When we take our cars and go out for a drive, we rarely – maybe never – consider how the road system makes our lives easier. It is even more improbable that we give a thought to those energetic human beings who built the infrastructures...

Deadly Kin: A Georgian Historical Mystery by Lucinda Brant is the fourth book in the Alec Halsey Mystery Series, preceded by Deadly Engagement, Deadly Affair, and Deadly Peril. In this installment, which reads as a standalone, Lord Alec Halsey and his wife, Selina, are enjoying...

The Great Adventure of Tom to Bermuda is written by Emilie Cossette and illustrated by Merve Yildiz. Tom and his family are going to Bermuda. He is a little nervous even though his parents are excited. A tiny friend named George finds Tom looking particularly...

Do You Think She's a Witch? is an adventure storybook for children written by Judith M. Ackerman and illustrated by Kieu Diem. She certainly looked like a witch to the kids living in the neighborhood. The old woman resided in a spooky old house high...

Karma Redirected: How Did They Let You Become a Teacher? by Mike Morris is the fictional memoir of Mo Mickus, a middle school teacher who previously had no business being anything of the sort. A favorite grandchild to the woman that first raised him, Mo...

Parenting by Text: Managing Conflict with Teens through the Fine Art of Texting by Mike Lund is a book that every parent should read because the parenting landscape changes, and it does so very quickly. It also changes because the language that contemporary teens speak...

Malibu Burning: The Real Story behind LA's Most Devastating Wildfire by Robert Kerbeck is a heartbreaking story that captures one of the devastating events in LA County, CA. The Woolsey Fire, which started in the mountains above Malibu in the early morning on Friday, November...

Pam Clark’s Shoot If You Must is a truly classic story of life’s immeasurable ability to surprise, carrying individuals through an incredible range of emotions towards an uncertain future. One such future belonged to teenage Heather Hillcrest, and when hers is cruelly cut short in...

J. T. Bishop’s First Cut is a fast-paced journey into the world of homicide investigation as Detectives Aaron Remalla and Gordon Daniels strive to hunt down a serial killer before they inflict more tragedy on the lives of innocent people. When it becomes evident that...

Native Companions is the first book in the Dreamtime Mysteries by Jenni Barnett. This extraordinary historical tale is set in Australia and follows two timelines: modern-day Rex Graham, a mixed-race Indigenous anthropology student, and the stories about his Aboriginal grandmother’s people. Rex, who suffered in...

Fag Hags, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community by Victoria Noe throws light on the straight women who have had HIV/AIDS and their stories, struggles, and challenges which have often been pushed aside by focusing more on stories from...

Matamoros by James Kahn is a rollicking Civil War adventure with strong hints of romance, set in the Rio Grande in 1863. It is a turbulent period with war going on. With the Confederate ports all blocked by the Union, Matamoros remained the only access...

Fun with Dick by John Dolan is a gripping psychological thriller with a quirky protagonist. From the start, the reader meets the protagonist, twenty-five-year-old Richard Blackheart whose life is dull. But there is more to him than that. First, he hates his name, even though...

"Once you enter into the service of Aaron Caydon, you will never truly be free…" Years have passed. Some believe that Aaron Caydon is really dead while others believe he’s in hiding. Then, several individuals are called up to ‘service’ as Caydon has a mission...

There is a lot to unpack in Return to Eternity, Jenni Barnett's colorful and character-driven drama. I appreciated the preface certainly, as it grounded me in the factual history of colonial Australia that the novel expands upon. This is more than historical fiction; it's a...

Anne by Zarina Macha is one of the best coming of age stories for young adults that I’ve read. Why? Because it addresses so many of the topics currently of major interest and importance to teens, i.e. gender issues and concerns about opening up to...

Effective Prayers: Prayers That Move God’s Heart is a work of non-fiction focused on elements of Christian living, penned by author Godwin Arisa. Told across seven core chapters that explain the different elements and actions that go into forming our prayers, the author explains the...

Begetters of Children: The Story of Our Stories by Michael Pedretti is book three of a twelve-part series. This book chronicles a family as they embark on new lives in a valley called San Bernardo which offers them protection from war, plagues, and other threats....

Maryvonne Fent’s The 35₵ Dowry highlights the difficult childhood of Minouche, a young French girl whose early life was shrouded in violence, abuse, poverty and undying love for her mother. Minouche dreams of travel, education, and love, which all seemed just slightly out of reach...

Elizabeth: Obstinate, Headstrong Girl by Tessa Dare, Joana Starnes, Amy D'Orazio, et al. is a collection of short stories that retell, in part, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Written by ten different authors, the stories place Elizabeth Bennet and her friends and family in various...