Hoek’s opening scene finds 13-year-old Lisa, on the cusp of adolescence, struggling with the pain from events that are beyond her control and desperately seeking a way out. After an intentional fall from her grandfather’s barn leaves her reeling but still very much alive, Lisa embarks on a journey of self-discovery at her grandfather’s behest, as he shepherds her through loneliness, bullying, grief, and her parents’ divorce, drawing from his work as a psychologist alongside his powerful intuition to help her navigate the uncertainties of growing up.

Lisa’s journey is eye-opening—for herself and her grandfather—and, as the pair embark together on exploring “the secret of life,” their strong bond and mutual respect allow deep, unrestricted emotional surveys and discussions on even the most intimidating topics, with forgiveness, family, and accountability taking center stage. Readers will grasp from Lisa’s journey that transformation can be both beautiful and painful but is worth it in the end, and even her grandfather, struggling with his own guilt and fear, grows to accept his past and come to terms with his own “perceality”—Lisa’s unique way of describing each person’s “version of reality.”

Though Lisa’s insight sometimes feels too mature for her age, it’s still the perfect springboard for readers to reflect on their own lives and recognize that change, while scary, is inevitable. As Lisa embraces that truth, she realizes that the secret to life was within her all along—and that “true self-love leaves no room for pain.” Hoek’s lessons are challenging but rewarding, and the skills Lisa and her grandfather gain throughout the process—journaling, manifestation, meditation, and more—resonate. The Girl Who Changed the World is a touching debut, layered in its delivery, that highlights the complexity of human emotion and self-discovery while focusing on the value of family.

Takeaway: Touching quest of self-discovery for a girl and her grandfather.

Comparable Titles: Paulo Coelho's The Archer, Jason Reynolds’s' Look Both Ways.

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

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Beaulieu lovingly explores the history of temporary U.S. Army Camp Haan in this earnest debut. Established in 1940 in Riverside, CA, Camp Haan was put into immediate action training anti-aircraft artillery crews for the Second World War; Beaulieu crafts its background with rich historical texture, thoroughly analyzing the U.S. military prior to World War II before chronicling the camp’s construction process, addressing site location, architectural plan development, and more. Camp Haan’s operation takes a large part of the narrative, as Beaulieu delves into its day-to-day functions, ranging from the camp bakery output to service clubs for its officers to the activities of POW buildings.

Hoping to “grasp a piece of the world that cannot be brought back,” Beaulieu is meticulous in charting Camp Haan’s purpose and operations, and he includes extensive photographs, maps, and schematics designed to resurrect the vibrancy of a rarely mentioned slice of military history. His attention to detail is remarkable: each individual camp tent is carefully plotted, chapel service schedules are reproduced, and Beaulieu goes so far as to jot down which military units traveled through the camp. History buffs will relish the entertaining snippets of daily life Beaulieu captures, like the Desert Sun article requesting that civilians host Camp Haan soldiers for Thanksgiving, or his outline of the wages paid to prisoners of war in exchange for their camp labors.

One conspicuous gap is in firsthand accounts of life in Camp Haan; as Beaulieu notes, he was unable to interview anyone who lived or worked there. That sense of lost history reverberates in Beaulieu’s descriptions of the camp’s current status: entirely dismantled, with only crumbling foundations remaining as a memorial to what once was a bustling military outpost. Beaulieu’s extensive archival research sets this glimpse of history apart, and he closes with several appendices that list Camp Haan’s buildings, known military units, and sample activity schedules.

Takeaway: Earnest and well-researched historical dive into U.S. military Camp Haan.

Comparable Titles: Marge Bitetti and Tony Bitetti’s The Aviation History of Greater Riverside, John H. Baker’s Camp Adair.

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

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Bailey's Olivia Penn Mystery series returns full force with a fourth installment blending small-town charm with high-stakes crime fueled by themes of love and betrayal. At the start, this entry finds advice columnist Olivia sharing a tender moment with her detective boyfriend, Preston, while reflecting on her traumatic past and anticipating two exciting arrivals to Apple Station, Virginia: her father and a carnival. Peace is short-lived, though, as on a routine plant-watering visit to the home of her out-of-town friend Sam, she discovers a pair of mysterious phones stashed in a drawer, one of them ringing. Then, the discovery of a dead carnival worker pushes Olivia back into the role of amateur sleuth—and into the uncomfortable position of keeping a secret.

As always, Bailey offers both small-town charm and smoothly escalating tension as Olivia faces a menacing stranger, a cryptic message, and a request to keep Preston in the dark about key events. The mystery will test Olivia’s new relationship as she goes undercover, pretending to write a feel-good piece on carnival life but actually trying to crack the nostalgic facade of Klein Amusements to expose a sordid truth. Tenacious and engaging as always, Olivia must work with sharply drawn tech-savvy friends, newspaper editors, and carnival workers, all while walking a tightrope between her truths and lies.

The high-stakes plot pits an ordinary columnist against a criminal organization with tendrils up and down the east coast, but Olivia's investigative work remains both credible and entertaining, revealing surprises about carnival life, the business of exotic animals, and more. Bailey's writing radiates compassion: "Everybody thinks we're a bunch of dirty carnies,” declares carnival lifer Aunt Bea. “But the people who work here are family.” That encapsulates Bailey's resistance to caricature, though she never lets her warm humanity come at the expense of danger and surprise—or this entry’s pointed moral indictment of exploitation and how justice gets easily trampled in favor of money and power.

Takeaway: Small-town columnist uncovers deadly carnival secrets in memorable mystery.

Comparable Titles: Dianne Scott’s Final Look, Patricia McLinn’s Caught Dead in Wyoming series.

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

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Evans’s powerful collection renders five uniquely different women fiercely connected by threads of grace, struggle, and the triumph that is womanhood. Each story—aptly titled with a letter that, together, form the word “woman”—features a courageous woman fighting to breathe in a male-dominated world, as in “W,” following Astur, who dissociates during her dangerous childbirth, as her repressed childhood memories of genital mutilation surface, leaving her frightened but resolute in the need to protect her unborn daughter. Evans’s women face down a world that seeks to control them, but readers glimpse their inner resilience as they break the chains that oppress and confine.

Trauma, sexual assault, childhood marriage, and human trafficking are prominent themes strung throughout Evans’s debut collection, and he includes stark facts illuminating the chilling prevalence of those practices at the end of the book. Those specifics paint vivid life into the collection’s central characters, as the objectification of women and their bodies rips through each story—desperate subject matter that Evans balances with tender care and well-developed prose, leaving space for a deep emotional impact. In “O,” young Jasmine fights against her mother’s “protection” to maintain her female anatomy, while New York City’s Nancy, in “M,” falls into a deep depression, on the brink of ending her life, after a brutal assault from a powerful “shareholder.” Of that terrifying encounter, Evans poignantly writes, “She was prey, ready to be swooped up by the predator.”

Fans of nuanced short story collections boosted by strong female leads will embrace Evans’s portrayal of the dark acts threatening destruction of womanhood, as he draws readers in and bridges a fiery connection with them, leaving them breathlessly hoping for each woman’s salvation from their enduring traumas. And that hope brightens even the most dismal corners of the collection, as one woman sharply reflects that “a soul bathed in hope [is] a threat.”

Takeaway: Powerful short story collection highlighting women’s resilience.

Comparable Titles: Kathleen Courtenay Stone's They Called Us Girls, Simone De Beauvoir's The Woman Destroyed.

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

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When war begins in Ukraine, young Artem and his mother must travel alone to Poland, bidding his father, who is staying behind to fight as a soldier to protect their home country, goodbye. Sad and scared about the changes his family and country will face, Artem nevertheless puts on a brave face as he acclimates to his new life in Przemysl. At The Welcoming Center, he meets many other young children—all starting over in Poland—and is touched by the kindness of others, specifically from a volunteer named Paolo who prepares food for Artem and the other refugees.

Meanwhile, in America, a young girl named Hannah sees what is happening a world away and feels compelled to help any way she can. After a bit of research, she comes up with the idea to make "Freedom Pancakes"—potato pancakes called "deruny" in Ukraine—and sells them to her community, raising donations for the war-torn country. That heartwarming sentiment in the face of destruction and terror runs steadily throughout, teaching young readers the impacts of war, how to stay brave in the face of new beginnings, and how even the smallest acts of kindness can change the world.

Cohn’s narrative pulls inspiration from real life people, including Paolo and also Hannah Skelton—the basis for this book’s Hannah—who, at six years old, raised money for children’s causes in Africa, and Yana Holubiatnikova’s evocative illustrations, created in Ukraine, bring poignant and dramatic life to the story’s setting. Cohn’s passion for helping others is touching and will energize young readers to discover their own concern for those facing hardship, a theme that Cohn follows up with end-of-book resources offering creative ways to help families around the world. Ultimately, the kindness Artem receives sparks his desire to pay it forward, in a sweet closing note that will leave readers uplifted and impassioned for change.

Takeaway: Moving children’s story about helping others during times of war.

Comparable Titles: George Takei's My Lost Freedom, Sarah Musa's My Garden Over Gaza.

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

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Hoping to illuminate the pathway to enrichment for business savvy readers, Brown dives into his experience in the corporate field, alongside the personal events that shaped him into a person “who, once I decided what I wanted to do, relentlessly pursued the goal.” He starts in childhood, with a brief overview of his formative years, before wading into deeper waters—including his Air Force service as a medic, years as a Taco Bell franchise owner, and later transformation from scuba diving enthusiast to an international luxury travel executive. Swirling among those rich life experiences are pockets of blunt but practical advice on achieving success, “disrupt[ing] as a positive force,” and more.

Brown tends to jettison business norms in a surprising detour from similar titles that lends this debut a lively, dynamic feel. In a section baldly titled “Bullshit,” he cautions readers that “there’s a lot of it out there and it’s important that you detect it before you step in it,” urging the need for trust to shore up relationships and solid lie-detecting skills for business leaders. That candid, no-holds-barred attitude permeates Brown’s writing, sometimes leading to advice that may jolt contemporary readers, such as his belief that “having an HR department is the biggest waste of money a company can spend.” His reasoning—that HR can slow the process of letting under-performers go—makes sense, though his stark advice for handling workplace complaints and personnel problems somewhat limits the guide’s potential audience.

Punchy chapter titles, combined with Brown’s down-to-earth logic behind either embracing business standards or bucking them, make this an entertaining read, placing the responsibility for redefining success squarely on readers’ shoulders: “What matters is that you come up with your own definition of success,” he writes, “and then live up to it.” He closes with a reminder that fact-based decision making—along with old-fashioned hard work—is the key to true achievement.

Takeaway: No-holds-barred advice for getting ahead in the world.

Comparable Titles: Laura Fredricks’s Hard Asks Made Easy, Dave Wong’s Magnetic Millionaire.

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

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There’s no rest for the successful, argues tech innovator Hanna, with Christy Petrosso, in this comprehensive debut. The guide is organized around lessons and analogies drawn from popular media, sports, and philosophy, as Hanna posits that businesses must “pivot” to their next major move rather than focusing solely on product-market fit (a notion he labels as outdated and illusionary). To that end, he details his proprietary model, the Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM)—a method that draws from several different frameworks and metrics while viewing “business growth as an ongoing journey,” as opposed to rigid milestones.

Pivoting as a Way of Life is easily digestible, even for those in the startup phase. Hanna uses clever metaphors to explain each facet of his PLOM model, such as the “Master and Commander” chapter that sees readers envisioning product strategy and development as akin to sailing, using lay lines and tacking to reach a predetermined destination, much like staying within set boundaries during product development can cut unnecessary inertia and costs. Similarly, Hanna uses the example of television series Schitt’s Creek to illustrate basic steps of pivoting that can, and should, be implemented in business practices, drawing parallels between the Schitt’s Creek storyline—a family forced to adapt to shocking economic problems—and the need for businesses to “adapt to their new circumstances and ultimately find ways to thrive.” Through such vivid examples, Hanna reminds readers that successful professionals start to change direction before they get off course.

Hanna packs his guide with useful and well-designed visual aids, tying up chapters with reflection and summary points to drive home his themes. Though some of the math theory behind his metrics—and the slew of acronyms driving his advice—require careful attention, readers will find Pivoting as a Way of Life an actionable, common-sense approach for real-life business practice.

Takeaway: Engaging paradigm on the need to be adaptable in business.

Comparable Titles: Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, John Doerr’s Measure What Matters.

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

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In this slim volume, writing coach Janzer (author of The Writer’s Voice) aims to mindfully match readers to non-fiction works. “Nonfiction doesn’t get enough respect,” she writes, asserting that “we idolize storytellers, but take for granted those people who can make dull topics come to life, or who write books that change the way we think.” Janzer classifies her work as a field guide, and she covers a host of topics—from the skill of crafting sensory-driven details to how quality writing builds trust with audiences—to help readers recognize and assign meaning to foundational writing elements.

Janzer’s guide stands out with smart examples of writing devices that readers might not consciously notice but ultimately expect, such as illustrative metaphors, purposeful repetition to drive home concepts, and thought experiments (as a sample, she replays the classic philosophy trolley problem that presents a choice between killing one person or five). Urging readers to explore what appeals to them in writing, Janzer sifts clickbait from genuinely snappy headlines and addresses how the internet has changed reading styles, resulting in more skimming due to the sheer amount of available content, which can make it difficult to emotionally connect with books.

Especially valuable are the down-to-earth homework assignments encased in Janzer’s “field notes”—end-of-chapter sections that bring her advice to life. In them, she examines how interest is piqued by catchy book titles, offers outlines to recognize various story elements in nonfiction reading, and teaches readers to detect abstract writing that can diminish their reading experience. Janzer also tosses out an intriguing challenge for die-hard literature fans: list the top 5 nonfiction books that would “make the cut” if your home had only one bookshelf. The level of detail Janzer provides is noteworthy, and those seeking to “sharpen [their] reading lens” will find it worthwhile.

Takeaway: Thoughtful study of nonfiction writing that will engage hardcore readers.

Comparable Titles: Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones.

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

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A young teenage girl finds herself a step closer to growing up and finding herself in this must-read middle grade debut. Vicki and her younger siblings Dylan and Judith have to start over once again when her burnout mom loses another job and apartment, moving them back to their grandmother’s apartment on Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx. Vicki has few things she can hold onto in her unstable young life, which makes her dream of finding her absent father all the more important to her. In the meantime, she again begins the slow process of establishing tentative roots, trying to make friends and build a life, this time with chores and structure from her grandmother. As those new responsibilities help her feel grown up and useful, she soon becomes close with Rosa, the daughter of the building’s superintendent—her heart does “a little flip” when Rosa refers to her as a “friend”—and also James, the neighborhood bad boy.

With their help, Vicki decides to try to uncover the secrets that may lead her to her father. The children’s search takes them on a small adventure that brings Vicki, for the first time, into Manhattan, a trip that Lally captures with striking detail and buoyant energy. Along the way, amid much funny and believable chatter, the new friends learn what really matters: to rely on each other, that sometimes the truth hurts, and that it’s okay to count on others to do the things we can’t do for ourselves.

Vicki is a convincing and relatable heroine, one who makes mistakes and sees the world through a sometimes hurt, vulnerable lens. Her mother is an imperfect woman who tries her best even though she frequently falls short, and the supporting cast is complex, lively, and endearing. This is a moving, empathetic read that will resonate with young readers who have ever felt alone, misunderstood, or that if one thing were somehow different the world might finally make sense.

Takeaway: Moving, empathetic must-read of growing up and discovering what matters.

Comparable Titles: Nina LaCour’s We Are Okay, Jeff Zentner’s The Serpent King.

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

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The fun second entry in Gillmann’s Guinness the Good Girl series sees lovable Dalmatian Guinness headed to Tune Town School with her owner, Dottie. Only top students are allowed to take part in Doggie Day at school, and Dottie just happens to be the sole top student who owns a dog—making Guinness just about as lucky as can be. Her day in class starts out a little rough when she races in and runs smack into the teacher’s presentation board, but before long Guinness is winning hearts and making the best of friends.

Young pet lovers will relish Guinness’s chance to experience school just like a human, and Penny Weber’s entertaining illustrations showcase her doing just that: from raising her paw in class to donning a swim cap for water ballet in the pool, Guinness’s facial expressions and lively actions perfectly mimic a dog’s personality. Her antics throughout the day are larger-than-life, but Dottie takes it all in stride, allowing Guinness the chance to stay true to her Dalmatian self while the pair revel in their school playtime together. When Chilean exchange student Maximo informs Dottie he’s here to “wrestle as many Americans as I can,” Guinness promptly accepts the challenge, pinning a laughing Maximo to the ground. Later, school football star Coltrane gets his own help from Guinness to score a touchdown during the evening’s game.

Such amusing action abounds, keeping Guinness—and readers—primed for the next adventure. Guinness’s overeager, playful temperament may get her into trouble from time to time (especially when she tries to join Dottie’s friend’s cheerleading squad on the field), but she somehow always ends up on top, even in the most dire of situations. As Guinness learns, “the show [must] go on,” and there’s no better way to spend the day than rollicking with your furry best friend.

Takeaway: High-spirited Dalmatian upends her owner’s school during Doggie Day.

Comparable Titles: Nina Laden’s The Night I Followed the Dog, Maia Haag’s If My Dog Baxter Could Talk!.

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

Click here for more about Guinness the Good Girl Goes to School

In this penetrating debut, Taylor breaks down the ongoing competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States, one she describes as “capitalism and democracy against state capitalism and digitally managed authoritarianism”—a seemingly endless tangle of cultural, political, and military dynamics. Starting with an in-depth study on Chinese history, she digs into its formation as a Communist country and return to a strongman leadership model, with the ultimate goal of being “number one in the world,” while examining the “Chinese Dream” of a return to nationalism—and what that means for American companies doing business with China.

Taylor’s China is built on the rule of Xi Jinping, forged against the tapestry of a “cult of personality” that works to ensure international dominance while avoiding foreign exploitation. Western companies walk a tightrope, according to Taylor, in part due to China’s opaque business practices, “national collective will,” and centrally controlled economy. To illustrate the challenges that can surface from those circumstances, Taylor includes several case studies, notably a particularly thorny situation concerning the National Basketball Association, which had great success in China and earned hundreds of millions in annual revenue from their market, only to suffer when NBA personnel began speaking out amid 2019’s Hong Kong protests.

Occasional tangents distract from Taylor’s main themes, but, overall, this is a comprehensive account of what external and internal forces helped shape China into the country it is today—and how it plans to become a paramount economic and military superpower. Taylor sharply examines that future vision—one that is “reliant on self-sufficiency and pride of country”—and teases apart the generational differences within China that impact the country’s economy, social stability, and international commerce. “The US and China have reached a tipping point,” she writes, one that will determine which country will be “the leader of the twenty-first century.”

Takeaway: Penetrating scrutiny of the forces driving competition between the U.S. and China.

Comparable Titles: Michael Pillsbury’s The Hundred-Year Marathon, Paolo Urio’s America and the China Threat.

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

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Ferdosy’s thoughtful and expansive debut thriller sets a traumatized young Iranian woman on a quest for justice against the powerful men who wronged her. Neda Ghaderi, the headstrong daughter of a wealthy business magnate, finds her whole life destroyed when her parents are killed and her fiance executed for the act. But, Neda knows the truth. Using friend and foe alike, she scales the rungs of corruption, from glassy-towered Dubai to her hometown of Tehran, all while contending with the traumas of her past and a system perhaps more broken than she is.

There’s an immediacy to Thirteen as the jolts strike fast and effectively, dropping the reader into Neda’s world at a run. It is in these earliest moments, as layers are peeled back organically, that the book shines most as a thriller, as an undercover Neda, in charged narration, declares her intention to “complete my mission before I have to share a bed with Sami,” a sheik she compares to a “horny ape.” The tension is potent, and the storytelling propulsive, but the tale’s boldest twist is the author’s grander ambitions. Once the story eventually shifts into the past—detailing how Neda got to this point, plus much teary family melodrama involving weddings, financial crises, vicious crimes, court proceedings, and a host of betrayals—narrative richness comes at the expense of momentum.

The challenges and traumas Neda faces grow ever-more vicious, including rape and the murder of people she loves. Her rage has power, and Ferdosy builds to a resonant climax. The author also has taken care to represent Iran, Dubai, and their people without relying on tired or harmful tropes. Ferdosy strives for a full-circle view of trauma and how it can consume not only the sufferer, but those around them, as highlighted in the plights of Neda’s closest friends, who are drawn with vivid empathy. Thirteen blends the revenge thriller with a wider journey, urging readers to evaluate the toll of cruelty and obsession.

Takeaway: A young Iranian woman seeks revenge in this thoughtful, expansive thriller.

Comparable Titles: Hovav Heth’s Just Once, Nilesha Chauvet’s The Revenge of Rita Marsh.

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

Click here for more about Thirteen

Kelly’s spellbinding fantasy explores what it means to languish unseen, literally, as it follows Sabine Gillesella, a young woman cursed with invisibility—she gives “the impression of a ghost pacing the streets.” As she searches for a cure, revealing deeper truths about her own power and the land’s decaying magic, Sabine navigates magic, oppression, and rebellion in the kingdom of Illyamor, where the Awhye people are subjugated by the Halwardians. The stakes are high, but she’s not alone. Alongside her brother Rafi and eventually the enigmatic Brannon, who is prone to peak-fantasy declarations like “I run deeper than the skin you see,” Sabine faces the malevolent Duke Aurich and the mysterious Lady of the Forest in a bid to restore balance to their fractured world.

Kelly excels at intricate, inviting world-building and magic that has some logic but still feels magical. Crisp prose and an eye for what’s most compelling in a scene will draw readers into the heart of Illyamor. Scenes pulse with striking detail and urgent emotions, and Sabine is a standout protagonist, growing from desperate thief to formidable sorceress in a way that feels both authentic and inspiring. Her struggle with the curse underscores themes of identity, resistance, and empowerment without slowing narrative momentum. The narrative also examines the price of power and the weight of sacrifice.

The novel is packed with danger and adventure, from Sabine’s audacious market heists to her perilous trek through the ominous Dikisi Forest. Each setting is vividly realized, drawing readers into tombs and menacing woods, while Kelly deftly explores the socio-political forces driving the conflict. Mythical creatures like the Ielzrie and Vargas intrigue and surprise, while the tragic backstory of the Lady of the Forest adds emotional depth and highlights the story’s darker undertones. For all the magic and a touch of romance, Kelly doesn’t shy away from grim realities of rebellion or the experience of grief, imbuing The Sibyl and the Thief with welcome gravity.

Takeaway: Stellar fantasy of a young woman facing a curse and daring to rebel.

Comparable Titles: Ashley Poston’s Among the Beasts & Briars, Lori M. Lee’s Forest of Souls.

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

Click here for more about The Sibyl and the Thief

Meeting the niche of budget-friendly travel, Ritzel delves into tourist hot spot Orlando, offering readers a slew of low-cost activities in Orlando and nearby areas. The leisure pursuits she covers are both inclusive and wide-ranging, providing readers with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, taste local culture, and even partake in some financially savvy shopping. From the start, Ritzel introduces readers to “places people of all ages and phases of life would appreciate and enjoy,” as she tours farmers markets, festivals, fun on the water, and more.

Ritzel’s passion for all things Orlando beats a steady rhythm throughout this accessible guide, as she spotlights both high profile and lesser-known activities for locals and tourists. Readers interested in museums will delight in the Morse Museum—with a featured collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stunning stained-glass lamps—or the Orange County Regional History Center, a noteworthy foray into the region’s early settlement cultures. Fitting for the Sunshine State, Ritzel features a feast of outdoor activities that range from biking trails to golf to produce picking (a side note into aquaponics farming as “a beautiful way to grow organic nutrient-rich produce in a sustainable manner” stands out), and she sprinkles handy links to maps and money-saving hints on nearly every page. Golf aficionados on a budget will appreciate Ritzel’s courses offering discounted rates, as will foodies looking to sample local cuisine, as Ritzel discusses Orlando’s “Magical Dining” program in lieu of in-depth exploration of individual restaurants.

What’s most entertaining about this brief guide is the well-rounded advice. Ritzel teases out hidden gems (the “World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s & PlayPlace” is fun for families with younger kiddos) alongside more conventional tourist opportunities, such as professional soccer league stadium INTER&CO, where fans can watch up-and-coming international players test their skills. Anyone eager to explore all Florida has to offer will find this debut appealing.

Takeaway: Handy, off-the-beaten-path guide to Florida’s lesser-known attractions.

Comparable Titles: April Lorenzi’s Travel Like a Local Orlando, Mike Miller’s Florida Day Trips by Theme.

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

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Alive with warmth, wit, and faith, Ellis’s charming debut covers centuries and generations in this sphere and beyond, as a pair of souls errantly released from Heaven seek each other across lifetimes in ours as the angel-in-training responsible for the errors strives, with the help of his family and the archangels themselves, to put things right. The stakes are high but Ellis’s approach is cozily engaging, concerned with the everyday travails of humans and the souls and angels in Heaven. Ellis structures the tale in three novella-length sections, the first opening with the ascent to Heaven of a 9th century monk. He’s eventually promoted from imbuing microbiota with souls to working on humans, which is where the trouble begins, as young Janie, in our era, is born with talents beyond the prodigious—she’s connected to something beyond us, brilliant at languages, music, art, and more.

Janie is lonely, though, and after her somewhat distracted parents get her a fancy teddy bear rather than a pet, Janie does something miraculous: she reaches through a “soul portal” and imbues T-Bear with a stray soul. That’s not Janie’s only miracle, and as she develops a reputation as a healer she snags one more soul, too, to inhabit a doll, Suzie, as a companion for T-Bear. That sets Heaven scrambling, and the second two novellas follow the fallout, as the souls of Suzie and T-Bear come to Earth for fresh go-arounds, this time as humans. In playful, polished prose, Ellis writes lives of great promise and all-too-human hardships—her souls witness illness and loneliness, the everyday lot of humans.

Despite the book’s hefty length, Ellis keeps this all light and lively, even passages about cancer or tragic deaths, and she sketches out the history of each soul’s Earth family with brisk, engaging authority. Readers shouldn’t expect romantic longing or battles with demons from this uplifting story of lost souls, Earthly ambitions, and divine bureaucracy, but they will find buoyant good humor, touching miracles, and bursts of wisdom.

Takeaway:Warm, witty novel of a heavenly error and lost souls on Earth.

Comparable Titles: Graham Downs’s Memoirs of a Guardian Angel, Joan Fennell Carringer.

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

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Oliver Mc’Neil is a typical teen in 2085: he eats his prescribed food and medication, completes daily tasks through simulations, and never leaves his house—until he wakes up tangled in barbed wire, being rescued by Autumn, a serious red-headed girl living in the woods. Their lifestyles are a study in contrasts—Autumn and her family live off the land, untraced by outsiders, while Oliver’s sterile existence leaves him “clutching at reality but feeling nothing but emptiness”—but that doesn’t stop their immediate connection. As Autumn helps Oliver adjust to surviving outside the city, he slowly comes to realize his presence may put Autumn—and the new lifestyle he’s starting to treasure—at risk.

Moore's coming-of-age dystopian tale (after Ballad of the Dead) has many intriguing ideas at its core, and Oliver's found family is incredibly charming, each playing their own part as they forage, hide, and, above all, value the land that supports them. Their motto—“we need everyone to take care of themselves”—plays out in the background as Oliver learns to work within their team while coming to grips with the pseudo-reality he’s been living back home. Moore’s depiction of the cave-cities Autumn and her family navigate—with their own printing press, markets, and self-sufficient processes—is brilliantly lifelike, a stark contrast to Oliver’s world, where the only available news is propaganda and fear keeps everyone locked inside their houses.

The story’s action ratchets up when the government Autumn and co. have been avoiding for years comes knocking, prompting Moore’s not-so-subtle message on the dangers of bureaucratic oversight. As Oliver’s resurfacing memories torment him with worries about his true nature—and Autumn’s history emerges bit by bit—the two are thrust into a heady battle of survival, where reality is uncertain and “everyone deserves a chance to put their old life behind them and start again.”

Takeaway: Intense dystopian tale pitting teens against an intrusive, near-future government.

Comparable Titles: London Shah’s The Light at the Bottom of the World, Michael Grant’s Gone.

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

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