Diana and Rosanna Savone, writing as the Savone Sisters, embrace female empowerment in a setting with hardly any—1924 Detroit—in their richly detailed debut novel. Beautiful and sheltered Sofia Denaro, the 18-year-old wife of mobster Max Denaro, is no Mafia princess. Max uses violence, threats, and access to corrupt police to force Sofia to marry him; though she loves to sing and wants to be a performer, she resigns herself to her fate, believing her only options are “to become a nun, a wife, or a prostitute.” But a month after the wedding, Sofia has had enough of being battered into submission. She lures her husband onto a secluded houseboat for a romantic evening and sets in motion a plan to secure her freedom.

After some heavy foreshadowing of the eventual showdown between Sofia and Max, the novel flashes back to the night they met and explores the events that lead to their rendezvous, including double-crosses, jealousy and conflict with Sofia’s friend Irene, and a secret pregnancy. The drama, wreathed in the smoke from guns and cigarettes, feels straight out of a classic film. So does the dialogue, which sometimes incorporates awkward eye dialect for lower-class Italian-Americans (“Butta the missus is-a beautiful”). The conceit of the Denaros telling each other their recollections leads to sections of summary and intrusive narration (“Sofia explained what she meant by her seething retort to Max with a new story”), and Sofia’s naïveté can feel at odds with her thoughtful feminist analyses of cultural issues.

The Savones effectively show the challenges facing women of the era, and their depiction of Sofia’s innocence and fear makes her eventual claiming of her power all the more effective. This is a vivid portrayal of a world “built around man’s convenience and on the backs of women’s free labor” and the women determined to make their own way within it.

Takeaway: This Prohibition-era story will satisfy noir fans who want to cheer on a woman’s quest to escape abuse and claim her power.

Great for fans of Renee Rosen’s Dollface, Judith Mackrell’s Flappers.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: C

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With this debut, a richly imagined epic fantasy tinged with science fiction, Ayarovu dives into the curious world of Stazr by blending picaresque travelogue with a traditional heroic quest narrative. Ayarovu catalogues Stazr’s customs, languages, creatures, and deepest history. The amusing, discursive tour guide on this journey is the naive Lael, a noble-born fiction writer who receives a summons to the ancient tree city of Trabarad, where the ruling families have determined that he is “the Chozen One.” Instead of hurrying in his quest, he chooses to draw the reader’s attention to Stazr’s many wonders: its dust volcanoes, its extraordinary flora and fauna, its ancient societies, and its myths and legends.

Lael’s digressive journey is far from the usual high fantasy fare. For all its comic incidents and occasional dangers, his story focuses on Ayarovu’s worldbuilding—the many invented nouns are helpfully footnoted—and her protagonist's discovery of his place in that world. Accompanied by a chatty not-quite-pig called a “shwine,” Lael traverses the Worthless Lands, marveling at every strange encounter or feature of Ayarovu’s fantastical landscape: a reeking bird woman, the dancing rituals of one of Stazr’s “middling species.” The greater purpose of Lael’s quest, to reopen lost gates between worlds, is not revealed until deep in the book. For more answers, readers are invited to investigate the author’s multimedia tie-ins online.

Ayarovu’s eagerness to share her love of her world’s languages and cultures comes at the cost of narrative momentum. Readers eager only for adventure may find the trek arduous, especially when Lael narrates his dreams, recounts tall tales, or engages in philosophical inquiry about the nature of freedom. Those interested in a meandering journey through the imaginative wilds will relish Ayarovu’s immersive storytelling.

Takeaway: This ambitious fantasy travelogue will reward readers who favor thoughtful inventiveness over high-tension adventure.

Great for fans of Sofia Samatar, Mervyn Peake.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: -
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about STAZR The World Of Z: The Dawn Of Athir

This enticing debut novel from poet Turner (Lost and Found: Rhyming Verse Honoring African-American Heroes) chronicles a young black woman’s coming of age amid the turbulent racism of Louisiana and Boston just prior to the civil rights era. Nell Jones, born in 1941, grew up on a farm in Louisiana, basking in the support of her family and enjoying the comfort of books. At 16, she agrees to marry Henry Bight, a man 10 years her senior, and they move to Boston after being wed. Nell’s attraction to Henry wanes as he exerts total control over her life, barely letting her leave their apartment. After giving birth to two children, Nell demands that Henry allow her to attend church. There she meets Charles Johnson, a college-educated man who shares her love of books and learning. When their brief affair results in a child, Nell faces Henry’s wrath. But Turner eschews the traditional “fallen woman” plot, and Nell finds she has more resources and support than she expects.

The parts of the novel set in segregated Louisiana illuminate the socioeconomic and educational discrimination experienced by African-Americans. Turner alludes to the omnipresent undercurrent of fear, referencing the brutal hanging of Emmett Till and Nell’s startled awareness of overt discrimination when she visits her family after living in Boston.

Turner’s character work is excellent, establishing Nell, Henry, and Charles as real people, complete with imperfections. Nell in particular is a complex young woman, whose desire for love, family, and learning make her easy to connect with. Turner’s secondary characters are equally fleshed out and complex: Phyllis Leonard, a minister’s wife, is generous and but strict in her morals, accepting Nell into the church fold but masterminding Henry’s plan to evict Nell from their home after her infidelity. Turner has crafted an accessible and absorbing historical drama about one woman’s path to creating the life and home she wants.

Takeaway: This historical drama about surviving racism and abuse will move any reader interested in African-American lives in the early 20th century.

Great for fans of Jacqueline Woodson’s Red at the Bone, Toni Morrison’s Sula.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B-

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Jackson’s searingly angry and honest book, in which he reveals the lifelong trauma left by his circumcision, is equal parts memoir and polemic. Jackson’s memories of his botched circumcision as an infant reverberated into his adulthood, resulting in recurring nightmares, body dysmorphia, and painful erectile dysfunction. He details his long, painful journey to restore his foreskin, a process that included plastic surgery and the use of an “advanced restoration device.” Jackson angrily compares circumcision to ritualized sexual assault and urges parents to really think about what they're doing when they circumcise their sons.

Jackson tends to write in circles, repeatedly falling into spiraling rants and rambles. The book occasionally loses focus for dozens of pages at a time, resulting in a 400-page narrative that would have been far more effective at half the length. It occasionally reads like an unedited journal, which can detract from the points Jackson’s trying to make. When he declares that any circumcised male who doesn’t share his viewpoint has been brainwashed, or says circumcision is equivalent to rape and pedophilia, it alienates readers who don’t already agree with him, eroding the potential power of his message.

When the story is focused on the author’s personal experience, however, the book has a powerful sense of furious momentum. Jackson describes the physical and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his bigoted family with heartbreaking vulnerability. He includes several powerful anecdotes describing the enraged reactions to his beliefs about the evils of circumcision: urologists hurl homophobic insults at him in full waiting rooms; a cousin-in-law threatens to force Jackson and his husband to circumcise a hypothetical future child. In these passages, the author effectively calls out the indoctrination in both religion and medicine. Despite the lack of clear focus, this is a powerful and moving narrative of suffering and recuperation.

Takeaway: This unflinching memoir could be a valuable resource for readers researching the negative effects of circumcision.

Great for fans of Ronald Goldman’s Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma.

Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: C
Illustrations: -
Editing: C
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about Circumcision Scar

Rush’s fast-paced debut memoir, narrating the thrilling highs and devastating lows of winning the Canadian lottery, serves up an entertaining cautionary tale of good intentions exploited by bad actors. Having grown up on welfare, Rush recounts, he was all too familiar with struggling to make ends meet. But in 2015, during a routine trip to the corner store to pick up cat food for his beloved Conway Kitty, Rush finds out he’s won the $50 million jackpot. After traveling, giving away a million dollars, and splurging on swanky sports cars, Rush decides that it’s time to use his money for good. Despite misgivings, he invests millions in a software startup run by a friend’s son, the young and ambitious Jeremy Crawford.

Rush’s reservations about his business partner are proven right when he catches wind of Crawford’s extravagant spending. Rush launches a court case against him, hoping to both get his money back and bring attention to white-collar crime. Rush’s writing is effortless and casual; he shares everything from his experiences growing up and his naïveté about giving away money to his slow-building anger at being taken advantage of. The gullibility he recounts displaying occasionally makes for a frustrating read, but it serves to hammer home just how unprepared the average person is for sudden wealth.

This narrative expertly shows readers the joy that can come from financial comfort while making it very clear that even the best friendships can be threatened when that much money is on the line. Rush uses his experiences to make larger points about white-collar crime, rather than just villainizing his thieving former partner. Rush’s evolution from naive lottery winner to philanthropist and activist is admirable, and readers will enjoy this rags-to-riches memoir about bringing a con artist to justice.

Takeaway: Fans of fast-paced stories of con artists getting their due will celebrate lottery winner Rush’s victories against white-collar crime.

Great for fans of Frank W. Abagnale’s Catch Me if You Can, Tom Wright and Bradley Hope’s Billion Dollar Whale.

Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: -
Editing: A+
Marketing copy: B

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In Rice’s exciting sequel to Eve of Snows, most members of the Silone Clans have abandoned their home, Kaludor, to the demonic Shadows of Man. They find uneasy refuge in one of the Tek nation’s Hundred Kingdoms. The three series protagonists are separated. Eliles and the small group who remained behind in Kaludor discover that the towering walls of flame she conjured have mysterious repercussions, and something seems to be moving inside them. Ivin’s attempt to negotiate a formal peace with the Hidreng ends in a stalemate, as he is forced to make the impossible choice between sacrificing his people’s lives and severing their connection to their gods. A desperate plan to find allies sends Solineus to seek the protection of the Edan people; in return, he must arrange a meeting with the Touched, a being of immense power.

The plight of the Silone refugees is central in this installment, so many questions raised in the first book remain unanswered, which may frustrate some readers. Inconsistencies in the plot might confuse others. But Rice takes every opportunity to add depth and nuance to his convincing fantasy world. He also provides a gripping plot, with the determined clan leaders trying desperately to save their people from Tek aggression, and the threat of starvation punctuated by fierce battles.

The constant pressure to outwit the enemy and protect the Silone people is a great crucible in which Rice’s characters grow and develop over the course of the book. Ivin comes into his own as a diplomat and strategist; Solineus’s charisma earns him a rival, and his meeting with the Touched provides new clues and insight into the enigmatic being. The thrilling battles and poignant struggles of the Silone refugees make for a captivating read.

Takeaway: The second Sundering the Gods novel will appeal to epic fantasy readers who love layered conflict and complex story lines.

Great for fans of George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, R. Scott Bakker’s The Darkness That Comes Before.

Production grades
Cover: A+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B
Editing: C
Marketing copy: A

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In this thorough and thoughtful hands-on guide, Schmida, the founder and chief innovation officer of the global development and corporate sustainability consulting firm Resonance, lays out practical, hard-won advice for companies considering partnerships with governments, NGOs, faith-based groups, universities, think tanks, and other mission-driven institutions. Drawing from two decades’ experience initiating and managing cross-sector partnerships, Schmida persuasively demonstrates how the “logic of interdependence” has made it urgent for corporations to ally with outside organizations to face the business-threatening, multi-dimensional concerns he terms “wicked problems,” such as issues of sustainability, climate change, labor rights, and public health.

In clear, forceful prose illustrated by occasional tidy charts and tables, Schmida uses revealing case histories, such as seafood company Thai Union’s partnerships with the Migrant Workers Rights Network and Greenpeace, to illustrate the challenges of communicating and collaborating across sectors. He provides models of common types of partnerships, a roster of essential roles, frameworks for establishing common goals and sharing risks and rewards, and criteria for the measuring of results. His practical guidelines are especially thorough, covering seeking out, securing, implementing, scaling, and sustaining potential partnerships as well as getting partners across what he calls “The Partnership Valley of Death” and into a committed formal agreement.

The author is attentive to the nuances of cross-sector collaboration, especially the management of expectations when residents of the corporate world find themselves attempting to communicate with those in the public or nonprofit sectors. (“Be willing to meet to get a meeting,” he suggests.) Schmida lays out straightforward, actionable steps to identify potential opportunities and avoid key hazards. Unlike many business books, this one isn’t selling a method, a service, or other products; it is simply a thorough and practical work that knows its audience very well. This valuable guide is both a spirited entreaty and practical road map for powerful collaborations between businesses and mission-driven organizations.

Takeaway: This highly practical guide will light the way for business owners and corporate executives seeking cross-sector partnerships.

Great for fans of David Gage’s The Partnership Charter, Simon Sinek’s Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A

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A third grade schoolteacher, Mr. Moonbeam, moonlights as a witch and a guardian of humankind in this suspenseful middle grade fantasy. Primarily a guide for magical children like Elliott, who must hide in plain sight in the nonmagical world, Mr. Moonbeam is tasked by the goddess Enchantra with thwarting an evil being called Noir. Things look grim when Noir successfully steals the powerful Halloween Crystal and goes after his own estranged daughter, Sabrina, but then Elliott’s magic manifests as truth-seeing, which gives Mr. Moonbeam and his team of guardians a chance to foil Noir’s evil plans.

Though the first chapter sets up Elliott as the main character, he is quickly sidelined as the adults learn of the danger to the magical world and prepare to fight back. When Mr. Moonbeam prepares to sneak into Noir’s castle at the climax of the tale, Elliott is finally able to step into the story and use his magic to guide his teacher through the castle, but then is once again sent off to safety when Mr. Moonbeam finally goes to confront Noir directly. While a logical choice, it’s an odd one for a book aimed at younger audiences. The protagonist is a kind and admirable man, but some children may have trouble connecting with the story when their most obvious proxy is routinely whisked away from the action, playing a supporting role at best.

The writing is simple and, if sometimes a little repetitive, appropriate for a grade school chapter book. Elliott and Mr. Moonbeam are likable and good-hearted heroes, and both are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to stand up against evil and destruction and to protect the magical world they love. This fantastical battle between good and evil magic will please fans of classic children’s fantasy.

Takeaway: This magic-fueled battle between light and darkness will appeal to cautious young readers who wonder why kids in books are always left alone to save the world.

Great for fans of E.S. Ivy’s Miri Attwater series, Madeleine L'Engle.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Papa (Haunted Las Vegas) demonstrates a gift for gritty crime fiction with this page-turning debut novel. The only thing left for Max Rossi in 1950s Boston is the family business—organized crime—so he picks up stakes and moves to Las Vegas. Rossi has a moral streak despite his father’s work as a mob fixer, and when he sees powerful Chicago gangster Joe “The Barber” Bilotti hit a woman, he punches Bilotti in the face. That act of chivalry puts him in law enforcement’s sights as the prime suspect after Bilotti is murdered, forcing Rossi to turn gumshoe and find the real killer.

Papa, whose previous work includes two Vegas travel guides, makes good use of what he knows about the city. He plausibly recreates the feel of Las Vegas in the 1950s without anything feeling forced, anachronistic, or used to foreshadow future events. He also does a good job of balancing nicely noirish prose (from the opening sentence, “I was two eggs into a three-egg omelet when my breakfast was interrupted by a man who slid into my booth across the table from me”) with gradually and effortlessly supplying Rossi’s backstory.

The premise of a mob-affiliated man turning PI may not be original, but Papa puts his own spin on it. The action scenes are tightly written and avoid clichés, coming across as fresh and novel in a genre where that is no small achievement. The occasional poetic flourishes, as when Papa describes a character moving “with a certain resistance—a man who didn’t want to get where he was going,” add an extra layer to the narrative. Rossi’s guilt about the unexpected consequences of an effort to be generous comes across as sincere and heart-felt. This is an excellent hard-boiled mystery: cleverly written, smoothly paced, and with a protagonist who’s compelling enough to sustain a series.

Takeaway: Fans of old-fashioned crime fiction will be delighted by Papa’s outstanding debut, featuring a kind-hearted mobster turned PI in a perfectly described 1950s Las Vegas.

Great for fans of Loren D. Estleman, Martha Grimes.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B-

Click here for more about Maximum Rossi

With a mind-bending blend of history and loosely connected vignettes, debut novelist Pietras pens a literary love letter to the myths, mountains, and characters of Chamonix, France. A haven for extreme sports enthusiasts in almost all seasons, Pietras’s Chamonix has its share of legends that flourish among the secretive, tourist-tolerating locals. Little perturbs them, though they tend to steer clear of the murderous Chevaux des Bossons—a pack of reputedly bloodthirsty horses cared for by Madame Champignon, who’s a bit of a local legend herself. When stranger-than-usual deaths begin to occur and there are quiet mentions of monkeys spotted among the area’s peaks and glaciers, both are quickly attributed to the strange, eccentric nature of Chamonix—though the author declines to say why.

At once a work of “fact-ion” and a detailed examination of a cultural subdivision, the novel contains elements of intrigue, fantasy, spirituality, and psychological terror, but focuses more on descriptions and character histories than on plot. Casual readers may find their attention wandering from the cerebral, labyrinthine prose, which can obfuscate Pietras’s subtle, clever commentary on politics and philosophy. Transitions are particularly jarring, and readers might need to reread earlier sections to follow the connections the author tries to make.

Pietras’s intimate character sketches have a fresh, whimsical feel, especially when paired with intricate, expansive descriptions of a beloved town. The novel is sometimes more thoughtful than coherent. This beautifully crafted but sprawling blend of travelogue and fiction will appeal to literary readers with a love of wordplay.

Takeaway: Readers with overlapping interests in extreme sports, history, and philosophy will appreciate this beautifully crafted, sprawling blend of travelogue and fiction.

Great for fans of Jon Krakauer, John Kennedy Toole.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: C

Click here for more about In This Delicious Garden

Ge’s debut is a spirited pep talk for working mothers, providing information and strategies to improve emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Ge shares what she learned about being healthy, happy, and confident while balancing her studies in pharmacy school, taking care of an asthmatic son, and buying a new home. She backs up her life lessons with years of research into “mind and body transformation methods.” The book is divided into three parts: “The Mind” discusses attitudes, thinking, and emotions; “The Body” addresses physical needs, aging, and strategies for health and self-confidence; and “The Path” provides encouragement and suggestions for pursuing personal goals outside of family obligations.

Ge makes some pointed observations on American society’s distorted view of beauty and its adverse effect on women, but these are occasionally undermined by judgmental comments that are rooted in superficial, stereotypical standards of physical beauty. She writes that elderly women swing their arms in a way that implies “aging and frailty,” boasts of her own “youthful look” and “hourglass figure,” and suggests that regular lovemaking will give one’s skin an enviable glow: “Think of your partner as a super Botox/filler machine.” Readers may find this approach more dispiriting than encouraging.

With a passionate and positive voice and occasional simple illustrations of core concepts, Ge empowers and educates readers on numerous subjects, encouraging them to give up “perfection” for “good enough.” She gives clear explanations of how to reverse-engineer solutions in pursuit of one’s aspirations, beginning at a goal and working backwards toward the starting point. Ge includes bountiful tips on managing time and resources and breaks them down into easy, actionable steps. Though she occasionally falls back on generalizations, many of her personal anecdotes and evidence from professionals back up her arguments about the use of positive thinking to pursue peace of mind and success in life. Ge’s expansive and practical advice on accomplishing personal goals results in a meaningful and invigorating message for women.

Takeaway: Overwhelmed women will appreciate these encouraging tips for pursuing personal goals and happiness.

Great for fans of Great for fans of O’s Little Guide to Finding Your True Purpose, Shannon Kaiser’s The Self-Love Experiment.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: B
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about The Art of Good Enough

Way (A Pain in the Gut) throws gasoline on the basic premises of the history of Christianity and lights a match with this provocative work. Writing for his fellow Christians, he takes as his central precept that God “is love and acts only from love,” believing all other elements of religious faith can be derived from that concept, and that any claims contradicting it must necessarily be false. Among his other bold statements, he says that Jesus was a human, itinerant preacher who cared more about doing right while alive than about any notion of an afterlife; that the Bible isn’t meant to be interpreted literally; and that a God who acts from love would never damn souls to eternal hellfire.

Way persuasively argues that a physical resurrection is impossible and unproven. He asks a series of challenging questions, including why Jesus was able to feed 5,000 people from “someone’s snack” a single time but not repeat the process to feed all the hungry people he encountered on a daily basis: “The argument that ‘God can do anything,’ ‘It was only for Jesus,’ or ‘It was for that one special occasion’ is totally illogical, insufficient, and dodges the basic issue,” he writes. He asserts that natural laws come directly from an unchanging God, so tales of miracles that contradict physics must only be stories. He also proposes that “Jesus made deliberate efforts to restore Jewish worship to its Hebrew core, not replace it” and didn’t intend to start a new religion.

Many devout Christians will condemn the work as heretical, but open-minded readers may find Way’s well-reasoned, passionate arguments compelling, and his refrain that God is love and there is no hell will ease the minds of those brought up on hellfire-and-brimstone Christianity. This unusual view of Christianity raises far more questions than it answers and is likely to provoke deep thought and lively conversation.

Takeaway: Open-minded Christians will be drawn in by Way’s passionate arguments for a profoundly loving God and a pragmatic, fully human Jesus.

Great for fans of C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed, Scott Shay’s In Good Faith.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about Bound by Beliefs

Ready (All the Angels Were Jewish) makes good use of his military and legal experience in this metaphysical novel about a soul being reborn into another person. Mark Kelleher is driving on a California freeway when his car crashes. Mark wakes up and discovers that he is no longer Mark, who he learns has died. He is now Naomi Donnelley, an 18-year-old woman who had been comatose for months after a drug overdose. Mark adapts to life as Naomi, only sharing the secret of his transformation experience with his doctor, Dr. Partridge. Determined to forge ahead in this new life, Naomi gets released from the hospital and resides with a Mormon family as she studies to become a nurse. Naomi draws on Mark’s tenacity and fortitude to turn her life around and embrace her nursing career. She finds romance with Jesse Manzanares, a SWAT team officer, and joins the military as a reservist. Naomi’s foray into a combat zone in Afghanistan highlights her bravery as she risks her life for others, and she dreams about returning stateside to be reunited with Jesse.

The explosive opening draws the reader into the storyline as Ready cleverly intertwines Mark’s memories with Naomi’s body and life. The complexity of Mark’s journey adds depth to the concept of reincarnation. Naomi’s transformation from a troubled teen to an ambitious young woman is heartwarming, though at times her constant success strains the reader’s belief.

Ready, a former Army and Navy officer, imbues the narrative with a high level of military detail. His captivating depiction of Naomi’s exploits in combat makes the experience vivid and real, and the portrayal of Naomi’s medical career highlights her ability to remain calm in a crisis. This realism, however, occasionally gets bogged down in extensive details, causing the plotline to drag near the novel’s conclusion. This rich exploration of the human soul’s potential is a feel-good tale of achievement and rebirth.

Takeaway: Fans of dramatic novels with a hint of the paranormal will delight in this story of reincarnation and personal achievement.

Great for fans of Gwendolyn Womack’s The Memory Painter, Iris Johansen’s Shadow Play.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: C
Marketing copy: B-

Click here for more about A New Chance

Helms’s first Eamon Gold mystery since 2005’s Cordite Wine features more suspects than motives. When Abner Carlisle, a former member of a gang of armored car robbers, enlists private detective Eamon to locate Eddie Rice, the only gang member who got away—along with the $20 million they stole and Abner’s daughter, Lydia—Eamon wants nothing to do with it. He knows his business, and not every job is worth the trouble. But when Abner is murdered, Eamon impulsively decides to investigate. He finds out the armored car’s insurance company offers a 10% reward for any recovered funds and sees it as the perfect way to guarantee an early retirement.

Eamon rounds up a big list of people who might have been involved in Abner’s death and Eddie and Lydia’s disappearance, but most lack motive and opportunity, not to mention any contact with any of the three in at least two decades. Despite numerous dead ends, the interviews with these characters provide revelations that will keep readers turning the pages. Eamon’s dry, quick wit, evident intelligence, and ability to spin an amusing tale make him an appealing protagonist. His thinly sketched situation with his occasional lover, Heidi, gives readers a small reprieve from the tedious research, though his willingness to discuss his case with her belies his title of “private” investigator. His ambiguous morals make it hard to believe he’d turn in $20 million to get $2 million.

Helms oversimplifies the process of evidence-gathering. Eamon, recovering from a leg injury, relies heavily on searches in the online CyberShamus database to follow up on every lead. Red herrings proliferate throughout the plot. Readers who are new to the series might find it hard to connect to Eamon, who’s even more reserved than the stereotypical PI. Despite that, it’s still easy to root for him. The plot takes the scenic route to a surprising destination, and the premise is strong enough to keep readers hooked.

Takeaway: This page-turning mystery with a surprise ending provides a good starting point for fans of detective series.

Great for fans of James Ellroy, Ross Macdonald

Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B

Click here for more about Brittle Karma

Debut author Gottsegen introduces young readers to the adventurous and charming chipmunk Rockford T. Honeypot in this gripping coming-of-age adventure. Rockford is wrangling his 10-year-old great-grandson, Theo, as they shop at a farmer’s market frequented by woodland creatures. While they’re stuck in the checkout line, other patrons coax Rockford into telling them about his travels throughout the Tropland rainforest. Rockford relates growing up as a bookish, ostracized child who wound up training with mindful chip-monks, riding on the back of a hawk, and learning from a renowned muskrat chef. As the stories get bolder, Rockford’s audience grows. Soon the local news station is broadcasting him live, drawing in people from his past who connect him to the growth, strength, and tenacity that made him who he is today.

Rockford’s stories, gently enhanced by Kleyn’s tidy, detailed chapter head illustrations, introduce a menagerie of vibrant one-of-a-kind characters who are perfectly suited for older children, with gentle lessons to be learned from every interaction. Some of the elements are a little clichéd: Rockford predictably falls for the first female chipmunk he meets, and the faux-Shaolin chip-monks speak in stilted English (“We know pain of loneliness”), quote haiku, and believe in a mystical prophecy. Each chapter ends with a return to the frame story at the farmer’s market, with humor that can feel a little strained. However, the book’s target readers will breeze past these flaws and find the adventure enthralling.

Parents waiting for their children to be old enough for The Hobbit or Redwall will find this the perfect stopgap, with plenty of thrills as well as moral quandaries, somber loss, and emotional growth. The ending will elicit happy sniffles from readers who have gotten caught up in Rockford’s tale. Without stinting the action, Gottsegen delivers a powerful message about the importance of being brave, honest, and true to oneself.

Takeaway: Older children will absorb important life lessons while enjoying this thrilling story of a brave chipmunk’s forest adventures.

Great for fans of Kathi Appelt’s The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Barbara O’Connor’s On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A+
Illustrations: A
Editing: A+
Marketing copy: A

Click here for more about The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot

Filmmaker Kowatch brings larger-than-life characters and action scenes to middle grade readers in this highly visual mix of literary seriousness and fantasy adventure. Ocean River and Ellen Hansen, both age 12, are best friends—until Ellen’s father dies in a car crash and clumsy Ocean accidentally disrupts his funeral. When their parents take them on a vacation to the Everglades a couple months later, guilt-ridden Ocean isn’t even sure they can be friends again, and Ellen barely speaks to him. But their airboat crashes, and Ocean and Ellen must work together to find their parents and escape the dangerous swamp. On their journey they acquire supernatural talents and befriend an eccentric wood stork, a guileless soft-shell turtle, and Gumbo, a yoga-practicing, pacifist alligator who’s next in line to become king of the Everglades.

Kowatch’s descriptions and Shinn’s charming digital illustrations will leave readers feeling like they’ve stomped through the Everglades alongside Ocean and Ellen. The relationships are depicted with wonderful depth. Gumbo and his pals often meditate together, Ocean and Ellen talk about grief and growing up, Ocean’s parents share important lessons with him, and each character takes turns leading, encouraging, and sacrificing for the others in a way that feels sincere.

Yet all of these elements create a text that is sometimes busy and complicated. Chapters are told from various perspectives and the book blends Seminole mythology with Eastern spiritual practices, which may leave younger readers confused, uninterested, or just wanting more of the lively dialogue. However, the book’s quirkiness and cartoon-style illustrations, as well as its loose ends (perhaps left open for a sequel?), will likely keep them hooked. For kids entering adolescence in the 21st century, an adventure that includes real-life heaviness, environmental awareness and activism, meditation and affirmation, and a little bit of the absurd seems just right.

Takeaway: Tween readers (and their parents and teachers) will love the values, hardships, laughs, and learning in Kowatch’s thoughtful adventure fantasy.

Great for fans of the Magic School Bus series, the Magic Tree House series.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: A-
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B

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