March 2022 Review Issue
Fantasy & Sci Fi
Literature Mystery & Thrillers
Hell Holes: A Slave's Revenge
Donald Firesmith
Independently Published
979-8527374209
$19.99 Hardcover/$12.99 Paper/$.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Holes-Revenge-Donald-Firesmith/dp/B09BGHYTYC
Hell
Holes: A Slave's Revenge is the fourth
book in a series that revolves around alien invasion, imprisonment, and
a
teen's determination to avenge his father's death.
As a prequel to the series, it's the perfect place
for newcomers to get a sense of the beginnings of Paul Chapman's
changed life
as an alien's slave. It is presented in the form of an autobiography of
his
life "as a slave on Hell."
From his parents' lives in Alaska to coming of age
in "the most beautiful land imaginable" before disaster changes
everything, readers receive a powerful, action-packed introduction to
the
series that follows what happens when demons appear to kill his father
and take
over the family's lives, transporting them to Hell.
Vivid color drawings of these monsters pepper the
account, leaving nothing to reader imagination about the appearance and
threat
of these aliens.
Words of insight and inspiration permeate tales of
demon encounters: "One only truly fails to succeed if one
fails to try.
Anything more, no matter how small it might seem, is a partial success.”
The unexpected injection of wisdom from various sources lends a
philosophical
tone to this survival story that gives Paul courage as he rises to the
position
(and dubious privilege) of being a slave that oversees others.
From a Goddess who is set to command the broader
invasion process to Paul's struggles with his emotions, ethical
choices, and
the consequences of his actions, this survey of an invading army of
demons and
their impact follows Paul's maturity and survival process as the world
is
transformed.
Prior series readers will appreciate the attention
to detail that flushes out both the invasion specifics and Paul's youth
and
coming of age, while newcomers will find Hell Holes a
fitting
introduction to the books that follow.
It's unusual to see a prequel arrive as the fourth
book in a series, but Hell Holes: A Slave's Revenge
does a fine job of
setting the stage for future events, explaining early influences and
facts
about Paul's life and surveying the initial results of the appearance
of demon
monsters on Earth.
It's a riveting read for newcomers and prior fans
alike, highly recommended for horror and sci-fi fans, who will enjoy
blends of
both in a coming-of-age story like few others.
Return to Index
Jestin Kase and the Masters of Dragon Metal
J. Michael White
Teer Publishin
979-8985221305
$14.99 paper/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Jestin-Kase-Masters-Dragon-Metal/dp/B09NRJT55W
How can one individual change the world?
Jestin Kase and the
Masters of
Dragon Metal presents an unlikely young hero in the
battle between good and evil. Jestin Kase is a Chicago foster kid who
finds
himself drawn into a world of monsters, corruption, and the lure of
Dragon
Metal, an ancient magic that holds the key to humanity's future.
Young adult to adult fantasy readers may
anticipate some of the plot progression in this classic good/evil
confrontation, but the proof of an exceptional story lies in how the
author
spins it. J. Michael White produces a vivid, creative tale that excels
in creating
both a spunky, streetwise neo-hero and a wry sense of humor that
permeates the
action: "Apparently, the cops didn’t like it when you burned down your
foster home. Who knew? Police lights flashed across the dark streets as
Jestin
ran through the back alleys of Chicago. He pumped his legs as fast as
he could,
hopping over fences, dashing up and down fire escapes, and cutting
across
rooftops. His legs burned with fatigue, and his chest ached as his
heart pounded.
Christ, I need to get back into shape."
Fellow adventurers Colt and Zadie lead Jestin
into a demon-killing mission and they all face magical struggles that
spill
into human neighborhoods and realms. White hones a fast-paced story of
confrontation and action that mirrors Jestin's dilemmas as a foster
child
buffeted by events beyond his control.
The process of empowerment is revealed as
Jestin learns new rules, absorbs possibilities, and finds himself in a
revised
role that introduces fresh challenges ("He had
to learn how to handle himself alone.").
Part of the lure of this magical adventure
lies in Jestin's growth process and realizations not just of revised
realities,
but his own strengths as he confronts beings not of his familiar world.
As demon powers, cursed auras, distracting
friendships, and altered perceptions evolve, White crafts a fantasy
adventure
replete with both action and interpersonal connections. These foster
insights in
a wide range of characters to compliment Jestin's growth and newfound
abilities.
The elements are flavored by a dash of humor
that tempers these serious encounters ("Jestin
sighed and leaned his head back. “I swear to God I’m six seconds
away from a mental breakdown. It’s almost as if underage minors
shouldn’t be in
these types of situations.”
“What else are we
supposed to
do?” Colt asked with that sideways smile that always perked Jestin’s
spirits.
“Go to school and get an education?”), strengthening a
story that
rests on more thought-provoking elements than magical adventure alone.
How can one individual make a difference in
the world?
Jestin
and his readers absorb and reflect
this idea in a compelling saga that is both gripping and
thought-provoking.
Take a magical adventure and blend it into a story of evolving courage
and
revised perceptions for a taste of how Jestin
Kase and the Masters of Dragon Metal fosters a feeling of
empowerment and
ability in its readers...one highly
recommended for young adult to adult fantasy audiences who look for
extraordinary fantasy cemented by action, unexpected encounters, and
provocative
emotional growth.
Return to Index
The Memory of
Sydney
J.A. Hailey
Independently Published
979-8774051090
$19.99
Paper/$2.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SJR5XTN
J.A. Hailey has written numerous books in the
Chronicles of a Stolen World sci-fi saga, but it's important to note
that the
latest in his series, The Memory of Sydney, is
written as a standalone
story, and does not rest on the stories of its predecessors.
It's set in the future, after Sydney has been
destroyed in a nuclear attack conducted by the beastly digital humans
in an
attempt to vanquish the Screenside virtuals that created them.
These replica humans grow up believing they are,
indeed, human themselves. In the first six books of the series, a vile
form of
eternal human has evolved to threaten virtual and human worlds alike.
Thus,
Sydney's demise in a thwarted containment attempt and the birth of this
7th
book in the series, which requires no prior reading of the others in
order to
prove captivating to newcomers (particularly given the book-by-book
recaps
provided in the beginning, which set the stage for and explain the
premise of
this stolen world).
Though the last act in the war between virtuals and
nonborns is to destroy Sydney, the humans which remain outside the area
have no
idea that the attack did not stem from an altercation between China and
North
Korea.
Four planes containing hundreds of humans land in
the destroyed city. Their purpose? To reclaim it as their home and
conduct last
rites for their vanished families. This mission creates special
challenges in
the virtual world that is charged with overseeing them.
The leaders of Screenside have obviously made an
error when they assessed human affairs, but their decision to send a
mission of
quasi-redemption and closure into the ruined city is complicated by the
discovery of a child who changes everything.
Thanks to the recaps of events, characters, and
settings provided in the summaries of the first six books, newcomers to
the
series can expect a smooth transition to the relatively complex setting
of a
world (and parallel world) influenced and created by AIs and humans
alike.
The interactions between the human and virtual
worlds and the blends of their personas makes for challenging reading
at first,
but with the premise firmly in hand, readers embark on a game-changing
sojourn
that constantly juxtaposes human and virtual perceptions: "There
were
no other cameras or eyes on her, and so the picture of her face was
created for
the purpose, and was not a real live shot. However, other than her own
body
situations, which could be manufactured compositions, everything else
would be
real imagery supplied by Catherine, as seen through eye view."
J.A. Hailey crafts dialogue and interactions
between characters that bring their special survival challenges to life
as they
struggle to move on: "...home is over for all of us. What to
do? You’ll
have to find new bonds, Isabelle, and we, other Sydney girls, will
always be
there for you, though goodness alone knows how we ourselves are
supposed to get
on in life without our families.”
“Luckily,
our extended families still live, and, for some of us, maybe
even a real family member is alive, like Catherine’s still got her
little
brother,” said Grace."
Remarkable kids, astonished spectators, and
demonstrations of virtual and human abilities permeate a tale that
follows
their interactions, intersections, showing how the Sydney virtuals
embark on a
walkabout that holds an inevitable ending, yet imparts a message that
the rest
of the world needs.
Hailey's story represents a satisfying blend of
metaphysical inspection flavored with cyberpunk influences. The story
is both
challenging and compelling, and will simply delight sci-fi readers who
enjoy AI
accounts, struggles between humans and entities who share both their
humanity
and alien abilities, and explorations of what it truly means to grieve,
move
on, grow, and be human.
Return to Index
The Sterling Gospel
Atticus Mullon
DartFrog Books
978-1-956019-10-0
$16.99 Paper/$5.99 Kindle
Publisher: www.dartfrogbooks.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NHNWNCR
While one could call The
Sterling Gospel either a work of Christian fiction or
history,
it's featured in this fantasy category as an unusual, powerful work of
sci-fi
set in 2085 because it revolves around the conviction of a billionaire
that the
miracles performed by Jesus were actually demonstrations of high
technology by
a being from the future. Specifically, the billionaire's future—one in
which he
finances those famous miracles.
From this description, one might expect the
story to open with a high-tech jolt; but The
Sterling Gospel provides an initial surprise in following the
actions of a
petty thief who has made crime his new vocation. He lives with his
mother, who
believes he's still working daily at the local valve factory.
He's the last person on Earth who would seem
to be a candidate for imparting new hope to the world. And that's why
twenty-seven-year-old Amir Saleh seems the perfect choice for
billionaire
William Sterling to introduce miracles to the ailing world of
Jesus' times.
Atticus Mullon builds a powerful saga
replete with not just spiritual but social inspection and
considerations as it
views a man rooted in poverty who receives the opportunity of a
lifetime.
Christians might find the premise a
challenge, as it follows not just God's purpose in creating a Messiah,
but a
near-madman's intentions of injecting the past with an icon
representing the
source of these miracles, based on a technologically-rich future.
Moral and ethical dilemmas arise as the
story unfolds that will particularly enrich reader group discussions,
whether secular
or religious.
The dialogue between Amir and those in this
distant past world bring its events and perceptions to life: “We are here to bring glory to the Most
High. We Nazarenes serve the Father and have avoided His wrath by
shunning sin.
Yet, in our grass, we find you. A viper waiting with tools of hubris to
bring
sin to our ranks and wrath upon our people. Accordingly, you will be
raised up,
positioned in the sky so all can see that sin has no place here.”
As Amir meets Jesus and comes to realize his
strength and radical message, readers receive a potent chronicle that
juxtaposes faith, past and future world perceptions, and the origins of
beliefs
and possibilities that influence Jesus, Amir, and those around them.
Mullon provides an original, rich story that
holds much food for thought and many discussion points about miracles,
technology, the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, and historical events
of the
past.
Much more than a sci-fi story but vastly
different from the usual Christian fiction approach, The
Sterling Gospel is highly recommended as a thoroughly
absorbing
inspection of human and godly affairs. It includes a dialogue between
the deity
and Amir that questions the foundations of power, influence, and faith:
"In fact, there are some truths woven
to the very fabric of being that are not a question of might, but
rather of
being.”
Return to Index
Echo Ridge
Charles Dowling Williams
Independently Published
9781737639527
$15.95
https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Ridge-Charles-Dowling-Williams/dp/1737639521
Echo Ridge
comes from a Kentucky native son and poet who has mastered the fine art
of
haiku, presenting journal entries that reflect on nature, the seasons,
and life
in Kentucky.
It's the perfect example of a sense of place
combined with the haiku form's traditional inspection of the natural
world, and
captures intense imagery that is compellingly steeped in rural
Kentucky: "donkeys flicking manes/switching
their
tails for blue flies/next, a fine "dust bath"."
Haiku that captures a geographic sense of
place is not unusual for Japanese forms and readers, but having this
applied to
a different world in America offers a rare opportunity to appreciate
this poetic
form's ability to capture home atmosphere: "Easter pink and white/redbuds
and dogwoods blooming/tired hummingbirds feast."
From forests to farms, Charles Dowling
Williams creates and captures evocative landscapes that are rich in
Kentucky's
lands and nature.
While Echo
Ridge certainly belongs in any library collection strong in
contemporary
haiku or poetry, it's especially recommended for those which seek
American-specific haiku written by native sons more than capable of
employing
the specific structure of haiku at its best.
Return to Index
Flowers That Die
Gideon Halpin
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-160-4
$15.99
www.atmospherepress.com
The
poems in Flowers That Die reflect
the
observations and journey of "sad boy" as he narrates his experiences
of the world and his fading place in it: "With
no place to be/sad boy drifts as a leaf/in a stream."
These
free verse poetic inspections provide engrossing revelations about
connections
to self, the world, and others, forming nuggets of introspection that
are
surprising in their imagery. One example is 'Gas Chamber', in which the
narrator observes that "if we were
in a gas chamber/I’d tell you I love you/instead of watching/fluffy
clouds/floating the sky river."
Gideon Halpin's changing images are as versatile as
the clouds, capable of moving vast distances within the same poem.
Introducing
'Gas Chamber', for example, is the compellingly creative description "pocket
blade/stretches its leg/plunges through bread/and chaperones/Brie to
the
elopement."
From magic and beauty in which the world "is a
boundless garden/turning under the sun" to the narrator's relentless
progression through beauty towards the inevitable end of time when
everything
changes, Halpin provides a stunning juxtaposition of nature and human
perspective creates evocative jigsaw puzzle pieces of experience which
interconnect in unexpected ways.
Readers seeking a literary poetry collection that
represents a powerful journey through magic and mystery, past and
present, and
human and natural affairs will relish Flowers
That Die's compelling journey and descriptions.
Return to Index
Long Falling Light
Mark Louis Lehman
Little Possum Press
978097703600
$22.00
www.amazon.com
Long
Falling Light: Poems 1965-2020 is
a study in literary growth. It presents poems written by Mark Louis
Lehman from
adolescence to adulthood, celebrating the rhythmic inspection of life
through
free verse and quasi-rhyme in a manner that requires oral presentation
to fully
absorb its impact.
Take, for example, 'Love Song.' Yes, this may be
silently read; but when spoken aloud, the words resonate and dovetail
with a
special brand of emotion that a mental reading alone might miss: "Than
nature a vacuum I more love you/More sucker I./Than octopus tighter
hold you
me,/And warmer:/Than rain you are more dry."
Images of nature, as well as interpersonal and
inner inspections, come alive during this process, as in 'Remains': "These
are the gathered words that stay/:Like shells arranged in sand, made
pure/By
the sliding of the sea and air/As they wear the time away."
There are bedtime stories, laments and reflections
on love and life, and passages of solitude in which Lehman considers
that "This
quietude is now my home/Where I live slow/And feel the turn of years/As
they
recede into somewhere/I came from but cannot return to..."
Whether describing personal impulses, the impact of
life and its movements, and the light and darkness that falls like a
cloak upon
human and natural worlds alike, Lehman creates an evocative set of
experiences
that are especially notable for their diversity of voice and
reflections on
life.
It's all here; from ironic observation to
existential angst and the butting of the natural world into human
affairs.
Few poetry collections arrive with such a measured
reflection of the passage of time, but Lehman's movement from
adolescence to
adulthood and his ability to capture this transition in chronological
order
makes for a special experience, indeed.
Readers who enjoy poems of observation, growth, and
enlightenment laced with quiet desperation and the passage of age will
find Long
Falling Light to be an absorbing literary read that's
thought-provoking and
compelling on many different levels.
Return to Index
Never a Mere Mortal
Devon Dial
Independently Published
979-8-9852230-0-2
$13.99 (paperback), $22.99 (hardcover),
$4.99 (ebook)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SL7MZ8G?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Never a Mere Mortal
is a literary novel that features psychological depth and insights
about
evolving lives and challenges well met. It follows the shorter stories
of
different individuals as they make their way through the world
harboring grief,
conflict, and a desire for change, in their hearts.
Each story in the collection expands its
reflective processes, with the tales both standing nicely alone and
being
stronger for being grouped together. Devon Dial describes the overall
intention
of her works best in an evocative Introduction: "Each
person has a backstory. And each of their tales is being
released back into the world in the form of judgments or joys,
bitterness or
beauty. But because we cannot fully know another person, in their
entire life’s
story or even in the immediate rundown of their day, we can never truly
understand the depth of their feelings, why people live and joke and
hide and
explode like they do."
Some of the stories are true, and some were
embellished. All contain lessons that readers will find
thought-provoking and
beautifully wrought.
Take "Stamps," for one example.
Dial's lyrical voice shines from the story's opening lines: "This is a small town, one of those
places through which people pass without pause. If they did stop, they
might
find something amazing here, some mesmerizing lunge at the soul that
both
swells like stringed music and haunts like the dark of a lonely road.
Instead,
they judge our cramped homes and modest dreams. They drive past our old
dilapidated barns and glance at our dogs eating grass beside the cars
parked in
the front yard. They look, but they never see the people who live in
these
homes and love these dogs and keep these cars in the yard because they
belonged
to our late fathers who never could quite get them running."
Readers don't just gain individual
perspectives, but absorb the atmosphere and origins of experience that
surround
that inspection of place, time, and influence. From this premise
evolves a
simple house and a life where "stubborn red clay still stains every
chance
it gets."
As the character experiences "griefs
that have wrenched his heart and threatened his faith, that have shaken
the
solid ground he took for granted," readers receive a story that uses
the
metaphor of a fast-running river to reconsider one's influence on and
place in
life and in time.
Each piece reflects the passage of time,
changing senses of self and place, and the current in which "all things
continued to fall predictably into line." Each employs metaphor,
philosophical and spiritual thinking, and psychological examination to
capture
different facets of aging and life changes.
The result is a powerful collection of
stories that focus on a sense of place, purpose, and changing times.
They offer readers absorbing scenarios,
inspections, and lives that, together, form the nucleus of
individuality,
difference, and growth from diverse perspectives and experiences.
Those seeking literary novels that excel in
visions of changing perspectives will find Never
a Mere Mortal an evocative, powerful collection of tales.
Return to Index
One Day at a Time
A.K. Frailey
Independently Published
979-8494792242
$14.00 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/One-Day-Time-Other-Stories/dp/B09JJ7L95K
One Day at a Time And
Other
Stories is a collection of short works about modern
life that speak about letting go, stepping up, and dealing with family
and
friends alike. It's a study in relationships that pinpoints moments of
discovery, revelation, and understanding which are undercurrents
running through
life events.
Take "Welfare and Well Being," for
example. Here, an Assistant Dean, husband, and father faces an
up-and-coming
award and recognition that suddenly changes, on his glory day, to utter
loss.
Five years later, in an unexpected twist,
this portent of doom is transformed by a simple decision.
"Your Prayer," in contrast, presents
another wonderful day gone awry as Kelog decides to come home early to
help his
wife prepare for a big family gathering, only to find disaster awaiting
him.
He should be praying. He should be doing
something different than simply absorbing the stunning moment with
strangers in
attendance. But, would prayers really make a difference?
The surprising outcome of Kelog's horrible
day provides gentle food for thought.
Indeed, these are the nuggets of each story:
wisdom and food for thought that take succinct moments of discovery and
trials
and turns them into opportunities for transformation on different
levels.
One Day at a Time And
Other
Stories is about the kinds of revelations and
awakenings that lie in love, to quietly change relationships and
individuals
alike.
The collection creates an evocative set of
separate yet somehow psychologically interconnected life scenarios that
explore
good intentions, real-world situations, and acts of quiet love,
desperation,
and redemption.
Readers interested in solid psychological
inspections of intention, purpose, and changing perspectives presented
as
succinct, hard-hitting slices of life will relish the literary and
psychological attractions of One Day at a
Time And Other Stories.
Return to Index
Those Around Him
Brett
Shapiro
Atmosphere
Press
978-1795255110
$19.95
www.atmospherepress.com
Those Around Him
is a work of literary fiction by an American author who captures the
dilemma of
a middle-aged man who confronts both his elderly father and his own sea
changes.
Andrew is committed to trying to create a
stable home for his dying father. He moved to Florida several years ago
to keep
an eye on him, and his caregiving duties have only gotten more complex
as he
faces the fact that his once-reliable good looks and effective
approaches to
life no longer work with advancing age: "Andrew
was certain of one development as he headed home: he could no longer
work his
looks the way he used to; they were no longer there to be worked. He
felt the
brevity and indifference (so unintentionally cruel) of the glances of
those who
glanced at him, who were few. They were not looking at his looks. They
were
simply glancing at him..."
This translates to special challenges that
affect Andrew's intimate relationships and his evolving connection to a
new,
young, attractive man Lex ("Ex"), who considers Andrew's home a
'sanctuary' and asks to move in.
Graphic
sexual scenes between the two augment emotional connections as Andrew
grapples
with past, present, and future in an effort to understand his revised
place in
both his father's and new younger lover's life.
Brett
Shapiro does an exceptional job of unfolding the layers of complexity
between
three men of different generations who find themselves connected by
love and
need.
Andrew's
lifelong passion for men, his underlying fear of his father (which has
changed
to a strong connection as he's aged), and the challenge of having two
very
different people living under one roof are aptly captured by Shapiro
and
contrasted in evocative ways: "It
seems impossible, preposterous, that his sanctuary is now occupied by
an
eighty-five-year-old dying man whom he knows so well that he is almost
a habit,
and a twenty-three-year-old who has rapidly succeeded in becoming
habit-forming."
Readers
who look for gay fiction of intergenerational examination, changing
love, and
the force of a hurricane that mirrors Andrew's underlying angst will
find the
story presents a series of thought-provoking psychological insights
that
receive intense, compelling descriptions: "Dorian’s
ardent symphony will soon be relegated to a secondary aspect of white
noise,
brutal but with a regularity that will serve as a kind of cushion to
the deeper
and more unbridled disturbances that these two men will feel,
notwithstanding
their being melded together in form and temperature like two ingots of
metal
risen to molten temperature and oozed into a single unit that will
enable them
to drift easily into a sleep-hibernation."
The
result is a literary examination that blends the devices of gay fiction
relationship inspections with the overlay of a middle-aged crisis and
coming to
terms with past, present, and future changes.
While
its likely audience will be gay readers who appreciate such
relationship
focuses, Those Around Him is also a powerful pick
for literary readers
interested in stories firmly rooted in a sense of place, love, and
purpose,
where the main character faces a hurricane in his heart and struggles
with many
changes.
Return to Index
The Wilbur
Stories and More
Barry Vitcov
Finishing Line
Press
978-1-64662-779-0
$20.99
www.finishinglinepress.com
Wilbur is a
nine-year-old child being homeschooled by a wealthy single mother. Sal
is a
forty-two-year-old flower photographer whose three-mile loop in search
of new
flowers takes him past a youngster he doesn't even register as sitting
on his
porch.
When Wilbur
confronts him, calling Sal a "flower bandit" in the short story of
the same title, Sal feels a sense of camaraderie with the
rock-collecting
youngster. A daily walk between the two gains the approval of Eli, a
concerned
mother who comes to view Sal as an appropriate male role model that
Wilbur has
been lacking in his short life.
The relationship
between these two is cemented by Sal's observation and emphasis of how
uniqueness in the world and between people is to be celebrated and
fostered.
As The Wilbur
Stories and More evolves, these short vignettes capture more
life stories
and build upon one another. For one example, Pop’s Donuts and Coffee
appears in several scenarios before it gains its own short story about
the
evolution of the business and its impact on the community of Bear City.
As Jack's summer employment in the café
becomes a regular job that earns him independence after college and
leads to
his engagement and further connections with the business,
now-twelve-year-old
Wilbur is a witness to all these changes, which culminate in a surprise
readers
won't see coming.
These short pieces intersect to build different
aspects of the town and its residents as Wilbur, Sal, and others evolve
along
with it.
Barry Vitcov's
approach to using each short work to add another dimension of realistic
inspection to not just Wilbur's life but the people who surround him
makes for
literary pieces that are thought-provoking in their quiet inspections
of life
choices and change.
Wilbur grows
through these relationships and insights, and readers will welcome the
gentle
inspections which take their time to build atmosphere and connections.
The section 'More
Stories' arrives almost halfway through the collection to depart from
the
Wilbur-centric focus. These music-centered works depict various
characters
whose rituals and relationships capture life-changing experiences and
moments,
big and small.
Vitcov's ability
to capture the pace and purposes of these moments in time is a
testimony to his
ability to take a literary snapshot of moments that reflect quiet
transformation and revelations.
Readers seeking a
literary collection of interconnected pieces which hold the rhythms and
music
of interpersonal relationships will find The Wilbur Stories
and More
delightfully evocative and quietly thought-provoking. Each story excels
in
taking a narrowed focus of a character's life and bringing it to
full-bodied
maturity.
Return to Index
Within
Aditi Wardhan Singh
Raising World Children LLC
978-1-956870-98-5
Website: https://raisingworldchildren.com/
Ordering: https://raisingworldchildren.com/product/14867/
Within:
Short Stories for the Evolving Multicultural Woman presents a series of
narratives steeped in Aditi
Wardhan Singh's Indian culture. It represents an exploration of women
who
experience growth, empowerment, and revised choices at different points
in
their lives.
These thirty literary short works capture succinct
moments of transformation at different ages and stages of women's
lives,
offering thought-provoking insights to subjects that appear in each
story's
title.
Take "Confidence," for one example. Here,
a narrator who is in her twenties observes a stranger in her forties—a
woman on
the train who exudes the very persona the narrator wishes for herself: "Wearing
a crisp sari, with hair tied into a tight bun and with just the right
amount of
makeup and jewelry, standing at the train’s entrance, she was looking
out at
the passing world, deep in thought. I wanted to be her someday—someone
who
another would look up to. She looked so confident. Her posture was so
proper,
holding her purse in the most elegant way."
As the narrator reaches out and makes a connection,
so she mirrors the very attribute she admires in this stranger.
All is not uplifting sweetness in these discussions
of emotional transformation. "Frustration," for example, depicts the
challenges of interacting with a demanding sister whose lifestyle
requires that
those around her change to accommodate her needs.
The process of service to a frustrating relative
leads to new revelations as Aleema finds a way to get Shafika to change
her
ways: "The rest of the conversation drowned as Aleema went
through her
life and her parent’s teachings of always helping others, no matter
what. Of
putting the guest first and doing what you can for the family. And she
realized, for the first time, not all rules apply to all people, and
she
deserves respect in her own home."
Each tale marks a passage in the growth of
characters who face the particular challenges reflected in the story's
title.
This keeps the tales grounded and the reader firmly rooted in diverse
encounters which lead to transformation and personal empowerment.
Within is a diverse,
pleasurable collection that will
appeal to readers of Indian literature who like stories grounded in
psychological encounters, as well as those who enjoy short pieces
reflecting
transformative encounters in life.
Its depiction of a diverse range of Indo-American
women whose cultural influences and American status have changed their
relationships to life, each other, and their American homes makes for a
thought-provoking collection of pieces that are dissimilar, revealing,
and
recommended reading.
Return to Index
Choosing Magic
Karina Pacific
Independently Published
978-0692171196
$18.00
https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Magic-Memoir-Karina-Pacific/dp/0692171193
Choosing
Magic: A Memoir chronicles a
childhood that might seem idyllic to some and challenging to others.
With an
absent father and a mother who was overworked, Karina Pacific bounced
from
place to place in a nomadic lifestyle and was left alone to "dig deep
and
find answers" about her roots and her mother's secrecy about their
lives.
What she found buried in her mother's dresser would
change their relationship forever ("The search was the
beginning of me
and the end of us."), sending Karina on a journey that
eventually
landed her in the U.S. and into a relationship with God that helped
ground her
in ways her upbringing didn't provide.
As she encounters and moves through other family
structures and notes how differently her own life feels, Karina makes
observations about the choices and challenges her life has been, up to
the
1980s: "After a few weeks, my extended family and their
teenage girls
tried to make me feel at home. I tried, we all tried with little
success. It
was uncomfortable and awkward roaming around a house with what felt
like
strangers. I felt alone and confused wondering how The Kinders’,
complete
strangers, could have done it so right, and this family was as natural
as a
silicone breast—it felt forced and looked awkward. So I just sat back
and
watched their rhythm and, boy, was that entertaining."
The lessons she learned from these observations
help Karina find meaning and grounding in a world replete with chaos
and
constant upheaval: "I did learn to watch and learn to let
people show
themselves, that we don’t need to force a connection, but we can learn
from
each other."
Karina Pacific crafts a compelling memoir about
childhood, coming of age, growth, and fostering the kind of lifestyle
that
lends to continuity and meaning.
Her autobiography reflects both the immigrant
experience as she journeys to a new land and emotional growth as she
touches
upon matters of the heart, learns to analyze and eventually forgive,
and
becomes a more spiritual, empowered woman as a result of her journey.
Readers interested in memoirs of resiliency,
growing self-awareness, and life lessons fostered by both family
influences and
encounters with others will find this blend of travelogue, spiritual
investigation, and psychological self-examination to be
thought-provoking,
moving, and enlightening on many different levels.
Whether it's chosen for its travels through other
cultures or its revelations in adulthood, Choosing Magic
is a
compelling, multifaceted examination of how to recover from abuse,
neglect, and
early experiences to reach for the magic that lies in everyday living.
Choosing
Magic deserves a place
in memoir, self-help, and spirituality collections alike, and will
invite
discussion groups from book club readers to group therapy participants.
Return to Index
Coal Mine
to Courtroom
W. Ron Adams with Fred Anderson
Headline Books, Inc.
978-1951556815
$29.95
Hardcover/$19.95 Paper/$6.96 ebook
Adams was one of Kentucky's top up-and-coming
basketball players until a coal mining accident left him a quadriplegic
at age
19.
The last path he expected to be on was to become a
wheelchair-bound attorney, yet as his life evolved and he rose to meet
new
challenges to his dreams, he searched for miracles, relationships, and
new ways
of living. These would offer success in a very different form than he'd
envisioned as a young man on the pinnacle of sports fame.
In many ways, Coal
Mine to Courtroom is
a testimony to resilience, perseverance, and re-envisioning the future.
Adams
moved from being the third-ranked player in the region who was starting
to
attract attention from college pros while navigating a job he didn't
like and a
father he "wished he could like," to being seriously injured and
disabled for life.
His recovery
process involved adjusting to paralysis, navigating daily routines as
simple as
moving from wheelchair to bed and back without incurring further
injuries.
Adams notes these
specific medical challenges, offering enlightenment on personal
challenges that
many similar books about disability often brush over in favor of the
bigger
picture. This gives his readers more specific insights into the
quadriplegic's
daily life challenges than most competing memoirs, providing specific
information on overcoming such challenges.
Physical
disability and adjustments aren't the only focus of this title. Equally
at risk
and challenged are faith, belief systems, relationships and support
systems,
and the usual coming-of-age goals which all had to be completely
revamped in
the face of his new circumstances.
Adams navigates
all these with a candid confessional voice that educates and will prove
compelling to a wide range of readers, from those facing their own
disabilities
and caregivers and family trying to help them to others who are equally
challenged to form new paths in lives which have been significantly
altered.
Readers of
faith-based works, in particular, will find that Adams spends much time
reviewing the specifics of his evolving faith at a time when he faces
repeated
challenges not just to his own revised circumstances, but losses in his
family.
His ability to
dovetail his legal practice with social and religious objectives to
create
organizations and connections that help others beyond their legal
issues makes
for a revealing story.
Coal Mine to Courtroom is a journey
highly recommended for any library collection strong in memoirs about
disability, recovery, or faith. Within this story of one man's life
lies the
gems of achievement, conviction, and flexibility that evolved over time
as
Adams honed a different kind of life, love, and faith than he could
ever have
imagined at age 19.
Return to Index
Have You Heard the Sound of Your Own Voice?
C Krithika
Independently Published
979-8-51-894540-1
$17.95
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0974SKC6Z
Have
You Heard the Sound of Your Own Voice? is
the story of C Krithika's struggle with mental illness and her journey
towards
mental health. The memoir was created with the goal of demystifying the
experiences of depression and suicidal impulses, to foster greater
understanding in readers who may have little prior familiarity with
these
conditions.
Krithika, trained as an engineer, had little
experience with these mental states. What happened to her came
unexpectedly and
forcefully and captures her honest emotions, conundrums, healing paths,
and
successes and failures alike in the course of navigating her way to
recovery.
Krithika clarifies her purpose from the start:
"I want to convince you that your mind can sometimes lead you
to
believe that your situation is beyond redemption. Can I implore you to
believe
an alternate hopeful narrative?"
She then guides readers through her experiences,
revelations, and setbacks, offering those who suffer from similar
mental
anguish an opportunity to see the bigger picture and learn from her
life. She
employs a captivating writing style to both personalize her life
experiences
and their lessons and reach readers with insights on her developing
feelings
and discoveries about mental health and illness.
As the possibility of mental illness comes to light
to both explain her confusing condition and define it and her possible
choices,
Krithika finds herself little comforted by either the definition or its
stigma:
"Mental illness. How could I tell my mother about this? What
would
people say if they knew? How did I let it come to this stage?"
Equally poignant are her descriptions of self-help
approaches: "If I ran longer distances, could I trick my
depression
into not tugging at me constantly? I mulled over this question late
into the
night, wondering if I had stumbled upon a magic solution to my
troubles."
Those who find themselves mired in the same
emotional whirlpool would do well to read Krithika's story. Replete in
the
revelations, turmoil, and search for resolution that many with mental
illness
will find familiar, it's still a comforting journey that offers
familiar
feelings and ideas for resolution.
Many books have been written about mental illness.
Few adopt the introspective blend of self-examination,
self-flagellation, and
ultimate hope and achievement that marks Krithika's journey in her
memoir Have
You Heard the Sound of Your Own Voice?
These elements make for an exceptional read that
deserves a place in any library collection strong in mental health
autobiographies and stories of recovery.
Return to Index
Lita & Jean:
Memoirs of Two Generations of Military Women
Lita Tomas and Jean Marie McNamara
Master Wings Publishing
9781646630134
$24.95
www.masterwingspublishing.com
Lita & Jean: Memoirs of Two Generations
of Military Women is a unique
memoir that belongs in a wide range of collections; from military
libraries to
women's issues readers and those who look for multigenerational, linked
stories. It tells of a mother and daughter's very different military
service
and experiences. Having such a contrast allows for a deeper inspection
and
understanding of the changing military than any individual story alone
could
provide.
Lita Tomas
enlisted with the army as a tank mechanic in 1977, the first year women
were
allowed to join the regular ranks.
Jean Marie
McNamara started her term of service as an E1 in the U.S. Army, where
she
worked as a medic, a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Radiological
officer,
and as Deputy Director of her local Emergency Services &
Disaster Agency.
After an injury, Jean retired as a First Lieutenant.
There are three
sections to their memoir. Each begins an autobiographical first-person
section
that traverses the extent of their lives before, during, and after
service. The
third section is about their shared experiences and relationships. It's
served
up in contrasting chapters that cover ongoing army experiences and
civilian
transitions alike.
At some point,
Lita comes to recognize that not all battles are fought in the
military, but
often stem from life circumstances: "I thoroughly enjoyed the
work I
was doing at USTRANSCOM and felt like I was performing an essential
duty to my
country, but with the pending security investigation and my daughter’s
injuries, I felt that my next war should be fought at home, so I
tendered my
resignation."
As Jean's health
becomes problematic and she struggles to obtain disability designation
and the
benefits that come with it, she also faces the inconsistencies and
failings of
a broken medical and social services system.
Lita was right.
There are many more battles left to fight at home...and mother and
daughter
join forces as they continue to support one another and their belief in
their
country and hard work.
Lita & Jean offers more than just
a consecutive
mother/daughter story. It's about justice and injustice in various
American
systems. It details shared experiences between the two and changes that
time
has introduced to routines and brings to life military and civilian
experiences
from a special vantage point: "After receiving all of my
gear, I headed
outside and joined the hundreds of other female recruits. It felt a bit
surreal
knowing that I was going through the exact same things, and in the
exact same
place, that my mom had before me. It felt a bit like a right of
passage, or
like another sacrament, but with hand grenades and semi-automatic
weapons."
Lita & Jean is specific in its
stories of these different
military services. It provides readers with a rare glimpse of how
women's roles
in the military have been changing over time, and it is especially
skilled in
its dance between family relationships and military inspection.
Women who want
insiders' views of this changing milieu and the experiences of women
who enter
the military will find Lita & Jean an
outstanding survey with a
powerful message to the public: "We came out stronger and
more
determined than ever to help others. We became advocates for ourselves
and
others: offense as well as defense. It is imperative to advocate for
yourself
in the military, as it is 'mission first.'"
Their battles will
reach out to general-interest audiences, as well, with a riveting
memoir that
is a powerful testimony to courage, perseverance, and service.
Return to Index
Paris Blue
Julie Scolnik
Köehlerbooks
978-1-64663-471-2
$17.95
Paper/$7.49 Kindle
www.koehlerbooks.com
Paris
Blue bills itself as
"A Memoir of First Love," but it's also a study in finding
equilibrium, Parisian culture and atmosphere, and an illicit affair
between an
American music student and a handsome married Frenchman.
First love in adulthood often brings with it
conundrums and considerations only those well out of teenage puppy love
years
can handle effectively.
In Julie Scolnik's case, her evolving relationship
with not just Luc but Paris itself comes that explores matters of the
heart
that contrasts cultural differences with her growing maturity: “When
you
fall in love at twenty, I wondered, [ . . . ] does the heart form
around the
other person, like an old tree slowly absorbs a sign hung on it when it
was a
sapling? And then, when it’s gone, do you forever feel the lack of it,
feel its
imprint, where it once rested?"
This sets Paris Blue apart from
other
memoirs of either love affairs or coming-of-age experiences. It grounds
the
story with an encounter between two cultures who hold different views
not just
about love, but attitudes and approaches to life. The approach brings
readers
into the milieu of an experience that includes a distraught wife and
Scolnik's
own observation of her complacency in the increasingly complicated
situation.
The memoir evolves into a lyrical letter about
romance, lies, and expectations, readers receive a lovely story about
the
illusions and realities of connections, dreams, the fallout from love,
and the
process of growing and leaving a damaging relationship.
Paris
Blue incorporates all
the elements of a love affair with another, with self, and with a
backdrop that
encourages change, experimentation, and new realizations.
Its examination of the language and cultural
barriers that enter into the bigger picture of romance is particularly
well-done as it considers both sides of barriers to understanding: "I
had just turned twenty-two. I had never lived in Boston and now that my
original plan to go to Maine had been discarded, I really didn’t know
what to
suggest. I felt too young to be in charge of all these plans. The
language
problem stripped Luc of all adult perspective and responsibility."
The result is a Parisian experience like few
others: a foray into new possibilities and growth that takes readers by
the
hand to lead them into another country and unexpected emotional
encounters.
Paris
Blue belongs in any
library collection strong in not just romance memoirs and stories of
personal
transformation, but intercultural experiences and lessons learned from
life.
And, of course, Paris.
Return to Index
A Walk Through the Wilderness
Dan
Conger
Atomosphere
Press
978-1-63988-201-4
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
How
does a young man raised in a liberal Christian home become involved in
a
fundamentalist cult—and how does he escape?
A
Walk Through the Wilderness: One Man’s Journey from Faith to
Fundamentalism to
Atheism is a memoir that
many readers will find mirrors their own spiritual and psychological
progression.
It is highly recommended for self-help, spirituality, and memoir
library
collections and readers alike.
The story opens with Dan Conger's eighteen-year-old
self, college-bound and reflecting on the fact that he is about to
leave his
small California town of Bishop to enter an unfamiliar world.
Unlike most college-bound teens, however, Dan is
destined for a different type of educational journey: "My
naïvety and
idealism would come to get me into quite a situation. I would never
have
imagined that in a few short weeks I would become involved in a
controlling and
abusive fundamentalist cult that would dominate every aspect of my life
for
nearly a decade. This group would redirect the course of my life in
ways I
never could have dreamed of and leave me so emotionally scarred
that
years of slow recovery would ensue."
A
Walk Through the Wilderness is a road map of
going down the rabbit hole and coming out the other side into a vastly
revised
life, and it charts a journey that equals few other cult memoirs
because of its
candid attention to detail.
This includes a deep level of self-assessment by
the deliverer of this news which acknowledges revised lives and new
realizations not just on his part, but in the lives of other members
who
experienced the same thing: "Since I intend to be very honest
about
what was, there is one note I need to make very clear here at the
outset. As I
relate experiences in the group, it is unavoidable that I will mention
abusive
acts from cult leadership and other members. Hell, I was guilty of
verbally
abusing people in the group myself, so it would be silly and more than
a little
hypocritical of me to throw stones at others when I could easily be hit
by
those same stones thrown my way. When bringing these things up, it is
inevitable
that the memories will cause some amount of emotional distress for
others. As a
result, I need to say quite plainly that all of the former leaders of
my home
Assembly in Arcata have entirely repented in the truest sense of the
word."
From his increasing alienation from family and
former friends to what happens when this cult world comes crashing
down, Conger
provides a review of changing belief systems and influences that bring
to life
many aspects of cult behavior, changing goals and perspectives, and
forays into
faith and disbelief alike: "People felt as if they were ships
at sea
with no rudder when we had all been so sure of our calling and future
just days
before. We thought that life’s plans were confidently laid out before
us. The
Assembly was life itself for all of us. We ate, slept, and breathed
Assembly
life. For the rest of my life, I had envisioned serving somewhere in
the world
in this ministry. Now, all of those visions for our confident future
were
evaporating before our eyes."
Conger pulls no punches as he analyzes and examines
motivations, influences, impacts, and challenges. This lends a
realistic, rare
critical view to these experiences that goes beyond most memoirs about
either
faith journeys or cult encounters.
During the course of his exploration, faith-rooted
readers may find challenging some of his conclusions about the Bible,
God, and
belief. Those who don't want their fundamental roots shaken will find
disturbing the fact that reading the Bible can result in disbelief and
rejection
of a cruel overseer's actions, for example: "Can people be
led to
atheism by honestly reading the Bible for themselves? Yes, it
absolutely can
happen. However, most ardent fundamentalists already have read the book
and
just make excuses for the horrors they read."
This, however, is also one of the delights of A
Walk Through the Wilderness. It leads those who would
analyze, think, and
more closely examine Christian doctrine to consider the processes by
which they
accept or disregard Bible history and writings and rest their beliefs
on faith.
The processes that make Conger stronger, more
reflective, and more self-empowered shine in every page of his story.
A
Walk Through the Wilderness is especially
recommended for library collections interested in stories of cult
systems,
faith, and the road that leads from belief to vastly revised family
life,
firmly rooted in loss, love, and hope.
Return to Index
Bad Blood Sisters
Saralyn Richard
Encircle Publications
978-1-64599-320-9
$17.99 Paper/$27.99 Hardcover/$5.99 ebook
http://saralynrichard.com
Bad Blood Sisters
takes mystery, suspense, and romance and winds them into a gripping
story
highly recommended for mystery readers seeking clever twists and turns
and a
Texas backdrop.
A blood sister oath comes back to haunt
Quinn McFarland, compelling her to probe a secret over a decade old and
set
aside the family funeral parlor biz to address a more pressing problem.
A wry sense of humor about death runs
through Quinn's life and family. But this is about to be challenged in
a
surprising manner as her older brother struggles with a
life-threatening
disease and she recalls a summer in which friend Ana French changed the
course
of her life forever.
As her job and her life intersect with the
growing conundrums posed by a commitment and mystery from the past,
Quinn and
her readers are haunted by circumstances that come full circle to drag
them
into an atmosphere of threat and redemption.
Quinn is being followed. She finds her
dealings with the police tricky, threatening her ability to move
through the
world independently. And her personal probe of what lies behind the
threats and
Ana's death leads to unexpected revelations that could either get her
killed or
free her from the past forever.
Questions emerge as she fields these forces
in her life: "Not for the first
time, Quinn considered how time seemed to speed by these days. If
Jack’s life,
or even hers, were to end now, what imprint would each of them have
left on the
world? Neither of them married, no children, and except for working in
death
services, what had either of them accomplished? Quinn had told her
second grade
teacher she was going to be a doctor. Even at age seven, she’d wanted
to work
on the living side of things. What had changed her mind, she wondered
now? How
had all her aspirations evaporated into the salty Gulf Coast air?"
Richard does a fine job of building suspense
and tension, creating a character who struggles as much with her own
intentions
and life as she does with the growing mystery that takes over her focus.
Richard crafts a story that reviews secrets,
bonds, redemption, and danger on many different levels. Readers who
enjoy
mysteries that are packed with promises and perils will find Quinn's
search for
happiness as compelling as the conundrums that seem to thwart her quest
for a different
outcome in her life.
Mystery collections looking for powerful
plots and characters will find Bad Blood
Sisters an exceptional acquisition.
Return to Index
Death of the Living Dead
Masaya Yamaguchi
Ammo Inc.
979-8755966849
$15.99
Paper/$9.99 ebook
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Living-Dead-Masaya-Yamaguchi/dp/B09MCF75ZG
Website: http://ammo.co.jp/novel/death-of-the-living-dead/
Death
of the Living Dead may sound like
another zombie horror novel, but in reality it's a murder mystery
rooted in a
living dead backdrop. The story centers on a string of murders
affecting a
small New England town in the 1980s, after the dead begin returning to
life.
In that town, a family of eccentric funeral
directors finds their profession challenged by a form of death that
refuses to
remain so. When victims can rise anew, the definition of murder itself
is
changed by the lack of an inevitable conclusion.
The return of those who walk in the valley of the
shadow of death is narrated in an unconventional manner that employs a
wry
tongue-in-cheek humor. It's presented in two parts which at first
glance sound
similar, but differ in essential ways as the plot progresses: "Death of
the Living" and "The Living Dead."
A cast of characters ("Dramatis
Personae") is presented before the story unfolds, along
with a family tree. The prologue introduces an attention-grabbing
conversation
between perp and police: “Angela, you are the murderer,
aren’t you?” said
Lieutenant Neville in an indifferent manner as he gazed across the
blood-splattered room.
And then the fun begins...the fun in a murder
mystery which begins with commonsense logic, then proceeds to throw
that logic
out the door as uncommon circumstances evolve to challenge living and
dead
alike.
There's a different tone to this literary work that
sets it apart from any other zombie or murder mystery story. This is
evident in
the allusions and associations that permeate the events: "She
presented
all the ordinary appearances of death. The face assumed the usual
pinched and
sunken outline. The lips were of the usual marble pallor. The eyes were
lustreless. There was no warmth. Pulsation had ceased. Edgar Allan Poe,
“The
Premature Burial.”"
It's also represented in the choice of character
names, including Grin (the grandson of Smiley Barleycorn, general
manager of
the Smiley Cemetery) and Vincent Hearse (Advisor to the Smile Cemetery
and a
professor of Thanatology).
As priests, mistresses, small town employees, and
the police interact, Death of the Living Dead
exhibits the elements of a
tour de farce that is lively, thoroughly unpredictable, and involving,
both in
its social and political dilemmas and in the psychology of individuals
and a
town faced with unprecedented threats.
The story is enhanced by the humor river that runs
through it ("When he turned the face of the deceased the other
way
around, the mumbling among the guests did stop for a moment. But this
was
immediately followed in an even more horrible storm of protests and
panic. For
the face of the deceased had long ears, a prominent nose, and a long
tongue which
stuck out from the large mouth. This was not some noble gentleman, but
a dog.
These were the remains of a large Afghan Hound."), making for
a murder
mystery like none other.
Mystery readers need not be familiar with the
approaches of Japanese detective fiction in order to relish the
suspense,
puzzles, and social and philosophical dilemmas the characters face in Death
of the Living Dead. Death of the Living Dead is
very highly
recommended for mystery readers seeking more...much more...than the
usual formula
production.
The blend of mystery, social examination, and irony
are powerful draws that will reach beyond genre fans and into literary
circles
with its intriguing events, uncommon investigative and moral dilemmas,
and
ultimate message:
"The
comedy starts with life, the tragedy ends with death. And the
tragicomedy of
human life and death will continue perpetually, like a circle."
Return to Index
Demons, the Great
White North and the Blind Detective
Shawn Adair Johnston
Atmosphere Press
9781639881451
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Although Demons, the Great White North
and the Blind Detective is set
in
the future, it's especially recommended for thriller and mystery
readers
because its suspense element is particularly well done, enhancing its
futuristic backdrop in a manner that will attract a much larger
audience than
either sci-fi or traditional mystery readers alone.
Shawn Adair Johnston weaves the culture of
the Canadian Inuit people into the threat of a rogue A.I. and a demon
that
could introduce the downfall of mankind...if famous blind detective
Peter Straw
can't follow the clues to confront these dual dangers.
The sci-fi futuristic atmosphere is
strengthened by Straw's intellectually augmented seeing eye dog Watson
and a
cast of characters that include human and inhuman forces; but it's his
investigative blind eye's ability to connect the dots he can't see
which drives
the story through the sci-fi setting and reaches out to detective story
readers
with a very different premise.
From Playboy, who considers the existential
question of whether he, as an AI, is truly alive in a "real rather than
virtual way" to the involvement of American and Canadian military
forces, Demons,
the Great White North and the Blind Detective
represents a satisfying marriage between sci-fi and thriller which
makes it a unique contribution to either genre.
It's especially
strong in its contrast of the survival-oriented focus of AI and human
alike,
weaving a variety of dilemmas into a story replete with intrigue and
sci-fi
elements as AI issues evolve to become just as important as the
concerns of
mankind.
As Watson,
Playboy, and others interact, the dreams and realities of human
emotions and AI
objectives create a satisfying play on irony and existential angst,
with a dash
of humor spicing the mix.
Although sci-fi readers will consider the
story sci-fi and detective genre readers will be attracted to its
investigative
side, both audiences will relish the appealing differences in Demons,
the
Great White North and the Blind Detective, which
creates all kinds of controversies up to and including love
dilemmas. Its multifaceted approach to a futuristic conundrum makes for
an
unpredictable, involving, and highly recommended adventure.
Return to Index
Dry Heat
Len Joy
BQB
Publishing
978-1-952782-51-0
$19.95 Paper/$8.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Dry-Heat-Novel-Len-Joy/dp/1952782511
Dry Heat is a crime
thriller about a young adult who finds himself in deep trouble over a
variety
of issues that change his life.
First up is
Joey's ex-girlfriend's pregnancy, which he discovers the day after he
turns 18,
breaks up with his new girlfriend, and is arrested for an attempted
murder he
didn't commit.
These are only
the opening challenges to his newfound adulthood as Joey navigates
events that
send his father off the deep end and confound his goals: "Everything
wasn’t going to be fine, that much he could figure out. It was hard to
breathe,
like the wind had been knocked out of him by a blindside tackle."
To his credit,
the news about Mallory's pregnancy causes Joey to think about new
options,
until he realizes that he needs to adopt bigger-picture thinking and
consider
the dilemmas of others ("Joey kicked himself again for making
this
about him.").
As the onslaught
of changes continues and makes him increasingly aware of the impact his
choices
have on those around him, Joey both evolves and rises to confront very
adult
issues, from childbirth to death.
The dry heat
which is the title of his story is present both in a physical and a
metaphysical manner, and is creatively described in passages which link
Joey to
the world in many different ways: "The temperature was
already into the
eighties and the sun was still just below the horizon. It felt
comfortable
running. That was the danger of dry heat. Your body didn’t notice the
heat like
it did when there was humidity. Sweat quickly evaporated, making the
body feel
cool. But stay out there too long and the dry heat would kill you
before you
knew what hit you."
There are
murders, courtroom processes, girlfriend troubles, and gang leaders who
prove
to be unusual keys to resolving Joey's problems in different ways.
While it's
difficult to accurately peg Dry Heat as a crime
thriller alone because
of its multifaceted approaches to Joey's life changes, it's packed with
action,
intrigue, and philosophical and social inspections, as well.
Readers who
choose it for its crime story will find many more elements in Dry
Heat as
Joey moves into adulthood to face a series of conundrums that test his
evolving
morals and ethics as much as his ability to survive and evolve.
As Joey's story
reaches an unexpected conclusion after traversing magical thinking,
elaborate
plans, and fresh starts, readers will appreciate the blend of suspense
and
growth that makes for an invigorating, involving read.
Return to Index
Fall to Pieces
Becky Flade
Tirgearr Publishing
ASIN: B09KT3PCBY
$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Pieces-Becky-Flade-ebook/dp/B09KT3PCBY
Focus on what’s real.
This admonition, which ends the first chapter in Fall
to Pieces, could serve as a template for the entire story as
homicide detective Lexi Danvers struggles with her personal life, her
police
department associates, and her latest case.
Lexi is passionate about one thing: bringing
dangerous child kill Arthur Book to justice. Fellow Detective
Xavier Knight, her new undercover partner, should be on the
same page.
He is...but his
job is really to secretly observe Lexi and report back to his superiors
on her
fitness for duty. His two conflicting assignments run the risk of
allowing this
killer to continue his rampage, while a department that should be
committed to
stopping him is divided over Lexi's competence.
The story opens
with Lexi awakening to discover she's made it home from the bar with a
one-night stand beside her in bed. Time to hit the eject button! With a
service
pistol's appearance, the unwanted Romeo runs, and readers are treated
to an
initial impression of why Lexi's fellow cops aren't standing behind her
in
support.
Through this
description, readers are treated not to a profession vision of Lexi,
but a
personal life in disarray. It also indicates the first strength of Fall to Pieces: it's firmly rooted in
personal lives, motivations, and personalities that don't always walk
the
straight moral line.
This lends the story an intimacy from the
start as Lexi appears flawed even as she struggles to remain a
committed
professional who may be the only person to stop this killer.
The point of view fluctuates between Lexi
and fellow detective Xavier. While chapter headings with each name
might have
made the transitions between the two even smoother, it's fairly evident
which
character receives the main focus as the chapters unfold.
Lexi might not only be a substandard
detective riding on the coattails of a more accepted, admired late
husband who
is deemed "real police" by his department, but she's developed a big
chip on her shoulder as she receives not the admiration, but the
implicit
condemnation of her peers.
While, on paper, she's more than a
"good cop," it seems her promotions have only grudgingly been given.
Can her department force her out? With Xavier's help, maybe. Viewed as
a
"lawsuit waiting to happen," Lexi's choices are scrutinized rather
than supported.
Becky Flade provides a powerful story of one
determined woman who faces the biggest case of her life with only
limited
backup. The perspectives of Lexi's fellow cops, the reason for their
reactions
to her, and the concurrent threats of a witch hunt and a cat-and-mouse
game
creates a contrast between two investigations operating on quite
different
levels.
Strong characterization keeps readers
involved in Lexi's life and challenges, while attention to logic and
perception
probe the underlying influences affecting the attitudes of those around
her.
These blend nicely with the mystery and
intrigue elements and the romance which (predictably, given the cover
art)
evolves.
Readers seeking a blend of police
procedural, love story, and tale of overcoming adversity will find Fall to Pieces compelling on several
different levels, above and beyond its romantic developments.
It's a choice worthy of addition recommended
for libraries interested in police procedurals and romance stories
alike.
Return to Index
How to Spot a Psychopath
MQ Webb
TBR Press
9780645352016
$19.99
Paper/$12.99 ebook
Website: https://MQWebb.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/How-Spot-Psychopath-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B09NW85VRH
Thriller readers will find plenty to enjoy in the
intriguing How to Spot a Psychopath, which is adept
at building
psychological tension as it reveals a missing child, a classmate's
silence, and
a forensic psychologist who struggles with his own past while trying to
piece
together the puzzle of an impossibly challenging case.
This Oscar de la Nuit story focuses on his anxiety,
professional skills, and an evolving impossible situation that calls
both
facets into question as Oscar employs his expertise in reading people
and
acknowledges his failure to read himself.
MQ Webb provides a vivid story that moves between
'then' and 'now' with chapter headings that make it easy to understand
the
connections between past, present, and characters that make choices
affecting
both.
As Oscar listens to others and considers their
rationality and responsibility in the dilemma, he is prompted to
operate outside
his usual dispassionate realm of forensic analysis: "She was
hiding
something, and he wasn’t sure how to figure out what it was. Pushing
Jess could
trigger a trauma response. Still, she was hiding something, and Oscar
could
tell that it would change everything."
Readers who enjoy solid psychological inspections
and interactions in the developing mystery will find the character and
approach
of Oscar de la Nuit particularly realistic and compelling.
Webb's story evolves unexpected connections between
perps and victims on different levels that lead directly to Oscar's own
past
traumas and family interactions and damaging secrets.
The web of intrigue that leads Jess to make
difficult decisions to protect her daughter Zoe while she's building a
relationship of confidence with Oscar (which enhances his own
investigations of
past and present events) is particularly well done.
As a missing child case turns into much more
complicated psychological revelations, readers will find the story just
as
emotionally thought-provoking as it is a pleasurable mystery to read
and wonder
about.
How
to Spot a Psychopath creates a
winning suspense story of family interactions and newfound connections
as it
contrasts the experiences and perceptions of adults and children alike.
Its unexpected moments of psychological discovery
make for a delightful story especially recommended for mystery and
suspense
readers looking for more psychological depth and interpersonal
revelations than
most thriller genre reads offer.
Return to Index
The Long Way Home
Betta
Ferrendelli
Independently
Published
979-8798115525
$11.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Home-Betta-Ferrendelli/dp/B09PNRM64W
Fans of reporter Samantha Church and her
prior mystery-solving style will relish her return in The
Long Way Home, while newcomers to her world will find quite
accessible this story of a reporter haunted by her co-worker and
friend's
death, who embarks on a journey of healing and self-discovery.
Sam becomes even more involved in Hunter's
world as she decides to track down his missing younger sister, whom he
never
got to know.
Her guilt over his death, constant
preoccupation over a different outcome had she made better choices
during their
last investigation, and her grief all motivate her to embark on an
impossible
search that Hunter himself was not successful in undertaking.
Sam is well aware of the ramifications of
her ongoing grief and the difficulty in resolving it with a new case,
however
personal: "She was always thinking
of him. Always. Through the dark and light of every moment of every
day. And
she knew that no matter how hard she pedaled, how far she rode, how
many what ifs came to mind,
or how fast
she could learn to run, nothing would ever bring him back."
Hunter often told her how much he wanted to
reunite with his sibling, the only family he had left. As Sam embarks
on her quest
for resolution, she unwittingly opens a can of worms that lead full
circle from
romance and loss back to her own life, where another love connection
waits in
the wings.
Betta
Ferrendelli does an outstanding job of seamlessly weaving past and
present with
future choices, impacts, and new possibilities. While prior fans will
have a
sense of what could await Sam during the course of her journey,
newcomers will
find her character delightful, the evolving mystery thought-provoking,
and the
possibility of redemption intriguing.
The
story adopts
just the right pace: involving, without sacrificing attention to solid
characterization and details that keep readers thoroughly immersed in
Sam's
life and conundrums.
Libraries
strong
in mysteries which center on character growth and interpersonal
relationships
will find The
Long Way Home a study in both self-realization and
suspense that lingers in the mind long after Sam has touched her own
truths and
possibilities about a revised life.
Return to Index
The Sentinels: Requital
Cassandra Davis
D&S Publishing
979-8985168617
$13.50 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sentinels-Requital-Cassandra-Davis/dp/B09LGPMNVJ
The Sentinels: Requital
tells of a college student on the road to success before her parents'
murders leave
her alone and broke.
Reed Investments is run by a rich family
that has more than money-making on their minds. Their pursuit of Vivian
and
offer of her employment as a systems administrator was fostered by
career
match-maker and goodwill giver Father John—but even he doesn't know
what he's
done when he unknowingly matches Vivian with questionable Nicholas.
The Lord works in mysterious ways, because
Vivian's entry into a position that brings her into contact with one of
Seattle's most rich and notorious families evolves into an encounter
with
secrets that threaten to change not just her life, but the world.
The Sentinels: Requital
blends elements of dystopian fiction, murder mystery, and suspense
thriller as
it follows Vivian's evolution from a sheltered student to a potential
power
player in a game she is ill equipped to handle.
Cassandra Davis provides a riveting account
that moves through corporate circles, crime scenes, and Vivian's
changing
world.
As Vivian becomes a pawn in more than one
high-stakes game, Nicholas Reed finds himself involved in Vivian's
future in
more than one way, participating in a cat-and-mouse game that hangs her
life
and his family secrets in the balance.
The characterization is well done, but it's
the juxtaposition of action and intrigue that will keep readers
thoroughly
immersed and guessing at the outcome of Vivian's experiences.
The Sentinels: Requital
is not presented as a romance story per se, but there's also evolving
romance
injected into the plot to give it yet another compelling twist.
The result is a thriller recommended for
suspense story readers who enjoy action and insights into complicated
individuals and special interests. The story keeps Vivian and her
readers on
their toes and thoroughly engaged in the unexpected outcome of her
choices.
Return to Index
Who, Me?
Charlotte Stuart
Taylor and Seale Publishing
978-1950613700
$16.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
Website: www.charlottestuart.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/WHO-ME-Aphrodite-Macavity-Mystery/dp/1950613704
Who, Me? Fog Bows, Fraud and Aphrodite is a "Macavity and Me"
mystery set in a Seattle boating community and revolves around cat
Macavity and
her owner Bryn. They live on a sailboat in the marina where all seems
sedate,
but they face a new challenge when their neighbor becomes the suspect
in a
murder investigation.
Just
because
Bryn and Macavity don't like him doesn't mean that he's automatically
guilty.
And so they set out to investigate a complex life that leads to
threats,
betrayal, and the truth about Sabrina's unexpected demise.
Sabrina
was
investigating a fraud case. Apparently, curiosity doesn't just drive
the cat
alone, because Bryn can't help tracing Sabrina's footsteps, even though
they
lead straight into danger.
Charlotte Stuart crafts an engaging mystery
powered by the purrs and personality of a woman and her cat. She brings
the
cat's participation to life in a winning manner that even
non-cat-fanciers will
find appealing: "Macavity sensed
something was up, and he was letting me know that he was pretty sure he
wasn’t
going to like it by making noises deep down in his throat, not quite
growling,
but not exactly joyful burbling either. If he had known exactly what
was going
to happen the next day, he would have been furious. As it was, he was
only at
the pouting stage. Tomorrow he would rage."
As
the two edge closer to the truth, readers
will be thoroughly engaged not just by the mystery or the gal and her
cat, but
by evolving events that place Bryn in the position of assuming some
small
degree of responsibility for Sabrina's death.
"Real life is full of loose ends. You
just have to try your best to establish as much certainty as possible.”
Stuart neatly
concludes her story while acknowledging that not all circumstances can
be
tidily tucked away. Mystery fans who enjoy feline assistants will find Who, Me? a compelling story filled with
satisfying twists and turns, changing interpersonal relationships, and
a sense
of discovery and charm which accents the usual sedate cozy mystery
formula with
the flavor of an animal story.
Who, Me? is highly recommended for library mystery
collections strong in cozy mysteries, for those who have already seen
interest
in other authors' cat-based adventures, and for readers who just want a
fine,
intriguing story that is quirky and fun.
Return to Index
Wind Out of Time
Rhema Sayers
Atmosphere Press
9781639881413
$19.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Wind Out of Time provides a blend of historical mystery and
thriller that winds a time travel experience into an adventure that's
hard to
put down.
When
FBI Special
Agent Andrea Schilling began her pursuit of a terrorist, she had no
idea the
trail would lead them both through a portal in time; there to embark on
a
journey that leads her through the kitchens of King Arthur's court in
the 5th
century.
Finding a way
home is only one of the new challenges that await her there. Equally
difficult
is navigating the lecherous knights of the times in a court that proves
a far
cry from the Camelot of legend.
Can one woman from the future remake not
only a fading castle and king, but the legacy they are destined to
leave for
generations to come?
Rhema Sayers writes vivid descriptions and
includes humor in many of the events: "He
went down on one knee, and there was a collective gasp from the crowds.
“My
lady Andrea of Merica, will you consent to be my wife and queen, and
take me as
your husband and king?” Then he searched around in his tunic for a
time, almost
looking like he had an itch. He brought out a brilliant gold ring with
a ruby
that looked to be the size of a baseball and offered it to her."
The last thing Andrea expected was to be
engaged. The last thing she wanted was to embark on a new quest with
Ardur,
Merlin, and other characters similar to the classic King Arthur story,
but
presented in a different way.
As romance, action, quests, and discoveries
evolve, Sayers creates a satisfying blend of history, mystery, and
interpersonal relationship interactions that are affected by Andrea's
futuristic worldviews.
When does a queen carry a Glock in 5th
Century England?
When she is not just trapped in the past,
but stands at the center of a whirlwind of action and controversy that
sweeps
her and her readers into a storm of unexpected new conundrums.
Most time travel stories focus on an effort
to return home or resolve a past puzzle that affects the future. Having
a time
travel historical novel where the protagonist is charged with building
a new
life and recreating the world to be a better place makes for an
involving,
different story. Wind
Out of Time will
appeal to a larger audience than either historical novel, mystery, or
time-travel sci-fi readers alone, and is highly recommended for library
collections seeing patron traffic in any of these subjects.
Return to Index
Beauty Abides
Robert Albo
Independently Published
979-8784246547
$14.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Abides-DARK-MATTER-NECKLACE/dp/B09NGTB7K4
Book 2 in the series Her Dark Matter
Necklace is just as evocative a work of metaphysical, visionary fiction
as its
predecessor, and continues the saga of a teenage orphan destined to
become
humanity's savior. Or, is she?
Alice holds doubts about her self, her
destiny, and her future. It's been three months since events placed her
in a
position of fame, and since she survived what happened to her father.
Newcomers to this story will find that
Robert Albo succinctly recaps these past events, winding them into the
story's
opening lines a manner that will remind prior readers of the past while
educating
newcomers about Alice's background.
This approach to building the present plot
on the foundations of past experiences makes Beauty
Abides accessible to all and neatly dovetails with a story
that evolves as Alice confronts her deepest fears, more metaphysical
events,
and the evolution of her changed position among her peers, new friends,
and
more.
One feature to note as the story moved
forward is that Alice isn't your typical spunky character filled with
self-confidence. Indeed, her doubts power this story of her pursuit of
an
uncertain destiny. She questions everything around her—most of all, her
changed
role and evolving position of power.
As the government's Project Dark Knight (a
fifth force electromagnetic beam that breaks the matter/dark matter
bond,
effectively dissolving any matter it touches) proceeds, Alice finds
herself in
the center of a tumultuous struggle that calls upon her newfound
strengths,
powers, and yet-new sense of self and purpose.
Her efforts to make the blossoming Community
of Beauty successful against all odds places her in increasing
positions of
self-awareness and connection that hold important lessons for the rest
of the
world.
Albo's attention to psychological
development and detail create just as compelling a story as its
predecessor.
The direction, purpose, and consequences of failure are clearly
outlined to
Alice: “Humanity has two futures. One is
love, compassion, and the arts. The other is unenlightened
self-interest that
results in human misery for the majority, abundant worldly pleasures
for the
few, and the destruction of natural beauty. The conditions for success
have
never been better and the repercussions for failure have never been
worse...You
and your world, society, and technology are at a crossroads. Either
come
together around a common purpose or remain fragmented in selfishness.
This is
your last shot for change.”
The tension, action, metaphysical
encounters, and social and political descriptions are very nicely done,
creating a story that will appeal to a wide age range, from young adult
to
adult readers, and across genres, from fantasy to fiction.
Its multifaceted approach makes Beauty
Abides a winning read that
operates both as a stand-alone story and as a fitting addition to the
series,
ending in a cliffhanger to be continued in the next story.
Return to Index
Between Fortitude and Folly
K. Partridge
Argive Press
978-0-578-57736-4
$16.95
www.argivepress.com
Historical fiction readers with a special
interest in nautical history in general and the USS Pope in particular
will
find Between Fortitude and Folly
just
the ticket for an engaging blend of fiction and nonfiction. It's the
story of a
good but ordinary man who, because of a moment of moral weakness, is
swept up
in global warfare.
The book opens with a diagram of the USS
Pope and a comparison of vessel types, facts about ocean-going warships
of the
Asiatic fleet, and notes about navigation technicalities and the
historical
roots of the story that follows.
An expanded "Historicity of Between
Fortitude and Folly” appears on the publisher's website, but
an additional
overview of the fictional and nonfiction elements in this book is also
featured,
making the prefaces somewhat lengthy before the action begins in Part
1:
Cavite.
With a few more real-world black and white
photos to navigate, fiction readers embark on a journey of discovery
about the
men, women, history, and events that surrounded the Pope.
Given all the attention to nonfiction detail
provided in the opening salvo, readers might expect the fictional
representations will be more fact-filled and less dramatic. Not so. K.
Partridge demonstrates an ability to move from fact to high drama as
dialogue
and encounters between Jack De Vries and others move from weapons specs
and
nautical description to action and relationship-building efforts.
The Far East is heating up, and with it come
new challenges, obstacles, and opportunities as the men and women
participating
in the war come to life. In particular, the events change the nature of
the
relationships between Jack, Australian signalwoman Margaret Martin and
younger
signalwoman Dorothy Walker, and Jack's newborn baby Jacqueline, which
turns out
to be a surprise part of his mission and life.
The dialogue is particularly realistic: “I wanted to tell you,"
said the
captain—"and please pass it on—what a
wonderful job you men did. You scared the bee-Jesus out of those Jap
dive bombers. They took to releasing their bombs so high, they only
came near
us once; and if I hadn’t guessed wrong on that eleventh bomb and had
steered to
starboard instead of port, we might have gotten away—” With no segue,
he
shifted the metatarsal where it should be, making
Seaman Botsky yelp. “Ahh! Jesus, Mary, and
friggin’ Joseph, that
hurt!”
As the characters experience crazy
encounters that threaten the Pope's survival, the engagements and
concerns of
these military figures come to life. Although in their early twenties,
signalwomen Walker and Martin prove key participants in a story that
revolves
around missions of mercy and lessons in survival and love.
Nobody plans on becoming part of history. As
these characters become caught up in a whirlwind of action beyond their
experience and abilities to easily navigate, the "good old ship Pope"
serves as a backdrop for not just evolving military struggles, but
changing
hearts and minds.
Partridge gives close attention to
describing the military engagements of the times, contrasting these
with the
concerns, lives, and choices of a crew determined to preserve their
ship and
their lives against all odds. He provides equally solid inspections of
these
men and women who find themselves ensnared and boxed in by
circumstances beyond
their control.
Although the fictional component brings high
drama to life, the many nonfiction elements that form the story's
foundation
makes Between Fortitude and Folly
highly recommended not just for military novel or history readers, but
for
nonfiction audiences who would pursue true-life accounts of naval
history in
general and the USS Pope's personnel and experiences in particular.
Library collections strong in World War II
stories should consider Between Fortitude
and Folly a "must have" acquisition.
Return to Index
Boulder Girl: Bad Moon Rising
Cynthia L. Clark
Outskirts Press
978-1977249791
$23.95 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
www.outskirtspress.com
Boulder Girl: Bad Moon
Rising
provides a sequel to Boulder Girl, Remember
Me When the Moon
Hangs Low that returns Lana Ross,
who is recovering from heartbreak and tragedy. It also follows the
concurrent
saga of murderer and escaped convict Leon Alvarez, who haunts her. Lana
is
Leon's "little darling,'" and jail has done nothing to temper his
obsession with her.
As Lana faces
discoveries that keep bringing her lost Vincent to mind, causing new
pain, Leon
finds that his choices are moving him ever further from his goal of
becoming a
part of her life.
Cynthia L. Clark juxtaposes the memories,
thoughts, and perspectives of each character. This allows readers to
thoroughly
understand their actions, motivations, and goals.
From the roots of obsession to a grieving
woman's recovery process as she moves through everyday life, readers
receive an
involving story of a clever killer whose obsession results in
destructive and
dangerous acts against others.
The changing perspectives of stalker and
victim and the psychological challenges each confronts are profiled as
Lana
searches for connections between the crimes and herself and Leon faces
startling confrontations that divert him from his initial intentions.
Musical references and interludes spice the
story, as it did in the preceding story, adding a tantalizing,
captivating
series of play lists to compliment the plot's progression through
evocative
atmospheres.
As Lana faces the final legacy of Vincent's
love and Leon comes full circle to give her another final dubious gift
of
truth, both face the lockstep of the destructive connections that first
changed
their lives.
Boulder Girl: Bad Moon
Rising's
evocative tale of obsession, stalking, recovery, and redemption is
highly
recommended for Lana's prior readers, who will find her ongoing journey
riveting.
It belongs in any collection where women's
literature and experiences are a highlight.
Return to Index
Dear Isobel
Jinny Alexander
Creative James Media
978-1-7353926-1-5
$12.99
Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Isobel-Jinny-Alexander/dp/1735392618
Dear
Isobel will appeal to
women's fiction readers who enjoy stories replete with angst as an
affair
breaks two marriages and threatens lasting repercussions.
The story opens with a letter to Isobel...one which
explores the fallout from the affair and its impact on business and
personal
relationships alike: "It didn’t take very long for us to
realise just
what a huge and destructive thing we had done. That is why it abruptly
finished. For the past 18 months, we have been trying desperately to
piece
together the remnants of our working relationship. We’ve had some
degree of
success and hope but were always so frightened that you and James would
find
out what we had done to you both. I have always struggled with the
knowledge
that my business was in your hands. That at any given moment, you could
choose
to end it. Then, beyond stupidity, I gave you exactly the ammunition to
do just
that. I should’ve
walked—not even walked
but run like hell—away from the business in spring of last year when I
realised
we were getting too close. Failing that spectacularly, I should’ve at
least
gone a couple of months later when it was over, but I always have
believed—and
still do believe—so incredibly strongly in the business that I never
could go.
It has been such a hard fight to keep trying to build the business in
the face
of all this, and a recession too . . . and yet I had so much passion
and belief
in the business we had built that I just couldn’t leave it."
The narrator remains nameless because her
connections to a small Irish village will be threatened in the face of
such
revelations. She's a wife, mother, and business partner who crossed the
line
and must pay for it with her job (and possibly her life).
Her letters to Isobel reflect her journey into
redemption and change as she reflects both on what is broken and what
still
connects them.
The explorations of life after the affair ends are
astutely captured in reflective passages: "I want to offer
support in
the absence of Isobel. Because, for four years, I could support and
comfort and
listen and talk and offer friendship when his wife could not; and now,
perhaps
at the exact moment he needs it most, I am not able to. I store the
knowledge
that she has gone away, for I am not sure what it means. To me, it will
probably mean nothing, and if she leaves for good, it will cause him to
blame
me and hate me for all the things he already blames and hates me for.
He has
forgotten, I think, that the blame is shared. I know he needs a friend,
and I
know it cannot be me."
From constant reminders of Charles and regrets over
what did and didn't happen to the unstoppable instincts that grew
between her
and Charles and led to this pivot point in both their lives, Jinny
Alexander
crafts a compelling story rich in emotional self-examination and
community
ties.
Readers will find the flawed narrator and her
conundrums compelling, as well as the question of Charles' complacency
in the
affair and whether or not he'll choose to leave Isobel for the narrator
of
these letters.
As it embraces the point of view of The Other Woman
and her evolution, Dear Isobel creates a compelling
vision of emotional
entanglements, regrets, and both validation and self-chastisement that
make the
narrator both a villain and a relatable woman caught in an emotional
quagmire.
She is a lover, a stalker, a friend, a
home-wrecker, and a family-builder all at once.
She is Everywoman. Women who choose her story will
find her emotional passages equally enlightening, understandable, and
frightening.
Dear
Isobel deserves a place
in any discriminating library collection of women's literature. It will
especially attract whose who enjoy stories of evolving relationships
and
illicit connection conundrums that operate on a moral, ethical, and
psychologically deep playing field.
Return to Index
Death, the Pharmacist
D. Ike Horst
Atmosphere Press
9781639882274
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Death takes many forms in different stories, but in
Death, the Pharmacist, Death runs the "ever-white
way station that
was his pharmacy" and caters to beings who "...appeared day
after
day to pick up their daily dose of life essence, and it was a
single-minded
pursuit that required nothing but the innate desire to continue one’s
existence."
If you are not just taking but distributing life,
your perspective about those around you is different.
It takes a miracle to change that certainty about
life and death. It takes Robinette, a human who breaks into Death's
worldview
and purposes, to change him: “You see, being human is about
learning what
your purpose really is. It isn’t innate. It isn’t written on the fiber
of your
being. It lingers as a big question until you’ve chased answers for so
long
that you’ve established a lifetime. And if you are lucky, you would
have established
a beautiful and full lifetime.” She sees through him with a
clarity that
astonishes even the seasoned Death, who has presumably seen and heard
everything in life and death.
As he embarks on a journey to explore unnatural
alterations, nature, and his other self, readers move through Death and
a life
that revises his view of mortals as relatively mindless beings. Perhaps
he owes
more to them than doling out demises.
As readers emerge from the sheltered and set world
of Death's pharmacy into the greater world with Death and Robinette,
they
receive a delightful blend of philosophical inspection and insights
that traverse
immortal and mortal concerns alike.
Readers will enjoy the special brand of
psychological and philosophical inspection that may assume the form of
Death,
but ultimately rises to become something very different.
D. Ike Horst creates a fine story of a
paradigm-changing series of events to show that even a centuries-old
perspective set in stone can be changed. His is a thought-provoking
read that
injects contemplative, novel circumstances with a sense of fun and
self-inspection to create a delightful interplay between fictional
exploration
and spiritual and social inspection.
Death,
the Pharmacist simply delights. It
is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in an uncommon
opportunity
for a figurehead of demise to "be a better vision of himself" against
all odds and definitions.
Return to Index
Journeys: The Archers of Saint Sebastian
Jeanne Roland
Nepenthe Press
9781737887002
$24.99 Hardcover, $16.54 paper, $1.99 ebook
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Archers-Sebastian-Jeanne-Roland-ebook/dp/B09L6KZ8D7/
Website: www.jeanneroland.com
Journeys:
The Archers of Saint Sebastian is
a historical novel set in the 14th century. It tells of a community
where
archery is an obsession and membership in the Archers’ Guild of St.
Sebastian is the top desire of talented archers.
Teenager
Marieke is just as fascinated with the prospect of gaining entry into
the Guild
as any of her peers, but there's a problem. Women aren't allowed. And
she must
gain entry to its inner sanctum in order to pursue the clues
surrounding her
father's accident if she's ever to find peace, much less achievement,
in life.
Journeyman
Tristan seems to offer her a solution after she assumes the identity of
a boy
in order to achieve her goals—he takes her under his wing as his
squire, giving
her a means of pursuing her dreams and the truth even as she creates a
deception that entraps her when she falls in love with him.
Marieke
struggles with her new persona, fully aware of the isolation that
deception
brings: "...the thought of them all
looking forward to making conquests upsets me, too. It’s not even that
I want
the boys for myself. Not really. Well, maybe that’s part of it. But
it’s more
than that. It’s that making conquests is something I’ll never do. I
can’t
overcome nature with pure will, and the path I’m on right now is
destined to
leave me completely alone. It’s another reminder that I’ll never really
be one
of them, no matter how hard I pretend to fit in."
As she becomes involved with Tristan and struggles
with his objectives, romance, and her identity, Marieke edges ever closer to the truth about her
father...a truth that will lead her to question everything in her life.
All
this while providing a fun adventure that is thought-provoking and
amusing, at
the same time.
Jeanne Roland does an outstanding job of
capturing the intricacies of the 14th century world in general and the
dilemma
of a feisty teenager determined to make her way through it and achieve
her
goals against barriers which include her gender and the social
constraints of
her times.
Roland's use of the first person captures Marieke's
personality and underlying concerns, making her realistic and
appealing. Roland
is especially adept at presenting contrasts between stated objectives
and
underlying impacts as Marieke becomes more and more involved in
Tristan's
journey: "As finals approach, with each passing day I’m more
acutely
aware that I’m in a countdown, both to the last hurdle to clear for
Tristan to
earn veteran status, and to my departure from St. Sebastian’s. As our
training
progresses apace and the final competition nears, I’m increasingly
hopeful that
Tristan is going to pass, yet at the same time, I think ironically just
as I
did about my father, that if Tristan does pass and we win, how cruel it
will be
that our best day is to be our very last."
The result is an appealing adventure story highly
recommended for teen readers of historical fiction and Renaissance
times. Journeys:
The Archers of Saint Sebastian brings the era to
life as it explores
the dilemma of a determined young woman who pursues the truth even when
it
means the loss of her dreams and those she has grown to love.
Return to Index
The Magus and the Fool
Akiva Hersh
Independently Published
979-8-9856515-1-5
$10.99
Paperback/0.99 ebook
Website:
akivahersh.com
Ordering:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SKB2WTH/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_K9YSK5R67ARA5XST9P9V
Contemporary readers of F. Scott Fitzgerald's
classic The Great Gatsby who look for themes of
that work in more modern
circumstances will relish The Magus and the Fool, a
translation of
Gatsby's world into a Midwestern milieu where an idealist finds himself
mired
in a love triangle and tested on many levels.
Carry Iverson's sojourn from his Ohio roots to
Texas leads to a fateful dinner with his cousin Donovan, Donovan's wife
Fallon,
and a neighbor. When he meets Oskar Jacobi at a party, an instant
attraction
between them turns into a dangerous liaison with love and death.
Jacobi shakes Carry's foundations and belief
systems and, by his actions and presence, changes Carry's view of the
world:
"He had been gifted with a sensitivity for optimism and
passion like no
one I had ever encountered, and I never hope to again. With Jacobi,
everything
turned out just as it should have. But no matter what the blessings
were that
came with his gift, the curses hung in the air like smoke in the
burning
aftermath of his dreams. He is the reason why I have no tolerance for
the
passion and heartbreak of men."
Jacobi is wealthy, dramatic, corny, and just the
right man for Carry to fall in love with.
Akiva Hersh populates the story with explicit sex
scenes and just as explicit inspections of the facades and perils of a
sordid
love that ventures into dangerous territory when jealous wife Fallon
concocts a
murder plan to keep her husband Donovan from falling into Jacobi's
alluring
trap.
Jacobi loves Donovan. Fallon wants to kill him.
Carry is caught in a triangle far beyond not just his experience, but
his
perception of how love and hate operate in the world.
Hersh's ability to bring all three personalities
and the foundations of their belief systems and motivations to life
lends to a
story that mirrors the life lessons of wealthy socialite Gatsby, who is
thwarted in his love for Daisy despite all his charm and money.
From insights on the roots and results of optimism
and money to the contrast between gay and straight marriage and love
and a
woman's struggles to present the straight life as a more alluring
option, the
confrontations between Fallon and Jacobi are nicely presented: "...it’s
pathetic how you’ve maneuvered back into his life, building that garish
thing
across the river hoping he would want you again. But you’re a liar.
Donovan
loved me the day we got married, and he would do it all over again.”
Fallon believes she and her husband's bond can
never equal what Jacobi is offering. Jacobi maintains that she has "...lost
your chance to be better.”
As the story plays out to challenge life
perceptions of life, lust, and relationships, readers receive a solidly
thought-provoking portrait of gay and straight life that represents a
contrast
in options and opportunities on more than a sexual playing field.
Those who have read The Great Gatsby,
even
if some time ago, would do well to pursue The Magus and the
Fool in
light of a rereading of that classic. It's highly recommended for LBGTQ
collections, of course; but beyond that, the story ideally will reach
into any
literary library strong in tales of love, life challenges, and sexual
and
social revelations.
Return to Index
Midnight
Dancer
Robert
Rubenstein
Independently
Published
979-8776037061
$17.76 Hardocver/$10.97 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/MIDNIGHT-DANCER-Robert-Rubenstein/dp/B09MD7SZJF
Midnight Dancer
is a dystopian thriller that blends several genre approaches (the
futuristic
sitting of a world gone awry with a detective story). It tells of the
physically and mentally altered Jack Justice, whose very evident wires
cross in
more than one way to keep his fellow inspectors at a distance.
As
the dystopian satire evolves, readers are treated to a tale that is
sexually
graphic, intellectually thought-provoking, and socially intriguing as
Jack
Justice grows tentacles and wires that defy removal as he grows up.
Is
he a monster, or a man? Are his connections a curse or a blessing in
disguise?
Jack
operates in a milieu made for his talents, yet he is uncertain about
his
abilities. Robert Rubenstein takes the time to describe this
crime-busting
entity of the future: "Crimes were
many and divided into categories. Each had its own offices in the one
hundred
units housed inside nuclear bomb proof facilities. From within,
detectors could
sense poisons, terrorist acts from artists, civics groups, and the
environmentalists. A never-ending campaign infiltrated the ugly slabs
thought
to have marred the neighborhood and made property values almost
worthless. The
building angered the Chinese because it ignored a thoroughfare to
Chinatown,
and although the city agreed to have more greenery where the machine
guns and
other security bunkers were placed, 1Police Plaza remained a blot on
the memory
trace; an ugly— piece-of-shit landscape that loomed large in the
swirling black
rain."
Descriptions
of violence, death, disasters, and sexuality are graphic, making Midnight Dancer a cautionary tale for
those who are easily emotionally triggered by blunt, candid
descriptions that
pull no punches.
Even
as some audiences will find this futuristic dystopian world
challenging, others
will delight in the powerful descriptions which capture Jack's purpose
and
movements: "The scent of twenty
young women, though, brought him into a cold sweat. He could bed them
altogether. And not be satisfied by any of them. They would be too hot,
too
cold, too strong. For what he wanted and craved above all else had
nothing to
do with sex."
Can
passion and love kill, or can it awaken a new form of destiny to lift
the
blinders from Jack's eyes? And, what does it mean to be male or female,
in love
or fighting invisible boundaries, both physical and mental? As Dr. Rico
Starks
and Jack Justice question the nature of love, lust, and demons within,
each
presents different perspectives on the nature of devils and angels
which are
disturbing and thought-provoking alike.
Rubenstein
presents a complex, stark portrait of a man loose in a world which
feels at
once unfamiliar and all too familiar. The overlays of a detective
story, a
sexual exploration, and a social commentary evolve to create a darkly
introspective dystopian saga that is particularly recommended for
readers who
like their futuristic literature multifaceted and filled with graphic
depictions of cultural norms gone awry.
Return to Index
Monet & Oscar
Joe Byrd
Giverny Books
979-8678718525
$12.95 Paper/$4.95 Kindle
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YPCJN82/
Website: https://www.givernybooks.com/
Monet
& Oscar: The Essence of Light
follows an American soldier who survives battles in France during World
War I,
only to learn that his mother has died, removing any impulse to return
to a
home that no longer exists for him.
Instead, he decides to find new family connections
in France by searching for his long-absent father, an Impressionist
painter.
His new job under artist Monet, working at his famous garden at
Giverny, would
seem to give him an insider's view of France's Impressionist art
community and,
hopefully, provide keys to his father's identity and whereabouts.
As Oscar searches for his past, the fading artist
Monet, challenged by vision issues, begins to teach him about art,
friendship,
and community in a way that envelopes both with new possibilities and
revelations.
Much as its subject does, Joe Byrd employs an
artist's attention to detail as he captures the atmosphere of
post-World War II
France: "When the conversation waned, Blanche called for
Monet’s
favorite green cake that he’d named vert-vert. The yellow-green fondant
frosting covering the entire cake shimmered and glowed in the afternoon
light."
Under Byrd's pen, the people, personalities, and
possibilities of France's Impressionist art community come to life, as
does
Oscar's newfound goal to search for a father he never knew.
Of particular note are the sections that follow
Oscar's transformation from military man back to civilian life and the
skills
he unexpectedly brings to new situations, such as the garden tours he
begins to
lead: "Oscar’s self-confidence grew as he became more
comfortable
speaking to the group using the speaking techniques he’d developed in
addressing his men in the war."
With this newfound self-confidence and sense of
purpose comes a revised ability to understand not only Monet the
painter and
his own heritage, but a vastly revised life that becomes challenged by
the
beautiful Isabelle, who moves in and out of Oscar's life with
revelations that
change him even though he is traditionally a "small, serious
man who
women rarely approached."
As Oscar moves into his new life and revised
possibilities, Byrd continues to pepper artistic allusions throughout
the
story: “Of course, I noticed your new dress. It’s a lovely
blush color that
matches the pink roses the gardener’s wives are using to decorate the
tables
and the church.”
The reflections of and connections between art and
daily living are reinforced as Oscar's search for family brings him
unexpected
riches in places he never thought of looking.
Monet
& Oscar is an evocative
read that is emotionally compelling as Oscar learns new truths about
his
heritage and the balance between love, responsibility, and loyalty.
Libraries strong in novels about a search for
family roots and new opportunities, or fiction about artistic community
or
post-World War I culture, will find Monet & Oscar
a compelling
story.
Return to Index
Pages
Kathy Weyer
Manuscript Muse
978-1736726242
$17.97
Paper/$3.99 ebook
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Pages-Thought-Provoking-Compassionate-Thrilling-Heritage/dp/1736726242/
Website: https://kathyweyer.com/
Jade Robinson has inherited an estate that leaves
her wondering what to do with her life. So she opens a
store at Heritage Art Park called Pages, catering to the literary
community,
and seeks to keep moving forward despite her grief over Iris and other
losses.
Book
3 of the Heritage Art Park series seems to open mid-story, so readers
familiar
with the evolving story's predecessors will experience the smoothest
transition
into this continuing saga.
Jade's
decision fits in with the overall plan for the Art Park and helps her
to move
forward as she asks others what they need in their lives and responds
by
creating something that moves her away from her grief, as well.
Readers
of women's novels who enjoy stories of midlife changes and
interpersonal
relationships that operate on different levels, from business to
community-building, will find Pages
a
revealing story.
More
so than most, it depicts a community centered on the life changes,
needs,
choices, and interactions of characters who face life, death, and what
can be
achieved.
Jade's
ongoing devotion to Iris's stories and Iris's ability to move from
confusion to
seeing a project to fruition creates an absorbing atmosphere of change
and
self-empowerment: "It was worth the
sacrifice.
These things were being worked out as we moved along, and we would soon
all be
feeling more safe and comfortable."
Can
the newly date-worthy Jade Robinson handle betrayal and the
consequences of her
actions and choices and their impact on those around her?
As
readers absorb this segment of an ongoing drama, this small community
and a
woman's decisions come to life.
Library
collections strong in women's fiction and small-town lives will find Pages a compelling novel requiring only
the previous books to prove enlightening and revealing.
Return to Index
Pasta
Mike
Andrew
Cotto
Black
Rose Writing
978-1684338658
$16.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Pasta-Mike-Story-Friendship-Loss/dp/1684338654
Pasta Mike
is a novella about male friendship, loss, and mental illness, and
follows
Andrew Cotto's survey of his 40-year friendship with another man, which
ends
suddenly when Mike dies. This prompts a spiral into depression which
holds no
easy resolution as Andrew struggles with the loss of a friendship that
can
never be replaced.
It's
also a review of a somewhat idyllic New York childhood, the close bonds
of boys
who differed in ethnicity but shared so much that it felt like they
were
brothers, and a survey of how that bond began, evolved, was broken, and
continued unexpectedly: "I like to
think that Mike and I knew each other before we were born. I don’t mean
this in
a spiritual way or in some other universe. I believe this because our
mothers
were pregnant with us during the same summer of 1968, and our families
lived
around the corner from each other in our section of Queens. It was the
kind of
neighborhood nobody was forbidden from entering or passing through, a
fairly quiet
working-class enclave of mostly Irish and Italian families. The Irish
were
there first, then came the Italians. I understand there was some beef
back in
the day, but by the summer Mike and I were born, harmony prevailed and
marriages formed between some Irish boys and Italian girls and Italian
boys and
Irish girls. There were also some Greek families and Jewish families,
and newly
arrived immigrants from the Caribbean and Central America, too. It was
all good
and a great place to grow up, no more so for me and Mike; we had it
made.
Mike’s family was all Irish, and we were 100 percent Italian."
As
adulthood brings girlfriends and wives, teaching jobs, and new
experiences, the
two remain firmly bonded by roots and interactions that keep their
friendship alive
on a different level.
Abruptly
changed and challenged by death, Andrew seeks to avoid the memories
that once
gave him strength. As his trajectory spirals downward, readers receive
a solid
examination of this process: "The
routines, so to speak, both good (writing every day) or bad (getting
shit-faced
each night and taking cigarette walks) kept me occupied somewhat as
each day
became an exercise in avoidance. Memories of Mike interrupted me
throughout the
day, and especially when my guard was down during times of either not
being
immersed in creativity or succored by liquor. The experience was
relentless as
it was jarring, just a normal moment alone or in front of a class or
talking to
someone else, when a thought of Mike would arrive and ruin everything.
I
assumed this was a temporary condition, a phase of grief that I was
entitled to
because we had so many memories, and that, eventually, this “new
normal” I kept
hearing about from people who spoke of grief would arrive like a new
day and
the life I previously enjoyed would return, minus a key figure, of
course, but
livable nonetheless."
At
once a journey through friendship's bonds, their disintegration, and
Andrew's
process of moving beyond the pain, Pasta
Mike represents a study in emotional growth from beginning to
end that
holds its roots in connections and love.
Biographical
fiction seldom emerges as poignantly and powerfully as in Pasta Mike. Blend a first-person memoir
format with the
embellishing drama of fiction and the psychology of interpersonal
relationships
and self-examination for a winning story that men and women alike will
find
compelling, revealing, and hard to put down.
While
its novella format translates to library interest for fiction
collections,
ideally Pasta Mike will be included
in discussion groups about men's friendships and mental health during
grief.
It's a powerful saga that grabs and doesn't let go.
Return to Index
Post-Bliss
Jay Honeycomb
Ghost Home Publishing
9798793313360
$9.99
www.amazon.com
Post-Bliss is a novella that
opens in autumn, just before
Halloween. Ehf (Tom) has been living in town for about a year, but has
been
largely unseen. Their anonymous movement through this town is about to
change.
The first note that will help readers quickly
absorb this atmosphere is that Jay Honeycomb employs gender-neural
pronouns
(they, them) throughout the story. This lends a fluid feel to both the
characters and their evolving purposes as Ehf interacts with Marvin in
a
healing environment and begins to open up to new souls who like to do
simple
things that change lives, such as hugging strangers ("It was a
problem
because that was the first morsel of affection they had had in years,
and now
that they knew how sweet it tasted, the lack of it became intolerable,
as
though they hadn't eaten for weeks then ate the crumbs from someone's
plate.")
As late autumn "washes everything," so
Ehf finds their life washed by encounters with science, medicine,
different
forms of healing and confrontation, and evolving relationships that
introduce
the promise of transformation on many different levels.
Jay Honeycomb is masterful at contrasting these
different worlds as Ehf faces new relationships, trials,
misinformation, and
ethical concerns over financing medical research via poor and good
choices
alike.
As reality and fantasy coalesce with dreams and
misguided missions, Ehf's journey becomes one of social inspection as
life is
reinterpreted via dreams and worlds as fluid as their gender.
Literature readers will find Post-Bliss
an
evocative creation that challenges heart and mind on many different
levels:
psychologically, socially, ecologically, and ethically.
Ehf's changing experiences and perspectives create
a tale that is beautifully depicted, replete in mystery and revelation,
and
steeped in the atmosphere of a layer of experiences that introduce new
relationships and perceptions of the world.
Library collections strong in literary works of
transformation and magical realism will find Post-Bliss
a powerful short
work that packs a lot of punch into its changing story.
Return to Index
Rawhide Jake: Learning the Ropes
JD
Arnold
Five
Star Publishing
9781432889197
$25.95
https://www.gale.com/five-star
Jonas
Brighton (Rawhide Jake) has held many identities: a Civil War soldier,
POW camp
detainee, detective, and killer. Life has turned him into someone who
can
either follow or skirt the law, depending on his interests, but he's
generally
an honorable man and a loyal husband.
His
convictions and approach to life lead to his becoming a stock detective
whose
investigations and confrontations keep the law (and, sometimes, the
peace).
As
JD Arnold's historical novel follows the life and times of the real
Jonas
Valentine Brighton, it provides a vivid story of the changing morals,
challenges, and social order of the post-Civil War West.
The
saga begins in a Kansas prison, where Jake has been sentenced to five
years for
grand larceny. Ironically, it's for stealing mules and horses...the
very act
which will lend to his becoming a savvy stock detective, upon his
release.
Because
he had need for them, he didn't view his act as stealing. Jake pays his
dues in
more than one manner when his wife dies while he's in prison, changing
his
future. His prison experiences and this event lead him into unexpected
directions.
JD
Arnold takes the time to explain Jake's transformations and activities,
from
exploring his evolution in prison to employing his expertise at kick
fighting
(also learned in prison) to confront a bully.
He
surveys the methods by which Jake succeeds in his newfound career (“I am impressed with your ability to obtain a
confession from the Talbott brothers without them ever thinking it was
being
done.") and is especially adept at capturing action and
atmosphere to
add a realistic feel to Jake's story: "Dalton
drew his pistol. Jake threw his left leg over Jasper’s neck and slid
off the
saddle. Dalton’s Colt forty-five thundered and shot a red-orange flame
a foot
long out the muzzle. The bullet hit Waldrup in the back high on the
right side.
Jake still had his bullwhip in his hand, and he uncoiled it behind him
as he
pushed people out of his way. Waldrup was thrown to the boardwalk by
the
impact. The doves screamed."
Arnold's
exploration of Rawhide Jake's life, legacy, and reputation is an
example of why
historical fiction can prove much more compelling than nonfiction. The
drama,
motivations, and insights of Jake and other characters are nicely
captured
against the backdrop of ongoing confrontations that test their moral
and
ethical perceptions of their place in the world.
Rawhide
Jake: Learning the Ropes builds Jake's
life and motivations in preparation for further explorations in other
books in
the series. It will be welcomed by any library collection or patron
interested
in biographical historical fiction and depictions of post-Civil War
justice and
life.
Return to Index
The Stealing
S.A. Sutila
Advantage Media Group Inc.
978-1-64225-357-3
$9.99
ebook
www.advantagefamily.com
Live or die; love or lose? Sometimes the options
depend on not just personal determination and perseverance against all
odds,
but luck. The Stealing presents a modern gothic
romance based on a young
woman's hard life, capturing the alluring promise of college and love
and a
pathway to freedom that becomes tainted with oppression, leading her to
attempt
suicide as a last resort.
Sarah Vise’s choice leads to a rescue by handsome
neighbor Grant Eriksen, but her battered spirit enters a realm where an
attractive stranger offers her an option that comes with a heavy price
tag...one which she accepts, again with the promise that positive
change will
result and any negative side-effects will be worth the bargain.
Sarah falls into the same trap of oppression and
danger which tempers her ability to be happy and free on a more
metaphysical
scale than in her real-world encounters with her father and her
neighbor.
Readers receive a story replete with romance, angst, and paranormal
encounters
that presents a very different perspective on love, sacrifice, and
repeating
oppressive patterns.
Dangerous opportunities come to Sarah to test both
her vision of her future and her ability to survive with her soul
intact as the
story of enlightenment and danger evolves.
Readers used to the normal trappings of traditional
gothic romance will find Sarah's tale an unusual contemporary tribute
to the
genre. While it bows to the specters of love and handsome men who offer
repression and romance in a dual-fisted promise, it also crafts a tale
that
closely examines a woman's patterns of buying into and contributing to
her own
repression through fallacies about life, death, and the love that can
lie
between them.
As Sarah's spirit interacts with human and inhuman
forces, she experiences storms of the heart that lead her to
confrontations
with dangerous demon Max, haunted houses, and possessive entities that
give her
what she seems to want while attaching the shackles of ownership in the
process.
Talk about making a deal with the devil! Sarah's
pursuit of her heart's desire leads her, Grant, and those around her
down many
unexpected roads which cross the lines between fantasy and reality as
Sarah
faces illusions and considers what she will sacrifice for love.
Readers who look for engrossing scenarios that move
between reality and paranormal worlds to consider a courageous woman's
struggles with different kinds of relationships will find The
Stealing a
multifaceted story that's hard to put down.
With
its engrossing, dimension-traveling
spirit-princess at the helm of a wild ride, it will engage and surprise
those
who look for extraordinary gothic tales of love, sacrifice, and
recovery. The Stealing is highly
recommended for
libraries strong in modern gothic romances and paranormal love stories
alike.
Return to Index
Traveler
Nola Nash
Black Rose Writing
9781684338964
Kindle
- $5.99;Print - $19.95
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Traveler-Nola-Nash-ebook/dp/B09HV7JVBK
Shelby
Starling has a dream job, circling the globe writing promotional
materials for
a tour agency. It's especially perfect because, with it, she both can
live a
good life and hide from the very world she interacts with.
A
different kind of journey through time awaits her...one which requires
no
writing skills, but which does insist on her participation beyond the
routines
of daily life.
And
so the very different milieu of Traveler emerges as Shelby touches base (through time
travel) with her past
lives and their influences on her present-day blend of distancing and
engagement.
Shelby is used to the changing nuances of
technology in her journeys around her world. These even sometimes work
to her
benefit: "Internet connection in the islands was sketchy at
best, which
could be great or irritating depending on what you needed it for. One
of the
upsides when wifi was playing hard to get was you had digital
permission to
lose yourself in the island life until you stumbled upon a working
connection." She is unfamiliar with the changes that
passages through
time introduce, including an element of romance which is both
surprising and
seemingly untenable, given all the changes which buffet her world.
Nola Nash also introduces historical inspections
which impart more analysis about the past and the figures that made key
decisions affecting Shelby's future world: “Madrid’s history
is not as
ancient as some places, but the architecture is beautiful. Which helps
to take
the focus off the killing people for over three hundred years thing.”
Shelby
looked around at the stately square. “It is beautiful, but sedate for a
place
with so much history. Violent history at that.” Naomi nodded. “Which
actually
was the point. King Philip II wanted to bring order to the chaos of the
area,
so he commissioned this.”
As she struggles with her memories of these past
lives and experiences, Shelby finds herself newly acknowledging many of
her
impulses and the wellspring of their creation: "After what
she had just
seen, she wanted to run as far away from him as she could, but her body
wouldn’t
change direction."
Are her journeys back in time really lessons? If
so, will they ultimately bring her peace and a revised vision of her
own life? "What
was happening to her had purpose, even if
she didn’t know what it was yet.
Nash's ability to root her time-travel tale in a
blend of historical and personal inspection creates a compelling
atmosphere of
education and enlightenment that will attract a wider audience than the
usual
time-travel read.
Ultimately, Traveler is a story
about growth
and change. Shelby's move from being an observer to a participant,
changing the
game instead of charting its course, is astutely presented and
involving. The
novel's exploration of historical and interpersonal connections and
inspections
that allow main character Shelby to get a better grip on her
motivations and
reactions creates an adventure that is hard to put down.
While time travel and romance readers will find Traveler
of greatest interest, historical fiction readers, too, will find it a
delightful interplay between past, present, and the impact of choices
on a
larger scale than just personal transformation and understanding.
Return to Index
Treble Damages
David Elkind
Independently Published
979-8493423987
$25.99
hardcover, $16.99 paperback, and $7.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Treble-Damages-David-L-Elkind/dp/B09HQHBR2T
Jack Pressler has spent his life building his
reputation as the best antitrust lawyer in the country. In order to
attain this
position, he's also honed a personal style of ruthless, heartless
behavior that
has earned him a reputation as both effective and frightening.
This legacy of dubious success stems directly from
his experiences with a bullying father: "After his problems
with Dan,
if someone slighted Jack, no matter how insignificantly, he would react
with a
vengeance, making sure that the other person suffered the consequences
of their
actions." And it's about to be challenged by a case which
introduces
the threat of failure precisely because of how Jack approaches it with
his
usually-successful perspective.
Ironically, the one strength of perseverance and
revenge that has served Jack well in the legal industry proves his
downfall on
many different levels. Given the strength of his legacy and his years
of
successfully deploying his anger in professional circles, how can Jack
move
from a flaw that is both fatal and powerfully effective when this
requires a
360 degree turn in the opposite direction?
Treble
Damages is a story not
just of success gone awry, but anger management. The irony of rage's
redirection to successful professional circles and then it's (perhaps
inevitable) disintegration when Jack reveals the extent of this
personality
disorder will not be lost on readers who follow Jack from his father's
early
messages to his latest conflicts.
Imagine that you've built a life on seemingly solid
foundations of overcoming childhood adversity, only to see it fall
apart as ego
proves an obstacle to personal and professional success.
David Elkind is especially adept at portraying
confrontations that eventually force Jack to acknowledge his failings,
adding
strong supporting characters like fellow professional Heather, who
confronts
Jack's attitude with a spunky assessment of her own: “Jack, I
thought about
giving you the case to give to Marty to take credit for finding it, but
he
would have known that was a lie. The relevant question is how you would
have
reacted if Liam had found the case instead of me. Would you have jumped
down
his throat? I don’t think so. I think you did it with me because you
thought it
was safe to vent your frustration at me. Well, you were wrong. You need
to think
before you blow your cool and you need to grow up. I worked damn hard
to find
that case, and what I found is going to turn a worthless case into a
gold mine
for the client and for the firm. You should be happy for me, but you
can’t,
because your ego means only you count. Well, I can’t be with someone
who only
cares about themselves, and who can’t enjoy the success of other people
they
are supposed to love.”
On the face of it, Treble Damages
is a legal
story about a lawyer's challenging career. But this legal drama of
successes
and failures is driven by underlying emotional currents that ebb and
flow in a
satisfying manner to make connections between past experiences and
lessons,
present-day choices, and future consequences. This juxtaposition of
emotional and
professional change will satisfy readers of legal dramas and
psychological
growth alike.
Jack's rationalisms for his behaviors and events,
his anguish over his sound defeat on a key case, and his changing
relationships
all power a story that moves readers on many different levels.
From his moves to smaller-town Harrison back to
Manhattan to his evolving relationships as his power grows, Jack
exhibits a
tight control over his workplace and himself which leads him to
understand what
the real root of the problem is, in a surprising conclusion.
Elkind's Treble Damages will
grab readers
interested in legal processes, but also holds the power to educate and
enlighten as they absorb Jack's effective and ineffective approaches to
life
and law.
This moving tale, dually powered by emotion and
legal process, belongs in any collection strong in psychological dramas
and
legal fiction.
Return to Index
Valentine
to Faith
Victoria
Foyt
Sand
Dollar Press
978-1-64786-455-2
$9.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
www.SandDollarPress.com
"Come to me, my love."
Bad
omens and poor decisions have plagued one woman's life. Now they
threaten to
spill into the next generation's experiences.
Valentine to Faith
opens in 1985 Florida, where single mother Angel del Corazon leads a
good (if
not deceptive) life with her daughter Faith, on Sanibal Island. Faith
is set to
go to college in a move that belays the family's plague of adversity
and bad
luck.
But
both seem to evolve when Faith falls into the same trap her mother
experienced,
becoming involved with an abusive man whose actions change her
successful
upward trajectory and dreams.
Angel
has had to lie to her daughter, disguising the truth about her father
to
protect her. She's even lied about her name. These lies come back to
haunt her
as Faith questions her identity and Angel is forced to confront both
her
motivations for keeping many secrets and a truth that will change them
both.
Superstition,
portents of doom, and espionage entwine with past, present, and future
possibilities as Faith, Angel, and those around them unwittingly fall
into
destructive patterns of the past.
The
Sea Goddess Yemaya and the Victorian shell craft of Sailors’ Valentines
permeate a story that moves between mother, daughter, and the cultural
and
psychological forces that both estrange and connect them.
Powerfully
grounded in reality but overlaid with an aura of mystique and
atmospheric
depictions of sea and land, Valentine to
Faith leads readers on a heady journey of self-discovery,
confession,
revelation, and danger, all replete with many satisfyingly unexpected
twists
and turns.
Women
who look for stories of romance, magical realism, and family
connections will
find Valentine to Faith a
thought-provoking journey, indeed.
Return to Index
And the Stars Began to Fall
Madeleine S. de Jean
Telemachus Press
978-1-951744-97-7
$25.00
Paper/$9.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NHPWLM3/
Fade in to a sky full of exploding, falling stars
in Pylos, Greece in 1190 B.C. King Nestor's observation of this occurs
on the
anniversary of the 1214 Mycenae disaster.
Is this story sci-fi? Speculative fiction?
Historical
fiction? And the Stars Began to Fall refuses to
neatly fit into a given
category—and that is one of its pleasures, even though this could
present a
conundrum to libraries who like to neatly peg and file a book under one
genre.
Little did archaeologist Margaret
Benson know that her discovery of an ancient figurine would lead to
knowledge
of an ancient curse set to recreate history's disaster, warning her of
her own
death and events which will once again change the world.
As she embarks on a journey between past and
present to uncover the truth about what caused the end of the
great
Bronze Age Peloponnesos society and what threatens her modern-day
world,
Margaret finds herself on a time-travel journey that holds portent for
not just
her own destiny, but that of all eras of history.
Readers
anticipating an archaeological mystery or supernatural suspense story
will find
heavy doses of both in this book, as well as an alternate history
historical
backdrop that will intrigue sci-fi enthusiasts. Any singular reader of
these
genres may be surprised by the other elements which coalesce here, but
this
just makes the book a stronger, wider-ranging, less predictable, and
thoroughly
delightful story that will reach a large audience.
As the search for an incredible woman evolves into
a magical journey capable of challenging its twenty-first century
characters,
readers will find the twists and turns delightful, the characters
realistic and
involving, and the story both thought-provoking and enlightening.
Who or what has determined and directed human
affairs?
And
the Stars Began to Fall's ability to
weave historical influences and questions into bigger-picture thinking
makes
for an exceptional read. It operates on various levels of complexity,
fueled by
action and intrigue that keeps it a heady and involving read from start
to
finish, and is worthy of inclusion in sci-fi, alternate history,
history, and
thriller fiction library collections alike.
Return to Index
Brilliant White Peaks
Teng Rong
Independently
Published
978-1777858506
$14.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/177785850X
Brilliant White Peaks
will appeal to readers who like animal stories and reflective works
strong in
magic, adversity, and tenacity.
Teng Rong employs the first person to
capture the wolf narrator's experiences of his world, drawing readers
from its
opening lines: "I first saw light
when Ma left the safe place. I opened my eyes, and there was a tiny and
bright
crescent of light in the distance. I didn’t like it, so I squeezed my
eyes shut
and shrank back into the warm, earthy depths to wait for Ma to come
back. I
longed for her warmth and her scent—the scent of home and safety."
Wolf perceptions and natural history blend
especially well in this story, which depicts the world from the
viewpoint of a
young canine protagonist who faces the early breakup of his family unit
and the
special charge to protect his sister from the wild world around them.
This attention to detail in capturing these
perceptions makes Brilliant White Peaks
a powerful study. While it anthropomorphizes
its characters to some extent, Teng Rong attends to creating a tale
firmly
rooted in the natural history of wolves as he follows the yearling's
journey to
put his family back together against all odds.
The descriptions of how the wolves interact
with one another are vivid and evocative, adding drama and action to
the story:
"I heard voices, paw steps, and the
rustling of danger that made my fur stand on end. White-Ears hid at the
back
and shook and whimpered, so I stood up and walked over to her. I licked
her
face until her breathing calmed and she opened her eyes again."
The animals have emotions and respond to
their environments, experiences, and possibilities. These bring the
wolf's
world to life to create not only a memorable story, but one steeped in
both
atmosphere and evocative encounters: "Our
voices tangled and danced together until it was one single voice and
then one
single echo."
Fans of Watership
Down and other outstanding works centered in animal
perspectives will
relish the opportunity to get to know the wolf's world from a more
intimate
vantage point in Brilliant White Peaks,
which is highly recommended for all ages.
Return to Index
The Empathy
Academy
Dustin Grinnell
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-220-5
$17.99 Paperback/$7.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
The Empathy Academy
presents a moral and medical conundrum over ethics testing on teens.
Here,
those with questionable test results are sent to Woodward Academy on
Nantucket
Island for special instruction.
One of the Academy's first students is
Montgomery Hughes. Unbeknownst to the educators, however, Montgomery is
not
really a candidate for this school, as he's switched his test results
with
another student in order to address his self-perceived personality
deficits.
Herein lays the danger, because Montgomery's
abilities include a savvy form of inspection and analysis that lead him
to uncover
a plot others are missing. It's a dark secret that questions the
results of an
ethics-intervention program that will stop at nothing to change its
participants.
Montgomery has plenty of logical reasons for
his subterfuge: "Even though the
genetic test had proven that Monty wasn’t predisposed to unethical
behavior
like Joseph, he still had his father’s genes." But these pale
in the
face of ironic, unethical behavior that motivates the testers and
dictates the
treatment for students identified as being "at risk." Exposing this
plot's more insidious results creates a dilemma that calls into
question much
more than the program's ability to change the psyche.
Dustin Grinnell is especially adept at
capturing the bigger-picture dilemmas that stem from labeling moral and
ethical
behavior patterns: '...why don’t people
act in these situations?' Monty asked. Palmer smiled grimly. 'You’ve
arrived at
the most terrifying aspect of all these events: the detachment people
can show
when observing events like the Holocaust.'
Montgomery's inspection of his own heritage,
his motivations for changing it, and the impact of a program designed
to
reintroduce ethical behaviors in its subjects makes for a gripping
story that
is part sci-fi and part philosophical reflection, questioning
scientific
approaches to revising human behavior.
It raises many questions in the course of
crafting a fast-paced story packed with intrigue and suspense as
Montgomery
gets to the heart of questions about his own legacy and impact on
society.
While sci-fi readers interested in thriller
atmospheres will be the most likely audience for The Empathy
Academy,
it's also highly recommended as a discussion piece for philosophy
students
interested in moral and ethical dilemmas.
Placing it on the reading lists of such an
audience will assure that its message, couched in strong adventure
descriptions
and ethical probes, will translate to thought-provoking debates and
classroom
discussions as students absorb a more contemplative message than the
usual sci-fi
read offers.
Return to Index
From Auschwitz with Love
Daniel Seymour
Amsterdam Publishers
9789493231887
$19.95 Hardcover/$16.95 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
Website: www.fromauschwitzwithlove.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Auschwitz-Love-Inspiring-Grunberger-Mermelstein/dp/9493231887
From Auschwitz with Love: The Inspiring
Memoir of Two Sisters' Survival, Devotion and Triumph as told by Manci
Grunberger Beran & Ruth Grunberger Mermelstein belongs in
collections strong in Holocaust history and survival memoirs.
This 13th book in
the publisher's Holocaust series of publications contrasts the lives of
two
very different siblings who were young girls when they were sent to
Auschwitz,
along with eight members of their immediate family.
It was the
special bond between these sisters that gave each the courage to endure
and
survive circumstances which felled others, and which is captured here
in a
story that tells of both inhumanity and the enduring power of love.
As it outlines
the backdrop of events that led to Auschwitz and details the process of
dehumanization and cruelty employed by their Nazi capturers, From
Auschwitz
with Love follows how the sisters moved beyond survival to
rebuild their
lives.
There are many
Holocaust memoirs, but this one, in particular, holds vivid memories
and
contrasts between experiences that bring Auschwitz to life: "I
thought
it was a haunting feeling. Besides sorting clothes in the warehouse, we
were
assigned to enter the sauna building and remove clothing left behind by
the
other prisoners and victims. You were always wondering about the owners
and how
the SS lied and deceived them into thinking that their lives were about
to get
better."
The contrasts
between the sisters; the evolution of their lives before, during, and
after
imprisonment; and the determination they exhibit during these
experiences are
captured for future generations with vivid diary passages: "At
the time
we didn't know anything about our circumstances. But I remember it now
in two
ways. You either gave in and then you had no hope. Or you decided they
were not
going to win, but, to be honest, you still never thought you would get
out."
With its powerful
writing testifying to endurance, love, and perseverance, From
Auschwitz with
Love both documents the Holocaust and provides insights and
inspirations
for future generations studying World War II history, the process by
which
people dehumanize others to justify their cruelty, and how survival can
be
achieved against all odds.
It belongs,
certainly, in any Holocaust or World War II library. But From
Auschwitz with
Love also needs to be part of any discussion group about
ethics, morals,
and survival. Like Anne Frank, these messages need to live on past
their
writers and eras, reminding readers about humanity, inhumanity, and how
to be
both a survivor and a better person.
Return to Index
The Itinerant
Elizabeth Engstrom
IFD Publishing
978-1-7342978-9-8
Paperback:
$11.95/Kindle: $6.95
Author Website: www.elizabethengstrom.com
Publisher: www.ifdpublishing.com
The
Itinerant is a dystopian
suspense story that centers on fifteen-year-old Parker Montrose, who
tries to
navigate a chaotic world after an apocalypse leaves him in charge of
his
younger sister Sherilyn.
The pandemic world which introduces his situation
will prove quite familiar to those navigating COVID today, where
Parker's
household appears normal even as frightening news grows about the
illness.
Their little town of Rowan, Oregon seems safe from the winds that carry
the
sickness...until it is not.
Parker has been charged with caring for his
sibling; one of the last tasks his parents presented to him. And, just
before
their demise, a miracle has occurred: "Something had
happened.
Something terrible, something wonderful, something unimaginable had
just
happened, because Parker, her sweet, beautiful son, in all his sixteen
years,
had never before spoken."
Elizabeth Engstrom builds a world suddenly and
vastly changed by an epidemic, and a teenager who adapts along with it
to grow
his own potential in order to survive in ways his parents and society
could
never have prepared him for.
As different characters come into Parker's life and
interact, he realizes that he's not the one speaking. Something is
speaking
through him. That entity may be offering the only real hope humanity
has left,
as it's decimated by the virus.
There is violence along the way as characters face
a new world and tests of their ability to survive. From encounters with
bad
guys to community-building against all odds, Parker is the pivot point
for hope
and transformation that teaches other teens how to adapt and survive.
Hope springs eternal. But, does Parker's ability
mean he can heal those wounded during this effort?
Engstrom create a thought-provoking story that
sojourns through adversity, changed objectives, and a world completely
transformed.
There are many unexpected moments that affect both
Parker and his mission in life as he encounters others who also face
changes
and challenges to their core values.
The spiritual component and message of unity and
preservation that runs through Parker's experiences and story are
delightful
threads that will keep young adults reading and involved.
Anyone interested in stories of post-apocalyptic
survival and transformation will find The Itinerant
more intriguing,
holding a deeper message about humanity's objectives and survival, than
most
genre reads.
Return to Index
My Xanthi
Stephanie Cotsirilos
Los Galesburg: A Novella Press
978-0-9916037-1-8
$15.00
Ordering: https://www.losgalesburg.com/purchase-1/my-xanthi-by-stephanie-cotsirilos
My
Xanthi represents a
blend of coming-of-age story and novella based on the narrator's
autobiography.
It captures the nuances of tragedy, survival, and post-World-War-II
Greece from
the vantage point of the narrator's nanny, Xanthi.
Combine these elements with a thriller backdrop for
a tale that challenges pat categorization and opens with a bang,
portending the
swift pace and attraction of the entire book: "Like the Greek
grandfather I was afraid of, I’m a patient man with a wicked temper.
The
upside? Being pissed off makes me good at what I do: death penalty
legal
defense. Lawyers like me deploy anger strategically for maximum effect
in the
courtroom and, alright, occasionally at home. The latter with mixed
results.
Ask my Korean-American wife Janet."
In a succinct manner, Stephanie Cotsirilos sets the
stage for an information-packed saga that keeps readers both informed
and
involved, using (to its benefit) as few words as possible. This
approach
results in an engaging story that fires on all levels with solid
emotional
draws, vivid descriptions, and prose that's not cluttered with
excessive
details.
The sixty-six-year-old narrator evolves with his
story, and his Greek connections, American experiences, and memories of
his
Greek childhood nanny Xanthi interact with his family's "daily, messy,
satisfying life" to create a portrait of adversity and achievement.
It takes a Greek immigrant woman to re-familiarize
this driven lawyer with his heritage and the lasting impact the war
holds on
future generations.
Against the backdrop of a coming-of-age story, a
timeless tale of immigrant experience, assimilation, and a pursuit of
justice
long after atrocities have been committed provides readers with a
gripping saga
that connects not just two lives, but generations of experience and
their
resonating impacts.
My
Xanthi is especially
astute in depicting how the narrator becomes engulfed by Xanthi's
story. As he
tackles family secrets and insights alike, readers become involved in
Xanthi's
impact and family interactions which evolve on many different levels: "My
whole family not seeing what I see, none of us admitting what we might
have
learned through heating vents, which maybe was different for each of
us." The
result is an evocative tale of struggle, redemption, and discovery that
will
resonate with many.
My
Xanthi is highly
recommended for audiences ranging from readers of coming-of-age stories
and
immigrant experience to those who look for astute considerations of
survival
and the pursuit of justice.
Return to Index
Purpose Work Nation
Brandon Peele
Independently Published
9798411780376
$15.00
http://purposework.us
Business and political leaders who want a more
purposeful approach to guiding the U.S.'s renewal will find Purpose
Work
Nation just the ticket.
Brandon Peele outlines past perceptions of business
as a leader and driver of the nation's successes and failures, opening
with the
chapter "Business as Religion, Villain, and Savior," contrasting its
image and role in U.S. history.
He considers how traditional images of success
often didn't (and don't) consider other ethnicities and their
experiences or
culture, discussing how, too often, "...our legacy has been one of
dominance, dehumanization and dispossession for profit."
After laying the groundwork with a review of the
history and socioeconomic development of this nation, Peele explores
the myths
that shaped an economy built on genocide and slavery and its dissonance
with
the nation's purpose: "Knowing the truth about our history
would not
bother us if we took pride in being a bunch of shifty eagles. These
truths only
bother us because deep down we know we are better than the murdering,
thieving,
raping, and enslaving of our ancestors. If we didn’t hold ourselves to
a higher
standard, if we didn’t have a noble national purpose, reading this
would
produce no resistance, no knot in the pit of our stomachs."
Peele's concept of "bison ethics"
suggests a different approach to not just business, but the people who
drive
its culture. This opens in the second chapter and receives further
development
as the book moves through systems failures, issues of racial and social
justice, the unspoken assumptions in hiring and training, and how
relationships
may be guided by the ethics of the nation's National Mammal, the bison,
as a
source of strength.
His focus on best practices and real-world
applications creates a new culture and paradigm for success that moves
from
business to social and political circles: "To do this, we
must think
holistically and get at the source of what people need to flourish: a
balanced
work-load, living wages, flexibility, meaning, connection, care, and
believing
they matter and are a part of something that matters. The bison way is
one of
relationships versus the eagle's outputs, of covenants versus the
eagle's
contracts. It is about establishing our personal covenant with our
unique
purpose, and with each other around a shared mission. It is the way of
nurturing a healthy culture where each of us can activate and fulfill
our
purpose on the job, and enjoy rich connections with each other."
The result is a powerful survey of business and
human affairs that links diversity to strength and eschews the
predatory,
inhumane approaches of the "eagle" in favor of the "bison
way" which confronts white supremacy and positions the
workplace as
the starting place to effect real social and political change: "The
workplace is where we congregate to serve and empower others, to
activate our
unique purpose, fulfill our potential, nurture community, and achieve
our
mission. We bring the spirit of the bison home with us and let it guide
our
family and civic life. In so doing, we activate the purpose of this
nation,
repair the damage from our nation's misspent youth, and achieve
redemption."
Readers may initially be drawn by the book's
promise of keys to better leadership, but they'll find its
wider-ranging
approach to building a better culture ripples into society with lasting
and
positive impacts on human rights that lead to a better quality of life
for all.
Idealistic? Yes. Achievable? Absolutely.
No business collection should be without Purpose
Work Nation, but it's just as highly recommended for
libraries strong in
social and political issues, civil rights, and American civics.
Return to Index
The Santorini Setup
Becky Bohan
NanBec Books
9798750126934
Paperback:
$14.00/ebook: $5.99
Website: nanbec.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Santorini-Setup-Becky-Bohan-ebook/dp/B09MMC51TB
Readers of thrillers, romances, and suspense novels
are in for a treat with The Santorini Setup, which
represents a winning
combination of all three genres as Britt Evans finds her idyllic
working
holiday changed by the death of a photographer on the Greek island of Santorini.
Although the death is supposedly accidental, a
suspicious American Embassy woman believes otherwise, and taps Britt to
delve
deeper to find out what really happened.
As Britt navigates an intriguing Mediterranean
world and culture and moves ever closer to the truth, she finds her own
life in
jeopardy as she contemplates a setup whose impact could affect a wide
circle of
people.
Enter Cassie Burkhardt, a computer
engineer who also finds herself involved in dangerous circumstances
beyond her
control, from a budding romance to becoming caught in the snare of a
Greek
intelligence operation gone awry.
As Cassie and Britt find themselves on the same
side to solve a puzzle which increasingly envelopes them in a dangerous
situation, so they find their mutual attraction growing.
The
Santorini Setup creates a fine
juxtaposition of love and death, moving through Greek culture and the
worlds of
Athens and Santorini's history as two women confront forces influencing
both
sides of the investigation.
With so many elements intersecting, it could have
been easy to find the story a challenge to absorb. Becky Bohan does a
fine job
of cementing the criminal and cultural elements of her story with
strong
psychological profiles of characters who find themselves connected by
more than
just circumstance.
This attention to strong characterization blends
nicely with a sense of place to bring The Santorini Setup to
life,
crafting a mystery that brings the two characters ever closer to one
another and
a truth that could threaten them both.
Mystery, suspense, thriller, LBGTQ, and romance
collections alike will welcome this multifaceted story of evolving
connections
and dilemmas. It remains satisfyingly unpredictable and moving to the
end, and
deserves a place in any library collection strong in women's adventure
stories.
Return to Index
Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps and Market It
Hank Quense
Strange Worlds Publishing
978-1-7333424-6-9
$1.99
ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Self-publish-Book-10-Steps-Blueprint-ebook/dp/B09L6DZCMH
Self-Publish
a Book in 10 Steps and Market It
takes the effort of publishing a book a step further than most by
making the
marketing aspect just as important as the acts of writing and
publishing.
Writing a book is only the first hurdle. Equally
formidable is the task of publishing it and seeing that it receives all
the due
attention required in order to reach its potential audience.
Hank Quense reviews all these keys to success in
each of these areas, exploring the pros and cons of different avenues
of
publication and promoting self-publishing with an eye to explaining the
accompanying challenges authors will face in placing more of the
decision-making
(and work, and profits) in their own hands.
He creates an integrated plan that includes a
graphical outline of the ten steps covered in his book, treating
publishing and
marketing tasks as a "unified topic" (as they should be, but too
often are not, in competing books).
Quense emphasizes that "Self-publishing
means the author must undertake ALL the tasks a publisher would do if
the
author sold the book to the publisher," and he outlines each
of these
tasks, which are essential ingredients in the formula for success.
Chapters assume no prior knowledge of any part of
the process, whether it is defining an ISBN number and how to gain and
use it
to not just obtaining but effectively employing early book reviews in
the
promotion process.
Each step is clearly outlined, defined, and covered
with an attention to best practices and clear understanding. Quense is
also
candid about obstacles self-published authors face ("Book
stores are a
tough nut to crack for self-published authors, especially if it’s a
first book
and the author has no name recognition. Most book stores in this
country use
Ingram as their distributor. If your book is distributed by Ingram, is
returnable and has the industry standard discount (55%), there is a
chance book
stores will order your book and put it on their shelves for a while.
However,
book stores will not know about the book’s existence unless you tell
them about
it. Contacting book stores one at a time is a mind-numbing activity,
especially
if you pursue out-of-area and out-of-state book stores. The only
cost-effective
way to query these stores is by using email.").
With its progressive survey of the steps needed to
perform specific tasks to tackling pre- and post-launch marketing,
Quense's
methodical assessments and information represents one of the best
choices on
the market for self-published authors to understand the entire process,
to
foster recognition and success.
Self-Publish
a Book in 10 Steps and Market It is
highly recommended; especially for first-time would-be authors who may
have a
manuscript in hand, but need the nuts and bolts on what to do next.
Return to Index
The Syphilis Artist
Per Olav Verås
Vanguard Press
978-1800162297
$15.99
Paper/$4.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Syphilis-Artist-Olav-Ver%C3%A5s/dp/1800162294
"I
know she watches me."
The
Syphilis Artist is a
novel of mystery and social isolation that follows the life of
Norwegian artist
Andreas Olav Hansen as he pursues his art and questions his obsession
with Mia
Miraja. She seems like a fantasy dream until she shows up on his
doorstep in
real life to break into his isolated world and introduce vast changes
to his
art and psyche.
The story opens with a vivid dream of the
author flying over a destroyed town as a blackbird who then transforms
into a
vision of himself as a boy hiding, with a girl, from her destructive,
approaching mother.
As events unfold both in reality and in the
narrator's visions and mind, it quickly becomes evident that a force of
evil is
an undercurrent in his world, as much as obsessive love. Descriptions
of
violence and deranged responses to life evolve as the circumstances of
this
nameless artist's isolation come to life: "The way the little
virus
crept up on us, the little, mischievous thief. Now that a year has
passed, like
a day...An odd mischief because its awakening led me to this place,
this old
farmhouse. The way I wait out these minutes and hours, the way time
passes."
As hallucinations, reality, and responses to dreams
and life emerge, readers interested in literary stories of mystery,
isolation,
and suspense will find much to think about, especially during these
modern
times of pandemic angst.
Per Olav Verås creates a character who is, in a
sense, the Everyman of artists everywhere...an artist whose sketches
pepper the
story, and whose dreams of past, present, and future coalesce as the
tale
unfolds.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of The
Syphilis Artist lies in its buildup of events as the narrator seeks
to "press the rewind button" on his life while navigating the
treacherous waters of sanity, insanity, and love.
As Mia leads him to new revelations about his past,
her identity, and their future, a sense of passion gone awry draws
readers ever
closer to the heart of evil's creation.
To say that this story is a mystery or suspense
piece would be to do it an injustice. While these genre fans will gain
much
from the evolving story, it's the literature reader interested in
psychological
and interpersonal introspections who will best appreciate the many
literary
devices Per Olav Verås employs as he follows his character down the
rabbit hole
of truth and illusion.
Literary as well as suspense readers will find The
Syphilis Artist
disturbing, engrossing, and compelling; rich in its portrait of a
Norwegian
artist who creates more than art ("The
evil that men do, that lives after them.") as his legacy.
Return to Index
"Thank You! With Deepest Gratitude"
Michael Floissac
Outskirts Press, Inc.
978-1-977-4750-6
$29.95 Hardcover/$19.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
Website: www.michaelfloissac.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Deepest-Gratitude-Appreciation/dp/1977247504
"Thank
You! With Deepest Gratitude" is
a study in contrasts. It juxtaposes the life lessons Michael Floissac
learned
in cultivating a life of gratitude with notes on a lifetime of
observations of
this gratitude in action all around him. It is highly recommended for
spiritual
and psychological self-help readers who seek to integrate a sense of
gratitude
into their own approaches to life.
Three categories provide the narrowed focus
necessary to place the subject of gratitude within the reader's hands:
Universe, Community, and the Individual. These themes help focus the
topic,
which is probed in short, digestible chapters that offer examples and
encourage
readers to reflect on gratitude's incarnation in their own lives.
Because each chapter stands alone, this lends to
browsing rather than linear exploration—another attribute for
attracting
readers who may be stressed, and who have shorter attention spans that
would
have been challenged by verbosity.
Inspirational quotes open chapters cemented by
autobiographical inspection and vignettes which illustrate the author's
experiences at different stages of life.
Sections encourage readers to explore their own
stories, offering questions that conclude with an 'action item' for
moving from
experience to self-examination to enactment.
From journeys through music to love, these
explorations will attract thinking readers with thought-provoking
passages,
revelations, and insights that encourage further reflections on the
links
between experience and gratitude.
The result is an empowering, accessible book that
both considers and reflects gratitude, using a lesson plan that readers
can
employ to identify, modify, and cultivate their own gratitude journeys
through
life.
Libraries strong in spirituality, psychology, and
self-help will find "Thank You! With Deepest Gratitude"
attractive and enlightening. It's especially recommended for
collections that
see traffic from new age readers.
Return to Index
Your Health Is At Risk
Dr. John Poothullil, MD, FRCP
New Insights Press
978-1-7359344-7-1
$12.95
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Health-Risk-Information-Lifestyle/dp/173593447X
Your Health Is at Risk: How to
Navigate Information
Chaos to Prevent Lifestyle Diseases is about
understanding and critically analyzing health information. It
is as much about the methods and dangers of disinformation and
misinformation
in the health industry as it is about how to maintain health and
prevent
'lifestyle diseases' such as diabetes.
Each chapter deals with an example of
disinformation, misinformation, or even missing information about a
specific
condition that, when people are misled, can become a serious lifestyle
disease.
In one chapter,
for example, it discusses how intentional disinformation about the
coronavirus
and vaccines has led to resurgence after resurgence of the
pandemic. In
another chapter, it contains new insights and thinking that
will prove especially intriguing to diabetics, as diabetes is one major
example
of disinformation that is reconsidered here by Dr. Poothullil's
approach.
Common
medical perspectives hold that Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin
resistance,
with medical treatments revolving around this premise. In fact, Dr.
Poothullil
maintains that this fallacy has resulted in popular drug regimens and
treatments
which worsen the problem because they are based on illogical premises
and
conclusions.
In this
case, his "fatty acid burn theory" addresses better
the common puzzles of diabetes than the insulin resistance theory, such
as the
fact that even in-control diabetics with good blood sugars still often
experience long-term effects.
This is just one example of how health
misinformation has guided treatments and resulted in conclusions and
approaches
to health that have long-term detrimental impacts on patients.
All is not lost, however. Dr. Poothulli
maintains that savvy diabetics (and others) can take control of their
own
health: "All these conclusions are
based on misinformation. You are being misled into believing in the
insulin-resistance theory and the genetic inheritance theory of
diabetes. The
fact is, it is entirely in your hands to take charge of your life to
prevent
the development of adult-onset diabetes. Your diet plays the largest
role in
preventing high blood sugar. And your diet is something you can
control."
From missing information on the promotion of
whole grains to the lack of information about cholesterol management,
Dr.
Poothulli draws clear connections between misinformation and
conclusions that
lead to more drug use as a solution, when good health could lie just as
easily
in a patient's hands through changes in diet and lifestyle.
The book does not limit itself to diabetes
alone. It also explains disinformation and misinformation about the
pandemic,
as well as about obesity, cancer, and heart disease. In each
case,
disinformation and misinformation cause people to make poor choices
that can
lead to these lifestyle diseases. Dr. Poothullil also
provides
recommendations for how the government and media companies can prevent
disinformation
and misinformation.
Yes, Your
Health Is at Risk offers intriguing food for
thought for individuals
and professionals concerned about health, but it should be included in
any
collection strong in critical thinking about self-care choices. Health
is often
at risk not just because of illness, but due to the ways in which the
medical
community defines, analyzes, and offers solutions.
Return to Index
Arko: The Cosmic Order
U.W. Leo
UltraParticle
ASIN: B09QLL1BFY
$4.99
www.ultraparticle.com
Arko:
The Cosmic Order continues the
story begun in the first Arko children's sci-fi story and takes place
five
years later, where the teen Arkonots face both the positive results of
their
technology-enhancing efforts from Book 1 and opposition to these
efforts to
restore the Earth and provide positive genetic modifications.
The opposition has captured their leader Ben in an
effort to stop them, resulting in an intergalactic struggle that leads
the
Arkonots to reconsider their mission and its ultimate goals.
Because Arko: The Cosmic Order
is filled
with an otherworldly backdrop that involves dinosaurs, telepathic
abilities,
and competing special interests, kids who choose this story ideally
will have
absorbed the first adventure in Arko: The Dark Union.
This audience will
find it simple to pick up where the first book left off (albeit in the
near
future) to absorb more adventures as the tweens of the first book move
into
their teenage years, powers, and face even more challenges.
The story opens on a dinosaur-filled landscape with
an unusual experiment which is moving the Earth back to the landscapes
it
enjoyed before human activity transformed it. Leo's descriptions of
this
evolving paradise bring its sights, smells, and attractions to life:
"Gaia was greeted by a powerful scent of wildflowers. Throughout the
valley before her, red poppies, white roses, and small, blue pimpernels
grew in
great profusion. The green grazing grounds spread as far as the eye
could see.
She inhaled the clear, clean air and allowed the soft breeze to envelop
her.
The world was so pure that even the bees humming around her seemed
friendly. A
swarm of feathered micro-raptors passed by, gliding among the nearby
trees.
Each had four wings with feathers striped in dark green and light blue.
Although little, these predators terrorized any creature smaller than
themselves."
Readers are treated to a survey of this evolving
world before the action begins off-planet. Leo adds unexpected humor
that embraces
ironic inspection and injects delightful moments of comic relief: “For
all
intents and purposes, we only have… one lightrino.”
“Why?”
“Of
the three, one has lost its navigating capacity and another is
completely
unresponsive.”
“And
the third?”
“It's
relatively functional.”
“Relatively?”
“Yes.
It's just the asteroid avoidance system that isn't working.”
Delightful interplays between characters are just
one of the strong points in a journey that carries the Arkonots into
their teen
years and positions of authority that sometimes conflict with their
elders'
perceptions of their abilities.
From wormholes in space that portend disaster and
loss to a talking pterosaur's reflections about God and destiny, Arko:
The
Cosmic Order takes many unexpected twists and turns as the
now-teen
characters find their way into and out of universe-changing trouble.
Tweens and young adults who look for exciting
sci-fi adventure steeped in humor and action will find Arko:
The Cosmic
Order a study in friendships, searches for meaning and
connection, and
fundamental questions ("why does it matter if life exists?").
The answers—and the adventure—are intricately
interwoven to provide a blend of rollicking good tale filled with
thought-provoking reflections on humankind, the universe, and the
evolving
capabilities and purposes of the Arkonots.
Return to Index
The Ballad of Billy McFee
Ruby Mosher
Virginia Raymond Publishing
9781737887800
Ebook:
$5.99/Paperback: $11.99
Website: https://rubymosher.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Ballad-Billy-McFee-shanty-read-ebook/dp/B09KSBHV3F
The Ballad of Billy
McFee: A Sea Shanty To
Read Or Sing introduces picture book readers to the
concept of a sea shanty, and will prove particularly inviting to adults
who
choose it for read-aloud.
Billy
McFee is a colorful fish with a problem. His ship is stuck in the muck
on the
sea floor, and he's determined to solve his problem no matter what
others say
about the impossible circumstances involved in freeing it.
A
rollicking rhyme follows Billy's dilemmas as skeptical clams observe
and
criticize and a sympathetic crab tries to dispel the negativity
surrounding
Billy's struggles.
Adults
receive the perfect opportunity to teach the very young about concepts
of
teamwork, positivity, determination, and diversity as a crew of sea
denizens
try to help.
The
parallel stories of the crab and clams expand the perspective of the
tale beyond
Billy McFee's observations and dilemmas.
The
lively rhymes, appearances of different sea creatures, and underlying
lessons
about overcoming adversity are nicely done, teaching kids about both
sea
shanties and cooperation as they sing along with the nautical effort.
Adults
looking for an interactive picture book opportunity that operates on
many
different levels will find The Ballad of
Billy McFee just the ticket for a lively, thought-provoking
read.
Return to Index
Billy the Bully
Sharon Linen-Fordham and Kierra Linen
Independently Published
979-8728604631
$9.99
Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0915BFV2T
Billy the Bully: From the AddyBee123 Book Collection is highly
recommended for elementary-level readers and library collections
interested in
stories about bullies and bullying. It captures the dilemma faced by
Addy, a
bullying victim who begins to question her own appearance and value as
a result
of her encounters with the abusive Billy.
A wise mother
discovers that Addy is being attacked by Billy "The Bully" Palmer at
school. He's a new student, but has been picking on Addy from the very
first
day...and he is rapidly eroding her self-confidence. Addy's mother,
upon
learning of this, decides to do something to help.
Addy is
surrounded by supportive friends, but she still finds it hard to tell
adults
about what's happening to her. When she does, it sets into motion a
series of
events during which her peers rebel against Billy the Bully.
The story takes a
turn from the predictable mid-book, leading Addy to learn deeper
lessons about
bullying, adversity, kindness, forgiveness, and positivity.
Most picture
books for kids focus on handling bullying in a different manner, but Sharon Linen-Fordham
and Kierra Linen take another
big step beyond singular adversity to present the notion that bullies
are
victims, too.
This broader perspective encourages dialogue
between read-aloud parents and kids about the causes and nature of
bullying and
responses to it, providing fodder for important discussions and
understanding
that moves beyond the victim/bully dynamic.
Elementary-level library collections looking for
resources about bullying that delve into bigger-picture scenarios will
welcome Billy the Bully, which lends to both individual reading and
wider-ranging discussions between adults and kids, as well as among
peers.
Return to Index
The Cup
D.P. Hardwick
Atmosphere Press
978-1639881758
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Young adults interested in sports stories in
general, hockey in particular, and musical embellishments will find
realistic
and compelling this story of a group of Canadian kids that plays for
the
Stanley Cup final in their dreams.
The first thing to note about D.P.
Hardwick's story is that it is embedded with musical links and
references to
lyrics. This makes it especially recommended in ebook form, where
readers can
presumably click on the referenced links to receive lyrics and musical
interludes
as they follow the story.
The first-person inspection arrives with the
bang of an awakening household excited about Game Day, where Canada is
to
compete with Russia. The sixth-grader narrator isn't the only one
excited about
this event. His entire class is involved in living vicariously through
the news
and their own hockey-playing efforts.
Set against the backdrop of Canadian
culture, the young narrator (who is a transplant from Indiana) observes
the
excitement of his peers over the evolving hockey championship: "The principal made rounds to every
classroom to congratulate all the teachers and students, like we all
had a part
in the victory or something. This is probably the first time that I
realized
what it meant to be a fan of a national sport."
The game and its allure are both vividly
described. Young adults will find there's no need to already be
familiar with either
hockey or Canadian culture in order to appreciate a story which blends
the
differences between American and Canadian perspectives with the
evolving connections
a group of kids make over sports and other life experiences.
From a mean old man neighbor who proves an
unexpected savior to building a winning team against all odds, the
story takes
many twists and turns as it explores how friendship, bullying, music,
and
sports influences change the direction of hearts and minds.
Readers who believe The
Cup will be about winning may be right...but the ultimate
prize
takes unusual forms, and proves to be as much about
relationship-building and
understanding as it is about either the game of hockey or interactions
between
adults and kids.
YA library collections strong in
sports-based stories of growth and understanding will find The Cup a winning story made all the more
powerful for its
semi-autobiographical roots.
Return to Index
Eastside Story
Steven C. Thedford
New World Press Inc.
978-0975973080
$17.99
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0975973088/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Eastside Story paints
a very different portrait of African-American teen Egypt James, who has
led a
privileged life, attended private school, and is on course to be a
debutante at
a ball where the Father/Daughter Dance is a time-honored tradition.
There's only one problem. Her father
vanished from their family when her mother found out about his
involvement in
illegal human trafficking and kicked him out of the house. She has no
father
figure to dance with her.
William, who runs in quite different
circles, is on track to be a member of the same trafficking
organization as her
father. He is also on course to success, seemingly making him the
perfect link
between her father's sordid world and her own up-and-coming
achievements.
William could be the perfect boyfriend...but
unbeknownst to Egypt, he's come out as gay—another strike against him,
in the
eyes of his family.
The duo seem an unlikely combination to
solve any problems together, but as Egypt explores new possibilities in
her
search for past resolution and present options, young adult readers
will follow
their journey with interest.
Steven C. Thedford depicts a different form
of gang activity and those who operate both within its circles and
outside of
them. The level of candor in the story makes it recommended for older,
mature
teens as Egypt and William embark on a physical relationship, struggle
with
conflicting psychological influences both from within and from their
peers,
face adult concerns (such as AIDS and children), and consider their
underlying
motivations for choosing one other: "As
he rambled through his book bag, William couldn’t believe that he
didn’t like
sex with Egypt. He thought a beautiful woman would cure his desire for
men."
These and other adult themes place Eastside
Story in a very different
milieu than most, offering mature teens the opportunity to consider
family and
interpersonal relationships and influences against the backdrop of an
alluring
gang environment, the illusion and realities of romance, and an
examination of privileged
status.
Steeped in African-American culture
operating at different class levels, Eastside
Story offers much food for thought as its evolving
friendships and
conundrums introduce many surprising twists.
While its story is quite different in many
ways, Eastside Story might be read
in
conjunction with Irving Shulman's classic West
Side Story, which will offer additional fodder for discussion
and debate as
these two very different, gang-connected worlds come alive.
Return to Index
Finding Family
Treasure
K. I. Knight and Jane R. Wood
Melting Pot Press, LLC
978-1-7373371-0-2
$10.99
www.findingfamilytreasure.com
An invitation to
a class of fifth graders to document their own family histories results
in
newfound family discoveries that bring unexpected understanding and
resolution
to the diverse classroom's interpersonal relationships in Finding
Family
Treasure.
To its credit,
the expected focus on genealogical processes is expanded to embrace
cultural
differences, interpersonal and intergenerational relationships, and the
influence
of heritage and attitude on daily interactions.
This added value
lends insights into a variety of situations that can develop among
students and
friends, from bullying and misunderstandings to economics, work ethics
and
values, and more.
As the students
interact over their projects and lives, Knight and Wood create
intriguing
discussions that are clearly presented: "'I bet you’re one of
those who
likes to get straight As. I don’t get it,' he said. 'I’m happy with a
C, even a
D, as long as I pass. Why do you work so hard?'
'I’m trying to earn a scholarship
so I can
get a college education, and someday have a decent-paying job. Do you
get
that?'
He got out of the car and leaned against it.
He glared at her. 'You think I can’t get a decent-paying job? My dad
works in a
manufacturing plant. He doesn’t have a college degree, and I bet he
makes more
money than your dad. I could get a job there tomorrow if I wanted.'
'Is that what you really want?' she said
before she could stop herself."
While much of this may seem heady reading
for middle graders, the questions and answers posed in this story of a
class
genealogy project makes for a tale that is thought-provoking on many
levels.
The connections between heritage and
modern-day attitudes are particularly well constructed, and will
delight both
young readers who navigate the melting pot of differences that comprise
modern
America and adults who wish to impart lessons of tolerance, acceptance,
and
cultural empowerment.
The concluding message is clear and inviting:
"Something very interesting happened
when the students did this research about their ancestors. They
discovered many
new things about their families’ histories—and they found they had some
unexpected connections to one another."
Return to Index
Goodbye, Colors!
Victor D.O. Santos
Linguacious
Paperback: 978-1-64962-121-4 $12.99
Hardcover: 978-1-64962-128-3
$23.99
https://linguacious-2005.myshopify.com/collections/shop-english-esl/products/goodbye-colors
Goodbye, Colors!
enjoys gorgeous, colorful drawings by Eszter Miklós as young Sabrina
confronts
an evil witch who is intent on ridding the world of colors after she
crashes
into a rainbow.
Sabrina throws an apple at her. There goes
red!
She slingshots an avocado missile at the
witch. There goes green!
As Sabrina's efforts to stop the witch only
result in more missing colors from the world, the effects of each
color's
absence resonates.
Stop lights are no longer red or green. With
no green in leaves, they fall off the tree, unable to achieve
photosynthesis.
Her actions only make things worse, until
the world falls dark. And, courageous Sabrina has only one fear...
Victor D.O. Santos crafts an inviting story
that goes far beyond helping young picture book readers identify
colors. He
explores the meaning of color in the world through the courage of a
young girl
determined not to see an evil force take them away.
His story of a witch who inadvertently
forces Sabrina to confront her deepest fears will delight adults who
choose Goodbye, Colors! for a
lively picture
book read.
Those who believe that the presence of a
witch regulates this story to Halloween alone will be delighted to
discover
that the adventure offers year-round appeal.
Return to Index
Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons
Peter Wilson
Crystal Publishing LLC
978-1942624752
$14.39 Paper/$5.76 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Gregson-Stolen-Peter-Wilson/dp/1942624751
Jack Gregson &
the Stolen
Sons adds the second book to a fantasy series
revolving around three cousins who must leave a safe haven to tackle a
growing
evil force and the dark prophecy which predicts its power.
Prior fans will recall the adventure began
in Jack Gregson
and the Forgotten Portal,
where the three were pulled into the Forgotten Portal to confront this
same force.
As they tackled a magic book, an
inheritance, and other worlds beyond Gregson Manor, they got more in
touch with
their own innate abilities.
This follow-up story continues the saga and
opens not with Jack and his compatriots, but with a Chaos Pixie whose
mission
is affected by a message she can't quite remember.
Humor is evident from the start as the first
chapter reviews an exercise gone awry: "Jack
dropped to the ground, narrowly escaping a fireball headed straight
towards
him. His head spun around to watch it fly past him and strike a large
tree.
Upon impact, the old oak burst into flames.
“My bad.” David
rushed towards
him. “You okay?”
“You were supposed to levitate
him, not cook him!” Rosie yelled.
“I said my bad!”
Little do the cousins and siblings know that
they are about to be called back into a magical conflict that will
require all
of these abilities, even if they are still forming.
Readers ages 10 and older (into adult years)
will find Jack Gregson & the Stolen
Sons lively, involving, and hard to put down. While it builds
on events
presented in the prior book, no previous familiarity with the
characters is
needed in order for newcomers to quickly become immersed in the latest
adventure.
Peter Wilson not only fills in the blanks
seamlessly for his fans and new readers alike, but he charts both the
uncertainty of this group's neophyte powers and the
sometimes-contentious ways
they interact with one another as they face forces beyond their
imagination: “That’s a good idea.” Rosie
cheered up.
“Talking to some of the people might help us find Anthrow faster.”
“And my idea isn’t
a good
idea?” David was annoyed.
“It’s good, it’s good!” said
Rosie, reminded that her brother was still angry with her. “But
let’s try Jack’s idea first.”
A magic ring could allow them to understand
the strangers they encounter along the way, but it does little to
interpret the
nuances that flow between them as they struggle in many levels:
inwardly,
amongst themselves, and against an outside force that threatens many
worlds.
Some of the story is reminiscent of A
Wrinkle in Time; particularly the
notion of a world in darkness that doesn't have a sun anymore.
As the Cortavian sun struggles to rise again
and competing forces (spun by the Shadow Man who invigorates the Horde
with his
energy) come alive, the question arises of how reinstated power
intersects with
personal pain to direct the outcome of good and evil alike.
Dark forces are needed to combat this threat
as Jack the human boy and Jarl the pixie find themselves at the heart
of an
interplanetary conflict.
Wilson injects the classic struggle between
good and evil with a gray area that encourages youths to think about
good
intentions gone awry and the force created by loss, grief, and anger.
As the characters interact and grow, so does
the reader, who finds that not all forces are clearly either good or
evil in
their intentions or outcomes.
On the surface, this is a fine fantasy that
engages with strong characterization and swift action. But, underneath
is a
wellspring of reflections about what motivates all kinds of forces on
both
sides to take a stance and interact.
Ideally, Jack
Gregson & the Stolen Sons will not only be chosen for
elementary-level
fantasy libraries, but will be used in discussion groups and book clubs
for the
young for its examples of how deceit, magic, and redemption form the
foundations of change, both for better or for worse.
Return to Index
Jewbilly
Rick Rosenberg
Independently Published
978-1667806808
$22.00
paperback/$9.99
ebook
https://www.amazon.com/JEWBILLY-Rick-Rosenberg/dp/1667806807/
Young adult readers looking for coming-of-age
stories in which spirituality and family ties are prominent and closely
examined will find Jewbilly a satisfyingly
persuasive read.
The opener is especially humorous: "The
next year and a half would be nothing short of juvenile hysteria full
of deer
ticks, heartbreak, LSD, and a thorough mangling of Semitic expectation
and
tradition. Not the typical or expected trajectory for someone of my
status. I
was a gefilte fish out of water. My name is Yosef Bamberger, and this
is my
crucible."
As twelve-year-old newcomer to 7th grade Joseph
Bamberger explores his issues surrounding being a New York Jewish boy
caught in
a cultural crisis after a move to a small Tennessee town, readers will
appreciate the many insights into prejudice, bullying, multicultural
settings,
and growth that affects not only Yosef, but his entire family.
Perspectives grow and are explored as the story
unfolds to reveal how each family member clings to their heritage in
their new
Tennessee home, against all odds: "Being Jewish and doing
Jewish things
was always of incalculable comfort to her."
The humor that runs through this book like a river
offers satisfying comic relief to Yosef's trials and tribulations:
"Once returning home, I would write apology letters to every single
person
who attended my Bar Mayhem. Then, with him and Mom and Rabbi Giraffe,
we’d
schedule a day to try it again. If the people who came the first time
see it in
their hearts to forgive me, and attend again, I would be eternally
grateful. He
told me Mom would be ecstatic to hear all this. No shit, Schlemiel."
While teens from all walks of life will find
Yosef's story both fun and enlightening, it's the modern Jewish teen
facing new
situations and challenging cultural interactions who will find this
tale especially
compelling.
With its sassy and fun perspective, familiar and
odd dilemmas, and a main character who charges through his heritage and
life
trying to find a place for himself, Jewbilly
creates a
thought-provoking, amusing read. It deserves a spot in any young adult
collection; particularly in Jewish libraries where contemporary
cultural issues
and coming-of-age stories are profiled.
Return to Index
Olive and the
Valentine’s Spell
Helen Millman
Mascot Books
978-1-63755-077-9
$17.95
www.mascotbooks.com
Olive and the Valentine’s Spell takes a child's
viewpoint about the relevance of
Valentine's Day in his young, romance-free life as important questions
are
asked about what he is expected to do to celebrate it at school.
Helen
Millman's picture book receives engaging drawings by Vanessa Alexandre
as the
first-person kindergartner narrator considers this confusing concept: "Am I supposed to love someone on the
bus, on the train, or in my class? I am afraid. It feels too strange,
and now
my stomach is acting wild."
As
a full-blown panic attack begins to emerge over the expectations of
love,
marriage, and romance that seem to surround "the Valentine," a wise
mother listens to her son's wild imagination and calms him with the
admonition
that they can stand together to defy the idea that love should be a
requirement
on that day.
Further
thought brings even more conflict, with a quasi-rhyme structure
exploring these
emotions and their ramifications: "Suddenly,
a sad feeling rushed into my heart. It was clear to me then that “no
love” is
not as cool as I had thought. With no such feeling in the world, the
opposite
of love from now on will rule."
Olive
and the Valentine’s Spell is heady reading
for the young in several ways. The structure presents rhyme that works
in some
places and is somewhat of a stretch in others, embracing concepts that
parents
and read-aloud adults will find perfect for discussion, but likely too
complex
for a young mind to absorb independently.
If
the frightening concept of required love is banished from Olive's
world, it
will be a cold place, indeed.
Adults
who choose this story for read-aloud will find its many concepts lend
perfectly
to further discussions about love, world unity, empowerment, choices
and
consequences, and commitment.
While
Olive and the Valentine’s Spell
will prove challenging on some levels, it goes where few (if any) other
picture
books attempt in focusing on a child's imaginative fears over a holiday
he
perceives as being largely "for grown-ups," and in presenting
alternative possibilities within his control that prove not as scary as
facing
the Valentine concept of love for others.
The
final message of using holidays for personal empowerment is worth
fielding the
story's complexity to arrive at its nuggets of wisdom. Olive
and the
Valentine’s Spell provides
a very different take on Valentine's Day's meaning and its
sometimes-frightening expectations.
Picture
book collections that look for holiday interpretations of a different
nature
will welcome the unexpected journey undertaken by this young boy and
his
mother.
Return to Index
Pen Pal Gals: Friends Forever
Julie
Thiessen
Mascot
Books
978-1-64543-524-2
$9.99
www.mascotbooks.com
Picture
book readers interested in different forms of friendship will find Pen
Pal
Gals: Friends Forever a fine
study
in building long-distance friendships via the written word.
Reese meets new friend Addie during a summer
vacation and the two form close bonds as they swim, boat, and share
adventures.
As summer draws to a close, they face a conundrum: how do they keep
their
friendship going without proximity?
Illustrator Vanessa Alexandre joins with author
Julie Thiessen to provide visual attraction and reinforcement to the
idea of
the pen pal.
This story will reach elementary-level readers
beyond the very simple picture book stage, who will relish the detailed
descriptions that move from an outdoors, nature-oriented holiday to a
blossoming friendship built on shared camping experiences and interests.
Trading notes and drawings is part of their
evolving connections. But, will it be enough to cement an ongoing
friendship?
The concept of pen pals is nicely reinforced in a
story that holds different layers of information as it moves from how a
friendship develops over shared interests to how it is maintained by
new
interests and a determination to keep in touch however far the miles
separating
them.
Picture book readers receive colorful visual
displays that capture these two girls and their lives.
Adults looking to teach kids about the attractions
of various forms of communication and connection will find Pen
Pal Gals:
Friends Forever the perfect choice for lessons and
discussions on how to
maintain different kinds of friendship.
Return to Index
Pentagon Pirate Gang: Secret of the Orchard
J W Nelson
Michael Terence Publishing
978-1800942547
$10.99 Paper/$2.99 ebook
www.mtp.agency
Place five children in a school run by an
evil headmistress and her sidekick, who involve them in the mystery in
Sherwood
Forest. Lead them into the truth about the secret these leaders have
been
trying to keep hidden. Then follow them out again, with new knowledge
that will
change everything forever.
Pentagon Pirate Gang:
Secret
of the Orchard is a children's mystery story that will
reach advanced elementary to middle-grade readers with an evocative
tale
replete in scenarios of danger. The special camp/school they're sent to
for six
weeks by well-meaning parents is meant to provide a unique learning
experience:
"This is not just any school. It is
a school that can teach you many wonderful aspects of our plants and
fruits, as
well as about people. Who you can trust."
Ironically, the purpose of this school is
challenged by its own structure and leadership as the five children
receive
valuable lessons about trust, solidarity, shared experiences and
perceptions,
and more.
J W Nelson does a fine job of capturing the
atmosphere of mystery and the interpersonal relationship challenges
that
accompany it. This creates a story that operates on more than the level
of
intrigue alone, drawings kids with a compelling account of evolving
connections
that keeps both readers and characters on their toes.
Minor grammatical errors (primarily
punctuation) pepper the story. While they happen enough to be
noteworthy, the
story's ability to captivate young readers with action, psychological
inspections, and intrigue is still a draw.
Kids who like stories of wonder and
discovery will find Pentagon Pirate Gang just the ticket for a different kind of adventure
that holds more depth
and psychological revelation than most.
Return to Index
Shadow and Sword
N.K. Carlson
Creative James Media
978-1-956183-93-1
$12.99
Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Sword-N-K-Carlson/dp/1956183930
Book 1 of the Chronicles of Terrasohnen fantasy
series for young adults, Shadow and Sword, sets the
stage for a vivid
story of a young apprentice well on his way to fulfilling his life goal
when
his village is attacked and burned to the ground.
With his teacher missing and his support systems in
ashes, Reith flees the death and destruction that threatens to consume
him,
also. He both grieves for the loss of everything around him and
struggles to
survive.
A revised purpose to his life evolves in the form
of a search for his missing mentor that leads him to traverse ancient
ruins and
magical lands on a quest to find his teacher and uncover the truth
about the
Shadow that threatens all.
Intriguing philosophical reflections follow his
efforts (“The existence of a Shadow proves the existence of
the Light.”).
This blend of investigation into truths, realities, and revised
purposes draws
readers as Reith makes new friends, considers new avenues of
opportunity and
challenge, and restructures his life and its purpose.
Fantasy readers will find the pace satisfyingly
swift as Reith confronts many obstacles to changing goals, paired with
an
attention to detail and characterization that leads to numerous
revelations and
unexpected twists and turns.
As he finds new teachers, learns new lessons, and
comes into his powers, Reith's journey holds an expanded cast of
characters
that hold different perceptions of what life could be if they are
successful in
their own struggles: "When this is all over, what will you
do?”
“You
mean after the Gray Man is gone for good? I want to settle down and
start a
farm. In Suthrond, hopefully. I’d like to meet a nice girl and settle
down,
have a family. That would be nice.”
“It
sounds wonderful,” Reith said.
“I
love the feeling of accomplishment when the crops come in. It’s the
most
satisfying thing in the world, taking a small seed and reaping a
harvest from
it. I love the feeling of a hard day’s work and the good sleep that
comes after
it.”
“Seems
like you were made for the ground,” Reith observed."
The result is rich in description, solidly based on
strong coming-of-age experiences based on the protagonist's evolving
new sense
of his place in a much-changed world, and fast paced enough to bring
readers
along on a fine passage to a revised purpose where the clash of
opposing forces
is only one aspect of Reith's journey and growth.
Fantasy collections catering to young adults who
appreciate both action and psychological inspection will find Shadow
and
Sword a compelling introduction to a series.
Return to Index
Sophia Discovers the Real Treasure
Curt Casetta
Trenton House Publishing
Paperback: 978-1-956224-02-3
$12.99
Hardcover: 978-1-956224-03-0
$23.99
www.TrentonHousePublishing.com
Sophia Discovers the Real Treasure: A
Story of John Muir, Father of the National Parks provides
children with a
picture book story that goes beyond the usual biographical focus of the
naturalist and his formation of the national parks system in America.
It includes the added bonus of reflections
on Native American connections to the land, their experiences with
white
people, and how both they and Muir shared a love for the land.
Most of all, it's the unique, contemporary
young narrator's voice, as lessons are imparted about all these
elements, that
will draw even reluctant young learners into the story: "Seriously?
Grandma drags me to an old ranch to hear an old guy
talk about another old guy who talked about nature? Why would I want to
talk
about that?! BOR-ing! So, while she’s taking a tour, I’m on a bench
near this
big, red pine tree. 'It’s NOT a pine tree,' Grandma says, 'it’s a
sequoia.'*
Okay, so, I’m on a bench near this big, red sequoia. Some guy, John
Muir,**
planted it about a hundred years ago. Grandma says it’s dying. I should
sit
here and appreciate it. Big deal."
Footnotes lead to boxes of definitions which
pepper the account as an elderly man (who looks like a prospector)
engages a
young girl to review Muir's life and, more importantly, his concepts
about
wilderness and preservation.
The inviting dialogue uses a storyteller's
compelling observations to draw readers into Muir's story: "Red smiles. 'John never been bored. He appreciated
the nature all
around him.' He coughs. 'You’ll have to excuse me, I ain’t been feeling
too
good.' He pats the donkey. 'Let’s saunter, as John liked to call it.
Maybe
you’ll find some treasure yourself.'"
The artwork is just as vivid and diverse as
the story that emerges—a blend of appealing, cartoon-like figures;
artistic
backgrounds; and lovely digitally-altered photos of the California
natural
areas which Muir loved and determined to preserve.
The result is far more multifaceted than any
singular review of Muir's life. It reads with the drama and excitement
of
fiction, but packs in much information about Native American and
natural
history as it reviews the political and social forces that influenced
Muir's ability
to save these lands for future generations.
If only one book about John Muir were to be
selected for a discriminating modern picture book collection, it should
be Sophia Discovers the Real Treasure.
Designed
to appeal to audiences normally
reluctant to read nonfiction presentations, it will appeal to a wide
range of
readers with a vivid, action-packed story firmly rooted in historical
facts and
information, delighting the young and adults alike.
Return to Index
The
Two Sisters
Kara Jacobson
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-217-5
$9.99
www.atmospherepress.com
"This wasn’t how it was supposed to go."
These
were Adrianne's
last words before she fell into a world that leaves sister Sasha alone.
Adrianne
was the one with predictive powers of the future. Did she get a portent
of her
own demise? And what is Sasha to do with these words?
The
Two
Sisters
presents the
first book in the Intra-Earth
Chronicles, is set in 2044 after two sisters have survived a nuclear
war, and
tells of a quest which begins when Adrianne falls into a ravine,
leaving Sasha
alone.
Convinced
that her sister is still alive, Sasha pursues a way to enter
this underground rift while Adrianne (who is, indeed, alive) runs for
her life.
Adrianne
has the reputation of being the brave one. Sasha is a
self-confessed coward. Each is forced to face challenges in their newly
separated
lives as they consider their revised destinies, their connections to
one
another, and the impact of their choices.
Kara
Jacobson weaves
a compelling saga based not just on a fantasy adventure, but on the
evolving
relationship between two close sisters.
This
gives The
Two Sisters an unexpected flavor of closeness as
fifteen-year-old Sasha
receives a key to her sister's whereabouts from a former school
custodian James
Reichert, who tells her that Adrianne is alive, albeit "with the people
inside."
James
is not the
only one to give Sasha hope. Enoch, who is organizing an exodus of
people to
build a new world, also tells Sasha that her sister is not gone
forever,
reinforcing the notion that Sasha's inability to save her sibling
doesn't mean
that she's powerless: “Perhaps, she did
not need saving.” Enoch placed his hand over Sasha’s. “Inside the
ravine that
your sister fell was not certain death, but a doorway into another
world."
As
Adrianne
pursues a machine to save her civilization and is saved by satellites
that
protect her mission, each sister faces new challenges and revelations
that
reveal their true identities and purposes in the world.
Sasha's
struggle
to join Adrianne results in both of them separately realizing new
truths about
their true potentials as nuclear machines, defensive satellites, and
deluded
leaders enter the picture.
Jacobson
provides middle grade readers with a rich story rooted in a sense of
place and
purpose. The adventure component is fast-paced, but the attention to
detail in presenting
two sisters' connections and disconnections is the real attraction in a
story
that evolves on several different levels.
Middle
grade
readers and older who enjoy dystopian adventure stories and tales
cemented by
changing relationships will find The Two
Sisters a compelling read.
From
coincidences to castes and sisters who prove to be harbingers of hope
and
change, The Two Sisters is a
fitting
opening to the series that deserves a place in any fantasy library, and
on
reading lists driven by action and psychological insights alike.
Return to Index
Wind
Ellen Dee Davidson
Luminare Press
978-1-64388-718-0
$9.99 paperback;
$4.99 ebook; $25.00 hardbound
Website: www.ellendeedavidson.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1643887181/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_AXMF2QDF44EXMNVVDG2R
Advanced elementary to middle school readers
looking for a visionary fantasy story will find Wind
just the ticket for a short yet thoroughly engrossing read.
“Will you listen to me?”
Only sixth grader Katie Noriega can
apparently hear the voice of the oak tree outside the classroom window,
which
begs her to help keep its branches from being cut. She can hear not
only the
natural world, but the pain of others around her as they struggle.
Not only is she the only one who can hear
the oak's message, but her peers tease her. There's no help at home,
either, as
her household is in conflict. Nobody can help when she begins to hear
these
other voices and is charged with undertaking a rescue mission.
Things become even stranger when she
encounters an alien and embarks on a journey with him which ties into
the
messages she's been receiving from the world around her.
Who wants to listen? Who is really talking?
As Katie's experiences test her
environmental awareness, she and companion Za face poison, butterflies,
and
fairies, cultivating a sense of balance that they bring to one
another...and
might be able to transmit into an uncertain environment.
Katie thinks that all she's done is dream;
but dreams are the first step towards any creation. This is what the
fairies
teach her. Their ability to live in tune with the environment provides
lessons
about her place in and connections to the world that will not only help
her to
interact with it, but possibly save it.
Ellen Dee Davidson's descriptions of Katie's
journey are filled with strong imagery and many surprises: "The dreamy haze that clouded her vision cleared,
but not all the
way. It was like the visions she’d had with the fairies superimposed
upon her
waking life, so that now she could see patterns in all the dreams,
waking and
sleeping, connecting the way the plants grew up from the soil with the
sounds
of music, so one green shoot hummed a middle C and another throaty
pitcher
plant sang a low G."
As Katie begins to view her environment
differently, her search for the Winged Ones seems to be heading towards
a trip
to be made alone. Without any support systems, can Katie overcome her
inherent
lethargy and tap into her anger and strength enough to foster a
revolution?
Young readers receive an engrossing story
that wears the guise of fantasy. Under the trappings of fairies and
aliens lies
a message of being proactive and involved, connecting with
environmental
concerns in a way that results in positive change.
From evolving friendships to self-doubt,
Davidson crafts a story filled not just with action, but insights: “I was here for long enough to realize the
Poison One couldn’t stand a true friendship like ours – the kind
that can accept each other exactly
as we are.” “And ourselves too,” added Katie, thinking how close the
pool had
come to convincing her not to accept herself."
Wind
holds an important message for middle-grade readers, couched in the
guise of an
adventure that adds food for thought about connections, support
systems,
courage, and the power of believing in oneself and nature.
This outstanding short work packs a lot of punch into a story and will appeal to young fantasy readers and adults looking for deeper messages in middle grade fantasies.
WindReturn to Index