Dating app TerriTie founder Aljazeeri’s analysis of platonic and romantic relationships offers a well-researched, comprehensive overhaul of human connection that incorporates the physical, emotional, philosophical, and scientific components of humanity’s bonding systems. Backed by extensive, persuasive research, Aljazeeri’s debut presents the author’s “PICCK A SPICE” framework—also foundational to the app—which defines eleven human relationship styles, each given clarifying names like Intellectual Connection, Kind Contributions, and Caring Companionship. Aljazeeri also includes some perhaps unexpected ones, like Playful Teasing, Creative Expression, Culinary Sharing, and Spiritual Bonding, in the effort to offer a breakdown of human relationships fitting to contemporary lifestyles.

Other insights include clear-eyed guidance for “breaking the chains of habit” in relationships, the important role of playfulness and teasing in creating strong bonds and understanding, and thoughtful consideration of topics like “ghosting,” online deception, and much fresh advice for “relationship revivals”—or keeping things fresh and lively. Following the author’s relationship classification method is a novel philosophy in regard to dating apps: “Pick a place, then a face,” the basis for TerriTie, which has users select a date activity or location before matching with another user. Though the relationship style framework is illuminating, the transition to heralding TerriTie is abrupt and may give some readers pause. Still, Aljazeeri offers useful, up-to-date, nuanced, and even cathartic examination of the challenges of dating and friendship apps, with many compelling real-life examples.

A particularly refreshing and vital promise of Aljazeeri’s system is its recognition of diversity in relationships and a commitment to “aligning with contemporary society’s varied experiences and values,” which readers can observe in practice if they take the “PICCK A SPICE” relationship test at the end of the book or online. With celebration of human diversity at its center, TerriTie, which is set to launch in summer of 2024, and Aljazeeri’s overall methodology, constitute a keen, state-of-the-art revitalization of romance and friendship in the smartphone age.

Takeaway: Fresh, insightful breakdown of styles focused on diverse contemporary lives.

Comparable Titles: Amir Levine and Rachel S. F. Heller’s Attached, Anita Knight Kuhnley’s The Four Relationship Styles.

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

Click here for more about Unveiling 11 Relationship Styles: Secrets Nobody Told You

With their delightfully epic middle grade adventure, Barnes, Parker, and Farley offer young readers a compelling portal into imagination and learning that will leave them hungry for more. Life in Texas for sixth graders Maya, Bridgette, and Ben isn’t all sunshine and roses, and the three run in different circles: Maya is a recent transplant from Israel and quite popular, intellectual Bridgette is somewhat quiet, and Ben is a theater kid at heart, despite his father’s push to hard science. Yet they share a common bond—the library. When a rogue supernatural attack by the Pierides destroys their library, the trio—along with Davey, a classmate and bully—are transported to the Helicon Academy, the secretive school that’s part of the hidden Library of Alexandria and “a working library of the Muses themselves,” where “student apprentices…learn how to care for and protect these precious books and the powers within.”

Readers will relish the revelations and excitement that follows. Apprentices are made up of direct descendants of the original Librarians—until Maya, Ben and Bridgette break the mold. Once students pass a trial, they are cast into one of four roles: Guardians, Scribes, Storytellers or Curators, each assigned a certain duty in the Library’s defense. While their lives together at the school are filled with magic—from literary themed meals to the poet Homer as a dorm-mate—they still must contend with the growing pains faced by young adults everywhere: bullying, imposter syndrome, self-esteem issues, homesickness and fear, all handled with sensitivity.

Filled with heart-pounding action and page-turning suspense as a mysterious package points to a traitor within the Library’s ranks, the novel’s unique three-part voice allows readers to fully immerse themselves and identify with the characters. All three protagonists blend harmoniously with each other, bonded first in friendship, then with a common cause. Plentiful life-lesson reminders, such as overcoming fear, perseverance and resilience, are presented in an age-appropriate, organic manner.

Takeaway: Epic, heart-filled library fantasy-adventure that will inspire and delight.

Comparable Titles: Raymond Arroyo’s Will Wilder series, M.A. Larson’s Pennyroyal Academy series.

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

Click here for more about The Thief of Time

Vampiric murders, grand house intrigue, and the interest of mercurial gods all upend an uneasy peace in this brisk, spicy, and surprising sixth book in Hill’s Shadows of Otherside urban fantasy series, which picks up after the climatic jolts of Eternal Huntress. That entry found sylph and one-time private investigator Arden Finch in the position of High Queen of House Solari and Arbiter for the Carolinas demesne, an elevation not universally celebrated among the fantastical denizens of the Otherside. Now, Arden’s eager to reform the most brutal practices of the Elven Houses, but she has been laying low for a year ever since her ascension and the Durham-devastating events of the previous book. She’s currently dreading her own birthday party and undergoing rigorous training to become an agent of the Darkwatch, but she’s still very much a detective at heart—which will come in handy once blood-drained bodies, likely the victims of vampires, are discovered around the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle, including in the governor’s mansion.

With the mundane world agitated in ways that cleverly echoes real-world North Carolina tensions, Arden must navigate tricky politics, both mundane—now that the world knows about werewolves, elves, sylvans, and the rest, conservative politicians are on the warpath—and magical, including protecting the secret of her romance with Troy, an elven king who gives her love bites with his “shark-like secondary teeth.” Arden remains a nimble, engaging hero, outfoxing those who underestimate her, and always having to “drag everyone kicking and screaming into the future.” She narrates her adventures in intimate, witty, sensual prose that pulls readers pleasurably along.

Quick-witted and spiced with romance and unpredictable magic and action, Tempered Illusions exemplifies its genre, as Arden faces a twisty investigation, host of varied and complex diplomatic situations, amusing friends, and enemies capable of anything. It’s a legitimate thrill when Arden pulls deeply on her elemental powers or allows herself to relish the “jolt of the magic of blood and sex.”

Takeaway: Stellar urban fantasy spiced with romance, conspiracies, and Carolina politics.

Comparable Titles: Faith Hunter, Kim Harrison.

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

Click here for more about Tempered Illusions (Shadows of Otherside Book 6)

Jamilkowski’s debut, an act of love and history, blends fact and fiction to tell the story of a complex and troubled Italian mother-daughter relationship amid the worldwide upheavals of the early and mid-twentieth century. Born to Italian parents, Maria-Luisa Moresco is temperamental and talented. Anticipating an independent life centered around a career in music, young piano virtuoso Maria-Luisa is frustrated by adult responsibility, including a surprise pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her child, Chiara, in 1937. Chiara grows into feisty independence herself, becoming headstrong and impulsive, leading to conflict with a mother who had “resolved to focus on musical perfection to an exclusive degree." Maria-Luisa's career found her collaborating with and inspiring Maria Callas, her dear friend.

This surprising story, drawn from Jamilkowski’s research into family history, both jolts and rouses as it sweeps across decades, heartaches, and moments of powerful self-invention. Chiara eventually is twice forced to part with her own children. Upon immigrating to America, life proves challenging as Chiara (now Clara) leaves a tempestuous marriage, fights illness, and finds an anchor in a new relationship. Jamilkowski underscores throughout the strength and resilience of both mother and daughter, dramatizing scenes of hardship and hard choices but also touching intimacy, with psychological insight. Maria-Luisa is subjected to rape by Russian soldiers at the end of World War II, while Chiara endures rape in her own home, in the presence of her husband, whom she subsequently leaves. Later, she is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and is forced to give up her child for adoption.

Both of these courageous women refuse to be defined or defeated by their experiences. Jamilkowski’s storytelling edges toward the informative and biographical rather than the page-turning, with ample historical context and a feeling of narrative reportage explaining their thoughts and emotions. But towards the end, the narrative achieves rich in-the-moment intimacy.

Takeaway: Historical study of a fraught, fascinating mother-daughter bond, over decades.

Comparable Titles: Kristin Harmel’s The Paris Daughter, Devorah Shafrir Keret’s My Grandmother’s Shadow.

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

Click here for more about The Road to Moresco

Lured by the sound of 1980s and ‘90s music blaring from a lonely yeti’s treehouse in a “magical redwood forest,” a brave princess with impressive taste in music dares to climb the treehouse ladder to discover a vintage record player and a new best friend in Grey’s warm, thoughtful picture book debut. Though princess and yeti initially are wary of each other, each calling the other “weird,” they both soon erupt into joyous laughter, understanding that they “shared opinions on music, books, art, and the politics of the forest,” opinions that many of the princess’s family and courtiers find weird. Once the princess starts spending most of her free time with the yeti, the monarchs grow increasingly concerned about a risk to her connection to the human world.

In tandem with Liz Emirzian’s brilliant illustrations, all muted treescapes and heartwarming woodland friendships, Grey creates characters who are fantastical but also undeniably cool. They pursue and share their authentic passions, regardless of whether those interests align with the status quo. Even the yeti’s forest animal friends are imbued with DIY individualism, as expressed through Emirzian’s fashion choices for the characters: while at a soiree at the yeti’s house, a bunny wears a teal sweatband, and one squirrel sports a T-shirt inspired by Joy Division. In the yeti’s treehouse, Emirzian creates a sanctuary, complete with an old-school espresso maker, overflowing bookshelves, and freedom for any guest to come exactly as they are.

Grey does weave a lesson into her tale, but what’s particularly refreshing about A Woodland Dance Party is that the moral isn’t for the edification of the protagonist; instead, it’s for her parents and the people who refuse to accept her as she is: a smart, courageous, passionate girl who is in love with the world. The princess and the yeti are not the ones who have to change, but rather the society they live in where conformity is prioritized over diversity. Come for the cozy illustrations of whiskery friendship, but stay for “the most EPIC DANCE PARTY of all time.”

Takeaway: Kind, delightful, story of a princess, a yeti, and their love of ‘80s and ‘90s vinyl.

Comparable Titles: Susan Verde’s I Am Me, Robert Munsch’s The Paper Bag Princess.

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

Click here for more about A Woodland Dance Party

Spofford (A Letter for Hoot) springs a killer hook in this luscious yet sinister thriller: in the epochal year of 2001, Paige Buckley and her best friend, Serafina Manzetti, arrive in New York City, or at least Hoboken, securing an apartment with a Twin Towers view and feeling eager to jump-start their careers. Fate rolls the dice when Paige, working as an auditor at Tower Two, lands on the wrong floor and accidentally slops her burrito onto shipping broker Max Dovic, pulling her instantly in his magnetic yet menacing gravity. They begin to see each other, but Paige has doubts about this intense, controlling man whose yacht boasts a wine cellar and a series of strange deliveries. Readers will have doubts, too, being privy to some of thoughts and business dealings, plus an alarming opening chapter set in which tugboat captain Lindsey Johnson and her crew find something heavy in a black plastic tarp in New York Harbor.

The story and romance build with a teasing, slow-burn pace, with Paige keeping Fina in the loop—"I wouldn't say cute, but he's really handsome”—and each chapter boasting a cliffhanger that only flipping onto the next can satisfy. Paige knows that something doesn't add up with Max’s temperamental moods, ostentatious lifestyle, and her friends’ warnings have power: "Just because he’s rich as hell doesn’t mean he can treat people the way he does," one points out. (Readers will nod along … and turn the pages.)

As the relationship gets steamy, the tension ramps up, with Paige and Fina compelled to snooping about Max’s shipping business, and readers given plenty of clues to worry over. Less a will-they-or-won’t-they than an is-he-or-isn’t-he-evil?, Snap Decision offers a satisfying level of unpredictability and two compelling relationships, especially the chatty, powerful sisterhood between Paige and Fina. Spofford captures the importance of genuine and dependable friendships while offering friendly advice of her own: check out red flags.

Takeaway: Tense New York thriller of romance with a controlling businessman.

Comparable Titles: Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door, Megan Abbott’s Beware the Woman.

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

Click here for more about Snap Decision

Samuels (author of French Lessons) leads readers on a thrilling and eye-opening journey with her latest tale, the first of her Vanished! mystery series. Florida-based couple Sam and Barbara summer in the charming town of Caussade, in the Normandy area of France. They’re having a relaxed dinner at La Table d’Alice, a local eatery, when a man tries to kidnap the young son of the restaurant owners, Alice and Édouard Blancpain. Meanwhile, in Senegal, Abdoulaye Diop is preparing to make a journey north to Europe in hopes of a better life, after years of encroachment by other countries has made making a living as a fisherman untenable.

Samuels keeps readers engaged as idealistic Abdoulaye travels north to help change the fortunes of his countrymen—and readers will root for the well-meaning Sam and Barbara, who get embroiled in a complex tangle of colonial controversy. The kidnapping drama is tied to an African historical figurine on display at La Table d’Alice restaurant, an artifact holding a valuable secret that some would kill for. During his journey north, Abdoulaye navigates dangerous Al Qaeda-related extremists and nearly loses his own life—but finally safely reaches his cousin’s home in northern Africa. There, Abdoulaye is entrusted with a key part of the secret which may transform the future of his countrymen, charged with delivering it to his half-sister and her husband, who hold the final piece of the puzzle.

Samuels shines a bright light on contemporary and historic African politics, raising awareness on the dynamics that send immigrants in search of a new life. Samuels does a fine job with plotting, creating intriguing characters and captivating situations, though at times, including some quick-moving scenes and when the narrative leaps over months, some additional context would allow readers to engage more fully with the significance of events. Still, readers who enjoy lively mysteries with a humane, international bent will devour Samuels’s tale.

Takeaway: This humane thriller will appeal to readers who love mysteries with a global scope.

Comparable Titles: Walter Dean Myers’s Monster, Megan Abbott’s The Fever.

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

Click here for more about Vanished!

In Orichuia’s lighthearted picture book for young children, a little girl named Nina relies on the generosity of her neighbors to help bake her mother’s birthday cake. As Nina and her father are preparing to whip up the celebratory dessert, they realize their cupboards are bare. “Don’t worry, Papa,” Nina says. “We can ask Zia Maria for the ingredients.” She happily sets off down the road with her lovable pet turtle, bopping from house to house to acquire what she needs. On the way home, Nina trips and spills her supplies—but her kindly neighbors are ready with a birthday surprise for Nina’s mom.

This endearing tale elevates the benefits of growing up in a safe, supportive village. Borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor to prepare a treat is an antiquated notion in the age of Amazon and no-contact delivery, but here the simple concept of knocking on someone’s door and asking them for help occurs naturally to Nina. This will give kids and adults the chance to discuss the sometimes tricky question of how to ask for assistance when they need it, as well as how to identify adults they can trust. Nina’s solo adventure around the neighborhood also promotes independence in childhood, which is something many kids today experience less than previous generations.

Appearing in muted hues of mustard yellow, rusty red, and light blue, Carla Dipasquale’s illustrations feel inviting and charmingly vintage. Wearing galoshes with her straw-colored hair in braids, Nina is shown splashing through puddles with her turtle perched on her head, waving to shop owners as she passes. Nina’s neighbors, too, seem plucked from another era, with the characters wearing dresses or trousers and preferring playing cards or reading the paper to staring idly at televisions or smartphones. This sweetly old-school story calls up the best kind of nostalgia and celebrates the power of kindness.

Takeaway: A little girl relies on the generosity of neighbors to help bake her mother’s birthday cake.

Comparable Titles: Nyasha M. Chikowore’s Giraffe Asks for Help, Temi Díaz ‘s It’s Okay to Ask.

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

Click here for more about Don't Worry

In this smart, genre-bending thriller, Tree (author of if Only, among other titles) crafts a gripping speculative mystery that intertwines journalism, government secrecy, and a highly literate narrator’s personal revelation. In a male-dominated newsroom in London, a sexist science correspondent finds himself confronted with the unexpected presence of Adalyn, an intern whose intellect and determination challenge his preconceived notions, all as mysterious deaths plague retired government researchers. The plot thickens when the narrator must work with feminist reporter Catherine Edge—“Ms. Edge, to you”—who is determined to uncover the truth behind these seemingly natural occurrences. What unfolds is a surprising but riveting tale of intrigue and discovery, where hidden agendas clash, long-held beliefs are shattered, and a narrator who thinks of women as objects for seducing is forced to confront both himself and a truth he once deemed unthinkable.

Thought-provoking but also straight-up provocative, We’ll Never Know entertains with well-crafted characters and a brisk, twisty plot, while also challenging societal norms and perceptions as it develops a resonant message about the importance of questioning authority and seeking the truth, no matter the obstacles. Readers on its wavelength—and who are comfortable with its sexual frankness and tragicomic depiction of misogyny—will find themselves engrossed from beginning to end, eager to uncover the secrets beneath the surface.

As the title suggests, a feeling of uncertainty roils the narrative. Despite the feeling of paranoia, dialogue and pacing are sharp as the tale touches on secret agents, politicians, amateur ufologists (“come to think of it, all ufologists are amateurs,” one character notes), “neo-Nazi nutjobs,” and elementary particles and the nature of gravity itself. For all the invention and comic energy, neither the unwavering intensity of the mystery nor the heady revelations ever let up until a conclusion that upends expectations—and then, for good measure, transcends them, too.

Takeaway: Twisty, literate speculative mystery finds a sexist reporter confronting everything.

Comparable Titles: Nick Harkaway, Cory Doctorow.

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

Click here for more about We'll Never Know

Assistant District Attorney Rachel Matthews has a lot to juggle— the heavy workload and high expectations of her boss, the promise of a promotion, single motherhood to 17-year-old daughter, Charley, and striving to be a star in all aspects of her life. Rachel has faced a lot of dangerous people as a prosecutor, so when she begins to receive threatening phone calls from a number and voice she doesn't recognize, she's unsettled but not surprised. But the harassment escalates to stalking and a demand: $50,000 in cash in a day, or the stalker will hurt Rachel’s daughter. Rachel shows up, but a shot rings out and ends the life of the shadowy figure she was dreading meeting, and now she knows it's only a matter of time until the police presume that she's a murderer. The clock is ticking to find out who is striving to ruin her life and why.

The result is a tense, twisty mystery that reads quickly and offers an engaging, often secretive cast. Smith (Truth and Other Lies ) keeps readers guessing from the start, with a shifting line up of potential suspects: the jealous coworker, jilted lovers, people Rachel has convicted, the aggressive and inappropriate husband of a new acquaintance. Now, Rachel must rely on help from the police, a high school friend who is now a private eye, and her own wits to come out of this alive.

The character of Rachel is touchingly—sometimes frustratingly—human, at times, a tough prosecutor and professional woman who ignores some giant red flags of imminent danger. Her psychology is convincing, though: Rachel has hidden a troubled romantic past from her daughter, and her fear of revealed secrets keeps her from acting on clear threats sooner. “Why was I always so damn stubborn?” Rachel asks, upbraiding herself even as bullets fly and she reaches for her pepper spray. Smith’s understanding of Rachel’s foibles resonates, the guessing game is fun and fair, and the conclusion will satisfy mystery devotees.

Takeaway: Twisty, character-driven mystery of a DA set up by someone from her past.

Comparable Titles: Lisa Scottoline, Robyn Harding’s The Haters.

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

Click here for more about Blindspot

This surprising retro-speculative romance from Ramirez (author of Tell Me When I’m Dead) finds the son of renowned scientists adrift—and caught up in science-fiction and horror scenarios—after his parents’ untimely death. The amusingly named Adam West’s plan to follow in the footsteps of his parents is derailed in 1960 when their Bland Corporation explodes, killing them instantly. Pivoting from his desire to work as a scientist, recently graduated Adam accepts an offer from the Bland CEO to work in their marketing department, where Adam becomes convinced he can make his mark by creating a marketing campaign focusing on time travel, a concept that Bland scientists are still exploring. But Adam’s grudge-holding new boss assigns Del Dillard, an unreliable alcoholic employee, to partner with Adam. Though Bruce hopes Adam will crash and burn, he fails to anticipate that Adam will start a relationship with Bruce’s 19-year-old daughter, Jenny.

Ramirez expertly evokes the cutthroat era of Mad Men, especially when tragedy strikes during Del and Adam’s slogan presentation of The Future Is Bland, resulting in Adam being admitted to Bellevue Hospital and fracturing his relationship with Jenny. Fortunately for Adam, his family solicitor manages to get him released into the custody of his great-uncle, Nathan West, a scientist whom Adam has never met and lives in the Hudson Valley.

The story moves briskly, as Adam becomes involved in a scientific experiment conducted by his uncle’s research assistant, Halsey Dean, who has somehow managed to bring to life the detached head of a recently-executed serial killer. Though this is a jolting twist, Ramirez’s quirky dialogue and convincing milieu makes it believable, quickly immersing readers into a twisty plotline focusing on the serial killer’s ability to control others. What began as a sort of coming-of-age narrative about a college grad in the 1960s quickly evolves into a spirited, genre-crossing story that will keep readers riveted until the exciting conclusion.

Takeaway: Surprising romance of science, marketing, and the possibility of time travel in the 1960s .

Comparable Titles: Jonathan Strahan’s Someone in Time, Robert Silverberg’s Recalled to Life.

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

Click here for more about Let's Get Lost: A Modern Fairy Tale

Fifth-grader Sylvia Locke has a singular goal—to get herself a bowl of Cookie Crunchies, and, as the Wizard of FLOSZ (otherwise known as Fairytale Land Official Security Zone) astutely observes, “whatever Sylvia wants, Sylvia gets.” When her Gram-Gram defers making her Cookie Crunchies for breakfast in lieu of finishing their work on the farm, Sylvia sets out into the forest of Farmington, Fairytale Land, where she comes across the Bear family, who’ve just left home—and their window open. Sylvia seizes the opportunity to break in, with a plan to finally snag a bowl of Cookie Crunchies, but her mission is derailed by booby traps, a magical mirror named Reginald, and a worrisome next-door neighbor.

A fresh, modern take on the classic fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Horn’s first in his Tairy Fails series features wizards, mythical mountains (aptly named the Mythical Mountains of the Lost), and an unsolved mystery: what really happened to Sylvia's parents, who, as the story goes, abandoned her one day in Farmington? Spoiler alert: they didn’t really abandon her, and there’s more—much, much more—to their disappearance than anyone, including Sylvia, knows. Despite that truth, unveiled later in the book, Sylvia’s a pro at masking her pain over their disappearance, mostly with a mean attitude and a penchant for trouble making. Her reputation proceeds her on the journey, but, still, she manages to make new friends and eventually stumbles onto the truth of her heritage.

Sylvia’s comical adventure, paired with Horn’s lovingly eccentric characters and Judit Tondora’s charming black and white illustrations, will wow middle grade readers—and transform them into instant devotees of the next in the series. Sylvia’s over the top antics are laugh-out-loud worthy, and, though her aversion to following the rules is entertaining, she also provides readers with a worthwhile glimpse of determination, taking initiative, and friendship along the way.

Takeaway: Fresh, laugh-out-loud funny retelling of a classic children's story.

Comparable Titles: Jon Scieszka's The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!, Jen Calonita's Mirror, Mirror.

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

Click here for more about Sylvia Locke and the Three Bears (Tairy Fails Book 1)

In Borchert’s third installment of her Château de Verzat series (after Her Own Revolution), Geneviève LaGarde returns, now married to Louis LaGarde and vigneron of her husband’s celebrated family vineyard. The deeply passionate couple’s livelihood is at stake, thanks to Napoleon Bonaparte’s political machinations—and the Republic’s schemes to seize their vineyard if they fail to pay their escalating taxes. Adding to the intrigue, Louis is in hiding—masquerading as a mere vineyard owner when he’s really a Noble of the Sword—to avoid being conscripted into Bonaparte’s fight against England.

Borchert covers much fertile historical ground in this emotional story, surveying the tense French political scene (including fascinating trends like the Incroyables, “foppish dandies who dressed to mock the former aristocracy”) alongside Louis and Geneviève’s intense dedication to their way of life—and each other. The plotting illuminates a complex era that Borchert vividly conjures: when Geneviève is betrayed by a jealous worker for impersonating a man, and imprisoned in an asylum, the couple discover there’s no end to their willingness to sacrifice all in the name of love, even when that means Louis must face the dread of a forced military campaign under that “self-serving war monger,” Bonaparte. That leads to heart-rending choices as he must leave behind a pregnant Geneviève, charged with keeping the vineyard and their close friends safe.

Geneviève is every bit the resolute, strong female lead of the other books in the series, but her pregnancy—and the shock of Louis’s conscription in exchange for her freedom from the asylum—allow her a soft, vulnerable edge. That vulnerability, combined with her belief that restoring the monarchy is France’s only hope, prompts her to dare to attempt acts of espionage herself. Readers of historical fiction with a strong current of love and loss will enjoy watching both Louis and Geneviève fight their own battles in hopes of reuniting—and reunifying their ravaged country.

Takeaway: Sweeping, passionate portrait of the everyday lives in Bonaparte’s France.

Comparable Titles: Penny Haw’s The Woman at the Wheel, Stephanie Dray’s The Women Chateau Lafayette.

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

Click here for more about Her Own War

A psychologist specializing in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions, including perfectionism, Chasson makes the case that perfectionism, so often seen as a boon, actually “wrecks” and can “sabotage” teams and businesses. Having high standards is important and can be healthy, Chasson acknowledges, but an organization can also become seriously sidelined and disrupted by unrelenting pursuit of perfection. Such an over-emphasis can also have negative repercussions on employee health and overall wellbeing, negatively impacting morale and encouraging costly turnover. Chasson offers “antiperfectionism” strategies, for business leaders and individuals, plus some good news: most of us fall somewhere in the middle, non-lethal perfectionist range and can generally succeed by focusing on how to achieve “meaningful goals with ethics and urgency.”

As Chasson argues, there’s a lot not to like about being perfect or regularly trying to be so. The perfectionist’s thinking is often highly inflexible and given to self-doubt about taking action. Perfectionists have a “contradictory relationship” with control, Chasson writes, demonstrating that this trait should not automatically be considered the asset it’s often perceived as. He’s especially persuasive on the fact that there can be a bright side to mistakes—they can enable one to view a situation differently, encourage teamwork and original thinking, empowering an organization to rebound with more efficient solutions. Chasson’s advice is persuasive: embrace principles and be flexible, honest, and gracefully imperfect.

Chasson earns points for tackling a serious, largely underreported condition in plain, direct language, at times with a biting wit and much practical, hard-won guidance and illuminating tools, including his own “Emphasis Framework” crafted for “understanding behavior in a context of effort-value pressures.” Chasson’s prose is as clear as his thinking and approaches are rigorous. His examination of the inner conflict that arises in the ongoing struggle over whether he should or should not fold the household towels employs a simple, everyday example to drive home key points of being true to one’s values vs. the overall good of an organization—in this case his marriage. Many readers will immediately turn to revelatory the chapter about dealing with a perfectionist boss.

Takeaway: Eye-opening guide to the problems of workplace perfectionism and how to face them.

Comparable Titles: Thomas Curran’s The Perfection Trap, Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection.

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

Click here for more about Flawed

In this concise, emphatic memoir, Lauren examines wrenching personal experiences with commendable candor and courage, offering poignant insights into the pervasive and cruel reality of sexual exploitation and answering a pressing question for survivors: “Once freedom is achieved, how do we help each other heal from what happened?” Opening with the startling statistic that 4.5 million individuals worldwide are currently victims of sexual exploitation, Lauren emphasizes under-reported cases—those occurring in seemingly ordinary circumstances, catching victims unaware, such as being tricked to "please a boyfriend" or infiltrating the children's world of the online game platform Roblox. Her own story upsets, as she exposes her mother's unsettling role in "grooming" her into drugs, blackouts, and exploitation by age 19, before escaping into a safe house and recovery program. Lauren’s reunion with her mother, who herself endured a childhood of abuse, illustrates the distressing cycle where trauma breeds further trauma.

Lauren writes touchingly of disrupting cycles of addiction and toxic thought patterns. Her devotion to her children becomes the catalyst for the determination and discipline to pursue the less-traveled road to healing. In a narrative that leans more towards catharsis than structure, Lauren discusses an array of rehabilitation techniques, including positive self-talk, acupuncture points, frequency-inducing sound therapy, plant medicine, Divine awareness, and education—which, she notes, not only raises awareness but also increases dopamine levels. A chapter on the transformative potential of psilocybin is upbeat and possibly surprising, describing the treatment as a catalyst for an "ego death" that liberated her from feeling like a victim of external forces. With newfound clarity, Lauren asserts, "My ego can drive me toward addiction and destruction if I allow it to direct my choices."

Lauren offers hope to others when she reveals how her awakened spirituality dismantles the blueprint of trauma: shame, guilt, rage, despair, and pain. She inspires readers who have faced humanity’s worst with a reminder that there are paths, however circuitous and surprising, to acceptance, forgiveness, and love.

Takeaway: Insightful, poignant story of finding a path to healing after abuse.

Comparable Titles: Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life, Sheila Hamilton's All the Things We Never Knew.

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

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A talented guitarist embarking on a new career after the breakup of his band discovers love amid the danger of a separatists’ revolt in this romance blending rock and international intrigue from Merrill (author of the Forces of Nature series, among others). After his band, MoonCraft, breaks up, Randall Sutter finds a job as a music teacher at an elite school for international students in Castelldefels, near Barcelona, arranged by his former teacher, Cecilia Galván. But Randall is jolted to discover that Alonso, the custodian at the school, is the man who rescued Randall during a protest for Catalonian independence, and said to him, in a moment of tenderness, “I definitely don’t make it a habit of kissing American musicians in trouble, but sometimes…”

This polished entry in the multi-author Accidentally Undercover series is powered by both romance and suspense as Randall begins to feel a deep attraction to Alonso while trying to understand why separatists are arguing in the school parking lot. The tense, well-described milieu ups the stakes as Randall soon learns that Alonso is a soldier working undercover as a custodian and also the brother of Cecilia’s fiance, whose family owns a winery in Catalonia. As the attraction builds, Randall learns that Alonso is working to identify potential terrorists with connections to the school seeking Catalonian independence. The romance pulses with both levity and intrigue, providing a respite from the danger from those involved in the quest for Catalonian independence while leaving Randall wondering whom he can trust in a country where he is still learning the language.

As the pace intensifies along with the peril to both Alonso and Randall, Randall’s authenticity shines through as he becomes immersed in Catalonian culture, made inviting and fascinating by Merrill, and thrives in his role as a music teacher. Readers will be cheering for Randall to find his happily ever after with Alonso, especially when Randall risks his life for one of his students who was kidnapped, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

Takeaway: A rocker-turned-teacher in Spain gets caught up in romance and tense political unrest.

Comparable Titles: Sarina Bowen’s Roommate, Elle Keaton’s Conspiracy Theory.

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

Click here for more about Under His Sheets