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The US Review of Books connects authors with professional book reviewers and places their book reviews in front of subscribers to our free monthly newsletter of fiction book reviews and nonfiction book reviews. Learn why our publication is different than most others, or read author and publisher testimonials about the USR.

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Recent Book Reviews

 

Focus Review

Amadeus! What Makes a Human Human? by Josephine deBois PageTurner Press and Media "Five huge birds gather around Duilio. He tries to hit them. One of the birds rapidly bites a big chunk of meat from Duilio’s cheek." Ludwig Mann has made a name for himself and a lot of money as a conductor. Much of his success is credited to his aggressive manager and girlfriend, Josephine. Ludwig is considering getting out of music professionally, but Josephine convinces him to do one last hurrah with large concerts and recordings. She tells Ludwig she can get them enough money to comfortably live the rest of their lives together. Ludwig agrees, and before one of the bigger performances, he and Josephine marry. Included in this set of performances are some piano recitals. Josephine suggests she can find someone, but Ludwig tells her he will take care of it. ... (read more)

• 4th Origin by Michael Ebifegha
• Adventure in the Land of Changes by Rick Poplinger
• Adventures with Robin Hood, The by R.L Greenwood
• Aliera Wants to Be a Giraffe by Janet M. Rowe
• American Scholar by Patrick E. Horrigan - RECOMMENDED
• Awaken the Light Within Your Heart by Susan Kennard
• Big Tilt, The by Dan Flanigan - RECOMMENDED
• Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious by Rajan Jetley
• Born Torn by Suz Eglington
• Burning Watercolors by Ginny Schuyler Warren
• Caged Free Bird by Hope
• Change of Verdict by Daniel Harry Gatlin - RECOMMENDED
• Creation or Evolution? by Michael Ebifegha - RECOMMENDED
• Christian Economics by Dale Pivarunas
• Crooked Forest, The by Joni Franks
• Deep Waters of Destiny by Pete Carlson
• Desecrated, The by John Gray
• Devil’s Night by Thomas Stacey - RECOMMENDED
• Discovering My Royal Heritage While Surving in Black Skin by Webster E. Moore
• Dogs are Curling up Again, The by Margaret H. Townley - RECOMMENDED
• Emo Reality by Jerold Daniels
• Empath: Awakening of the Soul by Yvonne Belliveau
• Enjoy the Journey with Purpose not the Destination by Dr. Sin Mong Wong
• Evolve by Alyssa Wolfe
• Expendable Soldiers 2 by SJ Aspen - RECOMMENDED
• First Year Calculus by Clement E. Falbo
• Fish House Gang, The by Kenneth L. Funderburk
• Force of Art, The – A Life for Painting by Juhani Murros - RECOMMENDED
• French House, The by Courtney Lochner - RECOMMENDED
• From Normandy to the Hell of Ravensbrück Life and Escape from a Concentration Camp by Francis Pitard
• Future of Smart, The by Ulcca Joshi Hansen, PhD, JD - RECOMMENDED
• Ghost Daughter by Helen Currie Foster - RECOMMENDED
• Ghosted by Helen Currie Foster - RECOMMENDED
• Hate Hunters by Mari Georgeson
• Healing The Mind by Janice McDermott
• Heirs of a Lost Race by Francis Pitard - RECOMMENDED
• Helping You Through Your Loss by Cindy Moynes - RECOMMENDED
• High Lonesome by Stan Cosby - RECOMMENDED
• Hours of Pure Gold by Kandi A. White
• How Do I Get to Be Me? by Elizabeth Jo
• I Vote and I Deplore Politicians by John Farrow
• In the Typhoon’s Eye by Bles Chavez-Bernstein - RECOMMENDED
• Interrupted Traveler, The by A.D. Plautz
• Intimate Guyana Journey, An by Joseph Mahase
• Is It Supposed to Be This Hard? by Mary Pat Haffey, MS - RECOMMENDED
• Journey of a Schizophrenic by William McGregor Paterson
• Kiss for Maggie Moore, A by Micki R. Pettit
• Last Real Immigrant, The by Joseph Galliani - RECOMMENDED
• Luna Moth Papers, The by David Cavagnaro
• Magical Day, A by Suzanne G. Bennett
• Mars Hospital by Dr. Lloyd Flatt
• Measure of Rhyme, A by Lloyd Jeffries - RECOMMENDED
• Memoir of Jacquelyn Menson's, A by Karla Johnson
• Mildenhall Legacy, The by Albert Sipes
• Mink Eyes by Dan Flanigan - RECOMMENDED
• Miracle Warrior by Gigi Cramer
• Mouse in the Box by Lewis Allan - RECOMMENDED
• My Cold War Life by David Hamel
• My Pet Peeve by Renee Rodgers Barstack
• Mystery of L’Inconnu by Dan Grylles - RECOMMENDED
• Navigating the Quartz Forest by Biman Roy
• North Queen (Crowns, Book 1) by Nicola Tyche - RECOMMENDED
• On Lonesome Roads by Dan Flanigan - RECOMMENDED
• Once Upon… Not Yet by MDR McInnis - RECOMMENDED
• Oregon Loves New York by Sally Ruth Bourrie - RECOMMENDED
• Pieces of a Broken Mind by Daniel Ruczko - RECOMMENDED
• Poetry in Motion by Carolyn Vermes
• Proud Pada by S.G. Blaise
• Queen Bee, The by Dorothy Bee Williams - RECOMMENDED
• Rapa Nui Settlers by Francis F. Pitard
• ReInception by Sarena Straus - RECOMMENDED
• Richard: The Dragon’s Curse by Michael W. Hickman
• Ron’s Ramblings by Ron Garwood
• Schorjun: Book 1 by Errol Rollin
• Shattered by Jennell M. Jones M.Ed.
• Sherwood by Bette Hurst
• Sonnets of Love and Joy by Paul Buchheit - RECOMMENDED
• Stikine Odyssey by Peter Rowlands - RECOMMENDED
• Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose by Brion K. Hanks
• Tangled Branches by William Bailey
• Tom and Lovey Part II by G.R. Jerry
• Torch of Christ, The by Carl L. Lansdown
• Torment by Daniel Foster - RECOMMENDED
• Underground Taxi, The by Maurice Hall Buchanan, Jr.
• Viila and the Doomsday Affair by Roger Danchik - RECOMMENDED
• Voices of Heaven, The by Maija Rhee Devine
• White Bane by Robert James Allen
• White Bane, Part II by Robert James Allen
• Wonderfully, Perfectly Unusual! by Sharon Thayer - RECOMMENDED
• Zen and the Art of Navigating College by Peter Klein

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Featured Book Reviews

 

Prejudice & Tolerance

Highlight Review Seen by Julie G. Delegal LeGlade Press book review by Amanda Hanson "He'd been waiting all day for someone to see him, to see who he was." Jason Royals is a fifteen-year-old black teenager accused of shooting and killing a tourist named Betty Patterson. He is on his way to apply for a job at Wellstein's Pharmacy when a police officer stops him and arrests him because he matches the description of a murder suspect. From there, Jason's life goes downhill. First, he sustains physical injuries at the hands of the police. Then they coerce him into making a false confession. Finally, he is rushed to the hospital after he loses consciousness due to a hypoglycemic shock. During his stay at the hospital, he receives the right care. Unfortunately, the police subsequently arrest him and take him to an adult jail. Throughout this journey, Jason must prove his innocence with the help of his lawyer, civil rights attorney Aaron Hampton. ... (read more)

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Life Above

Battle’s new book is an autobiographical look at his life from the time he was a small boy watching crop dusters in North Carolina through his military service and work history. However, it is also an introduction to his brand, The Aerospace Professor. Battle faced racism and mistreatment as he worked his way through school. He then found those racial tensions would follow him into the Air Force. Despite this, Battle performed exceptionally well as part of the flight crew for many of the Air Force’s top fighter planes. Also, although it took Battle a bit longer as he was raising a family, he always believed in the importance of his education and earned a BS and MBA. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force, the author worked technology jobs, mostly for the government. Here, he witnessed the abuse of power and continued racism in America. ... (read more)

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Freedom Story

Highlight Review Libertas by Danuta Pfeiffer Luminare Press book review by Nicole Yurcaba "Two thousand cattle and several hundred horses had been herded toward the encampment, some yoked to their respective wagons, and the rest wrangled behind the caravan in a giant herd." In this fast-paced book, readers follow Horace and Fredericka, two former slaves who embark on a new life together in America’s ever-changing social landscape. Set during a time when some states offered freedom and other states offered a return to enslavement, this book transports readers into one of the most volatile periods in American history. As readers navigate social transformations with Horace and Fredericka, they also navigate a society where the definition of “freedom” constantly shifts. Horace and Fredericka endure manhunts where rogues hunt runaway slaves, and danger awaits them around each and every corner. Finally, and reluctantly, they accept an offer from Johnathan, Horace’s master’s son, to head west and begin life anew. However, the West and the journey there also hold obstacles, challenges, and levels of grief of their own. ... (read more)

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Are We Losing

Written to make their previous collaboration, Reality Prism, more accessible, this new offering covers many topics in the media today, with a large part of the focus being on a failing America and the rise of the New World Order. The book argues that the causes stem from people who have lost faith in God and are taking direct actions to manipulate America with an agenda promoting China and a global government. Crime and drug use in America, Covid-19, fake elections, and mind control of the population through social media and pharmaceutical companies are all part of this long-term, global plan of abolishing democracy and liberty and giving power to a few elites. The book also talks about the events on January 6, 2021 and how select branches of the government turned a peaceful protest into a labeled insurrection. The book presents several arguments for its claims, and the authors use some of their own social media research as support. Also, the book gives a brief overview of what a "mind war" is and how it is manipulating the truth and the American people. ... (read more)

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Food for Thought

Highlight Review ReInception by Sarena Straus Winding Road Stories book review by Mihir Shah "Everything that made her fall in love with him was gone. It felt less like breaking up and more like mourning his death." In this intriguing novel, the development of protagonist Leandrea is a work of genius by author Straus. Through her journey, the reader can see the innovativeness of the author’s worldbuilding, spearheaded by ReInception, a neurological process by which individuals can essentially remove any bad habit or trait of their choosing. At first glance, Straus’ work is reminiscent of Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, a unique rendition of dystopian science fiction. Digging deeper, though, Straus’ novel probes into themes and elements that are directly relevant to today’s society, providing readers with not only an electrifying storyline but also food for thought as to what future societies of humanity could look like. ... (read more)

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Revolutionary

The Handmaid’s Tale meets 1984 in this timely, captivating, alternately hilarious and infuriating dystopian novel that presents a plausible scenario in a future USA. The right to terminate a pregnancy is a small facet of any woman’s worries, with birth control banned and babies the primary source of government income. The most genetically fit babies command the highest prices at auction, and no couple keeps their biological children after giving birth. Worse, there’s no right to decide when to have a child or even whom to marry. Women are forced to marry their rapists or other unsuitable mates during the thirty-eight-year-long administration of President Boyce, who declares the 1950s and 1960s to be the “Halcyon Days.” In fact, the only television options available to Americans are mid-twentieth-century programs and films that reinforce Boyce’s philosophical gaslighting. ... (read more)

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True Sabbath

Highlight Review Satan’s Shadow in Abrahamic Religions by Michael Ebifegha The Media Reviews book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott "First, why would God classify a commandment that is supposed to be temporary among a set of moral commandments that are everlasting?" Author and instructor Ebifegha here arrays a nearly encyclopedic range of corroborations, both historical and biblical, to bring his powerful theme to full light. God ordained the observance of the Sabbath as the seventh day, which is Saturday as taught to and observed by the earliest Israelite peoples, but a gradual shift to a Sunday observance of God’s holy day of rest and remembrance—the work, the author asserts, of Satan—has weakened both the beliefs and the faith of its followers. Ebifegha utilizes his own term for the most sacred day of the week, calling it GCSD (“God’s Creation Sabbath Day”), further emphasizing the biblical truth that after creating the world—its lands, seas, animals, plants, and its human occupants—the Lord designated a day of rest, set aside for contemplation and worship. This designation was underscored powerfully from its position as the cornertone of the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses. Therefore, it is as significant and demanding of true obedience as the other nine in what is often called the Decalogue. ... (read more)

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Charlie Returns

Adams brings back the magic and wonder of the Five Mile Farm with all its endearing characters in this fourth book of her beloved children’s series. In this volume, Farmer Bud is introduced. He is a sweet farmer who comes looking for his missing llama. When he finds him on Five Mile Farm, he discovers a loving family of creatures who are very attached to Charlie. ... (read more)

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For the Children

Highlight Review The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive by Ulcca Joshi Hansen, PhD, JD Capucia Publishing book review by Nicole Yurcaba "As a result of these relational changes, all students will have stronger ties to their communities as a whole, and community organizations and business will invest more concertedly in local education." In this groundbreaking book about one of America’s biggest societal flashpoints, the author discusses “an education system that entirely misunderstood children, treating each child as an identical blank slate ready for the impress of knowledge.” In these pages, readers discover alternative ways to define what it means to be successful and educated. The book also challenges them to rethink their basic assumptions about education in order to begin transforming not only it but also society. Additionally, the book takes a careful look at how students have disengaged from school settings over the last fifteen years. Its research correlates the rise in increasingly evident disruptive behaviors with this disengagement. Meanwhile, the book examines paths forward, such as lab schools which offer students and educators alike a rapid transformation in their learning. ... (read more)

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Sweeping & Unforgettable

Lyrical prose, an expert grasp of historical detail, and deftly honed plausible imagination define award-winning author Worth’s passionate seventh novel. A historical romance set from 1448 to 1453 against the dramatic backdrop of the Eastern Roman Empire’s final days, this love story for the ages culminates in tragedy: the prophesied fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire and the demise of Emperor Constantine XI. By the time Constantine XI ascends his throne, the once great empire of eastern Christendom has been reduced to a mere blip on the map—a bit of land surrounding the city of Constantinople, the Queen of Cities. Although much has been written and recorded about the empire, emperor, and era, many facets of this history, including Constantine’s supposed secret third marriage, remain a mystery debated by scholars to this day. ... (read more)

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New Series MegaStar

Kiara Noir is turning sixteen-and-a-half years old soon, and her wanderlust is getting the better of her. Kiara and her mother are transplants living on a Native American reservation in Colorado, far away from most other people. Independent and strong-willed, Kiara routinely butts heads with her mother about wanting to see the world and go to college while her mother, Willow, insists that they must stay where they are. Kiara is filled with questions about her father, their life, and her mother’s folksy knowledge of herbs and rituals, adding to Kiara’s frustrations. On the exact day between her previous and next birthday, Kiara is given permission to go out into the wild and take pictures with her new camera lens. Suddenly, her reality comes crashing down around her. ... (read more)

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The Good Life

When his father dies, Fallon inherits two letters that are an integral part of a family story passed down for generations. The letters were written in 1817 to Fallon’s great-great-grandfather, Thomas, and were from Chateaubriand, who is widely regarded as the father of French literature. The family story told by the author's father stars Mary O’Neill, who meets Chateaubriand in London and helps him through a difficult period in his life in exile from France. Years later, they meet again when Mary is married to Patrick Fallon and has a son named Thomas. Chateaubriand decides to help young Thomas secure an education and supports him throughout his life. The letters to Thomas corroborate this support. But they also raise questions about Chateaubriand's motives for supporting him, so author and descendant Fallon undertakes rigorous research to determine the details and historical accuracy of this intriguing family lore. ... (read more)

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Resilience

Daniel Collins lives in the small Colorado town of Three Oaks with his dog, Blue. He has withdrawn from society after the tragically young death of his wife and childhood sweetheart, Mallory. One day a female stranger named Paula gets lost on her way to a writers’ seminar and winds up at his doorstep. A mixture of witty repartee, country hospitality, and bubbling chemistry leads the two of them to end up spending an entire week together. For Daniel, Paula represents someone that moves his heart in an honest way that he has shut out since the loss of his wife. For Paula, Daniel is an opportunity to feel a passion that has been missing in her marriage since her current husband decided to join the seminary. Though the two immediately hit it off, Paula and Daniel go their separate ways when the time comes. ... (read more)

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Transformations

Undoubtedly, the world is on a myriad of wavelengths when it comes to perceptions of what will be a fix-all for the planet. While each plan has its merits, it also comes with inevitable flaws and pitfalls. In Reed’s blueprint, he has developed a foolproof plan to bring everyone together and transform the planet. At its root, this plan is predicated on oneness, the common good, irrespective of all the differences that manifest themselves through division, be they through politics, demographics, class status, etc. Written for the average person to awaken and be inspired, the work predicts a futuristic society in 2020 that is rife with issues stemming from sociological and ecological problems. What is perhaps most intriguing is that many of the issues proposed herein, such as food shortages, came to fruition during the pandemic. ... (read more)

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Meaning & Morality

Andrew (Andy) Ceraldi is your ordinary citizen, a family man with a cheery disposition, deeply committed to his “Garden Goddess” wife, Peggy, and his thirst for the next story that would blow his literary agent, Chaska, out of the water. Meanwhile, much of Andrew’s family (cousins, sister, etc.) is determined to send his ninety-year-old mother, Henrietta Sage, into assisted living. Holding the power-of-attorney (or at least a copy of it), Ceraldi is pretty much all that separates his mother from assisted living, and this is what sets the stage for the dynamic plot that is about to unfold. ... (read more)

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Strange & Mystifying Worlds

In this third book in the author’s series, Richard and his mate, the fox creature Amber, are awaiting the birth of their cubs along with their adopted son, Andreas. “Andreas came from a water world with two forms of humanoid life. One lived in the ocean, while the other lived on the planet’s only land mass. He was a hybrid of both species, and neither wanted him.” Richard is preparing to become king of the Milky Way as his forefathers had done after sealing the dragons in another dimension. “A long time ago, Askook, the golden emperor, had ruled the Milky Way with an iron-clawed fist. But then he and his kind had been banished to a blighted world in the cursed dimension.” However, the young Richard must first travel to seal the world of dragons and prevent them from escaping, an occurrence that happens every thousand years. ... (read more)

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Overcoming

When Drake received his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), he was not surprised. His father and two siblings each had PD, and he knew their experiences. With a tremor being just one of his symptoms, he saw a neurologist for a diagnosis. The author’s suspicions were proven correct. Not realizing the advancements that science had made in treating PD, he had taken a number of years to act on his suspicions. His neurologist shared what he needed to hear: exercise was actually an effective treatment. A lifelong athlete who has trained for triathlons, Drake was happy to have confirmation that vigorous exercise is one of the positive, proven therapies for PD. ... (read more)

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Stark Assessment

In this exciting and necessary book, readers initially unearth the little-known history of Swedish explorers Nils Pallin and Allan Backman. In 1922, Pallin and Backman accompanied Professor Otto Nordenskjold, a famous explorer and geographer, to some of the most remote parts of South America. During their expedition, the explorers would also visit and explore the terrain of Chile’s Patagonia. As the book concludes, readers join the book’s author on subsequent expeditions to the same area first traversed by the Swedes in 1922. They encounter a landscape constantly in flux due to ever-increasing global temperatures and nearly irreversible climate change. This is an exclusive, firsthand account of climate change’s true consequences on priceless environments whose flora and fauna can never be replaced once they are lost. ... (read more)

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Addictive

A Coast Guard boat sights a luxury yacht appearing out of thin air. They receive no communication signal from the craft, and the boat appears to be abandoned. Royal Knight Cruise Lines pulls out all the stops to interest the affluent in purchasing the boat. A five-day pleasure cruise with fun in the sun and a litany of amenities is key to getting the rich to open their wallets. The L’Inconnu leaves port with a retired actor, a shady record producer, a wealthy businessman, and others. As the ship sets sail from Miami Beach to the Bahamas, the crew and passengers are in for the surprise of their lives. Lieutenant Detective Remington Ferguson is with the Miami-Dade Police Department. He has been tasked with determining what happened on the boat and why more than two dozen people are dead. ... (read more)

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Science & Religion

For the longest time, two major camps have existed. One camp believes that scientific explanations, such as the Big Bang theory, give answers to the origin of the universe. Meanwhile, the other camp adheres to the teachings of Christ and the scriptures, with a strong focus on creationism. Ebifegha vehemently rebukes the theory of evolution, calling it a direct contradiction to God’s foundational law. Throughout, the author demonstrates the strength of his research and his attention to detail, making his work stand out from many of its peers. His book comes across as an unbiased review of evolutionism that shows why those promoting it are creating a pathway to increased atheism and straying away from the biblical creationism stories. ... (read more)

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Enticing & Informative

Connor is a hammerhead shark pup who has thirty-seven hammerhead siblings. All the other shark pups look and act alike except Connor. When his brothers and sisters swim one way, he swims another. When they eat shrimp and crabs, he prefers to munch on tasty sea plants. When the other pups play hide-and-seek, Connor heads off to explore on his own. As an old gray shark remarks, “He’s rather unusual, don’t you think?” Connor’s mom smiles, holds her head high, and declares, “Thank you! Yes, he is. He’s wonderfully, perfectly unusual.” Young Connor learns and adopts this positive response himself, so when others under the sea remark on his “being different,” Connor too holds his little head high, looks straight into their eyes, and exclaims, “Thank you!” The hammerhead pup stays true to his genuine self, enjoying “twirling and whirling” in the seagrass with a new girl shark he befriends. ... (read more)

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Engaging Life

Author Chavez-Bernstein was born in the Philippines and expertly recalls her childhood, her coming of age, and the weighty decisions she was forced to make at various junctures in this dynamic tale. Adults in her family carried haunting memories of surviving Japanese occupation, resistance, and war. Her parents endured cramped financial circumstances but moved upward and persisted whenever opportunities for small increments of improvement offered themselves. Her mother had a strong, beautiful singing voice, and the author inherited her singing talents and a gift for dramatic presentation that earned her first prize in a radio competition at age five. Coached by her mother, she gave a performance remarkably enhanced with real tears. She excelled in her academic endeavors, beginning first grade a year early and proving herself by gaining many honors. ... (read more)

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Speed & Imagination

Lilla is excited that she is about to marry Cullum, the muscular son of Caderyn, leader of the Teryn Praelium. The Teryn empire is efficient and ruthless in its pursuit of order and glory, and it is also the only force standing between the galaxy and its takeover by a truly wicked force. However, many of the people ruled over by the Teryns are tired of trying to meet their quotas and the punishments faced for failure. On top of that, those Teryns who don’t pass their trials to become warriors are also treated like second-class citizens. Understandably, their anger is growing. When members of the royal family are murdered, Lilla and Cullum must put their wedding on hold and pledge to find the criminal. Their search leads them to the monks and monastery on the planet Pada. As the couple and their friends begin following leads, the dangers intensify. When Caderyn is kidnapped, Cullem uses new technology to disguise himself as his father as the group frantically searches for the kidnappers and murderers in an attempt to stop a Teryn civil war which would allow the greater threat an easy victory in its war. ... (read more)

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Depth & Intrigue

Can a future AI achieve a level of sentience and morality that exceeds even the capacities of mankind, its creator? Dr. Maynard Little, as a child, held onto this hope like a stubborn child refusing to relinquish his lolly. One fortuitous event, being fired by TLC—and subsequently being hired by essentially another branch of the same company—opens up a pathway for his rebellious spirit to rise to the surface and push the limits of possibility ... (read more)

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Tropic Intrigue

In award-winning author Carlson’s third novel to date, readers are thrust into the midst of a powerful, burgeoning drug empire. A collaboration between the Sicilian and Russian mobs and the ruthless Columbian cartel brings a whole new level of danger. Haunted by his Vietnam past, Gunner is the trusted captain of the Destiny, a 300-foot mega yacht owned by his Sicilian mob boss. While Gunner knows his boss has good intentions at heart with his not-so-secret business dealings, he’s less than enthusiastic about the plan to join forces with the Russians and Columbians, making him a part of this criminal underworld. But Gunner is smart and relies on his war training and experience on the waters to get through the most difficult of situations. ... (read more)

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O'Keefe Continues

After surviving Vietnam and sobering up thanks to an old friend and lawyer, Mike Harrigan, Peter O’Keefe has become a private detective trying to earn a living and pay his two loyal employees. He recently had a run-in with a mafia family and is still on their hit list, but O’Keefe hopes he can fall off their radar and help his ex-wife raise their daughter. When Harrigan approaches him about a job, O’Keefe needs the work and is interested. However, he soon finds out it involves a few ex-classmates. The popular high-school quarterback, Jerry Jensen, is now on his way to becoming the city mayor. The problem is that an old flame of O’Keefe’s, Bev, is claiming Jensen raped her in high school and is the father of her now eighteen-year-old son. Jensen wants Harrigan and O’Keefe to find out what Bev really wants and to see if they can get her to stay quiet to not mess up his political aspirations. Things escalate when Jensen hires a known thug to assist him, and Bev dies from a suspicious overdose. In addition, Harrigan finds himself in court as the fall guy for some shady bank dealings. ... (read more)

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Shared Loved

Karen and Lash meet as teenagers and begin a friendship that shapes them in countless ways as their lives intertwine through youth and into adulthood. Bonded together over their mutual love of horses, Karen and Lash spend hours together riding and competing. When Lash and her husband buy a farm, they convince Karen to buy the adjoining acreage, and their lives continue to thread together until Lash receives a diagnosis that proves fatal. As they share everything in life, they also share the grief and sorrow that comes with death. This moving memoir is a testament to their shared commitment to each other’s lives and to the rewards that come from friendship. This book spans more than twenty years and takes readers through the whirl of adolescence, the solidity of settling down, and the sadness of losing a best friend. ... (read more)

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Pschological Thriller

Devil’s Night is a night of mischief occurring on Halloween Eve. Georgie and his group of friends decide to up the ante in their stunts by stealing a scarecrow from a neighbor’s home. They plan to hang it over an expressway to jolt passengers below, but the scarecrow falls, and a motorist and his wife are killed in a violent crash as a result. Georgie and his friends flee and establish alibis, unaware of the consequences of their tomfoolery. Mickey Lesko is the surviving victim of the accident, and his life, along with that of his older sister, Rosemary, has been irrevocably changed. As time goes on, Mickey has suspicions about the kids behind the accident and has his eye on Georgie. Despite the carnage he caused, Georgie becomes obsessed with Mickey and his remaining family. Meanwhile, Aunt Anna finds a late-in-life love affair that is tied to the other key character—a Doberman Pinscher named Lucifer. Lucifer is Georgie's nemesis and determines the end of the story. ... (read more)

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The Price is Right

Many SaaS businesses focus their energy on developing a product to meet the needs of consumers but struggle to capture the value of the product through effective pricing. Rivera’s lifelong experience as a pricing consultant and strategist has helped him master the art and science of monetization. In this entertaining and engaging book, he explains how to capture value and land on the best pricing model. Designed as a playlist with chapters as tracks, Rivera connects his expertise to hip-hop music through lyrics and through the lives of the artists creating the music on which he grew up. The result is a bold, decisive guide that will keep readers engaged and highly informed with its clarity, examples, and explanations. ... (read more)

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Politics & Thrillers

In this beautifully crafted fantasy novel, a young woman wakes up in the wilderness with no memory of her former life. She soon discovers that she is Norah, princess (soon to be crowned queen) of the kingdom of Mercia, and she has been missing for three of the ten years that her country has been at war. With the aid of her grandmother, the regent, and Alexander, her trusted lord justice and childhood friend, she reluctantly accepts the crown and tries to learn how best to rule the land she does not remember. To her chagrin, the only answer to save her country from famine and endless war is to marry the king of an allied nation. On her way to meet and marry him, Norah unexpectedly ends up in the hands of the dreaded Shadow King, the enemy of her entire country. What is supposed to be a hostage situation turns into a complex dilemma as Norah learns more about the people of the Shadowlands and the truth behind the allegedly righteous war Mercia has been fighting. ... (read more)

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Prophecies

Lloyd Jeffries once again explores his creative marriage of religion, science, and biblical mythology in this second volume of the Ages of Malice series of apocalyptic, supernatural thrillers. Well-researched themes and settings give this title considerable authenticity and power despite the sci-fi/fantasy underpinnings. Journalist Emery Merrick, billionaire Thaddeus Drake (resurrected as Cain, biblical brother of Abel and world’s first murderer, now an immortal), Longinus (the Roman whose spear pierced Jesus’ side on the cross, also immortal), and other characters return from the first book to star in this fine-tuned, fast-paced tale in which mortal men and women are caught up once again in the tumultuous affairs of immortals. Each volume’s plot seems to proceed from the former, so although each book may have some stand-alone appeal, the series may need to be read in order for the best effect. The third and fourth volumes are in the works. ... (read more)

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Becoming

The daughter of a wealthy father whose work takes the family around the world, Lina recalls her preteen years playing violin and enjoying school in America, Europe, and India. During middle and high school in Singapore, however, she begins to become unstable. She experiences nightmares and voices. She doesn’t do homework and fights with friends and family. Regardless of her father's efforts to hold the family together, her parents get a divorce as a result of her mother's infidelity. Depressed, Lina cuts herself, wears black, and expresses her dark moods on social media. She moves to America after high school to pursue her goal of being an independent artist. Planning a move to London, she remains in America, practicing tattoo art and then selling her YouTube videos while sharing an apartment with an abusive bouncer. Eventually moving to London, she and a supportive partner help each other heal from their pasts. ... (read more)

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Braided Themes

The protagonist of this novel is Simone Duchamps, a French American starting her first semester of college. Though Simone initially plans to commute to campus each day from her family’s vineyard, she learns that native French speakers can receive a scholarship to live in The French House. The house, with its rich wood paneling, gourmet dinners, and wine served regardless of residents’ age, is designed to simulate the experience of studying abroad in France. Simone comes to feel at home there, despite whispered rumors of multiple tragic deaths connected to the building. Eventually, the past begins to catch up with Simone and The French House, and she discovers that not all of the tragedy is behind them. ... (read more)

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Dynamic

This seventh installment in the author's mystery series is a dynamic whodunit novel that has the perfect blend of character development and plot engagement. True to form, Foster’s work takes Alice from the comfortable confines of her Texas Hill country ranch to the mystique of Santa Fe, New Mexico, as she works to unravel one mess in a series of dysfunctions that highlights the main character’s ability to thrive even in the most pressure-packed of situations. ... (read more)

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Deceitful Appearances

Detective Senior Constable Ros Gordon and her partner, Detective Constable Leighton, investigate the death of an unidentified woman. She was found dead on a train with no ID on her. The detectives cannot determine if she died of a drug overdose or natural causes. Ros later discovers that Tristan Worthington died in a car accident. Coincidentally, she had met him at a party hosted by Scott and Patricia Weston-Smith. Tristan worked as an aide to David Polaris, a politician. So Mr. Worthington's sudden death comes as a shock to Ros. The detectives must figure out if it is a simple car accident or if there is more to the story. ... (read more)

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Seeking Truth

Alice Greer can finally put her mind at ease after the authorities ask her to identify her husband's dead body. She gives an identification, yet the irony is that she has been searching for it for the past five years. Her spouse, Jordan Greer, and a pilot boarded a helicopter, and the chopper disappeared. From there, Jordan and the pilot were presumed dead, but a confirmation was needed. Now Alice and her family's nightmare is over, and they can say goodbye to Jordan properly. However, things are not so clear-cut. It seems there is some question as to whether the helicopter was sabotaged or not. On top of that, Officer Ian Blane, who is attached to Jordan's case, turns out to be an imposter. The deeper Alice digs into her husband's crash, the more questions she has. ... (read more)

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Philosophical

In this fast-paced, exciting novel, readers meet the unpredictable Peter O’Keefe, a Vietnam vet who struggles with his post-war life. Scarred both physically and emotionally, O’Keefe attempts to balance his life as a private investigator with being a dedicated father to his daughter. However, his professional life keeps overriding his paternal one, especially after his childhood friend, Mike Harrigan, hires O’Keefe to investigate a Ponzi scheme. O’Keefe’s investigation takes him deep into the Ozarks. In the Ozarks, readers encounter a place where “the tiny churches… and the towns they ministered to seemed like nothing if not monuments to the futility of hope.” Nonetheless, for the mink farm that few locals know anything about, a darker side exists, and readers follow O’Keefe as he plunges headfirst into a treacherous realm of drug smuggling, murder, and romance ... (read more)

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Knowing Self

In this second book of the author's Choosing New Ways Forward series, Jo discusses how to use techniques presented in the work to realize one’s potential by tapping into “…new practices to support living as who we really are.” Her book offers a preamble, an author’s note, and a “Glossary of Concepts” which help the reader to grasp the information presented. It is an invitation to dig deep into the psyche and connect with the inner core of one’s personality, thus achieving an understanding of how one relates to the world, friends, acquaintances, and oneself. ... (read more)

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Unique Perspective

When Thomas Reed is murdered, a chain of events is triggered that leads to mayhem in the Florida panhandle. But no deadly deed is done without leaving a trail of blood or money or both. When the local police are reluctant to investigate deeply, Charles “Chic” Sparks is called in to consult and quickly begins following a trail of drugs, gangs, and money laundering. Chic finds himself an unlikely hero battling Mexican cartels and powerful banks as he protects a vulnerable witness and unravels a complex web of evil. ... (read more)

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Important & Timely

In this groundbreaking book about one of America’s biggest societal flashpoints, the author discusses “an education system that entirely misunderstood children, treating each child as an identical blank slate ready for the impress of knowledge.” In these pages, readers discover alternative ways to define what it means to be successful and educated. The book also challenges them to rethink their basic assumptions about education in order to begin transforming not only it but also society. Additionally, the book takes a careful look at how students have disengaged from school settings over the last fifteen years. Its research correlates the rise in increasingly evident disruptive behaviors with this disengagement. Meanwhile, the book examines paths forward, such as lab schools which offer students and educators alike a rapid transformation in their learning. ... (read more)

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Coming of Age

Growing up in a small town in Wyoming, Maggie and Bucky are the best of friends. When they allow the new girl, Melinda, to join the group, they become a trio. The three get along marvelously as they move into their teen years, but Melinda begins to spiral into drugs and promiscuity when her father brings home a new wife. This puts a strain on a relationship already under pressure due to both girls having feelings for Bucky. The last year of high school sees Melinda going off in her own troubled direction, which leaves Bucky and Maggie a chance at being a couple. However, a car wreck will bring them all back together, and it is clear that someone is going to have a broken heart. ... (read more)

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The Rising

In the aftermath of 9/11, citizens from Oregon came to the aid of New York and America in a symbolic gesture amid tragedy. In what is considered one of the largest grassroots efforts, the Flight for Freedom brought together diverse Americans from 3,000 miles apart and helped begin a long and arduous road of recovery and healing. ... (read more)

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Men & Angels

An inbred rabbi, his disappointment of a son, an eternally beautiful but demonic vampire, and a pickled and preserved head that has witnessed history walk together into the most holy territory known to man. It sounds like a joke, but the fate of the universe and all eternity is at stake, and this unlikely band is all that stands in the way of a more unscrupulous outcome. Rabbi Benjamin belongs to a secretive sect, one of dozens that are awaiting the end of time so that they can follow their holy instructions and reshape the world in their image. As the signs of apocalypse appear, his affable yet beleaguered nature makes him fast friends with Viila, a ravenous beauty in more ways than one who wants little more than to put an end to her immortality. Their unlikely alliance begins a strange and hilarious journey to the end of the world. ... (read more)

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Soul Surviving

In this book, readers unearth three decades’ worth of the author’s personal reflections. The book focuses on the years when the United States and the Soviet Union, the two main world powers during the book’s setting, rattled nuclear sabers. The author examines the anti-communist ideals which shaped many Americans before, during, and after the Vietnam War. The author’s personal photographs guide the readers through a careful examination of America’s shifting ideals during these three decades. However, the author shares many insights about his own life and military career and also gives readers a glimpse at some of the military’s most fascinating equipment, such as the SR-71. The author also shares the physical dangers of working on such equipment, as well as the emotional and personal stressors such a career places on a person. ... (read more)

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Breakneck Speed

In this intriguing novel, the development of protagonist Leandrea is a work of genius by author Straus. Through her journey, the reader can see the innovativeness of the author’s worldbuilding, spearheaded by ReInception, a neurological process by which individuals can essentially remove any bad habit or trait of their choosing. At first glance, Straus’ work is reminiscent of Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, a unique rendition of dystopian science fiction. Digging deeper, though, Straus’ novel probes into themes and elements that are directly relevant to today’s society, providing readers with not only an electrifying storyline but also food for thought as to what future societies of humanity could look like. ... (read more)

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Wordcraft Wizard

As the third book in a series of novels about Peter O’Keefe, the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been. Chaos and mayhem are practically guaranteed regardless of the outcome. After a bomb blast nearly claims the protagonist’s life and upends all sense of normalcy, all those around him acknowledge that even for him, someone known for getting himself in trouble, this was next level. Set in 1988, the novel transports audiences to the dying days of the Italian mafia as more and more Italian communities found themselves entrenched and assimilating into modern society. ... (read more)

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Informative

In examining all aspects of emotional abuse and looking at how to form healthy relationships, this book covers a wide range of topics, such as defining what constitutes emotional abuse, various types of abuse, trust issues, compassion, empathy, healthy vs. unhealthy relationship interactions, and denial. Family of origin issues are examined as well. Also included are the various paths to empowerment, such as focusing on positive support, becoming knowledgeable about the situation, healthy anger, detachment, and setting healthy boundaries. Haffey’s book is organized in an easy-to-read format. Each chapter is summarized, activities are given regarding questions one can answer about oneself and one’s situation, and a question is asked and then answered about whether this topic is supposed to be hard. An added plus is that the included material is also professionally referenced. ... (read more)

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Fervent Appreciation

Juhani Murros made an unexpected discovery during his visits to art galleries when he worked for an organization in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990. A small still life in an unobtrusive gallery commanded the Finnish physician’s attention. “It was an unpretentious oil painting, yet its dark, mysterious colors and the emotional tension of its disciplined composition set it apart.” Thus began a long journey of discovering the art and life of Van Den, a frugal and kind Buddhist of mixed Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry who studied in Paris for less than two years during 1950-52, a volatile period during the first French Indochina War. ... (read more)

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Transcending

Determined and disciplined, the author’s mother was committed to becoming a doctor at a time when women didn’t go to medical school. With financial help from her grandparents, she completed medical school during WWII and then began her practice in her hometown. Shortly after, she married a military man and had a daughter. Although the airman left them, Cramer was raised by her mother in a good home and learned to value education and hard work. Her mother’s reputation in the medical field was growing, and Cramer eventually graduated college and was able to spend a year studying in Paris. She would go on to a successful interior decorating career. ... (read more)

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Enduring Legacy

Cavagnaro chronicles the decades-long correspondence with his high school freshman English teacher beginning shortly after graduation in 1964. At the time, he is twenty-one, and she is fifty-six and nearing retirement. Through letters, she offers encouragement for his writing and educational pursuits and is delighted to share her own professional and familial accomplishments. Together, their lives in letters illuminate the cultural upheaval of the sixties and the turbulence of the seventies and the Vietnam War. Their individual lives, relationships, and ambitions are also explored through letters and added exposition from Cavagnaro. ... (read more)

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A Perfect Setting

In this second book in a series, Tom and Lovey head to the Southwest as they follow a pungent odor that Tom has encountered before. Tom is searching for the truth about his friend and mentor, Red Deer, who disappeared after an event in the sweat lodge they had built together. Tom and Lovey meet many trials and mysterious occurrences on their journey. Both are showing signs of supernatural forces within them, especially Lovey, who has become a shapeshifter and turns into a panther. Both are having visions and dreams which seem to lead them to the Four Corners area where Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado meet. What they encounter there is pure evil. Will they escape these evil forces and find the answers they seek? ... (read more)

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Wisdom

For the author, living a life of abundance means financial freedom, connectedness, happiness, and health. The journey to achieve this abundance and productivity mindset requires people to access the energy within and enhance the Primo Vascular System (PVS) through mindfulness and other lifestyle changes. Wong provides guidance and inspiration through his experiences and discoveries. He shares his wisdom as a super-ager in hopes of leading others on the journey to a more fulfilling life. His book is filled with actionable suggestions for increasing energy levels, enjoying fitness with age, finding peace, and awakening to self-sufficiency. Wong’s soothing presence on the page is uplifting and inspiring as he illuminates the path to healthier living in mind, body, and spirit. ... (read more)

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Powerful

Isabel is an expatriate living in London. Originally from Chile, Isabel fled the country after a military coup deposed democratically elected leader Salvador Allende and installed dictator Augusto Pinochet. In the aftermath of the September 11, 1973 overthrow, thousands of dissidents were detained and placed in concentration camps while others were executed. Isabel’s father was one of the desaparecidos (disappeared). Isabel’s socialist views were anathema to the current regime, and her life was in danger, leading her to relocate to England from 1980-1994. ... (read more)

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Love & Respect

This novel depicts the inner workings of a school with a diverse group of teachers struggling to maintain order and seek solutions to challenging situations and disruptive students. The teachers seek a classroom environment that is safe and nurturing, but the students find many ways to disrupt the learning and keep the teachers and administrators busy with discipline issues. The teachers are determined to find new approaches and strategies for engaging students and parents in the learning process, but they are continuously met with apathy and antagonism. ... (read more)

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Clering Trauma

Author Kennard brings her considerable experience to this well-organized guide to inner healing. Her own story, provided as an opening to the manual, relates that while trained and working as a psychologist, she discovered the idea of mediumistic connections after the devastating loss of a close friend. A medium’s insights surprised her with their emotional impact, and she was told she, too, had mediumistic gifts to share. Gradually she was drawn to meditation and, through that, to an acceptance of her dual roles as psychotherapist and medium. ... (read more)

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True Success

Writer Jetley has created and collected a fascinating variety of thought-inciting statements about relationships, morality, love, business, and more after many years spent garnering the insights that his aphorisms exude. Born in India, he resided in the US in his late teens during a critical era—1967-68. That experience sparked his search for accomplishment and meaning, reflected here in this large, brightly illustrated volume. He begins with the general observation that lifelong contentment will be seen equally in one’s successes and failures. He advises readers to resist examining “anything you really admire” if not prepared to discover imperfections. He notes that after achieving wealth and prominence, one will then “long for anonymity to enjoy the same.” A profound statement regarding serious addiction names it as “the ultimate love-hate relationship.” About child-rearing, he offers the warning that youngsters readily adopt a parent’s weaknesses. Regarding religion, he states that it is “not an essential part of spirituality” while noting that acts of charity heal the one who acts. ... (read more)

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A Suffering Woman

A woman wrongfully imprisoned in Lebanon for eight months during 2013-2014 steals a pen and paper to chronicle her hellish time in prison. Years later, using the power of perspective, Hope revisits her diary to make sense of it all. ... (read more)

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Modern Adaptation

David and Gracie are a young couple celebrating the birth of their newborn son, Matthew. They are surrounded by loving friends and family. However, no one can foresee the darkness coming to shatter their idyllic life. The baby contracts a mysterious disease that appears to be fatal. As time runs out for the infant, David’s desperation grows. Gracie’s devastation is too much for him to bear, and he fears losing everything. His vehement prayers for his son’s life are answered, but not how he ever could have imagined. The Devil makes him a tempting proposition. He can heal Matthew and guarantee he will live a full, successful life in exchange for David’s eternal service. Who can truthfully say what one would do when faced with a similar choice? ... (read more)

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Colorful Western

Much has been written about life on the desolate southwest Texas prairie called the “high lonesome.” Cosby’s lively novella of the same name is a biographical coming-of-age tale based on his family history, including some classic Western feuds over cattle and territory, made fresh by his narrative voice. Cosby’s strong background with people and words, his perspective as an international traveler, and his deep roots in the Texas landscape make him well-equipped to lyrically reveal the nuances of the Lone Star State’s triumphs and tragedies from the viewpoints of saints and sinners and anyone in between. ... (read more)

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Understanding Thoughts & Feelings

This guided activity book for children ages seven to twelve offers information about death and grief. It discusses the difficulty of talking about death and how it is normal. The book also talks about exploring a special memory, having rough patches to go through, and then being able to get through another day. The biggest focus is on expressing feelings, honest ones, and not what one thinks one should say. It examines reasons for death and that it is not the reader’s fault that a parent died. Also, it shows how it is important to note that others are also going through grief, but they aren’t angry with the child. The text discusses funerals and caskets, cremation and urns. There may be a celebration of life and the possibility of going to a cemetery. The focus on how to know one’s parent is there in spirit and being able to talk to one’s deceased parent is also valuable, as are the techniques that can be used to help with the grief. ... (read more)

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Conglomerate of Peace & Joy

Pain and hurt manifest themselves in many ways to become prominent in one’s life. However, Bennett’s work is geared to help audiences recognize that if one only looks, hope is equally, if not more potent, in presenting itself to heal the wounded soul. What makes this story compelling is how it resonates directly with the author’s own journey, one transfixed on the varying forms of light and energy despite being shrouded in devastating health diagnoses that threatened to take away her identity and essence. ... (read more)

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Playful Romp

This is the story of a young child that wanders into the forest in search of a fun activity. What the boy is unaware of is that the forest is under a powerful enchantment, and as he ventures deeper and deeper into the woods, his body begins to change and take on the form of various mysterious and unique animals. As he journeys back toward his home and a return to normalcy, he eventually leaves the woods for an underwater journey that transforms him into various sea creatures. Finally, he takes to the skies to find his home, turning into all manners of bizarre avians and other flying creatures. With no understanding of what is happening to him, his journey home comes with the understanding that he is the perfect shape already for whom he is meant to be. ... (read more)

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Simply Story

In this children’s picture book, Aliera is a small pigtailed girl who loves going to the zoo to observe animals. For today’s visit, Aliera wants to study the giraffes. She and her mother watch the giraffes’ behavior, and a zookeeper tells them facts about the tall animals. When Aliera discovers that giraffes do not have to take naps, she imagines herself in the zoo enclosure as one of them. The more Aliera thinks about being a giraffe, the more she realizes she likes being herself most of all. ... (read more)

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Love Captured

In this extended collection, readers discover limericks, songs, odes, and poetic reflections. Poems like “Truth” remind readers about the power of honesty. Other selections like “I Hear Your Voice” are heartbreaking reminders about how one person can make or break another. “Portrait of You” navigates loss and its accompanying, everlasting grief. Interspersed between various poems are songs such as “Bring Her Back with Rock’N’Roll [The Girl I Left Behind].” These songs are nostalgic and reminiscent of simpler times. Other pieces in the book, like “We’re 100 Miles from Disney World and 1000 Miles from Home,” offer humorous takes on the unpredictability that often fills family adventures and creates long-lasting memories that will dominate family storytelling for generations to come. ... (read more)

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Honesty

Elemental beings live within The Crooked Forest, and among the best known are the fairy-like Willow and her fateful canine companion, Sir Gyzmo. When Willow becomes separated from her mother, Luna, following an assault by the sheepherder Aidan, she must find the courage inside to remain compassionate towards others in need as she searches for her loved one. Her compassion becomes especially important in helping Wynter, a woman who marries and then leaves Aidan after she discovers his deceptive nature, and Pickletoe, a stone troll who has trouble associating with other trolls. Drawing on her own experiences, Willow helps several of her newfound friends in The Crooked Forest to seek out their own happiness, getting rewarded for her own efforts in the end. ... (read more)

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Adoption Warning

This book is one parent’s testimony of how the foster care and adoption systems routinely continue to fail a girl in need as well as the family who loves her. The author’s family already consists of loving parents and a combination of biological, adopted, and kinship-care children. When friends who were fostering a young girl recommend her as a good fit for the Jones family, they happily welcome her into the fold. At first, Mercy seems to adjust and blend into the family well, but over time she starts to exhibit disturbing behaviors that her new family is at a loss to understand and treat. ... (read more)

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Ancestry

When Kaylan Faw strides up to Matson Johnstone's house and blurts, "I think yours owned my great-great-grandparents," his relationship with Johnstone is off to a rocky start. Soon after, the author, aka Matson Johnstone, shares his personal history, including what he knows about his father's maid's kin and his own. The tangled branches reveal relationships indescribably more complex than simply owner/slave entanglement. ... (read more)

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Richly Crafted

Asa can’t afford to be a child anymore. Perhaps he never was, considering the terrible toll that perpetual wars have taken on his community. Boys as young as thirteen are being called to fight the malicious Black Knights. Most died, and those who return are never the same. Women are left to manage the local economy and home. A somber pall has descended on the vale of Sharon. ... (read more)

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Dystopian Verse

In a distant future where humans have stopped relying on machines and technology, Princess Kamille is targeted by assassins who end up killing her mother. Kamille is assigned a bodyguard, Agent 86. Agent 86 is tough, and she insists on the princess learning self-defense and holds her to a high standard. As the two adjust to each other, they dive deeper into the gruesome past of Kamille’s family. Discontent in the country is growing, as are attempts on Kamille’s life. Kamille’s coronation is only weeks away, yet she feels her father doesn’t allow her access to important matters of state, and she often feels trapped in the castle. After a bold attack on the princess at the castle, troubling evidence is unearthed about Agent 86. ... (read more)

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Visions & Premonitions

Inspired by archaeological evidence and the legends of the Andes, Polynesia, and the Eastern Islands, Pitard delivers a narrative for the ages, weaving in a multitude of universal themes like kindness and empathy, beauty and warmth, and having them go toe-to-toe with power and greed. In this sweeping saga revolving around one Kon Tici (also referred to as Kon Tiki and Kon Teke), the author conducts a deep exploration of the universe and what it means—or perhaps, what it should mean—to be human. ... (read more)

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Enduring

This memoir chronicles the heartbreaking struggle and unbreakable spirit of Charlotte Aline Virmoux, the author’s great-aunt. Living in France through both World Wars, Aline was forced to endure the unspeakable horror of the gassing that over time claimed the life of her brother and father, who both fought in the First World War, unaware of the horrors that would challenge her next. She and her husband, Petit Louis, did their part as members of Evasion Pernod, an arm of the occupied French Resistance that helped locate and extract downed pilots, prisoners of war, and other vulnerable targets trapped behind enemy lines and bring them home. One night, as Louis worked his radios to transmit secret information, his window of opportunity to operate safely closed, yet he went on for a risky amount of time. ... (read more)

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Touching

Author Williams’ long pathway to achievement began when she was born into dire poverty in Columbia, Mississippi. She was one of eight children whose mother was hardworking and hopeful that her children would have better lives someday. The book’s first segment, “Before I Was Black,” recounts her young years during which her status as a black person seemed to affect every aspect of her being. She saw that white people had the “good label,” and she wanted that label for herself. She was endowed with high intelligence and notable artistic ability but was constantly stymied by the limitations of her skin color. Rebellious from an early age, she developed a tendency to steal and was often severely punished at home and at school. As she entered high school, the family finally lived in a house with an indoor bathroom. Meanwhile, the national era of school integration had begun. Williams was treated well by fellow honor students and artists while she “partied with the wild bunch.” ... (read more)

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Harder Edge

The author of this memoir recounts her life year by year in this tale of abuse, isolation, struggle, temptation, addiction, and redemption. From a young age, Johnson lived with her extended family under the care of her grandmother, who kept a roof over her head but had a tendency to treat her meanly and deny her anything beyond the basics of care. Her mother was constantly in and out of prisons or mental facilities, and her father was not allowed to take her home for undisclosed reasons. Finding her own ways to entertain herself and have fun, the author grew up into a shy but capable caretaker, looking after the younger members of her family instead of being a carefree child. As she grew older, she learned more about herself and the things that made her happy. ... (read more)

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Fascinating

Rapa Nui, perhaps better known as Easter Island, has long presented a mystery to the world. How and why were the giant sculptures, known as Moais, created and placed on the island’s shore? In this sequel to Heirs of a Lost Race, Pitard imagines the world of the earliest settlers of Rapa Nui. With charming characters and descriptions of the sea voyage, early settlements, and the creation of the first Moais, the author creates a stunning story of the spiritual nature of these early Rapanuis. As he states, “This book pays homage to the real Rapanuis, the original Rapanuis, a peaceful group of talented, intelligent, and caring people.” Pitard refutes contemporary theories which paint these early settlers as “a self-destructive society that created the environmental disaster, starvation, cannibalism, and warfare resulting in its downfall” as “unadulterated slander.” ... (read more)

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Easy

An only child, Molly is often lonely. Her parents are typically busy, so Molly spends a lot of time pretending. Sometimes she imagines that she has a kitten because Molly really adores cats and knows many interesting things about them. One day, Molly finds a real kitten in the barn and names it Munchkin. Molly is certain her father will let her keep it to be her friend and companion. However, he says no to keeping the cat. Molly decides that she will hide the kitten in her room until her father changes his mind. When Munchkin is exploring the house one day, she wanders into Daddy’s room. When he comes in and finds the cat sleeping on his sweater after having messed with its sleeves, he declares that the cat must be gone in the morning. That night, though, while the family sleeps, Munchkin enters the kitchen and finds the toaster on fire. Frightened, she bolts upstairs and decides to wake up Molly’s father. He wakes up and smells the smoke, and the family gets out of the house and contacts the fire department. The fire is quickly put out. The next day, appreciative of Munchkin’s actions, the father decides the cat can stay. ... (read more)

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Medical Absurdities

It takes Dr. Wave a year to work himself out of the one-year medical directorship he accepts in Mars, Nebraska. As a general practitioner and director, he encounters problems at all levels, which he can do little about. Patients come to him without a basic understanding of their anatomy. Doctors have affairs, lack credentials, and suffer from addiction and dementia while continuing to work. The hospital CEO condones inappropriate doctor behavior as long it makes patients happy and makes the hospital money. Operating from “the bottom line” also means a lack of technology, dismal clinic conditions, and abusive nursing facilities in which patients are hosed down with cold water. Will Dr. Wave ever receive a response to all his reports of abuse? ... (read more)

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In the Beginning

Author Ebifegha has constructed a fresh, intelligent look at the long-standing debate between creationists, those who view life and its origins as the result of a God-directed event as described in the Book of Genesis, and evolutionists—those who maintain the proposition that life on earth began cell by cell, species by species, over millions of years. It is a conflict that came into being through the work of Charles Darwin, a researcher whose theories rocked the scientific world and became a creed for biologists, anthropologists, and investigators of cellular progression. Others, grounded in the Holy Bible's account, rejected Darwin’s postulations. Thus began a divergence that continues to this day, although, as Ebifegha points out, Darwinism in its pure form has begun to show glaring weaknesses. One such weakness is the assertion, as yet unproven through scientific methodology, that all life began with a single cell (biogenesis). Moreover, Darwinism also implies that the first cell arose from nonlife (abiogenesis), a proposition that has never been scientifically demonstrated. ... (read more)

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Race Against Time

The author's narrative begins with a rather somber tone, zeroing in on the main character, Ron Pritchard, holding an urn. After working tirelessly for two and a half decades, Ron and his wife, Susan, were ready to celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary in grand fashion with a trip to Tahiti. It was their time to enjoy life. Unfortunately, life and cancer had a drastically different plan, stealing Susan within a month of her diagnosis. Set against this backdrop, Pritchard packs Susan's mortal remains and decides to continue with the trip. ... (read more)

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King of Wild Beasts

In this first book in a series, a lonely hunter finds a community he’ll do anything to protect. Vincent’s mother dies in childbirth. His father homeschools him and passes on his trade—hunting—but does not teach him affection. Steadfast and stealthy in adulthood, Vincent wins hunting contests and a bride, a traveling teacher. Vincent and Heather raise their daughter, Audrey, in the remote cabin where Vincent grew up, with skills in crafts and literature. Heather also passes on her grace and compassion to her daughter, who helps Vincent learn too. ... (read more)

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Vincent Continues

Vincent Belmont is a hunter obsessed with killing the wolf known as the White Bane. That beast killed his wife and child, and he has sworn vengeance upon its head. In addition, he is suffering from the white plague, an incurable and deadly disease, and is haunted by the loved ones he has lost and left. After the death of his family, he didn’t believe he would ever find happiness again but found it in the loving arms of a thespian named Luna. However, a powerful man threatened to kill her and the sisters who had sheltered him when he needed it most if he didn’t flee the town of Thianor. He now takes refuge in the bottle and his desire for the wolf’s death. While looking for information on how to kill the wolf and trying to keep a roof over his head, Vincent takes odd jobs, including being a lighthouse keeper and a tavern worker. He meets interesting people but never allows his roots to get too deep. He knows White Bane isn’t a normal wolf. He has shot him more than once, only to see the bullet pass through the animal as the animal passes through his own body and leaves a chill in his chest. Included in Vincent’s quest for revenge is a mysterious boy who has a silent crow as a companion. ... (read more)

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Breathtaking Detail

Peter Rowlands, a career airline pilot, brings his personal and community love of a river to bear in this timely volume about the Stikine River and its watershed. As Rowlands states in the preface, “My aim in writing this book is twofold. While wishing to celebrate the inner and outer beauty of this one river, I also hope to show how commitment to the public process is essential for management of our natural resources.” He has skillfully compiled boatloads of information about this riverine feature of northwest British Columbia, beginning with six scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from the Friends of the Stikine Society about resource management issues in the late 1970s, combined with the author’s personal collection of FOS newsletters and info from many community members. During Rowlands’ first trip on the river, he became uncomfortably aware of human activity created by the possibility of two dam sites. Thus began his lifelong activism to preserve and manage the river for the benefit of future generations. ... (read more)

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Fast-Paced

Harry Johnson is a regular guy just scratching out a living as a cabbie when a young woman hops into his taxi and changes his life forever. The customer is being chased by thugs sent from Uganda. They are trying to kill her because, while in the USA in exile, she helps supply arms to Tunisian rebels fighting against Idi Amin. ... (read more)

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Engaging Math

Inquiry is the first step toward achieving resolution. This statement holds true for any aspect of life, but especially mathematics. Whether it’s derivatives, functions, or some other concept, asking questions and probing into each step fosters learning. In this textbook, Falbo is committed to demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach, one that he likens to the non-verbal version of the Socratic Method that has made its way from ancient times into today’s modern-day classrooms, forcing young minds to think deeper and challenge themselves further. ... (read more)

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