“I am young. I am sexy. I wear Ellen Tracy and the requisite double pair of shoulder pads.” These are words the narrator uses to present the protagonist, a court reporter. In an ebullient tone, she tells the story of sixteen-year-old Justin Castle who shoots...

With I, the Sun, Janet Morris comes close to a biography of the Hittite king, Suppiluliumas, whilst creating a captivating story, and that is a brilliant achievement in fiction where only one character, Titai, a slave girl, is fictitious. At the opening, Tasmisarri, heir to...

A woman visiting her North Carolina family is brushed off by the small town's law enforcement when she claims to witness a beast, fitting the description of a local urban legend, mauling her father and brother in the spine-chilling supernatural novel, Return to Porter's Hollow...

The Trilogy: The Other Book of God – Do you know the Only Book of God? by Brenda "BJ" Pearl Walton is a nonfiction, inspirational book that can be read as a transforming encounter with God — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It can...

Gnorton’s Easter Adventure is a children’s picture book written by Meri-le Collum and illustrated by Penny Weber. Easter is one of Gnorton the Gnome’s favorite holidays and he wants to contribute to making eggs for the children. Unfortunately, none of his friends seems to know...

Critical Cover-Up by Margie Miklas tells the story of Allison Jamison who decides on a change of career and takes up a position as a critical care nurse. She anticipates her new role to be one that will be rewarding and enjoyable, but finds herself...

The Armoire by Ione Joy tells us the tale of Maxine, a psychology major in Wisconsin who returns home for her grandmother’s funeral. Maxine and her grandmother had always been extremely close and she had told Maxine on many occasions that she was destined for...

The Day My Fart Followed Me to the Zoo is the sixth book in the Timmy and the Little Fart series written by Ben Jackson and Sam Lawrence, and illustrated by Danko Herrera. Excited to be venturing out to spend a day at the zoo,...

Final Notice by Van Fleisher is an intelligently imagined and expertly crafted novel with an original concept. Vijay Patel, a doctor and mathematician, has just created a revolutionary invention, a health watch that predicts within 10 – 30 days when someone will die. This could...

The Ka by Mary Deal combines history, destiny, and the magic of ancient Egypt. Chione has always felt a connection to Egypt, through the culture her parents taught her and the recurring dreams that catch the attention of the founder of the Institute of Archaeology....

I love books with characters that are real, flawed and relatable, and a setting that is, of course, colorful. Roses, Wine & Murder: In the City of Steeples by Rose Young didn’t disappoint me. I must say that I found more than what I bargained...

The Doorkeeper’s Secrets by E.L. Morrow is set in the distant future, a moment in history when power has metamorphosed tremendously and a few people have succeeded in holding humanity a kind of hostage through political machinations and intrigue. Readers are introduced to four powerful...

Full Breach by N. Lawrence Mann is a splendid entry in the Blue Warp Series, an engaging, suspenseful read with characters that are genuinely flawed and imbued with a strong sense of humanity. A brilliant tale of addiction and redemption, the thriller follows Brennen Reynold,...

Up until now my favorite books on the subject of early American life were those of James Fenimore Cooper. The Leather Stocking Series is classic, and few books can compete with its detailed description of both Native American and European life in early America,...

HARDBARNED! One Man's Quest for Meaningful Work in the American South by Christopher J. Driver is a memoir that reads like nothing I have read in a long while; brutally honest, an unadulterated X-ray of the crude realities that confront contemporary American workers. The author...

It seems that every mother is more than willing to share her pregnancy and labor stories, but what about after the baby is born? Why is this topic taboo? Second Labor (Mothers Share POST-Birth Stories) by Chaya Kasse Valier is a realistic look into the...

The LoveBugs Welcome Party by Joanne Grady is a whimsical story revolving around family and love. The sun wakes up and says hello to the LoveBugs, except Ashlynne who is still sleeping. Ashlynne wants to take the new BabyBug home, but MommyBug says it is...

The Mortal Fires by Anna Durand is the second book in the Undercover Elementals series. Lindsey Porter was the Janusite, a mortal born with the powers of a Roman god. But she still had no idea what that actually meant, what was expected from...

It is a pleasant afternoon until something upsets Max the talking Tonkinese cat's life again! Max's Hallowe'en Adventure by Wendy Leighton-Porter is a spine-chilling middle grade short story featuring Max, hero of The Shadows From The Past Series. In this fifth installment of Max's spin-off...

Grasping Destiny by Keegan Harkins is a densely plotted novel that is both entertaining and inspiring. Marcus, the rightful heir to the kingdom of Morovia, receives a surprising blow: his kingdom has been stolen from him. He doesn’t only lose the one thing that belonged...