is the first picture book in the 'A
Tale of Dung Beetle' series and features an unusual protagonist in the
form of
Zulu, a beetle pupa who lives in the 'land of the rainbow nation, South
Africa.'
Zulu
was told by
his parents early in life that he will grow to become the greatest,
best dung
beetle of all. Then they move away from Zulu, leaving him all alone. He
begins
to doubt himself...and the smelly world he's inherited.
All
the other
creatures around him, from ants to fireflies, operate in a supportive
community
and do great things. Nothing Zulu does seems either amazing or helpful
to the
world, in comparison.
Zulu
makes
friends, but their skills do not match his. He finds himself unable to
dig with
the ants, sing with the crickets, or fly with the ladybugs. In fact, he
seems
to have no useful skills at all...
Until
everything
changes.
To
support her
uplifting story of adversity, individual achievement, and life
objectives,
Joyce Y. Taylor crafts especially bright, gorgeous, large-size color
drawings
of Zulu's world.
From
early
lessons on self-acceptance and transformation to insights about
cultivating
positivity and achievement, Zulu
the Pupa introduces an unusual little character who
doesn't seem to fit into the productive environment around him.
Natural history facts about the dung beetle,
a glossary of pronunciation for the South African names, and
discussions of
envisioning present-day and future purpose in contributing to life in
an
uplifting manner create a picture book which is especially vivid and
unexpectedly thought-provoking for its focus on the dung beetle.
Read-aloud parents and adults looking for early lessons about change and positive perspectives will relish the opportunity to reinforce these messages with Zulu the Pupa, the first in a series. The story concludes with a mystery, creating a smooth introduction and setting the stage for a follow-up story.
Zulu the PupaReturn to Index