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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 15, Number 2 February 2016 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Gun Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Business Shelf
Military Shelf Education Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Poetry Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf Sports Shelf
Political Science Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

It's Not the Trauma, It's the Drama
Marjorie Leigh Bomben
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781500741785, $14.98, PB, 122pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: For more than thirty years, Marjorie Leigh Bomben has been a member of the Chicago Fire Department, starting her career as a candidate paramedic working on an ambulance in some of the city's toughest neighborhoods. Now a paramedic field chief, Bomben looks back on thirty years of service in "It's not the Trauma, It's the Drama: Stories by a Chicago Fire Department Paramedic". The twenty true stories Bomben relates are unique and each one told from the point of view of a woman rising through traditionally male ranks. Bomben's tales range from funny to gory, from the dangers paramedics face to the history of a venerable old firehouse. Some, of course, are about saving lives. Others are about simply staying alive. From Bomben's first trauma call (the result of a drag race along city streets gone horribly wrong), to her eventual rise through the ranks, all of her tales shift seamlessly from humorous encounters to descriptions of injuries human beings shouldn't be able to endure. Through it all, "It's Not the Trauma, It's the Drama" offers an insider's glimpse of the strain and risk experienced by Chicago Fire Department paramedics every day.

Critique: Well written, organized and presented, "It's Not the Trauma, It's the Drama: Stories by a Chicago Fire Department Paramedic" is a compelling and absolutely absorbing read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "It's Not the Trauma, It's the Drama" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).

Dear Rita: One Marine's Journey Through WWII
George Baird, author
William Baird, editor
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781512061390, $14.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Compiled and edited by William Baird, "Dear Rita: One Marine's Journey Through WWII" is a love story gleaned from the letters of George Baird, a young Marine who wrote them during World War II. These letters, and the hand-drawn illustrations on the accompanying envelopes, give a uniquely candid look into the passionate love and steadfast devotion that kept this Marine going in the throes of war. Preserved for 70 years, the letters were kept private, read only by George and Rita, until Rita's passing in 2014. Now, the abridged letters, supplemented with anecdotes from George's own oral history of the war, as well as helpful annotation and historical context from George and Rita's youngest son, give us a firsthand look at the origins of an inspiring, lifelong love.

Critique: An absolutely absorbing read from beginning to end, "Dear Rita: One Marine's Journey Through WWII" is an invaluable and much appreciated contribution to the growing body of World War II memoirs, biographies, and personal stories. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections, "Dear Rita" is very highly recommended to the attention of individual readers with an interest in true life romance, the daily life of a World War II marine, and the vital role that personal correspondence with folks back home played in the lives of the men fighting a savage and deadly war abroad.

Roller Babes: 1950s Women of Roller Derby
Tim Patten
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9781491783290, $23.95, PB, 356pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Although a work of fiction, "Roller Babes" by Tim Patten honors the women of 1950s professional roller derby: those indomitable female athletes who inspired millions to find independence and freedom in the world of sports. Their soaring aspirations, hard won accomplishments, and turbulent melees have all been documented in the annals of American sports history. With "Roller Babes" readers will enter into the secret world of these early skaters. These are legendary women who were set apart by exceptional grit, and remembered by thousands of fans around the globe.

Critique: An exceptionally entertaining read, "Roller Babes: 1950s Women of Roller Derby" is especially commended to the attention of anyone who has watched and enjoyed a roller derby game -- especially those old enough to remember the Blond Bomber and other stars of the rink back in the day. "Roller Babes" is highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Roller Babes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Gaia's Majesty: Discovery: An Unbearable Choice
Roger B. Burt
Bivens & Jensen Publishing
www.cuspofreality.com
9781935994237, $17.95, PB, 544pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Our earth mother, Gaia, was intrigued by clever creatures developing on her Earth. She believed they held promise but also danger for themselves and her planet. Wisely Gaia reserved a gifted population of women dedicated to earth's stewardship to safeguard the future of humankind. They remained in cities in the sea called Tethys. They would be a genetic pool if she needed to restart the species. The ones in the sea were called Progenitors and had lower fishlike bodies when in the sea but could morph to totally human form on land. Some members, called Primals, lived on the land and among them were a defense force, predominantly women, called the Andromeda. From these people were born the myths of mermaids and amazons. Together they are called Tethyans. Opposed to the Tethyans are the Overlords. While Tethyans devote themselves to the stewardship of humankind and the earth, the Overlords are devoted only to profit and power. "Gaia's Majesty: Discovery" begins the trilogy by Robert B. Burt which explores if Gaia's preparations will succeed. Is this story a myth, or like so many myths, does it reside on the cusp of reality?

Critique: An absorbing and thought-provoking read from beginning to end, "Gaia's Majesty: Discovery: An Unbearable Choice" is a compelling work of speculative fiction and one that will leave its thoroughly entertained readers looking forward to the next two titles in what promises to be a truly outstanding series. Highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Gaia's Majesty: Discovery: An Unbearable Choice" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The Gun Shelf

Conceal Carry; Pause
Donn G. Ziebell
Ziebell Associates, Inc.
9780989474559, $9.95, PB, 118pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: By nature most men and women do not court danger, but it can on occasion confront them. Knowing how to handle the unexpected is important. Both armed and unarmed people must follow the very same steps for self-protection. Although when things escalate to Code Black, the unarmed will likely have no means to overcome the life-threatening amount of force against them. Actions for survival can be learned and routinely practiced by armed and unarmed citizens. Licensed armed citizens provide an invisible presence and are a respected deterrent within a society braced for increasing random acts of violence. "Conceal Carry; Pause: The Pursuit of Trained Readiness with a Goal to Avoid a 3-Second-Long Gun Fight" is the story of Donn Ziebell's interesting expedition to learn about conceal carry, including his training to become a licensed conceal carry citizen. Discovered and un-imagined insights are encountered for the purpose of offering challenges for self-examination of risks and benefits. When it comes to firearms, concealed or readily apparent, knowledge and wisdom greatly outweigh the disadvantage of ignorance about self-defense.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Conceal Carry; Pause: The Pursuit of Trained Readiness with a Goal to Avoid a 3-Second-Long Gun Fight" should be considered essential reading for anyone contemplating or already involved in carrying a concealed firearm. An invaluable contribution to our national dialogue over gun safety and regulation issues, "Conceal Carry; Pause" should be considered a critically vital addition for community and academic library Personal Defense reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

How to Get What We Pay For
Joe Flower
The Change Project, Inc.
www.imaginewhatif.com
9780983995333, $15.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: We can fix healthcare now. We can rebuild the system to give us better, cheaper care for everyone. We now have the tools. This is the moment, while healthcare is already changing rapidly. Who is "we"? Everyone who affects the system, from doctors and nurses to healthcare leaders, health plans, employers, and consumers -- you. Along the way, we can each get better healthcare for less for ourselves and our families. Complete with checklists and pages of resources, Joe Flower's "How To Get What We Pay For" shows how. It challenges all our usual ways of thinking about healthcare, and especially the assumption that we personally cannot do anything about it. "How to Get What We Pay For" presents an in-depth, easy-to-read breakdown of the current system and the seven "levers" that are changing it: Shopping; Transparency; Results; Prevention; Targeting; Trust; Tech. As confusing as today's healthcare seems, there is hope. This guide puts the tools in your hands to make better, cheaper healthcare available -- sooner rather than later.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "How to Get What We Pay For" is above all as practical and 'user friendly' a personal instruction manual, as it is a much needed and valued contribution to the nation's raging debates over health care reform. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Health/Medicine reference collections and supplemental studies curriculums, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "How to Get What We Pay For" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Stop The Diet, I Want To Get Off!
Lisa Tillinger Johansen
J. Murray Press
www.StopTheDiet.com
www.ConsultTheDietitian.com
9780996310208, $12.99, PB, 350pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Paleo. The Zone. The Gluten-free. Another day, another diet. We're caught in a never-ending merry-go-round of weight loss plans, fueled by celebrity endorsers, TV doctors, and companies angling for a piece of a $60 billion a year industry. But do these diets really work? And how healthy are they? In the pages of "Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off!", Registered Dietitian Lisa Tillinger Johansen examines dozens of the most wildly popular diets based on medical facts, not hype. And along the way, she reveals tried-and-true weight loss strategies, relying on her years of hospital experience, weight-loss seminars and community outreach efforts. With insight and humor, "Stop The Diet, I Want To Get Off" shows that the best answer is often not a trendy celebrity-endorsed diet, but easy-to-follow guidelines that are best for our health and our waistlines.

Critique: Simply stated, "Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off!" should be considered a "must read' by anyone and everyone who is riding the rollercoaster wave of never ending diet fads. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off!" is certain to be an enduringly popular and useful addition to every community library's Health & Medicine reference collection. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Stop the Diet, I Want to Get Off!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The Self-Help Shelf

The Power of Feelings
Vivian Dittmar
http://viviandittmar.net/en
Verlag VCS Dittmar
9783940773166, $14.50, PB, 198pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Feeling are emotions. We all have them. Your feelings determine who you are and how you live your life. Like most people, you probably spend a lot of time and money trying to create or avoid certain feelings. In order to liberate the true power of your feelings, you need to understand their real purpose. They are the keys to your emotional potential and intelligence. In the pages of "The Power of Feelings: A Practical Guide to Emotional Intelligence", author Vivian Dittmar (who is also the founder of the non-profit Be the Change Foundation), you will learn why feelings like anger, sadness, fear and shame are really the key to your clarity, love, creativity, humility and natural authority, as well as how you can unlock it!

Critique: As informative and thought-provoking as it is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and inspiring, "founder of the non-profit Be the Change Foundation" is a very highly recommended addition to community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Power of Feelings" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The Power Of Me
Russel Aitken, Fran Traill, Nicki Myszka
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
9781504329217, $31.95, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When properly understood and followed, "The Power Of Me: A Powerful Program For Young People" by the team of Russel Aitken, Fran Traill, Nicki Myszka, will help children to achieve their full potential in all areas of their lives. "The Power Of Me" covers such issues and techniques as: Goal Setting; Visualization; How The Mind Works; The Power Of Choice; Treasure Mapping; Self-Talk and Affirmations; Believing in Yourself; Daring to Dream; and Dreaming Big. The basic message revealed in the pages of "The Power Of Me" is that anything you want is possible!

Critique: A consumable that is meant to be written in by the young reader, "The Power Of Me: A Powerful Program For Young People" is not appropriate for school or community library collections, but it is ideal for classroom and counseling use on an individual assignment basis. Thoroughly 'kid friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Power Of Me" is very highly recommended to the attention of home schooling parents as well.

Healing the Wounds of Childhood
Don St. John
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781508925200, $16.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Throughout his infancy and childhood, Don St. John suffered severe physical and emotional abuse. In "Healing the Wounds of Childhood: A Psychologist's Journey and Discoveries from Wretched Beginnings to a Thriving Life", St. John shares his personal journey and the disciplines, treatments and practices that enabled him to overcome the effects of severe maltreatment. He studied as a professional each of these disciplines and treatments that helped him as a patient. Along the way St John had some life altering insights, such as: Normal" is not nearly good enough; We have all been wounded to some degree or other; Most of can increase our ability to receive and absorb love; We can enjoy more life-giving love connections; We can improve our resilience, deal more effectively with stress, experience better health; We can expand our sense of who we are; Water is highly adaptable, and because our bodies are mostly water, we can heal the deepest wounds to our psyche and go beyond what we can even imagine. In order to make such changes we must address ourselves as a whole, which means not only our psyches, our personalities, our belief structure, our relationship capacities, but the fluids, tissues, structure and movement of our bodies as well. We are whole organisms, not just bodies with a mind. "Healing the Wounds of Childhood" tells the reader where to look if she wants to grow into her full potential for good health and beautiful intimate relationships. Most self-help books focus on one area such as the brain, or communication skills. "Healing the Wounds of Childhood" provides the big picture and is infused throughout with autobiographical material, lending a very human story to this holistic presentation.

Critique: Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Healing the Wounds of Childhood" is as compelling a read as it is informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking. Very highly recommended for community and academic library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Healing the Wounds of Childhood" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).


The Fiction Shelf

Blood Stripe
Gina Maria DiNicolo
https://ginamariadinicolo.wordpress.com
St. John's Press
http://stjpress.com
9780966298604, $7.95, PB, 322pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: It is the first spring of the new millennium. Susanna Marcasi prowls Washington, D.C., looking for lost love. Thoughts of her brutal New Orleans youth haunt her. She suffers physical and mental anguish stemming from a so-called "accident" of which she has no memory and believes something more occurred. The banished Marine Corps officer receives a surprise 3 a.m. call. She meets estranged Lori O'Reilly. Susanna senses an opportunity for redemption and truth and agrees to unravel the apparent suicide of Lori's lover, Joe Earhardt While stringing at a White House ceremony, Susanna surprises Naval Academy classmate Mike Singleton. The carnage from a bitter lovers' struggle has kept the couple apart until now. Singleton, on a special tour with the Defense Intelligence Agency, hunts Earhardt for suspicious liaisons. Susanna finders herself toe-to-toe with Manfred Stahl, a man to whom all are beholden and whom a cowering president has crowned defense secretary. Stahl's unabashed lust for power and emotional instability are eclipsed only by his vile and vindictive nature. She waged war with the senator and Marine War hero on the Hill, but feels their relationship may transcend Washington. She has learned the powerful have secrets and Stahl has his share. Susanna has worked to decipher the disappearance of billions targeted for New Orleans' aging levees. Her spot-on funding query enrages the new cabinet secretary-cum-clandestine paramilitary broker, sending the two on the deadly collision course they shared a lifetime earlier.

Critique: Exceptionally well written from beginning to end, "Blood Stripe" is an impressive and deftly crafted novel from beginning to end. Clearly documenting author Gina Maria DiNicolo (a military historian and award-winning journalist) as a talented and original storyteller, "Blood Stripe" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Blood Stripe" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.99).

I Was Here
Stanley B. Graham
Belding Publishing
http://www.beldingpublishing.com
9781425934552, $25.99, PB, 716pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A work of deftly crafted fiction, I Was Here: The Young Manhood and Education of Rick Stevens" presents a complete, unvarnished, and rounded portrait of the young manhood and education of a white American male, living in a mid-western state. "I Was Here" depicts his good qualities as well as his bad ones. The span of his life covers begins with his birth in 1928 until continues through to when he is twenty-nine years of age. From his early childhood and boyhood growing up on a farm and in a small town in northeastern Ohio; to the persecution and verbal abuse by his stepfather; constant moral support by his mother; to his extreme shyness and inability to socialize during his high school years, his lack of a father-figure and its effect upon his personality; to his dubious sexual education; his voluntary service in the United States Army Quartermaster Corps (the peacetime Army from 1946 - 1949); his clerical and stenographic training and jobs in the Army; his achievement of the rank of Corporal and then Sergeant; his friendships with Army buddies; his long automobile trip with friends through the Western states; his college education (with help of the GI Bill) at the University of Virginia and Ohio State University; his friendship and romance with a southern lady; his college friendships; his failures and his successes; his college summer jobs on Great Lakes iron ore freighters; his education courses and preparation for a science teaching career (Glasgow College, Pa.); his love life and his sex life; his European trip with his best friend-a fellow sailor and college chum, "I Was Here" is a true saga told in detail and scope.

Critique: A complex, layered, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly absorbing novel from beginning to end, "I Was Here: The Young Manhood and Education of Rick Stevens" by Stanley B. Graham is very highly recommended reading and would make an enduringly popular addition to any community library General Fiction collection.

The Zum Zum Girls
Lynn Wachtel
Red Seal Press LLC
http://www.redsealpress.com
9780989056311, $14.99, PB, 374pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Relive the incredible '60s in New York City through the eyes of Lori, Angela, Marcia, and Priscilla, known as the Zum Zum Girls. The first in a series by Lynn Wachtel, "The Zum Zum Girls" portrays the exciting story of four members of the "Baby Boom" generation who, while attending business school, developed a special friendship and form a bond that would last a lifetime. An inspiring and often funny narrative of their lives, loves, and careers during an unprecedented period of social and technological change including the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, the advent of women's liberation, and the first man on the moon.

Critique: Impressively well written and a thoroughly engaging read from beginning to end, "The Zum Zum Girls" wonderfully showcases the exceptionally skillful storytelling talents of author Lynn Wachtel. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Zum Zum Girls" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Sunsets of Tulum
Raymond Avery Bartlett
Barrel Fire Press
www.kaisora.com/sunsets.php
9780988939028, $34.99, HC, 350pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Reed Haflinger and his aloof wife take an impromptu trip to Mexico's Riviera Maya, but it's not the re-connection Reed was hoping for. When she departs early for home, he stays at the resort, lost in what remains of a vacation he feels he deserves. But when a brief interaction with a beautiful female traveler offers a clue as to how to meet her again, Reed must decide whether to venture out of his comfort zone in search of her, or accept that he will always let life pass him by.

Critique: All the more impressive considering that "Sunsets of Tulum" is travel writer Ray Bartlett's debut as a novelist. Sunsets of Tulum is an impressively written and exceptionally absorbing novel from first page to last. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sunsets of Tulum" is also available in a paperback edition (9780988939035, $14.99, 328pp) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

Rocky's Road
Rocky Kuznik
Page Publishing Inc.
101 Tyrellan Avenue Suite 100 New York, NY 10309
www.pagepublishing.com
9781681391762, $11.95, PB, 94pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Rocky's Road" is a collection of twelve short stories by rocky Kuznik that will take the reader on a word journey of humor, sadness, love and its relationship to emotional hurt, along with a sprinkle of pure human madness. Although these stories have been fictionalized they were based on actual characters, circumstances and events where all of them to some extent, found themselves embroiled. These stories portray a diversity of individuals caught up at different times, conditions and locations and where they are brought into the light between the covers of this book. There are a variety of topics where it should appeal every reader and their taste, including a step into the unexplained super natural and a "who-done-it-mystery". These are stories which could be used as a learning tool in daily life.

Critique: "Rocky's Road" is an anthology that clearly documents author Rocky Kuznik's truly impressive storytelling skills. Among the twelve short stories, of special note are 'The Railbirds'; 'The Morning Man'; and 'Lydia'. Highly recommended, "Rocky's Road" will leave the reader looking forward to more stories from this remarkably talented author. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Rocky's Road" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Cracked Island
Chris Kohler
Keith Publications
www.KeithPublications.com
9781628821123, $21.99, HC, 308pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: After losing his wife in a diving accident, Tim James descends into a life of drunken misery, and blames his plight on Haiti, a Caribbean nation even more downtrodden than the sorry state in which he finds himself. He's an easy mark for con artist, Vinny Berkowitz, a prominent, though bogus island attorney. Vinny convinces him that his best hope to escape his self-dug, crap-filled abyss is to take part in a ruse posing as an anthropologist in search of pre-Colombian artifacts. Unbeknownst to Tim, the artifacts Vinny truly seeks are made of gold. Vinny also ensnares Madeleine McCoy, an attractive missionary nurse, and Ti Bon Baptiste, a peasant farmer, into his greed-driven scam. The mismatched foursome soon plunges into an odyssey replete with outer islands, dense jungles, Vodou temples, and an ancient burial cave, not knowing that all the while they're being stalked by an insidious bocor, a priest of the underworld. Immersed in one harrowing experience after another, Tim discovers a connection to Haiti he never imagined, becomes like a brother to Ti Bon, and begins to view Haiti in a new light, that being through the eyes of Madeleine. As the couple's feelings blossom, his litany of lies mounts ever higher. In fact, at the urging of Vinny, who for his latest con, is posing as a Methodist minister, everything he has told her about himself is a total fabrication. But that is the least of his problems, for on this island many believe is cursed, no one and nothing are as they seem.

Critique: An impressively crafted novel, "Cracked Island" is an exceptionally absorbing read from beginning to end and clearly establishes author Chris Kohler as an especially talented writer. Solidly entertaining, "Cracked Island" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Cracked Island" is also available in a paperback edition (9781628821062, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

Calico Jam
Joanne Greene
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781413476088, $30.99, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Johanna is a lonely, curious, spirited young girl who spent her young years in the tangle of a loose knit extended family; she lived with a great-aunt and uncle, dutiful but detached who seemed unaware of the needs of their young charge. The dark little secrets, sorrows and regrets are their, claiming the energies of their obsolete generation. Joanna was born during the Great Depression of the 1930's when children were tolerated but not taken very seriously. Her journal became her companion and comforter. As she tries to understand her part in a family tragedy that destroys her mother, she seeks solace circle. Joanna feels exiled herself and becomes fixed on the young handicapped son of aunt's household, her increasingly absent father and memories of her lost brother, Toby. Joanna finds an unexpected tutor in Alonzo, the remarkable husband of her grandmother, whose wisdom and humor pull her back to a safer place. Joanna grows up, still trying to understand and still trying to go back to where she was welcomed and sheltered. She is still wise and foolish, happy and sad, curious and afraid. Of course her journey continues.

Critique: All the more impressive considering that "Calico Jam" is author Joanne Greene's debut as a novelist, this is an impressively written and deftly crafted novel that is unfailingly entertaining and fully absorbing from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Calico Jam" is also available in a paperback edition (9781413476071, $20.99).

Warm Gold
Samuel Cronin
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781516860470, $16.95, PB, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Warm Gold" by Samuel Cronin is the compelling story of a miner who, by braving his fears, discovers the Motherlode. As an orphan living in the slums of Boston during the Civil War, Sollinger is betrayed by his belated father's partner and sent to prison for 35 years. He is released into the bustling Industrialized America of 1896, minus an eye, and begins his personal quest to find not only his father, if he's alive, but also a vein of gold, even though the Gold Rush has long since passed. Driven west, physically ill, he arrives in Canyon City, where he learns of a mysterious, some say haunted, mine up in the mountains. What he finds is something he cannot live without -- gold, of course, but of a purity more valuable than anything he's sought before. He finds his son. His journey will draw him close to the writings of Job and will demand from him not only all the relationships around him, but also the depths of himself. His decisions will impact the mine, the miners, his family, and the entire town of Canyon City, struck hard by the Depression of 1893.

Critique: A truly impressive saga, "Warm Gold" is an exceptionally well written and complex story that showcases author Samuel Cronin's considerable gifts as a novelist. Thoroughly entertaining, "Warm Gold" is a fully absorbing novel from beginning to end and very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Warm Gold" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

The Marathon Watch
Larry Laswell
Outperform Expectations
http://LarryLaswell.com
9780615886435, $9.95, PB, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Marathon Watch" by Larry Laswell pits treachery, deceit, and betrayal against naval traditions of duty, honor, and loyalty. At the center of this struggle is the oldest US naval destroyer, the USS Farnley. The Chief of Naval operations steps in to rescue the Farnley and bring an unscrupulous admiral to justice, but disaster strikes. Guided by the canons of tradition, the Farnley's courageous captain and crew disobey the admiral's orders. In a life-or-death struggle, the Farnley sails in harm's way to save the life of a single man and the future of the US Navy.

Critique: Clearly, author Larry Laswell is an impressively gifted novelist able to compel his reader's totally absorbed attention with every unexpected plot twist and turn. A simply riveting read from beginning to end, "The Marathon Watch" is a deftly crafted novel and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Marathon Watch" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

The Ephesian Artifacts
Patrick W. Ledray
Romanian Dragons LLC
www.patrickledray.com
9780985356712, $14.95, PB, 280pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "The Ephesian Artifacts" is a blend of history, action and adventure featuring the death of Cleopatra, the fall of Saigon, and the search for artifacts hidden beneath the sands of the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey. The race for the priceless artifacts pits the Black Pope (head of the Jesuits) against modern-day Amazons and artifact seekers from Austria and the United States. The bones of the Virgin Mary, the Artemis star, and the writings of Jesus are believed to have been hidden centuries ago in Ephesus, which is visited by over a million tourists each year.

Critique: Deftly crafted, complex, compelling, "The Ephesian Artifacts" is a terrifically entertaining roller-coaster of a read from beginning to end. Author Patrick Ledray is one very talented novelist. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Ephesian Artifacts" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

The Lame Duck
Bernard Leo Remakus
221 East Publishing
PO Box 367, Hallstead, PA 18822
9781519163844, $19.95, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Some believe Dr. Bob Cassidy is America's worst doctor. The young physician is already defending his third malpractice suit, being investigated by the feds, and about to lose his hospital privileges. Many believe Angela Fratello is America's top malpractice lawyer. Known as the "Angel of Death" in legal circles, she knows how to win in the courtroom - and win big. When Angela starts experiencing severe foot pain while skiing, she drives to the closest medical facility - the backwoods office of Dr. Bob Cassidy. Angela becomes Cassidy's patient, and their chance meeting sets the stage for the perfect crime - and a love story for the ages.

Critique: "The Lame Duck" is an impressively entertaining read from beginning to end, and clearly showcases author Bernard Leo Remakus as an especially gifted novelist with a remarkable storytelling talent. Highly recommended, especially for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Lame Duck" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Funny Thing About War
Al Campo
Hellgate Press
c/o L & R Publishing LLC
PO Box 3531, Ashland, OR 97520
www.hellgatepress.com
9781555718084, $21.95, PB, 426pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Meet Chris Columbo. Twenty-two years old, intelligent, well spoken, and once a promising U.S. naval officer candidate. But at college, his plans and dreams are shattered by the woman he deeply loves. Disillusioned about life in general, he falls into an abyss of self-pity, resigns his ROTC scholarship, abandons his studies, drops out and embarks on a downward spiral, eventually hitting rock bottom. But all is not lost as he receives orders to report for active duty with the U.S. Navy, an organization to which he is contractually bound. In spite of his recent opposition to the war, desperation forces him to honor the terms of his contract and he soon finds himself aboard the USS Lawrence, a guided missile destroyer, deployed as an active participant in the Lam Son and Linebacker operations off the coasts of South and North Vietnam. "The Funny Thing About War", although a work of historical fiction, provides a rather accurate sailor's perspective of the Vietnam War through the exploits of Chris and his shipmates. Sometimes challenging, often humorous, Chris's experiences will change him forever, leading him to embrace his life and future. Now, if he can just survive his final mission.

Critique: Impressively well written throughout, "The Funny Thing About War" offers a solidly absorbing and highly entertaining read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Funny Thing About War" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Still Counting
Phil Fragasso
The Wild Rose Press
www.thewildrosepress.com
9781509204939, $16.99, PB, 290pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Adam Donatello and Nina Morales share an immediate and powerful attraction, and their future together seems assured. But love is difficult enough without adding complications (real or imagined) to the mix. Nina sees life as a thousand shades of gray, while Adam tends toward black-and-white. He wants to move fast; she needs time. Nina sees her past liaisons with women as immaterial to their relationship, while her disclosure drives Adam to a state of irrational jealousy. He doesn't know how he could compete with a woman, and his suspicions (which Nina views as hypocritical) lead them both to make decisions they may live to regret.

Critique: A smoothly written and compelling read from first page to last, "Still Counting" is an extraordinarily entertaining story that clearly establishes author Phil Fragasso as an impressively gifted storyteller. Very highly recommended for community library Romantic Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Still Counting" is also available in a Kindle edition (9781509204946, $4.99).

A Closet Full of Masks
Susan Snowden
Archer Hill Publishing
PO Box 23341, Columbia, SC 29224-3341
www.archerhillpublishing.com
9780985330170, $16.95, PB, 206pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Author Susan Snowden's wry sense of humor suffuses even the most poignant of these stories, all of which are set in the South ranging from south Georgia to southern Appalachia. Thematically, she treats readers to a smorgasbord of tales whose characters are struggling in various ways. Presented with a rare opportunity, an artist must face his insecurity; an uneducated woman searches for a way to win her son's respect; a reclusive librarian seeks solace after the death of her father; a divorced woman is shocked by her behavior when she starts dating again. And in the title novella an eighteen-year-old, away from home for the first time, encounters difficulties she never anticipated. Clearly Snowden understands her characters, each with a distinctive voice and worldview, and that she cares about them enough to redeem them (or at least give them hope) regardless of the challenges they face.

Critique: The title piece and novella (A Closet Full of Masks) and the fifteen short stories that comprise this anthology fully certifies Susan Snowden as an exceptionally gifted, impressive, and entertaining storyteller. An impressively absorbing read from beginning to end, "A Closet Full of Masks" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community, and academic library American Literary Fiction collections.

Evolution of a Revolution: Vol. 2
Conallan Power
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781518652783, $14.75, PB, 384pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Andre Braden started out as a common laborer before climbing the ranks to become a respected international labor leader. He's tried to work with the establishment, but now he feels disheartened. Andre partners with experienced labor leader Daniel Martins in the hope of making progress, but he soon discovers that organizing labor isn't Daniel's only reason for partnering with Andre. Indeed, with thousands of eager mercenaries awaiting his command, Daniel is thinking revolution. Andre eventually sees no other option - even though the odds are against them. His fight for the working class takes him against the CIA, mercenaries, a major drug cartel, militaries, and the right-wing media. With so many responsibilities, Andre can't help feeling bogged down. But when he's fighting for the world's workers, how can he stop now?

Critique: "Evolution of a Revolution: Vol. 2" is a deftly crafted and provocative novel that demonstrates author Conallan Power's truly impressive storytelling talents. A riveting read from beginning to end, "Evolution of a Revolution: Vol. 2" is very highly recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Evolution of a Revolution: Vol. 2" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.00).

Making Amends
Melinda Clayton
www.melindaclayton.net
Thomas-Jacob Publishing LLC
PO Box 390524, Deltona, FL 32739
www.thomas-jacobpublishing.com
9780996388412, $12.99, PB, 246pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: On a beautiful fall evening, in the middle of a game of hide-and-seek, five-year-old Bobby Clark is kidnaped by his estranged father, a shiftless man with a history of domestic violence and drug abuse. Bobby's twin brother Ricky watches, terrified, from his hiding place behind the bougainvillea, while mother Tabby, who also struggles with addiction, lies inebriated on the living room floor. Bobby isn't seen by his loved ones again until a fateful morning twenty-five years later, when video of his arrest dominates the morning news. He has been charged with the murder of his father, but before the trial can begin, he manages to escape. As Tabby and Ricky absorb the news of Bobby's return and subsequent escape, Tabby is convinced he'll come home to the quiet Florida street from which he was taken so long ago. But when events begin to spiral out of control, she's left to wonder: is a child born to be evil, or shaped to be evil? And in the end, when it's time to make amends, does it really matter?

Critique: An extraordinary story of impressive complexity, "Making Amends" is a fully absorbing read from beginning to end and showcases author Melinda Clayton as in exceptionally talented and original novelist. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Making Amends" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Evangeline: The Seer of Wall St.
Clint Adams
Credo Italia
www.ClintAdams.com
9780976837572, $26.95, HC, 376pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A descendant of presidents John and John Quincy Adams, and the black sheep of her family, astrologer Evangeline Adams flees provincial Boston in 1899 to launch her business in New York City. On the train ride, she casts her own horoscopic chart. Her findings (death on November 10, 1932 and an unusual intimate union) alarm her. Soon after, she meets actress and suffragist Emma Sheridan-Fry, and she spends the rest of her life torn between society's restrictions and the trail-blazing nature that made her one of the most prominent female businesswomen of her time. Peopled with real historical figures, including J.P. Morgan, King Edward VII, Enrico Caruso, Rudolph Valentino, Charles Schwab, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Sheridan-Fry and occult figure Aleister Crowley, "Evangeline: The Seer of Wall St." immerses readers in a New York populated with the Wall Street wealthy and the downtrodden, all of whom visited Evangeline's Carnegie Hall office.

Critique: An inherently fascinating and terrifically entertaining read from beginning to end, "Evangeline: The Seer of Wall St." establishes author Clint Adams as an impressively gifted novelist of the first rank. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Evangeline: The Seer of Wall St." is also available in a paperback edition (9780976837596, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($7.99).

Honey and Leonard
Mark Paul Smith
www.markpaulsmith.com
Christopher Matthews Publishing
http://christophermatthewspub.com
9781938985812, $16.95, PB, 238pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Honey and Leonard fall in love in their seventies. Leonard is in the early stages of Alzheimer's. Honey thinks her love will save him. When high levels of arsenic are found in Leonard's blood and a petition for guardianship is filed by his sole heir, Honey and Leonard flee to France. Their story catches fire as they elude police, private investigators and the international press. They become the Bonnie and Clyde of love until their apparent drowning when they are pushed off the dock in St. Tropez by an overzealous crowd of well-wishers. "Honey and Leonard" is about the power of love and how it is more important to love than to be loved.

Critique: An absolutely absorbing and page-turner of a read from beginning to end, "Honey and Leonard" establishes author Mark Paul Smith as a master novelist with an ability to deftly create characters and a story that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Honey and Leonard" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

The Novice Master
Kathy Cecala
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781518737558, $14.98, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Evan Claver gives Ellis Barlowe his last chance at redemption, seeking him out as his mentor, or 'novice master': As a freshman college student boarding at the history professor's house, he unravels Barlowe's secret past as a saint, decades spent as a devout monk ministering to the sick and dying at a monastery hospice before renouncing his faith and rejoining the world. Yet Barlowe runs his household like the abbey he left behind, treating his boarder-student like one of his lowly novices, endeavoring to teach him about the realities of life. This role-play is complicated by their mutual passion for the same woman, who plays one against the other. As their roles blur and finally dissolve, the men form a crucial bond which ultimately changes the course of both their lives.

Critique: An impressively crafted novel from beginning to end, "The Novice Master" aptly showcases author Kathy Cecala's exceptional talents as an original and entertaining storyteller. Very highly recommended for community library Adult Contemporary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Novice Master" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Integrity
Anna Borgeryd
New Internationalist Publications Ltd.
www.newint.org
9781780262352, $16.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Vera is a nurse from Sweden who, while delivering a dangerous birth in the Colombian jungle, makes contact with indigenous people who give her a wholly different outlook on life. A traumatic experience takes her home, her life in pieces, just like the world as she now sees it. Her quest to put her life back together becomes tied up with her vision of a more sustainable world. She meets the corporate heir to a company specializing in luxury travel who has a predatory attitude to women. Could such opposites really attract? And, if they came together, could they actually do something to halt the global march to self-destruction?

Critique: An exploration of the inter-connectedness of human life and an unexpected love story, in the pages of "Integrity" author Anna Borgeryd delves deep into the choices and emotions of a woman trying to change the world, and a man trying to change with her. "Integrity" is a genre-bending novel has achieved cult status in Sweden where Anna Borgeryd heads one of the country's most progressive companies. Exceptionally well written, as entertaining as it is thought-provoking, "Integrity" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Integrity" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).

Escape from His Past
Rick Gangraw
www.rickgangraw.com
White Feather Press
www.whitefeatherpress.com
9781618081254, $16.95, 286pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Will Sayre thought he had found 'the one' years ago, but she left him, married, and moved on with her life. Since then, he's searched the world for that special someone with whom he would spend the rest of his life. His job brings him to dozens of countries, allowing him to meet and entertain all kinds of different women, but for one reason or another, none of them can live up to his expectations. His first true love set the mark so high that no one else compares. Until he meets Renee.

Will's sister, Kim, is a 1st grade teacher, and Renee's daughter is in her class. When Will speaks to Kim's class about different countries and animals around the world, he's introduced to Renee's daughter. Through a series of events, Will meets Renee and starts romancing her and her daughter around the city. He seems to have finally escaped from his past and his search for 'the one' may finally be over.

Renee's friends say that Will is too good to be true, but her daughter is convinced that he is Mr. Right for her mother. Will's friends say that she has too much baggage, being a single mom who regularly goes through loser boyfriends, but his sister is convinced that Renee is the girl for him. Will's bachelor habits appear to be too much for Renee, and her mood swings make Will wonder if any sane man could stay married to the same woman for the rest of his life. They decide at one point that the relationship is doomed, but could the wise advice from good friends and family bring them back together?

Critique: Impressively well written from beginning to end, "Escape from His Past" clearly establishes author Rick Gangraw as a master of the Romantic Comedy genre. A thoroughly entertaining read from first page to last, "Escape from His Past" is very highly recommended for community library Romance Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Escape from His Past" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Driller
M. S. Holm
Sentry Books
PO Box 31361, Tucson, AZ 85751-1631
www.sentrybooks.com
9780979619984, $12.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Retch Barter waits on a waterless ranch for a driller to sink his well. Come to Mexico in bad company and running from a sordid past, Retch lives with Dolores Anguamea, a dark-skinned woman whose history is as scarred as her pockmarked face. While Retch stakes his future on the arrival of the driller, Dolores waits for a chance to quit the godforsaken ranch.

Critique: "Driller" is taut, literary descent into the world of dirt, death, and well drilling. A riveting read from beginning to end, "Driller" clearly demonstrates author M. S. Holm's truly exceptional storytelling talents and is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Driller" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.59).

Heavenly Khan
Victor Cunrui Xiong
Airiti Press
http://www.airitipress.com
9789866286667, $10.00, PB, 278pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Heavenly Khan: A Biography of Emperor Tang Taizong" by Victor Cunrui Xiong is a work of historical fiction that is based on the true story of Li Shimin (also known as Tang Taizong), the greatest sovereign in Chinese history. About 30 years younger than Muhammad, he grew up in a world of devastating upheaval that tore China asunder and was thrust into the role of a military commander in his father's rebel army while still a teenager. In the process of vanquishing his enemies on the battlefield, he proved himself to be a great military genius. As emperor he encouraged critical suggestions by his court officials, which he often adopted, and lent support to the religions of his day, notably, Buddhism, Daoism, and Christianity. The international prestige he had won for Tang China was so high that the states of Central and North Asia honored him with the title of "Heavenly Khan". Although his father founded the dynasty, it was his reign that laid the groundwork for a brilliant empire that was to endure for centuries.

Critique: A deftly written and truly riveting work from beginning to end, "Heavenly Khan: A Biography of Emperor Tang Taizong" is an extraordinary and solidly entertaining story that reveals author Victor Cunrui Xiong to be a exceptional and impressive novelist of the first order. Highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Historical Fiction collections, "Heavenly Khan" is one of those literary works that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf.

The Outreach Committee
C. L. Woodhams
Privately Published
9780990892403, $14.95, PB, 480pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In South Bay, California, the Battered Women s Escape Foundation (BWEF) shelters, counsels, and trains abused women so that they can start new lives. However, one group cannot take advantage of this haven: women of means, whose influential husbands can unearth any shelter with a single phone call. Mora Rey and Carol Ewald form the Outreach Committee to rid these women of their abusive spouses by creating accidents to dispatch them. But when they learn that the BWEF s newest benefactor is an abuser himself, will they tread too far into dangerous waters?

Critique: A serious philosophical issue presented in a deftly crafted work of fiction, "The Outreach Committee: Because Marriage Can Be Murder" is a compelling read from beginning to end. An impressive storyteller, readers should be aware of author C. L. Woodhams' blog for abused women and their supports at clwoodhams.com. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Outreach Committee" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

He Can See Heaven: The Hierophant
J. B. Keats
Nonester Press
9780990448907, $11.99, PB, 320pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: A cascading adventure of discovery, intrigue, and romance, "He Can See Heaven: The Hierophant" by J. B. Keats tells the tale of Ellen Shea, an intrepid graduate student on a perilous search through exotic locales for a trove of lost scrolls. Penned by Saint Papias and known to history as the Logia, the scrolls are the first record of Jesus, eyewitness accounts older and truer than the New Testament. They unveil a new perspective of the man-god and predict the coming of a doomsday prophet, the Hierophant, the one who can see heaven. Along the way Ellen meets a cavalcade of intriguing characters including two beguiling men, polar opposites who tantalize her mind and inflame her desires. The text depicts a second journey, that of the scrolls themselves, from their origin in ancient Anatolia, through Judea to Constantine's Council at Nicaea, and then west to Iberia and the medieval kingdoms of the Visigoths, Moors, and Spaniards, at last coming to rest in modern Granada. A raucous ride through Europe, North Africa, and New York City, this uncommon novel ponders the nature of faith and its professors, concluding with the poignant appearance of the Hierophant and his timeless message.

Critique: Exceptional, entertaining, and a terrific page-turner of a novel from beginning to end, "He Can See Heaven: The Hierophant" showcases author J. B. Keats as an impressively skillful writer and storyteller. Very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "He Can See Heaven: The Hierophant" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Dangerous Dreams
Mike Rhynard
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781517054847, $24.99, PB, 798pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: On July 23, 1587, England established its first permanent North American settlement on Roanoke Island in present day North Carolina. Barely a month later, the colony's deteriorating circumstances forced Governor John White to return to England for additional supplies and colonists. However, war with Spain preempted his return until 1590, when upon his arrival, he discovered the colony had vanished.

Shortly after the governor's departure - the last instant of known Roanoke history - hostile relations with the nearby Indians and imminent starvation force the colonists to consider leaving Roanoke Island. But where can they go? Their charter from Sir Walter Raleigh is for the Chesapeake Bay area to the north; yet, the river to their west offers a far shorter, but more dangerous passage - it's populated by hostile Indian tribes antagonized by an earlier, English military expedition.

While the colonists weigh their options, suitors seek Emily's favor; the powerful Powhatan chiefdom plans the colony's demise; and four warriors from a tribe to the distant north make their way toward the coast to trade with tribes near the colony. Ill fortune relentlessly hounds the colonists as they depart Roanoke, and they soon realize their new circumstances are more precarious than those they escaped. As the colony struggles for survival against mounting adversity and internal conflict, an unlikely suitor enters Emily's life, and she faces terrifying perils that ultimately lead to an agonizing decision.

Increasingly distraught, Allie follows the Lost Colony and Emily as they march inexorably toward their destinies. Desperate to understand the genesis and verity of her dreams, she probes the depths of modern dream science to fashion a theoretical explanation for her dreams. But as the colony's prospects dim, Allie discovers there may be far more to her bond with the Lost Colony and Emily Colman than she could ever have imagined; and as her emotional fusion with Emily surges, she faces a dire challenge that threatens her own survival.

Critique: An exceptionally well written saga, "Dangerous Dreams" blends history with fiction to deftly present a compelling and multilayered story that will hold the reader's rapt attention from beginning to end. An epic novel that showcases author Mike Rhynard's impressive storytelling talents, "Dangerous Dreams" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Dangerous Dreams" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The 90s Club & the Secret of the Old Clock
Eileen Haavik McIntire
Amanita Books
www.eileenmcintire.com
9780961451905, $14.95, PB, 286pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The antique clock keeps ticking, but what does it hide? Nancy seeks its secret as she and the 90s Club at Whisperwood Retirement Village discover swindlers are targeting and defrauding the residents. The scams are online, but the swindlers know too much to be strangers. Did they shoot and kill Nancy's new friend Betts? Nancy and the 90s Club pursue the killer and the con men, but the killer is no fool and attacks first. This time, the killer swears, Nancy will not escape. "The 90s Club & the Secret of the Old Clock" is yet another great cozy mystery by Eileen Haavik McIntire featuring the 90s Club at Whisperwood Retirement Village.

Critique: An impressively well crafted and thoroughly entertaining mystery that plays fair with the reader from beginning to end, "The 90s Club & the Secret of the Old Clock" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs it should be noted that "The 90s Club & the Secret of the Old Clock" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99).

Secret in Whitetail Lake
Christine Husom
Stiletto Books
c/o Indigo Sea Press
www.indigoseapress.com
9781630662349, $14.95, PB, 322pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department stumbles upon a car at the bottom of Whitetail Lake, what appears to be a probable accident from three decades earlier, turns into something far more sinister when Sheriff Twardy disappears that same day. It's up to Sergeant Corinne Aleckson and Detective Elton Dawes to probe into both mysteries. As they investigate little do they know that they are being carefully and surreptitiously watched.

Critique: Another riveting novel by Christine Husom who is clearly a master of the genre. "Secret in Whitetail Lake" is very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted for mystery fans that "Secret in Whitetail Lake" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

Afta-U
Jennifer-Lynn Keniston
www.jenniferkeniston.com
Tate Publishing
127 East Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064
www.tatepublishing.com
9781631857645, $25.99, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Michael's smile broadened. "It seems like you're surprised to see me, Jean. Don't tell me you thought that they'd leave an eleven-year-old boy locked away forever." Twenty-nine years after the tragic death of her childhood best friend, Hope, Jean Cartwright Rhodes returns to her hometown with her husband and daughter after she inherits the house her friend's family once lived in. Now, years later, she finds herself haunted by a dark truth - and by the specter of Hope herself. Every time Jean looks through her kitchen window, she sees two stark reminders of her troubled past; the Afta-U sailboat, ironically named after young Hope, and the old oak tree where her eleven-year-old friend met her death at the hands of another child. "Afta-U" unfolds as a psychological chess match, a complex web of intrigue, unexpected relationships, lies, and devastating secrets as Jean struggles with the impact of decisions she made long ago on all the lives around her. When Jean confronts and tries to come to grips with Hope's killer, she finds herself waging a personal battle between madness and redemption.

Critique: An exceptionally well crafted and truly absorbing novel from beginning to end, "Afta-U" by Jennifer-Lynn Keniston is an impressively entertaining read and highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Afta-U" is also available in a paperback edition (9781680284270, $16.99).

The Christos Mosaic
Vincent Czyz
http://vincent-czyz.com
Blank Slate Press
c/o Amphorae Publishing Group
www.amphoraepublishing.com
9781943075034, $28.00, HC, 554pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Ancient scrolls hold the key to the origins of Christianity, but some will stop at nothing to hide the truth. A suspicious death in Istanbul leaves one ancient scroll and clues to finding another in the hands of Drew Korchula, a thirty-two-year-old American expat, a Turkish dwarf named Kadir, and Zafer, a Special Forces washout. Drew is desperate to turn everything over to the academic community, and in the process redeem himself in the eyes of his estranged wife, but Kadir and Zafer are only interested in what they can get for the scrolls on the black market. Not everyone wants to see the scrolls go public, however, and some will stop at nothing to protect the Church and believers around the world from the revelations embodied in the priceless manuscripts.

An action-packed intellectual thriller unraveling a theological cold case more than two thousand years old, The Christos Mosaic is a monumental work of biblical research wrapped in a story of love, faith, human frailty, friendship, and forgiveness. Author Vincent Czyz takes the reader through the backstreets of Istanbul, Antakya (ancient Antioch), and Cairo, to clandestine negotiations with wealthy antiquities smugglers and ruthless soldiers of fortune, to dusty Egyptian monasteries, on a nautical skirmish off the coast of Alexandria, and finally to the ruins of Constantine's palace buried deep beneath the streets of present-day Istanbul.

Critique: A brilliant, deftly crafted, inherently absorbing novel from beginning to end, "The Christos Mosaic" by Vincent Czyz is one of those truly extraordinary stories that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Christos Mosaic" is also available in a paperback edition (9781943075041, $18.95) and in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Warrior
Terry Irving
www.terryirving.com
Ronin Robot Press
www.roninrobotpress.com
9780986087387, $16.99, PB, 428pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Warrior" begins in 1973 with a .50 caliber machine gun round slamming overhead as Rick Putnam and Eve Buffalo Calf are walking in supplies to the American Indian Movement militants besieged in Wounded Knee. In a matter of hours, they find themselves on the run from distrustful AIM members, US Marshals, the FBI, and a mysterious group that appears to be attacking both sides. Rick accepts a sacred mission from a militant who saved his life back in Vietnam and that leads him into battle against a cult determined to destroy the reservation where Eve grew up.

Critique: "Warrior" is the second volume in author Terry Irving's 'Freelancer' series. Like the first volume of this outstanding series, "Courier" (9780986087318, $14.99 PB, $4.99 Kindle, 302pp), "Warrior" takes the reader on a headlong adventure replete with unexpected twists and unanticipated turns. A riveting action/adventure read from beginning to end, "Warrior" is very highly recommended for community library Contemporary Adventure Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Warrior" is also available in a Kindle edition.

Uncontrolled Spin
Jerry Summers
www.jerrysummersauthor.com
Xlibris Corporation
1663 South Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.xlibris.com
9781514407998, $22.99, HC, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Sean Green, the spin doctor for many multimillion dollar companies, becomes infatuated with the idea of helping a beautiful woman take her apparel business to the next level. During the process, his best friend, biggest client, and mentor is murdered at one of Sean's homes. Through Brazilian connections, lessons in using the power of sex, international marketing, and police investigations, "Uncontrolled Spin: The Power and Danger of Spin" by Jerry Summers develops an array of characters and plot twists that keeps the reader turning the pages. With knowledgeable research, straightforward language, and the ability to draw the reader into the current situation, readers will lose themselves in the characters that author Jerry Summers has created and brought to life (and death) in his debut novel for a series of what he describes as "unmissable" books.

Critique: A compelling read from beginning to end, "Uncontrolled Spin: The Power and Danger of Spin" showcases novelist Jerry Summers as an exceptionally gifted writer able to rivet his readers to an deftly crafted and unfolding story of originality that interweaves such otherwise despite elements as mystery and romance, murder and sex. Simply stated, "Uncontrolled Spin" is strongly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Uncontrolled Spin" is also available in a paperback edition (9781514407981, $15.99) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).

Ochoco Reach
Jim Stewart
http://jamesrichardstewart.com
Word Hermit Press LLC
PO Box 21849, Charleston, SC 29413
http://wordhermitpress.com
9780990859338, $16.99, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Mike's usual strategy was to gently stir the pot and wait for patterns to emerge, but this case was boiling over from the day Willimina showed up at his office. Freelance investigator Mike Ironwood doesn't hesitate for a moment when a lovely stranger asks him to help her get to the bottom of suspicious happenings on her family cattle ranch. The case is intriguing, and Willimina even more so. Six days in, the case has turned up two dead bodies, an alphabet soup of secretive federal investigators, and a client who just might be The One. That's when things get complicated. When a greedy DEA agent and his complicated and deadly triggerman kidnap Willy, Mike enlists help from his brother and sets out to rescue her from a conflicted cartel jefe. The trail leads them deep into Mexico, but they come home with dangerous unfinished business. Ochoco Reach introduces Mike Ironwood, his special ops brother Daniel, and Bucket, a Catahoula leopard dog who is equally at home herding cattle and pinning bad guys to the floor. Together, they are formidable allies who also seem to attract trouble at every turn.

Critique: An impressively entertaining and exceptionally well crafted novel from beginning to end, "Ochoco Reach" by Jim Stewart is very highly recommended and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Ochoco Reach" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

Picture Me
Amy M. Schisler
Chesapeake Sunrise Publishing
PO Box 355, Bozman, MD 21612
http://amyschislerauthor.com
9780692497869, $14.95, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Melissa Grant has escaped the clutches of death, not once, not twice, but three times. While she considers this to be divine intervention, her assailant is sure that her luck will run out, and the authorities are suspicious that Melissa isn't as innocent as she seems. Implicated in the murders of two of her closest friends, and running from both a hit man and the law, Melissa does what is thought to be impossible in the 21st Century - she disappears.

Julie Lawson has no family, no friends, and no past. She spends her days photographing the country and her nights tossing and turning as nightmares plague her sleep. While passing through the town of St. Brendan, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Julie finds some things she hasn't had in a very long time - a home, friends, and love. For the first time in two years, Julie can see her future, but she can attain it only by surviving a predator from her past.

Eric West has a past of his own that he is trying to forget. His return to his hometown keeps his demons away until he meets Julie, and she stirs up emotions in him that he hasn't felt in a long time. As he slowly begins to let go of this past, Eric tries to break down the walls that Julie has so tightly built around herself. Gaining her trust one small act at a time, and hiring the best investigator in DC to dig for answers, Eric opens the Pandora's Box to Julie's past which threatens all of their futures.

Critique: A riveting novel from beginning to end, "Picture Me" is replete with unexpected twists and turns. Exceptionally well written, "Picture Me" fully establishes author Amy M. Schisler as a impressively gifted storyteller. "Picture Me" is very highly recommended for community library collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Picture Me" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

Shadow Cell
Joseph D'Antoni
www.dantonibooks.com
Royal Oak Press
9780983081661, $12.99, PB, 346pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The disappearance of former handler and lover Megan Winslow strikes hard at Wade Hanna's soul. He tenaciously digs into covert operations and learns that Megan is in mortal danger. The secret laboratory she has penetrated is conducting experiments on orphans to revive a Nazi effort to modify cell structure and turn innocent children into weaponized biological agents. A ruthless Argentine mobster now has world powers unfriendly to America eager to pay exorbitant sums for this technology of terror. Megan is the only one standing between the horrific experiments and the children's freedom. If she is discovered, torture and death will follow. Facing overwhelming odds, Wade has little time to rescue her and save the children.

Critique: Attention Hollywood! "Shadow Cell" is the stuff of which block-buster action/adventure movies are made. A riveting and non-stop entertainment of a read from beginning to end, "Shadow Cell" is very highly recommended for community for community library General Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Shadow Cell" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Kentucky Woman
Mike Brogan
Lighthouse Publishing
http://www.lighthouseebooks.com
9780984617395, $15.99, 324pp, www.mikebroganbooks.com

Synopsis: As an infant, Ellie Stuart was adopted by a poor but loving couple in Kentucky. When Ellie was sixteen her adoptive parents did leaving her alone. In college Ellie searches for her biological parents with the help of law student Quinn Parker. But there's a problem. Someone is trying to kill Ellie. Quinn and Ellie come to discover that Ellie might be the biological daughter of a wealthy man who died with no heirs. But even after several valid DNA tests prove she can not possible be this man's daughter, there is still someone trying to kill her. Ellie and Quinn must flee for their lives.

Critique: Impressively well written from beginning to end, and a work of fiction that is based stories that were told to him by friends in the medical community, "Kentucky Woman" clearly demonstrates author Mike Brogan's complete mastery of the mystery genre. Certain to be an enduringly popular read by mystery buffs, "Kentucky Woman" is very highly recommended, especially for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

The Wrong Treatment
Chris Malone
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781517595098, $9.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Adam Hooker was delighted to be working with advanced technologies such as MRI to help doctors perform surgery and treat patients, but his world is overturned when his brilliant mentor Gary dies in a horrific accident. But it seems Gary may have had dark secrets and everything points to his involvement in a series of recent murders and attacks on women. Adam is determined to find the truth and clear Gary's name, and is finally able to connect the dots between Gary's death and the real killer. All this is set against a background of hi-tech medicine and political intrigue within a top-ranked research institution.

Critique: "The Wrong Treatment " by Chris Malone is a deftly crafted, fast paced, compulsive page turner of a medical mystery thriller. Very highly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "The Wrong Treatment" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Just Vengeance
Anthony D'Augustine
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478763611, $28.95, HC, 312pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Mac Taylor is a former Newark Police Detective has become a Private Investigator. When his first client hires him to look into a reported suicide, he soon uncovers a sinister plot that involves murders in Scotland and Italy, and plans to destroy several U.S. landmarks. Shortly after his discovery, Mac and his pregnant wife, Cheryl, become targets of an international terror organization; specifically, that of a psychopathic killer named Dirk Conroy, aka Ahmed Sal Mohammed. Working with FBI Agent Sara Dillon, Mac sets out to find Conroy. Dillon wants him captured alive. Mac wants him dead at all costs. Along the way, Taylor's old friend from his Vietnam days, Nick Polsani, tries to convince him that seeking justice is the only course of action to be taken. Mac disagrees. It's not justice he's looking for, rather it's a "Just Vengeance".

Critique: A riveting read from beginning to end, "Just Vengeance" is especially commended to the attention of readers who prefer there suspense thriller novels to be non-stop page-turner novels that hold one's rapt attention and won't let go until the roller-coaster of a literary ride is done. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Just Vengeance" is also available in a paperback edition (9781478763079, $16.95) and in a Kindle format ($4.99). Also very highly recommended is author Anthony D'Augustine's first Mac Taylor novel "Best Enemies" (9780595657179, $18.58 HC; 9780595278626, $16.95 PB; $3.99 Kindle).


The Social Issues Shelf

American Stew: Hope in a Toxic Culture
Stephen James
www.americanstew.us
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
9781504933285, $31.99, HC, 348pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: America is in desperate need of new ideas. In the richest, most powerful nation in history, Americans are profoundly troubled. The level of fear, anger, and dissatisfaction with life in 21st century America is reflected in our many social ills and questionable national behavior, exacerbated by the general lack of insight to explain what is wrong. Where will the new ideas come from? In "American Stew: Hope in a Toxic Culture", cultural critic Stephen James draws upon his more than thirty years of experience, observation, and experience to offer a fresh perspective on the problems that plague America, as well as much-needed solutions. By applying modern social science and interdisciplinary thought to contemporary American issues, "American Stew" offers a sweeping and relevant analysis of a culture that has become toxic for its members by proposing that our drive to become the most powerful nation on earth can be understood in terms of the theories of the late Ernest Becker (September 27, 1924 - March 6, 1974). A Jewish-American cultural anthropologist, Becker wrote that all human beings dread death, and all cultures have developed measures to deny death and create opportunities for immortality. Unfortunately, our culture offers an inadequate antidote to death anxiety, pushing us to success as a nation, while leaving us anxious, driven, and unhappy. Our own culture has evolved to oppress and exploit us. It is, in a word, toxic. In the pages of "American Stew", Stephen James suggests unique opportunities for hope, as well as new forms of heroism, new values, and fresh approaches to life that counter death anxiety and promote satisfaction on a deeper human level. "American Stew" synthesizes ideas from a multitude of disciplines to help us better understand the complexities of culture and human motivation.

Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, Stephen James' "American Stew: Hope in a Toxic Culture" is a landmark work of observationally based insight that is truly impressive in scope and dimension. An inherently absorbing and challenging read from beginning to end, "American Stew: Hope in a Toxic Culture" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary Social Issues reference collections and supplemental studies lists. It should be noted for members of academia and non-specialist general readers that "American Stew: Hope in a Toxic Culture" is also available in a paperback edition (9781504929141, $23.95) and in a Kindle format ($3.99).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Far Orbit Apogee
Bascom James, editor
World Weaver Press
http://www.worldweaverpress.com
9780692509760, $14.95, PB, 316pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The second volume of the World Weaver Press 'Far Orbit Anthology' series, "Far Orbit Apogee" takes all of the fun-to-read adventure, ingenuity, and heroism of mid-century pulp fiction and reshapes it into modern space adventures crafted by a new generation of writers. Science fiction fans can follow the adventures of heroic scientists, lunar detectives, space dragons, robots, interstellar pirates, gun slingers, and other memorable and diverse characters as they wrestle with adversity beyond the borders of our small blue marble. Compiled by Bascom James, "Far Orbit Apogee" showcases outstanding science fiction stories from Jennifer Campbell-Hicks, Dave Creek, Eric Del Carlo, Dominic Dulley, Nestor Delfino, Milo James Fowler, Julie Frost, Sam S. Kepfield, Keven R. Pittsinger, Wendy Sparrow, Anna Salonen, James Van Pelt, and Jay Werkheiser.

Critique: A truly exceptional anthology of deftly crafted science fiction short stories by an assembly of writers who are masters of the genre, "Far Orbit Apogee" is very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Far Orbit Apogee" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Written In Blood
Theresa M. Moore
Antellus Books
http://www.antellusbooks.com
9781938752070, $24.95, PB, 336pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: An epic adventure of the 17th century, "Written in Blood" is the story of Alexander Corvina who learns the art of the sword in Japan; then travels to Tibet and persuades his father Lucien Arkanon to rejoin the world of mankind. They share adventure and danger on the road as they travel toward France, and become eyewitnesses to history along the way. Yet their adventures have only just begun as they encounter a new kind of adversary who wants to wipe out all their kind.

Critique: A terrifically entertaining read from beginning to end, "Written in Blood" will have a very special appeal to vampire fiction fans and documents author Theresa M. Moore as a master of the dark fantasy genre. For those to whom "Written in Blood" is their first introduction to the storytelling talents of Theresa Moore, go to the Antellus Books web site at www.antellusbooks.com for a complete listing of her other outstanding novels.

The Angelnots
Elise Pehrson
http://elisepehrson.com
Soul Fire Press
c/o Christopher Matthews Publishing
http://christophermatthewspub.com
9781938985676, $17.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Anyone around the snug village of Bizi-Herri might pass it by upon first glance. However, this quaint hometown of Olivia and Alazne Zubiondo is far from ordinary, and one day, they find out why first-hand. When a curse afflicts Alazne, Olivia must find a way to stop it. As she searches for answers, more problems surface and she finds herself uncovering secrets kept hidden away from the world secrets meant to come out by nature, but were concealed by man. Now, Olivia must figure out how to save her sister, her people and the dimensions intertwined with her fate.

Critique: "The Angelnots" is a unique and riveting entertainment from beginning to end, and one that clearly establishes that author Elise Pherson is an impressively talented novelist of the first order. Appreciative readers of "The Angelnots" will look eagerly toward the next title in Pehrson's deftly crafted 'The Unknown' series. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Angelnots" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).

Surviving the Improbable Quest (Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1)
Anderson Atlas
Synesthesia Books
http://bradpetersonart.com/anderson_atlas
9780692567456, $12.99, PB, 270pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The Jibbawk is a dark creature, a shadow almost, with glowing eyes. It hunts humans for sport or revenge or hunger, no one knows really. We do know it's not from Earth and that its cunning arises from a ruthless nature. And there are more dangers on this far-away planet called Lan Darr, more dangers than can be counted. Allan Westerfield is someone who has lost so much -- his Olympic dreams, his parents, the use of his legs, even his voice. When life is at its bleakest, its darkest, Allan and his uncle are almost drown by a flash flood. Allan must save his uncle, even if it's the last thing he does. Allan crawls for help, a seemingly insurmountable task for a paraplegic. Then without warning, Allan is transported to planet Lan Darr by the least likely thing, a flower. He is lost, hopeless and confused. Will he get home? Will his uncle die alone in a cold, dark forest? No. A fire erupts inside Allan. In a blaze of utter resilience, Allan finds his voice, his soul and his heart.

Critique: "Surviving the Improbable Quest" is the first volume of the "Heroes of Distant Planets" series, which is certain to be enduringly popular among science fiction fans. This deftly crafted story is written and illustrated by Anderson Atlas, who is an impressively gifted and original novelist. "Surviving the Improbable Quest" is an exciting adventure, very highly recommended for school and community library Science Fiction collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Surviving the Improbable Quest" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).

The Arrival of Richard III
Kari August
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781512361896, $13.99, PB, 392pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: What would you ask for if God owed you a favor? King Richard III chooses to travel to the twenty-first century to repair his reputation. After more than five hundred years of Tudor-inspired propaganda, Richard's name is in tatters. Reviled for crimes he never committed, he has his work cut out for him. He needs help, and decides his distant cousin Ned York is just the person to assist him. But mild-mannered Ned has problems of his own. Recently fired from his prestigious law firm due to a mistake by his ex-girlfriend, Ned is trying to figure out what to do with his life. The last thing he needs is some cousin he's never met, with a wacky story to tell, arriving at his doorstep in Colorado. Nevertheless, Ned finds he is unable to resist Richard's plea for support and begins an adventure that turns his life even more upside down, all while discovering Lindsey, the love of his life. If only Lindsey can get around the fact that she thinks Ned is a little kooky. After all, Ned has now become convinced that Richard is actually the real king come back to life.

Critique: Entertaining, original, exceptionally well written, "The Arrival of Richard III" very nicely showcases author Kari August's impressive storytelling talents. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, for personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Arrival of Richard III" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

The Immortal: Alabaster
Glenn Rogers
Simpson & Brook, Publishers
9780990394075, $26.00, HC, 268pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Crime consultant and philosophy professor, Dr. Aaron Archer, receives a call from the LAPD to assist in the investigation of a series of gruesome murders-the victims were immobilized and their hearts were cut out. In the course of the investigation, Aaron, a fifty-five hundred year old immortal detective, will encounter a killer that challenges even his vast experience and threatens the life of the women he loves, the only person who knows who and what he really is. LAPD Captain, Frank McGarry, hires Aaron to help investigate the murders of three religious leaders whose hearts were cut out. A small statue of an odd looking little man was left in the chest cavity of each victim. Aaron recognizes the image as Ipsis, the ancient Assyrian god of retribution and revenge. Why would someone be killing religious leaders in the same way the priests of Ipsis killed their victims 3,000 years ago? The investigation leads Aaron from rituals associated with an ancient, brutal past to a contemporary criminal enterprise of staggering and dangerous proportions. Searching for the killer requires Aaron to utilize skills from his past, a past he'd rather forget. As Aaron begins to unravel the clues, more people die and Alexis, the woman Aaron trusts with his secret and with his love, becomes a target.

Critique: A unique blend of historical fantasy and contemporary mystery, "The Immortal: Alabaster" by Glenn Rogers is a deftly crafted, solidly entertaining, and riveting read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library Fantasy/Mystery collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Immortal: Alabaster" is also available in a paperback edition (9780982837184, $15.00), and in a Kindle format ($2.99).


The Business Shelf

Zombies Ate My Business
Jamie Gerdsen
www.jamiegerdsen.com
River Grove Books
www.rivergrovebooks.com
9781632990709, $22.95, HC, 198pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The thing about zombies (a contextual term for "toxic employees") is you don't know them when you see them. They're invisible; but don't be fooled. As they walk unnoticed through the halls of your small business, they're doing a negative number on your bottom line. They slow productivity, treat your customers rudely, and infect other employees with their poor morale and shoddy work ethic. In a small business, one zombie - one employee not pulling his or her share of the workload - can make all the difference.

In "Zombies Ate My Business", Jamie Gerdsen (President and CEO of Apollo Home in Cincinnati, Ohio) seeks to help traditional business owners find and eliminate zombie employees, and to clear the ranks of zombie-like thinking among management. Traditional businesses-those mainstays of Main Street-may have started out with a bang, but many have grown stagnant, even tottering on the edge of death. In the pages of "President and CEO of Apollo Home in Cincinnati, Ohio", Gerdsen considers the life cycle of a traditional business, and the life cycle of an employee. He forecasts what happens when the two intersect. Sure, a young business staffed with young employees should find it easy to grow; but what about a mature, "plateaued" business, staffed with mature, retirement-age employees? Or a middle-aged company with middle-aged workers? Even these companies can return to growth, says Gerdsen, who speaks from experience with his own turned-around HVAC business. "Zombies Ate My Business" maps the way to growth, renewal, and zombie-free prosperity for businesses in all life stages.

Critique: Informative, insightful, practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Zombies Ate My Business" should be considered a "must read" for all small business entrepreneurs seeking to profitably maximize all every aspect of their operation. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Business Management instructional reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Zombies Ate My Business " is also available in a paperback edition (9781632990600, $16.95) and in a Kindle format ($8.99).

Magnitude
Boyd Ober
Success Productions LLC
9780997076318, $19.95, PB, 234pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In theory, Merton Financial owned the market. Everyone knew that. But even its hotshot founder Jack Merton had to call in high-powered consulting help when the Seattle branch went off the rails with out-of-control discord, drama, dissension, and distrust. Three managers in four years. Poor customer service. Employees acting inappropriately. Revenues down. What next? That's why Jack desperately called in leadership consultant Glen O'Brien to troubleshoot. "Magnitude: Releasing the Power of Your Leadership Presence" by Boyd Ober (President of Leadership Resources, a Lincoln, Nebraska-based consulting company with clients throughout the country) shows how understanding and applying the five-layered leadership model helped move the ailing company from mayhem to magnitude by releasing the power of leadership presence in every employee. An unforgettable allegory follows HR manager Sondra, high-tech hipster Miles, young Kate at the front desk, team player Laney in finance, frumpy Maryann in the executive suite, former manager Tom, and even Jack himself on a journey to dive deep and peel back the layers of leadership. "Magnitude" reads like a novel but rings true for every employee in any field or career who wants to strengthen his or her own leadership presence, because, after all, you can discover your hidden power and make positive changes in your business and life.

Critique: A unique and highly effective approach to instructive business management concepts and techniques, "Magnitude: Releasing the Power of Your Leadership Presence" is a thoroughly 'reader friendly' in commentary, organization, and presentation. A critically important and strongly recommended addition to both community and academic library Business Management reference collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that "Magnitude" is also available to academia and non-specialist general readers in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The Military Shelf

Barren SEAD
James L. Young
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781508998174, $11.00, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Since 1972, the United States Air Force has argued that its operations against North Vietnam were unsuccessful primarily through a combination of civilian interference and poor strategic choices. Often citing the "success" of Operation Linebacker II as an example of what might have been had its leaders been given free rein, for almost forty years the Air Force has maintained that its proper employment is the key to winning America's wars. In "Barren SEAD: USAF Suppression of Enemy Air Defense Doctrine, 1953-1972", military historian James L. Young Jr. propagates a different theory: Instead of being a sign of what the Air Force was capable of, Linebacker II was a bitter failure that starkly outlined the USAF's limitations. Furthermore, instead of the meddling of the Johnson and Nixon Administrations, this defeat was brought about by Air Force leaders' refusal to develop a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) doctrine from 1953-1972. Relying primarily on Air Force archival documents, memoirs, and contemporary doctrinal publications, Young illustrates just how dangerous the Air Force's failure to nurture its SEAD capability was during this period of the Cold War.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, impressively documented and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Barren SEAD: USAF Suppression of Enemy Air Defense Doctrine, 1953-1972" is a compelling read that has not only historical value but contemporary relevance as air command policies are formulated and implemented in America's current campaigns in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere. Very highly recommended for community and academic library 20th Century Military history collections in general, and the growing library of Vietnam War literature in particular, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Barren SEAD" is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.99).


The Education Shelf

Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education
Henry C. Lucas, Jr.
http://scholar.rhsmith.umd.edu/hlucas
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781508803706, $49.95, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: American universities for years have been the bright spot in our educational system. Today, these institutions are under siege from multiple constituencies including students, parents, legislators, government officials and their own faculties. Education has historically been a way for students to improve their lives and fortunes. However, the rising costs of college are a barrier to access for many students, reducing their chances for upward mobility. Is technology the solution, or is it just another costly problem for universities?

The purpose of "Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education: Saving the American University" is to explore how new technology has the potential to transform American higher education. However, this same technology also has the potential to disrupt universities. Much depends on how administrators, faculty and students apply technologically-enhanced learning. "Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education" presents details on MOOCs, blended, flipped and online classes and their role in transforming higher-ed based on my experiences teaching all of these types of courses. A blended course includes asynchronous material, usually on the Internet, that students access at their convenience. Faculty may post videos and other exercises they find on the Web, and they may create their own short video lectures. Class time is devoted to "active" learning, where students make presentations, solve problems, and discuss the issues in the course. A major contribution of this approach is to move from passive lecturing to an active learning environment. Fully online classes have existed for years, but technology available today makes it possible to have an online experience that includes synchronous interaction between faculty and staff online through video conferencing.

"Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education" describes the development and contents of a high-quality, online MBA program that is very successful two years after it began. Massive Open Online Courses or "MOOCs" are the utility infielder of new educational technologies. They can be used in many different ways, as standalone courses for general interest or a certificate, as a supplement to college courses, or as the basis for a degree or even a new type of university. These technology-enabled approaches to teaching and learning offer tremendous opportunities to schools, but they also threaten the traditional university. "Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education" identifies some of these threats and opportunities and offers suggested strategies to take advantage of the technology. Is this technology enough to save the American University system? While new ways of teaching and learning are exciting, they are only part of the puzzle. Radical change beyond what happens in the classroom is needed if our higher education system is to continue to flourish and some of these ideas are discussed in the final chapter.

Critique: An exceptionally well researched, impressively written, accessibly organized and presented study, "Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education: Saving the American University" by Henry C. Lucas Jr., (Robert H. Smith Professor of Information Systems and Chair of the Department of Decision, Operations and Information Technologies, University of Maryland) is an seminal work of impressive and painstaking scholarship. An invaluable contribution to our national dialogue with respect to college and university educational missions in a digital age, "Technology and the Disruption of Higher Education" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, governmental, and academic library Higher Education reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

The New Medical School Preparation & Admissions Guide 2016
Dr. Andrew Goliszek
Healthnet Press
PO Box 24906, Winston-Salem, NC 27114
9780692552158 $21.95 www.amazon.com

Synopsis: An updated and comprehensive guide to medical school preparation and admissions, including the latest information on the new MCAT and future admission trends. Competition for a limited number of places in the nation's medical schools is increasing, so students must have a competitive edge. Dr. Goliszek's guide is unsurpassed for the timely and expert information it offers about all aspects of premedical planning and successful admissions strategies. Some of the areas covered are: Undergraduate curricula that increase the chances for successful admission; academic and non-academic activities that make you stand out as a potential candidate; scholastic and personal qualities that all medical schools are specifically looking for; the kinds of medical schools you're most likely to be admitted to based on your qualifications; the new Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), with study tips and new key science terms; over 300 actual interview questions, along with tips on what to say and do on the interview; chapter on minority admissions, including lists of summer minority enrichment programs; chapter on high school preparation and pre-college planning for students, teachers, and advisors; chapter on alternate health careers, along with employment trends for the next decade and beyond; chapter on study, learning, memorizing, and test-taking skills for students at all levels; lists of medical schools with the best records of accepting women, minorities, and non-residents; medical school rankings based on undergraduate GPA, MCAT scores, and state of residence; up-to-date information and data on all 144 U.S. medical schools, as well as medical schools opening in 2016-2017.

Critique: The New Medical School Preparation & Admissions Guide 2016: New & Updated For Tomorrow's Medical School Applicants and Students lives up to its title as a "must-have" for anyone contemplating a potential career in medicine. Chapters guide future professions through recommended preparation during their high school years, the premedical curriculum, the application process and specific tests, recommended extracurricular activities to make one stand out, options in foreign medical education, and much more. Thoroughly accessible and reader-friendly, The New Medical School Preparation & Admissions Guide 2016 is also an excellent choice for community library collections, as a handy reference and resource for local students planning their college education and careers!

You Are Your Child's Best Teacher
DeBora L'T. Mapp
Inspired Schooling Solutions Publishing
PO Box 818, Louisville, KY 40201-0818
www.schoolingsolutions.com
9781513600772, $19.95, PB, 112pp, www.deboramapp.com

Synopsis: The target audience for "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher: A Holistic Guide To Link Home And School" are parents, families and loved ones who are concerned about children and how they're faring in today's world. This audience is striving to make life better for children, beginning with home lives where children are first taught how to live and learn. Families are the basic social unit of society and important to their children's and our nation's futures. "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher" recognizes that families need help in becoming the best teachers for their children in our rapidly changing and sometimes cruel world. "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher" is also written for advocates who help support children and their families through community initiatives and in and out of school time programs. Clues in this guidebook may help families and advocates move from where you are right now (the status quo) to your future plans and goals to improve children's academic achievement so they can have better life chances in their futures - which benefit our nation also. The sections and chapters comprising "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher" introduce many concepts as clues to family building more family well-being, relationship building and student achievement.

Critique: Absolutely 'reader friendly' in tone, scope, commentary, organization, and presentation, "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher: A Holistic Guide To Link Home And School" is as informed and informative as it is 'real world' practical and 'do-it-yourself' applicable from beginning to end. "You Are Your Child's Best Teacher" is very highly recommended for community library Parenting/Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing
Kim Curtis
www.KimCurtisSpeaker.com
Financial Literacy Press
www.wealthlegacyinstitute.com
9780991316601, $22.95, HC, 176pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing" by wealth management advisor, speaker and author Kim Curtis is especially commended to the attention of anyone for whom money makes them uneasy, for whom the fear of losing money keeps them awake at night, for all those who would you like to be smarter about employing their money. Money questions plague all of us at one time or another and penetrate every aspect of our lives it doesn't matter how old you are or how much money you have. "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing" provides solid, practical, realistic and action-oriented guidance for dealing with protecting a financial future; financially surviving the unexpected twists and turns of the economy, a career or family members create; having an investment strategy that encompasses the highest vision for ourselves versus what others think we should have important? "Money Secrets" provides a front row seat to what the financial industry doesn't want known about investing, from a true financial services industry insider. For example, over 90 percent of so-called financial advisors are in the business of making profitable sales for themselves. Most who work for brokerage firms, banks and insurance companies, make money by selling products from their employers grab bag? That means that every stock, every trade, every mutual fund everything most advisors recommend buying and put into your portfolio gives them a kickback of some type. Those so-called 'financial advisors' may not have your best interest in mind. "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing" is a common-sense approach to planning and investing wisely.

Critique: Impressively well written, exceptionally informed and informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in tone, organization and presentation, "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing " should be considered a "must read" for anyone planning on investing in any stock and/or bond portfolio. Simply stated, every community library in the country should have a copy of "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing" in the Money/Finance collections for the benefit of their patrons. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Money Secrets: Keys to Smart Investing " is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Poetry Shelf

Defining Moments
Joseph E. LeBlanc, Jr.
iUniverse, Inc.
c/o Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Suite #300, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
9780595847891 $25.95 hc
9780595404131 $15.95 pbk www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In Defining Moments, Joseph LeBlanc takes us on a journey through times and happenings in his life firm in the belief that so many of these moments have been lived by each of us in countless ways that are, in the end, so much the same. His words speak of hopes and fears and loss and pain and of the spirit that survives. He finds in these moments a common thread and finds it well. These are roads well-traveled as we make our way, sometimes halting, sometimes tentative, always in search of more meaning. There is much to savor that should not be missed. Rare will be the reader who is not found somewhere in these pages. Rarer still will be the one who is not moved to remembrance and reflection from having read this way.

Critique: Defining Moments is a more than a compilation of free-verse poetry; it is also the memoir and legacy of a devoted husband and father, spanning almost forty years. Author Joseph E. LeBlanc, Jr. offers a brief paragraph of context in preface to each poem; collectively, the verses reflect those moments of timeless memory, human choices, emotions, love, and inner conflict that shape life itself. Highly recommended. "The Reassembling": We travel in time / more than we know, / departing with those who / go ahead, / leaving vestiges of our selves / for our return, / the space filled by memories / we have learned. // We are strangers welcomed back, / seeming the same, / but drifting in a void, / returning as someone else / that no kings horses or kings men / can ever put back together again.

Wayward Lines
Ariana D. Den Bleyker
http://arianaddenbleyker.com
Raw Art Press
www.rawartpress.com
9780981953465, $15.00, PB, 76pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Life is no lightweight thing, as poet Ariana Bleyker writes, "we are reborn in our heavy steps, our secrets zippered shut on our backs". Our humanity, our bodies, is where we find ourselves in her poems, in the drama, in the finality of acceptance and self- determination, at the edge in which we burn white hot. The inward entanglement of two bodies strong in love, in leaving, in struggle, emotions and feelings, thick, palpable, and wonderment too whatever it is we experience, the body is the doorway, the body pushing against gravity, pulled by its own vision, needs and desires, "our secrets" leave us with "mud up to our ankles." Love, in "Wayward Lines", is fathoms into the quick, leaving the shallows of fantasy, romance. The body is our connection, here is breath, teeth, throat, mouth, tongue, arms, skin eyes throb, our backs carry the world and our dreams, "hands full of dark." The body, life, is its own hunger and the beauty, even when we feel broken. These are poems of relationship, of home and traversing the impossible as we feel every inch of it.

Critique: An impressive word smith who is able to plumb the depths of the human experience and the emotions infused into those experiences, Ariana Bleyker is an impressively gifted poet and "Wayward Lines" a very highly recommended addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Contemporary American Poetry collections. 'Burying the Dead': He says I'm supposed to heal, reconcile / the past, even if pain is the healing / and the reconciling burying the dead. / So I cover myself in black and howl / over empty caskets, watch the internments, / smell the cremations, seek solace / in stowing red roses beneath my bed, / shelving ashes in my closet. I have only / flowers, a color, a scent, stretching my / insides out until i let it all go, go down, / down until it is dying, dead, and my world / breaking open, heart unbound, having no / word for closure or anything like it.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Living in the Flow: Practicing Vibrational Alignment
Ruth Cherry
Balboa Press
c/o Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
www.balboapress.com
www.meditationintro.com
9781504328937, $17.99, PB, 266pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: When we open to heal, we invite the power that creates worlds to move through us and guide us. We practice presence, we pay attention, and we allow. "Living in the Flow: Practicing Vibrational Alignment" by Ruth Cherry (who practices individual psychotherapy, writes, and offers daily guided meditation groups) illustrates this process with journal writing, psychological insights, meditation instruction, and spiritual awareness.

Critique: A deftly crafted and impressively well written, organized and presented instructional, "Living in the Flow: Practicing Vibrational Alignment" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Meditation Studies, Metaphysical Studies, and Self-Help/Self-Improvement reference collections and supplemental studies lists. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Living in the Flow: Practicing Vibrational Alignment" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

Path of the Heart
Beverly Lanzetta
Blue Sapphire Books
http://bluesapphirebooks.com
9780984061624, $15.00, PB, 210pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: "Path of the Heart: A Spiritual Guide to Divine Union, Expanded Edition with Commentary" by theologian and spiritual teacher Beverly Lanzetta is a modern spiritual classic, and the first written account of the life-changing mystical revelations of divine suffering and divine love that she experienced in 1976. Completed in 1984, and originally published in 1985, the text for "Path of the Heart" describes the interior process of mystical intimacy or union, combining insights from Lanzetta's own transformation with those she witnessed in the souls of people who came to her for spiritual guidance. Now published in a newly updated and expanded edition with Beverly Lanzetta's commentary on each chapter comprising "Path of the Heart" is a clear guide for those who deeply yearn for spiritual meaning in life.

Critique: As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Path of the Heart: A Spiritual Guide to Divine Union, Expanded Edition with Commentary" is an inherently inspired and inspiring read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community and academic library Metaphysical Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Path of the Heart" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Gods, Goddesses, and Saints
Barbara Carroll
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478747000, $34.95, PB, 554pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Chanting exists in many religious and spiritual traditions. The practice of chant focuses the mind and body with simple physics of sound, while the choice of chant can reflect a specific need, or honor a tradition. "Gods, Goddesses, and Saints" by Barbara Carroll is a user-friendly, in-depth, and comprehensive guide to a solitary practice of chant and meditation, providing chants from many faiths, ranging from pagan deities to saints from many religions. Beautifully organized in many different ways, "Gods, Goddesses, and Saints" encourages you to explore the resonance of important figures and their associations and meanings across many traditions. You will also find blank forms to help you create your own chants and meditations. "Gods, Goddesses, and Saints" provides a fresh view of spiritual practice and new ideas for the future of faith.

Critique: Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, "Gods, Goddesses, and Saints" is a unique and very strongly recommended addition to Metaphysical Studies instructional reference collections. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, for personal studies lists it should be noted that "Gods, Goddesses, and Saints" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).


The Biography Shelf

Roberta's Boys: Four Pitts Brothers of Macon, GA
Ann B. Carlson
Ann Carlson Publishing
9780996288309, $26.95, HC, 282pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: In the pages of "Roberta's Boys: Four Pitts Brothers of Macon, GA", author Ann B. Carlson tells the inspiring true life-stories of four great African-American men (Dr. Willis N. Pitts, Robert B. Pitts, Dr. Raymond J. Pitts and Dr. Nathan A. Pitts), their wives, and their children. "Roberta's Boys" explores how these men were able to recover from childhood's tragic losses to succeed as accomplished professionals, despite the discrimination of the Jim Crow South, and how they contributed to the nation during the Civil Rights Era. They were four brothers, born in the early years of the 20th century to an educated and ambitious African-American couple of Macon, Georgia. Their parents, part of the emerging black middle class, gave them an affectionate family, a close community, and the best schooling available to blacks at that time. Then, a family tragedy took resources and security away and scattered the family to the four winds. In the years of the Great Depression, throughout World War II and beyond, these men would have to summon every ounce of the faith and fortitude they learned at their mother's knee: to survive, to finish college and graduate school, and to each make their own, notable contribution to the nation in government service or education. Each son gave his mother, Roberta ("Sis") Pitts, the credit for his success.

Critique: A deftly chronicled history of the triumph of the human spirit over incredible adversity, "Roberta's Boys: Four Pitts Brothers of Macon, GA" is a compelling and ultimately inspiring read from beginning to end. "Roberta's Boys: Four Pitts Brothers of Macon, GA" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended for personal reading lists, in addition to community and academic library American Biography and Black Studies collections.

Fading into Focus
Joan Kantor
CreateSpace
4900 LaCross Rd., North Charleston, SC 29406
www.createspace.com
9781505633986, $12.00, PB, 84pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Nothing strains family relationships like Alzheimer's. As her mother begins her descent into dementia, Joan Kantor must assume a challenging role. Layers of past and present become a complicated reality that she must untangle for both of them. "Fading into Focus" is Kantor's unique memoir of their relationship told through a collection of over fifty poems. Through the flexibility of verse, Kantor dips into different moments and memories, offering raw insights into her frustration, guilt, and confusion as she struggles to understand who her mother is and how that knowledge affects her as a daughter. At its heart, Kantor's poetry is painfully honest. Rather than tiptoe around past hurts, she reveals that forgiveness doesn't forget but is instead a choice to value love more than justice. These poems are an encouraging read for anyone caring for a loved one suffering from dementia or dealing with a challenging relationship because they offer a foundational hope that frees you to consider your own situation with new, compassionate eyes and experience the peace that accompanies a life of grace.

Critique: With an impressive candor and an exceptional ability to craft poetry that touches the psyche as well as the heart, "Fading into Focus" is a truly extraordinary read and one that will linger in the mind and memory long after it has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Absolutely recommended for personal reading lists, "Fading into Focus" is certain to prove an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library collections as well.

Good Luck Bill
Carrie Herzner
www.carrieherzner.com
Goat Tree Press
9780990892519, $9.95, PB, 152pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Can we inherit the capability (or the inability) to love someone? Does one failed relationship put all future ones at risk? Could it be that what tears two people apart are the very things they hold in common? These are just some of the questions explored by Carrie Herzner in the pages of "Good Luck Bill", Her own haunting and raw true story of an unraveling marriage which compelled her to take a closer look at her virtually nonexistent relationship with her long-absent father. What else could she do when her husband blamed their failed marriage on her genetics. As Carrie enters her new role as a single mother of two boys, she begins the difficult process of reconnecting with her father Bill. As some questions are answered and new ones are raised, she gradually comes to terms with where she came from and who she has become. Sometimes, before we can move forward, we have to go back and shed some light on the dark places.

Critique: A deftly crafted and extraordinarily candid personal memoir, "Good Luck Bill" is an inherently fascinating and fully absorbing read from beginning to end. "Good Luck Bill" is all the more impressive considering that it is mother, hairstylist, and yoga devotee Carrie's first book. Very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library American Biography collections, it should be noted that "Good Luck Bill" is also available in a Kindle edition ($2.99).


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening
Abbot George Burke
Light of the Spirit Press
PO Box 1370, Cedar Crest, NM 87008
www.ocoy.org
9781507722541, $14.95, PB, 296pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: While the rest of the Apostles dispersed to various areas of the Mediterranean world, the apostle Thomas travelled to India, where growing evidence shows that Jesus spent his "Lost Years," and which had been the source of the wisdom which he had brought to the "West". The Gospel According to Thomas (or the Gospel of Thomas) is an early Christian non-canonical sayings-gospel that many scholars believe provides insight into the oral gospel traditions. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945 among a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. In "The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening", Abbot George Burke shines the "Light of the East" on the sometimes enigmatic sayings of Jesus recorded by his apostle Saint Thomas, revealing their unique and rich practical nature for modern day seekers for spiritual life.

Critique: An extraordinary work of theological commentary by Abbot George Burke (who is also known as Swami Nirmalananda Giri), "The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening" is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring. Very highly recommended to clergy and non-specialist general readers with an interest in The Gospel of Thomas, this outstanding volume is very highly recommended for seminary, church, community, and academic library Christian Studies reference collections in general, and The Gospel of Thomas supplemental studies in particular. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Gospel of Thomas for Awakening" is also available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99).

International Studies For The Christian
William Tisdale
Lulu Publishing
3101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5436
www.lulu.com
9781329634909, $19.99, PB, 338pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: William Tisdale wrote his "International Studies For The Christian" with the specific intention and purpose of helping his fellow Christians to utilize the Bible as a resource for identifying, exploring, researching, and analyzing international issues, global affairs, and current events with a given geographic framework to reveal the otherwise unseen hand and unrecognized scriptural truth of a wise, intelligent, and powerful God intervening in the affairs of mankind. The purpose of that divine intervention being to save men and women from a sinful and decadent world.

Critique: An inherently absorbing read from beginning to end, "International Studies For The Christian" is as informed and informative, and as thoughtful and thought-provoking, as it is inspired and inspiring. Very highly recommended for all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation, as well seminary and church Christian Studies reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "International Studies For The Christian" is also available in a Kindle edition ($11.99).

Fishing For God -- And Vice Versa
Bill Rooney
Xulon Press
2301 Lucien Way, Suite 415, Maitland, FL 32751
www.xulonpress.com
9781498422925, $16.99, PB, 168pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Any fisherman can attest to this undeniable truth: when it is just you, a fishing pole and the water, God's loving presence can feel closer to you more than anything else. In the pages of "Fishing For God -- And Vice Versa", author and longtime angler Bill Rooney confirms this truth from personal experience, feeling the peace of God while bobbing in the waterways of the United States and even Canada. He recalls several of his favorite fishing and camping memories, as well as those of friends and recognized authority figures. The articles comprising "Fishing For God -- And Vice Versa" are published pieces from the Rooney's years as a freelance writer for various magazines, combining fishing tips, stories and even scriptures that include one of the most appreciated fisherman, Simon Peter. The truth he hopes to reveal is that God calls us to become more like disciples of Jesus, embodying fishers of men and not just of fish.

Critique: As entertaining a read as it is inspired and inspiring, "Fishing For God -- And Vice Versa" is very highly recommended, especially to all members of the Christian community regardless of their denominational affiliation. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fishing For God -- And Vice Versa" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


The Parenting Shelf

Home Childcare vs Childcare Centers
Alice O. Carrillo
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 S. Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
www.outskirtspress.com
9781478758136 $19.95 / $9.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Synopsis: Childcare is critical in this country. Women are forced to go work more than ever. The children are left with relatives and friends because of high cost and not being able to fine high quality childcare for their children. The book helps parents find high quality childcare, and to be aware of childcare that is not 100% for the children but instead is there because of the money. The book makes the parents aware of how to choose an excellent childcare for their children. It explains the pros and cons of both home childcare program and childcare centers. The book talks about what to expect from both programs. How as a parent, can help the provider to improve her program, making the program a better place for their children. The book has observations on both home childcare programs and childcare centers. This helps the parents see what is healthier for the children ages from 0 to 4. The book has art activities, activities for rainy days, and activities for infants and toddlers, It's an excellent book for parents that have the problem of finding high quality childcare but yet reasonable in cost. The book has a monthly curriculum that parents can follow, so that their children can be ready when it's time for kindergarten. The book contains information about nutrition and includes a well balanced weekly menu. This helps parents know how to select healthy foods for their children. This information can be shared with their childcare provider. It contains tips on what to look for when visiting a childcare program. It has questions the parents can ask the childcare provider on the first visit. The book is a big help to parents!

Critique: Author Alice O. Carrillo has a master's degree in Early Child Development; she operated her own home childcare program for 15 years, ran her own childcare center for 10 years, and works as an advocate for children's rights. Now she shares her years of expertise in the field. Home childcare programs and childcare centers each have different pros and cons, which should be weighed carefully while determining what is best for one's child. While Carrillo emphasizes the value of a home setting that is friendlier, less stressful, and offers children more freedom, she also reminds readers that "...your child, sooner or later, needs a childcare program that offers preschool." The suggestions for activities and games are useful whether at home with one's own children or taking care of children in a professional setting. Highly recommended for parents, caregivers, and educators of young children everywhere.


The Sports Shelf

Minnesota Gold
Patrick 'Packy' Mader & Joel Rippel
www.patrickmader.com
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
837 Glenwood Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55405
www.wiseinkpub.com
9781634890076, $39.95, HC, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Synopsis: ''If we can only stay on our feet, we'll medal!'' These are the words of Minnesota speedskating silver medalist, Randy Bartz. Minnesotans, in the heart of the Midwest, have long been known for their humble nature and work ethic and have long taken great pride in their athletics. "Minnesota Gold: Conversations with Northland Athletes Competing on the World Stage" celebrates the perseverance and triumphs of fifty-seven diverse homegrown athletes from 1948-2014 as they pursued their dreams to compete in the greatest international competitions. "Minnesota Gold" is a compilation of inspiring biographies, in which Patrick ''Packy'' Mader (with the help of Joel Rippel) shares the memorable conversations he had with these remarkable men and women who honored their sport, their state, and their country on the world stage over the last seven decades.

Critique: Profusely illustrated, "Minnesota Gold: Conversations with Northland Athletes Competing on the World Stage" is a unique and absolutely absorbing read which is very highly recommended, not only for Minnesota sports fans, but as a template for others to emulate in presenting similar studies of sports and athletics in other states and regions of the country. Informed and informative, "Minnesota Gold" is certain to be an enduringly popular addition to all Minnesota community and academic library collections!


The Political Science Shelf

Breaking Big Money's Grip on America
Bruce Berlin
Our Time Books
breakingbigmoneysgrip.com
9780996623209 $14.95 pbk / $8.95 Kindle www.amazon.com

Synopsis: The power of huge sums of money greatly influences elections and public policy in the United States today. As a result, some people see the United States as a plutocracy run by and for the very rich. Breaking Big Money's Grip on America provides convincing evidence to support this view and explores how a nationwide Democracy Movement can overcome the ruling status of Big Money and convert our government into one that instead serves the true needs and desires of the American people. Moreover, it demonstrates why breaking Big Money's grip on our government is critical to solving other crucial issues, like affordable healthcare, climate change, gun violence, homeland security, immigration reform, Social Security, and income inequality. Whether you are a conservative, moderate, liberal, or progressive, your participation is vital for building this grassroots movement to fix our broken political system.

Critique Breaking Big Money's Grip on America lives up to its title as a call to action. Only the collective will of the people, and their participation in the political process, has a prayer of countering the enormous influence of money in American democracy. Chapters outline point-by-point principles in need of immediate legal implementation, including mandatory public financing of all congressional and presidential elections, a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court's infamous "Citizens United" and associated decisions that equated money with speech and corporations with people, eliminate gerrymandering of congressional districts, regulate lobbying more closely, eliminate the Electoral College so that the President must win the popular vote to be elected, strike down restrictive voter ID requirements, and more. Chapters also direct readers to current grass-roots movements working today to create a more democratic tomorrow. In today's troubling times, where the election season is dominated by misleading television advertisements funded by the wealthiest one percent, Breaking Big Money's Grip on America is worthy of the highest recommendation.


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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