Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
A smart balance of suspense, social issues, cultural diversity, and canine companionship. Looking for a fun afternoon at the river with a friend, 12-year-old Mia Mancinelli instead finds an animal in distress. Obviously neglected and certainly unloved, the miserable golden retriever is pregnant, scared, and alone, though not for long. Mia is an animal lover […]
A fresh, funny, and unexpectedly moving fable. The Extraordinary Life of Riz: A Praying Mantis’ Quest for a Happy Ending by Nida Farid, with illustrations by Sama Izhar, spins a witty and tender tale about defying fate and discovering the power of connection. Riz, a quick-witted young mantis with more attitude than patience, believes he
A richly built world that feels lived-in and layered. Oss’stera: An Epic Fantasy by Ross Hightower and Deb Heim is a sweeping tale of rebellion, art, and survival set in a richly imagined world where creativity itself can spark revolution. Alar, a gifted realm walker, leads the rebel band Oss’stera in their struggle against the
A propulsive narrative filled with action, intrigue, and ethical tension The President’s Assassin by Alex Contorno is a taut, high-stakes political thriller that blends espionage, moral conflict, and breakneck suspense. CIA Deputy Section Chief Roger Commer is thrown into crisis when undercover operative Dean Page uncovers a terrorist plot by the extremist group Nightwatch to
The rare novel that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. Forgiven by Bruce J. Berger is a layered, emotionally resonant novel about family, faith, and the difficult paths to healing. The story follows the Covo family, each member bearing private grief and unresolved conflicts. Nicky is a Holocaust survivor and respected Brooklyn psychiatrist who is rocked
Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven young adult fiction with an inspirational message at its core. Rapid City Summer by Connie Richardson is a heartfelt coming-of-age novel about change, courage, and self-discovery. The story sees fifteen-year-old Natalie Ryba uprooted from her comfortable life in the Illinois suburbs when her mother takes a new job in South
Fast-paced, sharply humorous prose skewers the hardboiled PI genre. The Vain Curse by Ryan Morgan Miller is an irreverent detective romp that blends mystery, comedy, and the downright bizarre. Private investigator Tracer Spence has been haunted for a year by Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” hearing it everywhere he goes. When he’s hired by a man suffering from the
Brimming with warmth, wit, and emotional authenticity. Lunch Tales: Suellen by Lucille Guarino is a heartfelt contemporary romance about second chances, self-discovery, and finding the courage to let love in. Suellen Atkins, the youngest attorney at a major New Jersey law firm, enjoys the privileges of her trust fund but struggles with intimacy, scarred by her
A fierce, funny, and fearless novel. Penny might be withdrawn, but she is not oblivious. She arrives in Ann Arbor hoping for a typical college experience, but is unexpectedly drawn into the glittering orbit of a charismatic but deeply troubled sorority girl with cutting wit and a pharmacy’s worth of pills at her disposal. Stella
A delightful, multicultural celebration of community, kindness, and summer fun. At the Ragtag Hotel: The Elevator Ride by Freya Novak is a charming, whimsical picture book introducing young readers to Dallas Dingo, the ever-helpful “jack of all trades” at the Ragtag Hotel. On a steaming hot day, Dallas cheerfully operates the hotel’s elevator, ferrying an
A story that balances gripping criminal investigation work with heartfelt empathy. The Nameless Dead by Leta Serafim is the fifth installment in the Inspector Patronas Greek Island mystery series, offering a tense, morally complex investigation set against the turbulent backdrop of a refugee crisis. When Chief Inspector Yiannis Patronas is called to an abandoned refugee
A powerful story about resilience, redemption, and personal reckoning. The bond between mothers and daughters can be fiercely protective. So when Lucy Merrell reads a bad-news text from her mom, Paula, she is devastated. “Greg and I got into a nasty argument last night and he hit me.” Greg is an abusive husband? How could
An original story that is as educational as it is engaging. It is 1968, and the only thing Anna Rossi is sure of is that she doesn’t fit in, not into the American Ideal, not with her romantic partners, not with her multinational heritage, and not even among her peers. So when she gets an
An engrossing story that lingers long after the final page. Journal of the Supernova by Robert Brace is a beautifully restrained and cerebral mystery set against the looming backdrop of cosmic catastrophe. As the red supergiant Betelgeuse edges toward a possible supernova, art historian Hugo Evans finds himself invited aboard a vintage yacht by the
A highly recommended read for sci-fi fans who enjoy a balance of high-stakes action and cerebral, conceptual drama. SPECTER by Christer Lende is an epic, futuristic science fiction novel that blends military action, political intrigue, and moral reckoning. Set on the war-torn planet Atlas, where the only known source of the ultra-valuable gas caxonium lies,
A must-read for anyone who has loved and lost an animal. Still With Me by Liora Wyn is a compassionate, reflective guide for anyone grieving the loss of a beloved pet. Drawing from personal experience and gentle wisdom, Wyn offers solace for those navigating the emptiness left behind by a furry, feathered, or scaled companion.
Sharp literary fiction laced with tension, the story maintains an atmospherically suspenseful tone. Noel Walker is a walking contradiction. Socially attuned yet reliant upon personal space, he lives in one of America’s most crowded metropolitan areas. His opinions on artificial intelligence run hot and strong, but his family includes an AI-operated robocat. And he craves
A globe-trotting thriller with pulse-pounding momentum, intimate emotional turmoil, and realistic stakes. As the United Nations prepares to open its newly constructed global headquarters, an assassin known only as “Pakistan” engineers a devastating plot: transform the building into a massive bomb and eliminate world leaders in one deadly blow. The goal? A power vacuum that
A compelling blend of hard-boiled detective fiction and post-crisis realism. Rat Town Blues by Brian Kaufman is a gritty neo-noir mystery set in a not-so-distant future where the world feels both familiar and uncomfortably off-kilter. The story follows Mark “Slag” Ferguson, who is a down-on-his-luck bartender and an ex-boxer. Slag takes on jobs as an
An unputdownable read packed with realism and high-stakes intrigue. Happy Sun Farm: Behind the Facade by Deven Greene is a gripping rural thriller grounded in corporate intrigue, grief, and personal reckoning. Readers are invited into the world of college student Berry, who returns to her Southern California farm following her father’s unexpected death, hoping to
The plot unfolds with deft suspense, keeping readers guessing without manipulation. The Body in Zeller’s Barn by Arian Harandi is a gripping and emotionally intense young adult mystery. The events of the story take place in the seemingly uneventful town of Rogland, but there are dark and dangerous corners of this small town setting that
The prose flows with a professional credibility that is deeply felt from cover to cover. Healing Canadian Healthcare: Ideas to Improve Nursing Enrolment & Retention is penned by author and veteran nurse Kathleen Boucher, who draws on over four decades of firsthand experience to present a passionate and data-informed call to action for the Canadian
An empowering and encouraging story for young readers to help challenge assumptions. Quest for the Queen’s Pendant by Zoe Tasia is an engaging and heartfelt coming-of-age fantasy through the eyes of Tate Shaw, a spirited teenager yearning for independence on the magically protected island of Aradia. Despite living in a world steeped in enchantment, Tate
A confidently penned, exciting, and original work of steampunk sci-fi. Breaking The Shell That Encloses Your Understanding by John Raleigh Boyd is a richly layered and genre-defying novel that blends historical science fiction with cosmic horror. We find ourselves in London in 1899 for the inciting incident of this novel, when a horrifying vision appears through
