In Ingold’s latest, he paints a tender-hearted portrait of painter Robert Turghoff and his romance with Yvonne Curtiss, a mysterious, complex, conflicted woman who becomes his lover and muse. Turghoff, a twice-divorced father of two living in Long Branch, California, described by a colleague as not “particularly inspiring or [his] hands any more graceful than those of the average artist,” latches on to an idea to paint a series of murals, in a bid to rev up both the town and his career. When Yvonne—married to Iraq war veteran Gil Curtiss—enters his life, he’s intrigued, and, despite warnings from friends, slides into a deep relationship with her, while mentoring her 12-year-old daughter Carly.

In deft strokes and bold lines, Ingold (author of There Came a Contagion) effortlessly brings to life characters who linger long after: Turghoff, who paints to express what he cannot say even to himself and “had a reputation well earned; galleries wanted his work, buyers purchased it” ; Yvonne, a journalist who writes with clarity and empathy but is having trouble at home with her alcoholic husband (and self-medicating to cope); Gil, tormented from his time in Iraq; and Carly, tentative, shy, and fragile, with only sporadic attempts at creating art. Even Edgar Montoya, a minor supporting character nicknamed “Headlong” (because “when he set off running he gave no thought to stopping”) comes across as a fully animated, memorable addition to the cast.

Ingold’s depiction of Turghoff is nuanced, capturing the complexities of his artistic self—the joys of small successes and the frustration when “the channel between mind and hand” is blocked—with finesse. Turghoff’s initial wariness, and Yvonne’s mysteriousness, are all fashioned with skilled surety, making this an in-depth exploration of an artist’s mind, its vulnerabilities, the constant battles with roadblocks to expression, and the resilience born out of loyalty to the creative self.

Takeaway: An engrossing portrait of an artist and his muse.

Comparable Titles: Deborah Moggach’s Tulip Fever, Percival Everett’s So Much Blue.

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

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In her extraordinary memoir, debut author Shumer mines a painful past to shine a hopeful light on the experience of eating disorders. Shumer, influenced by 1980s standards of female beauty she saw everywhere, including the pinups in her older brother’s room, always worried about her weight. At ten, triggered by an insensitive teacher who told Shumer she had elephant legs in front of the class, Shumer went full-scale into what she called “Operation Anorexia”— taking an hour to eat a carrot stick because she had to chew each bite 50 times before swallowing, and eating strawberries divided in fifths that she forced herself to chew 25 times—and taking inspiration from anorexia-themed young adult novels, notably Steven Levenkron’s The Best Little Girl in the World.

Young Shumer eventually was hospitalized when she refuses to eat or drink anything with calories, dropping to nearly 40 pounds. Her journey to gaining weight during her hospital stay found her facing anxiety attacks, strict rules, and restraint devices to stop her from over-exercising. She was discharged weighing 33 pounds more than when she arrived. But after that, Shumer reports, she still struggled with the anorexic mindset, even turning to cutting as a coping mechanism. Consulting therapists, Shumer began the rocky road to recovery, which she writes about with the same frank clarity as the darkest moments, bravely laying bare her moments of backsliding—such as resorting to diet drugs when she hit 108 pounds.

WIth power and sensitivity, Shumer lays bare how anorexia gives perfectionists a sense of accomplishment that is hard to overcome, especially for someone raised in a media culture where “brains were not a high priority currency for females.” But Shumer also demonstrates that recovery from an entrenched eating disorder is possible. Shumer’s gutsy book will provide hope to those enduring one and help family and friends to understand.

Takeaway: Hopeful, eye-opening account of disordered eating and the path to recovery.

Comparable Titles: Deborah Hautzig’s Second Star to the Right, Marya Hornbacher’s Wasted.

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

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The seventh installment in Ferrendelli’s Samantha Church Mystery series, after The Long Way Home, follows Sam Church, a dedicated yet deeply insecure reporter, divorced mom, and recovering alcoholic, as she fights to unravel a series of deadly fires, all tied to arson, including the one that killed her daughter April’s best friend, Carol. Adding to her problems is Sam’s forbidden relationship with Wilson Cole, her boss and AA sponsor. As Sam draws deeper into an epic battle of good versus evil, Ferrendelli contemplates themes of family, grief, healing, and love.

Sam’s devotion to her family is a highlight throughout, especially to April, as she’s careful not to put work ahead of her time with her daughter—though her search for the arsonists sometimes overshadows those goals. Sam still carries guilt over her alcoholism, and Ferrendelli probes the limits of that dark emotion, using it as a catalyst to fuel Sam’s efforts, sometimes misplaced, to help April’s deep depression after Carol’s murder—as in the scene where Sam gives April a pony, expressing to a friend that “I want nothing more than for her to be happy and okay. And I don’t know what else I can do. She’s all I have left of me.”

The story stumbles when it centers too much on extraneous clues connected to the arsonists, getting bogged down by lengthy descriptions of firefighting equipment and Sam’s obsession with her weight (Ferrendelli includes multiple references to Sam’s physique, characterizing her throughout as trying to “shed the pounds”). Crime scenes are fittingly intense, and the arsonists’ excitement—and obsession—at setting fires is disturbing to read, but the ending stays upbeat. Scenes at Sam’s beloved ranch, her oasis of calm in a sea of chaos and evil, are uplifting, as is the blossoming romance between Sam’s grandmother, Nona, and her longtime friend Howard, offering readers some glimmers of hope amidst the foreboding darkness.

Takeaway: Single mom fighting her own demons hunts for serial arsonists.

Comparable Titles: Sara Paretsky’s Burn Marks, Christopher Pike’s Slumber Party.

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

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“Wherever you are in life, you can set yourself on the path to being happier and more successful” writes Smith (author of Principles for a Self-Directed Society) in this upbeat homage to the power of self-love. Acknowledging life’s ups and downs—and drawing from his own experience hitting rock bottom after a failed business venture—Smith calls on readers to move past their present circumstances, step outside of the opinions and judgments of others, and “chang[e] the story you tell yourself about your life.” That mindset transformation is the first step on Smith’s prescribed journey for self-improvement, a necessary shift that, he urges, must be followed by hard work and a hopeful outlook.

Smith renders self-help as a personal and intimate experience, with a slew of personal advice, anecdotes, and, most of all, encouragement—to stay positive, practice self-forgiveness, and stop worrying about situations outside of your control. He speaks to readers in gentle, casual tones, never losing sight of his rosy outlook—even when addressing weighty topics like end-of-life events and toxic emotions. “The more time we spend feeling bad about our mistakes,” he writes, “the more likely we are to do something else bad,” pushing instead for readers to “make amends… and move on.” Those pep talk snippets are both welcoming and refreshing, a soothing answer to the moments in life that can feel insurmountable.

Smith's references to religion, philosophy, and case studies on well-knowns like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix underscore his desperate search for answers. From there, ideas such as the power of the self, mindfulness, and gratitude spring forward, as Smith demonstrates that the path to recovery will be long and challenging but ultimately rewarding. Change hinges on willpower, mindset, and being true to yourself, he writes, and, in his own words, there’s no time like today to start “enjoy[ing] a more fulfilling life.”

Takeaway: Upbeat guide to creating a joyful, fulfilling life.

Comparable Titles: Brianna Wiest’s The Mountain Is You, Sue Varma’s Practical Optimism.

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

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Amid the festive mayhem of the Parade of Heroes in the Baja California town of Punta Colonet, Lucinda and her abuelita, Herminia Carillo, cross paths with El Jaguar—a local gang boss who claims to be a brujo or witch, feared and loathed by most of the townspeople. The unfortunate encounter turns into a fiasco when El Jaguar threatens Lucinda, his fearsome Rottweiler chomps on her thigh, and—dizzy from pain—Lucinda watches in disbelief as her abuelita seemingly morphs into a puma and El Jaguar “a scarecrow man with an oft-broken nose.” The book that follows lives up to this bizarre, exciting encounter, setting the stage for a surreal adventure starring Lucinda, her friend Eva, and El Jaguar's brooding son, Mateo, who must play supernatural sleuths in the mystery of who cursed Abuelita. Using a mortar and pestle in El Jaguar's mausoleum, the trio whisk away into the labyrinthine memories of Abuelita's past, journeying through her days of apprenticeship and witchcraft to find clues on how to reverse the curse.

Barnes dazzles with his sharp characterization, briskly engaging prose, and dazzling worldbuilding, crafting the Beyond—a parallel universe where reality bends and twists at the will and intent of witches—into a vivid, immersive landscape. The novel is a spellbinding blend of magic and mystery, alive with tension, laughs, and real emotional resonance. Standout setpieces abound, involving lizard guides with stitched mouths and eyes, ancient cave pictographs, and supernatural bonds with witches and their animal allies, conferring Spiritual, Mental, or Physical power.

While the book is lengthy, it does not bore. Beneath the enchanting and sinister world of witchcraft Barnes conjures with effortless skill is a meditation on power—how it can be wielded for good or evil—the effort and intent needed to reach one's potential, mastering fear, and how trauma shapes the becoming of a person. Barnes invites readers to see the humanity in every character throughout this multi-layered tale that will surely cast a spell on the readers.

Takeaway: Fun, epic adventure of a girl fighting to save her abuelita from a curse.

Comparable Titles: Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything.

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

Click here for more about Memories of Lucinda Eco

Moulton deviates from middle grade fiction to transform the macabre into a cornucopia of history, genealogy, and more in this absorbing guide. “Prepare to discover something old, learn something new, and have fun doing it,” she writes, and from there jumps into the symbols, epitaphs, and monuments found in cemeteries, exploring the deeper meaning behind our memorials to loved ones. Moulton dedicates a bulk of the guide to understanding the markings on tombstones—broken up into categories, from winged death’s-heads to stone carvers to hallmarks of organizations, clubs, and secret societies, among others—but also dives into the history, both on a personal and societal level, of graveyards, headstones, and “days gone by.”

Readers will find this entertaining, interactive, and, above all, respectful, as Moulton honors burying practices throughout, encouraging readers to observe the hushed reverence that shrouds cemeteries—and even offering suggestions on how to get involved in historical tracking and preservation. Her analysis of the meaning behind common gravesite symbols is particularly intriguing, as readers will learn the ins and outs of the “fine art” behind stone carving, why a weeping willow was often used on headstones as a symbol of immortality, and the different interpretations of hands used in cemetery engravings.

What’s most appealing in Moulton’s guide are the interactive activities she includes, ranging from scavenger hunts for recurring symbols to space for readers to record their favorite epitaphs. Her emphasis on cemeteries as a wealth of historical information is eye-opening, and she offers a local history challenge for readers to research headstones that catch their attention. Black and white photographs of various markers and monuments dot the pages, rooting Moulton’s in-depth analysis in dramatic visual imagery, while appendices offer opportunities for further sleuthing, including typical symbols, abbreviations, and potential archives to “make your research more exciting.”

Takeaway: Interactive guide that makes cemetery exploration interesting and engaging.

Comparable Titles: Loren Rhoads’s 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die, Greg Melville’s Over My Dead Body.

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

Click here for more about The Beginner's Guide to Cemetery Sleuthing

Dow (author of the Nurse Florence series) returns to the realm of informative picture books with this first installment in his Nurse Dorothea series, inspired by Dorothea Dix, a champion for individuals with mental illness in the 1800s. Tackling the weighty topic of mental health, Nurse Dorothea teaches younger readers coping mechanisms to regulate emotions and lower stress levels, discussing, in the process, how harmful stress can be on the body—from increasing heart rate to elevating blood pressure to causing headaches. Throughout the book, Nurse Dorothea encourages her class to take journaling breaks for self-reflection, a strategy that audiences can put to good use as they follow along.

"Every coping skill you learn is like a tool in a toolbox," Nurse Dorothea shares with her class, touching on different mental health conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, and depression, while encouraging her students to share life events that can trigger stress—and exploring the role genetics may play in who develops mental health disorders. The story stays upbeat and positive, as Nurse Dorothea teaches readers different coping styles—emotion focused, problem focused, meaning focused, social coping, and avoidance coping—alongside personal examples from her students, analyzing how each style works, what could be improved on, and how to develop new skills for mental wellness.

The information may be dense to wade through, but Dow presents it in an entertaining way, breaking up the more complex topics with Lindsay Roberts’s bright, engaging illustrations. Nurse Dorothea makes the information relatable for a student audience, addressing stressors like bad grades, relationship struggles, and bullying, resulting in an engaging resource for dealing with life’s more challenging moments. The book’s strategies for reducing stress, including mindfulness, positive affirmations, and physical exercise, are both actionable and rewarding, and Nurse Dorothea closes with a call to action to “help others on their journey to good mental health.”

Takeaway: Middle grade resource teaching coping strategies for mental health.

Comparable Titles: The School of Life's What Are You Feeling?, Elizabeth Cole's I Am Stronger Than Anxiety.

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

Click here for more about Nurse Dorothea presents Why Coping Skills Work and What are Some That Can Be Done Anytime and Anywhere

"We bring to us that which we are, not what we want" writes Won in this inspiring spiritual debut, sharing his journey to finding happiness and tapping into the “God Source.” Won opens by pointing out the illusion of life—“that our experience here in this physical world is what we call ‘real’… and that our main purpose is to acquire things”—and prescribes its antidote as a path of self-discovery that revolves around authenticity and love. Won explores the practice of manifesting, the importance of journaling, and how "being honest with ourselves" can lead to true bliss.

As Won shares personal anecdotes and his own struggles with being seen, being true to himself, and finding happiness, he provides actionable steps to aid readers in pursuing their own abundant lives. "By deciding to move from using our ego to one of authenticity, we give up the unnecessary struggle," Won writes, explaining that, by existing in the ego, most people focus entirely too much on fears of failure and rejection, struggling to escape their own head and getting bogged down by internalizing what others think of them. He also delves into the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious, explaining how all three areas of the mind "influence our actions and outcome in the manifestation process."

The material is often abstract and complex, as Won touches on themes that include grief and death, finances, authenticity, and more, but he capably breaks down even the most perplexing topics in language that simplifies while it enlightens. At the end of each chapter, Won includes questions to help readers explore, through journaling and self-reflection, how his guidance can be personalized. For readers intrigued by the metaphysical, Won provides the steps to discover their path to happiness and the tools to meet the challenges of the road ahead.

Takeaway: Inspiration to move away from the ego and into love.

Comparable Titles: Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements, Vex King's Things No One Taught Us About Love.

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

Click here for more about Abundant Soul, Abundant Life

This innovative retelling of the life of Yeshua (Jesus) takes the perspective of Mary Magdalene, known as “Magda” throughout, healed by Yeshua following a horrific attack she suffered at age 16. Speaking to readers from the afterlife, Magda recounts Yeshua’s influence on her life—and his insistence that this moment, with Earth crumbling and humanity on a path to doom, is the perfect time to “tell people… what our time on Earth was all about.” As Magda and Yeshua's tale unravels, Magda, determined to “[set] the record straight,” reveals the misleading narrative portrayed in the Bible.

Magda’s story draws on well-known biblical characters, including Peter and Paul—two men who led the charge for spreading the gospel after Jesus’s death, but who, according to Magda, conveniently neglected to mention women’s contributions to that history. Werner (author of The Good at Heart) pens an immersive story of the men and women who followed and loved Yeshua, all through the realistic perspective of a woman who viewed Yeshua as a human, flawed man with miraculous gifts. Magda interlaces this emotionally charged narrative with love, humanity, and religion, reflecting on Yeshua’s days in Caphernaum and Jerusalem and his time spent with disciples who "weren't all men.” As she shares insights on Yeshua’s female followers—herself, Shoshanna, Yohanna, and Ilana—she also highlights Yeshua's true message of "radical equality and radical tolerance."

Werner capably builds tension and suspense as Magda reflects on Yeshua’s life—and her own destiny alongside him, including becoming his wife—using this familiar story to expose the “truth” of the Messiah—and his ultimate sacrifice for mankind. Throughout, Yeshua is painted in shades of unconditional love and peace, as Magda, and his other followers, join efforts to spread his message—and Magda seeks a balance between her very human love for Yeshua and the greater purpose surrounding them. Fans of historical retellings will be captivated.

Takeaway: Fresh take on the story of Jesus, from Mary Magdalene’s perspective.

Comparable Titles: C.A. Gray's Messiah, Jill Eileen Smith’s Dawn of Grace.

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

Click here for more about Magda Revealed

Gurgu’s smart, pulpy followup to Green Corrosion continues the Corrosion series by plunging readers deeper into a complex and vividly imagined future wasteland of Black Rain, hard choices, literal nightmares, and a lack of liquid water so desperate that some humans have resorted to drinking a gel instead and becoming chunks of “corroded flesh” called “Corrosives.” This entry ratchets up the tension and expands the scope of the conflict while still offering a gripping tale of power, politics, and survival. Having defeated Prince Boris in a brutal confrontation, Geo Woodman must now lead the Silke, even as, “prone to melancholy,” he wonders whether it’s worth so much effort to save the “sad” and “deceiving” world again—a world readers will recognize from tantalizing links to our own. But peace, Gurgu reminds readers, is not something lightly gained.

Gurgu skillfully portrays the challenges of Geo's new position, including the threat of armies of Nightmares, while exploring the intricacies of gaining trust and wielding authority in a broken world and fractious society. The loving dynamic between Geo and his partner Bree adds depth to the narrative, giving Geo a reason to fight. Gurgu's world-building continues to impress, with the author painting a richly detailed picture of the Caves and the various factions and forces at play (“Yeah, well, we adapted democracy to the needs of our times,” one politico admits), plus coll innovations like fossil ships and the returning Night Hunter. The introduction of Han the Great as a looming threat adds another layer of complexity to an already complex plot, setting up future volumes.

The prose is taut and engaging, driving the story forward with a mix of political intrigue, bloody visions, weird science tinged with fantasy, and engaging character development. Gurgu balances multiple threads and mysteries, keeping readers invested in both the immediate challenges facing Geo and Bree and the larger conflicts shaping their world. Newcomers to the series are advised to start with the first book.

Takeaway: Inventive post-apocalyptic sequel blending weird science, politics, and pulp thrills.

Comparable Titles: Kameron Hurley's Nyx series; K.R. Griffiths's Adrift Trilogy.

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

Click here for more about Pink Corrosion

This lyrical, sprawling saga straddles a millennium, uniting two aspiring cultures together through time. A thousand years ago, in the Arctic, Qaya of the Nannurmiut (People of the Bear) is chosen to embark on a Trek of spiritual discovery. She follows Orion’s stars, carries amulets of protection, and records her lengthy journey by tattooing marks on scrolls of caribou skins. A thousand years later, in 1963, college students travel to Ellesmere Island in northern Canada to study the prehistoric Tunit people, where they discover Qaya’s tattooed skins preserved in the permafrost.

Mayer deftly separates the book’s two eras, reciting through Qaya’s chronicle an archaic narrative, at times difficult to understand, yet wrought with poetry that evokes a vibrant ancient culture—“Cannot mistake when Trek draws nigh whose People send their trekkers forth upon the land” Qaya reflects. The modern account, told alternately by expedition cook Arthur and his girlfriend, photographer Gabby, provides meticulous details of the team’s scientific methods in the frigid landscape. The action eventually picks up when the students decipher Qaya’s extraordinary journey, embrace magical realism—one says he was rescued in a storm by a shadowy spirit guide— and believe the skin’s messages are meant for them.

Mayer’s text, and sprinkling of black and white illustrations, illuminate his expert knowledge of the novel’s setting, and the characters come to brilliant life in his capable hands, particularly Qaya, who, when she returns from her Trek, will become her People’s friend in the Spirit World and counsel to the elders. Her discovery of the skins, unharmed after a snowstorm, sparks in her a deep desire to leave them behind as a legacy– in hopes that a great magic will lead future inhabitants to uncover them and learn of her people. Mayer also encloses a glossary of Inuktitut terms and reference list that lend this singular debut a reverent air of authenticity.

Takeaway: Modern archaeologists uncover the extraordinary journey of a prehistoric Inuit girl.

Comparable Titles: Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk’s Sanaaq, Donna Barba Higuera’s The Last Cuentista.

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

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The third volume of Tabler’s celebration of The First State and its history moves from the late 19th century to what Tabler calls the “E-era,” charting the building of skyscrapers, highways (envisioned as early as 1911 by T. Coleman du Pont), and a leading edge in the development of the world’s digital present and future. As always, Tabler includes surprises (Neil Armstrong “took mankind’s first steps on the moon in a Delaware-designed and manufactured space suit”), like his delightful look at the rise and fall of the reputation among the upper crust of the Reedbird, a native of Delaware that “has been viewed through three lenses” across history: as a juicy delicacy, then a pest, and finally “as a fragile species warranting legal protection.” Its fall from grace as an epicurean event and fashionable accoutrement is captured by this turn-of-the-century dismissal from a newspaper columnist: “The up-to-date girl has finished with the toothsome reedbird and asks now for a stuffed partridge.”

Striking details like that abound, as in Tabler’s online writing and previous volumes as he sweeps across the history. This volume covers DuPont chemist Wallace Hume Carothers’s invention of nylon, educational activist Martha G. Bachman’s life-long campaign to improve and extend vocational education opportunities, and the founding of the Delaware Art Museum, originally conceived of as a one-time 1912 event to honor the work of “the recently deceased ‘father of illustration’” Howard Pyle and his proteges. Tabler also digs into the local impact of the Suffragist and Civil Rights movements, the World Wars, Prohibition—the Coast Guard was ill-equipped to deal with rum runners—and more.

Tabler closes with a look at the internet age, making a compelling case for the central role played in its development by three students from the University of Delaware. The result is an engaging, entertaining, warmly inclusive, and occasionally playful history with style and verve.

Takeaway: Engaging, highly illustrated guide to Delaware history from the 20th century on.

Comparable Titles: John Riley’s Delaware Eyewitness, Kennard R. Wiggins’s Delaware in World War I.

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

Click here for more about Delaware from Freeways to E-ways

This searching, exhaustive memoir from Bodnarczuk (founder and executive director of the Breckenridge Institute and author of Diving In) centers on a tragic loss: the 2021 death of 18-year-old son Thomas after taking a counterfeit Xanax purchased over Snapchat and containing fentanyl. Bodnarczuk’s account digs deep into how he and his wife, coauthor Elin I. Larson, faced “the black hole of the early days of the grieving process” and then the next two years, which found the couple “transitioning from our old reality and identity as a family of three to our new reality and identity as a family of two.” Facing every parent’s nightmare, Bodnarczuk, a Christian seeker deeply invested in Jungian psychology and dream study, documents the wrenching challenge of living in the aftermath, from practical concerns like arraignments and autopsies—the couple strives to forgive the young man who sold Thomas the pill—and moving from California to Colorado. Just as pressing: deep spiritual considerations like how to hold to the presence of Thomas in their lives, despite his physical absence.

Bodnarczuk writes with touching precision of Thomas, an Eagle Scout and “edgy iconoclast who stood apart from many societal expectations and exhibited an unconventional type of wisdom.” Thomas shared his parents’ questing spirit, asking hard questions of the world—his “doubts,” Bodnarczuk notes, “[lived] side by side with his faith in God.” Bodnarczuk plunges into hard questions himself, exploring with tender frankness why Thomas would have purchased Xanax illegally—and digging into Thomas’s adolescent nightmares, from years before, of being hunted by a cloaked figure.

Recalling those disturbing visions leads Bodnarczuk deep into spiritual, Jungian, and Christian analysis. As Bodnarczuk stares down the hardest questions of all—why?—the pages pulse with a real spiritual struggle, described with rare frankness and clarity, worked through by a thinker who never professes to have all of the answers but whose hard-won insights, in the end, will offer comfort to other believers facing losses that might seem unendurable.

Takeaway: Searching, spiritual memoir of parents’ loss of a child, steeped in Jung and dreams.

Comparable Titles: Timothy Keller’s Forgive, Verena Kast’s Time to Mourn.

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

Click here for more about Finding New Life After the Death of My Son

Noting how contemporary life can turn “the self-assured into self-doubter,” Nihalani (author of Whispers of Worth) delves deep into the centuries-old question of what self-esteem is, how this “deepest sense of who we are” is formed, and how to nurture growth and in some cases survival. “The only way to build self-worth is through our actions,” Nihalani argues, making the case through vignettes of people who succeeded or were able to overcome self-doubt and blows to their sense of self, whether cultural, professional, or social. Nihalani centers Indian culture in her examples, analysis, and practical guidance. Along with selfie culture, imposter syndrome, and other hot-button topics, Nihalani explores the impact of the caste system, the tradition of respect for elders seen as faultless, and a work culture where “bosses are treated with a kind of reverence”—so much so that even an erroneous criticism from a boss can “can undermine our sense of self.”

Nihalani pulls from various research and well documents her resources at the end of each chapter, to explore how lack of self-esteem makes individuals vulnerable to the judgments of others, especially in the era of social media. People tend only to post the best parts of their lives, Nihalani notes, which can lead others to see their own existence as inadequate. She explores bullying and micro-aggressions, the impact of fashion on one’s perceived value, and the sharp distinctions between how success is measured for women versus men.

With an inviting tone, incisive insights, and a wealth of practical takeaways and hard-won advice, Nihalani encourages accepting one’s flaws and imperfections and not running from bad feelings but not dwelling on them, either—feel them and move on, she advises. Other choice suggestions: use the cognitive dissonance that occurs when behavior does not match beliefs as a motivator for change, and that self-managing time spent on social media helps recalibrate how people see themselves in reality.

Takeaway: Encouraging guide to nurturing healthy self-esteem in the social-media age.

Comparable Titles: Kim Dabbs’s You Belong Here, Corey Keyes’s Languishing.

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

Click here for more about Self-Esteem in a Selfie World

Flade’s fifth installment in her Philly Heat series (after Beautiful Dangerous) pits two main characters against their deepest fears, transporting readers on a dark journey into the chaos of a serial killer. Sadie Potter is a sculptor and part-time forensic artist working with law enforcement. Her rich life is filled with work and friends, until FBI Special Supervisory Agent Noah Danes—who Sadie last saw at the sentencing of her mother’s murderer—comes racing back in, hot on the heels of a serial killer known as the Beltway Romeo.

True to the genre, Flade fills this novel with dark turns and grim emotion, as Noah, a talented instructor for the next generation of FBI Academy cadets, tosses and turns at night over the eight female victims in his latest case—with a possible ninth waiting to be confirmed. He’s both anxious and excited to be back in Sadie’s life, divulging to her that while “you were working through tragedy and grief… I was bathing in it,” and the heat between the two is often shadowed by their intense emotional burdens. When Sadie’s brutally attacked in Maryland, and left alive with a message for the FBI, Noah’s fears reach a fever pitch. What follows is a shocking tangle of emotion, bureaucracy, and scattered clues, all seemingly leading the team in circles as they race to prevent further death.

Accessible characters and smart narration smooth the way for readers to immerse themselves in this intricately knotty world of law enforcement, victimology, and trauma recovery. The alternating viewpoints of the main characters offer in-depth windows into complicated psyches, though the Beltway Romeo feels oversimplified, lacking in depth and nuance. Familiar faces from previous stories in the series crop up as well, but Sadie and Noah take center stage. Readers will find plenty of psychological thrills here to satisfy.

Takeaway: Dark emotional ride into a serial killer’s chaos.

Comparable Titles: Sharon Sala’s Bloodlines, Patricia Potter’s Cold Target.

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

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Sjoquist’s fiction debut delineates the life of shy, quiet Beijinger Shuyuan—her anxieties, challenges, and sorrows. On her maternal side, Shuyuan’s people belong to the marginalized minority Hui community; her father, Zhong Lai, works for a struggling government construction company, prompting strained financial circumstances for the family, as Shuyuan’s mother maintains only a part time job. Shuyuan struggles with self-doubt, resentment over her family’s poverty, and sadness at her low grades—that preclude her from a position at her coveted senior middle school—but her friends, Wei Wen Ho and Wu Yu, help stem the tide of her angst.

Sjoquist paints an empathetic portrait of an intriguing Chinese family, held up by their rigid value systems and customs, struggling to carve out a life for themselves. As Shuyuan bridles against the thought of living in poverty like her parents, she fights the balance of wanting peace—or “break[ing] the cycle and mak[ing] something of herself.” Shuyuan craves acceptance and approval from her parents, but in China, praise is not easily bestowed, stoking Shuyuan’s jealousy of her successful cousin, Chen Lei, and transforming her into an entirely relatable character.

Beijing’s descriptions are vividly wrought in Sjoquist’s capable hands—the Summer Palace, savory kebabs and juicy striped watermelons, the sun beating through the side streets—and Shuyuan’s outings with Wu Yu and Wei Wen Ho demonstrate the deep bonds of friendship and camaraderie shared by the three. Shuyuan’s interest in learning English, and the efforts of her teacher to shore up Shuyuan’s confidence, are well-delineated, as are her efforts to live carefree, if only for a moment, instead of just battling to survive. Readers will find this an informative peek into the lives of not-so-privileged Chinese children, a reflection on the fight to discover meaning while plodding through the lost innocence that comes with growing older.

Takeaway: Moving story of Beijing teenager fighting for meaning and purpose.

Comparable Titles: Ann Liang’s If You Could See the Sun, Wang Gang’s English.

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

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