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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Nature at Your Door
Sara A. Gagne
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811772266, $29.95, PB, 280pp
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Your-Door-Connecting-Landscape/dp/0811772268
Synopsis: As humans, we are an integral part of the ecosystem where we live. With the publication of "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" by Sara A. Gagne we learn that what we do in our yards matters just as much as the way our local parks and nature preserves are managed.
An author and professor of landscape ecology, Sara focuses on the ecological importance of our day-to-day activities and spaces we are most familiar with and can most influence. With cutting-edge science, anecdotal experiences, and practical recommendations, Sara brings the message of how people and nature are vitally connected in the urban and suburban landscape.
Each chapter is dedicated to a particular space -- beginning with the yard, moving onto the street, the park, the greenway, the neighborhood, and the town/city. Sara tells stories of the latest ecological research, interwoven with her own experiences studying animals, to show readers how they affect nature and how nature in wilder, greener spaces affect us in both positive and negative ways. Sidebars feature practical steps readers can take to deepen their connections with nature.
Based on Sara's fifteen years of research and teaching in urban ecology, the wide variety of places and topics covered in "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" adds a fresh perspective to urban nature writing and appeals to those who want to take action to make the places they live greener, healthier, and more biodiverse for themselves, the wildlife, and the earth.
Critique: Illustrated throughout with full color photography, and informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of Sidebars, twenty pages of Notes, and a seventeen page Index, "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is an informed and informative as it it is useful and inspiring. Holding a special relevance for readers with an interest in wildlife ecology, plant biology, and human geography, "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is unique and highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Nature/Ecology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, environmental activists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $28.45).
Editorial Note: Dr. Sara Gagne (https://geoearth.charlotte.edu/people/sara-gagne) is an Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at University of North Carolina Charlotte. She has trained with the best ecologists in the world and published scientific articles in high-impact journals such as Ambio and Bio Science. She's done research on coyotes and carabid beetles and is a member of an interdisciplinary department of physical and social scientists.
Who Will Accompany You?
Meg Stafford
River Grove Books
c/o Greenleaf Book Group Press
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9781632994905, $15.95, PB, 220pp
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Will-Accompany-You-Stafford/dp/1632994909
Synopsis: Award-winning memoirist Meg Stafford has an adventurous spirit, and with the publication of "Who Will Accompany You?: My Mother-Daughter Journeys Far from Home and Close to the Heart" she takes us all along for the ride.
When her daughters venture into terra incognita (one of them meditating in the Himalayas and the other negotiating with the Colombian military) Meg Stafford decides to go too. In the process, she reflects on her own lifetime of wanderlust and what it means for a parent to love and to let go. Generous, insightful, and deeply funny, Meg Stafford is the ideal tour guide for 'a journey as big as the world and as intimate as the human heart'.
Critique: Showcasing her impressive storytelling skills that fully engage and entertain her readers, "Who Will Accompany You?" will have a very special appeal and value for readers with an interest in parenting girls -- and teenage/young adult girls at that! Blending elements of the memoir, with a travelogue, and illustrative parenting anecdotes, "Who Will Accompany You?" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Who Will Accompany You?" is also available from River Grove Books in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note: Meg Stafford is a writer who loves exploration of all kinds. Her 2011 memoir, Topic of Cancer, won six literary awards (including being named "Best First Book" by the IBPA's Benjamin Franklin Awards) for its engrossing and hilarious portrayal of surviving and thriving after a life-altering diagnosis of breast cancer. For 25 years she has been observing how small, remarkable moments enrich our lives in her monthly newspaper column, "A Moment's Notice." As a social worker in private practice, she's been helping others negotiate the terrain of relationships and connections for over 35 years.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
The Author's Walk
Judith Briles
Mile High Press
http://www.milehighpress.com
9781885331007, $20.00, PB, 130pp
https://www.amazon.com/Authors-Walk-Finding-Publishing-Success/dp/1885331002
Synopsis: With the publication of "The Author's Walk: Finding and Using Your Voice to Create Publishing Success" author and book marketing expert Dr. Judith Briles offers beginning and established writers with a roadmap to writing that next book. Comprised from cover to cover with sage, practical, DIY advice, this small by enormously informative volume is invaluable for any writer wanting to become a published author.
As as experienced and successfully published author, Judith would advise that if you are contemplating or already engaged in writing your first book, then give a careful reading to what she has to say in "The Author's Walk: Finding and Using Your Voice to Create Publishing Success" -- and don't hesitate to take notes and turn to it again and again for both instruction and inspiration.
Critique: Of special note are the illustrative personal anecdotes, useful insights and practical advice comprising "The Author's Walk: Finding and Using Your Voice to Create Publishing Success". This is essential reading for all aspiring authors about finding their own personal style and workable approach to getting profitably published -- while taking sefl care of your mental, emotional, and creative well-being. Simply stated, "The Author's Walk: Finding and Using Your Voice to Create Publishing Success", while also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) is a significant, essential, and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing collections and personal reading lists.
Editorial Note: Dr. Judith Briles is (also known as throughout the publishing industry as The Book Shepherd) is the author of 43 books including The Author's Walk, How to Avoid Book Publishing Blunders, her memoir When God Says NO, and historical fiction, The Secret Journey. You can subscribe to her informative Tuesday and Saturday blogs on her website: https://thebookshepherd.com
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands
Pete Kero
Minnesota Historical Society Press
345 Kellogg Boulevard, West, St. Paul, MN 55102-1906
www.mnhs.org/mhspress
9781681342245, $24.95, PB, 238pp
https://www.amazon.com/Minescapes-Reclaiming-Minnesotas-Mined-Lands/dp/1681342243
Synopsis: The Mesabi Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota conjures dramatic visuals of open pit mines and ore piles, enormous earthmoving equipment, and once-booming towns with aging architecture. But now many of these towns are busy with tourists. There are biking and ATV trails, forests and lakes. And yes, continued mining.
Over the decades, people have approached the iron lands with differing perspectives. Early miners opened the Mesabi Range to extract its ore, but key players also upheld conservation principles by setting aside lower-quality rock for use by later generations with better technology.
Nature found its way into the cracks and crevices of these rock piles, and within fifty years, groves of aspen and other successional plants had transformed the red rock into vibrant green. As early as the 1950s, residents were repurposing minelands by building ski jumps and cultivating grouse-friendly habitat. These impulses were codified in the 1980 Mine Reclamation Rules, which specified how mining companies should care for the land both during and after extraction.
In the early 2000s, the Laurentian Vision Project brought together landscape architects, engineers, and residents to dream up possibilities for the landscape -- and then to make those dreams real by building bridges, creating wildlife sanctuaries, and opening former minelands for fishing and mountain biking.
Critique: With the publication of "Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands", environmental engineer Pete Kero deftly explores the record that is written on Minnesota's mined lands -- and the value systems of each generation that created, touched, and lived among these landscapes. His narratives reveal ways in which the mining industry and Iron Range residents coexist and support each other today, just as they have for more than a century. A seminal work of environmentally significant research and scholarship, "Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands" is a critically important and informative contribution to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Environmental Engineering, Environmental Economics, and Natural Resource Development/Extraction collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Minescapes: Reclaiming
Minnesota's Mined Lands" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Pete Kero (https://www.barr.com/Employees/pete-kero) is an environmental engineer practicing at Barr Engineering Company in Hibbing, Minnesota. For more than twenty-five years, he has consulted with public agencies, mining companies, and communities who are reclaiming and repurposing the mining landscape of the Midwest. He is active with the coordinating committee for the Laurentian Vision Partnership and publicly speaks at mining and reclamation conferences around the country. Kero's grandfathers were miners, and he understands the economic promise of mining to families and communities. At the same time, having lived more than four decades within the mined landscape, he understands the social, political, legal, and technical difficulties associated with reclaiming and reusing these lands.
The Cookbook Shelf
House & Garden: A Year in the Kitchen
Blanche Vaughan
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784728953, $49.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/House-Garden-Year-Kitchen-Seasonal/dp/1784728950
Synopsis: "House & Garden A Year in the Kitchen: Seasonal recipes for everyday pleasure" by Blanche Yaughan is the first cookbook from Conde Nast's premier UK lifestyle magazine, House & Garden, and features contributions from an array of well-known chefs and a wealth of gorgeous, aspirational, and culinary imagery.
A culinary compendium of more than 150 elegantly simple recipes, "A Year in the Kitchen" showcases thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly recipes that range from Chard, Spinach and Egg Gratin; Braised Summer Peas; Squash and Cavolo Flan; Apple and Blueberry Cobbler; and Warming Madagascan Curry; to Lemon Risotto, Chocolate Rye Tart; Brown Irish Soda Bread; and Pecan Stuffing.
Critique: Presented seasonally (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) and brilliantly illustrated with full color culinary photography throughout, "House & Garden A Year in the Kitchen: Seasonal recipes for everyday pleasure" will prove to be a welcome, kitchen cook friend, and iconic addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "House & Garden A Year in the Kitchen: Seasonal recipes for everyday pleasure" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99).
Editorial Note: Blanche Vaughan (https://blanchevaughan.com) is the Food Editor at House & Garden, as well as a food writer and chef who worked at the River Cafe, Moro and St John. She has written for the Guardian and published four books with Weidenfeld & Nicolson including One Pot and Egg and Itsu: The Cookbook.
Beach Eats
The Editors of Coastal Living
IPG Publishing & Licensing
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781957317243, $30.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Eats-Favorite-Surfside-Occasion/dp/1957317248
Synopsis: The beach is a gathering place for vacationers, an inspired place to call home for locals, and a magical spot for dreamers who live far from sea breezes and ocean waves. Likewise, seaside homes and sandy beaches are idyllic places for families and friends to come together to celebrate both the everyday and the special occasions few and far between.
"Beach Eats: Favorite Surfside Recipes for Every Occasion" is visually stunning cookbook with some 100 recipes for dishes that reflects the locales where people gather to share a drink, a meal, or a little something sweet by the shore -- Cabana Bar, Beachside Grill, Seafood Shack, Roadside Stand, Boardwalk Bakery, and Ice Cream Cart.
The recipes comprising "Beach Eats" include tropical thirst-quenchers like a Candied Kumquat Manhattan and a Ginger-Lime Daiquiri to enjoy with savory Crab Rangoon or creamy Macadamia-Coconut Dip. Grill up Hoisin Burgers with Pickled Vegetables or a White Pizza with Clams and Bacon. Cool off with Hawaiian Shaved Ice or tasty Avocado-Lime Paletas.
Critique: A colorful and welcome compendium of thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes for palate-pleasing, appetite satisfying, and just plain fun eating, "Beach Eats: Favorite Surfside Recipes for Every Occasion" truly lives up to its title and is especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
Editorial Note: For over 20 years Coastal Living has provided readers with the best seaside spots to shop, dine, explore, and unwind. Diverse brand loyalists agree: "coastal" is a state of mind. From inspiring design and decorating to gorgeous, blissful getaways and fresh-from-the-sea meals for entertaining, Coastal Living offers its audience an escape to the good life -- to be enjoyed barefoot, of course. (https://www.southernliving.com/author/coastal-living)
The Grazing Table
Natalie Thomson
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9780600637967, $24.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Grazing-Table-Create-Beautiful-Platters/dp/0600637964
Synopsis: Grazing boards are a wonderful, sociable way to share a meal with family or a party with friends. With surprisingly little effort, with Mantalie Thomson's "The Grazing Table: How to Create Beautiful Butter Boards, Food Platters & More" you can easily create eye-catching and delicious spreads for sweet and savory lovers alike.
Whether it's a midweek meal or a big celebration, there's a grazing board for every occasion thanks to "The Grazing Table" which features butter boards, charcuterie, cheeseboards, antipasti, mezze, fruit platters, dessert boards and more, Indeed, "The Grazing Table" is an impressive compendium of inspiring ideas for building your own grazing boards at home and includes more than 60 simple recipes for making some of the elements from scratch.
"The Grazing Table" covers Dairy, Fruit & Vegetables platters (including Whipped salted butter board, Cheesy tear & share bread wreath and Rainbow fruit platter); Fish & Seafood arrays (including Seafood platter, Build-your-own poke bowl and Fish tacos); Poultry layouts (including Crispy chicken butter board, Chipotle chicken nachos and Cobb salad); Meat boards (including Luxury picnic, Classic charcuterie and Burger boards); and Treat platters (including Pancake platter, Mini doughnuts and an Ice cream station).
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full page, full color photos, "The Grazing Table: How to Create Beautiful Butter Boards, Food Platters & More" is a very special, quite unique, culinarily inspiring, and extraordinary addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Grazing Table" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Natalie Thompson (Nataliethomsonfood.com) has been styling and recipe writing since 2012 after completing a diploma in food and wine from Leiths Cookery School in London. In that time, she has successfully built a broad client base and has worked with UK magazines, publishers, advertisers and film companies. She writes recipes for cookbooks and magazines. She can be followed on: Instagram.com/nataliethomsonfood and on Twitter.com/nataliejmt1
Campfire Cooking
Jakob Nusbaum
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781510774902, $24.99, HC, 184pp
https://www.amazon.com/Campfire-Cooking-Mouthwatering-Skillet-Recipes/dp/1510774904
Synopsis: With the publication of "Campfire Cooking: Mouthwatering Skillet, Dutch Oven, and Skewer Recipes", chef Jakob Nusbaum showcases 50 mouth-watering recipes to enjoy around the campfire!
Sharing a meal around a campfire is one of life's purest pleasures. Whether you've come back to camp after a long day of hiking or you're stepping out onto the patio to sit around the fire pit, there's something special about the smell of smoke, the stories, the laughter, and the sound of food sizzling over the open flames.
The recipes comprising "Campfire Cooking" will take your campfire experiences up another level with incredible food and invaluable advice. Of special note are tips on how to split firewood safely, suggestions for choosing equipment, and advice for getting your fire going and keeping it hot.
From Cowboy toast with Cheddar, blue cheese, red onions & barbecue sauce; Grilled trout with herbs & lemon; Pizza on a stick with pepperoni, mozzarella & red onions; and Juicy barbecued spareribs with grilled coleslaw; to Chili con carne; French toast with blackberries & maple syrup; Baked apples with cinnamon, raisins, brown sugar, nuts & whipped cream; Hot chocolate with whipped cream, cognac & grilled marshmallows, "Campfire Cooking" has breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts, and hot drinks covered.
Critique: Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout with full color, full page photos of finished dishes, "Campfire Cooking: Mouthwatering Skillet, Dutch Oven, and Skewer Recipes" is an ideal culinary resource for out-of-doors cooking that will result in truly memorable outdoor dining augmenting the joy and adventure of camping. While a superbly qualified addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted for campers that "Campfire Cooking" is also available in an easily portable digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Currently residing in Denmark, Jakob Nusbaum worked for twelve years as art director in an advertising agency, but embers and pots won over office life, and since 2016 he has been an outdoor chef full time.
The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood
John Ash, author
Ashley Lima, photographer
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
www.abramsbooks.com
9781951836870, $40.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hog-Island-Book-Fish-Seafood/dp/1951836871
Synopsis: Featuring favorites from the kitchens of Hog Island Oyster Bars and other talented chefs who have embraced the company's sustainability ethos, "The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood: Culinary Treasures from Our Waters" from restaurateur, cookbook author, and two-time James Beard Award winner John Ash is an authoritative compendium that showcases more than 250 dishes drawn from cuisines around the world, including regional favorites like San Francisco cioppino, Southern crawfsh etouffee, and New England clam chowder.
Presenting a wide variety of cooking methods (such as steaming, roasting, grilling, pan-frying, curing) along with illustrated techniques like shucking oysters, opening clams, and ?lleting ?sh, "The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood" is a comprehensive cookbook that will guide you through all the basics of seafood preparation. And the extensive list of sauces, butters, and seasonings will help you turn your choice of seafood into a stellar dish.
Simply stated, "The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood" is the next best thing to taking a master class taught by John Ash, an award-winning chef who shows amateur, family, and professional cooks how to bring culinary gifts from the water to the table at their peak of perfection.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography by Ashley Lima, "The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood: Culinary Treasures from Our Waters" is a culinary joy to browse through -- one inspiring recipes after another. This large format (8.3 x 1.5 x 10.3 inches, 3.3 pounds) hardcover edition from Harry N. Abrams publishing is a very special resource for planning memorable menus and will prove to be an immediately and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, family, and community library Fish & Seafood cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: John Ash (https://chefjohnash.com) is a restaurateur, cookbook author, and two-time James Beard Award winner. He previously cohosted the Good Food Hour radio show on KSRO for 35 years, and he has hosted two shows on the Food Network. Ash regularly contributes to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and has written for magazines such as Fine Cooking and Eating Well. In 2014, Ash was honored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium as the Sustainable Seafood Educator of the Year.
Editorial Note #2: Ashley Lima (https://www.ashleylima.com/about) is an art director and professional photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: food to warm the soul
Diana Henry, author
Aster
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781783255764, $29.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Roast-Figs-Sugar-Snow-Food/dp/1783255765
Synopsis: From multi-award-winning food columnist and cookbook author, Diana Henry, comes a new edition of "Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: food to warm the soul" -- a hidden gem at the heart of her repertoire of irresistible cold-weather recipes that celebrate the unique pleasures of autumn and winter, and in this new edition, featuring seven new recipes and a foreword by Nigel Slater.
The recipes comprising "Roast Figs, Sugar Snow" celebrates not only the ingredients of the winter these showcased dishes including the pumpkins and pomegranates, chestnuts and soft, sweet spices associated with the cold-weather season.
Now revisited, revised, and refreshed nearly 20 years after its first publication, "Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: food to warm the soul" continues to feature recipes personally gathered from Diana's travels to Scandinavia, the French and Italian Alps, Scotland, Ireland, and New England.
Ranging from Pumpkin Tarts with Spinach and Gorgonzola; Vermont Baked Beans; Roast Pork with Black Pudding, Apple and Mustard Sauce; Melting Leg of Lamb with Juniper; and Snow Biscuits; to Skier's Chocolate with Bugnes; Roast Figs and Plums in Vodka with Cardamom Cream; Crimson leaf, black lentil, roasted grape and walnut salad; Beetroot and blackberry soup with walnut relish; Ham and haddie pie -- and more! Of special note is Diana's evocative writing about both place and food.
Critique: A very special culinary compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly, "Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: food to warm the soul" is a choice and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: food to warm the soul" is also available in a paperback edition (9781845335243, $20.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Diana Henry (https://www.splendidtable.org/bio/diana-henry) is food columnist for The Sunday Telegraph and contributes to numerous other publications, including the Daily Telegraph and House and Garden. Her book Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons was short listed for the prestigious Glenfiddich awards and in 2007 she won "Cookery Writer of the Year" at the Guild of Food Writers Awards.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Cougars on the Cliff
Maurie Hornocker
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493073290, $29.95, HC, 328pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cougars-Cliff-Pioneering-Understand-Mythical/dp/149307329X
Synopsis: Maurice Hornocker is recognized worldwide as the first scientist to unravel the secrets of America's most enigmatic predator -- the mountain lion. A story of redemption, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" is a memoir about the never-before-told adventures, challenges, and controversies surrounding Hornocker's groundbreaking study of cougars in the remote reaches of the Idaho Primitive Area.
North America's biggest cat was once killed for bounty dollars, slaughtered with impunity and driven toward extinction. But today's cat of intrigue, despite our lingering fears and misconceptions, has returned to much of its native range in the western United States and gained respect as a predator integral and necessary to wild ecosystems. This turnaround was triggered by one man: Maurice Hornocker. Cougars on the Cliff recounts the early years of his research (1964-1973) when he tracked lions following a dog's nose and footprints in the snow -- and before telemetry was available.
Hornocker was first to learn that mountain lions living in stable populations limit their own numbers through territoriality and a concept he called "mutual avoidance." This insight flew in the face of long-held beliefs that cougars were prolific and wanton killers that needed to be controlled as vermin. Thanks to Hornocker's work, today cougars can be found throughout the West and have even started to reclaim their place in New England.
Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of a section of color plates, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" showcases the amazing life and achievements of Maurice Hornocker in a detailed and inherently fascinating memoir (written with the assistance of David Johnson) that will have immense appeal to those interested in wildlife in general, mountain lions in particular. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library American Biography/Memoir and American Wildlife collections, it should be noted for that "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.49).
Editorial Note: Maurice Hornocker, PhD, is a wildlife biologist best known for advancing our knowledge of the elusive mountain lion's behavior and ecology. During his fifty-five years of research in Idaho, New Mexico, and Yellowstone National Park, he published numerous scientific papers about cougars and edited books that include "Cougar: Ecology & Conservation," "Yellowstone Cougars" (which was the recipient of a 2020 The Wildlife Society Publication Award), and "Desert Puma" (which was the recipient of the 2002 The Wildlife Society Book of the Year Award). His writing, research, and mountain lion photographs have appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, and National Wildlife. (https://upcolorado.com/university-press-of-colorado/itemlist/tag/Maurice%20G%20Hornocker)
The Music Shelf
British Invasion '64 - The Year That Changed Rock & Roll Forever
Gene Popa
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9798887712192, $35.00, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/British-Invasion-64-Changed-Forever/dp/B0C9G7QHDK
Synopsis: The first weeks of the year 1964 were cold, gray, and somber, as America was reeling from the tragic death of its vibrant young President. But then something began piercing through the desolate haze: a sound, both new, yet also echoing the thrilling, unbridled energy of early Rock and Roll -- it was an energy that had been almost utterly tamed in recent years.
Up to this time, British bands had been wholly unsuccessful at gaining a lasting foothold in American Rock and Roll. But suddenly, all of that changed forever as four young men led an army across the ocean, and from that moment on, nothing would ever be the same again.
The British Invasion was more than just The Beatles -- it was The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Peter and Gordon, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Dusty Springfield, The Zombies, The Kinks, and so many others. And 1964 was more than just a year -- it was the gateway to vast changes in music and culture. And the British Invasion was the soundtrack to it all!
Critique: Informative, insightful, nostalgic, "British Invasion '64: The Year That Changed Rock & Roll Forever" the English bands and their take on the Baby Boomer phenomena of Rock 'n Roll, was seminal, ground-breaking, and a major influence on American popular culture. Featuring a section of black/white historical photo images, A 1964 U.S. Discography, and an Index, "British Invasion '64" will prove a welcome and informative pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library 20th Century American Music History and Popular Culture collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, American music historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "British Invasion '64" is also available in a paperback edition (9798887712185, $25.00).
The Gospel of The Hold Steady
Michael Hann, author
The Hold Steady, author
Akashic Books
232 Third Street, #A115, Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.akashicbooks.com
9781636140957, $40.00, HC, 206pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Hold-Steady-Resurrection-Really/dp/1636140955
Synopsis: On January 22, 2003, four men stepped onto a stage in Brooklyn and did something no one else was doing at that time, in that place. They played rock 'n' roll: old-fashioned rock 'n' roll with skyscraping riffs and sloppy solos, topped with extraordinary lyrics about an out-of-focus America, blurred by pills and powders, of crime and fear and desperation and redemption.
Twenty years later, The Hold Steady are one of America's most beloved rock bands, famed for live shows that turn unbelievers into converts, and for a catalog filled with some of the most exciting yet poetic music of the twenty-first century. To mark those twenty years, The Hold Steady tell their full story with the publication of "The Gospel of The Hold Steady: How a Resurrection Really Feels".
An oral history, based on interviews with everyone who has played in the band, and those who have worked with them over the course of their career, "The Gospel of the Hold Steady" addresses all the triumphs and setbacks of The Hold Steady's career in the band's own words, ranging from high times, to near deaths, and from the brink of splitting, to their current renaissance.
"The Gospel of The Hold Steady" is completed by essays about America's greatest bar band by writers Rob Sheffield, Laura Barton, Isaac Fitzgerald, and Michael Hann, as well as the thoughts and memories of "The Unified Scene" -- the fans who have helped define the band's identity over the years.
Critique: Enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of more than 200 photographs and images, "The Gospel of the Hold Steady: How a Resurrection Really Feels" is a singularly informative and fascinating history that will be of special and particular interest for the legions of The Hold Steady fans -- and anyone else who 'understands that the magic of rock 'n' roll happens on a stage in a small room, with voices raised from the crowd'. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666644586, $22.99, CD), "The Gospel of the Hold Steady: How a Resurrection Really Feels" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library Contemporary American Music collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Michael Hann is a writer and editor based in London, who contributes to the Guardian, the Financial Times, the Economist, the Spectator, the Quietus, and Uncut. He was formerly the film and music editor at the Guardian. He is the author of Denim and Leather: The Rise and Fall of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
Editorial Note #2: The Hold Steady is comprised of Craig Finn, Tad Kubler, Galen Polivka, Bobby Drake, Franz Nicolay, and Steve Selvidge. Since forming in Brooklyn in 2003, they have released eight studio albums, most recently Open Door Policy in 2021. Their debut album, The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me, was named one of the 100 best albums of this century by Rolling Stone.
I'm Into Something Good
Harvey Lisberg
https://harveylisberg.com
Omnibus Press
www.omnibuspress.com
c/o Independent Publishers Group (distribution)
www.ipgbook.com
9781913172886, $28.99, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Im-Into-Something-Good-Managing/dp/1913172880
Synopsis: When 22-year-old accountant Harvey Lisberg heard the Beatles' 'Please Please Me', he had an epiphany: he could be Manchester's answer to Brian Epstein. He had a musical ear, a knack for numbers and a gambler's instinct for taking a punt. Within a year he had taken local group, Herman's Hermits, to number one with 'I'm Into Something Good'. Soon, Hermania was a global phenomenon. Harvey had found his vocation.
"I'm Into Something Good: My Life Managing 10cc, Herman's Hermits and Many More!" is an uproarious, frank and moving autobiography in which he reveals the excesses of life on the road with Herman's Hermits; the frustration of championing unknowns Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber; the highs and lows of managing the brilliant 10cc; the utter madness of looking after snooker bad boys Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins and Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White and much, much more.
Many other artists benefitted from Harvey's guidance during this time, including Tony Christie, Barclay James Harvest, Sad Cafe and the Chameleons. "I'm Into Something Good" is his account of a life that started in Salford and ended up in Palm Springs; a life in which he traveled the world, met heroes and villains, fulfilled his dreams, and spent a fortune on good living, family and friends.
Critique: Personal, informative, fascinating, candid, revealing, memorable, and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "I'm Into Something Good: My Life Managing 10cc, Herman's Hermits and Many More!" will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in 20th Century Rock Bands in general, and Herman's Hermits in particular. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and academic library Rock History, Biography, and Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "I'm Into Something Good" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).
Editorial Note: Harvey Lisberg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Lisberg) is a British talent manager who found success guiding the music careers of 10cc, Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Herman's Hermits among others. As well as his work in the music industry, Lisberg managed many prominent sports people including the legendary snooker player Jimmy White.
Going Back to T-Town
Carmen Fields
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780806191843, $26.95, HC, 225pp
https://www.amazon.com/Going-Back-T-Town-Territory-Greenwood/dp/0806191848
Synopsis: There was a time when countless young people in the Midwest, South, and Southwest went to dances and stage shows to hear a territory band play. Territory bands traveled from town to town, performing jazz and swing music, and Tulsa-based musician Ernie Fields (1904-1997) led one of the best.
With the publication of "Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band ", Ernie's daughter, Carmen Fields, tells a story of success, disappointment, and perseverance extending from the early jazz era to the 1960s. This biography is an enlightening account of how this talented musician and businessman navigated the hurdles of racial segregation during the Jim Crow era.
Because few territory bands made recordings, their contributions to the development of jazz music are often overlooked. Fortunately, Ernie Fields not only recorded music but also loved telling stories. He shared his "tales from the road" with his daughter, a well-known Boston journalist, and his son, Ernie Fields Jr., who has carried on his legacy as a successful musician and music contractor. As much as possible, Carmen Fields tells her father's story in his own voice: how he weathered the ups and downs of the music industry and maintained his optimism even while he faced entrenched racial prejudice and threats of violence.
After traveling with his band all over the United States, Fields eventually caught the attention of renowned music producer John Hammond. In 1939, Hammond arranged for recording sessions and bookings that included performances in the famed Apollo Theater in New York. Ernie finally scored a top-ten hit in 1959 with his rock-and-roll rendition of "In the Mood." At a time when most other territory bands had faded, the Ernie Fields Orchestra continued to perform.
A devoted husband and family man, Ernie Fields also respected and appreciated his fellow musicians. This biography also includes a "Roll Call" of his organization's members, based on notes he kept about them. Going Back to T-Town is a priceless source of information for historians of American popular music and African American history.
Critique: Fascinating, original, detailed, informative, well written, memorable, "Going Back to T-Town: The Ernie Fields Territory Big Band " will have immense value for readers with an interest in the history of American Jazz, the Big Band Era, and raise from an underserved obscurity a part of America's 20th Century Music History. While especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library American Biography collections and supplemental American Music History curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Going Back to T-Town" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.49) as well.
Editorial Note: Carmen Fields is an Emmy Award-winning broadcast news journalist who currently produces and hosts the public affairs program Higher Ground on WHDH-TV, Boston. She co-anchored WGBH's Ten O'Clock News from 1987 to 1991 and wrote the script for the American Experience documentary "Goin' Back to T-Town" (1993).
The Art Shelf
Drawing Digital
Lisa Bardot
Walter Foster Publishing
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760385326, $24.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Digital-complete-guide-learning/dp/0760385327
Synopsis: With the publication of "Drawing Digital: The complete guide for learning to draw & paint on your iPad", artist and teacher Lisa Bardot, (the expert behind @Bardot Brush), introduces the art of digital drawing. Using your tablet and Procreate, or another favorite drawing app, you can leave behind your pencil and paper and make art anywhere and at any time.
Lisa gets you started with a range of easy-to-follow projects, including: A still life; A snake plant; Cacti in the desert; Flowers; A dog; A school of fish; Self-portraits; Characters; City scenes -- and so much more!
Accompanying each project are complete step-by-step instructions and Lisa Bardot's signature, vibrant artwork. "Drawing Digitally" also includes: Tips for finding creative inspiration; Information on tools; App basics; How to draw and paint lines and shapes; Instructions for layering, duplicating, exporting, and more; and A review that promises to help you draw anything.
Critique: As an accomplished artist, Lisa Bardot works in Procreate; however, her instructions comprising "Drawing Digital: The complete guide for learning to draw & paint on your iPad" apply to any digital drawing app, so you can use whatever you have on hand. The projects, tips, and techniques offer the ideal starting point if you're a beginner to digital drawing, but if you're an expert, you are still certain to learn plenty from Lisa's expert advice, Exceptionally well written with an accompanying wealth of full color images and illustrations, "Drawing Digital" is an ideal DIY instructional guide and manual. While a highly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Design, Illustration, and Graphics collections, and supplemental Digital Art curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Drawing Digital" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Lisa Bardot (https://bardotbrush.com/about-lisa-bardot) is an illustration artist, a teacher, and an all-around creative person based in California. With the iPad and Procreate as her tools of choice, she creates educational tutorials, industry-leading digital brushes, and art-making resources to help beginners and experienced artists alike find joy in creating. Her educational videos about drawing and illustration have been viewed millions of times, and she receives high praise for her thorough, concise, and fun teaching style. Additionally, she runs the Making Art Everyday artistic prompt challenge, followed by thousands of participants worldwide. Check out more of Lisa's work on Instagram at @lisabardot, @bardotbrush, or on the Bardot Brush YouTube channel.
The Perspective Drawing Guide
Spencer Nugent
Rocky Nook
1010 B Street, Ste 350, San Rafael, CA 94901
https://rockynook.com
9781681989037, $24.95, PB, 168pp
https://www.amazon.com/Perspective-Drawing-Guide-Spencer-Nugent/dp/1681989034
Synopsis: Perspective drawing is the foundation for creating art that pops off the page. With the publication of "The Perspective Drawing Guide: Simple Techniques for Mastering Every Angle" by designer and teacher Spencer Nugent presents the ultimate DIY guide to helping aspiring artists seeking to understand and develop techniques to draw confidently using the power of perspective.
While mastering perspective can take years, "The Perspective Drawing Guide" will provide understanding of why things look the way they do and how to draw them accurately and confidently.
In "The Perspective Drawing Guide", Nugent takes a fundamental approach and provides detailed tips, tricks, and techniques that will enable aspiring artists to draw more confidently by breaking down objects into easier to draw shapes, showing the mechanics of perspective, and demonstrating how to make drawings presentation ready.
"The Perspective Drawing Guide" is guide is perfect for beginning artists looking to develop their perspective drawing abilities or even seasoned artists wanting to sharpen their skills.
Critique: This large format (8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches, 1.3 pounds) paperback edition of "The Perspective Drawing Guide: Simple Techniques for Mastering Every Angle" is exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal DIY instructional reference and guide. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "The Perspective Drawing Guide" is a high value addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university Pencil/Pen/Ink Drawing collections, as well as a supplemental textbook for art class, art school curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Spencer Nugent (https://advdes.org/spencer-nugent) is the founder of Sketch-A-Day.com and has been providing free, high-quality online design sketching tutorial content and on-site sketch workshops since 2008. He has created an extensive online network and following within the Industrial Design community and continues to connect with students and design professionals via his online properties. With his daily YouTube streams, he continues to share his passion for creating and drawing on "Sketch-A-Day LIVE" as well as the sketch-a-day Instagram and TikTok. Spencer was awarded the Industrial Design Society of America's individual achievement award for his consistent work and passion related to industrial design education related to producing online educational content.
Painting Cats
Terry Runyan
Leaping Hare Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780711285347, $20.00, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Painting-Cats-Curious-free-spirited-watercolors/dp/0711285349
Synopsis: Perfect for cat loving watercolor artists of all skill levels from the absolute beginner to the more experienced, with the publication of "Painting Cats: Curious, Mindful & Free-spirited Watercolors". Artist Terry Runyan teaches you how to go from blob of paint to a beautiful portrait of your fluffy friends.
Drawing on art therapy techniques that emphasize fun and freedom in creativity over technical perfection, Runyan guides you step by step through the process of adding details to loosely painted shapes to create your own unique and distinct cats!
"Painting Cats" is joyful and instructional DIY guide brimming with inspiring watercolor artwork and encouragement. It includes: Playing and experiment with watercolour, exploring the ways in which the medium invites us to be present in the moment; Finding projects, tips, and techniques to help you develop your painting, creating a myriad of beautiful portraits along the way; Exploring the art of storytelling with cats; Enjoying the scientifically proven mental-health benefits of making art
Critique: "Painting Cats: Curious, Mindful & Free-spirited Watercolors" is exceptionally 'user friendly' for watercolor artists of all skill levels to embrace techniques and lessons in creative mindfulness. Profusely illustrated throughout and while a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and art school Watercolor Painting collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "Painting Cats" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Terry Runyan (www.terryrunyan.com) is a visual artist and creative encourager. After a long career as an in-house illustrator for Hallmark, Terry now runs her own business, creating art and videos, and leading classes at Skillshare to help others explore their creativity. She loves painting cats, cats on heads, big hair, and encouraging imperfectly perfect watercolour. She lives in Leawood, Kansas with her two creative cats, Tucker and Riley. You can learn more about Terry and her work on: Instagram: @terryrunyan, YouTube: Terry Runyan, Facebook: @terryrunyancreative, and the Daily Creating Group on Facebook: @dailycreating
Draw Kawaii Style
Ilaria Ranauro
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780760382448, $19.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Draw-Kawaii-Style-Step-Step/dp/0760382441
Synopsis: With the publication of "Draw Kawaii Style: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide for Drawing Super-Cute Creatures, Whimsical People, and Fun Little Things - 62 Lessons: Basics, Characters, Special Effects", artist and online art teacher Ilaria Ranauro (aka Ilariapops) shares her approach to creating kawaii art, starting with the fundamentals, then illustrating how to create a wide variety of characters by following her easy step-by-step tutorials.
Kawaii Essentials. The first seven lessons teach solid drawing techniques that demonstrate how to draw kawaii characters from the ground up and will help you build the skills you need to create the characters of your dreams.
Kawaii Characters, Step by Step. Through step-by-step tutorials, from rough sketch to finish, discover the drawing process for 55 characters (animals, people, food, and objects) including an alpaca and a panda, a superhero and a snowman, a ramen noodle bowl and a watermelon slice, and a teapot and a rainbow, each presented in a different pose.
Critique: Exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, whether you are just beginning to draw, or trying your hand at drawing Japanese style kawaii for the first time, or looking for ideas and guidance for bringing your own characters to life, "Draw Kawaii Style: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide for Drawing Super-Cute Creatures, Whimsical People, and Fun Little Things - 62 Lessons: Basics, Characters, Special Effects" by Ilaria Ranauro is the essential DIY instructional guide, 'how to' manual, and visual reference. While recommended as a very special addition to personal, professional, community, and art school collections, it should be noted tht "Draw Kawaii Style' is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Kawaii illustrator Ilaria Ranauro (https://ilariaranauro.com) sells stickers, washi tape, prints, and other products adorned with her fun images on her popular Etsy shop. She also teaches a class on how to create kawaii characters on Domestika and has illustrated children's books for Penguin Random House Mexico. A native of Italy, Ilaria is based in Berlin. To see more of her work follow her at @ilariapops on Instagram, Etsy, and YouTube.
The Beginner's Guide to Decorating Pottery
Emily Reinhardt
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780760381397, $24.99, PB, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Decorating-Pottery-Introduction/dp/0760381399
Synopsis: With an emphasis on learning new skills, having fun, and embracing imperfection, "The Beginner's Guide to Decorating Pottery: An Introduction to Glazes, Patterns, Inlay, Luster, and Dimensional Designs" supports your creative process as you explore:
1. Basic information on working with clays as well as materials used for decorating.
2. Tutorials on color theory, combining form and function, and the importance of keeping a sketchbook.
3. Beginner-friendly projects that show how to apply surface-design techniques to simple pieces such as coasters, a cheeseboard, a wall hanging, plates, tumblers, vases, planters, and more.
Throughout "The Beginner's Guide to Decorating Pottery", skill-building is front and center, with tips and tricks to help you crack the code and make pieces you're proud of. Gallery work from some of today's top ceramics artists is sure to inspire potters of all levels. What will you make first?
For beginners and those returning to ceramics, the Essential Ceramics Skills series from Quarry Books offer the fundamentals along with fresh, contemporary, and simple projects that build skills progressively.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with color photographs, "The Beginner's Guide to Decorating Pottery: An Introduction to Glazes, Patterns, Inlay, Luster, and Dimensional Designs" is an ideal DIY combination of instructional guide and 'how to' manual, providing thoroughly 'user friendly step-by-step instructions that will turn the most novice of potters into seasoned experts. Fun and informative, "The Beginner's Gujide to Decorating Pottery" is specifically recommended for community and art school Pottery Making collections. This ideal 'how-to' guide and manual is also easily available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Emily Reinhardt (https://www.theobjectenthusiast.com/pages/about) is a ceramic artist and designer whose work focuses on beautiful, functional ceramic objects for the home. In her studio in the Crossroads Arts district of Kansas City, Missouri, Emily designs and builds by hand a variety of one-of-a-kind objects, including plates, vases, wall hangings, tumblers, mugs, goblets, and trays. Her modern, unfussy aesthetic features perfectly imperfect shapes and stunning surface design techniques, such as striking glazes, touches of gold luster, bold patterns, texture, and raised effects. Emily founded The Object Enthusiast in 2011 and continues to grow a loyal community of customers and students, teaching classes online through Skillshare as well as in-person at her studio. She is also the co-founder of her shop, Duet, and of The Ekru Project, an art gallery and curatorial project, both of which share space with her Crossroads studio. Emily lives in Kansas City, Missouri. You can see more of her work using @theobjectenthusiast on Instagram, Facebook, and Skillshare.
The Needlecraft Shelf
100 Essential Knitting Stitches
Susie Johns
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946661, $24.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/100-Essential-Knitting-Stitches/dp/1784946664
Synopsis: With the publication of "100 Essential Knitting Stitches", needlecraft expert Suzie Johns has created a handy directory of 100 need-to-know knitting stitches to refresh or expand on the reader's needlework skills.
Organized into five main sections, the 100 stitches lend themselves to a variety of different uses including: Simple stitches provide the foundation of knitted fabrics; Colorwork designs brighten up your project; Textured stitches and lacy patterns add interest to your work; Delicate edges and trims finish things off nicely.
Each stitch is rated for difficulty and is laid out with a decorative stitched sample and clear instructions and of special note is the opening section covering essential knowledge on tools and materials and getting started.
Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout in full color, "100 Essential Knitting Stitches" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it especially useful for the novice beginner and of impressive value to even the more experienced knitter. "100 Essential Knitting Stitches" will prove to be of enduring usefulness and a prized pick for personal, professional, and community library Knitting instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Currently residing in London, England, Susie Johns is an artist and designer who has written dozens of craft books, including Circus Embroidery, Knitted Woodland Creatures, How to Embroider, Fat Quarter: Bags & Purses and Fat Quarter: Vintage. Her patterns and designs appear regularly in consumer craft magazines in the UK, such as Let's Knit, Sew and Let's Get Crafting, and she has written numerous patterns for suppliers such as DMC. She has also demonstrated various crafts on television.
Cute Crocheted Food
Emma Varnam
The GMC Group
www.gmcbooks.com
9781784946609, $26.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cute-Crocheted-Food-Crochet-Designs/dp/1784946605
Synopsis: With the publication of "Cute Crocheted Food: 24 Tasty Crochet Designs", crocheting expert Emma Varnam show ow to make use of the Japanese amigurumi technique to sculpt robust shapes with yarn, every piece of food becomes a cute and whimsical character.
For health food fans there is an array of wholesome fruit and vegetables, while those who like to indulge can recreate a variety of sweet treats and fast food snacks. Perfect for stimulating children's imaginary play, these little foodie friends will be at home in any play kitchen, cafe or restaurant.
"Cute Crocheted Food" features: 24 fun and quirky amigurumi food projects suitable for beginners to crochet; Playful and colorful illustration influenced by Japanese-style kawaii cuteness, Hello Kitty and bubble tea menus; All crochet techniques fully explained and illustrated with step-by-step drawings; Using up small amounts of leftover yarn.
Critique: With profusely and effectively illustrated step-by-step directions for each project, "Cute Crocheted Food: 24 Tasty Crochet Designs" is ideal for crocheting small gifts and stocking fillers. Exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Cute Crocheted Food: 24 Tasty Crochet Designs" is an especially recommended pick for personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections.
Editorial Note: Emma Varnam (https://emmavarnam.co.uk) has a special talent for creating unique characters in crochet that make people smile. As well as writing a number of popular crochet books, all published by GMC Publications - Crocheted Succulents, Crocheted Houseplants, Cute Crocheted Animals, Cute Crocheted Wild Animals, Cute Crocheted Woodland Creatures, How to Crochet, Granny Squares Home and Granny Squares Weekend - she has had a number of successful collaborations with the celebrated knitwear designer Debbie Bliss. Emma regularly shares her design inspiration on her award-winning knitting and crochet blog.
The General Fiction Shelf
Maribelle's Shadow
Susannah Marren
Beaufort Books
535 Flatbush Avenue, PMB 287, Brooklyn, NY 11225
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825310294, $16.95 PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Maribelles-Shadow-Susannah-Marren/dp/0825310296
Synopsis: As the editorial director of Palm Beach Confidential, Maribelle Walker knows what lurks beneath the glittering facade of the moneyed elite on Florida's most glamorous coast. Or does she?
When her adored and impressive husband, Samuel, dies suddenly, the secrets and lies between Maribelle and her sisters rise to the surface. Compounding the anguish, the authenticity of their socially ambitious mother and lavish lifestyle of mansions, privilege and couture clothes is thrown into doubt.
As their carefully constructed image unravels, each sister realizes she must fend for herself. The pathway out is steep and worth any risk. Until the winner takes all.
Critique: A carefully crafted, original, inherently riveting, and impressively compelling tale of deception and family loyalty, "Maribelle's Shadow" by author Susannah Marren is a riveting read that will be of immense interest to fans of contemporary women's fiction. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Maribelle's Shadow" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Susannah Marren (http://www.susanshapirobarash.com) is the author of Between the Tides, A Palm Beach Wife and A Palm Beach Scandal and the pseudonym for Susan Shapiro Barash, who has written over a dozen nonfiction books, including Tripping the Prom Queen, Toxic Friends, You're Grounded Forever, But First Let's Go Shopping, and A Passion for More. For over twenty years she has taught gender studies at Marymount Manhattan College and has guest taught creative nonfiction at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Presently she is teaching at the Westport Writers Workshop.
Famous in a Small Town
Viola Shipman
Graydon House
http://graydonhousebooks.com
c/o HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com
9781525805073, $30.00, HC, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Famous-Small-Town-Viola-Shipman/dp/152580507X
Synopsis: For most of her eighty years, Mary Jackson has endured the steady invasion of tourists, influencers and real estate developers who have discovered the lakeside charm of Good Hart, Michigan, waiting patiently for the arrival of a stranger she's believed since childhood would one day carry on her legacy -- the Very Cherry General Store.
Like generations of Jackson women before her, Cherry Mary, as she's known locally, runs the community hub that is part post office, part bakery and part sandwich shop. She had almost given up hope that the mysterious prediction she'd been told as a girl would come true and the store would have to pass to a man!
Becky Thatcher came to Good Hart with her ride-or-die BFF to forget that she's just turned forty with nothing to show for it. Ending up at the general store with Mary is admittedly not the beach vacation she expected, but the more the feisty octogenarian talks about destiny, the stronger Becky's memories of her own childhood holidays become, and the strange visions over the lake she was never sure were real.
As Becky works under Mary's wing for the summer and finds she fits into this quirky community of locals, she starts to believe that destiny could be real, and that it might have something very special in mind for Becky!
Critique: An original and fun read from cover to cover, "Famous in a Small Town" by the literary talented novelist Viola Shipman is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Women's Fiction collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Women's Friendship fiction fans that "Famous in a Small Town" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781525804854, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Wade Rouse (https://waderouse.com) writes fiction under his grandma's name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose heirlooms inspire his writing. He lives in Michigan and California, and hosts Wine & Words with Wade, A Literary Happy Hour, every Thursday.
The Second Ending
Michelle Hoffman
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
9780593599136, $18.00, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Second-Ending-Novel-Michelle-Hoffman/dp/0593599136
Synopsis: Prudence Childs was once the most famous kindergartner on the planet. After teaching herself to play piano at age three, she performed at the White House, appeared on talk shows, and inspired a generation to take up lessons. But as adolescence closed in, Prudence realized that she was being exploited and pushed into fame by her cruel grandmother, so she ran away. Broke and alone, she took a job writing commercial jingles, which earned her a fortune but left her creatively adrift.
Now forty-eight, with her daughters away at school, Prudence agrees to compete on a wildly popular dueling pianos TV show to reconnect with her inner artist. Unfortunately, her new spotlight captures the attention of her terrible ex-husband, Bobby, who uses the opportunity to blackmail her over a long-buried secret. If she doesn't win, she won't just be a musical failure; she'll also be bankrupt and exposed in front of millions.
Her on-air rival, virtuoso Alexei Petrov, a young internet sensation with a massive audience and a dreamy Russian accent, has problems of his own. His demanding parents made him a technically flawless pianist but left him without friends, hobbies, or any kind of life outside his music.
As they prepare to face off onstage, the retired prodigy and the exhausted wunderkind realize that the competition is their chance to prove to their bad exes, tyrannical family members, and, most important, themselves that it's never too late to write a new ending.
Critique: A beautifully crafted, original, novel and a terrifically entertaining read from cover to cover, "The Second Ending" by author Michelle Hoffman is unique, compelling, and memorable. A prized and welcome addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections and available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "The Second Ending" is the stuff of which Hallmark Channel Movies are made!
Editorial Note: Michelle Hoffman is a former arts and entertainment writer for The Arizona Republic. She began formal piano lessons at the age of five and now lives in Arizona with her husband, two spoiled Shih Tzus, and a very large piano.
Any Other City
Hazel Jane Plante
https://www.hazeljaneplante.com
Arsenal Pulp Press
www.arsenalpulp.com
9781551529110, $19.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Other-City-Hazel-Jane-Plante/dp/1551529114
Synopsis: "Any Other City" by novelist Hazel Jane Plante is a two-sided fictional memoir of Tracy St. Cyr, who helms the beloved indie rock band Static Saints.
Side A is a snapshot of her life from 1993, when Tracy arrives in a labyrinthine city as a fledgling artist and unexpectedly falls in with a clutch of trans women, including the iconoclastic visual artist Sadie Tang.
Side B finds Tracy, now a semi-famous musician, in the same strange city in 2019, healing from a traumatic event through songwriting, queer kinship, and sexual pleasure.
While writing her memoir, Tracy perceives how the past reverberates into the present, how a body is a time machine, how there's power in refusing to dust the past with powdered sugar, and how seedlings begin to slowly grow in empty spaces after things have been broken open.
Motifs recur like musical phrases, and traces of what used to be there peek through, like a palimpsest. "Any Other City" is a novel about friendship and other forms of love, traveling in a body across decades, and transmuting trauma through art making and queer sex -- a love letter to trans femmes and to art itself.
Critique: Eloquent, complex, fascinating, original, deftly crafted, and a compelling, compulsive, page turner of a read from start to finish, Hazel Jane Plante's novel, "Any Other City" will prove a welcome pick for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Literary Fiction and LGBTQ Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Any Other City" is also available from Arsenal Pulp Press in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Hazel Jane Plante (https://www.hazeljaneplante.com) is a librarian, cat photographer, and writer. Her debut novel Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) (Metonymy Press, 2019) won a Lambda Literary Award and was a finalist for a Publishing Triangle Award. She releases music under the name lo-fi lioness and helms the podcast t4t, which is about writing while trans.
Graceland
Nancy Crochiere
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
9780063288430, $18.99, PB, 400pp
https://www.amazon.com/Graceland-Novel-Nancy-Crochiere/dp/0063288435
Synopsis: Hope Robinson can't seem to please anyone lately, especially not her mother, the flamboyant soap star Olivia Grant. Olivia loves Elvis more than Jesus and, convinced she's dying, insists on a final visit to Graceland. Unfortunately, that's the one place Hope can't take her. Hope fled Memphis years ago with a shameful secret and a vow never to return.
Olivia, though, doesn't understand the word no. Instead, she wrangles Hope's pink-haired daughter, Dylan, to drive her to Memphis by promising to reveal the mystery of her long-lost father. Hope must stop them before they expose the truth and all hell breaks loose.
As the women race from Boston to Memphis, encountering jealous soap actors, free-range ferrets, and a trio of Elvis-impersonating frat boys, everyone's secrets begin to unravel. In order to become the family they long to be, Hope, Olivia, and Dylan must face hard truths about themselves and one another on the bumpy road to acceptance, forgiveness, and ultimately, grace.
Critique: Original, fun and funny, "Graceland" by novelist Nancy Crochiere is a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish. Clever and engaging, featuring a wealth of memorably interest characters, and more unexpected plot twists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster, "Graceland" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular pick for community library Contemporary Women's Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Graceland" is also currently available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1.99).
Editorial Note: Nancy Crochiere (https://www.nancycrochiere.com) chronicled the ups and downs of family life (including her obsession with George Clooney) in her humorous newspaper column, "The Mother Load". Her essays have appeared in the Boston Globe and Writer's Digest, and on WBUR's Cognoscenti blog. In her free time, she acts as an extra in feature films and TV shows.
Lump
Nathan Whitlock
Rare Machines
c/o The Dundurn Group
www.dundurn.com
9781459751286, $18.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Lump-Nathan-Whitlock/dp/1459751280
Synopsis: Cat's career has stalled, her marriage has gone flat, and being a stay-at-home mom for two young kids has become a grind. When she finds out, all within a few days, that she is pregnant, that a lump in her breast is the worst thing it could be, and that her husband has done something unforgivably repulsive, she responds by running away from her marriage and her life. A life that, on the outside, looks like middle-class success.
Her actions send waves of chaos through the lives of multiple characters, including a struggling house cleaner, a rich and charismatic yoga guru, and even an ailing dog.
Lump is a dark comedy about marriage, motherhood, privilege, and power.
Critique: A deftly crafted, entertaining, original, and memorable novel, "Lump" by Nathan Whitlock will have a special and particular appeal to fans of satirical fiction at its very best. With a wry approach to family life and a lampooning tragical comedy from beginning to end, "Lump" is unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Lump" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Nathan Whitlock (https://www.nathanwhitlock.ca) is the author of the novels A Week of This and Congratulations On Everything. His work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, Best Canadian Essays, and elsewhere.
The Historical Fiction Shelf
Queen of Exiles
Vanessa Riley
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780063270992, $32.00, HC, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Exiles-Novel-Vanessa-Riley/dp/0063270994
Synopsis: Marie-Louise Christophe was the wife and then widow of Henry I, who ruled over the newly liberated Kingdom of Hayti in the wake of the brutal Haitian Revolution.
In 1810 Louise is crowned queen as her husband begins his reign over the first and only free Black nation in the Western Hemisphere. But despite their newfound freedom, Haitians still struggle under mountains of debt to France and indifference from former allies in Britain and the new United States. Louise desperately tries to steer the country's political course as King Henry descends into a mire of mental illness.
In 1820, King Henry is overthrown and dies by his own hand. Louise and her daughters manage to flee to Europe with their smuggled jewels. In exile, the resilient Louise redefines her role, recovering the fortune that Henry had lost and establishing herself as an equal to the kings of European nations.
With newspapers and gossip tracking their every movement, Louise and her daughters tour Europe like other royals, complete with glittering balls and princes with marriage proposals. As they find their footing (and acceptance) they discover more about themselves, their Blackness, and the opportunities they can grasp in a European and male-dominated world.
Critique: Queen Marie Louise Coidavid (1778 - 11 March 1851) was the Queen of the Kingdom of Haiti 1811-20 as the spouse of Henri Christophe. A work of deftly crafted fiction, but based on historical realities and personalities, "Queen of Exiles" by Vanessa Riley showcases a remarkable Black woman -- a canny and bold survivor who chooses the fire and ideals of political struggle, and then is forced to rebuild her life on her own terms, but is forever a queen! Fascinating, engaging, entertaining, memorable, "Queen of Exiles" is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library biographical fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Queen of Exiles" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212692274, $57.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Novelist Vanessa Riley (https://vanessariley.com) also holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a master's in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She also earned BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University.
The Paris Deception
Bryn Turnbull
Mira Books
www.mirabooks.com
c/o HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780778307662, $28.99, HC, 448pp
https://www.amazon.com/Paris-Deception-Novel-Bryn-Turnbull/dp/0778307662
Synopsis: Sophie Dix fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Now, with her brother gone and her adopted home city of Paris conquered by the Reich, Sophie reluctantly accepts a position restoring damaged art at the Jeu de Paume museum under the supervision of the ERR -- a Nazi art commission using the museum as a repository for art they've looted from Jewish families.
Fabienne Brandt was a rising star in the Parisian bohemian arts movement until the Nazis put a stop to so-called "degenerate" modern art. Still mourning the loss of her firebrand husband, she's resolved to muddle her way through the occupation in whatever way she can -- until Sophie, her estranged sister-in-law, arrives at her door with a stolen painting in hand.
Soon the two women embark upon a plan to save Paris's "degenerates", working beneath the noses of Germany's top art connoisseurs to replace the paintings in the Jeu de Paume with skillful forgeries -- but how long can Sophie and Fabienne sustain their masterful illusion?
Critique: Fascinating, entertaining, original, deftly crafted with meticulous attention to historical detail, "The Paris Deception" by Bryn Turnbull will have immense appeal to readers with an interest in World War II themed suspense/thriller fiction and Women's Friendship novels. While unreservedly recommended for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Paris Deception" is also available in a paperback edition (9780778333418, $18.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9780778333418, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Bryn Turnbull (https://www.brynturnbull.com) is also the author of The Woman Before Wallis. With a master of letters in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews, a master of professional communication from Toronto Metropolitan University and a bachelor's degree in English literature from McGill University, Bryn focuses on finding stories of women lost within the cracks of the historical record.
The Literary Fiction Shelf
Cocktail
Lisa Alward
https://www.lisaalward.com
Biblioasis
www.biblioasis.com
9781771965620, $16.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cocktail-Lisa-Alward/dp/1771965622
Synopsis: With the publication of "Cocktails", Canadian author Lisa Alward shares her carefully crated short stories about: A girl receives a bedtime visit from a drunken party guest, who will haunt her fantasies for years. A young mother discovers underneath the wallpaper a striking portrait that awakens inconvenient desires. A divorced man distracts himself from the mess he's made by flirting with a stranger.
These intimate, immersive short stories explore life's watershed moments, in which seemingly insignificant details (a pot of hyacinths, a freshly painted yellow wall) and the most chance of encounters come to exert a tidal pull.
Set in the swinging sixties and each decade since, the stories comprising "Cocktail" reveals the schism between the lives we build up around us and our deepest hidden selves.
Critique: Comprised of exception works of literary and emotional precision, "Cocktails" showcases author Lisa Alward's genuine and imaginative flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that is as engaging as it is memorable. While an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for community, college, and university library Contemporary Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Cocktails" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: The stories by Canadian author Lisa Alward (https://www.lisaalward.com) have won The Fiddlehead Prize and the Peter Hinchcliffe Short Fiction Award and have appeared in Best Canadian Stories as well as The Journey Prize Stories. She worked for several years in literary publishing in Toronto.
The Romantic Fiction Shelf
Flirting with Fire Mass
Jane Porter
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593438428, $8.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Flirting-Fire-Jane-Porter/dp/0593438426
Synopsis: Forty-nine-year-old Margot Hughes has lived and breathed theater for the past twenty-five years. After a devastating breakup with her playwright fiance, she now wants nothing to do with the industry. She has sworn off New York, theater, actors -- all of it.
She returns to her hometown on California's central coast and takes a job in real estate, where she manages significant investment properties. But Margot is suddenly thrown back into the theater world when Sally, her friend and boss, who had been restoring and funding Cambria's historic theater, has a heart attack. Before she knows it, Margot is tapped to take over the troubled summer production of Barefoot in the Park.
But the play is no walk in the park because the leads and director have all quit, and Margot struggles to find new actors -- until Max Russo arrives.
Forty-five-year-old Max is a former soap opera star turned rugged cowboy on TV's most popular western series. Max has a huge following and is the perfect hero to step up and save the play, provided Margot stars opposite him.
Although adamant she would never return to theater, Margot enjoys the long hours of rehearsal with a professional like Max, who is charming, witty, and passionate. But when the curtains close, can Margot allow herself to fall for Max when he represents everything she left behind?
Critique: Another gem of a women's friendship and contemporary romance novel by a master of the genre, "Flirting With Fire" by Jane Porter is a fun read from cover to cover and especially recommended for the personal reading lists of her legions of dedicated fans. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), "Flirting With Fire" is an especially recommended pick for community library Contemporary Romance collections.
Editorial Note: Jane Porter (www.janeporter.com) is the author of more than 75 romance and women's fiction titles. She has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award six times, with her Tule Publishing novella, Take Me, Cowboy, winning the Novella Category July 2014. Today, Jane has over 15 million copies in print, including her wildly popular Flirting with Forty, a novel picked by Redbook Magazine as it's Red Hot Summer Read in 2006 before being turned into a Lifetime movie in 2008 starring Heather Locklear. In 2021 two of Jane's Taming of the Sheenan romances were turned into original movies for the Great American Family Network. Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco.
Must Love Flowers
Debbie Macomber
Ballantine Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
www.randomhouse.com
Random House Audio Books
9780593600559, $28.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Flowers-Debbie-Macomber/dp/059360055X
Synopsis: Joan Sample is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen to her sister, who has been begging Joan to re-engage with the world. With Emmie's support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps: hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group, and even renting out a room to a local college student. Before long Joan is starting to feel a little like herself again.
Across town, Maggie Herbert works mornings as a barista, tending to impatient customers before rushing to afternoon nursing classes. She lives with her alcoholic father, ducking his temperamental outbursts and struggling to pay the household bills. But her circumstances brighten when she finds a room for rent in Joan's home. In the unexpected warmth of her new situation, Maggie finds a glimmer of hope for a better life. But will Maggie's budding attraction to one of her favorite customers ruin the harmony she's only recently found with Joan?
Meanwhile, what is Joan to make of the mysterious landscaper who's been revitalizing her garden -- a man who seems to harbor a past loss of his own?
As Maggie and Joan confront difficult life choices, they draw strength from this new friendship in surprising ways -- discovering in the process that "found family" is often the very best kind.
Critique: As a novelist, Debbie Macomber has a genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that has made her one of the most popular authors working today. "Must Love Flowers" is her newest work and a 'must' for the growing legions of her fans. While unreservedly recommended for community library Contemporary Romance and Women's Domestic Life collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Must Love Flowers" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99). Librarians should also be aware that "Must Love Flowers" is also available for their collections in a large print paperback edition (Random House Large Print (9780593743744, $30.00, 400pp) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Random House Audio, 9780593740071, $40.00, CD).
There's No Coming Back from This
Ann Garvin
Lake Union Publishing
https://amazonpublishing.amazon.com/lake-union-publishing.html
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781542033596, $16.99, PB, 303pp
https://www.amazon.com/Theres-No-Coming-Back-This/dp/1542033594
Synopsis: It seems lately that Poppy Lively is invisible to everyone but the IRS.
After her accountant absconded with her life savings, newly bankrupt Poppy is on the verge of losing her home when an old flame, now a hotshot producer, gives her a surprising way out: a job in costumes on a Hollywood film set.
It's a bold move to pack her bags, keep secrets from her daughter, and head to Los Angeles, but Poppy's a capable person -- and how hard can a job in wardrobe be? It's not like she has a choice; her life couldn't get any worse. Even so, this midwesterner has a lot to learn about the fast and loose world of movie stars, iconic costumes, and back-lot intrigue.
As a single mom, she's rarely had time for watching movies, she doesn't sew, and she doesn't know a thing about dressing the biggest names in the business. Floundering and overlooked, Poppy has one ally: Allen Carol, an ill-tempered movie star taken with Poppy's unfiltered candor and general indifference to stardom.
When Poppy stumbles upon corruption, she relies on everyone underestimating her to discover who's at the center of it, a revelation that shakes her belief in humanity. What she thought was a way to secure a future for her daughter becomes a spotlight illuminating the facts: Poppy is out of her league among the divas of Tinseltown.
Poppy must decide whether to keep her mouth shut, as she's always done, or with the help of a scruffy dog, show the moviemakers that they need her unglamorous ways, whether the superstars like it or not.
Critique: As a novelist, author Ann Garvin has an impressive and genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven storytelling style that will keep readers with an interest in romantic comedy simply riveting from first page to last. A fun read and the stuff of which Hallmark movies are made, "There's No Coming Back from This" is an exceptional and unreservedly recommended pick for community library collections. It should be noted that "There's No Coming Back from This" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $4.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Brilliance Audio, 9781713616313, $19.99, MP3-CD)
Editorial Note: Ann Garvin (www.anngarvin.net) is the author of five funny and sad novels about people who do too much, in a world that asks too much from them. Ann teaches in the low-residency master of fine arts program at Drexel University. She is also the founder of the Tall Poppy Writers and is dedicated to helping authors find readers and vice versa.
Summer in the Spotlight
Liz Johnson
Fleming H. Revell Company
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.revellbooks.com
9780800744625, $29.99, HC, 368pp
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Spotlight-Prince-Edward-Island/dp/0800744624
Synopsis: Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it's not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there's more to the quiet man than meets the eye.
For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can't seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up -- or lose the heart of the woman he longs for.
Critique: The final book in the 'Prince Edward Island Shores' series by Liz Johnson, "Summer in the Spotlight" will have a very special appeal to readers with an interest in wholesome contemporary Christian romance novels. The stuff of which Hallmark movies are made, "Summer in the Spotlight" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Romance collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of Liz Johnson fans that "Summer in the Spotlight" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9780800737399, $16.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).
Editorial Note: Liz Johnson (www.lizjohnsonbooks.com) is the author of more than a dozen novels, including Beyond the Tides and The Last Way Home, as well as the Georgia Coast Romance and Prince Edward Island Dreams series.
Kiss the Girl
Zoraida Cordova
Hyperion Avenue
c/o Disney Books
https://books.disney.com
9781368053365, $15.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Girl-Meant-Zoraida-C%C3%B3rdova/dp/136805336X
Synopsis: Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters (together, known as the band Siren Seven) have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she's the girl who has everything.
But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can't wait to spend the summer just living a normal life -- part of a world she's only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show.
The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It's there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father -- and goes with him.
Caught between the world she longs for and the one she's left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?
Critique: Deftly blending elements of comedy, coming of age, and romance, author Zoralda Cordova once again demonstrates her natural flair for originality and the kind of narrative driven storytelling skills that keep her readers fascinated and engaged from first page to last. A thoroughly fun, wholesome, memorable, and uplifting read, "Kiss the Girl" is an especially and unreservedly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library collections. It should be noted that "Kiss the Girl" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Zoraida Cordova (www.ZoraidaCordova.com) is the author of more than two dozen novels and short stories, including the Brooklyn Brujas series, Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence, and The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina. In addition to writing novels, she serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old, as well as the co-host of the writing podcast, Deadline City. She writes romance novels as Zoey Castile.
Finding Us
Tracie Peterson
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton Road, Ada, MI 49301
www.bethanyhouse.com
9780764237423, $29.99, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Pictures-Heart-Tracie-Peterson/dp/076423742X
Synopsis: While taking photographs at an exposition in Seattle in 1909, Camera Girl Eleanor Bennett snaps an image of a woman in widow's clothes with deep sorrow etched in her expression and a young infant in her arms.
Eleanor longs to study botany at the University of Washington and soon becomes fast friends with botanist Bill Reed, but she can't stop thinking about the widow in the photograph. She is stunned to learn Bill recognizes the woman as the sister-in-law he believed lost in a shipwreck.
As Eleanor and Bill hunt for Amelia Reed to reunite her with her grief-stricken husband, they must stand together to face the danger that follows and learn to trust that God will direct their paths.
Critique: Of particular interest to readers with an affinity for American Historical Romance novels from a Christian perspective, "Finding Us" showcases author Tracie Peterson's impressive and narrative driven storytelling skills. Original, entertaining, and with a good many unexpected plot twists and turns, "Finding Us" is a highly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Romance collections. It should be noted that "Finding Us" from Bethany House Publishers is also available in a paperback edition (9780764237416, $17.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Tracie Peterson (www.traciepeterson.com) is the author of more than 100 novels, both historical and contemporary. She has won the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award and the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her avid research resonates in her many bestselling series.
The Roommate Pact
Allison Ashley
Mira Books
www.mirabooks.com
c/o HarperCollins
https://www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9780778334248 $18.99 pbk / $10.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Roommate-Pact-Novel-Allison-Ashley/dp/0778334244
Synopsis: The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they're forty, they'll take the proverbial plunge together -- as friends with benefits.
Maybe it's the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn't had much luck in love and he's in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there's no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father.
Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham's injured in a serious rock climbing accident -- and he needs Claire's help to heal. She'll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health -- even if it means moving in to Graham's bed and putting up with his little dog, who hates her.
But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping "for now" from turning into "forever" isn't as easy as they'd planned!
Critique: The stuff of which Hallmark Movie Channel romance comedy/dramas are made, "The Roommate Pact" by novelist Allison Ashley is a fun and funny read from cover to cover. While a choice and original contribution to community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Roommate Pact" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9798212657846, $41.99, CD).
Editorial Note: Allison Ashley (https://authorallisonashley.wordpress.com) is a music-loving, coffee-drinking mom of two who loves love stories. She is also an oncology pharmacist and spends her days focused on helping patients through one of the hardest things life can throw at them. Her escape has always been books (specifically books about happiness, love, and laughter) and it was inevitable that she'd eventually write her own. She promises to always write stories with deep romance, intense connection, and humor -- but most of all, that coveted happy ever after!
Letters of Comfort
Wanda & Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636094878, $16.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Comfort-Friendship-2/dp/1636094872
Synopsis: Doretta Schwartz used to be so happy and passed her positive attitude along to friends in several letters she wrote each month. But that all changed the day she learned of her fiance's death and a heavy weight of depression fell upon her. Feeling empty, she puts away her letter writing and won't even respond to calls from friends.
William's twin brother, Warren, is also grieving his loss, while at the same time, trying to be supportive to his parents and Doretta. Doretta responds to Warren's friendship, but is he just becoming a replacement for the once-in-a-lifetime love she lost?
Critique: "Letters of Comfort" is the second book in author Wanda Brunstetter's outstanding new series 'The Friendship Letters'. This latest of her deftly crafted and fully entertaining Amish wholesome romance novels "Letters of Comfort" is very highly recommended and of particular interest for Amish & Mennonite fiction enthusiasts. It should be noted for the growing legions of Wanda E. Brunstetter fans that "Letters of Comfort" fans that "Letters of Comfort" is also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). Librarians should note that there is also a large print edition of "Letters of Comfort" (Thorndike Press Large Print, 9798885792530, $35.99, Library Binding).
Editorial Note: Wanda Brunstetter (www.WandaBrunstetter.com) is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.
And Then There Was You
Nancy Naigle
Griffin
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress
9781250794178, $18.00, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Then-There-Was-You-Chestnut/dp/125079417X
Synopsis: Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhere.
Detective Randy Fellowes can't promise Natalie restitution, but he's determined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he's caught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the case.
Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns -- an old fishing cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with the town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the area and its heritage.
Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she rediscovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again.
Critique: A deftly crafted contemporary romance novel that will have a special appeal to fans of the 'happy ever after' style of clean and wholesome romance stories, "And Then There Was You" launches novelist Nancy Naigle's new 'Chestnut Ridge' romance series. The kind of story that Hallmark Channel movies are made (literally!), "And Then There Was You" is a particularly recommended pick for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Romance Fiction collections. It should be noted that "And Then There Was You" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Nancy Naigle (https://nancynaigle.allauthor.com) writes small-town love stories with a whole lot of heart. Several of her published novels have been made into Hallmark movies, and most recently The Shell Collector was adapted as the first Fox original movie to stream on Fox Nation.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
A Deadly Dedication
Margaret Loudon
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593547175, $8.99, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Dedication-Open-Book-Mysteries/dp/0593547179
Synopsis: Penelope Parish thought she'd turned the page on her amateur sleuthing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes' proposed first high-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite.
It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster's farm-sourced charcuterie and imported pastries -- in fact, many of the locals were outraged by the potential new competition.
With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope's toughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help with every twist of the poisoned pen.
Critique: Another carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining cozy 'whodunnit' mystery featuring an amateur female sleuth and friends, "A Deadly Dedication" is the latest addition to novelist Margaret Loudon's 'The Open Book Mystery' series. With a special interest to fans of cozy mysteries set in the literary community and local bookstore, "A Deadly Dedication" is a riveting read from cover to cover and a welcome pick for personal reading lists and community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted that "A Deadly Dedication" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Margaret Loudon is author of the Farmer's Daughter Mysteries, the Cranberry Cove Mysteries, and the Gourmet De-Lite Mysteries, written under the name Peg Cochran. She also wrote the Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mysteries under the name Meg London.
Honey Drop Dead
Laura Childs
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593200957, $28.00, HC, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Honey-Drop-Dead-Shop-Mystery/dp/0593200950
Synopsis: Theodosia's Honey Bee Tea was an elegant affair set in Charleston's new Petigru Park amid newly planted native grasses and a community beekeeping project. But when a phony beekeeper shows up and sprays toxic smoke at the guests, the party erupts in chaos. Worse yet, a shot rings out and Osgood Claxton III, candidate for state legislature, falls to the ground -- dead.
Holly Burns, the gallery owner who asked Theodosia to cater the tea, is understandably heartbroken. A man is dead, her guests are angry and injured, and the paintings that were on display are left in tatters. When the police don't seem to have a clue, when old-line politicos don't want questions asked, Holly begs Theodosia to run a shadow investigation and help restore her gallery's good name.
Between hosting a Wind in the Willows Tea and a Glam Girl Tea, Theodosia questions everyone that had a bone to pick with Claxton. This includes Booker, an angry outsider artist; Lamar Lucket, Claxton's political opponent; and Mignon Merriweather, the dead man's soon-to-be ex-wife. But the investigation becomes a political hot potato following a second murder, the revelation of a messy affair, a chase through a swamp, and a vandalized shop.
Critique: Amateur female sleuthing, murder mystery solving, "Honey Drop Dead" by esteemed novelist Laura Childs has every thing a cozy mystery fan could want. A fun read from cover to cover, "Honey Drop Dead" will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists for all dedicated cozy mystery readers that "Honey Drop Dead" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Laura Childs (https://www.facebook.com/laurachildsauthor) is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller.
Hot Pot Murder
Jennifer J. Chow
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin/Random House
https://www.penguin.com
9780593336557, $8.99, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Pot-Murder-Night-Market/dp/0593336550
Synopsis: Yale and Celine Yee's food stall business is going so well that the two cousins have been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing hot pot feast -- until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a literal shock to his system and dies.
Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on family friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed -- and Yale's dad is a close second on their list!
Yale and Celine must step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attendees: the association's ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a snacks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It's up to the detecting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family have to close their businesses for good.
Critique: The sequel of "Death by Bubble Tea" in author Jennifer J. Chow's 'L.A. Night Market' mystery series, "Hot Pot Murder" continues to showcase her impressive storytelling talents and her genuine flair for originality and ability to create memorable characters and a plot involving more plot twists and turns than a Disney Land roller coaster. Of special note is that this culinary cozy mystery also features recipes! While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated cozy mystery fans that "Hot Pot Murder" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Jennifer J. Chow (https://jenniferjchow.com) is the Lefty Award-nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries and the L.A. Night Market Mysteries. The first in the Sassy Cat series, Mimi Lee Gets A Clue, was selected as an Overdrive Recommended Read; a PopSugar Best Summer Beach Read; and one of BuzzFeed's Top 5 Books by AAPI authors. She currently serves as vice president on the national board of Sisters in Crime and is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America.
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance
Brian Freeman
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593419885, $29.00, HC, 384pp
https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Ludlums-Bourne-Defiance-Jason/dp/059341988X
Synopsis: From the glacial waters of Alaska to a sexy nightclub in the Bahamas, Treadstone agents are being hunted down and murdered. Someone high up in the U.S. government will stop at nothing to cover up a secret Treadstone mission from the past known as Defiance.
With a team of killers hot on his trail, Jason Bourne chases the mystery of Defiance around the world. But as he closes in on the shocking truth, Bourne realizes that one man holds the key - his archenemy, the assassin known as Lennon. The Russian hitman has been at the heart of Defiance from the very beginning, and his next target will put Bourne (and the woman he loves) in the cross-hairs.
As Bourne races to stop the ruthless conspiracy behind Defiance, he must come face to face with Lennon one last time -- and the stage is set for a final violent showdown.
Critique: Keeping full faith and allegiance to the Jason Bourne novels originally created by the literary storytelling talents of the late Robert Ludlum, this new addition to the Jason Bourne series, "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" by the impressively accomplished novelist Brian Freeman is an especially appealing and entertaining novel that can be unreservedly recommended for the legions of Robert Ludlum (and Jason Bourne) dedicated fans. A fun read with all manner of unexpected plot twists and turns, "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" is an ideal and enduringly popular pick for community library Espionage, Terrorism, and Political Thriller collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Defiance" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note #1: Brian Freeman (https://bfreemanbooks.com) is the author of more than twenty thrillers, including the Jonathan Stride series and three previous Jason Bourne novels, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Evolution, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Treachery, and Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sacrifice. His stand-alone novel The Deep, Deep Snow was an Edgar Award finalist and New York Times bestseller, and his novel Spilled Blood won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel.
Editorial Note #2: Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 - March 12, 2001) was the author of twenty-seven novels, each one a New York Times bestseller. There are more than 225 million of his books in print, and they have been translated into thirty-two languages. He is the author of The Scarlatti Inheritance, The Chancellor Manuscript, and the Jason Bourne series--The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum--among others.
Scaredy Cat
Sofie Ryan
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593201992, $8.99, PB, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Cat-Second-Chance-Mystery/dp/059320199X
Synopsis: After a long, cold, and snowy winter, it seems as though spring may be arriving early in Maine. Sarah Grayson is busy at her store, Second Chance, and she's looking forward to an afternoon break from the hustle and bustle, tagging along to the North Harbor Spring House Tour with her friend Detective Michelle Andrews.
But it turns out one of the houses has a haunted history, and when a ghost hunter is found dead on the premises, Sarah knows the best way to uncover the killer and to solve the mystery is by investigating the not-so-dearly departed. With help from Elvis and Charlotte's Angels, the crew of senior citizen private detectives who work out of the store, she'll close the case on this creepy crime.
Critique: Cozy mystery writing at its very best, "Scaredy Cat" by Sofie Ryan is and original, deftly crafted, and just plain fun read for the fans of the genre. While also available for the personal reading lists of dedicated 'whodunnit' fans in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99), the mass market paperback edition is a highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Sofie Ryan (https://sofiekelly.com) is the author of the Second Chance Cat Mysteries. She also writes the New York Times Magical Cats Mysteries under the name Sofie Kelly.
A Questionable Character
Lorna Barrett
Berkley Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
www.penguin.com
9780593549414, $28.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Questionable-Character-Booktown-Mystery/dp/0593549414
Synopsis: It's a busy summer in Booktown. Contractor Jim Stark is in great demand: he's overseeing a number of projects, including Angelica Miles's newly constructed building on Main Street, finishing up the new brew pub, and gutting a stone mansion off Main Street that Angelica bought to be the world headquarters for Nigela Ricita Associates. It will house office space where her marketing staff and the rest of the NR Associates clerical personnel will work.
Tricia Miles and Angelica arrive at the mansion before their workday to see how the construction is going. They find the place unlocked and Stark's right-hand man, Sanjay Arya, having been bludgeoned to death. The loss of the contractor's top man threatens all the projects in the works, which would effectively ruin the expensive marketing plan that the Chamber of Commerce has been working. Is Jim a suspect? (He'd be stupid to kill the person he depends on to keep the projects going.) But Stark also thinks his wife, who was very chummy with Sanjay, might have been cheating on him with the second-in-command, making him a likely suspect.
Once again Tricia finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, but can she find the killer before he or she has the chance to bring the hammer down?
Critique: If you like memorable murder mysteries being solved by female amateur sleuths and cozy animal mysteries, then put "A Questionable Character" by cozy mystery novelist Lorna Barrett at the top of your reading list. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "A Questionable Character" will prove to be an immediately welcome and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.
Editorial Note: Lorna Barrett (https://lornabarrett.com) is the author of the Booktown Mystery series. She is a multi-published, Agatha-nominated author who penned the Jeff Resnick Mysteries, as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series -- and has many short stories and novellas to her name (and pseudonyms).
Saving Myles
Carol Vonderau
Oceanview Publishing
1620 Main Street, Suite 11, Sarasota, FL 34236
www.oceanviewpub.com
9781608095582, $27.95, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Myles-Carl-Vonderau/dp/1608095584
Synopsis: Wade, a respected banker in La Jolla, CA, and his estranged wife, Fiona, make the unbearable decision to send their teenage son, Myles, away to an expensive treatment center after a streak of harmful behavior. After a year of treatment, Myles comes home, seemingly rehabilitated. But soon, he sneaks off to Tijuana to buy drugs -- and is kidnapped.
When the ransom call comes, Fiona is frantic and accepts help from Andre, the Quebecois whose charity Fiona runs. Wade is wary of Andre's reputation and the bank he owns, but seeing no other way to secure a kidnap negotiator or the ransom, he swallows his doubts to get his son home.
In order to get the ransom money, Wade makes a deal with Andre -- he'll work for Andre's bank in exchange for the cash. But as Wade races to rescue Myles before his kidnappers lose their patience, he realizes he's wrapped up in more crime than just a kidnapping -- he's now indebted to a cartel.
Critique: Original, deftly crafted, and a simply riveting read from first page to last, "Saving Myles" by Carl Vonderau is crime thriller fiction at its very best. Especially recommended for readers with an interest in novels featuring an amateur sleuth, criminal cartels, and more plot twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster, "Saving Myles" will prove an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Saving Myles" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
Editorial Note: Carl Vonderau (https://carlvonderau.com) is a former banker and anti-money laundering specialist turned crime fiction writer. A graduate of Stanford University, Carl has lived and worked in Latin America, Canada, and North Africa. His debut thriller, Murderabilia, won the Best Debut Mystery award from Left Coast Crime and the San Diego Book award for Best Mystery.
Maeve Fly
C. J. Leede
Tor Nightfire
c/o Tor/Forge Books
www.tor-forge.com
9781250857859, $26.99, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Maeve-Fly-CJ-Leede/dp/1250857856
Synopsis: By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child's favorite ice princess. But by the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other -- imitating her misanthropic literary heroes.
But when Gideon Green (her best friend's brother) moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet.
Untethered, Maeve ditches her discontented act and tries on a new persona. A bolder, bloodier one, inspired by the pages of American Psycho -- and its Maeve's turn with the knife.
Critique: All the more impressive when considering that "Maeve Fly" is author C. J. Leede's debut as a novelist, this original, deftly crafted, and hauntingly memorable suspense thriller of a read is both (as accurately described by others) a 'blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villain"s. While an appropriate pick for community library Mystery/Suspense and Crime/Horror collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists for fans of satirical fiction, crime novels, and psychological thrillers that "Maeve Fly" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).
Editorial Note: CJ Leede (https://us.macmillan.com/author/cjleede) is a horror writer who has an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, and a BA from NYU's Gallatin School, where she studied Mythology and the Middle Ages. In addition to "Maeve Fly", CJ has two more horror novels scheduled for publishing from Tor Nightfire.
Robert B. Parker's Bad Influence
Alison Gaylin
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group
www.penguin.com
9780593540527, $29.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Parkers-Influence-Sunny-Randall/dp/0593540522
Synopsis: Sunny Randall's newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is an Instagram influencer, with all the perks the lifestyle entails -- a beautiful girlfriend, wealth, and adoring fans.
But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board by Blake's manager, Bethany, to protect him and to uncover who is out to kill him. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies and schemes -- and ties to a dangerous criminal scene.
When Bethany goes missing and the threats against Blake escalate, Sunny realizes that in order to solve this case, she has to find out exactly who Blake and Bethany are, behind the Instagram filters.
But while digging into their pasts, she is also forced to confront her own, as old friends (and ex-husbands) reappear. With a combination of old-school crime-solving skills and modern internet savvy, Sunny must stop at nothing to catch a killer.
Critique: Another superbly crafted suspense thriller of a read by the gifted novelist Alison Gaylin, "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is a fun read that will of special interest to fans of Private Eye murder mysteries. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Robert P. Parker's Bad Influence" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Random House Audio, 9780593672303, $35.00, CD).
Editorial Note: Alison Gaylin (https://www.alisongaylin.com) is an author whose novels have won the Edgar and Shamus awards. Her work has been published in numerous countries and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Macavity, Anthony, ITW Thriller and Strand Book Award.
Urgent Matters
Paula Rodriguez, author
Sarah Moses, translator
Pushkin Vertigo
c/o Pushkin Press
www.pushkinpress.com
9781782278153, $14.95, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Urgent-Matters-Pushkin-Vertigo-RODRIGUEZ/dp/178227815X
Synopsis: A train crashes in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, leaving forty-three fatalities, two of which have not been identified. A prayer card of Saint Expeditus, the patron saint of urgent matters, flutters above the wreckage.
Hugo, a criminal on the run for murder, is on the train. He seizes his chance to sneak out of the wreckage unsuspected, abandoning his possessions (and, he hopes, his identity) among bodies mangled beyond recognition.
As the police descend on the scene, only grizzled Detective Dominguez sees a link between the crash and his murder case. Soon, he's on Hugo's tail. But he hasn't banked on everything from the media to his mother-in-law getting in the way.
Critique: An impressively crafted and original suspense thriller, and a compulsive page turner of a read from start to finish, "Urgent Matters" by Argentinian novelist Paula Rodriguez is ably translated into English for an American readership by Sarah Moses. While also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), "Urgent Matters" is an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, and academic library Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, and International Mystery Suspense/Thriller collections.
Editorial Note #1: Paula Rodriguez (https://pushkinpress.com/our-authors/paula-rodriguez) is a journalist, editor, co-founder, writer, comedian, ghostwriter, and feminist activist. She has worked for twenty-five years in magazine editorial. Urgent Matters is her first novel.
Editorial Note #2: Sarah Moses (https://www.attlc-ltac.org/en/translator/sarah-moses-en) is a writer and translator of French and Spanish. She co-translated Sos una sola persona by Stuart Ross and Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, which was longlisted for the International Booker Prize, among other awards. Her translation of Agustina Bazterrica's Tender Is the Flesh was originated by Pushkin Press in 2020. Sarah divides her time between Buenos Aires and Toronto.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Dreams of Fire
Davide Mana
Aconyte Books
https://aconytebooks.com
c/o Simon & Schuster
https://www.simonandschuster.com
9781839082436, $16.95, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Fire-Descent-Legends-Novel/dp/1839082437
Synopsis: Soldier. Dreamer. Exile. Dragon hybrid Vaerix has already lived an age in Terrinoth and seen more than their fair share of horror and hatred. Cast out for their strange ability to dream, Vaerix wanders the world in search of connection.
When an expedition to the volcanic Molten Heath offers Vaerix the chance to confront those who wronged them, they cannot resist the temptation. But there is more at stake than treasure and truth. There are powers here beyond comprehension, and everyone has their own game to play. The future of Terrinoth will be written in blood and flame.
Critique: A 'Descent: Legends of the Dark' novel and of special and particular appeal to readers with an interest in the Sword & Sorcery fantasy genre, "Dreams of Fire" by Davide Mana is a carefully crafted, original, and thoroughly fun read from cover to cover. While also available for personal reading list in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.95), "Dreams of Fire" is a fantasy action/adventure novel that will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to Fantasy Fiction collections.
Editorial Note: Davide Mana was born and raised in Turin, Italy, with brief stints in London, Bonn and Urbino, where he studied paleontology and geology. He currently lives in the wine hills of southern Piedmont, where he is a writer, translator and game designer. In his spare time, he cooks and listens to music, photographs the local feral cats, and collects old books. He also co-hosts a podcast about horror movies, called Paura & Delirio.
Mystic Pursuit: The Inner Realm
Erik Daniel Boudreau
https://edbbooks.com
Cosmic Egg Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803410340, $18.95, PB, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Mystic-Pursuit-Inner-Realm-Novel/dp/1803410345
Synopsis: It was a world like our own, in an age lost to time. For millennia, humans co-existed peacefully with three distinct orders of sentient beings, the mystics, each helping to maintain universal balance by governing either life, matter or spiritual energy. Overseeing this grand orchestration was one solitary being, belonging to a sacred lineage all its own, the Voduss Grei -- the Gray Mystics.
Spurred by a premonition of the world's end at the hands of a rebellious human from a small seaside village, Noryssin, the last of the Gray Mystics, saw the village destroyed. The events from that night set off thirty years of chaos and discord among all beings. Lakos, one of the few human survivors from the tragedy, emerged with the singular goal of exacting revenge against not only the Voduss Grei but also all mystics.
Caught amid the conflict was Thayliss, a human who had spent the past three decades living among the Ohlinn, or spirit-mystics, as one of their own. Finding his once-peaceful life destroyed, and the only family he has ever known ripped from his grasp, Thayliss must try to stop Lakos from his plot to control all mystic orders and assume the throne of the Voduss Grei.
Critique: Original, carefully crafted, and a fun read from start to finish, "Mystic Pursuit" is the first volume in what promises to be an epic fantasy series author Erick Daniel Boudreau called 'The Inner Realm'. Leaving his readers looking eagerly toward the next title in this series, fantasy novelist Boudreau has a genuine mastery of the genre and "Mystic Pursuit" is an extraordinary and highly recommended pick for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated fantasy fans that "Mystic Pursuit" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.49).
Editorial Note: Erik loves the challenge of creating a story and trying to bring it to life. From suspense/thrillers and epic fantasy to screenplays and even health/medical publications, he enjoys delving into a wide variety of different worlds. He lives just outside Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife and daughter.
The Poetry Shelf
I Love My People
Kim Singleton
Broadleaf Books
510 Marquette Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55402
www.broadleafbooks.com
9781506486710, $15.99, HC, 96pp
https://www.amazon.com/Love-My-People-Kim-Singleton/dp/1506486711
Synopsis: With the publication of "I Love My People", Kim Singleton recounts with rhythmic prowess the beauty and legacy of Black people who are "too many to name, from the corners of obscurity, to the highest of fame".
"I Love My People" is a poetic tribute to African American history-makers and culture-shakers, coupled with nostalgic photography and vibrant, playful illustrations. With the power of her verse Kim Singleton invites us into call-and-response and brings a refreshing cadence to the page that captures every decade of Black joy in all its resilient, diverse, and excellent splendor.
With her poetry, Kim Singleton shines a light on virtually every facet of Black community life, and unapologetically declares her people good -- from the street corner to the White House and everything in between.
Critique: As memorable as it is inspiring, "I Love My People" is a compelling and inherently uplifting body of work that would grace any and all personal, professional, community, college, and university African American poetry collections. It should be noted that "I Love My People" is also available to students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Black Poetry and History in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).
Editorial Note: Kimberly Singleton (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3269261/bio) is a filmmaker, writer, and poet. She earned a BS from Howard University and an MBA from NYU, Stern School of Business, forging a twenty-year career in media. Singleton's love for the arts led her to study at Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center, Gotham Writers Workshop, and African Voices Writers Workshop. Singleton is the executive producer and host of the online program Consider It Blacklit, winner of the Public Media Award of Excellence in 2018 and 2019.
The Business Shelf
Power to the Middle
Bill Schaninger, author
Bryan Hancock, author
Emily Field, author
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781647824853, $32.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Middle-Managers-Hold-Future/dp/1647824850
Synopsis: "Middle manager" is a descriptive term from a bygone industrial era in which managers functioned like cogs in a vast bureaucratic machine. In recent decades, midlevel managers became a favorite target for the chopping block -- underappreciated, often considered a superfluous layer of the organization.
Not only does this outdated perspective need to change, but the future demands it.
With the publication of "Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work", McKinsey thought leaders Bill Schaninger, Bryan Hancock, and Emily Field call for a profound reimagining of managers and their roles. They explain how middle managers are uniquely positioned close to the ground but with a crucial connection to company strategy, enabling them to guide their organizations through periods of rapid and complex change, as well as to help shape the new world of work.
The authors compellingly illustrate this deep shift in the workplace, showing how: Managers are the key to winning the war for talent, which requires strong people skills to attract and retain the best talent; Managers must shift from merely enforcing rules to challenging them, serving as critical stopgaps for rules that are ineffective or obsolete; Crucially, good managers must not be promoted out of their jobs. Instead, their title and compensation should reflect their high value and allow them to advance within their roles.
With rich stories and cutting-edge research, "Power to the Middle" offers a new model for companies to radically alter the way they hire, train, and reward their midlevel managers—their most valuable asset.
Critique: Simply stated, "Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work" is essential reading for anyone aspiring to become, or who are already employed in a company's middle management position. Impressively comprehensive, exceptionally informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Power to the Middle" must be considered an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, college, and university library Business Management collection and supplemental MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Power to the Middle" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note #1: Bill Schaninger (https://sardertv.com/author/bill-schaninger) is a senior partner emeritus in McKinsey's Philadelphia office. He is an international speaker, author, and adviser to senior leaders and government officials on the topics of talent, culture, values, and the broad impact of "how you run the place" on performance.
Editorial Note #2: Bryan Hancock (https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/bryan-hancock) is a partner in McKinsey's Washington, DC, office and one of the global leaders of McKinsey's talent work. Through his research and client service, he has focused on connecting workers to opportunities, building their skills, and improving their day-to-day experience on the job.
Editorial Note #3: Emily Field (www.mckinsey.com) is a partner in McKinsey's Seattle office. She advises organizations globally across industries to deliver on their performance goals and people aspirations, with the role of the middle manager front and center.
The Agile Organization
Linda Holbeche
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398608689, $131.00, HC, 416pp
https://www.amazon.com/Agile-Organization-Innovative-Resilient-Business/dp/1398608688
Synopsis: With helpful checklists, tips and advice, this newly updated and expanded third edition of "The Agile Organization: How to Build an Engaged, Innovative and Resilient Business" by Linda Holbeche is a practical blueprint to building both agility and resilience at individual, team and organizational levels.
"The Agile Organization" aptly covers how to design agile organizations as well as how to implement agile models into existing organizations and people practices. There is guidance on how agility can be applied to talent management, flexible working patterns and the importance of mobilizing and energizing employees for change.
This new third edition contains new material on agile mindsets and enterprise agile planning, alongside how hybrid forms of working can enhance resilience. There is also extended material on how inclusion and wellbeing initiatives can support individual resilience and innovation to improve performance across the organization. Case studies include ING, the University of California, Berkeley, the UK National Health Service (NHS) and SNC-Lavalin's Atkins business. This book is an essential read for HR and OD specialists, senior leaders and managers who want transform their organization and build an agile business.
Critique: Of special relevance to readers with an interest in Corporate Organizational Learning, Business Management, Mentoring & Coaching, "The Agile Organization: How to Build an Engaged, Innovative and Resilient Business" is an ideal choice as a DIY or formal curriculum studies lists in the fields of Business & Finance. While recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, college and university library collections and supplemental MBA curriculum lists, it should be noted that "The Agile Organization" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781398608665, $35.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $34.19).
Editorial Note: Dr Linda Holbeche is Co-Director of the Holbeche Partnership, Adjunct Professor at Imperial College London Business School, UK, and Visiting Professor at four other UK universities. She acts as consultant on OD, HR, Strategy and Leadership. She is Fellow of Roffey Park and the Institute of Employment Studies and was previously Director of Research and Policy at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Director of Leadership and Consultancy at the Work Foundation. In 2021 she was named as one of the Most Influential HR Thinkers by HR Magazine and is the co-author of Organization Development, also published by Kogan Page. (https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/profiles/staff/linda-holbeche)
The Business Analysis Handbook, second edition
Helen Winter
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398610149, $159.00, HC, 336pp
https://www.amazon.com/Business-Analysis-Handbook-Techniques-Outcomes/dp/1398610143
Synopsis: Business analysis helps organizations to develop an informed understanding of the solutions they need to drive effective change. In the age of digital transformation, the role is more important than ever. Written by business analyst expert, Helen Winter and now available in a significantly updated and expanded second edition, "The Business Analysis Handbook: Techniques to Deliver Better Business Outcomes" provides practical advice on both the skills and the nitty-gritty activities of the profession and outlines tools and techniques with guidelines on how and when to apply them.
This new second edition of "The Business Analysis Handbook" from Kogan Page offers increased guidance on remote working and different career pathways in business analysis. Readers will also benefit from a new chapter on how to build the business analysis function effectively in an organization, supported by skills matrix examples, training strategies and tips on career development. It also features examples of hot topics such as agile, sustainability and digital transformation.
"The Business Analysis Handbook" is an indispensable guide for business analysts looking to upgrade their skills set and careers. It will also be invaluable for business leaders seeking to harness the value of the business analysis function within their organizations.
Critique: Comprehensive, up-to-date, and indispensable as a core business management curriculum textbook or the basis of a corporate in-service training program, "The Business Analysis Handbook: Techniques to Deliver Better Business Outcomes" is an extraordinary, seminal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, corporate, and academic library Business Analysis/Management/Planning collections and MBA curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for corporate executives, MBA students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Business Analysis Handbook: Techniques to Deliver Better Business Outcomes" is also available in a paperback edition (9781398610125, $41.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $33.59).
Editorial Note: Helen Winter (https://www.businessbullet.co.uk/author/helen) has over 20 years' business analysis experience, having worked as a consultant on large-scale transformation programmes within the financial services, regulation, insurance and utilities sectors. She is an active volunteer for IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) and the founder of Business Bullet, an online magazine promoting business analysis and providing guidance for professionals. She is based in Wolverhampton, the UK.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Racism and Structural Sin
Conor M. Kelly
The Liturgical Press
2950 Saint John's Road, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814667835, $16.95, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/Racism-Structural-Sin-Confronting-Injustice/dp/081466783X
Synopsis: As a people of faith inspired by the belief that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, Catholics have a responsibility to be champions for racial justice.
With the publication of "Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith", theologian and academician Conor M. Kelly invites his readers to not only confront racism on a personal level but also to examine the root causes and perpetuated structures of this sin.
Grounded in church teaching and pastoral practice, "Racism and Structural Sin" is a timely resource for Catholics (especially White Catholics) looking to wrestle with the challenges of race in the United States today through the eyes of their faith.
Critique: Given the current rise in racism violence by white supremacists and the rollback of governmental anti-racism policies driven by the political polarization of of the American public, "Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith" is especially recommended for personal, community, church, seminary, college, and university library Christian Social Issues collections. It should be noted for seminary students, racial justice advocates, clergy, and all members of the Catholic community that "Racism and Structural Sin: Confronting Injustice with the Eyes of Faith" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49).
Editorial Note: Conor M. Kelly (https://www.marquette.edu/theology/directory/conor-kelly.php) is an associate professor in the department of theology at Marquette University. He completed his theological training at the University of Notre Dame (BA and MTS) and Boston College (PhD). His research and teaching examine the implications of Catholic ethics for ordinary life. He and his family are parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
Shaping the Past to Define the Present
Gregory E. Sterling
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
4035 Park East Court SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
www.eerdmans.com
9780802848734, $44.00, HC, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Shaping-Past-Define-Present-Historiography/dp/0802848737
Synopsis: Historiography is the study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline, and by extension is any body of historical work on a particular subject. The historiography of a specific topic covers how historians have studied that topic by using particular sources, techniques, and theoretical approaches. Scholars discuss historiography by topic and different approaches and genres, such as political history and social history. Beginning in the nineteenth century, with the development of academic history, there developed a body of historiographic literature. (Wikipedia)
"Shaping the Past to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiography" is comprised of both new and revised essays by the esteemed New Testament scholar Gregory E. Sterling on Jewish and early Christian historiography. A sequel to his seminal work, Historiography and Self-Definition, this volume expands on Sterling's reading of Luke-Acts in the context of contemporary Jewish and Greek historiography.
These systematically arranged essays comprise Professor Sterling's new and revised contributions to the field of biblical studies, exploring: The genre of apologetic historiography exemplified by Josephus and Eusebius; The context of Josephus's work within a larger tradition of Eastern historiography; The initial composition and circulation of Luke and Acts; The relationship of Luke-Acts to the Septuagint; The interpretation of the Diaspora in Luke-Acts; The structure of salvation history as it is manifested in Luke-Acts; Socratic influences on Luke's portrayal of Jesus's death; The early Jerusalem Christian community as depicted in Acts compared with other Hellenized Eastern traditions such as Egyptian priests and Indian sages; The establishment of Christianity's "socially respectability" as a guiding purpose in Luke-Acts.
Engaging with current critical frameworks, Professor Sterling offers his readers a comprehensive analysis of early Christian self-definition through Judeo-Christian historiography.
Critique: Informatively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of a thirty page Bibliography, a six page Index of Authors, a four page Index of Subjects, and a six page Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Sources, "Shaping the Past to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiography" is a masterpiece of Biblical scholarship, as well as a highly acclaimed and recommended addition to personal, professional, community, seminary, college, and university library New Testament Criticism & Historiography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of seminary students, academia, clergy, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Shaping the Past to Define the Present: Luke-Acts and Apologetic Historiography" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.83).
Editorial Note: Gregory E. Sterling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Sterling) is the Rev. Henry L. Slack Dean and the Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament at Yale Divinity School. A specialist in Hellenistic Judaism and early Christianity, he is also the author or co-editor of eight books and more than 100 articles in learned journals or scholarly collections. Sterling also serves on the editorial boards of multiple book series and preeminent journals within the field of Judaism and early Christianity. He is perhaps best known for his monograph Historiography and Self-Definition (Brill, 1992; Society of Biblical Literature, 2006).
There's Beauty in Your Brokenness
Brittany Maher, author
Cassandra Speer, author
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
www.thomasnelson.com
9781400231195, $19.99, HC, 208pp
https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Beauty-Your-Brokenness-Unburdened/dp/1400231191
Synopsis: No matter how much we strive or work, it can still seem like it's never enough. But that's okay! Our "enough" ultimately has nothing to do with our actions. Our identity as Christian women is found in God -- and Brittany Maher and Cassandra Speer don't toss that phrase around lightly. As the 90 devotions comprising "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness: 90 Devotions to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth in Christ" collectively reveal, realizing your inestimable value in God alone is a life-altering, soul-anchoring truth that will change everything about your life -- how you feel about yourself, how you spend your time, and how you treat others.
As you walk through the pages of this beautiful devotional, Brittany and Cassandra will kindly guide you back to what God intended for your life, showing you through Scripture, meditations, and reflective questions how sin corrupted God's plan, how Christ redeemed it, and how we can live securely in that redemption today.
Each entry speaks the truth that you are: Safe, seen, and loved; Already enough because of your value in Christ; Part of a community of women who understand your longing for soul renewal; Whole and complete in Christ, even when you feel fragile or overwhelmed.
In a world filled with countless counterfeit identities, it's easy to get caught up chasing the wrong things. These devotions feel like sitting down to coffee with a close friend and sharing both the hard and good of what it means to be a woman following Christ, learning together how to grow and rest in the peace and security Jesus offers. These vulnerable invitations for reflection will help you confidently live out your true worth secure in His promises for you.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness: 90 Devotions to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth in Christ" is unreservedly recommended reading for all female members of the Christian community regardless of age or denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "There's Beauty in Your Brokenness: 90 Devotions to Surrender Striving, Live Unburdened, and Find Your Worth in Christ" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note #1: Brittany Maher is compelled by love to empower women to simplify their identity based on one thing alone: Jesus. She is the founder of Her True Worth, a large and growing online community (https://hertrueworth.com/home) designed to liberate an entire generation of faith-filled women with the freedom found in discovering their true worth in Christ. She is also an evangelist with a burning heart for the broken and the lost. She and her husband Ryan invest most of their time in equipping and empowering God's people for digital evangelism across the globe. They believe in the importance of using every tool they can to help bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Brittany is resides in Michigan with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Ariana.
Editorial Note #2: Cassandra Speer (https://cassandraspeer.com) is a popular Christian blogger whose heart is driven by the desire to see women discover the depth of God's love in a superficial world through the power of His Word. She is vice president of Her True Worth, a ministry created to encourage wounded and wandering women to find their identity and validation in Christ alone. Cassandra is passionate about sharing her faith and tackling the raw and messy moments of life with a little bit of humor -- and a whole lot of Jesus! She is also the proud wife of an Air Force veteran. Cassandra and her husband are planted in Oklahoma City where they live with their three children.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet
Rabbi Andrue J. Kahn, editor
CCAR Press
355 Lexington Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10017
www.ccarpress.org
9780881233858, $23.95, PB, 376pp
https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Earth-Jewish-Perspectives-Planet/dp/0881233854
Synopsis: The Torah begins by setting forth the heavens and the Earth as God's creation, impelling humanity to steward our planet for its own sake and for its ability to nurture our lives. Yet the human-Divine-environment relationship seems to be in perpetual crisis.
Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Rabbi Andrue J. Kahn, "The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet", provides a contemporary Jewish response to the looming threat of climate change, the widespread desire for experiential spirituality rooted in nature, and the continually changing relationship between humanity, nature, technology, and the Divine.
The leading thinkers contributing to this collection refl ect on human vulnerability in the face of forces of nature, examine conceptions of our place in cosmology, and grapple with environmental destruction. Ultimately, with hope, they creatively explore ways to redeem this sacred Earth.
Critique: "The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet" is comprised of 37 eloquent, informative, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking articles. Also included a thirteen page listing of the contributors and their credentials. Exceptionally well organized and presented in five major sections (Theology; Jewish Texts; Encountering the Divine; Sacred Time; Contemporary Responses), "The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, synagogue, college, and university library Judaic Theology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).
Editorial Note: Rabbi Andrue J. Kahn (https://www.rabbiandruekahn.com) is a Brooklyn-based Reform rabbi crafting new ways to connect with Torah as a guide to meaningful, spiritual living. His Torah guides him, and others, towards lives of justice, connectedness, and meaning based in engaging ancient traditions to enrich our contemporary world.
Koren Lev Ladaat Humash: Bemidbar
Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn, author
Rabbi Zvi Grumer, author
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, translator
Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
www.korenpub.com
9789657766293, $29.95, HC, 532pp
https://www.amazon.com/Koren-Lev-Ladaat-Humash-Bemidbar/dp/965776629X
Synopsis: A Humash is a Torah in printed and book bound form (i.e. codex) as opposed to a Sefer Torah, which is a scroll. The word comes from the Hebrew word for five, amesh. A more formal term is amishah umshei Torah, "five fifths of Torah". It is also known by the Latinised Greek term Pentateuch in common printed editions. (Wikipedia).
Newly published by Koren Publishers in a Hebrew/English edition, "Koren Lev Ladaat Humash: Bemidbar" is a seminal and groundbreaking new Humash for young adults, featuring all-new commentary by Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn and Rabbi Zvi Grumet. Geared to connection, reflection, and learning, the text is accompanied by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks' translation along with selected excerpts from the classical commentators ably translated into English, along with pointed questions to aid understanding, connection to the text, and skill building.
Critique: As with standard Hebrew texts, this large format volume of sacred Jewish writings goes from right to left. Exceptionally well organized and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation with The Hebrew text on the left page and the English translation on the right hand page, "Koren Lev Ladaat Humash: Bemidbar" is an ideal textbook for personal, community, synagogue, college, and university library Torah Studies collections and supplemental Judaic Studies curriculum lists.
Editorial Note #1: Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlomo_Einhorn) is an Orthodox rabbi and Dean of School at Yeshivat Yavneh (Yavneh Hebrew Academy) in Los Angeles. He is also a lecturer, educator, and author.
Editorial Note #2: Rabbi Zvi Grumer (https://torahinmotion.org/profile/rabbi-zvi-grumet) is a master teacher, creative educational thinker, and innovative Tanakh scholar whose teaching for more than three decades has inspired students and communities in the US and Israel and throughout the English-speaking world. He engages his listeners in a close reading of the Biblical text, bringing its characters alive and bringing out the compelling nature of the Biblical message.
Editorial Note #3: Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (https://www.rabbisacks.org) is an international religious leader, philosopher, award-winning author, and respected moral voice. He was awarded the 2016 Templeton Prize in recognition of his "exceptional contributions to affirming life's spiritual dimension." Described by the King of Great Britain as "a light unto this nation" and by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as "an intellectual giant", Rabbi Sacks was a frequent and sought-after contributor to radio, television, and the press both in Britain and around the world.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017
M. A. Cassata
BearManor Media
www.bearmanormedia.com
9798887712178, $28.00, HC, 76pp
https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Trivia-Quiz-Random-Facts/dp/B0C9SBNVM1
Synopsis: As a Doctor Who fans, do you know which Doctor ate fish Fingers and custard? What the final works of the tenth Doctor said before his regeneration? How many years the Doctor vowed to guard Missy in The Vault?
With the publication of "Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017" and its focus on the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors in one of the most enduring science fiction television series in history, Doctor Who expert M. A. Cassata poses 300 questions and answers -- plus many random fun Doctor Who show facts from 2005-2017. Many of these fun facts are as fascinating as they are informative.
Critique: Ideal for Doctor Who themed trivia contests, a 'must' for the legions of Doctor Who fans, and focuses specifically on the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors, their companions and their adventures, it should be noted that "Doctor Who Trivia Quiz and Random Facts: 2005-2017" is also readily available in a paperback edition (9798887712161, $18.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $7.00).
Editorial Note: M.A. Cassata (https://www.macassata.com) is the author of Timeless TV Quiz & Random Facts:'60s to'80s, Pop 'n' Rock Trivia Quiz: '60s to'80s, The Superheroes Movies Trivia Quiz Book and other entertainment/celebrity-themed tribute books including, The Elton John Scrapbook, Starman: A Tribute to Bowie, The Cher Scrapbook and The Essential Jim Carrey.
Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal
Giles Terera
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue, 24th floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
http://www.tcg.org/publications
9781636701073, $17.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Me-Journal-Giles-Terera/dp/1636701078
Synopsis: With the publication of "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal", Giles Terera provides the reader with a unique, behind-the-scenes account of preparing for, rehearsing and performing in one of the most important theatrical phenomena of our time.
When Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical Hamilton opened in London's West End in December 2017, it was as huge a hit as it had been in its original production off and on Broadway. Lauded by critics and audiences alike, the show would go on to win a record-equaling seven Olivier Awards -- including Best Actor in a Musical for Giles Terera, and his portrayal of Aaron Burr.
For Terera, though, his journey as Burr had begun more than a year earlier, with his first audition in New York, and continuing through extensive research and preparation, intense rehearsals, previews, and finally opening night itself. Throughout this time he kept a journal, recording his experiences of the production and the process of creating his award-winning performance. This book, "Hamilton and Me", is that journal.
"Hamilton and Me" is also deeply personal, as Terera reflects on experiences from his life that he drew on to shape his acclaimed portrayal.
Critique: Illustrated with photographs and featuring an exclusive foreword by Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal" is essential reading for the still growing legions of fans of the musical play Hamilton as it offers fresh, first-hand, personal insights into the music and characters comprising Hamilton. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community and academic library American Theatre collections, "Hamilton and Me: An Actor's Journal" is also available in digital book format (Kindle, $13.49) for aspiring and current performers, theatre students, and Hamilton enthusiasts.
Editorial Note: Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honors for services to theatre, Giles Terera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Terera) is an award-winning actor, musician, and writer. He trained at Mountview Theatre School and has worked consistently at venues such as the National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe. He is best known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in the London production of the award-winning musical Hamilton, for which he won the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Surviving Squid Game
Suk-Young Kim
Applause Books
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493072729, $28.95, PB, 216pp
https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Squid-Game-K-Drama-Streaming/dp/1493072722
Synopsis: South Korea has fully stepped onto the global stage in stunning strides. From the Oscar-winning film Parasite to the pop juggernaut known as BTS, South Korean popular culture has taken the world by storm. This new South Korean wave has influenced global tastes in drama, music, fashion, and can even be seen in the beauty industry's obsession with South Korean skincare products -- South Korea is everywhere.
At the top of this list of greatest hits is Squid Game, a genre-bending Netflix series that has ignited social media platforms and inspired armies of devoted fans around the world.
The seeds for a deep collaborative relationship between Netflix and K-drama had been sown long before the phenomenal success of Squid Game, but what particular social conditions allowed for this show to speak viscerally to global audiences today as the most-watched drama in ninety countries?
With the publication of "Surviving Squid Game: A Guide to K-Drama, Netflix, and Global Streaming Wars", Professor Suk-Young Kim (a scholar of South Korean pop culture) throws back the curtain to reveal the multiple factors accounting for the global dominance of K-culture. It investigates the origins, manifestations, and future prospects for this cultural trailblazer, making it essential reading for both content creators and fans of South Korean culture across all media.
Critique: Nicely illustrated, impressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Surviving Squid Game: A Guide to K-Drama, Netflix, and Global Streaming Wars" is essential reading for the legions of Squid Game fans. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.99), "Surviving Squid Game" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Television Game Show History collections and supplemental South Korean Popular Culture curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Suk-Young Kim is Professor of Theater and Performance Studies at UCLA. A specialist of Korean popular culture, her comments are regularly featured on CNN, NPR, Billboard and other major media outlets. Her books include DMZ Crossing: Performing Emotional Citizenship Along the Korean Border and K-Pop Live: Fans, Idols, and Multimedia Performance. (https://www.tft.ucla.edu/blog/2016/07/25/suk-young-kim)
The Wasp Woman
Lona Bailey
Independently Published
9798398985986, $12.99, PB, 119pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wasp-Woman-Career-Murder-Hollywoods/dp/B0C9SLF2QV
Synopsis: Susan Cabot was a popular B-list movie actress in the 1940s-1950s whose grisly slaying perhaps gained her more notoriety than her on-screen and on-stage accomplishments.
With the publication of "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot", film historian Lona Bailey reveals that Susan had a significant acting career ultimately cheapened by the media circus surrounding her death.
The role for which Susan was most recognized was "Wasp Woman, Janice Starlin," the president of a cosmetics corporation who experiments with a youth serum made from the extract of wasps that proves to have deadly side effects, not unlike the experimental injections that contributed to her own real-life slaughter in 1986 at the hands of her son, Tim.
Susan was essentially tried and convicted of her own murder due to the overbearing mother narrative purported by Tim's defense attorney team and the media. This well researched biography broadens the narrative of Susan Cabot in detailing her legacy from a fresh perspective beyond the coils of her last years and brutal murder.
Critique: Informative, fascinating, succinct, detailed, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot" is an informative biography that will be of particular and special interest to dedicated fans of the 1940 & 1950s B-movies. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library 20th Century Cinematic History/Biography collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99) for the personal reading lists of students, academia, film historians, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.
Editorial Note: Dr. Lona Bailey (https://www.lonabaileywrites.com) is a Golden Age of Hollywood researcher and writer of "Uncredited: The Life and Career of Actress Virginia Gregg," "Voice of Villainy: The Betty Lou Gerson Story," "Mrs. Radio: The Cathy Lewis Story," and "The Wasp Woman: The Life, Career, and Brutal Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot." As a PhD and former therapist, Lona is passionate about telling the untold stories of women who perhaps weren't finished using their own voices during their earthly journeys. Lona's biographic works offer a balanced perspective on the multidimensional elements involved in feministic legacy-maintenance with particular interest in the preservation efforts of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Lona was a finalist in the International Book Awards for 2023.
The Biography Shelf
Gwen John
Alicia Foster
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500025574, $39.95, HC, 272pp
https://www.amazon.com/Gwen-John-Life-London-Paris/dp/0500025576
Synopsis: Gwendolen Mary John (22 June 1876 - 18 September 1939) was one of the most significant British artists of the early to mid-twentieth century, active in both Paris and London, and featured inthe highly influential avant-garde Armory Show in New York in 1913. Demolishing the myth of the recluse, this sustained critical biography of a much-loved artist locates her firmly in the art worlds of London and Paris, where she chose to live and work.
Deftly written by Alicia Foster, (who is a critically praised art historian and authority on the artist), Gwen John is based on original research, and examines John's importance in the context of twentieth-century art. While tracing the development of her work and its significance, the biography also explores John's relationships both personal and artistic, including her friendship with Rainer Maria Rilke and her romance with sculptor Auguste Rodin.
John, who was born in Wales, spent the latter part of the nineteenth century in London and then moved to Paris where she remained for the rest of her life. She was a contemporary of Paul Cezanne, Marie Laurencin, Paula Modersohn-Becker, and Edouard Vuillard. The book brings these two fascinating cities and John's milieu to life and introduces readers to lesser-known artists whose lives and works have slipped into obscurity. Both a study of an artist whose importance and recognition continues to grow, and of the artistic world of Europe in the early twentieth century, this book provides a compelling portrait for anyone interested in the life and work of a key figure in the history of art.
Critique: Featuring 92 color and 30 black-and-white illustrations, fourteen pages of Notes, a one page Select Bibliography, and a five page Index, 92 color and 30 black-and-white illustrations by art historian and biographer Alicia Foster "Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris" is the first critical, illustrated, and comprehensive biography of the life and accomplishments of the influential female artist Gwen John. An impressively engaging, informatively detailed, and expertly documented portrait of her life, her work, and her relationships, "Gwen John: Art and Life in London and Paris" is a significant and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, art school, college, and university library Women Artist Biography collections and supplemental Art History curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Alicia Foster (https://artuk.org/discover/profile/alicia-foster) is an art historian, curator, and novelist. Her publications include Tate Women Artists, Tate British Artists: Gwen John, Nina Hamnett, and a novel entitled Warpaint. She has also curated exhibitions and written the catalog for Radical Women: Jessica Dismorr and Her Contemporaries.
Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir
Julia Cameron
St. Martin's Essentials
c/o St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250883957, $23.00, PB, 320pp
https://www.amazon.com/Floor-Sample-Creative-Julia-Cameron/dp/1250883954
Synopsis: Julia Cameron has transformed the creative lives of millions, showing them that creativity is their uniquely human birthright.
With the publication of "Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir" Julia tells the story behind her artistic life -- detailing her years in New York, her time as a writer for Rolling Stone, her turbulent marriage to Martin Scorsese, and her painful struggle with alcohol -- which ultimately led her to recovery and the methods that would form the backbone of her book, "The Artist's Way" (which has been translated into forty languages and sold over five million copies to date).
The life Julia shares in her memoir is tempestuous, flitting restlessly across the country, falling in and out of love, wrestling with alcohol and mental health, but through all of it, always, her art was a fixed point and north star. Featuring a brand new prologue from the author, "Floor Sample" is honest and unapologetic, a glimpse into the heart and mind behind "The Artist's Way".
Critique: Original published in hardcover in May 2006, "Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir" is now newly published by St. Martin's Essentials in a paperback edition and in a digital book format ($12.99). Eloquent, fascinating, candid, informative, "Floor Sample" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal reading lists as well as community and academic library Contemporary American Women's Biography/Memoir collections.
Editorial Note: Julia Cameron (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Cameron) is credited with starting a movement in 1992 that has brought creativity into the mainstream conversation -- in the arts, in business, and in everyday life. She is the author of more than forty books, fiction and nonfiction; a poet, songwriter, filmmaker and playwright. Commonly referred to as "The Godmother" or "High Priestess" of creativity, her tools are based in practice, not theory, and she considers herself "the floor sample of her own toolkit."
My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason
Bjorn Westlie, author
Dean Krouk, translator
University of Wisconsin Press
728 State Street, Suite 443, Madison, WI 53706-1418
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299343248, $19.95, PB, 224pp
https://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-War-Nazism-Treason/dp/0299343243
Synopsis: "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason" is simultaneously a history of the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II and a son's sincere attempt to understand the silences, motivations, and experiences of an estranged father.
Carefully researched and deftly combining family memoir and historical retelling, Bjorn Westlie uncovers his father's actions as a volunteer soldier for the Waffen-SS, the military wing of the infamous Schutzstaffel (SS), in the invasion of the Soviet Union. Balancing his role as both son and critical investigator, Westlie unflinchingly interrogates his father's fascist convictions, which speak to the appeal Hitler's ideology held for a small, disgraced segment of Norway's mid-century population.
A story of collaboration, tragedy, and treason, "My Father's War" reveals the little-known history of Norway's frontkjempere (front fighters), the atrocities the Waffen-SS committed against Ukrainian Jews, and the complex legacies of ethno-nationalism in Norway.
Critique: Ably translated into English for an American readership (and providing an insightful introduction), Dean Krouk makes available "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason", author and biographer Bjorn Westlie's story of his father's activities as a member of the Waffen-SS is sober, reflective, candid, informative, and provides the reader with a factual, informatively detailed, and well written account of the attraction of fascism in a world at war -- and its personal costs and consequences for the families and the post-war lives of war crime committing members of the Waffen-SS. A unique and exceptional contribution to the growing library of World War II Histories and Biographies, "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason" is particularly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic curriculum WWII studies lists. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "My Father's War: A True Story of Nazism and Treason" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.95).
Editorial Note #1: Bjorn Westlie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B8rn_Westlie), who has worked as a journalist and historian, is the author of Oppgjor i skyggen av Holocaust (Reckoning in the Shadow of the Holocaust) and four other books.
Editorial Note #2: Dean Krouk (https://gns.wisc.edu/staff/krouk-dean), is an Associate Professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also the author of two books, including The Making of an Antifascist: Nordahl Grieg between the World Wars.
The American Doctor
Savatore J. Forcina, MD
Gaudium Publishing
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592112098, $29.99, HC, 276pp
https://www.amazon.com/American-Doctor-Salvatore-J-Forcina/dp/1592112099
Synopsis: Born in Italy during World War II, Salvatore Forcina was a young boy who survived all odds by living through his young childhood without any real or proper shelter. Like many Italians during this time, a month after turning eight years old his parents migrated to Argentina, a developing country at the time rich with natural resources and hope for a more stable life.
Sent away to live with Redemptorist priests for seven long years as the only available option to study, this young boy struggled emotionally and psychologically with no social outlets and little emotional development. But Salvatore's dream to study medicine and help people propelled him to carry on and continue his education, eventually being educated and living on three different continents, each with a new language to learn and master.
Despite his meager beginnings which provided no social and little educational opportunity and despite the many years and setbacks it took him to accomplish this, his goal was ultimately accomplished because of his sheer determination. "The American Doctor" true-life story is motivating, uplifting and based on what genuine love of family can provide to someone.
Critique: An inherently fascinating and impressively well written memoir, "The American Doctor" is one of those exceptional life-story memoirs that are ultimately inspiring and truly memorable. An interesting and unusual life lived out in interesting and unusual times, "The American Doctor" is a highly recommended pick for community/academic library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The American Doctor" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Dr. Salvatore J. Forcina (http://salvatoreforcina.com) was born in Scauri, Italy in 1941. This was the time of World War II and the war and its aftermath presented locals with few options other than to flee their homes and later, ultimately their country. At eight years old he moved to Azul, Argentina where he attended Jovenado, a sleepaway school for boys run by Redemptorist priests. Salvatore's dream to study medicine and help people propelled him to carry on and continue his education, eventually being educated and living on three different continents, each with a new language to learn and master.
But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism
Olivia Goodreau
Gaudium Publishing
c/o Histria Books
www.histriabooks.com
9781592112104, $24.99, HC, 146pp
https://www.amazon.com/But-She-Looks-Fine-Activism/dp/1592112102
Synopsis: With the publication of "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism", Olivia Goodreau tells is the intensely personal story of how she turned the physical challenges and emotional hardships she had faced since she was a little girl into an engaged life of advocacy for others.
So many young people are faced with life-changing hardships ranging from illness and disease to loss and calamity. What Olivia Goodreau discovers through her journey with chronic Lyme Disease, and what she has been sharing with the world, is that inside of every predicament is also a possibility.
Critique: Inspired and inspiring, "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism" is an exceptionally well written, impressively candid, organized and presented memoir that will have a very special appeal and relevance for readers having to deal with the life-impacting and altering effects of a physical or emotional affliction of their own. An ideal pick for personal, professional, community, and academic library Social Activist & Medical Professional Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "But She Looks Fine: From Illness to Activism" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Olivia Goodreau (https://butshelooksfinebook.com) is the founder of the LivLyme Foundation and inventor of the free global app, TickTracker. Olivia founded the LivLyme Foundation in 2017 when she was 12 years old, to raise money for children who cannot afford their Lyme medication and doctors' visits and to fund research to find a cure for Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Olivia hopes the LivLyme Foundation will positively impact those that suffer from all tick-borne diseases. As the inventor of TickTracker, she is striving to educate the public and keep people safe while creating a database for research.
Driving Home Naked
Melinda G. McCall, DVM
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647425173, $17.95, PB, 304pp
https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Home-Naked-Misadventures-Veterinarian/dp/1647425174
Synopsis: Have you ever driven home from work wearing nothing but a pair of rubber boots? For Dr. Melinda McCall, a large animal veterinarian in rural Virginia, she is living the dream. Caring for cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, llamas, and the occasional alpaca, unusual mishaps and mind-blowing adventures abound. Getting caught driving home naked after a tough day at work is just another day at the office for Dr. Melinda.
With the publication of her memoir, "Driving Home Naked: And Other Misadventures of a Country Veterinarian", the reader will enjoy traveling along in Melinda's vet truck as this fearless veterinarian confronts every obstacle that crosses her path while building a thriving veterinary practice with an all-female foundation.
Melinda's life has included prevailing through a fractured skull, back surgery, rare zoonotic diseases, and other extreme challenges. With stubbornness and grit, she surpasses the expectations of adversaries, including her own father, to become the owner of a successful veterinary business and mother of an inquisitive, spirited young daughter.
Offering a firsthand glimpse into the fascinating world of veterinary medicine, "Driving Home Naked" is a smart, riveting, and heartfelt memoir that will captivate animal lovers and inspire people to follow their dreams on any scale.
Critique: An absolutely fascinating, exceptionally well written, and fully entertaining true life veterinarian memoir that will have a very special appeal to fans of the James Harriot stories of his adventures as a veterinarian, "Driving Home Naked: And Other Misadventures of a Country Veterinarian" by Melinda G. McCall is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community and academic library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Driving Home Naked" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99).
Editorial Note: Melinda G. McCall (https://www.drmelindaauthor.com/about) owns a large animal mobile veterinary service in central Virginia. She and her all-female staff specialize in beef and dairy cattle herds, swine, small ruminant animals, and camelids. Dr. Melinda earned a BS in Biology from Queens University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. A woman in a male-dominated field, she has mastered the ability to do the work she loves while educating and inspiring others through her expertise, passion, and grit. Dr. Melinda is passionate about agricultural education.
The Computer Shelf
MySQL Crash Course
Rick Silva
No Starch Press
www.nostarch.com
9781718503007, $49.99, PB, 352pp
https://www.amazon.com/MySQL-Crash-Course-Hands-Introduction/dp/1718503008
Synopsis: With the publication of "MySQL Crash Course: A Hands-on Introduction to Database Development", Rick Silva provides a fast-paced, no-nonsense introduction to relational database development. A combination instructional reference and DIY 'how-to' manual, "MySQL Crash Course" packed from cover to cover with practical examples and expert advice that will have you up and running quickly.
With "MySQL Crash Course", you will learn the basics of SQL, how to create a database, craft SQL queries to extract data, and work with events,procedures, and functions. You will also see how to add constraints to tables to enforce rules about permitted data and useindexes to accelerate data retrieval. You can even explore how to call MySQL from PHP, Python, and Java.
Three final projects will show you how to build a weather database from scratch, use triggers to prevent errors in anelection database, and use views to protect sensitive data in a salary database.
"MySQL Crash Course" is especially relevant for anyone with an interest in: Query database tables for specific information, order the results, comment SQL code, and deal with null values; Defining table columns to hold strings, integers, and dates, and determine what data types to use; Joining multiple database tables as well as use temporary tables, common table expressions, derived tables, and subqueries; Adding, changing, and removing data from tables, creating views based on specific queries, writing reusable stored routines, and the automating and scheduling of events.
Critique: An ideal and unreservedly recommended quick-start resource for database developers of MySQL-based data storage systems, and also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $29.99), "MySQL Crash Course: A Hands-on Introduction to Database Development" a core addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library MySQL computer science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Rick Silva is a software developer with decades of database experience. Silva has worked at Harvard Business School, Zipcar, and various financial services companies.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Cartoonshow
Derek M. Ballard
Oni Press
www.onipress.com
9781637152188, $21.99, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Cartoonshow-Derek-M-Ballard/dp/1637152183
Synopsis: With the publication of "Cartoonshow" from Oni Press, cartoonist and animator Derek M. Ballard has made a singluar and original contribution to modern American family comics.
It's not his fault that being a single parent in America is kind of a nightmare.
Derek is a solo parent raising three kids in the American South, while trying to make art. Told in a series of free-flowing and often hilarious comic essays, "Cartoonshow" gets to the heart of the struggle to be a creative person in a society that doesn't value anything other than how much it can grind out of you.
But Covid, poverty, the failing social safety net, predatory lenders, and literal acts of God can't stop our hero!
Critique: American family life satire at its very best, "Cartoonshow" is presented in a kind of simple drawing, cartoon driven, graphic novel style of storytelling and is a funny, unique, and unreservedly recommended pick for personal and community library American Humor and Graphic Novel collections. It should be noted that "Cartoonshow" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $20.89).
Editorial Note: There is an informative intervew of Derek Ballard on the CLW Artist Guild website at http://www.cartoonistsleague.org/derek-m-ballard
The Music CD Shelf
Putumayo Presents Bossa Nova
Putumayo
https://www.putumayo.com
$14.98 CD / $9.95 digital
https://www.putumayo.com/bossa-nova-cd
Putumayo Presents Bossa Nova is a music CD with download card of song selections chosen to evoke the beautiful and romantic beaches of Brazil. The songs are each performed by different, up-and-coming music artists, who add their own flair to the Portuguese lyrics. Putumayo Presents Bossa Nova is perfect for getting into the spirit of a carefree and joyous summer, and treat for connoisseurs of Brazilian musical styles. Highly recommended, especially for world music collections. The tracks are Blue Bossa, Quando Falas Coracao, Ondas, Canto das Tres Racas, Provas de Amor, Manha de Carnaval, Meu Mundo e Hoje, Danca da Dolidao, Te Esperei, and Comeca com S.
Compass
Will Clements
willclemmusic.ca
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $TBA digital
https://willclements.bandcamp.com/album/compass
Compass is the third album by jazz vocalist Will Clements. He composed the majority of the album's songs, and performs them with support from Alvin Brendan on guitar, Miles Black on piano and keyboards, Jodi Proznick on bass, Todd Steward on drums, and more. The songs' themes include the journey to maturity, love from a queer perspective, and vibrance of Montreal itself. Compass is a standout contribution to modern jazz, highly recommended. The tracks are On a Clear Day, Trails (feat. Allison Au on saxophone), Compass, Your Eyes (feat. Rachel Therrien on trumpet and flugelhorn), Seaglider, Walkin' with Cool Style (feat. Atley King on vibraphone), Montreal, Interlude, Back to Black (Winehouse/Ronson), and Lookout.
A Moment in Time
Olivia Maisel
www.oliviamaisel.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $7.92 MP3
https://oliviamaisel.hearnow.com/a-moment-in-time
Montreal-based vocalist Olivia Maisel presents her debut album A Moment in Time, a beautiful selection of classic songs from the Great American Songbook that collectively embody the story of her journey. Her dulcet vocals are accompanied by Thelonius Garcia on piano, Luc Herrmann on guitar, Alex Le Blanc on upright bass, John Buck on drums, and for specific tracks, Noemy Braun on cello and Sergiu Popa on accordion. A moment in time is a passionate, sparkling, and wondrous performance, distinguishing Olivia Maisel as a rising talent, and highly recommended especially for jazz connoisseurs. The tracks are Crazy He Calls Me, My Foolish Heart, The Nearness of You, Send in the Clowns, Easy to Love, Embraceable You, Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours?, and Last Time for Love.
A Life Well Lived
Daryl Mosley
www.darylmosley.com
Pinecastle Records
www.pinecastlemusic.com
$14.99 CD
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Well-Lived-Daryl-Mosley/dp/B0C4Q6JSQJ
https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-life-well-lived/1688747002
A Life Well Lived is the third solo album by award-winning bluegrass country music performer Daryl Mosley. The songs cherish the foundational values of faith, family, and the joys of simple living. Thoughtful and heartwarming, A Life Well Lived is highly recommended especially for fans of bluegrass and gospel-inspired music. The tracks are A Life Well Lived, Back When We Were Boys, Walking Man, Big God, Mayberry State of Mind, Working Man's Prayer, We Need More of That, The Bible in the Drawer, Nobody But Her, Hillbilly Graham, and Thankful.
New Beginning
Nic Vardanega
nicvardanega.com
Privately Published
$TBA CD / $7.92 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/New-Beginning-Nic-Vardanega/dp/B0C4XHPFYS
Guitarist and composer Nic Vardanega, whose award nominations include "Young Australian Jazz Artist of the Year", presents his third original album New Beginning. All compositions are original works by Nic Vardanega, and performed as a trio with Nic on guitar, Ben Allison on bass, and Allan Mednard on drums. The jazz songs of New Beginning are dedicated to the dawn of a post-pandemic world and the birth of Nic's first child. New Beginning is captivating, inspirational, uplifting, and highly recommended. The tracks are New Beginning, Cardenas, Side Effects, Looking Back, Inner Episode, Glass Moon, Summers, and M's Lullaby.
Spirit of 3, Spirit of 4
Jon Menges
Menges Music
www.mengesmusic.com
$TBA CD / $9.49 MP3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C87K44LH
Jazz musician and Jon Menges and his talented associates present Spirit of 3, Spirit of 4, a music album that showcases two ensembles - one a trio (Jon Menges on trumpet and flugelhorn, Pete McCann on guitar, and Evan Gregor on bass) and one a quartet (Jon Menges on trumpet and flugelhorn, Nathan Childers on tenor and soprano sax, Joe Fitzgerald on bass, and Robert Weiss). All songs are Jon Menges' original compositions. An extraordinary showcase of different jazz traditions, drawn from a wide variety of inspirations, Spirit of 3, Spirit of 4 is a choice pick for stimulating creativity and highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are (Spirit of 3 Trio) Anchor in the Path, Stairs, Tree of Hope, Angelynne, Turning Point, Walk Into My Heart, (Spirit of 4 Quartet) Coqui, Focus, Heartbreak, Mina Buta, The Spirit Within, and Somethin.
The Fashion Shelf
Kids of Cosplay
Thurstan Redding
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500026175, $50.00, HC, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Cosplay-Thurstan-Redding/dp/0500026173
Synopsis: Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Favorite sources include anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, television series, rock music performances, and video games. The term is composed of the two aforementioned counterparts -- costume and role play.
Cosplay grew out of the practice of fan costuming at science fiction conventions, beginning with Morojo's "futuristicostumes" created for the 1st World Science Fiction Convention held in New York City in 1939. The Japanese term "cosplay" was coined in 1984. A rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since the 1990s has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan, as well as in other parts of East Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions, and today there are many dedicated conventions and competitions, as well as social networks, websites, and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities. Cosplay is very popular among all genders, and it is not unusual to see crossplay, also referred to as gender-bending. (Wikipedia)
A powerful expression of individuality and diversity, cosplay has become global phenomenon that allows anyone to become a hero for a day.
After attending a cosplay convention in 2017, photographer Thurstan Redding became captivated by cosplay as a subject matter and embarked on a three-year photographic project to portray cosplay in a way it had never been seen before.
Brought to life through the presentation of seventy cosplayers in unassuming locations, "Kids of Cosplay" highlights how creativity can thrive in the most mundane realities: Spider-Man is illuminated by the open fridge in a kitchen, three Alices wait at a bus stop in a desolate Wonderland, a Resistance Pilot plays dead on the gravel driveway of a suburban housing complex.
Supplemented by commentary from the cosplayers themselves, together with behind-the-scenes pages from Thurstan's personal diary, Kids of Cosplay "celebrates the unique community spirit that exists within this charming (and, the more you look, surprisingly moving) parallel universe of glorious, generous pageantry" (Vogue).
A foreword by fashion powerhouse Katie Grand; an essay by writer and performer Tom Rasmussen, who discusses the social and cultural context of cosplay; and an illuminating interview with Redding by noted fashion writer Sara McAlpine complete "Kids of Cosplay".
Sometimes, you only have to scratch the surface of our reality to reveal the fantasy that lies beneath.
Critique: Published by Thames & Hudson in a large format (10.2 x 0.7 x 11.4 inches, 2.34 pounds) hardcover edition and featuring 128 full page, color photo illustrations, "Kids of Cosplay" is an inherently fun, informative, and fascinating presentation showcasing imaginative examples of the phenomena that has become known as cosplay. "Kids of Cosplay" is a unique and very special pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Pop Culture & Fashion collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note #1: Thurstan Redding (https://www.thurstanredding.com) is a Hong Kong-born, French-raised British photographer and director based in London. His work explores the intersections between identity politics, subcultural movements, and classical photography. He has contributed to i-D, M: Le Magazine du Monde, British Vogue, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Arena Homme +, Document Journal, Love, the Wall Street Journal, Re-Edition, and Replica. His commercial clients include Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and Burberry.
The Interior Design Shelf
Uncommon Kitchens
Sophie Donelson
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
www.abramsbooks.com
9781419762314, $40.00, HC, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Uncommon-Kitchens-Revolutionary-Approach-Popular/dp/1419762311
Synopsis: The past few years (especially having been house-bound during the Covid years) have made us all want to rethink our living spaces, particularly our kitchens. Our inner voices are saying, "You spend a lot of time in this room. Shouldn't it feel more like you?"
Now at least your kitchen can.
With the publication of "Uncommon Kitchens: A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House", interior designer and former editor in chief of House Beautiful, Sophie Donelson, revolutionizes traditional kitchen design with a bevy of inventive ideas for makeovers both large and small.
The kitchen is designed unlike any other room in the house, but that doesn't mean you have to be hemmed in by tradition. Donelson takes a rule-breaking approach, mixing and layering styles, colors, furnishings, and layouts to make even well-trodden kitchens vividly fresh. Drawing on advice and up-to-the-minute projects from designers such as Frances Merrill, Jaqui Seerman, Victoria Sass, and many more, each personality-filled chapter is packed with liberating designs that will change your thinking about the tried-and-true kitchen.
Learn from the DIY community, Instagrammers, and design experts like Nate McBride, Justina Blakeney, and Athena Calderone. Be inspired by innovators such as MK Quinlan and James Coviello. Packed from cover to cover with indispensable tips to help you revolutionize your kitchen, "Uncommon Kitchens" is an ideal browsers' compendium of imaginative new spaces that will make you a quick Kitchen remodeling DIY expert in your own right.
Critique: Beautifully illustrated throughout with inspiring full color photography, "Uncommon Kitchens: A Revolutionary Approach to the Most Popular Room in the House" is as informative and inspiring as it is impressively 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization, and presentation. This large format (8.3 x 1.2 x 10.25 inches, 2.75 pounds) hardcover edition is a highly recommended and solid pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Interior Design & Home Decoration collections. It should be noted that "Uncommon Kitchens" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $16.99).
Editorial Note: Sophie Donelson (sophiedonelson.com) served as editor in chief of House Beautiful and is currently a marketing strategist and sought-after consultant. Donelson is a favorite (and repeat) speaker for the annual Future of Home Conference, and is an advisor to high-profile brands such as Curbed, VRBO, Business of Home, and Mitchell Gold. She makes regular guest appearances as a design expert on Good Morning America, Today,and Open House.
The Humor Shelf
People's Park Cartoon Chronicles
Carol Denney
Regent Press
2747 Regent St., Berkeley, CA 94705
www.regentpress.net
9781587906565, $18.00, PB, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Park-CartoonChronicles-Carol-Denney/dp/1587906562
Synopsis: With the publication of "People's Park Cartoon Chronicles", Carol Denny presented a color collection of cartoons created for and about People's Park highlighting its history, gardens, cast of characters, and its strangely comedic 50-plus year struggle against the University of California's efforts to convert it into sports courts, housing, anything but what it is; a community-built, user-developed garden that played a role in stopping the Vietnam War.
The subjects covered with great humor and originality include People's Park's history, People's Park's inherent comedy, People's Park's struggle against the recent effort to develop it into 17 stories of high-end housing, the political players dedicated to ending its 50-plus years of providing music, poetry, community gardens, a community stage and dance space for everyone, the puns, the punchlines, the parody, the bone-crunching court battles and the avian audience that observes it all from above.
Critique: Local political satire at its very best, "People's Park Cartoon Chronicles" by accomplished cartoonist Carol Denny is a fun and thought-provoking read from cover to cover. Available in a large format paperback edition (11 x 0.08 x 8.5 inches), "People's Park Cartoon Chronicles" is unabashedly recommended for personal, community, college, and university library Contemporary American Humor collections.
Editorial Note: Carol Denney (http://www.caroldenney.com) started the satirical Pepper Spray Times thirty years ago to help highlight local and national political issues and worked several years as a songwriter and cast member of TwitWit Radio for KPFA in Berkeley. She became a cartoonist after Donald Trump's election in 2016, chronicling the overwhelming humor in local and national events working for the Bay Guardian, the Berkeley Daily Planet, and the Berkeley Times. The People's Park Cartoon Chronicles is a collection first shown at the Canessa Gallery in San Francisco.
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Castro To Christopher
Nicholas Balir, photographer
Jim Farber, introduction
PowerHouse Books
32 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
https://powerhousebooks.com
9781648230349, $44.99, HC, 160pp
https://www.amazon.com/Castro-Christopher-Streets-America-19791986/dp/1648230342
Synopsis: Between 1979 and 1986 (after Stonewall and before the darkest days of the AIDS epidemic) there was a period of exuberant and burgeoning gay life in places even then known as "gay paradises". While there were others, the best known were San Francisco's Castro District, New York's Christopher Street and Fire Island, and Provincetown, Massachusetts.
The joy (and pathos) of these tragically lost worlds is beautifully and vibrantly documented in "Castro to Christopher: Gay Streets of America 1979-1986" collection of compelling portraits and street scenes photographed by Nicholas Blair.
As a teenager lured to San Francisco from New York (via hitchhiking to Buenos Aires) Blair lived in a hippie-style arts commune just across town from the Castro. With a Leica rangefinder camera loaned to him by a childhood friend, Blair began honing his craft as a photographer amidst the explosion of LGBTQ life that was rapidly eclipsing the hippies as the most visible (and photographable) counter-culture movement of the day.
Blair's revealing, evocative, and celebratory photos are a window into the outburst of pent-up celebration and (occasionally) riotous ebullience of theretofore closeted persons who had suddenly felt the door of tolerance opening a crack, and who were now leaning in, hard, to live life openly as their true and genuine selves.
Perhaps most ironic, viewed from today's perspective of intersectionality, is how extensively, especially in the San Francisco images, the "hippie" background dovetails with, for example, the vibrant flamboyance of many of those in the Pride Parades. How many degrees of separation are there, really, between Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?
If the specter of AIDS were not hanging over these photographs, it would be as if they were showing us a parallel universe where full equality under law for LGBTQ people could have come so much sooner. As they stand, these historic images are time capsules of a few places in America, where, for the very first time, and for a very short while, it was okay to be gay.
Critique: Of special interest to the gay community, "Castro to Christopher: Gay Streets of America 1979-1986" is a large format (10.4 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches, 1.01 pounds) hardcover volume of black/white photographs by accomplished photographer Nicholas Blair. With an informative Introduction by Jim Farber, "Castro to Christopher: Gay Streets of America 1979-1986" is a fascinating pictorial history of the pre-AIDs gay culture and an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and academic library Lifestyle and Gay Culture photography and history collections.
Editorial Note #1: Nicholas Blair dropped out of high school in 1974 and left his native New York City to hitchhike through Latin America. Eventually landing in San Francisco a year later, he helped found The Modern Lovers arts commune and Ancient Currents Gallery, both dedicated to cultural exploration. In 1981, he received his MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute under the tutelage of renowned photographer and teacher Henry "Hank" Wessel.
Blair has worked internationally as a photographer and cinematographer for organizations including CARE and the United Nations. His filmmaking projects include the documentary America's Culture of Crash about the rural American sport of demolition derby, and Our Holocaust Vacation, a journey through Poland with his mother and family, revisiting her Holocaust experiences there.
He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, and Jerome Foundation. His photographs are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, International Center of Photography, Brooklyn Museum, and Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.
Editorial Note #2: Jim Farber is a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Guardian, and numerous other publications. For 25 years he was the chief music critic of the New York Daily News and has been writing about culture since the 1970s. He is a three-time winner of the ASCAP Foundation's Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for music criticism and is an adjunct professor at NYU.
The Wine/Spirits Shelf
Southern Cocktails
The Editors of Coastal Living
IPG Publishing & Licensing
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
9781957317212, $30.00, HC, 288pp
https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Eats-Favorite-Surfside-Occasion/dp/1957317248
Synopsis: From the Sazerac and Mint Julep to the Bushwacker and Yellowhammer, "Southern Cocktails: Storied Sips, Snacks, and Barkeep Tips" will enable even the most novice of beach party givers to mix up the very best from the South's taverns, taprooms, cantinas, and cocktail lounges, be they elegant establishments, rowdy dives, eclectic watering holes, or bustling urban drinking destinations.
With incredible flip factor, "Southern Cocktails" features scenic snapshots of regional bars, iconic Southern locales, and thirst-quenching cocktails that beg for five o'clock to come sooner. Also featured are the origin and key ingredients of a host of famous bar standards like New Orleans' Ramos Gin Fizz, Vieux Carre, and Brandy Milk Punch, Louisville's Seelbach, or Savannah's Chatham Artillery Punch, along with recipes for the many spirited mixes of today's burgeoning craft cocktail movement.
Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with gorgeous color photography, "Southern Cocktails: Storied Sips, Snacks, and Barkeep Tips" is a cocktail lover's delight to simple page through, one delicious mixed drink after another. Simply stated, "Southern Cocktails" will be a prized addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Mixed Drink recipe book collections.
Editorial Note: For over 20 years Coastal Living has provided its readers with the best seaside spots to shop, dine, explore, and unwind. Coastal Living offers its audience an escape to the good life with their magazine and their books. (https://www.southernliving.com/author/coastal-living)
The Travel Shelf
Soul of Amsterdam
Benoit Zante
Jonglez Publishing
https://jonglezpublishing.com
9782361954666, $14.95, PB, 144pp
https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Amsterdam-guide-exceptional-experiences/dp/2361954664
Synopsis: With the publication of "Soul of Amsterdam: A guide to 30 exceptional experiences" by journalist Benoit Zane, the on-site visitor and armchair traveler can sneak into the Westerpark community gardens, taste the best appeltaart in the Jordaan district, sleep amid the canals, eat herring at the water's edge, go bargain hunting at Europe's largest flea market, enjoy craft beer in the shadow of a windmill, take a dip in the Amstel, or put down your bags in a green oasis, and more! This is a beautifully illustrated guide showcasing the multiple facets of Amrsterday -- a capital at the heart of Europe that (in the author's words) is capable of reinventing itself and surprising us.
"Soul of Amsterday" is part of the 'Soul of' series is a new approach to travelling that's all about wandering around, chance encounters, and unforgettable experiences. Guidebooks that unlock the hidden doors of a city, find its pulse and delve into every last nook and cranny to uncover its soul. Every guide in the "Soul of" collection includes: The 30 best experiences a city has to offer; Interviews with those who give the city its spirit; Original illustrations that capture the city's soul
Critique: Lovely, informative, exceptional, 'user friendly' in both organization and presentation, "Soul of Amsterdam: A guide to 30 exceptional experiences" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly appreciated addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library European Travel Guide collections -- and a 'must have' travel guide for business or recreational visitors to the unique and ancient city of Amsterdam.
Editorial Note: Benoit Zante (https://muckrack.com/benoit-zante) is a journalist and trend-spotter, who explores his adopted city of Amsterdam at length in order to discover the multiple facets of this capital, at the heart of Europe, that is capable of reinventing itself by surprising us.
Secret Dolomites
Andrea Rizzato
Jonglez Publishing
https://jonglezpublishing.com
9782361956240, $21.95, PB, 496pp
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Dolomites-guides-Andrea-Rizzato/dp/2361956241
Synopsis: What are dolomites?
A dolomite is a rock that defies the laws of gravity, petrified bishops, dwarfs, gnomes and an elephant, caves, ravines and mysterious portals, breathtaking views of the highest rock walls of the range, a forgotten and enchanting forest, lost bivouacs on high, secluded plateaus, solitary hermitages, stone books in an open-air library, the trails of Mesolithic hunters, a glacier between blood-red rock walls and another with a bewitching turquoise gaze, via ferratas to travel along in solitude, unknown and unnamed summits on topographic maps, fabled spirits of the air!
They are magnificent formations that can be found in ephemeral lakes, in mountain meadows, in rocky labyrinths hidden behind rock walls, in ancient mining villages and abandoned hamlets, in the prison of the Turks in the Dolomites, in a proglacial lake.
Critique: "Secret Dolomites" by Andrea Rizzato is part of the Jonglez Publishing 'Secret Guides' series. Profusely illustrated throughout in full color, "Secret Dolomites" is the ideal and informative itinerary travel guide resource for the truly adventurous who hold a special interest in this often breath-taking geological phenomena. Compact and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Secret Dolomites" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Travel Guide collections.
Editorial Note: With 30 years of experience in the Alpine region, Andrea Rizzato is the author of numerous hiking and ski-mountaineering guides, and also contributes to the main magazines specialising in outdoor activities. Having mostly travelled and photographed the less known and less used routes, he prefers the wilder parts of the mountains that offer a sense of communion with nature. He is also an academic member of GISM, the Italian Association of Mountain Writers. The author is himself a guide on the routes described in this book.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Pagan Portals: The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick
Irisanya Moon
https://www.irisanyamoon.com
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781789049107, $12.95, PB, 112pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Portals-Norns-Weavers-Magick/dp/1789049105
Synopsis: The Norns are the deities in Norse mythology who are responsible for shaping the course of human destinies.
With the publication of "The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick", Irisanya Moon introduces the ones who weave, measure, and cut at the base of the World Tree. With Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld, we travel across time and meet ourselves as part of fate. In this meeting, we will join the Norns, weavers of destiny, and encounter the wyrd.
Critique: An invaluable and succinctly informative introduction to Norse mythology, "Pagan Portals: The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick" is a brilliant and informative read from cover to cover. A welcome addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies and Norse Mythology collections, it should be noted for that "Pagan Portals: The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick" is also available from Moon Books in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.49).
Editorial Note: Irisanya Moon (https://www.irisanyamoon.com) is an author, witch, international teacher, poet, and Reclaiming initiate who has practiced magick for 20+ years. She has written several books: Pagan Portals (Reclaiming Witchcraft - 2020, Aphrodite - 2020, Iris - 2021, Norns - 2023); Earth Spirit (Honoring the Wild - 2023, Gaia - 2023); and Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Health & Well-being - 2020. Plus, she has written essays, articles, poems, and blogs for Witches & Pagans, Pagan Dawn Coreopsis Journal, Moon Books, Revelore Press, Llewellyn, Epona Muse Publishing, and others.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic
Rebecca Beattie
https://www.rebeccabeattie.co.uk
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803411767, $12.95, PB, 152pp
https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Portals-Planetary-friendly-introduction/dp/1803411767
Synopsis: At the core of modern pagan witchcraft is a knowledge system concerning traditions of nature, connection, and embodiment to the astrological planets. Throughout magical history, practitioners of magic have looked to the planets for inspiration and magical help.
From the earliest beginnings of written magical texts (known as the Grimoires) magical systems were based on the seven planetary powers that were visible in the night sky. The Grimoires were then studied by practitioners of folk-magic (called the Cunning Folk) and by influential groups from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, as well as practitioners of Modern witchcraft.
Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic is an accessible and practical introduction to pre-modern planetary magic. It details with each of the planets, what its magical qualities are, and how to work practical magic with each.
Critique: Featuring numerous b/w illustrations, and offering a 'user friendly' introduction to creating modern magic with the seven planetary energies, "Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic" by Rebecca Beattie is an extraordinary and highly recommended pick for personal, professional, community, and academic library Metaphysical Studies, Paganism, Astrology, and Magick collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Pagan Portals: Planetary Magic" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.49).
Editorial Note: Rebecca Beattie (www.rebeccabeattie.co.uk) has a PhD in Creative Writing and has previously written two novels, a book of short stories, and her first Moon Books title Pagan Portals: Nature Mystics. Rebecca has been a regular teacher at Treadwell's Books in Bloomsbury for many years.
A New Science of the Afterlife
Daniel Drasin
Park Street Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781644116814, $16.99, PB, 128pp
https://www.amazon.com/New-Science-Afterlife-Space-Consciousness/dp/1644116812
Synopsis: Sharing his more than thirty years of research into the afterlife and paranormal phenomena, with the publication of "A New Science of the Afterlife: Space, Time, and the Consciousness Code", Daniel Drasin shows that the continuity of human consciousness beyond the physical body and after death constitutes a legitimate area of scientific inquiry and that it can be objectively demonstrated.
Drasin begins by revealing how our belief in materialism (through its effects on our social norms, taboos, and even language) has deeply constrained our civilization's understanding of the nature of space, time, life, death, and consciousness. However, as Drasin explains, our deeply ingrained cultural habits tied to materialism have begun to change.
Drasin explores 15 promising post-materialist scientific investigations currently underway, focusing in depth on three examples that offer the most objectively irrefutable evidence for the survival of consciousness, including electronic audio and visual communications from the other side, the groundbreaking five-year Scole Experiment in physical mediumship, and the profoundly evidential reincarnation case of James Leininger.
Looking at how language frames our perceptions about life and death, Drazin also presents thought experiments and simple exercises to help us see through materialist ideology and perceive a broader landscape of reality. He provides a succinct account of the experience of transition to the "next life" and explores what the afterlife is made of, where it's located, how it works, and what it's for.
Finally, Drasin shows how, by thinking and speaking about death and the survival of consciousness in new ways, we can facilitate a clearer, more relaxed, comfortable, and rational conversation about what awaits us all sooner or later on the other side of life.
Critique: An original and seminal study that will have immense interest to readers focusing on New Age Channeling, Reincarnation, and the 'Sociology of Death', "A New Science of the Afterlife: Space, Time, and the Consciousness Code" is an extraordinary, ground-breaking, inherently fascinating, and genuinely thought-provoking read. While an unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, it should be noted that "A New Science of the Afterlife" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).
Editorial Note: Daniel Drasin (https://www.dandrasin.com) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and has been a photographer and media producer for more than six decades. Since the early 1990s, as featured in his documentary Calling Earth, Drasin has been actively investigating the field of afterlife communication through traditional mental and physical mediumship as well as modern electronics.
On Her Silver Rays
Frances Billinghurst
Moon Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803411491, $23.95, PB, 256pp
https://www.amazon.com/Her-Silver-Rays-Guide-Magic/dp/180341149X
Synopsis: The moon and Wiccan witchcraft go hand in hand. Lady Lunar has long been both a guide and a companion, a sign by which we mark time, all the while she gently aids us in our explorations into the self and magical workings. She is a reflection of not only the sun's light but also the endless cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. The ebbing and flowing energy of the moon influences our thoughts and emotions.
Many people believe that this energy can also bring change and enhance our own lives, through knowing when and how to use it. "On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick" by Wiccan author Frances Billinghurst is a collection of science, myth, poetry, and ritual. It will guide you through working with the different phases of the moon in order to gain a better sense of wellbeing.
You will discover how best to harness the lunar energies for healing and emotional strength, as well as physical and mental wellness. Deepen your connection with Lady Lunar through making your own 'moon water', prayer beads, incense and anointing oils. Through the keeping of a lunar diary, you will learn how to effectively manifest and release with the endless changing energies of the moon.
With "On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick" you will learn how to create your own unique moon names regardless of where you live. When you are ready to take your moon magick deeper, this instructive guide will take you through the differing astrological signs, cosmic events, including Blue and Black Moons, as well as working with both solar and lunar eclipses, and even how to make your own Kamea of the Moon.
More than just another book about working with the moon, "On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick" is an informative guide to developing a deep ultimate connection with our night time companion.
Critique: "On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick" is a metaphysical volume of folklore, poetry, science, myth, and rituals. It is written in a way that makes it accessible for readers of all levels. Providing information from philosophers, ancient astronomers, and modern scientists, 'On Her Silver Rays' is an invaluable reference book covering a diverse range of fields such as astronomy, astrology, mythology, healing, and divination. Additional, "On Her Silver Rays" has a comprehensive list (and description) of the lunar gods and goddesses, explaining the importance of this heavenly body to the esoteric practices of modern pagans and witches. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99), "On Her Silver Rays: A Guide to the Moon, Myth and Magick" is recommended as an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Wiccan and Metaphysical Studies collections and studies lists.
Editorial Note: Frances Billinghurst (https://francesbillinghurst.blogspot.com) set herself the task of writing a book to honour the moon, and she should be proud of what she has achieved.
Phoenixes & Angels
Carmen Turner-Schott, MSW, LISW
https://carmenturnerschott.com
O-Books
c/o Collective Ink Books
https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
9781803410807, $23.95, PB, 290pp
https://www.amazon.com/Phoenixes-Angels-Mastering-Twelfth-Astrological/dp/1803410809
Synopsis: With the publication of "Phoenixes and Angels: Mastering the Eighth and Twelfth Astrological Houses", author and astrologer Carmen Turner-Schott gives practical advice and tips on how to implement self-care strategies to overcome challenges and help the reader gain greater self-awareness.
"Phoenixes and Angels" will benefit astrology students, seasoned astrologers, beginners in the craft, and those who want to learn how to counsel individuals with eighth and twelfth house planets.
The eighth house is the most powerful house in astrology. It rules death, regeneration, rebirth, healing, transformation, sexuality, behind-the-scenes energy, power, and secrets. All the energy of Scorpio and Pluto brings a heightened awareness of the deep things in life from which most people hide. Eighth house people share similar life experiences. "Phoenixes and Angels" highlights actual stories from eighth house people, which can help those interested in learning more about themselves and helping others.
The twelfth house is the most spiritual and mystical house in astrology. It rules cosmic consciousness, oneness with God, compassion, service to others, psychic abilities, imagination, sleep, dreaming, addiction, secrets, and much more. All the energy of Neptune and Pisces brings a heightened awareness of the spiritual world and the divine. Twelfth house people share similar life experiences. "Phoenixes and Angels" highlights actual stories from twelfth house people, too, which can help those interested in learning more about themselves and helping others.
Critique: A valued and informative contribution to personal, professional, community, and academic library Astrology/Metaphysics collections, "Phoenixes and Angels: Mastering the Eighth and Twelfth Astrological Houses" is a seminal and unreservedly recommended acquisition selection.
Editorial Note: Carmen Turner-Schott (https://carmenturnerschott.com) is a practicing licensed clinical social worker, astrologer, writer, and teacher with a national and international clientele. She has worked with victims of trauma for over 25 years. Since 2010 she has managed several Facebook Astrology groups which have over 50K members from all over the world.
The Self-Help Shelf
Stay Sane in an Insane World
Greg Harden
Blackstone Publishing
https://www.blackstonelibrary.com
9781665092418, $25.99, HC, 198pp
https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Sane-Insane-World-Controllables/dp/1665092416
Synopsis: Simply stated -- Greg Harden changes lives. This is why hundreds of world-class athletes, doctors, lawyers, teachers, business leaders, college students, and professionals from all walks of life have come to him for advice and direction -- including 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, 23-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps, Heisman Trophy winners Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson, CEOs of major companies, and championship coaching staffs from all over the world.
Harden teaches his students how to practice, train, and rehearse to give 100 percent, 100 percent of the time, and challenges them by asking: If you don't believe in yourself, why should I believe in you?
Champions aren't born. They're built. Greg Harden spent over 30 years building them at the University of Michigan, including 400 future professional athletes, 50 NFL first-round draft picks, and 120 Olympians from over 20 countries. He gained national recognition when 60 Minutes Sports profiled him as "Michigan's Secret Weapon."
Now, with the publication of "Stay Sane in an Insane World: How to Control the Controllables and Thrive", Greg Harden is reaching out to help anyone who wants to live their best life by offering powerful and practical advice.
His readers will learn to: Stop being afraid of being afraid; Control the controllables; Commit, improve, and maintain; Become the world's greatest expert on themself; Practice self-love and self-acceptance.
Critique: Exceptionally well written, impressively timely, effectively organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in presentation, "Stay Sane in an Insane World: How to Control the Controllables and Thrive" by Greg Harden is an ideal, effective, inspirational, and unreservedly recommended addition to community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Stay Sane in an Insane World" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9781665088619, $31.95, MP3-CD).
Editorial Note: Greg Harden (https://gregharden.com) is a life coach, motivational speaker and executive consultant who is best known for his work with 7-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard, and 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.
The Wisconsin Shelf
The Wisconsin Farm They Built: Tales of Family & Fortitude
Corey A. Geiger
The History Press
c/o Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com
9781467152747, $23.99, PB, 240pp
https://www.amazon.com/Wisconsin-Farm-They-Built-Fortitude/dp/1467152749
Synopsis: Corey Geiger is an international agricultural journalist and pairs his rural roots and lively storytelling talents to capture six generations of life in America's Dairyland in "The Wisconsin Farm They Built: Tales of Family & Fortitude".
After his mother Anna was killed by a train, Elmer Pritzl was thrown into adulthood at the tender age of sixteen. A clever and crafty fellow, Elmer quickly found work at the local foundry. Promoted to foreman by age eighteen, he began supervising men double and even triple his age during the depths of the Great Depression.
However, that professional career track ended abruptly five years later when Elmer fell in love with a farmer's daughter, Julia Burich. Six months after their wedding, Julia's father passed away, and with no living male relatives left in her life, Julia's mother, Anna Burich, asked, "Elmer, will you run my farm?" So, Elmer, born a city boy, transformed his life and began a love affair with a Wisconsin family farm.
Critique: A quintessential memorial tribute to the Wisconsin family farm, "Wisconsin Farm They Built, The: Tales of Family & Fortitude" features an informative Forward by Wisconsin historian and storyteller Jerry Apps, a two page listing of 'A Basic Family Tree of Those Mentioned in the Book', and a six page Bibliography. Fascinating, informative, inspiring, "Wisconsin Farm They Built, The: Tales of Family & Fortitude" is the extraordinary, unique, exceptional, and informative history of a family farm -- as well as an unreservedly recommended pick for personal, community, college, and university library Wisconsin History and Mid-West American Agricultural History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.
Editorial Note: Corey Geiger (www.coreygeiger.com) is also the author of "On a Wisconsin Family Farm: Historic Tales of Character, Community and Culture" . In 1995, this University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate joined the Hoard's Dairyman editorial team. In 2013, Geiger was tapped as the publication's fifth lead editor. Geiger was elected the sixty-fifth president of Holstein Association USA and serves on the board of directors for the World Dairy Expo. He remains true to his farming roots, managing and owning a portion of his six-generation family farm that serves as the epicenter for "The Wisconsin Farm They Built: Tales of Family & Fortitude".
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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