Retired pastor Karriker explores both the literal and metaphorical boundaries of the Christian Church in this spiritual debut, writing that "The Church was and is the living witness that the Kingdom of God exists now, here on earth.” His work seeks to answer two main questions for Christians: Is church involvement necessary? And, if so, what type of church should Christians attend? Delving into the “essence, function, [and] form” of the Church, Karriker draws from personal anecdotes and biblical teachings to explore how the Church’s duties, meanings, and believers have changed throughout the years.

Karriker writes with a fond devotion to his subject, declaring, “I have a confession. I love the Church. I love the Church in all her various forms and permutations,” while urging readers to seek God’s direction in their church lives, particularly in light of the “worldwide upheaval” occurring today. He covers the Church’s history, biblical teachings on what it is meant to be and represent, and how modern events (including the COVID-19 pandemic) have affected the way believers and non-believers view church. In those discussions, Karriker notes a pattern of people engaging in on-again, off-again relationships with God. He advises Christians to doggedly pursue being worldly examples of Jesus’s teachings, writing that "our ability to make an impact on the world and those around us is dependent on our being positively different.”

Karriker’s main purpose for the Christian Church is clearly and candidly stated throughout as "Jesus’ plan to take His message of love and salvation by grace to all people everywhere in this hurting and dying world.” For that reason, he explores the Church not only as a place for Christians to gather and worship but also as the driving force behind Christians carrying out Jesus’s mission. This is an informative resource for readers seeking a deeper understanding of a well-known pillar in Christian worship.

Takeaway: Spiritual examination of the Christian Church’s function and meaning.

Comparable Titles: Edward W. Klink III's The Local Church, Joseph H. Hellerman's When the Church Was a Family.

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

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With one foot firmly in the new age and the other in a mix of spirituality, history, and gender studies, Schaefer (author of Isn’t It Kind of Funny That) aims big in striving to guide humanity to a higher state of consciousness and end the harms caused by patriarchal thinking throughout history. In 30 brisk chapters paired with clever red-and-white illustrations from Gabriel Berron, Schaefer playfully surveys the development of humanity—and our selfishness, cruelty, and patriarchal traditions—from hunter-gatherer societies to early civilizations (“A way of life that made [our ancestors] quite uncivil towards each other”) and beyond. Our world, he argues, has been built “to patriarchal specs,” limiting women’s influence while encouraging men to “run amuck” and “put on an act” of swaggering invulnerability.

Under patriarchy, Schaefer notes, men “see nature as something to be conquered for profit” while women “identify with nature and respect it”—but, when it comes to leading humanity forward, their “input has never been sought.” Schaefer sees hope, though, in a “paradigm shift” toward a new masculinity at a moment when “we're gaining momentum to transform the human species” into one that “is able to use our minds to think” rather than be controlled by fear, old beliefs, and propaganda.

Drawing on his own lightbulb moment when he transcended the “thought-controlled, ego-distorted reality” that limits men, Schaefer’s prose is upbeat, searching, and tinged with humor. The book reads quickly, often positing big theories about key moments of human development before moving on. The result is more a loving vision of what could be than a roadmap, though Schaefer’s testimony about his own journey should hearten men whose acculturated thinking distances them from strong connections with women. “What joy,” he writes, “to be able to connect with half of humanity that had been closed off for me!”

Takeaway: Upbeat call for liberating the mind and society from patriarchal beliefs.

Comparable Titles: Katayoun Shirzad’s My Journey of the Heart, Lucia René’s Unplugging the Patriarchy.

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

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Being brave means something different to everyone, and in Thomas’ inspiring picture book for young children, a little girl named Dayna Diamond discovers her own courage. Dayna lives in a mythical land called Shapesville, where people’s heads resemble different geometric shapes—Dayna, for instance, is a chocolate diamond, while her best friend Sammy is a square. At school one day, Dayna’s class discusses the things that scare them, rattling off a relatable list including spiders, the dark, and clowns. Dayna, though, is afraid of speaking in front of people, which stands in the way of her dream of being Snow White in the school play.

Then there’s Dayna’s snobby classmate, Crystal Diamond, who informs Dayna that chocolate diamonds can’t be Snow White because they “don’t even dazzle.” Here, this story succeeds on multiple fronts. First, Dayna learns to identify what anxiety feels like in her body along with a helpful technique to manage it that kids can use in their own lives. Dayna also tries out for the play despite her fear and learns that “doing what she loves makes her light up from the inside out” – as well as the fact that kids shouldn’t let stereotypes and prejudices stand in the way of their goals. Finally, through Sammy’s unwavering support, kids will see what it looks like to be a good friend.

Khadija Maryam’s expressive illustrations follow Dayna on each stage of her journey, showing her learning in her classroom, playing on the playground, walking down the street, and laughing with Sammy. The illustrations aren’t particularly immersive or detailed, but kids will relate to wide-eyed, good-natured Dayna, whose emotions are clearly visible on her face and easy for young readers to understand. In the end, Dayna’s success will show kids that the key to their own dreams lies in overcoming other people’s limiting beliefs and facing their fears.

Takeaway: Inspiring story of a little girl overcoming fear to achieve her dreams.

Comparable Titles: Ashley Spires’s The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do, Nicola Kinnear’s A Little Bit Brave.

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

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Built around a “Tourism Marketing Blueprint” and much hard-won insight, this clear-eyed guide from Torres—the founder and director of the Tourism Marketing Agency—offers a thorough, practical, and refreshingly frank guide to best practices for growing a tours and activities business, with an emphasis on digital marketing, referral strategies, and ongoing refinement of approaches. Torres extols the benefits of the “authentic marketing” opportunities unique to this industry, laying out how to apply “the sheer power of genuine storytelling coupled with strategic marketing” to crafting content, sites, and “personalised and authentic travel experiences” that will drive customers to a business. The goal is not to sell but to “captivate” prospects and convert them into customers, preferably the kind that comes back multiple times.

Torres’s secret formula is to blend inspiration and imagination with practical guidance, such as highlighting the expertise of your team. He offers detailed accounts of his own work in building businesses and helping transform others, plus step-by-step guidance applicable to anyone running a tourism or hospitality business. The advice is original and up-to-date, including tips on growing a social-media presence, the usefulness of paid ads, targeting geographic segments, analyzing competitors, measuring success, remaining patient when building one’s business, diversifying traffic sources, utilizing Google Analytics, and understanding customer engagement. Torres shows how to turn customers into fans who rave about their experiences through reviews, recommendations, and social-media posts. Their often contagious enthusiasm is the fuel that grows the business.

Representing something of a new vision in marketing, Torres’s business-growing philosophy goes far beyond aggressively pushing products. It’s a hands-on approach focused on offering a steady stream of useful, inspiring content that builds trust, engagement, sales, and ultimately an army of fans. For those in the travel business, this is a must-read playbook. For others looking to grow their businesses while inspiring themselves and their staff with enthusiasm, many easily transferable lessons can be found here.

Takeaway: Exemplary guide to building and marketing tour and activities businesses.

Comparable Titles: Matthew Newton’s Sell More Tours.

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

Click here for more about Lookers into Bookers, The Tourism Marketing Blueprint

With the sense of play and alarm that the title suggests, Dolinsky tackles the idea that bureaucracy is a deeply dehumanizing affair, too often encouraging workers to forget about those around them and embrace an anxious mindlessness. Like zombies in movies, he writes, “They don’t see people but instead see objects to bite.” Dolinsky’s zombies gum up systems by losing touch with human interactions, causing “friction, injustice, and dissatisfaction” fueled by “a misplaced sense of urgency regarding what is essential.” Worse, they spread the “virus” to others. Through anecdotes from his wide-ranging professional life in the military, government, and private sectors, Dolinsky illustrates how this zombification plays out in the real world and what can be done to shake workers and bureaucracies out of their stupors.

A useful read for those interested in finding more satisfaction and happiness in their work, Workplace Zombies is filled with fresh stories from a wide array of workplaces, illustrating the costs and challenges of zombiedom, plus a host of inspiring quotes and original advice (like “three super-quick and easy things you can do to remove uncertainty from the workplace that require no budget”) crafted to inspire happier, more productive workplaces free of the working dead. Dolinsky walks the reader through an eight-step path for defeating the “workplace zombie virus of bureaucratic friction,” with tips from his time as an Army bomb tech, a stockbroker, and a federal emergency management expert peppered throughout.

The abundance of quotes and references to writers, philosophers, and pop culture can distract from the central argument, and the anecdotal approach makes it read less like a guide for inoculating workplaces and more like notes from the front lines. While the zombie metaphor is itself dehumanizing, Dolinsky writes with compassion, giving grace to those who might, in simpler tellings, appear as villains by acknowledging them as victims of this workplace virus. His stories are framed as learning moments rather than indictments, and readers will find wisdom to pull from them.

Takeaway: Thoughtful look at how to end zombie behavior in the workplace.

Comparable Titles: Marina Nitze and Nick Sinai’s Hack Your Bureaucracy, Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini’s Humanocracy.

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

Click here for more about The Workplace Zombie

Nguyen’s practical guide to overcoming burnout and making a transformative break from careers that leave us wiped out and unsatisfied is rooted in her own experience. She seemed to be flying high as a marketing executive, but a mental breakdown and the realization that she was “incredibly unhappy on the inside, but smiling on the outside” led her to make a major change—and to write this book for others facing work burnout. Crafted to cater to a range of personalities, and especially delightful for perfectionists, Career Break Compass serves as a guide to a mental reset, laying out clear steps to change one’s life, create balance with work, and avoid feeling, in her phrase, like “crispy, well-done bacon.”

Nguyen’s “career break roadmap” includes four phases (Play, Pause, Plan, Pursue) and is packed with exercises, reflective prompts, inspirational quotes, and insights that will spur nods of recognition: “When I am better, when I take care of me, I am better for the people who matter most to me.” Writing with the warmth of a coach but the hard-won understanding of a survivor, Nguyen imbues her clear-eyed guidance with a welcome sense that none of us are alone in these journeys.

Nguyen urges readers to be honest and real with themselves, to face (and rationally confront) thoughts and fears that might seem scary, to lay out and consider all of one’s options, and not to avoid diving into the impossible, as that, she argues, is the best way to discover real purpose. Pairing this advice with her own story gives her authority, and readers will find much that inspires in her frank account. Nguyen carefully analyzes the root causes of burnout, ways to break cycles of stress, and how taking care of yourself can help you “create more of a meaningful impact in the world.” Most importantly, she emphasizes the necessity for adults to relearn how to play, highlighting its essential role in human development.

Takeaway: Inspiring roadmap taking a burnout “break” for a better life.

Comparable Titles: Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’s Designing Your Life, Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass.

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

Click here for more about Career Break Compass

Paisley (author of Furious in the Expanse) crafts ten nightmarish short stories sure to lodge—if not fester—in the minds of readers. With subjects ranging from the supernatural to the shockingly commonplace, Paisley's horrors are stomach-turning and grotesque, perfect for reading during a storm or under the covers by flashlight. Written in briskly archaic prose that’s charged, incantatory, and unnervingly clammy, tales like “The Great Event” (the title refers to an occasion eagerly anticipated by a daughter haunted by her mother’s ghost) and “Fever Dream” (the title couldn’t be more apt) highlight primal fears of being trapped, feeling unsafe or unloved within our families, and facing forces bigger than ourselves. Cosmic and body horror are expertly woven throughout, though readers should be aware that some tales involve themes of child sexual abuse—never described in detail but still deeply unsettling.

While the taboo pervades, charm unexpectedly percolates in surprising places. Lovers of weird fiction will relish these characters’ “torpor”s, “spasms of terror and sorrow,” and “whimsical” “hacking at my organs.” Highlights include the bittersweet final gathering of lovers who unite annually despite death, accidentally shedding and losing body parts needed for the next year’s get-together. Similarly memorable are the chatty diary entries of a young ghost as she begins to understand her afterlife in the house she haunts, or the surprising thoughts and hopes of a woman trapped inside a mirror.

That charm lives in the antiquated verbiage, the raw emotion and host of striking details, and the matter-of-fact way the narrators address the supernatural. While it doesn’t guarantee happy endings, there's joy in these grim stories that echo, in tone, the early greats of cosmic horror. Paisley seems to dance with them, the playfulness keeping readers on edge—it’s never safe to get comfortable. This hard-to-forget collection offers many dark rewards.

Takeaway: Darkly playful, unsettling horror stories in a classical vein.

Comparable Titles: Thomas Ligotti, Robert Aickman.

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

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In 24th century America, 13-year-old Charlie scrapes out a life in a “reclaimed zone,” where the living situation is mediocre at best, while dodging his abusive uncle’s tirades. In his free time, he salvages leftover war scraps hidden in an underground warehouse and saves his credits, until the day comes that his secret cache is discovered and he’s forced to flee. From there, Charlie stumbles through a dangerous world, making friends with a dog named Katie and discovering a thriving city perched by a shimmering ocean: Arcadia, where he meets the Bimmy family and learns that Katie was their son’s service dog—before he went missing.

McGuire (Nightmares & Lullabies) deftly sketches the shifting power dynamics of a future Earth plagued by dying resources, where the planet is burning up and no amount of intergalactic intervention can save it. Space mining is the central industry in McGuire’s world, and Earth’s trajectory is doomed—worsened by failing relationships with its colonies, interplanetary rebellion, and a looming war pitting Earth against a rebellion pirate group and colonies desperate for independence. Amid the tumult, Charlie is given a chance at a new life when the Bimmys adopt him—and new love, in the form of the strong-willed, whip-smart Becca, who dabbles in wormhole travel while studying astrophysics.

From the start, McGuire sets a snappy pace for this intense story, teasing multiple perspectives and time skips that are complex but still relatively easy to follow. The politics are starkly persuasive, affecting both Becca’s research and Charlie’s work in the military Space Force, and McGuire’s doom-and-gloom scenario for Earth plays out convincingly, allowing Charlie and Becca to mourn the planet’s downward spiral while discovering the echoes of a potential new world by the book’s end. SF fans will relish the book’s message that, to survive this near future, one must “think beyond tomorrow’s sun.”

Takeaway: Refreshing sci-fi where complex characters race to save a dying Earth.

Comparable Titles: Marko Kloos’s Terms of Enlistment, Kyle Noland’s S.E.T. The Earth on Fire.

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

Click here for more about Beyond Tomorrow's Sun

Inspired by a father's desire to impart the wisdom and lessons learned throughout his life to his children, this motivating guide builds an understanding of how to balance one’s passions with financial freedom and success by aligning values and beliefs with discovering an individual purpose—and "why.” Hsin makes a compelling case for these as the cornerstones of bridging the gap between happiness and success. He roots this case in his own story. At the age of 44, Hsin learned he was going to become a parent, and his first priority was ensuring that he did not pass down his emotional baggage to his children while leaving them a "legacy...to navigate the jagged path through adult life."

Through personal anecdotes from himself and his family—both the one he was born into and the one he ultimately created—Hsin offers hard-won insights about his journey to finding a “why,” a sense of purpose, and a source of happiness. Using his North Star priorities (serving family, serving society, serving God, and serving self), Hsin suggests that anyone can identify why they are driven toward a goal or career path. Discovering which form of service is most important or prominent in one’s life makes it easier, he argues, to figure out what matters most, such as the “lifestyle level … [that] aligns with your own Financial Aspirations, Values, and, most importantly, your own personal North Star priorities." Hsin demonstrates the difference between “seeking meaningful work and seeking meaning through work” as he urges readers to know themselves, identify core values, and cultivate a healthy work/life balance to find true contentment.

The Passion Gap reads warmly, like the parental and financial advice that it is, as Hsin imparts personal wisdom and provides actionable steps to gain financial independence and close the gap between passion and money—laying out a path to achieve both, in balance.

Takeaway: A father's advice for bridging the gap between one's passion and financial success.

Comparable Titles: Brian Luebben's From Passive To Passionate.

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

Click here for more about The Passion Gap

Pavel’s engrossing memoir comes in the form of a series of essays, some previously published, but several wholly new. Sharing stories from her childhood in the tumultuous times of what was once Czechoslovakia in the 1950s and ’60s, she tells of her perfect timing in obtaining an exit visa to London in 1967, shortly before Moscow ordered all Czech citizens home. A last-minute marriage helped her stay on the western side of the Iron Curtain, where Pavel relished London at its swingingest, working as a model, acting, and “waitressing in an uncomfortable costume and ridiculously high heels” at the Playboy Club—a job that demanded she overcome inhibitions rooted in “Communist propaganda with its unlikely partner, women’s lib.”

In touching yet cannily sophisticated prose, Pavel shares fascinating stories and opinions (“The Beatles-Rolling Stones rivalry was invented by newspapers, but my loyalty skewed toward the Bee Gees”), revealing the funny way she met her American husband, their globe-roving lifestyle, and how she embraced her biggest change yet: settling in the United States to raise their family. She writes movingly of her childhood in Czechoslovakia, where she witnessed food scarcity, limitations on what teachers could teach, the difficulties her mother faced getting cancer medication, and the frustrations her father faced as a business owner—a tailor with seven employees—under an oppressive communist government.

Yet all the while, she paints a loving picture of the family she adores and the beautiful country and people that will always be close to her heart. In London, she at times could not appreciate her surroundings, as she “was focused on the day I would embrace my parents.” A natural storyteller and shrewd observer, Pavel vividly places readers in each setting and nuanced emotional state, from fear and guilt when her toddler son is injured during a typhoon in Hong Kong to her deep yearning for her parents. Pavel always demonstrates a deep understanding of people, keeping readers engaged across decades, continents, and pages.

Takeaway: Moving, incisive memoir of a surprising life after exiting the Iron Curtain.

Comparable Titles: Elena Gorokhova’s Russian Tattoo, Antje Arnold’s The Girl Behind the Wall.

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

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Powered by themes of trauma, bravery, and persistence, Green’s debut centers on a troubled West Virginia deputy, Carl Williams, and his turbulent relationship with his teenage son, James, and the half-wild drug-finding dog, Butch. After James’s track coach overdoses on opioids, Carl and Butch must battle sinister drug dealers, indifferent authorities, a fickle public, and their own personal demons in fictional-but-familiar Stratfield, a small town stricken with poverty and crime. Occasionally aided by a mysterious informant, Carl follows the opioids from Stratfield to D.C. and back.

Carl finds some support in the community, forming a friendship with the town veterinarian, Gideon Boggs—who possibly knows more than he reveals—and a romance with the flirtatious but pushy waitress Del. Complicating matters is the fact that Carl is abusive to James and Butch, becoming violent with them when they don’t immediately obey him, and repeatedly putting Del and his job ahead of James and Butch’s safety and happiness. It’s Butch, then, who emerges as the true hero of the story, repeatedly saving Carl and James’s lives, fighting the drug dealers with superheroic determination and strength, and even sometimes proving more of a caring dad to James than Carl can manage, offering comfort when the younger Williams is sad or injured.

In the novel’s second half, after a wild scene involving Butch, a church service, and a bottle of OxyContin, Green’s emphasis shifts from Carl’s relationships to the opioid crisis, showcasing the toll of addiction, contrasting the drug business with moonshining, and deftly demonstrating the fickleness of the public. More interested in local football games than the epidemic, the community both embraces and turns against Butch and Carl. A blossoming romance for Josh offers some relief from the grim realities of opioids, and a key scene in which Carl reveals a painful secret to James (and Butch) is heartbreaking, though it can’t excuse his abusive, controlling behavior, and the frequent strong profanity makes this an uneasy fit for YA. The finale is bittersweet but realistic.

Takeaway: A cop and a dedicated dog fight opioids and inner demons in West Virginia.

Comparable Titles: Liz Moore's Long Bright River, Paula Munier’s A Borrowing of Bones.

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

Click here for more about Life and Times of Officer Butch

Chehade’s deeply moving novel explores the devastating impact of the Lebanese Civil War through the eyes of two distinct yet interconnected characters, alternating between Hisham, a dedicated Arabic teacher, and Rita, his young student trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding her. In 1975 Lebanon, both Hisham and Rita use their love of books to escape from the violence and uncertainty of their reality, as their country slowly but inexorably marches toward destruction. But when their daily routines become more disrupted by protests, uprisings, and death, they can no longer ignore the tension simmering just under the surface while they “pretend that life was still normal.”

The novel’s dual perspective provides a layered and insightful look into how war affects individuals across different generations and social backgrounds, and Chehade’s prose is both lyrical and unflinching, painting vivid scenes of beauty and redemption amid the destruction. Both Hisham and Rita seek solace and understanding through their writing, a reflection of Chehade’s own grappling with chaos through storytelling, and this meta-narrative approach enriches the novel, allowing readers to connect deeply with the characters’ inner struggles as they navigate loss, hope, and the unexplainable endurance of the human spirit.

Chehade’s depiction of the Lebanese Civil War is both intimate and expansive, offering readers a personal lens through which to view the lives upended by the conflict, and her attention to sensory details—and skill in evoking the characters’ lived experiences—make the novel immersive and strikingly real. The end result is a challenge to more simplistic narratives about war, as Chehade (author of Loom) provides a nuanced exploration of its complexities—and the often-overlooked personal stories behind the headlines. This is a compelling and thought-provoking work that, much as Hisham strives to do in his teaching, highlights the resilience of the human spirit while seeking to “make beauty out of the sordid world.”

Takeaway: Evocative rendering of a country fragmented by civil war.

Comparable Titles: Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Take Me with You, A. Naji Bakhti’s Between Beirut and the Moon.

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

Click here for more about We Walked On

Moran (Woman Obsessed) shares her mother Estelle’s story growing up Jewish in early 1900s San Francisco—and her decision, as an adult, to conceal that identity: “My mother made no apologies for the way she lived,” Moran writes. The book starts with a glimpse of Estelle’s own mother Rose’s immigration to America before delving into Estelle’s childhood, defined by her abusive father and Rose’s escape to San Francisco to start over. From a young age, Estelle questions her identity, longing for “a bigger world that was more exciting and less restrictive.”

Throughout Estelle’s story, she grapples with frequent antisemitism in the world around her, balancing the constant pull she feels between her past and her future. Moran constructs Prohibition-era San Francisco through Estelle’s young eyes, revealing the struggles women faced during the time—including restricted abortion access and society’s harsh judgments for single women—while transporting readers through notable historical events that reverberate throughout Estelle’s world. When Estelle meets her future husband, John, the couple quickly realize that her complex relationship with her Jewish heritage matters more to their friends and family than it does to them. “You can be what you want, believe what you want. It makes no difference to me,” John tells his bride-to-be.

Moran stays keenly aware of the vicious antisemitism her mother faced in her daily life, starkly portrayed against the backdrop of America’s Great Depression and the Second World War. The memoir is at its best when tackling the more vulnerable and exposed aspects of Estelle’s life, including her work in an OSS office during the war and her growing terror at Hitler’s murder of the Jewish people. Some minor grammar issues distract from the otherwise evenly balanced narrative, but this is still a moving tribute to a mother who was “a force of nature, an extraordinary being, an abiding presence who lived her life with grace and goodness.”

Takeaway: Stirring memoir of a mother’s complex relationship with her Jewish heritage.

Comparable Titles: Esther Amini’s Concealed, Margaret K. Nelson’s Keeping Family Secrets.

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

Click here for more about Suddenly Jewish

Ali’s picture book debut follows young Dani as she learns valuable lessons about friendship in elementary school. Dani loves kickball and playing charades with her brother, and though she admits to being shy in certain situations, she has a knack for reaching out to her peers when they need it most. Take Emily, a classmate suffering from a chronic illness that precludes her from enjoying more active recess activities; when Dani sees Emily miss out on outdoor time one day due to her health, she promptly decides Emily needs a friend—and invites her outside for safer activities, like cards and board games, that allow the girls to have fun without putting Emily at risk.

Dani’s compassion for others bubbles up in nearly every interaction she has, and Ali fashions her into a positive role model for younger readers to learn how to build thoughtful relationships with peers. When she’s caught between two arguing classmates during a learning activity, Dani seeks the teacher’s help—a smart move for school-aged children to learn—to resolve the conflict. This allows her to conquer her own shyness and reach out to Chris, who, she discovers, has a special way of influencing her for the better. Exchanges like these are sweet to behold, and adult readers will find several opportunities for meaningful conversations about kindness, friendship, and empathy in this story.

Ali addresses several potential sources of conflict for children, including how to bridge differences across cultural divides. However, that section feels a bit awkward, as Dani’s teacher compares students of different races to white and brown eggs, advising the kids in her class that “If you did not see the color of the egg, you would not notice a difference.” Still, the illustrations are bright and lively, and Ali smartly includes a list of potential questions kids can use when getting to know their peers.

Takeaway: Important lessons on friendship in a school setting.

Comparable Titles: Patty Brozo’s The Buddy Bench, Lisa Moser’s A Friendship Yarn.

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

Click here for more about Little Dani Makes A Friend

Morris once again brews a captivating blend of historical thriller, mystery, and the supernatural with the second installment in her Fiona Shanahan series, after Fiona Rising. Set in the vibrant but shadowy streets of 19th-century New Orleans, the novel follows Fiona, an investigator with a hidden past, and her steadfast partner (and lover) Michael Henley, on their latest quest—to locate a client’s estranged lover. That assignment takes the couple down a perilous journey into the very heart of darkness, as what appears cut and dried on the surface transforms into a sinister plot involving malevolent voodoo priestess Annette Chambord and her army of zombies.

Morris’s portrait of New Orleans is a tantalizing mix of shadows and glitz, and she skillfully captures the area’s rich cultural heritage and underlying darkness, from the mouthwatering Creole dishes and evening sheen of the St. Louis Cathedral to the city’s stringent social hierarchies and voodoo magic. Her meticulous research is evident throughout, giving the novel an historical accuracy that grounds the supernatural elements and pulls readers deeper into the story’s richly textured world—a world underpinned by well-drawn, memorable characters. Fiona is both compelling and resilient, brimming with courage that propels the narrative, and her interactions with the mysterious Comte de Saint Germain and loyal Henley bring both tension and depth to this enigmatic tale.

From sharp, authentic dialogue to the novel’s stunning atmosphere, Morris delivers evocative imagery and lavish sensory details that bring vivid life to every scene, particularly the otherworldly battle Fiona must undertake—with help from her friends and the legendary Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau—to stop Annette’s reign of terror. Themes of power, corruption, and redemption coil throughout, adding emotional weight and thought-provoking subtext, and Morris’s well-timed twists will keep readers hooked. The seamless blend of historical fiction and supernatural intrigue makes this installment one to savor.

Takeaway: A supernatural showdown threatens 19th-century New Orleans.

Comparable Titles: Deborah Harkness’s Black Bird Oracle, Rena Rossner’s The Sisters of the Winter Wood.

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

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Proffit’s debut novel, conjuring a sweet romance amidst a vividly evoked New Jersey beach town and boardwalk, tells the story of overcoming past misunderstandings that act as obstacles to true love. Struggling music teacher Billy Pine makes ends meet by playing piano at La Péniche, partnering with legendary drag queen Viktoria Sinclair. Attractive Pierce Talon, Billy’s high school classmate, offers him a breakfast cook’s job at the charming Sea Spray Inn, where Pierce is chef. There, Billy meets Thad Lambert, a music director in Marsha Morgan’s dance company, and soon love blossoms—much to Pierce’s chagrin. Thad offers Billy a chance to feature his composition in the fall season of the dance company, though Billy remains confused about Thad’s feelings.

Attentive to wildlife, weather, issues of class, and the pressures and pleasures of mounting a show, Proffit’s somewhat leisurely style matches the pace of life in the small town of Beachside, with evocative descriptions of beaches, old mansions, and a classic boardwalk filled with “arcades, fortune tellers, T-shirt shops, pizza stands and rundown beachfront vacation rentals.” The cast’s love of music and cocktails creates a sophisticated party atmosphere, with dialogue that sparkles. The sharply named Pierce Talon is compelling, especially as he chooses to give up his hyper-masculine image and be kinder. Equally memorable is the feisty Viktoria Sinclair, whose impeccable style and golden heart light up her scenes. Thad Lambert, meanwhile, is given less interiority than the others, as the story hinges on his silence and reluctance to take the relationship with Billy forward.

Refreshingly, the author paints a community that is very accepting of gay love, apart from Pierce’s struggle with his father’s opinions on masculinity and queerness. A touching incident with the lovely dog Finn functions as an apt metaphor for Billy’s life, and in the end, there is hope—a break in the ice, a place to surface for air. A warm, relaxed, and energizing read.

Takeaway: Charming queer Jersey romance that sparkles with dance, music, and feeling.

Comparable Titles: Alison Cochrun’s The Charm Offensive, James Acker’s The Long Run.

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

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