In A Picture of Pretense by Christine Noyes, we meet a group on the Perth cruise ship and immediately wish we were on board with them. Holly and her dad Mike; Cate and her sister Sheila; Lynn, her husband Doug and wheelchair-bound son Bradley; and...

Sometimes families can be quite complicated. Add into the mix three adopted children, one Chinese and two Japanese, shortly before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and family life becomes increasingly more complicated. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest in the 1940s, Professor Daniel Jonson inherits...

Destiny of Dreams: Time is Dear is a work of fiction in the historical genre. It is aimed at mature adult readers and was penned by author Cathy Burnham Martin. Inspired by the author’s exploration of her cultural and ethnic heritage, the book follows an...

L.O.V.E.: Lessons On Virtually Everything by Amber Whitted is the fourth volume of the poet's A Collection of Words and Thoughts series. The titular acronym is the perfect descriptor of both the size, strength, and theme of the work itself. Whitted has organized her original...

Around New Zealand In 14 Days by Herman and Pamela Odijk is their personal photo journal. They took four two-week Princess Cruises voyages to New Zealand between 2012 and 2015. Brief descriptions accompany many photos, and some are typical of what you would expect. Others,...

When a young girl inadvertently stumbles onto a top-secret AI device, the company who designed it will stop at nothing to silence her in the thrilling young adult novel Nora and Alai: A.C.T. by David Sines. Even though it has been six years since her...

My Brain Is Wearing Pink Shoes: A Memoir of Self-Discovery and Healing, by Yvonne F. Keziah, is an inspiring and powerful account of one woman's journey to mastering illness via the mind-body connection. A 2005 diagnosis involving a neurological disorder that is rare and incurable...

Leslie Anne Cook’s Ethereal Call is a magical fantasy about a sarcastic Fae named Kyra. While on Earth, she is discovered by two disguised male Fae, Micah and Lazlo, who claim she is royalty. They want to bring her back to their realm, but Kyra...

Phillipe Renault is a gentleman who has chosen to visit a New Orleans brothel. Renault wears a partial mask on his face to cover a disfigurement and believes nobody will be able to look past it. Madame Cheney attempts to provide Renault with several alternative...

Sister Saint, Sister Sinner is a work of fiction in the women’s literature genre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by Peg Herring. The book follows sisters Nettie, Ruth, and Kim as they follow the chaotic, dangerous, and exciting paths...

The news of Abigail Ward's death was a shock to her family and neighbors. Everyone said Abby was the kindest and most generous person they knew. It was surprising that she died of a heart attack after her 80th birthday party, as she had looked...

Overcast by Michael Froilan is a collection of poems covering several topics. The theme of self-love and acceptance is prevalent throughout the book. Society and people around us are always trying to make us fit in, but the author emphasizes the power of being self-aware....

Life is full of possibilities and what-ifs. You can be anything you want to be if only you believe in yourself. You can be an astronaut or a chef, a writer or a judge, or even a scientist. You might be different in how you...

First Time Leadership by Daniel Lee and Avi Liran is a great book on leadership, and in it, the authors answer the question: What does it take for leaders to lead successfully? Presenting a work that involves in-depth research and interviews with 220 leaders across...

Some of us recall the adage that children should be seen and not heard. Unfortunately, that is still very much the case for women and young girls around the world. But what if we spoke up and claimed our place? Michelle Davey and Laiya Davey...

What is your specific health goal and what are you willing to do to reach your mark? Tough questions? Well, we always need a plan in life, that is if we want to live a healthy, sustainable life. Simple S.A.L.A.D.S.: A Salad Recipe Book with...

Stand Tall: The Chronicles of Buster and Bean by Teju Akande is heartwarming and inspiring as it celebrates the uniqueness of human individuality. At the center of the story is young Buster, who lives in the village of Bon Mot with his mom, dad, and...

Moody Moody Cars by Eileen Kennedy-Moore is an absolute delight. Kids that love cars will enjoy the many different vehicles depicted. Pareidolia, which is our tendency to see faces in objects, is used to great effect in this rhyming story. Each spread includes a clever...

When a group of neighbors in an exclusive, well-off neighborhood witness a developing sinkhole that uncovers a human skeleton, the police are determined to find the answers to the many questions that suddenly arise. Lucy, a woman who lives next door to where the body...

Renae Kelly speaks openly about the challenges many parents and caregivers face in her book, Parenting Chronicles, sub-titled Real Talk: Lessons Learned. Written as a series of personal journal entries, Kelly takes her readers through the day-to-day challenges and successes of rearing children. The author...