The Pelican by M. Naidoo tells the story of a young woman named Julia who receives the devastating news that she has terminal cancer. Only too aware of the terrible pain and anguish her mother had been through, having suffered the same condition, Julia vows...

Although I didn’t read the first book in the Miller Hoffman series by Zelmer Wilson, this second entry, Next Best Thing, reads so well and it is absorbing. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the book is character-driven, and the internal conflict is superbly explored....

Murder at Broadcast Park is a murder mystery/thriller written by Bill Evans. John was getting used to his position at the station as the assignment editor. It always did seem rather odd to him that he, the new kid who had just finished college, would...

Carlo the Mouse, Book 2: Now We're Talking! by Mrs. D. is a fun follow-up to Book 1, in which we were introduced to Carlo, a happy-go-lucky - but perhaps too curious - little mouse who resides with his family inside a hospital. In this...

The Last Rhino by Deborah Stevenson is a children's animal book that seeks to educate young readers on the horrific effects that poaching has had on rhinos. The story features a young rhino, Ayubu, as he struggles to survive in the unforgiving African jungle. Grazing...

Degrees of Love by Lisa Slabach is her debut novel, but I would have never guessed that. I was immediately hooked by the story, and I couldn’t stop swiping frantically at my Kindle to see how the story unfolded. We follow Susan Sinclair, a wife,...

Playhouse is a cooperative pre-school, but it is so much more. It is a community, a place where parents too can learn. There is so much more to early years education and the effects on the child that a holistic approach is essential. Children can...

The Syrian Peddler by Linda Hanna Lloyd is a fictionalised retelling of the author’s forebears as they immigrated and settled in America in the early years of the twentieth century. Like so many Europeans, many people from the Middle East sought a better life at...

I enjoyed reading Whisper My Secret: A Memoir by JB Rowley. This story is about Rowley’s mother, Myrtle. Myrtle lived a hard life. Rowley only discovered how hard a life Myrtle had after she died. She also discovered that Myrtle had three other children that...

An Alien's Guide to the Human Species by Deb McEwan introduces readers to the aliens of the planet Largo. The Terries love watching TV, and especially reality shows are a huge hit. When planet Earth is discovered, the species which regards itself as the most...

Hoffnungslose Ziele: A Dark Journey of Lost Causes by Kevin Reinholz is set against the backdrop of 19th century Europe, with most of the action taking place in Prussia. The reader is immediately introduced to Anna, a young girl who is excited about her friend....

Sally: A Novel is the fictional account of the life of Sally Ann Barnes (1858 - 1969), a black woman born into slavery in Kentucky. Author J. Schlenker met Sally briefly as a child, when Sally was over one hundred years old. Her memory of...

Lady Justice and the Sixth Sense by Robert Thornhill is as fresh as the daily news, and far more entertaining. The author has once again crafted a tale that is plausible, amusing and enjoyable, yet capable of spiking your blood pressure a few times. If...

That Is How Things Are by Mrs. D. is a book with two short stories, The Autumn Wind and The Kitten and the Sparrow, which explore the magic and beauty of autumn. In the first story, readers get to see the gray-silver headed wind rising...

Sanctuary is a motivational, nonfiction picture book by Jody Sims. Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, and then her spouse suffering from a traumatic brain injury, the two made the decision to move to Tennessee. Feeling out of place and sad, Jody fell into a...

Atmospheric, spiritual, and discerningly human, Psalms from the Heart by Barbara Lennon is a splendid collection of poems that capture the outpouring of the soul, the different seasons of her life, the joy and the pain of her humanity, and her ultimate hope. In this...

The Lil Defenders: The Return of the Yellow Menace is a children’s adventure story written by Jaimie Hope and illustrated by Shera Herman. Twenty years ago, Jaimie, Tracy and Marci were just ordinary kids who somehow were given extraordinary powers, turning them into superheroes. They...

Emma Hartley's The Nature of Entangled Hearts is a compelling contemporary romance that reveals the author as a master craftswoman of irresistible stories. Elwyn Derringer, a ceramic artist and professor at a college in Portland, Maine, is a strong woman to those who look at...

A Police Action by A.A. Freda is a romance novel that will get your heart racing and make you wish for a happily ever after for the two protagonists. Set in the time of the Vietnam War, the novel follows nineteen-year-old Samantha “Sam” Powers and...

Compose Your Soul: How to Turn Your Daily Chaos into Calm Control by Angela Nuttle is an uplifting and insightful read about composing one's soul, which requires deep reflection, brutal honesty, and the willingness to accept that we have unique DNA. It works differently for...