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Donovan's Bookshelf

June 2015 Review Issue


Table Of Contents

Independent Press Profiles
Biography & Autobiography
Games
Fantasy & Sci Fi
Self Help
Mystery & Thrillers
Novels
Short Stories
Poetry
Young Adult/Childrens

Biography & Autobiography

Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad
Rufus Jones Jr.
Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
ISBN 978-0-8108-8855-5 (hardback : alk. Paper)  $70.00
ISBN 978-0-8108-8856-2 (ebook)    $53.20
Note: Special discount for those who order the book on www.rowman.com. Please use promotional code 7A3AUTHF and save 25%. You can also purchase the book on Amazon.com and B&N.com for a 20% discount. 
www.rowman.com 

It's relatively rare to have a musical biography come from a scholar and researcher who is also a conductor; but such is the case with Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad, which outlines the saga of a great (but largely unheralded) Afro-American conductor. 

This first full-length biography of Dixon follows his evolution from his early achievements as a budding conductor, his difficult decision to leave America for better opportunities in Europe and his eventual return to this country to serve as a role model for aspiring Black classical musicians. 

It's a cut above most biographical treatments, holding great social and political insights: thus, it belongs in not just music book collections, but the holdings of civil rights libraries and libraries strong in Afro-American history and the rise of black musicians. 

Dixon's internationally-acclaimed career paved the way for fellow Black musicians (classically trained or not) and created an atmosphere whereby these musicians could achieve their goals at home in America without having to follow in his footsteps of leaving their homeland in pursuit of recognition sans prejudice. 

From the special challenges of an interracial marriage which went above and beyond family acceptance ("Their major objection to Vivian’s marriage to Dixon was not solely because Dixon was Black. Their concern was more of how others would react to their marriage. For as long as they could remember, Vivian wanted to be a professional pianist and travel around the world performing the masterworks. She had the confidence, and her success at Juilliard proved she had the talent. They believed her marriage to Dixon would prevent her from fulfilling her dream.") to involvements of the media in Dixon's career and his special challenges in gaining recognition abroad and then at home ("The fact that none of the major recording companies were sending Dixon invitations to record for them made it even more paramount that any recording he did with his Frankfurt orchestra had to be of the highest quality."), Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad goes far beyond the anticipated survey of one man's life to consider exactly what stood in his way, how he handled career obstacles, and how his choices directly led to an improved atmosphere for those who followed in his footsteps. 

It's this focus and attention to specifics that make Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad such a powerful read, highly recommended for not just classical music collections, but any interested in racial issues and history in America. 

Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad

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The Demons of Plainville
Daniel R. Mathews
Lost Legacy Press
809 W. Riordan Rd, Ste. 100 #408, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-0810
978-0990710745     $14.95 paperback, $6.95 Kindle
Amazon Paperback: www.amazon.com/dp/0990710742 Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XYWRZUY
www.daniel-mathews.com

There are challenges in creating a memoir that aren't inherent in a novel format: for one thing, exploring one's childhood and growth is, of necessity, a revealing approach that exposes one's world to strangers. For another, it incorporates a sense of psychological introspection mixed with world events (here, this world is the family structure and its choices and encounters) that pair raw detail with social interactions that constantly challenge and change all involved. 

Set in the fictional town of Plainville but blending in real facets of Daniel R. Mathews' life, The Demons of Plainville is a saga replete with struggle, 'demons', hard truths and harder realizations that lead to real change - and the latter is at the heart of any confrontation with demons, but particularly the lives presented in The Demons of Plainville. 

Be forewarned: there are graphic descriptions of blood nightmares and descriptions of both schoolboy/camp encounters and home situations that candidly portray the roots of psychological hardship and struggle: "The situation at home continued in an endless downward spiral. My mother became increasingly hostile and condemning of my existence. She constantly grounded me for something, usually stealing money out of her purse. She grew more insistent about my mental illness, believing I was sick somehow and was just a bad seed bent on making her miserable. She even called me retarded on several occasions, pointing out my effeminate nature. My inability to remember the thefts she accused me of proved I would need institutionalization eventually. Was she right? I did feel sick in many ways. An almost nauseous feeling that didn’t go away became acute when I rode the bus home from school and especially whenever she called me in the room. I felt a growing hopelessness; I could not escape from the hole I’d fallen into." 

From Scouting and camp experiences that give rise to special challenges as he faces expelling the son of his scoutmaster to paying the price for doing the right thing ("Sometimes doing the right thing carries a price. I had already understood this, but that didn’t make the situation easier. This was my ultimate final exam as a Scout and it proved I was capable of standing up for myself. I had self-respect and integrity, and I was not going to let anyone take that away. This was a valuable lesson because the limits of my endurance were about to be tested."), The Demons of Plainville covers many kinds of demons, from childhood challenges to coming of age, adult approaches to life, and storms of emerging sexuality and friendships that evolve against the rejection of both mother and father. 

From flying planes to homosexuality and recovering from family demons, The Demons of Plainville isn't about falling to earth: it's about the process of learning to soar with whatever life hands out. 

In this, it's a memoir that, more than most, charts the process and the key moments that lend towards movement towards the light and positive rather than succumbing to the forces that create demons. 

The Demons of Plainville

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I Will Not Kill Myself, Olivia
Danny Baker
No Publisher, ISBN, Price
Pre-Publication Manuscript. Pub Date: June 1, 2015
www.dannybakerwrites.com

Depression is a life-threatening state of mind that can  overcome a life and, ultimately, end it. Those struggling with depression know it's often like fog: always present on the horizon, just waiting to come in. Some days it's so thick you can barely see; other days, it lingers. Sometimes it's just a wisp in the background. 

I Will Not Kill Myself, Olivia captures that experience and is one of the most singularly powerful book titles on depression on the market. What is to be found within its discussion is a treasure trove of heart-wrenching detail by a protagonist who daily struggles with suicide. 

What it boils down to is: the writer is not a quitter. And that is the fine line of the fog bank: the piece that keeps everything from spilling over and coming apart: "I exploded into tears, cried loudly as all my emotions ruptured inside me––in large part because I knew I’d have to keep living and fighting in this crazy fucked up world––but regardless, I knew I couldn’t do it. I’m just not a quitter. When it really comes down to it I’m just not a quitter."

Don't expect an easy read, here. Nothing is sugar-coated, whether it be language, emotional pain, or struggles with the impulse to die. The reader is 'there' with Danny Baker through these struggles; so if reading about depression's angst is too much of an emotional tipping point, look elsewhere. 

I Will Not Kill Myself, Olivia isn't about sweet sagas and happy endings. It is about how the suicidal person feels, their struggles, and why the balance tips from death to life like a seesaw. The energy is there - but what begins with an emotionally wrenching, dramatic scene is tempered by a move back in time in the next chapter, which describes an Australian city's seemingly-idyllic setting and the author's place in it. 

How can depression emerge from pastoral places and inviting childhoods is the topic of a gritty, revealing story: "I was lucky enough to grow up in this vibrant town, a few blocks from the wharf in a two storey house overlooking the harbour." The author isn't a loner: he describes best friends, seaside fun, and a growing love of surfing. 

It's the evolution from this to asking for commitment in a psych ward that is the meat of I Will Not Kill Myself, Olivia. How does one get from one point to another? 

Love, romance, growing up, a dead baby and a girl named Olivia enter into an account which dances around depression at first, then slowly presents it at a slow evolutionary pace. Before the reader knows it, depression is no longer a hint of fog but a haunting force overcoming life. 

Throughout it all, emotions run high: again, this is not a suggestion for those seeking quick solutions and light reading: "But after a while, my wrath gradually gave way to a potent sadness. I sat on the edge of the bed and buried my head in my hands. I felt so misunderstood. So alone in the world. I’d already lost Olivia, and now I felt like I was losing my mates too. Now that they know I have depression, they must think I’m a pussy or a faggot or a freak. They’ll no longer want to be friends with me anymore. And if that’s what they want, then I no longer want to be friends with them." 

It IS a pick for readers who would follow the intense progress of how depression develops, is perceived internally and externally, and, above all, how loss can lead to choosing hope. 

I Will Not Kill Myself, Olivia

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Madness, Miracles, Millions
Joseph Semprevivo and Larry Semprevivo
Tate Publishing and Enterprises LLC
127 East Trade Center Terrace Mustang, OK 73064
978-1-62295-881-8                  $11.00
http://www.madnessmiraclesmillions.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joseph_Cookies
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josephslitecookies?ref=hl 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/madness-miracles-millions-joseph-semprevivo/1116794645?ean=9781622958818 

http://www.amazon.com/Madness-Miracles-Millions-Joseph-Semprevivo/dp/1622958810

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Madness-Miracles-Millions/Joseph-Semprevivo/9781622958818 

https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-62295-881-8 

There are memoirs centering upon family and then there are memoirs focused on other topics - such as business. Madness, Miracles, Millions speaks of finding miracles in both business and family after an accident renders both nearly impossible: as such, it serves as both an uplifting memoir and a story of personal and financial success. 

Larry Semprevivo's hand was crushed in a press when someone accidentally took the safety off while he was fixing the rollers. The miracle lies in the fact that the machine stopped itself at some point - and turned back on when his hand and arm were freed: "Everything that had occurred that day seemed to have taken place by happenstance, in both good and bad ways. Although he couldn’t see the entire picture that at that moment and had no idea how meaningful the chain of events that happened that day were, he did grasp that something incredible had just occurred. That day he knew that there were more than printers and foremen in that printing press factory." 

Be forewarned: there are minor copy errors scattered throughout (better editing would lend to a smoother read (i.e. "The doctors asked everyone to leave the hospital…" - more likely, hospital room…) - that said, Madness, Miracles, Millions is still a gripping, involving saga that begins with a compelling dilemma and grows from there. 

The story moves from an accident and shockingly inept hospitals to the lasting impact it would have on the family and their choices: "On the day that overwhelming hum filled the factory while Larry was face to face with death, he learned that we have a lot more control over our lives than we realize; not in the things that happen though, but in how we handle them. The lessons learned from the accident would shape the Semprevivo family for the rest of their lives. Each child would experience first-hand what a life filled with a positive attitude and mutual gratitude could create. One of those children was me, Joseph Semprevivo." 

Joseph would go on to create a company based on his family's values because an experience that changed these values, and his story is a vivid and engrossing saga of how family circumstances and bigger pictures work together to form something greater than the sum of its parts: …although I was not born when the accident happened, the values my father always had combined with the lesson he learned from that tragedy would go on to mold me into who I am today." 

Life is about attitude - and so is success. That's just one of the driving points of Madness, Miracles, Millions, which does an outstanding job of charting this process and its impact. Plenty of books discuss this concept - but too few trace its roots and evolution. It's this piece of the process that's often missing or value - not so here, which opens with a bang and continues the family focus to show just how things changed to lead up to the ultimate revelation: "Luck you have no control over, but attitude is something that you always have a choice about. How you interpret and handle the situations you come across will dictate your life." 

This isn't just a story of the trials and tribulations life throws out - it's only the beginning of a 'how it's interpreted' process that stands out in a book packed with inspirational passages, stories of success, and - most importantly - the attitudes that translate challenge into growth. And it's this specific focus that sets Madness, Miracles, Millions apart in a world deluged with self-help inspirational messages. 

 Madness, Miracles, Millions

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The Power of Courage: An Uplifting Saga of Moving Beyond Abuse
Charol Messenger
Messenger Publishing
978-1518750168     
www.charolmessenger.com
eSTORE distributor for global orders:
https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=Charol+Messenger&sitesearch_type=STORE
Single title global orders:  https://www.createspace.com/5342740
AMAZON - all titles page:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=charol+messenger
Single title page:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Courage-Uplifting-Moving-Memoirs-ebook/dp/B00YDXI2OG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450373479&sr=8-1&keywords=Svengali+in+my+bed

 Plenty of books tell of toxic relationships and abuse and plenty of autobiographies detail how their authors emerged from them; but few offer the specific focuses on entrapment and escape as does The Power of Courage (an Award-Winning Finalist in the 2015 USA Best Book Awards in the top six nationally in the Women's Issues category), which chronicles a close connection between opposite personalities that began simply with an aspiring author's request to Messenger to help him write his book. 

It's when loneliness is a part of everyday life that decisions are sometimes made that are obviously contrary to logic and which are deadly. As Messenger came to see that her chosen one was a user, an abuser, an alcoholic and a narcissistic personality in stark contrast to her own, she found herself unable to let loose the chains that bound her to him. Ironically, she could perceive and admit these issues only when alone. 

Also ironically, she would find the patterns of her past (which she had already rigorously fought against) contributed to her present-day dilemma.

 And, finally, she would find that her ability to see good in all facets of life would have to be set aside in order to properly see and act on the negativity that was taking over her world.  

The Power of Courage neatly answers the question of 'how can this happen?' The incongruities, the inconsistencies - everything is explored with an eye to detailing exactly how one falls into a 'bottomless pit' in a relationship, how blindness becomes a position of even the most educated, intelligent person, and what transpires behind closed doors: "…we both burst out laughing, and Joey’s eyes flashed. “I’ve been swearing more since I met you,” he said, smiling. “I must really like you.” Swearing was liking me? Geez. Still, no man had ever shown this much interest in me." 

As illustrated above, there are many passages where events and observations illustrate the psychological process of how an intelligent thinker comes to accept behaviors that should be unacceptable. And this is where The Power of Courage departs from other accounts of abuse and recovery. By pinpointing exactly where the breaking points are and how logic is warped into acceptance, readers gain insight into a process rarely presented in such specific detail - and into the kinds of patterns that lead to abuse. 

Harrowing, riveting, and educational: these facets join together to create something exceptional in The Power of Courage. 

The Power of Courage: An Uplifting Saga of Moving Beyond Abuse

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Games
Advance 3-D Matrix Chess : The Long. S.G. 14 - Single Set Games, Book One Vol. 1

Siafa B. Neal
Theodocia Mclean, Publisher
c/o Cold Coffee Press
2238 Turtle Point Drive, Raleigh , N.C. 27604
ISBN-13 : 978-1503269484 ( Create Space Assigned )
ISBN-10 : 1503269485                   $ 25.24
Pages : 190 pages    Full color on White paper
BISAC : Games / Chess
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/siafa-b-neal
CreateSpace eStore : http://www.createspace.com/5111243
http://www.amazon.com/Siafa-B.Neal/e/B00JD4ZIN8/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
 

Chess logistics readers seeking advanced 3-D matrix manuals will find just the formulas for success in Advance 3-D Matrix Chess : The Long. S.G. 14 - Single Set Games, Book One Vol. 1: The Longitudinal Star Gate 14 Model , Model III : An In-Depth Perspective of Sequential Conglomerates Informatics. Single Set Games, Book 1 Vol. 1. It provides a model for a new space-age game concept that promises to invite and immerse new audiences with high-level 3D sports and comes from an inventor who presents game board kits, 3D player insights, and an advanced longitudinal model consisting of trapezoidal platforms and games keyed to them. 

Chess players who have the traditional systems down and who look for something more cognitively challenging will find it, here: three-dimensional chess requires a higher level of cognitive thinking and thus grooms the player for the next step up in memory improvement and exercise. 

Chapters are keyed to Neal's custom game board and pieces (for sale separately) and focus on the Longitudinal Star Gate 14 - a hybrid derivative of the Star Fish model. The Star Gate's difference is that it's an asymmetrical duplex replication of the Star Fish. 

Equations and board set-up descriptions are paired with discussions of positioning for games and different platform configurations. Models identify different kinds of platforms, provide abbreviations for model sections, and rely heavily on color-coded diagrams to explain proper setup, piece placement, and color-band chess piece positions. 

Any interested in the Longitudinal Star Gate 3D model have all the visual approaches necessary to participate in a world-class board game that takes chess a big step further in the process of cognitively-challenging gaming. 

Advance 3-D Matrix Chess : The Long. S.G. 14 - Single Set Games, Book One Vol. 1

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Renaissance To The Dawn Of A New Age, Single Set Games, Book One , Vol. 2
Siafa B. Neal
Theodocia Mclean, Publisher
c/o Cold Coffee Press
2238 Turtle Point Drive, Raleigh , N.C. 27604
ISBN-13 : 978-1505573374 ( CreateSpace-Assigned )
ISBN-10 : 1505573378     $22.00
Pages : 154 pages   Full color on White paper
BISAC : Games / Chess
http://www.coldcoffeepress.com/siafa-b-neal
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U6B770Y

CreateSpace eStore : http://www.creatspace.com/5176071

Renaissance To The Dawn Of A New Age, Single Set Games, Book One ,Vol. 2.: A Qualitative Validation For the Art of Psychological Warfare focuses on single set games and also allows 2D players to take the basic concepts of the board and move them into higher levels of thought. This process utilizes the psychologically competitive approach of not just single sets, but several combinations of piece placement; providing options for single, double, triple or quadruple sets that can involve 2-4 players at once. 

The focus on psychological warfare games creates a set of scenarios with a focus on single set games and allows chess players the opportunity to make the most of and understand single game movements before progressing on to higher realms. 

Chapters employ a visual approach to understanding, pairing color-coded game boards and trapezoidal platforms with discussions of uniform layouts, chess piece progressions, different set-up options, and diagrams that are very clear in how boards should be initially set up for different approaches. 

Clear objectives are stated for each configuration ("…the movement of the Knight displaces in a 3/2 squares Forward Advance movement. The letter 'B' stands for the Bishops; this piece moves diagonally across the game board.") 

Chess is all about visualization, setup, strategy and psychological warfare: Renaissance To The Dawn Of A New Age, Single Set Games, Book One ,Vol. 2 makes the most of these concepts and presents a key to not just single set 3D approaches, but to the underlying psychological influence on movement choices and gaming, making this a top recommendation for any 3D newcomer. 

Renaissance To The Dawn Of A New Age, Single Set Games, Book One , Vol. 2

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Fantasy & Sci Fi

Night Rumbles
Nancy James
Rockrose Press
978-0-692-31407-4    $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Rumbles-Nancy-Janes-ebook/dp/B00V97LGTC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429885361&sr=8-1&keywords=Night+Rumbles

Brad is a nineteen-year-old research student on the planet Lydo tasked with investigating a favorite subject; but in order to conduct his investigations, he must first enter the strange Netherworld not only in a new form, but without his memory. And that's where trouble begins. 

Night Rumbles is about entering a strange world with no supporting memories, about navigating it with the sense that one doesn't belong there, and about surviving battles in a place where any show of affection is forbidden. In such a world, what is the observer's role, and what happens when scientific distance breaks down to involve a researcher in his own subject? 

Andre Norton employed some of the elements of this theme (waking on an alien world in another body with no memories) in one of her fantasy series novels decades ago; but Night Rumbles takes matters a big step further, adding the dilemma of a scientist whose investigation of behavioral patterns becomes all too personal. 

Trusts betrayed, night junkets, a strange world which grows on him ("Hopeless humans. They are a lively bunch. Think I’m growing fond of them.") - can a walk out of his world lead to a new life?  The conflict between light vs. darkness, evil vs. good, is an overarching theme in the struggle of the protagonist to overcome the cruel despotic ruler. 

Night Rumbles proves a satisfying read that is easy to follow and with enough mystery to keep readers on their toes. 

Night Rumbles

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Shades: The Gehenna Dilemma
Eric Dallaire
If Tales
Print ISBN 978-0-9961811-0-5      $12.99
Ebook ISBN 978-0-9961811-1-2    $1.99
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Shades-Gehenna-Dilemma-1/dp/0996181105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432243768&sr=8-1&keywords=Shades+The+Gehenna+Dilemma
iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shades-the-gehenna-dilemma/id984993345?mt=11
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shades-the-gehenna-dilemma-eric-dallaire-eric-dallaire/1121731115?ean=2940151641159
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shades-the-gehenna-dilemma 

Shades represents Volume 1 of a series set in 2039, where people who die owing the government money are turned into mindless Shades to pay their debt. These undead servants have become important to the economy, bringing with them the inevitable questions of ethics and a whole new industry revolving around the IRS using unpaid debts to create and manage a growing undead labor force. 

But Shades is about more than efforts to put the dead to work: it's about one IRS agent's dream of escaping this world into a lunar colony, and about the costs of his career of choice - which include saving his debt-laden mother at the cost of losing his girlfriend. 

All he needs is a little more time to make enough money to escape. All he needs is a little more luck, to make everything come together. But all he gets is trouble, as a virtual trap holds a high price tag, the benefits of becoming a Shade in exchange for living luxuriously become evident, and an effort at being a secret agent results in new challenges and deadly encounters with the Shade/zombie force. 

It could be tempting to view this as another form of zombie apocalypse story; but that would be a shame. There's so much more happening here, from the motivations of government to employ a workforce of mindless drones to individuals who consider the costs of giving up a bit of after-death peace for material gain. 

With romance, social issues, and ethical questions permeating its action-packed story line, it's easy to see that Shades is far above anything relating to the usual 'zombie novel' - perhaps that's why the undead here are called 'Shades': the difference between these characters and zombies lies in the circumstances surrounding their creation, use, and ultimate fate, and will draw in readers with a winding, absorbing story line. 

Shades: The Gehenna Dilemma

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The Spirit of Steel: The Morus Chronicles Book Two
J.R. Roper
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 9781512069297  $12.99
ASIN: B00XNQU09O 
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/TheSpiritofSteel
Barnes & Noble: http://smarturl.it/SpiritofSteelBN
http://www.crushingheartsandblackbutterfly.com/
 

Witches, sorcerers, a boy in danger and a girl who loves him… this is just the opening act of Book Two of The Morus Chronicles, The Spirit of Steel, which should give adequate warning that this story continues a saga and that it involves supernatural forces; so readers who don't care for continuing adventures of otherworldly forces should look elsewhere - and that would be a shame. 

Because if you're expecting the usual vampire/werewolf romance ala Twilight, you're in for a surprise: The Spirit of Steel is not about love in a world of conflict; it's about trust, psychic dangers, and even why witchcraft came to be associated with evil: "The Dark was there at the beginning, lurking even as the Light was created on this earth. A plague that took some of the most powerful wizards and witches from the Light.” 

Foreboding dangers threaten from the first chapter and move out in ever-widening circles; but one thing is constant: the action, characterization, and vivid insights that keep The Spirit of Steel moving along at not only a fast pace, but a cut above your usual adventure saga. 

There are sea monsters and treasures, family ties and kidnappings, and young warriors sporting nobility, weaponry, and extraordinary talents and courage. Most effective of all, there's attention to building the kinds of characters and scenes that bring all this together. 

A new search, a new secret, and new dangers: all are woven together in an innovative story that stands well on its own for newcomers and is satisfyingly different from its predecessor, for old fans. Be advised, there's a cliffhanger here that will leave readers looking for Book Three - and that's one of the attractions: its ability to conclude neatly while still promising more ahead. 

The Spirit of Steel: The Morus Chronicles Book Two

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The Weeping Books of Blinney Lane
Drea Damara
Happy Wanderer Press
Publisher email:  happywandererpress@hotmail.com
ASIN: B00XAAO666                         $2.99
www.happywandererpress.com 

http://www.amazon.com/Weeping-Books-Blinney-Lane-ebook/dp/B00XAAO666/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

At first glance Allister’s Books on Blinney Lane feels like any other bookstore: lovingly tended by a proprietor who has affection for books and satisfied customers alike, it's the epitome of an antique bookstore filled with readers and old gems. 

But as is common with many stores selling old things, Allister's holds something different: in this case, not a mystery but the lure of other worlds literally held in books; a feature only unlocked when Sarah's nephew comes to stay with her and inadvertently finds the key to one special book which can literally suck its reader into its world. 

It's not as though her bookstore's special properties are unknown to Sarah: she and a book group have been tracking the phenomenon of weeping books, worried about what is to come; but a long-time curse may be nothing against the awakening powers of a teenager. 

The curse is most powerful when the book awakens, changing those who evoke it, and it's up to Sarah to save her nephew and guide him through the world he's inadvertently entered - and deal with his reactions as he comes to understand the reason why the shop owners never seem to leave their jobs: "As much as Ricky wanted this to be a joke, he worried that something horrible had happened to these people, something that may actually give their stories merit. Now that he thought about it, what worried him the most was that he’d never seen any of these shop owners leave Blinney Lane while he’d been there." 

From the vengeance of two men whose actions alter history to the introduction of a 'wild card' in the form of a teen outsider, The Weeping Books of Blinney Lane is a draw from page one, and readers will find young Ricky isn't the only one compelled beyond the ordinary and unable to leave a book world. 

Dialogue is solid, action and events not only believable but riveting, and there's just the right juxtaposition of the anticipated with the unexpected to keep readers involved. From stormy family relationships and history to guilt and change, there are plenty of motivators to keep readers immersed. 

More so than most fantasy reads, Weeping Books holds the rare ability to reach widely outside of its genre: young adults, mystery readers, and those who love novels about antiques and bookstores will find it equally compelling and inviting. 

The Weeping Books of Blinney Lane

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.

Self Help

The Blueprint
Richard Corey
Tate Publishing and Enterprises, LLC
127 E. Trade Center Terrace | Mustang, Oklahoma 73064
978-1-62746-179-5         $12.99
www.tatepublishing.com
Richard@rcenterpriselaw.com

IG: Rich_Corey
facebook.com/RichardCoreyEnterprises 

Imagine a scenario where there are no limits to one's abilities; where dreams have all been attained; where nothing can stand in the way of success. Now imagine there's a blueprint that can teach self-help readers how to achieve all this, with a minimum of effort, and you have in your hands The Blueprint: Bridging the Gap Between You and Your Vision. 

Now, most self-help titles would proceed to focus upon the formula for such a success without math and history; many without Christian reflection. Be forewarned: The Blueprint incorporates all these facets in its exploration; so if it's a secular and psychologically-based self-help approach that's desired, then move on - this book's more complex than most - but then, achieving this level of success is no light accomplishment and will involve much introspection and contemplation. 

The purpose here is to share the author's beliefs about life: that these beliefs take the form of an actionable 'blueprint' for achievement makes his approach more than autobiography and more than the usual self-help pop psychology piece. 

Chapters question the perception that a single technique or approach leads to satisfaction for every reader: that's the first indication that The Blueprint isn't intended to be an approach set in stone, but a highly customizable 'bigger picture' that pairs a formula with an invitation to spark one's imaginative process in the course of making choices and changes. 

Couched in the author's personal vision and experience, The Blueprint is replete with admonitions and observations: "From now on, I swear to myself I will disregard limits. I will practice what I preach and preach what I practice. I will find those with similar beliefs, and together we will build an empire far more grand than anything in existence today. How’s that for imagination! Lucky for me, the commercial success of inspirational literature, like The Secret, has popularized this way of thinking. Finding others like me will not be difficult, and spreading the positive energy will be easy, like dry grass and a wildfire. The more energy of this frequency I send out, the more the same energy will be attracted to me, and the more energy sent back to me, the more my purpose will grow—gestation causing the effect of physical realization." 

Readers will discover that The Blueprint isn't a dispassionate third-person analysis: it's a candid, self-infused and vibrant celebration of change that uses the author's first-person experiences as a call to action for others to achieve their highest goals. Its message is simple ("Although things take time to manifest, your blueprint presents a mathematical certainty in the ultimate outcome. Use the blueprint and you will succeed.") and its customizable approach is a welcome change from the usual self-help approach, showing how to apply God's influence and the principles of mathematical design to one's own belief system for maximum results. 

The Blueprint

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Proverbial Beauty
Yonason Goldson
Timewise Press
PO Box 11504, St. Louis, MO 63105
978-0692369203          $14.95
Prepublication: Release Date July 15, 2015
Email: timewisepress@gmail.com 

Proverbial Beauty: Secrets for Success and Happiness from the Wisdom of the Ages is about miracles - but not the kind of miracles one might expect. Where is the miracle in shame, in misdirection, in immaturity or in imperfection, for example? Therein lies the story of how success and happiness can be honed not from just the positives in life, but from the teachings of negativity. 

The author 'met' Mona Lisa when he was 23, viewing her proverbial beauty and sensing an accompanying message of timeless wisdom. As he fueled his infatuation with reflections on other timeless 'secrets', he evolved a philosophy derived not just from the works of great artists and thinkers, but from the trappings and technology of modern times: the Internet, radio, popular quotes, and inspirational writings. The fusion of all these elements into a cohesive reflection on cultural traditions makes Proverbial Beauty an inspection highly recommended for thinkers who would probe the roots of decision-making processes, perceptions of happiness and tranquility, and how to 'become' the Mona Lisa herself. 

If all this sounds like a higher-level blend of spiritual and philosophical thinking - it is. Those seeking a light read and an easy path should look elsewhere. Proverbial Beauty is not for those seeking a smooth ride so much as those willing to consider the elements that go into the notion that we can 'blend reality to our own purpose'. 

Lessons of morality, the lasting lessons of the Mona Lisa figure, and real definitions of love and happiness are provided in a blend of proverbs and analysis that will delight those thinkers who want a lively discourse of possibilities and alternative visions. 

Proverbial Beauty

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Unbelievable Me: A 5-Step Program for Shifting to a Powerful Mindset & Experiencing True Success in All Areas of Life
David W. Lowell, P.E. and Gertrud Lola, L.M.T.
Practical Manifestations, LLC
PO Box 6145, Warwick, Rhode Island, 02889
Publication Date: June 2015
$14.99 paperback, $9.99 e-book
978-0990805700 
http://www.amazon.com/Unbelievable-Me-Shifting-Powerful-Experiencing/dp/0990805700/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425323446&sr=8-2&keywords=%22unbelievable+Me%22

 www.PracticalManifestations.com 

Unbelievable Me is all about realizing one's true potential and offers a program for such an achievement - and if this focus and purpose sounds familiar, that's because there are many self-help books on the market that offer similar promises. 

The difference here is between a promise kept and a dream: Unbelievable Me is the 'kept promise' of exactly how to go about the process, not a dreamy review of possibilities; and its five-step program is concrete and cemented in progressive understanding and education, not fantasy. 

That's not to say that this is a simple process: with some forty-one chapters (plus several appendices) packed with a combination of historical review, psychological insight, and self-help admonitions, readers need to be prepared to work for their goals - not be spoon-fed. 

Chapters are directed to readers who may have tried self-development techniques before with disappointing results. They are all about realizing one's potential, and they offer the insights (backed by scientific studies and historical precedent) on how to get there. The techniques and plans presented are designed to be customized by readers: they aren't boilerplate templates. Self-help readers should be prepared to think, work, and refine the process of achieving their goals and negating the effects of fixed mindsets. 

It's no light undertaking to consider established precedents and shake them up. It's no light process to take recommendations and customize them until they are right. And it's no casual choice to pick up Unbelievable Me to supplement the process of change: readers who expect quick, easy results need not look here. 

This is a hard-hitting, research-based survey of self-discovery techniques and it's a top recommendation for readers who come to it with the necessary prerequisites of absorbing a scientific and research-based approach to lasting change. 

Unbelievable Me: A 5-Step Program for Shifting to a Powerful Mindset & Experiencing True Success in All Areas of Life

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Mystery & Thrillers

Angels to Ashes
Drew Foote
Drew Foote, Publisher
9781508692034       $13.99 Print   .99 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Ashes-Drew-Foote-ebook/dp/B00UC7NIWS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 

http://www.drewfoote.com 

"I would give anything to make partner." The opening sentence would seem to neatly cement the idea that Angels to Ashes is a legal novel of some kind; but readers who find themselves engaged on this level, anticipating another Gresham-like courtroom drama, will be surprised to learn only a few paragraphs later that the story is anything but a legal thriller: "I took a deep breath and smoothed the black hair around my horns; it was time to go to work. I closed my eyes and slid through the seams of reality as though they were flimsy shower curtains. I materialized in the center of the Manhattan office with a theatric puff of smoke." 

As its title promises, this is about angels (and also about devils) and presents the unlikely alliance between two very different personas - a Demon of Price and an avenging angel - and their human witness. 

If all this sounds like a fantasy, be forewarned: it's more of a mystery/thriller, utilizing the trappings of fantasy to present different worlds that come together under the guise of intrigue, cloaked by forces that move all too easily between heaven and hell. 

Also unexpected is a healthy dose of wry humor, evident throughout in passages which are delightfully complex and, yes, downright fun: "I had always considered myself an exceptionally handsome Demon. Many of my colleagues preferred to go with traditionally diabolic visages: fangs, claws, three heads ... things of that nature. However, I always found there was a certain sweet spot and once you went past it, your numbers suffered." 

There are armies and violent clashes. There's mystery and intrigue. There are human aspirations and equally powerful objectives that come from supernatural forces. All this is bound together in a story that is so well drawn that it's difficult to believe this is a self-published first novel. 

It should also be mentioned that no prior form of religious connection is required in order to fully appreciate the approach and action in Angels to Ashes. Perhaps this is the novel's greatest achievement: to draw in the agnostic as well as the religious believer and immerse these disparate souls equally in a genre-breaking story that toes the line between fantasy, mystery, thriller, and something greater than the sum of its parts. 

Angels to Ashes

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Breaks in Reality
Alex Siegel
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B00VB3CK8A            $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/Breaks-Reality-Seams-Book-ebook/dp/B00VB3CK8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429107239&sr=8-1&keywords=Breaks+in+Reality

Breaks in Reality is Book Three of the 'Seams in Reality' series - and if you haven't had any prior introduction to Siegel's writings before, it should be mentioned that this book, especially, stands on its own strengths and as part of a series as it introduces Philip, a young sorcerer who has grand plans to dominate the world by taking control of all other sorcerers. This goal stems from his discovery of a spell that will allow him to dominate other sorcerers. 

At odds with this plan are Andrew and Charley, who have their own abilities and ambitions - not the least of which involves stopping Philip from destroying everything that regulates and controls sorcery. 

Handily, Andrew too has also discovered a new spell - one he must still investigate - but his struggles with Philip introduce so much complexity into his life that it's uncertain who will win, who will lose, and what will happen. 

Breaks in Reality isn't as cut-and-dried a story as is presented in its plot outline above - and that's what makes it a winner. The fine lines between good and bad intentions, truth and lies, and ambitions fueled by these lies and truths are very thinly drawn, which keeps readers guessing about intentions, the pros and cons of sorcery's ambitions, and more. 

Is compliance with established rules and status quo necessarily a good thing for survival? Do compelling truths lead to equally compelling dilemmas? Can mere apprentices perform higher-level thinking and confront ethical issues while they are in the midst of honing their talents and developing their perspectives on life? 

And is seam formation a random process, or a deliberately-manipulated act? Government involvements, high-level secrets, love and lies, sorcery and its discontents: all these facets join in a gripping adventure saga that moves back and forth in its dance between three ambitious, talented young sorcerers, and how their decisions will affect the world. 

Yes, Breaks in Reality stands well alone and requires no prior introduction to prove satisfying to newcomers. However, it should be advised: readers from young adult to adult will want to go back to its predecessors for more action once they've absorbed this saga, which (be warned) holds a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the next book. 

Breaks in Reality

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The Five
Vic LeClair III
Yourstoryastold.com
PO Box 111 Kimberly, WI 54136
9780996302814            $13.95
Note: Available through CreateSpace on June 3rd 2015 and Amazon.com (along with their other distributions) on June 11th. The book will be available on website yourstoryastold.com to bookstores and those wanting signed books June 25th.
www.yourstoryastold.com  

The Five is a mystery/thriller highly recommended for genre fans who enjoy either approach: each facet is well developed and contributes to a compelling tale as readers learn of Bernie Tennison, who is in love with new technology and the intersection between practicality and art. It's been a decade since he and his wife began a lucrative small electronics business, but now, thanks to a slowdown, both his business and his decades-old marriage are in trouble. 

Trouble is about to become even more personal, however, when he is attacked and blinded. Who could have done such a thing - especially to a man whom everyone likes? 

Everyone? An ensuing investigation proves otherwise, and as a string of disparate connections pose too many possibilities, it'll take some savvy detective work to uncover the truth. 

The Five is especially strong in its slow probe of double lives lead, multiple purposes uncovered, and the evolution of an elite group that embraces misfits, misunderstood, and brilliant minds unused: "Ted had eventually withdrawn from much of the human race and set out to find his true calling. He‘d found his only high-level ability had been in numbers and equations. His memory for anything mathematical had become quite phenomenal. Had he an imagination and a touch of creativity, he could have been something incredible. Instead, he‘d become a bean counter—a very accurate one, and reasonably successful as far as accountants go, but a bean counter just the same. It was The Five that had brought Ted the dignity that he‘d felt he deserved." 

The Five is a force to be reckoned with - and as its members explore possibilities, psychic forces, greater truths, and principles that link justice with violence and deadly policies, Ted and others find themselves inexorably bound into the growth history of The Five and its ability to manipulate and direct peoples' lives. 

Add a jolt of romance to a dangerous circle of acquaintances and you have a thriller replete with many victims, historic associations, and a powerful group of individuals who wind up honing new purposes from their encounters. 

It's hard to review The Five without spoilers. Suffice it to say that its action is swift, the characterization well-drawn, and the surprises frequent and revealing: all the hallmarks of a superior mystery and thriller. 

The Five

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Heartbreak
MF Moskwik
CreateSpace
978-1511505130  
Price: $8.99 paperback                   $2.99 e-book
http://mfmoskwik.squarespace.com/       www.amazon.com 

Fifty-year-old Ben Carter is running: he's in an isolated area and has no wish to die - and more so than most, he has the experience and background to avoid being murdered (one would think). Unfortunately, this isn't the case, and the opening of the book charts his last moments fleeing a pursuer. 

Ben was the mentor of savvy policewoman Isabel Swift, who aspires to be a detective and who struggles with the notion that her relatively young mentor (and now ex-partner) keeled over from a heart attack. And here's where things become interestingly different, because Swift's investigation doesn't follow the usual course of action of a police investigator when she's paired with a reluctant forensic scientist who is more comfortable analyzing data in a lab than solving crimes.

Was it just a heart attack, or did Ben Carter's final moments give her a key that something more ominous was happening to him? Obviously, it's the latter - but readers and protagonist are kept in a satisfyingly dark realm as inquiries proceed and Isabel confronts matters of the heart as well as matters of police protocol and investigative processes. 

One difference between Heartbreak and other detective stories is the focus on emotional revelations which permeate the action: "You have compassion for Mr. Lennox,” Jameson observes with surprise. Izzy nods. “You’re right. I do. It is a hard thing to go through, losing someone. And how we deal with it, what we do with the grief and loss and anger, sometimes doesn’t happen in the way that it should." 

Another is the cat-and-mouse game that takes partners with differences and places them at odds not only with one another, but with their environments. As both look for ways out on many levels, they find their shared focus of stopping a power that threatens to get loose becomes a greater concern. 

In the end, change happens on many levels, in many ways, and involves solid, steady personalities forced to transform and adapt - and that's the greatest strength in Heartbreak, a mystery that confronts grief and the forces that lead to life-altering actions. 

Heartbreak

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Miss Me?
Todd M. Thiede
CreateSpace
9781500123222      $13.95
http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Larkin-Detective-Series-Volume/dp/1500123226/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1429630542&sr=8-1 

Miss Me? is Book Three in the Max Larkin Detective Series (the other books have not been seen by this reviewer), and presents the actions of two detectives introduced in the prior books, who are here chasing down an elusive serial rapist and murderer. 

They join up with an FBI agent who reveals a startling fact: that said rapist has not only been known to the Bureau for years for past crimes, but doesn't even attempt to hide his DNA or evidence of his deadly deeds. Is he just being over-confident, or does he have an insider working with him who helps him elude even the greatest law enforcement efforts in the country - and if so, what hope does Max Larkin have of tracking him down? 

Miss Me? pairs a third party with an added depth of complexity, expanding its characters and circumstances with a new level of police drama and detective work. The juxtaposition of two different agencies and their methods is intriguing, while action is gripping and logically revealed in bits and pieces that keep readers guessing. 

Be forewarned: the opening scene (of Sally's brutal rape from an assailant who kills her lover first) is not for the faint-hearted. But then, the faint-hearted should not be imbibing in a murder mystery, either. 

From an intruder who must marry his victims before possessing them to a too-clever perp who gets women to fall in love with him against all odds, Miss Me? is a gripping blend of psychological horror and detective investigation, moving back and forth from victims to investigators with a deft and sly approach to the traditional murder mystery format. 

As the story becomes more complex, so does reader engagement, making this a top pick for fans of detective thrillers who want more than a light dose of psychological drama in their reading. 

Miss Me?

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The Shiva Syndrome
Alan Joshua
BURST/Champagne Books
19-3 Avenue SE, High River, AB T1V 1G3 Canada
978-1-77155-131-1    $5.95 Kindle
Burst: www.burstbooks.ca
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SHIVA-Syndrome-Alan-Joshua-ebook/dp/B00UP8XLAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429366664&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Shiva+Syndrome
Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shiva-syndrome-alan-joshua/1121442063?ean=2940151699372
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-shiva-syndrome 

A secret Russian mind research laboratory explodes in a big way, leaving a mile-deep crater and a host of unanswered questions about what happened - and that's where parapsychologist Beau Walker enters the picture, becoming a reluctant part of a SHIVA investigative team fraught with political tension. 

At first glance one would think this to be either a sci-fi saga or perhaps a thriller: technically, that's correct; but it's so much more. Its focus on untapped human potential gone awry in a deadly experiment also lends to its enjoyment by new age readers or any interested in the paranormal - and let's not forget the reader who enjoys political intrigue and a bit of spiritual reflection in their reading. 

Few other books cross as many genre lines as The Shiva Syndrome - and few can do it as deftly, logically, and skillfully, as well. Tension is well-done, protagonists are well-drawn, and the juxtaposition of neuroscience, psychology, and political tensions are exquisitely detailed. 

There's solid action and adventure to compliment contemplation on the nature of reality itself, which means that thriller readers won't be disappointed by an ethereal dose of introspection while ethereal readers will be drawn in by close encounters and dangerous events: "The crater floor groaned, then shifted under them, followed by ominous cracking. A wide cleft split open near Kampmann. Putting out her arms, she teetered on its edge as a large chunk of earth dropped into a chasm under her foot. She screamed as her leg began to slide in." 

Lots of action, intriguing concepts, and examinations of belief systems and the greatest opportunity in human history to reshape the world: that's the essence of a powerful saga in The Shiva Syndrome, which is not only highly recommended 'as is', but would translate well to the screen. 

It's very highly recommended, indeed; especially for thriller and sci-fi readers who have become deluged with too much predictability and who seek cutting-edge action, believable protagonists, and action that is solidly intense throughout. 

The Shiva Syndrome

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Sorrow Lake: A March and Walker Crime Novel (Book 1 of the March and Walker Crime Novel Series)
Michael J. McCann
The Plaid Raccoon Press
978-1-927884-02-7     $5.99 Kindle  $19.99 Paperback
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UZBQ6XE
www.theplaidraccoonpress.com
www.mjmccann.com

A small-town man is shot to death in an execution-style murder in a farmer's field in rural Canada, and Detective Constable Kevin Walker must deal with his first homicide investigation. The experienced Detective Inspector Ellie March is called in to lead the investigative team. All the trappings of the typical police procedural are outlined in an introduction featuring an obvious murder, a cold Ontario morning, and a team of investigators.

In Sorrow Lake the real surprises don't lie in the investigative process: they lay in wait in the psychological twists and turns of a crime that turns all too personal when it envelopes its investigators and even threatens their careers, and in an evolving mystery that keeps readers guessing about the perp's identity and the murder's wider ramifications. And here's where Sorrow Lake becomes thoroughly engrossing.
 
As chapters - and characters - unfold Sorrow Lake is fleshed out both with protagonist development and in the underlying mystery. All the hallmarks of great mystery writing are here: solid, believable protagonists, secrets, the challenges of a professional charged with working with less experienced investigators, and a 'whodunnit and why' that appears to lead down a neat road, only to take some quick turns to leave readers guessing right up to the end.
 
Add a solid sense of place and community and you have a fine saga that may open with the ordinary but closes with an extraordinary 'bang', leaving readers both satisfied and looking for more in this evolving series. 

Sorrow Lake: A March and Walker Crime Novel (Book 1 of the March and Walker Crime Novel Series)

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Novels

17 Sheikh Hamza Street, Cairo: Life on the Back of a Sleeping Crocodile 
Avraham Bar-Av (Bentata) 
Translation from Hebrew: Susann Codish
Amazon Digital Services, Inc
ASIN: B00V86LX88       $16.90
http://www.amazon.com/Sheikh-Hamza-Street-Cairo-crocodile/dp/1511517077/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430838488&sr=8-1&keywords=17+Sheikh+Hamza+Street%2C+Cairo

17 Sheikh Hamza Street, Cairo: Life on the Back of a Sleeping Crocodile is a peek into the lives, culture, and flavors of Cairo and is a top recommendation for any who would learn about daily Jewish life in Egypt before Israel was created. 

At first glance it's about exile and expulsion as hardworking Jewish parents face vast changes with the advent of World War II and growing political changes threaten to break apart their small family. Daughter Sophie marries an avid Zionist, son Moïse becomes a Communist supporter, and younger daughter Suzie is seduced by a criminal whose activities threaten the entire family. 

As if this isn't enough, the family faces expulsion from their Egyptian home as hardships arise. The fact is that the family had prospered in Egypt and faces poverty and hardship in their relocation process - and this is the real meat of the story. 

17 Sheikh Hamza Street, Cairo is a historical novel based on the author's family history and events that swept across Europe in the 20th century. It goes places few other fictional approaches can equal by identifying not just social pressures and political influences on Jewish families, but the different personal struggles that bring one small family to its knees. 

There are surprising encounters and descriptions that show that there is no 'black and white' in such a world: "The soldiers hosted by Grandmother Fortuna don’t look anything like Albert’s lead soldiers. They wear khaki uniforms with brown leather belts at their waists and some have stripes sewn onto their sleeves. They don’t have backpacks or steel helmets to protect their heads. But the most disappointing thing about them is that they don’t have any weapons, not even tiny little pistols. All have nice, friendly faces. One of them sang “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.” He sounded like a woman. After he finished the song, he laughed and bowed to Mother, then bowed even lower to Aunt Rosa." 

These levels of description and experience are the strength,  heart, and the reason why 17 Sheikh Hamza Street, Cairo is quite a bit above other books on the subject of Jewish transitions and interactions with Arab cultures. Add the personal touch, wrap it in the drama of a novel, and offer plenty of cultural interactions and insights designed to foster understanding of historical experience through personal touches and you have a powerful story that is alive and breathing.

17 Sheikh Hamza Street, Cairo: Life on the Back of a Sleeping Crocodile 

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Atlas Obsession
Billy McCoy
Prepublication Manuscript: ETA Fall 2015
Email: billyemccoy@gmail.com 

The Atlas Barbershop was once a pillar of the Norwegian community that housed it - but the community has long faded, and so Deril is spending too many of his days dozing in his chair waiting for non-existent customers to come in. 

The Atlas seemed a perfect choice for a sports fan whose mind was preoccupied with little else in life, and Deril long believed it to be a pinnacle of achievement - but now it's a dead-end; and at this stage in his life, Deril has nowhere else to go. 

The Atlas is a convenient place for watching the world go by - a world he's barely a part of, as other barbers drive their BMWs around while he can barely afford his garret apartment above the barbershop. 

Deril would thus seem the most unlikely candidate to attract the attention of robbers, but Anita has taken a strange dislike to him, is convinced he's not only making riches from his barber business (like the other barbers) but has insulted her and is intent on bilking them of money, and she's decided he's her next target - never mind that her husband is drunk and possibly wanted by the police, or that she's newly out of 'the joint'. 

What evolves next is a tour de farce as various plans for the Atlas evolve, involving Deril in the strange worlds of schemes, women, alternative financial planning, and ultimately the prospect of a larger failure than he's experienced to date. Under such a scenario the Atlas seems to be not his redemption, but his burden. Under such new 'ownership' his uncertain relationship with a woman both blossoms in new directions and threatens to destroy everything he's built. And, within it all, is the specter of the Atlas as it was, as it could be, and its special challenges. 

Atlas Obsession's strongest feature is its representation of life in a Minnesota black community and the culture that perceives what it means to get ahead, lag behind, or come up with a grand scheme to life that could result in either riches or prison. 

Its second strength is the creation of Deril, a protagonist who moves from his shrinking world and possibilities to a life where everything is on edge and questioned. 

Like a rose, Atlas Obsession unfolds to reveal different social and cultural concerns, embracing such disparate threads as a WalMart strike, homosexual accusations, and more. 

It should be noted that Atlas Obsession takes the form of two novellas under one cover; the second of which is Remembrance of Times Gone, featuring one Soren Davidson, who is not only leaving Minneapolis with nobody there to see him off, but is leaving in disgrace. 

Between budding romance, a mother's illness, and a willingness to sacrifice, Soren finds his life spiraling out of control, and struggles to both make sense of it and regain some control: "The defeat and humiliation which stalked him made him see that life was precarious and material things fleeing, and that life meant the most when a person is willing to sacrifice everything for a cause bigger than their narrow interests." 

Prosecution, prison - all these are specters of another world as Soren dances through some of the biggest changes of his life. 

The novellas together paint a powerful portrait of Afro-American heritage and the Minneapolis community, and are powerful sagas of confrontation, change, and ultimately, redemption. 

Atlas Obsession

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Below the Line in Beijing
Richard Seldin
IP Books
25-79 31st Street, Astoria, NY 11102
978-0-9906613-7-5    $19.95
Publication Date: May 29, 2015
www.IPBooks.net
Available from www.IPBooks.net , Amazon, major bookstores and the author at seldinr3@verizon.net. 

There's a lot happening in Below the Line in Beijing, as it presents the scenario of a middle-aged man who awakens one morning to an unexpected problem: he has suddenly, overnight, lost the ability to speak. But this isn't all that's happening in his life: he's in Beijing during the 2008 Olympics and is facing, with the help of his psychoanalyst, the deterioration of his marriage and his sexuality. 

That's a lot to put on anyone's plate - and it's a bit of a surprise that his first impulse would be to visit his psychoanalyst in search of a quick assessment of the cause of his loss of speech, rather than a physician. But the protagonist has reason to believe his problems lie in the mental realm, and his efforts to solve them of necessity involve many hard questions - and so Below the Line in Beijing is as much about an awakening as it is about an ending. 

Readers of Saul Bellow's literary classics of middle age and diminished powers will quickly appreciate the setting and concerns of this novel. As events unfold and Chinese culture, Olympics spectator customs, and encounters with women evolve, readers are treated not to the middle-age musings of a man facing failures, but to one still contemplating the emotional and disorienting aspects of sex and attraction and his own place in such a world.  

Is the protagonist losing his connections to what he values most in life? Why does he need to be surrounded by the crowds, chaos, and (in particular) the company of his friend, or is it doppelganger, Jim, at the Olympics? Will his ability to speak English return, or will his fluency in Chinese make for a new life?  

Readers should have an affinity for a good amount of psychological self-inspection and for cultural and sexual insights as the protagonist explores a strange new world of self and environment: "I had so much time at night to stew about the reasons for my insomnia, eventually I came to view it as a symptom of an unresolved separation issue that was reenacted in the new and challenging Chinese environment, a conclusion Lutansky later supported and without equivocation." 

The action in Below the Line in Beijing is largely internal and observational, but excels in its tone and approach as the narrator makes notes about his experiences in Beijing for future analysis and fosters a relationship with Jim that leads him to make new discoveries about his life and its course. 

Steeped in the cultural atmosphere of China, the special circumstances of the Olympics, and the unique struggles of an aging man, Below the Line in Beijing is a solid recommendation for any who want a novel packed with the duality of introspection and cultural analysis. 

Below the Line in Beijing

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The Boy Who Would Not Play Ball
Robert Taylor Brewer
www.roberttaylorbrewer.com
No ISBN, Publisher             $7.99
Pre-Publication Manuscript: Pub Date June 15, 2015
www.amazon.com 

One might suspect that The Boy Who Would Not Play Ball would be about sports or childhood experiences - and they would be partially correct. But it's also about growing up in an orphanage - and in this series of descriptions, Robert Taylor Brewer's story excels. 

First of all, baseball permeates his saga; so readers uninterested in descriptions of games or sports should move on. Secondly, it's a story of survival as well as of dreams: the methods of this survival are what drive both baseball and an orphan boy's world: "Burke betrays Richie, turns stone faced as Sister Gregory looks out at them in the hunt for miscreants. He glances at Sparrow, equally erect and impassive. They try to show they are not disrupters, they deserve to get their names on The List, the list of children leaving the St. Michael’s Orphan Asylum and Industrial School. If The List came out and his name was on it, this was all over: he’d be out of the orphanage, gone for good to a new home somewhere. When he tries to imagine where this new home might be, he suddenly cannot think straight." 

Be forewarned: there's swearing and crass language throughout as the protagonists interact with their world. There are also a lot of long descriptions which are exquisite in their emotional and physical detail: "The car sails into the service road and Burke eyes the clipper ship on the front hood: pitted, dirty chrome laminate peeling, hull in disrepair, holes in the forecastle, Jolly Roger hoisted up the mainsail, sailors on the deck of the clipper ship forlorn and grizzly, marooned the same way he was, in the middle of the same no-where voyage and drifting, their mouths sealed shut by baked black lips; they scuttle barrels of bilge, haul in the heavy metal sails, look up at the orphanage of red brick and urinate over the deck rails." 

As for baseball itself; suffice it to say that even here the descriptions are a cut way above your usual ballgame narrations, involving even non-players and non-followers in the underlying psyche of the sport: "A finer sense of freedom than he had ever known lifts his cleats through the infield silt. Having deciphered the riddle of his predicament, he can advocate for others. He descends into his spread crouch, aware the runner might be stealing, annoyed at the oddity of everyone knowing but not saying, not warning him. He crouches but not so low he cannot shift, which he does even before the pitch reaches him alerted by, but not looking at the flash of red stirrup. The ball screams, bends to Tony, kneeling over the bag as though genuflecting on a chapel pew." 

Worries and realities. Dreams of leaving and then actual departures and loss. Connections between orphans which explore the fellowship of shared experience as well as the alienation of an institutional setting. All these come to life in a story that is about far, far more than ballgames and sports dreams. 

It's about survivors and the shots that work and don't work - and it's a novel that holds the rare ability to reach out, grab, and shake its reader. The Boy Who Would Not Play Ball is a top recommendation not just for sports fans, but for any who would absorb a coming of age saga against the backdrop of a world in flux and children who dream of being placed outside the institutional walls - despite everything that happens to challenge that winning home run. 

The Boy Who Would Not Play Ball

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Buddies
Edward A. Dreyfus
Edward A. Dreyfus, Publisher
1421 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404
9781502983015        www.docdreyfus.com
http://www.amazon.com/Buddies-Edward-Dreyfus/dp/150298301X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429802644&sr=8-1&keywords=9781502983015
 

Buddies represents an unusual genre combination: a mix of romance and thriller that adds a healthy dose of insight into the complex psychology of men's emotions and what happens when four long-time male friends meet a seductive Brazilian woman who enchants them all. 

Now, this all too easily could have assumed Peyton Place proportions, but the focus isn't just on friendships that go awry: it's on how these men fail to be emotionally honest with one another and, in the course of their failings, become involved in a murder that should never have happened. 

Family ties, the riches of running a drug business, a clever woman's plans, and insights into both men and women's emotional perceptions and devices ("The fucking world is run by men,” exclaimed an angry Sasha. “But you already know that.” Elena nodded knowingly and Sasha continued, “Women have to use their charms and their bodies to make their way in this world.”) blend into a story that could have sagged under the weight of its disparate themes, but which in fact serves up a satisfying blend of flavors and ideas. 

There's a lot of focus on feelings and their sources, so readers who want a light thriller with minimal emotional depth should look elsewhere. Buddies is driven by psychological interactions which makes it a standout in the world of novels that skim the surface of emotion in favor of action, and it examines the processes by which friends and acquaintances come together, grow apart, or move in dangerous directions. 

The evolution of awareness and the introduction of much-needed lessons in life make Buddies more than a murder mystery, more than a romance, and something more than a thriller; incorporating elements of the above and cementing them in a shroud of psychological depth that is both intriguing and emotionally compelling.

Buddies

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Butterflies Wake
Arlene M Lagos
CreateSpace Independent Publishing
978-1499240962     $2.99 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Butterflies-Wake-1-Arlene-Lagos/dp/1499240961/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

http://www.authorarlenelagos.com 

Butterflies Wake is about an underground female 'mafia' where women intent on justice take matters into their own hands, begins a series of 'Butterfly' stories, and depicts a secret organization which is on the cusp of discovery. 

If they are exposed, they will lose some of their power - but if they remain secret, one of their own will be endangered, and their inactivity will refute the very nature of their cause. 

It's a dichotomy indeed - one adeptly explored in a novel that is all about power struggles, choices, and not just individuals making decisions, but the dynamics involved in an activist women's group. 

From domestic violence that sparks the rebirth of an ordinary Southern woman into something far more to the group's evolution thirty years later,  Butterflies Wake is all about coming out of the cocoon of oppression and taking wing. 

You can hardly call such a woman's group a 'mafia' if its lofty intentions are to right wrongs and ensure justice is achieved, even if it is by covert and vigilante means. You can hardly call journeys of self-discovery that lead to social and political awareness to be contrary to social objectives. And you can't say that Butterflies Wake is anything but compelling: it opens with a bang: "Fairytales always start with, “once upon a time” and end with, “happily ever after.” Somewhere in the middle there's a prince, an evil queen, and a distressed maiden, who is usually a victim of her own beauty. Gallantly, the prince rides in, saving his true love; proving his manhood and once again restoring balance to the universe. My fairytale was not like that…at all." and closes with a slam. 

Any female reader interested in women's oppression and the self-appointed 'butterflies' who designate themselves watchdogs of female battles for everything from equal rights to survival will find this a powerful story, filled with memorable characters and setting a stage ripe for more stories to come. 

Butterflies Wake

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Flawed Happiness
Cori Tadrus
ZLS Publishing
978-0984598625       ASIN: B00U2MYWW8
Paperback: $12.95; ebook: $2.99
http://www.coritadrus.com 

http://www.amazon.com/Flawed-Happiness-Cori-Tadrus/dp/0984598626/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1429469005&sr=8-1 

Athena has spent her life trying to uncover the wellspring of happiness, and at age thirty-something, is still seeking a sense of satisfaction with her life, despite 'following all the rules' that were supposed to get her to that point. So when she accepts a new magazine assignment to write an exposé on how six strangers find happiness in the course of experiencing Manhattan's night life, the pursuit seems right up her alley both professionally (as a reporter) and personally (as one searching for meaning in life, herself.) 

What she uncovers is more than she expects, bringing readers with her on a romp through a Manhattan underworld that at first seems exotic and rough, but soon becomes familiar and even filled with characters who evolve to become not representations of forbidden excitements, but real people with their own keys to success. 

It's the transition from a life where "every day brings nothing but the usual" to a more purposeful world that engrosses both Athena and the reader following in her footsteps as chapters explore her expensive tastes and her search for something different. 

In the course of such a venture, characterization isn't just important; it's a key to success - and Flawed Happiness provides an intersection of personalities that are vivid, believable, and compelling in their uniqueness. 

An affinity for Manhattan social scenes and culture, a fondness for 'chic lit' explorations of self, and an interest in a night life exploration that begins by questioning what leads people to happiness and evolves into descriptions of the courses that lead to this goal will all lend to enjoyment of Athena's journey, which holds romance and more than a few surprises in the course of its action. Flawed Happiness touches deeply upon the process and impetus for letting loose pre-conceived notions in favor of challenging one's ideals and making new discoveries. 

Flawed Happiness

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Love Spell
Mia Kerick
CoolDudes Publishing
64 Windsor Street, Gerdview, Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa, 140
No ISBN, Price
Prepublication manuscript: Pub date June 2015
www.miakerick.com

Chance has long felt (for all of his young life, actually) that he's caught between genders and 'neither fish nor fowl', but he's been pegged as gay and in his rural high school the other kids, sensing that his gender isn't clear, avoid him. 

But the real trouble begins when he meets a boy who returns his love at the Harvest Moon Festival, and decides to make his underlying differences more public. 

Love Spell is his exploration of gender, being gay, coming out, and most of all, surviving in a world that is only half accepting of his sexuality. 

The first thing to note about the story line is that, like its main character, the first-person dialogue is edgy; and by this it is meant that descriptions are filled with observation, slang, and occasional profanity and delivered with an almost sassy style: "I stare ‘em down, but only after I pop the collar of the blinding “Orange Crush” tuxedo I’m rockin’ and shrug my shoulders in a sort of what-thefuck fashion. Rule of thumb in this queen’s life—first things must always come first. Pop, shrug, and only then is it kosher to stare. * Clears throat. “Eat your ginger-haired heart out, Prince Harry.” Based on the buzz of scandalized chatter blowing about in the crisp evening breeze, I’m reasonably certain that nobody in the crowd heard me speak." 

There are important, hard-hitting passages that perfectly capture Chance's attitude about life: "I’m not hiding, really. I’m just not ready, willing, or able, which is most critical here, to define it. If I had my wish, there’d be no pressure for me to ‘define’ my gender, anyway.” I form those strategic air quotes that I detest so much with my trembling fingers. “I’d just live my life in a gray zone—like I’d be as femme or masc as I feel at any given moment—and I’d stop asking myself endless questions about what I am.” After an extended loud and very dramatic sigh, I add, “I’d just live.” 

And even though his best friend Emily has no trouble absorbing his admonitions, sometimes Chance has trouble understanding his own words and attitudes about life. 

There's a sense of self here that doesn't come across in most similar stories of gay or questioning youth. It's inherent in the first-person dialogues, in Chance's varied interactions with all kinds of people coming from all kinds of viewpoints, and in a story line that excels in capturing all the nuances of a teen who fairly well knows what he is, but doesn't yet know how that fits into the bigger worldviews of life. 

Love Spell isn't for the mild reader who wants a simple love story: there's nothing simple about Chance or his relationships. Conversely, its delight lies in its complexity and its unique ability to involve all readers in Chance's story. As flamboyant and outrageous as Chance himself, Love Spell presents the rare ability to shock, awe, and educate mature teen to adult readers alike. 

Love Spell

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One Shoe
John Hewitt
Pump Island Tales
156 Linden Lane, Mill Valley, CA 94941
978-0-9906264-9-7
www.johnhewittauthor.com 

A novel in a historic setting is not unusual, but satire set in a California Gold Rush village telling of a rundown town named by an egomaniac whose own statue was cut down, leaving behind only one shoe—now, that's funny! 

One Shoe: When a Gold Rush is not Enough is a barrel of laughter from start to finish; especially for California readers already more steeped in Gold Rush fiction and folklore. It uses the past history of the Rush but tells the story of the zany, whimsical cast of present-day characters, winning readers from its first (amazingly oddball) sentence: "Harry Trout stood out like a cockroach in a bag of trail mix." 

One Shoe injects a lot of artful levity into the picture even as the characters get up to some painful hijinks as they try to out do one another, especially Harry Trout, who finds his name and life much maligned. Author John Hewitt portions out the delicious plot, serving up a satisfyingly tasty story with notes of joie de vivre, irony, and laughs. It’s something rarely encountered in the world of novels in general, and those with a historical setting in particular. 

Is a new discovery that may bring back the prosperous past of a long-dead town always a winning event? Not in One Shoe, where the residents find the sudden event brings them unwanted attention. A media firestorm puts the town in the center of a flurry of news stories with sensational headlines: "Gunfights in the Creeks”; Claimjumpers Stiff Miners”; “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Gunfire.” The normally peaceful dusty town sounds as dangerous as any modern city. 

But it's not all about the gold. The weird news “rush” begins with botched daytime drug busts, and strange public events. 

"There are all sorts of things going on. This Sunday is the Open Carry Palooza. It’s a quadrathlon where all runners have to carry a pistol and wear a gun belt." 

In quick succession, chaos gains speed as the greedy meet the lame-brained desperate. In a matter of days there are private business deals with dubious overseas connections, gold and murder, friendships and double-cross. It's all here, but couched in a healthy dose of send up and humor, the likes of which have not been seen since Mark Twain covered the last embers of the Gold Rush from Angels Camp in Calaveras County, California. 

Readers who want an entertaining read that is hilarious and full of surprises will enjoy the adventure and riches in One Shoe: When a Gold Rush is Not Enough. It’s the plausible story of small-town that attempts to rewrite history to fit the right shoe for the wrong reasons. 

One Shoe

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The Prince of Prigs 
Anthony Anglorus
Bygone Era Books, Ltd.
7665 E. Eastman Ave. #B101
Denver, CO 80231
978-1-941072-20-2   
$19.95 (paperback) and $6.99 (ebook)
www.bygoneerabooks.com 

Historical fiction is a genre that holds much potential for both entertainment and education, basing its premise on facts and weaving in a healthy dose of fiction for embellishment and attraction. At its best, it provides a strong segue between fiction and nonfiction, and does so in such a way that history comes to life in the form of characters and settings steeped in realistic presentations and based in truth. 

The Prince of Prigs is such a beast, based on the life and exploits of highwayman Captain James Hind, who adopted a Robin Hood-type role between 1633 and 1649. He was generous to the poor, witty even during his robberies (which were designed to not hurt anyone even as money transferred hands), and focused his attacks on rich political figures.  There was much historical background and lively source material, therefore, for The Prince of Prigs, which does not disappoint in its lively presentation of the highwayman (and women!) at work. 

Court proceedings, Cromwell's contentions, issues of liberty and peace, fair trials and manipulators and monsters: all these facets of the times come to life in a ringing tale that captures a pivotal moment in British history and brings it to life. 

Any who view historical fiction as dry or plodding should pick up The Prince of Prigs: it wraps courtroom drama, social issues, flamboyant personalities and British politics under one cover and represents a rollicking good read even for audiences who normally eschew the genre. As for those who know how compelling it can be - The Prince of Prigs is ample evidence of the powers of historical fiction. 

The Prince of Prigs

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The Red Munia
Kamini Puri
Wisehouse/Elementá
9789187751638       $19.70
Publication Date: June 1, 2015
www.elementa-selection.com 

Laila lives in a small town in India and enjoys many privileges as a member of a family with money: privileges she has come to take for granted in India before the exit of the British. 

All this is about to change; not so much because she's growing up, but because her country is also experiencing growing pains. When she leaves for college to pursue a career, everything unsettled comes to a head - and The Red Munia captures this personal and political atmosphere. 

The 'red munia' of the title is a bird that is so beautiful that it's a popular caged bird - and, much like India, the cage both holds its beauty captive and threatens to dilute it. Marks of possession mar the bird's beauty much as India is ultimately marred by British possession, and the focus of Laila's journey (and the country's evolution) presents dual dilemmas as each struggles to identify and loosen the shackles of long-held assumption and perspective to ultimately become free. 

The opening lines perfectly capture these sentiments: "They talked of fish and chips, of wine and caviar! They tasted the aftermath of the British rule in their food, in style, in glamour, in white gloved waiters and black suited evenings…The British, even in their absence, lived on amongst them. Lived on their food, their clothes, their mannerisms, as part of their very existence!" 

It's rare to find footnotes to history in a work of fiction, but The Red Munia is peppered with such throughout, lending insights into the culture and atmosphere of the nation where Laila hones her perception and craft. As she journeys far from her own town (first to Bombay and then beyond), Laila crafts a desire that could lead to healing some of her country's pain, even it involves a challenging journey to an even stranger land. 

The Red Munia is a perfect example of the intersection between personal life, heritage, and political events. Far more than a history of the country, it follows Laila's task of restoring dignity to both herself and a nation. Her process and courage in pursuing her life goes far beyond historical events to probe deeply into the lives of the people during British occupation, offering a spirited and hopeful read that will engross a wide audience. 

The Red Munia

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Shaytan: A Journey into Evil
David S. Arthur
Brighton Publishing LLC
435 N. Harris Drive, Mesa, AZ 85203
eBook $5.99.  ISBN13: 978-1-62183-294-2 (Pub. Feb. 23, 2015)
Soft cover $13.95.  ISBN10: 1-62183-294-5 (Pub. May 12, 2015)
www.BrightonPublishing.com 

Shaytan has been on a killing spree, plaguing villages and dragging his victims into the jungle - but survivors don't know if Shaytan is a man-eating leopard or a supernatural being that wears the trappings of a man until his cannibal appetite kicks in. 

Historian Richard and his wife Emily are on the hunt for this creature, and are guests of marksman Victor, who is determined to capture it and put an end to the bloodshed. Everyone is expecting an animal: what they get is so much more, documented in a powerful thriller that takes a supernatural being and places it at the forefront of a gripping adventure story. 

In some ways, Shaytan: A Journey Into Evil is about a hunt gone awry and a quest that leads into realms no hunter is prepared for. In another way, Shaytan is a new age story about evil come to life. Either way, Shaytan is made especially gripping by its first-person narration, by its spiritual and supernatural influences, and by its light, chatty first person narrative style that successfully involves readers in events from a protagonist's point of view: "By way of avocation, I fancy myself a fairly adept amateur archaeologist and classical historian, which is how I spend most of my days: digging up the past. My lovely bride, Emily, a few years my younger, is a spirited imp blessed with a strong will and a somewhat spontaneous temperament. She is petite and elfin cute, with a shock of close-cropped sandy blonde hair, bright green eyes, and a quick toothy smile. I’ve always thought she looked like the late Amelia Earhart, only prettier." 

Interjections of historical fact and the journals of Victor Bloodworth and Richard and Emily Quizzenbury offer very different perspectives of the same event: this attention to perspective and tone, introduced in the form of journal entries, offers a deeply satisfying, rich approach that a linear approach couldn't achieve, capturing different 'voices' and ideas: "Sohum. There is a mantra about breathing. I have read about it. In the Vedic philosophy, it is meant to unite oneself with the ultimate reality…Sharing our breathing, sharing the rhythm of our beating hearts, we lay listening for the dawn. It was not our time to die." 

Complex, rich in detail, and clearly presented, Shaytan: A Journey Into Evil is a novel that won't quickly be forgotten, and challenges its readers to think about the nature of the unknown in the world, and its ultimate purpose. 

Shaytan: A Journey into Evil

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The Superyogi Scenario
James Connor
Sky Grove
4657 York Road #1150, Buckingham, PA 18912-6450
9780986146909     $25.99    www.skygrove.com 

The Superyogi Scenario is a novel with a difference; and in a world replete with novels, this story is a standout. It's also a quasi-fantasy - but it's one of those fantasies that straddles the genre line, as it doesn't present the usual devices for a superpower's acquisition and, indeed, adds a healthy dose of eastern philosophy into its mix.

It relies on verses from The Yoga Sutra for the source of its inspiration (the ancient yoga text actually provides instructions for developing superpowers) and it mixes in thriller elements as it presents the story of yogic supernatural abilities rising among the world's yoga practitioners (a possibility that will intrigue and delight any new age reader already well versed in yoga traditions and thought).

Of course, heroes and villains emerge from such a scenario, as they always do - but in Connor's world, the spiritual roots of these newfound yoga abilities are quite different than the usually-accidental scientific incident or fluke of birth that most fantasies posit. 

Add verses from the above-mentioned texts and the story that emerges is anything but ordinary. Fueled by the social, political and ethical challenges that follow these beings, the story line draws readers into a much-changed world where enlightenment moves from vague possibilities into sometimes-dangerous results. 

Those who eschew new age thinking, superhero abilities, or Buddhism and meditation may not appreciate The Superyogi Scenario's unique focus - but that would be a shame. In a world where novels and fantasies tend to develop the same kinds of liner stories based on similar concepts, this story is remarkable. 

Add a few pages of eye-catching artwork depicting these super beings in action and The Superyogi Scenario is exceptional both in its basic concept and in its development: something that crosses genres with a confident combination of action, philosophy, and intriguingly different concepts on what makes a superhero - or, a supervillain.

The  Superyogi  Scenario

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The Test
B.A. Sherman
B.A. Sherman, Publisher
ASIN: B00VAL0SI2                    2.99 Kindle
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Test-Greg-Dorn-Book-ebook/dp/B00VAL0SI2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Website link: www.basherman.com 

The Test is Book One of the Greg Dorn series, and opens in a hospital room where a patient is being injected with fluid. A mere paragraph later the first-person voice of Greg Dorn relates how a seventeen-year-old loses part of his family to a road rage incident in Kansas and grows up to become a cop intent on preventing these kinds of scenarios from taking place. 

Now married and living in Denver, Greg's life seems set on a particular course - but the dark influence he's kept at bay all his life bubbles to the surface and affects his decisions, and suddenly he's struggling with the impulse to quell road rage by becoming a killer himself. 

While the roots of his impulses seem to lie in logical places and events in his life ("I needed to run and cry. I ran ten miles that day getting fuel from all the pain and tears I was experiencing. I just wanted to run everything out of me so I wouldn’t hurt anymore. I only wanted to feel the outside pain like blisters, cuts, bruises, not the dark emptiness pain I was feeling inside."), Greg has never fully understand this dark impulse, has never accepted it as part of his psyche, and is about to discover its true strength as it begins to take over and ruin the life he's rebuilt for himself several states away. 

The Test is psychological thriller writing at its best. Take a believable and compelling protagonist, show how he's overcome tragedy, then paint the slowly-evolving picture of repressed evil returning to infect everything he's done and become and you have a story replete with satisfying twists and turns that are all cemented by the work B.A. Sherman has done to assure that settings and emotions are realistic. 

Protagonists hold strong personalities evolved from life's actions and choices while the questions continue right up to the end: perfect for genre readers too used to 'seeing it coming'. The Test is truly extraordinary in this approach, and its surprise ending is just as vivid and action-punched as the rest of the saga, making it a top recommendation for readers who seek thrillers replete with psychological surprises throughout. 

The Test

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These Boots Are Made for Butt-Kickin': The MisAdventures of Miss Lilly, Volume Two
Kalan Chapman Lloyd
Lloyd Words
5906 S. Knoxville Ave, Tulsa, OK 74135 
kalanclloyd@gmail.com      www.kalanchapmanlloyd.com
Print ISBN 978-1-312-93526-6
Digital ISBN 978-1-312-93525-9 

It is said that in the first paragraph of any book, you either 'hook' your reader or lose them. As more and more books appear with dubious literary attributes, the notion of 'hooking in the first paragraph' is often lost; let alone with the first sentence. 

These Boots are Made for Butt-Kickin' offers the rare attribute of opening with a literal bang: if its title doesn't land you hook, line and sinker, its first sentence surely is a grabber: "I had always wanted to kill him. So I shot him. Shot him good. I hit my mark dead-on." 

And lest readers think the good stuff has been caught with this line alone, be advised that the novel just gets better and better, from there: "In fact, I was so dead-on that after all the melee, the Chief Investigative Coordinator (I think that is his title) for the Oklahoma Agency of Investigation offered me a job. Considering the fact that I’m an attorney by trade and I was somewhat shell-shocked, I think I turned him down. It could almost sound sexy. She shot him. He got shot. I pulled the trigger. It sounds like something that would make good copy. Until you relay the rest of the information…in the big toe. I shot him in the big toe." 

Delightfully fresh and original in its approach, These Boots are Made for Butt-Kickin' returns surprises again and again - and in a genre replete with familiar plots, near-formula writings, and approaches that are way too predictable, this is truly a standout. 

Action stems from a series of close encounters, including a perp who attempts to run the protagonist off the road. There are courtroom scenes and drama (the central character is an attorney, among other things), there are animal rights issues, smear campaigns and threats in small communities, and a touch of romance juxtaposed by gritty life encounters. 

No doubt about it - Miss Lilly is a butt-kickin' legal renegade on a mission that will carry readers along on a lively journey from start to finish. Packed with unexpected twists, hilarious moments, and swift action, These Boots are Made for Butt-Kickin' is especially recommended for fans of mystery, romance, and legal thrillers who think they have 'read it all' - until they encounter the formidable Miss Lilly. 

These Boots Are Made for Butt-Kickin': The MisAdventures of Miss Lilly, Volume Two

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The Whole Truth
Peter Gilboy
DogEar
No ISBN     $3.99
www.PeterGilboy.com 

The nineteen-year-old protagonist of The Whole Truth is "…no longer a girl. I’m a woman in every way that counts. It’s not just because of my age but because of my experiences too. I don’t mean sexual experiences. I know things I didn’t know before. I know about violence and betrayal. And I know the darkest lie of all." 

With this, the saga begins; and it uses cathartic encounters with a therapist to build its story of anger, confrontation, danger and survival from the perspective of a young female whose greatest challenge isn't from something she witnesses, but room something she experiences which changes her life and her perceptions of it. 

In the course of this process she discovers that "…truth is also a knife that can open your veins." and as she dons the trappings of maturity that only life encounters can provide, she also comes to realize truths about a vanished mother who left when she was nine and a half, the processes that hold worlds together through the most frightening series of events, and how special moments in time create a kind of stillness and small death through which self-examination assumes the brilliant spark of revelations. 

If you haven't already guessed, The Whole Truth is a psychological thriller that holds a healthy dose of such inspections. Readers who relish such attention to mental reflection and detail will be delighted to discover that Peter Gilboy's approach is to not just describe a scene, but immerse readers in emotions surrounding it: reactions, perceptions, threads of logic, and efforts to reconcile and survive. 

Against that backdrop, changed family relationships, evolving phobias, and media attention are all presented with a unifying purpose: “What matters is what happened to your Mom. What matters is the truth, that’s all.” 

What efforts will get the world back on track? From an initial disappearance to courtroom drama, psychological examinations and threads of interaction fuel a solid novel of efforts to make sense of the world and make things right. A family's relationships are at the forefront of this process, driving a story line that is vivid, compelling, and hard to put down. 

The Whole Truth

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Short Stories

After the Gazebo
Jen Knox
Rain Mountain Press
9781495106125      $15.00
Author's website: www.jenknox.com 
Publisher's website: 
http://www.rainmountainpress.com/fiction.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25174577-after-the-gazebo
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/After-Gazebo-Jen-Knox/dp/1495106128
Author's website: www.jenknox.com  

The short story format is a challenging one: consider that a tale, experience, or flavor needs to be created, captured, and concluded in a very limited number of pages. Consider that this effort ideally changes from story to story in a short collection. Then consider the works in Jen Knox's After the Gazebo, which serve as a solid example of the wide-ranging possibilities - not the limitations - of the short story form. 

Take the title story, 'After the Gazebo', as one example. It's wedding time and the perceptions of bride and groom are starkly and intriguingly portrayed in just a few sentences: "She felt it in her toes that morning, dread that she would shove into ivory heels and dance on beneath heavy clouds. He felt a surge of adrenaline he thought must accompany every man on his wedding day." 

The uncertainties of new beginnings and possibilities are deftly captured as the big event winds towards its inevitable conclusion: "They made resolutions often. They both wanted to be somewhere else, but were unsure exactly where." 

The gazebo setting is perfect. Nothing is overdone. It's a small affair. But life hands them lemons and the momentous event is transformed. Without spilling beans, it's this transformation that creates a superior read. 

Each short story after is different, but each shares the unique quality of leading readers down that aisle of marriage and union, only to hand over something different than expected, at the end. That's the hallmark of an excellent technique: the ability to surprise (something often lost in the process of telling the story.) That's why Jen Knox's collection is a pick above others, highly recommended for readers who seek out those too-rare elements of surprise and descriptions of life's ironies. 

After the Gazebo

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Poetry


King Alfred's Jewel
David Hamilton
Matador
9 Priory Business Park
Kibworth Beauchamp
Leicestershire LE8 ORX, UK
9781783065127       

www.troubador.co.uk/matador
 http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=2803
 http://www.amazon.com/King-Alfreds-Jewel-David-Hamilton/dp/1783065125/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425660373&sr=1-1&keywords=david+hamilton+king+alfreds+jewel  
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23974948-king-alfred-s-jewel

 The poetry genre as a whole holds many avenues for display and understanding, a very long history of controversy, and much debate over its wellsprings of inspiration in psychology, literary influence, and social evolution. All this is covered in depth in an introduction which basically takes the genre's history and synthesizes its influences in a literary examination of poetry's evolution and philosophical influences.

 It's unusual to see this kind of introduction in a collection anticipated to be free verse explorations of self; but then, this kind of opening should offer the idea that King Alfred's Jewel: Poetry of the Imagination and Imaginative Photography will be anything but your usual gathering of personal insights, offering something both extraordinary and a cut above the ordinary - and in this, it does not disappoint.

 King Alfred's Jewel is actually two long epic poems that sweep through themes of a journey undertaken and a jewel unearthed because of it. The book consists of two narrative poems and a dramatic monologue.  The poems deal with depression and the Dark Night of the Soul, while the dramatic monologue presents deceased outlaws coming back to tell their stories on a May evening in Sherwood Forest. The title poem uses the imagery of journey and jewel as its shining light as it probes essences of spirituality and psychology, examining the sources of modern angst and depression and considering the stormy road to spiritual and emotional redemption.

 It's interesting to note that stanzas and poetic expression change throughout; from paragraphs of descriptions of history and place to more personal observations of belonging and close encounters with the world: "A little dog ran yapping through gravestones:/“Help, help, help,” it cried,/Like Joe Meek’s graveyard cat./We led it to the vicarage and an elderly lady took it in,/A faithful friend and alarm against intruders./If only humans had hearts like dogs."

 There are dragons and inheritances, outlaw legends and metaphors that connect past to present, and streams of consciousness impressions. In choosing these particular formats and weaving a cloak of inspection, history and psychological depth, King Alfred's Jewel is actually much more accessible - despite its lengthy presentations - than one would expect, making it a recommendation for readers who might normally consider the poetic form too constrained, too regulated, and too inaccessible.

 King Alfred's Jewel is a delight on many levels. Add black and white photos throughout and a selection of color photos by the author, which act as both illustration and interlude to the written word, and you have a collection that stands out in the genre: something firmly rooted in literary, historical, spiritual and psychological traditions, but most definitely more than the sum of its parts.

King Alfred's Jewel

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Spiritual Gait
Steven J. Jacobson
Cornerstone Copy Center
13775 Frontier Court
Burnsville, MN 55337
978-0-692-21357-5 $15.00

http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Gait-Steven-J-Jacobson/dp/0692213570

Most poetry collections are fairly dense and inaccessible, which tend to regulate the entire literary genre to an audience of college-educated followers and specialty readers.

 Not so Spiritual Gait, a collection of simple free verse writings about daily occurrences, relationships with God, soul rebirth, and more. Here is a celebration that is decidedly religious in tone: readers with affection for spiritual sentiments will find it a prerequisite to appreciating works that center upon creation, joy, and life's little facets.

 Here is an observation of July 4th celebrations and its effects not only on people, but nature ("…fireworks lace the sky with a deluge of bombardments of bright flashing forms and colored lights…"), there an observation of a child's closer connections to God ("…the innocence given by God/to a child remains a mystery/to the adult world./the love unconditionally/expressed by a child to another/is unparalleled in this life.")

 Whether it's observations of nature or observations of children, Spiritual Gait is an accessible, simple collection recommended for spiritual readers who seek light, simple, and joyful observational pieces.


Spiritual Gait

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Young Adult/Childrens

The Alien Logs of Super Jewels
BK Bradshaw
Goldminds Publishing, LLC
ISBN (print):   978-1-942905-09-7
ISBN (eBook):  978-1-942905-39-4
Price:         $14.99 (print), $6.99 (eBook)    150 pages
http://www.goldmindspub.com/#!alien-logs-of-super-jewels/c1xyd  

The Alien Logs of Super Jewels presents a solid middle-grade novel centering upon Jewels, who has always felt different from her classmates. Something is obviously going on: but is she an alien, a super-heroine, or something more? Her exploration of psyche and self against the backdrop of ordinary peer interactions may surprise readers who expect a fantasy about aliens, but young hearts will quickly warm to the story of a girl who is in fourth grade "and almost  teenager", who perceives the world quite differently than most - and is labeled as being strange, because of it. 

Jewels is special - and so she identifies with the lost alien E.T. in many ways: "I felt sorry for that little guy. He didn’t fit in. He didn’t look like earthlings. He didn’t eat the same things as earthlings. He didn’t walk the same or talk the same. He had trouble living on Earth, and if he didn’t get back to his home planet, he would die. E.T. was like me." 

But unlike E.T., she presumably is with her people in a place where she doesn't fit in, and having Asperger's Syndrome means that likely she never will feel completely at home in her world. Her quest involves exploring her own unique abilities - and The Alien Logs of Super Jewels is all about finding these strengths in a world of hurt and puzzling social interactions. 

There are books on the market about Aspergers, featuring protagonists who have Aspergers - but few with the intimate first-person approach that reels in readers to make the perceptions, thoughts, and emotions of the Aspergers individual feel realistic and personal. 

In the search for evidence of her alien-ness or super-abilities, Jewels moves beyond logging evidence of her life on Earth and begins to understand a little more about herself and the nature of her peers, through accepting new experiences - such as camp - and incorporating them into her worldview. 

It's not fantasy and it doesn't feature extraterrestrial life - but The Alien Logs of Super Jewels does do an outstanding job of introducing kids to the mindset of Asperger's child Jewels and how she navigates her puzzling world. As she comes to discover her 'surprise weapons', Jewels arrives at a different kind of approach to life that truly makes the most of her superpowers. 

The story lies in the 'how', and that piece is beautifully done in this compelling story, recommended for advanced elementary to middle grade readers and many an adult who will come to understand Asperger's from a more sympathetic viewpoint than most stories provide. 

The Alien Logs of Super Jewels

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Elizabeth's Constellation Quilt
Olivia Fu
Tumblehome Learning
P.O. Box 171386, Boston MA 02117
9780990782919     $16.99   32 pages    www.tumblehomelearning.com 

Elizabeth's Constellation Quilt offers an engaging picture book about a little mouse who worries that she can never be a sailor because she can't remember the stars - and thus, can't navigate. 

Her mother's solution is to make Elizabeth a 'constellation quilt' so she can live her dreams - and so an engaging story of a little mouse who "…wanted to be a sailor, just like her father" emerges to offer something different to parents who read aloud and kids who like warm, different stories. 

Elizabeth's Constellation Quilt excels in both illustration and story line: a special feature because the author is both writer and illustrator, here. The engaging little mouse drawings are perfect accents to this story of a mouse who perceives the stars as "all the same,"and who steps up to the plate when her father is seemingly lost at sea. 

It turns out that Elizabeth's greatest liability will become her only asset in finding her father, holding a gentle conclusion that, while not entirely unexpected, is still warm and involving. 

Parents looking for a special read-aloud bedtime story won't want to pass by this tale: it chronicles the courage of a young mouse who isn't afraid to dream or tackle life's challenges. 

Elizabeth's Constellation Quilt

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Mickey and the Plow Horse
Edward A. Dreyfus
Edward A. Dreyfus, Publisher
1421 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404
$9.95 Paperback     $1.99 Kindle    172 Pages
978-0692290590   www.docdreyfus.com
http://amzn.to/10wWYIs
 

On the face of it, Mickey and the Plow Horse is another story about a boy and his horse - but in actuality it holds a deeper message and is about fitting in, isolation and loneliness, and two lost souls (a horse and a boy) finding each other and, during the course of their relationship, becoming greater because of it. 

Twelve-year-old Mickey is a nerd and a loner, immersed in technology and outside of the usual circles of friendship  (aside from the Internet, the only realm where he feels connected to the world - albeit, from a safe distance). His health struggles don't help matters, and when his parents decide to send him to camp, Mickey wonders what could be of interest there. 

Plenty, it turns out: a beaten-down plow horse offers him a friendship others cannot, and as Mickey comes to empathize with something outside of his self, he also comes to form the kinds of emotional connections (even with an animal) that will lend to his entry into the world at large. 

Mickey and the Plow Horse offers up a horse that has uncommon intelligence at times ("Mickey shook his head to clear it and placed the brush back on the shelf. “I’ll never be a horseman, Jackson. But...I’ll always be your friend.” Jackson flipped the brush off the shelf with his muzzle. “Why’d you do that?” Mickey picked up the brush. “You want me to brush you again?” Jackson vigorously nodded his head up and down."). The point isn't to present an animal with human intelligence; it's to outline a scenario by which two creatures come to make important connections leading them to believe more in themselves - and to communicate better. 

As marvelous things begin to happen ("Well, I’ll be danged! That's amazing! Incredible! I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes. I knew that you and Jackson had a special bond, but I never expected this!”), advanced elementary to early middle grade readers with an affection for horses and nerds will see the transformation happening - and will come to realize the power of acceptance, love, and what it means to be exceptional in a book that masquerades as another horse story but offers so much more. 

Mickey and the Plow Horse

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A Time To Be Brave
Holly Moulder
White Pelican Press
132 Marcella Ave., Sharpsburg, GA 30277
9780979040580             $8.99     185 pages
www.whitepelicanpress.com

A Time To Be Brave is historical middle grade and young adult fiction at its best, and opens with a compelling scene that captures reader interest immediately: "This behavior is unacceptable!” roared the Colonel. “No daughter of mine will participate in such disgraceful activities with those appalling women! Is that clear?” The sound of his voice stopped me dead in my tracks. Grandfather and my mother were at each other’s throats. Again." 

But the subject isn't history alone (which is woven into the plot) so much as a murder mystery, as best friends probe the murder of twelve-year-old Theo's father in 1910. And within this context are plenty of social issues of the times that bring the whole concept of 'American history' to life with family and friend interactions: "My mother replied in her calm, reasonable manner. “Father, this is 1910, not the Dark Ages, and women should have the right to vote just as men do. I understand your concerns, but--” 

First-person perspectives alternate between best friends Theo and Macie, which creates a satisfying juxtaposition of impressions and attitudes of social changes and events. One of the issues - women's suffrage - is brought to life against a backdrop which involves young readers in the atmosphere and sentiments of the times by placing Macie and her mother square in the middle of struggles to vote: "Petitions like these are being circulated throughout our country by women just like you, women who believe as we do that females should be able to exercise their right to vote.” Miss Paul passed a stack of petitions to her assistant, who walked among the crowd, handing them out. I was both shocked and delighted when one of the papers ended up in my hands." 

Burning changes, burning buildings, and burning questions: all these lend drama and action to a story that succeeds in capturing the major issues of early America and how they affect two friends' lives.

A Time To Be Brave

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