The Midas Effect has a very different premise, but it delivers. Author Manuel Dorado turns it into something that is a welcome alternative to the standard superhero and techno-thriller fare. The main protagonist, a young academic named Miguel Le Fablec, is formidable, yet he does...

The Boy Behind the China Cabinet by Paul LaGreca is a beautiful memoir about one man's journey in coming to terms with himself. Born into a large Italian family living in the Bronx, Paul has been raised the Catholic way all his life. Paul begins...

Germany is desperate and apprehensive in 1945. Russian soldiers patrol and women scavenge in the rubble. So begins The Letter by Barry Cole. We wonder why Hannah and her children are given shelter by an older couple, Otto and his wife. The scene then focuses...

Have you ever been blamed for something you insist was not your fault? That’s what happens to Declan in the book The Go-KartAstrophe (Kids’ Court Book 2) by Caron Pescatore when his friend Greg blames him for crashing his go-kart. Declan insists that something was...

Gregory Kopp's novel The Heiress in Kent takes place in 19th-century London and New York. Sir Richard Mayne and Her Majesty the Queen ordered Scotland Yard detective Richard Cordwell to investigate urgent matters regarding the British throne's financial investments in the American railroads. During a...

Do you like coffee? I’m sure the adults around you depend on it every day, usually to get the day started. Do you know where coffee originates? It looks dark brown when people drink it, but it actually comes from a red bean. It’s the...

The Cookie Caper by Caron Pescatore takes sibling rivalry to its legal limits. Carmen Diaz accuses her brother Robbie Diaz of eating the cookies she baked to raise money for the pet center. Robbie is well-known for his sweet tooth, but he claims he is...

The Silhouette by Andrew Van Dyk presents an early twentieth-century rural commune that is flourishing but hiding a dark secret. The first several chapters present the beautiful, serene, wooded setting beside a glittering lake. There are three three-story cabins, and we meet the residents; at...

The 'Great' Kickin' Dog: A Family Tree by Kenneth Allen Crutchfield, Sr. is a novel with its own beauty and dignity in exploring the life of a dysfunctional family. John Coleman is the main protagonist, an ex-musician, assembly line worker, and alcoholic. Don’t call him...

I usually avoid reviewing books of poetry for one simple reason: these are the hardest books to review. But after I read the poem excerpt Michael Pedretti used in his description of the Dog and I, a short collection of 27 of his poems, I...

Do you know what a toucan is? Well, it’s a beautiful bird with lots of bright colors. But it’s not supposed to sneeze. A young boy, looking for the perfect pet, explores the local pet store and finds a toucan tucked in the rear of...

The Elf and the LARP by Kipjo K. Ewers is set in the magical Kingdom of Ferrin. Faylinn, a young farm girl, wakes up to an ordinary morning of farm chores and selling produce at the marketplace. On her way home she is saved from...

Kids are creative but at times need to be challenged to either minimize or eliminate boredom. An idle mind can be a recipe for trouble, especially for children. To help your child to be stimulated and stop the symptoms of apathy, get a copy of...

Silviya Rankova, the author of The Very Stubborn Camel, knows a lot about camels. She has a page at the end of the book with a list of nifty details about camels: how strong they are, how fast they travel, how much water they can...

The Four Myths is a work of fiction in the thriller, action, and suspense subgenres, and was penned by Robert Reisler. Written for the general adult reading audience, the work contains some moderate expletives but no extensively graphic content. A journal from the year 2048...

Readers may be daunted by what to expect if they dare to read The Ins and Outs of My Vagina. I must say that author Karin Freeland has real guts to share so much of her intimate life. Without a doubt, more reserved female readers...

A Christian fantasy science-fiction novel that delves into the riddles of life and death, The Gatekeeper’s Descendants by Johanna Frank is bold and imaginative. Pipiera arrived in the form of a curious young teenager and is still reluctant to enter the gate to the kingdom....

The S.O.U.R.C.E. is a children’s novel written for readers between the ages of 8 and 12. Created by Suzanna Lou Royse, The S.O.U.R.C.E. follows the story of a ragtag band of aquatic animals in their quest to escape Ocean World and make their way home...

Before I even read The Injustice System by Ronarose Train, my perceptions of the fairness of the judicial system weren’t positive. Oh, how this biography supported my misgivings and how unfortunate for Sam Gray, falsely accused of major financial crimes, that he believed justice would...

The Abhorrent is the second book in the Obsidian Blade series by authors Nathan Wilson and S. E. Nin. The story of Shindara and his companions continues as they travel to Yomi to get some much-needed answers. Shindara’s curse was slowly but surely ruining his...