Mark Elberfeld’s Sour Cherries at Buc-ee’s is a collection of essays that examines the complexities of human connection, memory, and the interaction between place and identity. With a sharp eye for detail and a reflective tone, Elberfeld guides readers through his experiences, blending personal stories,...

Getting Ready for My Bone Surgery: A Broken Bone Recovery Guide for Kids by Dr. Fei Zheng-Ward helps children approach bone surgery with confidence and understanding. The book emphasizes assisting children to prepare emotionally and physically for surgery. It walks them through each step, from...

The Priest by Kristina Kamaeva is the third and final instalment of the Mireya trilogy. In book one, on Sundar, Princess Mireya secretly attends the spring festival and meets Yunier. After her father’s murder, they flee to Kror, and Mireya discovers her magic, training to...

It is 1941. A group of British officers of various ranks is being held in Stalag XXA, Poland, as POWs by the Germans. After a British colonel asks his juniors to gather intelligence, one officer overhears a conversation involving the camp commandant about a shipment...

We see a distorted and idealized version of love in movies and TV shows. So when we look for it in real life, we discover that a relationship is more complex than expected and requires dedication. We need to know when to give and receive,...

Half-Jew—Full Life by Georgette Bennett shares the inspiring story of Gerd "Pips" Philipsohn, a Holocaust survivor who faced extraordinary challenges with courage and determination. The book begins with his early years in Berlin, describing his escape from Nazi persecution and his survival during one of...

Minariel by David Elkins combines ideas of science, technology, and group behavior. It investigates how people can move, communicate, and share information in organized, often geometric ways. The book explores how groups form physical patterns, operate devices together, and coordinate actions in both two-dimensional and...

Whenever Gavriel Hall, the bastard son of Vernon Hall, the Warden of Everwatch, was summoned to his father’s country estate, his half-siblings—Princes Victor, Tannithan, Alex, and Princesses Anastasia and Hannah—knew the occasion was a death announcement. The siblings are dismayed to learn from their uncle,...

Straight Outta Skokie by Al Krockey is an absorbing memoir that had me engaged from the first page to the last. The author brought to life the social and cultural challenges of 1968 through the eyes of a young man. The book follows Krockey’s journey...

Don’t Call Me Widow: How to Support Someone Who Has Lost Their Spouse by Samina Bari is a self-help book that every adult should read to be ready to handle tragedy in someone else’s life, a tragedy we all are bound to encounter sooner or...

A Comedy of Monsters by K.M. Harrell is a humorous tale set in the Kingdom of Zadea, where strange occurrences are unfolding. The king's newborn son, Sebus, is deemed an abomination with destructive potential, and his birth comes with the prophecy of a curse. The...

All In On Tomorrow is a memoir by James Ynson, who grew up in poverty in the Philippines. As the youngest of four children, he faced hunger, instability, and a father who was abusive and manipulative. At just five years old, he was forced into...

Now I Am Different: Unabridged by Thom Kudla is a daily poetry compilation, written in free verse but ranging in length, tone, and tenor. Day 18: Smiles from a Moonbeam describes the exchange of a smile between two people, comparing them to a tree absorbing...

Winds of Change: In the Line of Fire Book 1 by Valerie Anne Hudson is set during World War I, alternating between the perspectives of Margaret and Tom. Margaret Ashworth, or Mags as her family calls her, is determined to be a doctor even when...

In Nothing North of Delmar by Ellen Barker, Novelle and her sister were raised mostly by their mother, as their father was rarely present. Novelle is hardworking and excels at academics. After college, she leaves for graduate studies at Washington University. When she arrives in...

Fatal Invitation is the first novel in the Detective Kylie Cassidy Series by S.F. Baumgartner. The story follows Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy as she tries to find out why young women are being murdered. This new case was supposed to be a significant career breakthrough...

Star of the County Down by Doc Richter is set in post-COVID times. It follows Sam Miller, a Marine Corps veteran, who returns home from service only to find out that his wife has left him, emptying their bank accounts, leaving no contact, and taking...

The Valet by Bonnie Traymore is about Johnny, a struggling valet driver who has dreams of moving out of Honolulu. Johnny has a shady side hustle with his girlfriend and uses his position at work to get information about potential victims. Johnny parked Derek Anderson's...

Holly M. Jenkins’ The Swan’s Arrow is a fairytale-themed story that enthralled me with its magic and thematic development. Princess Odette loses her mother to a terrifying curse. Now she is bound by duty to marry the one person she detests, Prince Derek, whose seemingly...

The death of a loved one is difficult to overcome. But the murder of a family member and being left with more questions than answers, even after the murderer has been found and sentenced, is impossible to express. For Stacey Andrade King and her family,...