The concept is lovely—a romance that echoes through time in the clues that the lovers leave for their descendants—and Newcastle plants enticing hints for readers to discover, such as the handwritten botanical journal that Angeni picks up in an opening scene. The writing is evocative: “The juicy-colored hibiscus flower beyond my hotel room window was rolled tight in its nocturnal state, the shrub's bloom scraping the window screen.” But Angeni’s naiveté (she fails to learn even rudimentary Spanish and exhibits little interest in understanding cultural nuances) cuts against characterization of her as a curious spirit. Similarly, Angeni’s vague memories of her dysfunctional upbringing effectively cloak connections to her past to build mystery, but they also flatten her character.
Newcastle is most successful with the storytelling on the historical side of the narrative, as the secret love story of Orlando and Angeline evokes a satisfying sense of destiny. In the present, Angeni and Leo’s efforts to decipher the mysteries of the past lag behind readers’ certainty about where the story is going. Still, Haunting Patagonia will hit a sweet spot for readers who enjoy grand historical romances, plots that boast a supernatural undercurrent, and mysteries with easy to follow clues.
Takeaway: An appealing parallel romance haunts this novel of love, history, and portents.
Great for fans of: Ernest Dempsey’s Sean Wyatt series, Isabel Allende’s A Long Petal of the Sea.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
Tattoo : A Memoir of Becoming
Tattoo overflows with revealing–sometimes harrowing–stories of military life. War games in training, conflicts with commanding officers, the fascinating early days of Army Special Forces, the horrors of Vietnam: Lang covers this and more in clear-eyed, scene-driven prose unencumbered by romance or overstatement. He refers to himself in the third person, but his command of the language ensures feeling (sometimes even humor) suffuses every page: “After watching Lang shoot, [the CIA operative] asked how Lang felt about shooting individuals. The reply was that this would depend on who they were.”
It resonates deeply, then, when Lang does indulge emotion, express doubt about a mission, or set the record straight. One impassioned clarification: The U.S. did not furnish Iraq with military materials during its 1980s war with Iran. Don’t expect much in the way of guidance of where this life is going or a précis of lessons learned in the manner of many contemporary memoirs. Still, with a scrupulous eye for detail, Tattoo illuminates every international conflict Lang saw and offers a fascinating portrait of what soldiering means.
Takeaway: An incisive and revealing survey of the career of an American soldier, from Vietnam to the Middle East.
Great for fans of: Richard E. Mack’s Memoirs of a Cold War Soldier, Elliot Ackerman’s Places and Names.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+
After the strike, Ollie suffers a traumatic brain injury, becomes withdrawn, and begins compulsively–and prodigiously–sketching his surroundings in unerring detail. Ollie is eventually diagnosed with acquired savant syndrome, which has many behavioral similarities with autism. Patrick’s story focuses on how this new reality affects the family unit. Stalwart Bob and nurturing Cathy become even more so, but Cody, 18 months Ollie’s senior, turns into something like the family’s villain “when envy slithers in and wraps itself around an unprotected heart.” Over a dozen years, the characters experience some level of growth and healing, except Cody, who becomes more embittered, calculating, and manipulative.
Patrick (Tea Cups & Tiger Claws, Death of a Movie Star) explores regional history, class disparities, and the perils of celebrity in Ollie Come Free, incorporating a family legend about buried gold, Cody’s covetous thievery, and Ollie’s transformation from social outcast to celebrity artist (drawing city skylines from memory like real-life savant Stephen Wiltshire). Patrick doesn’t try to represent Ollie’s interior life, choosing to detail the externals instead: Ollie’s coping mechanisms and the ways loved ones find to reconnect. Young readers interested in a realistic depiction of artistic savant experiences will find resonance in this atypical coming-of-age centered on a protagonist whose future is tied to a past that always calls him home.
Takeaway: A teen savant draws on resilient allies to open up his path to a full and rewarding life.
Great for fans of: Gordon Korman’s Restart, Cass Tell’s The Savant, and C.G. Drews’s The Boy Who Steals Houses.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: B
Marketing copy: C+
Saxon Heroines: A Northumbrian Novel
Wagner-Wright imbues her characters with life, conveying a sense of this far-off time and place through arresting, mystical language: “He’s giving Egfrid to the water. The nymphs will take him.” Moments of wry humour and elegant scene setting carry the story, a complex interwoven web threaded with religious conflict and criss-crossing the whole of Northumbria. It’s a well-researched tale but driven by character, with flashes of poignancy and charm making the royal, historical cast convincing and relatable.
The pacing of this novel may divide readers–though it is a fascinating story of upheaval in early Britain, the historical complexities make it difficult to keep track of everyone, especially with such similar character names. Wagner-Wright includes a list of primary characters at the start, in order of appearance, that will help readers trace the extensive genealogy. In the same vein, the glossary of names, terms, and places at the end of the novel–such as “Elf-shot"–lends authenticity to this portrait of a time when people believed that the onset of an unknown disease could be caused by elves firing arrows into the afflicted. Overall, Wagner-Wright’s deft characterization and intricate plotting make this an absorbing read that will appeal to fans of layered, detailed historical fiction.
Takeaway: Historical fiction readers will be absorbed by this intricate tale of memorable Northumbrian women fighting for change.
Great for fans of: Philippa Gregory, Sandra Gulland.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B
While Jones does not proselytize, she assumes that her readers are already followers of Jesus to some extent (they may be wayward, but they are believers). That specificity is one of the book’s strengths. Jones draws from her own personal experience, selecting quotes, ideas, and prayers that are important to her—and that may prove important or impactful for those seeking to achieve peace through religion.
Jones pulls heavily from other texts and websites throughout each chapter; she’s not only an author—she’s a compiler. But the most compelling passages are not the biblical quotes or the prayers written by others. They are the personal anecdotes that Jones shares: how a period after divorce turned her into a true follower of God, how she learned to love her neighbor by first loving herself, how she has come to understand that “it is NEVER okay to behave in a disrespectful way toward others.” These sections, focused on the experience of a woman whose life has been changed by belief, are not only the book’s most engaging—they’re also its most urgent and persuasive. While some of the compiled material can be dry or familiar, these glimpses into the author behind the book are honest and memorable.
Takeaway: This inspiring collection of biblical quotes, prayer ideas, and anecdotes takes flight when it gets personal.
Great for fans of: Robert S. McGee’s The Search for Significance, Craig Groeschel’s Winning the War in Your Mind.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
Core Drift: A Coruscant Novel
This sci-fi thriller wastes no time digging its claws into the mystery. Murder, threats of civil unrest, and debates of morality sprinkle the pages while a sweet romantic subplot between Lin and Fan provides readers the opportunity to catch their breaths from the high-stakes drama and stunning twists. Readers will quickly warm to this unusual partnership between suspected and cop: Fan’s mission to prove his innocence makes him a sympathetic hero, while Lin’s empathy and independent spirit leads her down a rabbit hole that will ultimately test her entire value system and loyalty to the government.
Holden is adept at guiding readers into his inventive universe. He clearly defines his world-building terms, and the convenient “Core Encyclopedia v201.b” serves as a resource for anyone needing a quick refresher as the story progresses. Holden has a lot to establish in the story’s opening chapters, which slows the pace, but, lovers of inventive action will relish the fast-paced incidents that bring the story to a wild resolution. Sci-fi fans will sink into this murder-mystery with dynamic characters and an unpredictable plot.
Takeaway: This cyber sci-fi thriller has a unique protagonist, vibrant world building, and thrilling twists.
Great for fans of: Rudy Rucker, J. Barton Mitchell, Greg Bear’s Queens of Angels.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Laurel’s independent spirit and feminist outlook are ahead of her time, but Fleming effectively transports readers to the past by emphasizing the details of daily life in 1870s America. However, the book does not present a polished, romantic portrait of the era, instead incorporating a welcome level of realism that offers a more authentic look at life during that time. The era’s moral values set the stage for the complex web of troubled relationships in Laurel’s family, but lingering grudges and emotionally charged confrontations make this family easily recognizable to today’s readers.
Some romance-oriented readers will be frustrated that Laurel’s time with her grandmother pulls her away from her promising relationship with Cillian, but her grandmother’s engrossing backstory more than makes up for this pause, and most readers will find themselves eagerly anticipating the chapters written from the grandmother’s perspective. Laurel’s quest to know her grandmother takes her on a parallel journey of self-discovery just as significant as her budding romance. While the character of Laurel’s father is not as fully developed, this heartfelt family saga offers readers a deeper understanding of the story’s brave, determined heroine and will inspire them to cheer her on in romance as in all other things.
Takeaway: This sweet period romance will satisfy readers who want more than just a damsel in distress.
Great for fans of: Karen McQuestion’s Dovetail, Kathleen Fuller’s Amish Brides of Birch Creek series.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
The Devil’s Kiss oscillates between Tom’s late-1990s perspective and that of seventeenth-century Israel Hands, a woodcarver-turned-pirate who commits his first murder at age twelve out of a drive for familial vengeance. Israel’s life and the Stonecroft Inn are intimately linked, and these shifting points of view—well marked by chapter headings—illuminate the mystery at the heart of the novel. Like Tom, readers will be unable to shake the eerie feeling that suffuses the inn, but through Geerer’s skillful intermingling of the two timelines they can better understand the connection between past and present. While some may be put off by the unstinting depiction of the bloodthirstiness of privateer life, most will find Israel’s story just as gripping as Tom’s—and surprised at how their histories link together.
The darkness of some details, including some graphic murder scenes, mean that this adventure is best-suited for young adult or older audiences. Geerer’s blend of history and intrigue alongside a truly likable protagonist ensure that fans of ghost stories, cozy mysteries, pirate fiction, and historical drama will find much to love here, including a richly rendered settings and plot twists that will keep readers guessing.
Takeaway: Pirates, puritans, and a modern mystery collide in this delightfully spooky debut.
Great for fans of: Michael Crichton’s Pirate Latitudes, Taci Wilton’s Mrs. Morris series.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B-
Lauerman effectively sheds light on these neglected and overlooked female and BIPOC soldiers–many of whom were ultimately denied Veteran status by their government–without romanticizing the Great War and its tragedies. Despite the title’s emphasis on stories, the book’s tone and structure suggests an inviting textbook, offering sidebars and well-chosen illustrations that illuminate concepts like “no man’s land” or terms like liberty bonds. Like a textbook, this extensive, meticulously researched account at times places more emphasis on historical events than on the humanity of the participants. Words straight from the subjects themselves are illuminating but appear mostly as block quotes, so these insights and details aren’t woven compellingly into the storytelling. Lauerman leaves it to the facts, the photographs, and the feats themselves to sell the stories.
Overall, Lauerman’s lost stories uncover rarely heard chronicles of soldiers, linemen, “flying schoolgirls” and more, accounts that will open readers’ perspectives to the innumerable forgotten heroes of the era. For young students and World War buffs alike, Lauerman’s celebration of the “plucky” courage of individuals who “put their personal safety aside” and often “defied authority” will entertain and inform as it provokes further in these too-often unsung heroes.
Takeaway: An inviting celebration of forgotten acts of bravery by overlooked heroes of the great war.
Great for fans of: Michael Morpurgo’s Only Remembered, Tony Bradman’s Stories of World War One.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
Shifted: Book One of the Shifted Series
Due to its unique perspective, the story sometimes feels limited, especially in terms of access to Kade’s actual thoughts and emotions. That being said, hearing exclusively from Anaya’s viewpoint invites readers to feel just as frustrated as she does with Kade’s inability to hear or heed her messages. Vetovich seizes the opportunity for amusing reflections and asides, such as when Anaya brags about helping Joan of Arc live out her purpose. Anaya’s big picture mindset also opens the story to moral questions at a higher scale than Kade is capable of comprehending, questions explored in Anaya’s relationship with Jordin, her former best friend and soulmate, who has shifted to the enemy side of this war.
The world of Beta-Siberia is not rendered in vivid color or expansive detail, but fittingly so, as Kade only has access to his lived experience in his development, and the Association (the governing authority) doesn’t teach much history or geography. Even with otherworldly discussing philosophy and religion, Shifted is a fast-paced and absorbing fantasy adventure that’s sure to capture the interest of teens who enjoy fantasy with moral intrigue.
Takeaway: A fast-paced and unique take on the hero’s quest that grapples with political and moral questions.
Great for fans of: Gareth Hanrahan’s The Gutter Prayer, Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
As she prepares for her introduction to society, August finds herself developing feelings for Brooks, who takes responsibility for her well being and ultimately returns her affections—despite his assertion that “I will never marry. Unlike you, I find the idea of family vastly overrated.” The chemistry between them feels tepid, but he’s far from the only character who is instantly and inexplicably charmed the ascendant lady. Aside from those whose self-interests conflict directly with hers, August is almost universally accepted and supported by almost everyone she encounters, including the noblewoman mother who was forced to give her up at birth. These relationships and alliances seem to coalesce around August effortlessly, diminishing the story's tension and complexity, though for some readers this may prove appealing.
Despite the relative dearth of interpersonal conflict, Michaels’s (The Land Steward’s Daughter) romance structure is sound, the dialogue is crisp and polished, and the hero and heroine face legitimate obstacles to their budding relationship that they must overcome. Those who enjoy their romances seasoned with angst should look elsewhere, but readers seeking sweet, upbeat love story with a light touch and a dash of historical flavor will enjoy this Cinderella tale.
Takeaway: Readers looking for an uncomplicated historical love story will be satisfied with this literary confection.
Great for fans of: Sally Britton, Laura Rollins.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Enemy Combatant
Against a realistic backdrop, Winner masterfully sets absurd characters in absurd scenes, highlighting the confusion in the characters' lives as well as the insanities of war. An incompetent American soldier they sneak up on initially assumes, from their put-on accents, that they’re Arabs, so Peter starts channeling tough-guy talk he vaguely recalls from old Kojak episodes–and pauses to reflect on the odd fact that both he and the soldier originally come from Virginia. The duo’s freed prisoner turns out to be as lost, physically and emotionally, as they are, and the police Peter and Leonard come up against are not thugs, just men trying to get through the day. Winner offers readers no heroes and no villains, but the characters never fail to engage even though the storytelling occasionally falters with awkward flashbacks.
Peter comes across as especially complex and appealing. Even with his obsessions and addictions, he longs for his wife and favors the language of a poet, not a freedom fighter: He travels with "Sarah’s shirt, the one that smelled so reassuringly of the soap she used." Despite his poses, he can’t forget who he really is–"the man on Manhattan Avenue who played with the fat cat at the local bodega…" As Peter desperately tries to get home, Winner makes clear that the most rewarding journeys are those we take within ourselves.
Takeaway: The troubled characters in this brisk story of the absurdity of war will resonate long after readers finish the book.
Great for fans of: David Abrams’s Fobbit, Phil Klay’s Missionaries.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+
Setting the book apart is his focus on physical and mental self-care: “I’ve seen far too many middle-aged nonprofit leaders who were overweight smokers and whose cynicism and jaded perspectives lived right below the surface of their ossified idealism,” he writes. Attentive to the particular challenges facing leaders in his field, Counts urges readers to commit to hobbies, to “live generously” in their personal lives, and to practice gratitude, suggestions he illustrates with clear, compelling anecdotes. One breakthrough he recounts, in work and in life, has been learning to recognize that people are who they are: “I expected everyone to be motivated, demotivated, amused, saddened, inspired, and troubled by roughly similar things as I was,” he writes. This insight helped him grow beyond that assumption: “every person was a riddle to be solved, joyfully.”
This updated edition closes with a new chapter, inspired by the era of the coronavirus, that centers on nonprofit leadership in a society-wide crisis. Crucially, Counts encourages his readers to take the long view, avoid overreacting, and demonstrate grace and understanding to stressed or even angry supporters. Having faced crises every decade of his career, Counts suggests that nonprofit leaders should anticipate, during boom times, that a bust is inevitable and manage rainy-day funds accordingly. His book offers hard-won insight and guidance to nonprofit workers and leaders committed to living lives of meaning–but not lives of needless stress.
Takeaway: This practical memoir and guide balances nonprofit work with self-care.
Great for fans of: INCITE!’s The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, Dan and Chip Heath’s Made to Stick.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
The novel spans decades. Peter’s return home is tumultuous–though he misses Elizabeth, one night of drunken sex back in Mississippi results in a crisis and a hasty wedding. Finally, many years after he last saw Elizabeth, Peter contacts her in hopes for a chance to reconnect. Nicols seamlessly depicts the historical events surrounding World War I and the debilitating conditions faced by soldiers on the battlefield, but despite ample physical descriptions of the characters and colorful accounts of their youthful exploits, he largely avoids exploring their emotional depth. However, the relationship between Peter and Elizabeth, a primary focus of the plot\, is well-developed as their innocent flirtation escalates into a full-blown romance.
Nicols’s use of rural Mississippi vernacular common during the early part of the 20th century is spot-on and adds realism, and his familiarity with small-town life gives readers a convincing window into the characters’ existence. The narrative is fast-paced and immersive, and while the language is not highly descriptive, its concision is welcome. Fans of long lost love will appreciate the sincere bond between Peter and Elizabeth as they navigate the ups and downs of rediscovering each other.
Takeaway: An endearing story of an American World War I veteran who, despite the passage of time, cannot forget a British nurse.
Great for fans of: Lauren Willig’s Band of Sisters, Ann Howard Creel’s Mercy Road.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
While a few vignettes focus on other members of the narrator’s troop, much of the narrative is, by Buccellato’s admission, based on his own experience. This often works in his favor: The deeply personal chapters centered around Vietnam capture the cruelty of war with insight and even beauty, while his accounts of facing death—the sensory overload that comes with watching a friend die—are horrifying and resonant. He intriguingly blends fact and fiction, but what will matter to readers is the mastery over detail Buccellato demonstrates throughout. The narrator describes, during an evacuation, taping his dog tags together to make himself as silent as possible, a little moment that reveals so much.
The sections covering the narrator’s later life (focusing on his marriage, health issues, family, and monetary success) are sprawling and lack the specificity of his war-related episodes. The language becomes less clear, the anecdotes less compellingly connected, and extraneous details cloud the narrative. Buccellato’s time jumps can be confusing, and the choice to identify the narrator only as “he” results in some awkward sentences when other "he"s enter the picture. But despite some stylistic shortcomings, this is a powerfully intimate rendering of a man, his life after the war, and the ways in which it changed him forever.
Takeaway: This absorbing autofiction explores the effects of the Vietnam War through the eyes of an ambitious protagonist.
Great for fans of: Nico Walker’s Cherry, Rick DeStefanis’s Valley of the Purple Hearts.
Production grades
Cover: C
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B-
Seamlessly combining charming yet realistic artwork, cute rhymes, and educational content, CarrieAnne has created a picture book that kids will want to read over and over. The book stays fresh despite its repeating structure: It asks the same question ten times, but to a succession of new, vividly rendered butterflies, who each offer an answer that’s alive with color and surprises. The final pages identify each of the butterflies (black swallowtail, great spangled fritillary) and flowers (purple snowpea, blue forget-me-not) depicted in the book, plus offer colorful count-along pages in which butterflies appear in rows correlating with the pages they upon which they first appeared.
As a children’s librarian, CarrieAnne understands how to grab and hold children’s attention at reading time. This work of love smartly offers repeating but not boring rhymes, eye-catching watercolors, a variety of vibrant natural subjects, and the additional fun of counting. A climactic illustration depicting a child isn’t as appealing or lively as the book’s abundant butterflies and flowers, but the author/illustrator’s passion for reading and the outdoors comes through splendidly.
Takeaway: Young readers will adore learning about butterflies and counting with this watercolor picture book.
Great for fans of: Dianna Hutts Aston’s A Butterfly is Patient, Jerry Pallotta’s Butterfly Colors and Counting, Susan R. Stoltz’s Let’s Count Butterflies.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
