The emperor and founder of the Ming Dynasty isn’t fond of the way his history is recalled on the Imperial Tomb Tablet, as The Lacquered Talisman by Laurie Dennis opens. It says nothing of the despair and misfortune that befell his family, nothing of how...

"The Chest of Visions: Secrets of Caperston" by Tim Ferguson is the story of Caperston as told by Mattpaul. Caperston is a planet much smaller than our own and its sun is much smaller than ours. Time is measured by generations that pass rather than...

The Cooking Olympics: The World’s Best Kept Secret is a fascinating non-fiction book by Dean Jeffrey Kropp. Everyone is familiar with the Olympic Games and can name their favorite athletes, but did you know that food has its own Olympics? Matthaeus Carl Banzer (1867–1945) is...

Perfect for teen readers who enjoy the science fiction worlds of alternate realities, The Given is the first book in the Interland series by Gary Clark. Soon after her eighteenth birthday, Jay’s mind-reading powers quickly develop. What should have been an amazing discovery turns into...

The Lost Art of Magic is a work of fiction in the urban fantasy genre. It is aimed at young adults, though I should warn that the book infers a scenario involving sexual violence that may be upsetting to some readers. Penned by John Kovacich,...

The Fleeing Felon by Daniel Maldonado begins with a brief introduction to the protagonist, Fredrick, underdressed and uninvited, sitting alone in a far corner and sticking out like a sore thumb at a party at the luxurious Regal Phoenix Resort and Spa. Freddie is fresh...

The Calm Voice by Robert E. Kreig is a dark psychological novel surrounding the actions of one girl on a fateful morning in April, 2017. Kristin Matthews is fed up with her life, her oppressive parents, and her bullying schoolmates. She is compelled by a...

The Golden Hearts Club by Cinda K. Swalley features two sisters from Ohio and their adventures while traveling across the country. Megan and Katie had been preparing for the trip over the past year. The two girls embark upon their drive and head to Florida....

The Shadow Over Lone Oak is a work of fiction in the thriller, horror, and crime subgenres. It is aimed at the adult reading audience owing to scenes of violence and gore as well as moderate explicit language throughout and was penned by author C...

Two love stories set in two different time periods will touch you deeply in The Touch of Love: A World War 2 Romance by Kyle Shoop. Katie waxes nostalgic as she and her mom go through some old stuff in the attic—things that are filled...

There are very few moments in life when I will take the time to sit down and listen to an entire audiobook in one sitting. Today was one of those days when I began listening to The End of Miracles: A Novel by Monica Starkman....

The Russian Woman by Alex Lukeman is a spy thriller and the first book in the new Michael Thorne series, headed by its titular protagonist and CIA operative, Michael Thorne. Thorne has a history of being in tight spots but even his extensive experience is...

What would it be like to live in a society without technology, where people had to rely on their innate skills, beliefs, and magic to survive? Could the positive effects of love for one's people truly triumph over the negative forces of destruction in such...

The Dragon's Back is a fantasy by E. S. Matthew. The tyrannical Witch Queen’s greed for power threatens to destroy all life, be it human or fae (non-humans, such as elves and the like), while her army slaughters all without hesitation. Cali, the last mage,...

Chris Lengle introduces The Male Nurse Survival Guide as “a real, no-b[…]-s[…] survival guide” (elisions my own) to the world of nursing. As he notes, “[t]his is the raw, real, and uncensored guide to surviving as a male nurse” in the United States. As such,...

The Ridders is a work of fiction in the psychological and political thriller subgenres. It is intended for the adult reading audience owing to some moderate scenes of violence and explicit language used throughout and was penned by author Lisa Towles. In this tense novel...

The Fishhook Rebellion: Hawai`i 1847 (A Swift and Dancer Adventure) by Dan Gooder Richard takes the action-adventure story to new heights of thrills and excitement. In giving an adrenalin rush to its readers, it also provides a high level of reading pleasure. Jack Dancer and...

The aftermath of the bubonic plague, dubbed the great pestilence, was a difficult time for everyone. It was especially tough for Appel and Efi, who lost their families to the plague. Lacking any means to feed her drunk husband and twelve children, Gritta faced a...

The Devil Particle is a work in the thriller, suspense, and dystopia subgenres. It is intended for the young adult reading audience and contains some moderate use of adult language and brief references to violence. Penned by Kristin A Oakley, this gripping and enthralling drama...

The Sinful: A Leroy Cutter Novel by G W Allison revolves around Leroy “Lee” Cutter, a former Detroit police officer turned private investigator who owes a lot of money to some really bad people. After being forced out of the police department by corrupt colleagues,...