Not every child has the benefit of two loving parents and a home, a place in which to grow up, feel safe, learn things and have fun. Some children are abandoned or abused, or their parents die and they become wards of the state. These...

How far can a man be driven by fear? This seems to be one of the central questions driving the plot in this fascinating blend of fantasy and psychological novel by Caleb Monroe. Breaking Free deals with fear in its intoxicating, nauseating form. As a...

Esme’s Wish is a captivating, excellently-written novel. Author Elizabeth Foster did a great job of keeping me reading as I followed Esme’s journey to investigate the disappearance of her mother, a brilliant painter. A messenger bird and a trail of clues in her mother’s art...

I don’t go out of my way to read books about taking care of your parents in their old age. I have read a few books on the subject, but I found the majority just a little too depressing for me. I am fifty-eight years...

If you like well-researched novels based on some fascinating, if sometimes brutal, true American history, Mud Puddlers by Shaun Bailey is for you. On one level, it’s the fictional story of William Black, a Hoover Dam worker who dabbles in union organizing and illegal gambling....

The Tell-Tale Treasure is a thriller that will keep you involved from the exciting first page until the very spectacular conclusion. Ivy Chen is a kidnap victim that has only her erhu (a type of fiddle) musical instrument to give her peace. Rosie Renard is...

Orange Sky by J.E. Gaudet is a thrilling tale of romance and terror. Ivy is incredibly attractive and has a heart to match. While her life is shrouded in tragedy, she will not let it take over. Her brother is killed in armed combat while...

The Escape to Cabo is a nonfiction memoir written by S.A. LaPoint. Scott Frieze had never quite gotten over his childhood obsession with becoming a bank robber. He was in the early stages of a comfortable middle-class, middle-age existence, when he decided, finally, to act...

Survivor: The Benny Turner Story by Benny Turner (with Bill Dahl) is the autobiography of blues musician Benny Turner, the younger half-brother to blues legend Freddie King. Benny’s journey begins in Texas in the sunset of 1939 with an overview of his family history, delving...

Readers will find a hidden gem, oddly enough, in Jonathan J. Drake's Zombie Mage. There is a dark and chilling tale within the fantastical plot, but it isn't as grotesque as one might expect from a novel that includes zombies. Olligh Selthnik awakens in a...

Forever Again by Linda Stiles Fox is the story of a woman who found love when she was just a teenager, lost it, and found it again when she got older. This is the story of a woman who gave her life to a boy,...

Do you believe in fate or magic? For Simon Tinsley, the encounter between his daughter, Pamela Bradford Tinsley (Pansy) and his favorite employee for over a decade, Dallas Trent (D.J) in the romance novel, A Cabin in the Woods by Linda Stiles Fox, was purely...

I liked Welcome to the Apocalypse: CyberNexis Book 2 by DL Richardson. I have seen the idea of a game that turns into a struggle in the real world before. It is by no means a new idea, but no book or movie has really...

Ben and the Bullies is a children’s book of courage, written in rhyme by Not So Serious Jack (aka Jack Thompsen) and illustrated by Ignacio G. When at home, Ben loves to cook, read and spend time with his family. But when at school, Ben’s...

Court Out (A Netball Girls’ Drama) by Deb McEwan is a gripping tale that will intrigue young female readers and those who want to explore the emotions women can hide beneath the surface. It’s a story of friendship, lust, greed, and betrayal. The reader is...

Stone Circle by Kate Murdoch is set in Pesaro, a town that gleans insight from its Seer, Savinus di Benevento, who is known for his knowledge in both academic and magical matters. The plot centers around Antonius, son of a fisherman, who has the same...

Common Sense for Our Common Good: A Parent Guide to Good Schools by Jim Baumann is a great guidebook for parents. The information is listed in groups of three and clearly explained. Essentially, it's an easy read and discusses what makes a school good, focusing...

Author Lloyd Celeste gives a great introduction that shares some of his personal struggles indicating why he can write a book entitled Wise Decisions: How To Choose Between Two Great Things and Have Them Both at the Same Time. He gives the reader both wonderful...

My Little Heart, Ruthie is an inspirational book of heartache and anxiety, written in limerick and rhyme by Toni Jannotta and illustrated by Jennifer Mones. A heart (known as Ruthie) feels despondent, as she holds within her a very poor image of herself after being...

Mischief, Book 1 is a modern day Tom Sawyer adventure from Stefania Shaffer. Slater Hannigan isn’t pleased when he learns that his fifth-grade teacher is Dana Burbank. But Miss Burbank isn’t thrilled either, having to endure the never-ending pranks of this troublesome, glib talking ten-year-old,...