Addy is being bullied in school by a new boy named Billy, who tells her that she looks funny and trips her in the hallway. As Addy is trying to navigate Billy’s bullying and practice with her friends for a school talent show with a $500 cash prize, something happens to Billy and Addy must decide how to treat someone who has only ever been mean to her, and shows her friends how to rise above and do the right thing. Told in a straightforward and simple writing style and tone, accompanied by equally simple digital illustrations, Billy the Bully is a cautionary tale that encourages kids to see the best in other people, even bullies.

Though this book is intended for a very young audience and has an encouraging message of empathy and openness, the narrative simplicity diminishes the emotional complexity of the kinds of upsetting young people often face. Addy is moved to help and even befriend her bully after her mother tells her the old truism that bullies often are acting out of their own insecurities. That certainly can be true, but as most school kids can attest bullying–and bullies themselves–are a much more variegated topic than this one example allows for. Still, a scene of Addy trying to reconcile her mother’s warmth with the cruelty of some kids is touching, and the diverse cast of kids and reminder of everyone’s humanity are a welcome plus.

The digital illustrations burst with color and engaging faces, though they’re often static; their visual simplicity may be useful for the practical matter of helping young not-quite readers understand the text. That text is not appealingly laid out, and a lack of paragraph breaks makes dialogue read awkwardly. Ultimately a straightforward tale, Billy the Bully puts a likably sunny face on familiar advice and is sure to drive conversation about a persistent problem.

Takeaway: Young readers will enjoy this simple story and illustrations about bullying and friendship.

Great for fans of: Patty Lovell’s Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon, Tracy Ludwig’s My Secret Bully.

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

Click here for more about Billy the Bully: From the AddyBee123 Book Collection

At the heart of Miller’s debut thriller is a lifelong friendship among four men–and the urgent question just how far would you go to help someone you care about who is in need? Mervin Hayes and his friends Perch, Boot, and Skeeter grew up together in the southern town of Preston, South Carolina. As men in their sixties, these one-time good-‘ol-boys now spend their time golfing and enjoying a beer, but their lives get flipped upside down when Skeeter goes missing. To add to the mystery, he isn’t the only one in town unaccounted for. Carol, a local physician, has also vanished. It’s up to Mervin and his friends to get to reveal the dark truths behind all the Southern charm.

The case is engaging, told in crisp, voice-drive prose. Miller invests much energy into his characters, letting them visit and ruminate, always with rich attention to backgrounds, individual voices, and golf games. Readers looking for a swift thriller rather than a chance to get to know Miller’s people may find such intricate detail–covering why Mervin drifted from the church over his life, or his favorite songs back in the day–slows the pace, but the portrait of stripmalls, country clubs, and crime are evocative and revealing, especially about changing mores. The diverse cast includes strong women such as Sergeant Barbara Lowrie, a member of the Lumbee Indigenous tribe, and Hazel Owens, a former punk musician and Carol’s lover; the depiction of the lead hero, Mervin, isn’t always flattering.

Miller dives into the complex “yin and yang” of the South by offering insight into the geographical beauty and southern charm of an easygoing atmosphere in contrast to the historical racism, social unrest, and political tension. There are thrilling moments of suspense and fascinating twists. Readers looking for a Southern mystery with a dash of danger will enjoy this thriller.

Takeaway: Fans of Southern mysteries revolving around life-long friendships will find enjoyment in this enticing thriller.

Great for fans of: Karin Slaughter, J.W. Becton.

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

Click here for more about The Hip Shot

Rosone & Watson's (Battlefield Ukraine) sprawling, high-tech war thriller imagines a scenario where a bellicose China employs advanced artificial intelligence in an effort to dominate the world. This first volume of a larger series emphasizes exacting details of ocean and jungle combat, with point-of-view officers, soldiers, and bureaucrats around the world. The granular focus on individuals as part of larger military and diplomatic operations sheds light on how many and what kind of people it takes to both run a government and start a war. Rosone and Watson also give attention to the implications of data mining, biological warfare, and computer surveillance, set against the backdrop of countries vying for ultimate power.

There's no question that Rosone and Watson did their research, and their ability to create a gripping series of scenarios makes this story almost relentlessly fast-paced despite the book’s pronounced length. In their effort to give names and faces for all levels of operations, they include too many characters to keep track of without notes. The narrative proves most engaging when it slows down and concentrates on specific individuals like the Chinese programmer Ma "Daniel" Yong, who designed most of the supercomputer Jade Dragon. These human moments make the conflict feel meaningful and less like a wargame what-if/ exercise–Dan is complicated, unpredictable, arrogant, and vulnerable, though he gets swept aside in the novel’s second half.

Some characters never transcend cliché, but the authors’ goal is to give readers an understanding of the gritty and frequently exciting details of military strategy, as well as some of the human cost involved, all while exploring the ramifications of facing an opponent who can accurately predict its adversaries’ every move. Readers interested in speculative warfare fiction will appreciate the level of detail and thought given to individual missions, as well as the significant tension powering the narrative.

Takeaway: A sprawling and detailed World War III epic that focuses on digital and biological warfare–and a powerful A.I.

Great for fans of: Steven Konkoly’s Deep Sleep, Michael C. Grumley’s Breakthrough.

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

Click here for more about Monroe Doctrine: Volume I

Costanzo’s (De Anima(L)) latest offers suspenseful science fiction in vintage style. It’s the 1950s, and while the US is locked in the Cold War and the Space Race, Frank Sartori of the Atomic Energy Commission is sent to investigate several sets of coordinates found in a strange pod that fell from the sky. Frank, along with surveyor Bob “Bobcat” Babcock and reporter Kate Wilson, finds debris in the wreckage that defies any technological know-how of the age, setting off an investigation that uncovers answers but leaves him with the biggest question of all—to what end?

Frank searches for clues about the mysterious pod’s origins while struggling with the ghosts of his past, namely, a mysterious “uncle” who claimed he and Sartori were sent by otherworldly “Beings” as part of an experiment. In the course of his inquiries, he uncovers others who might be like himself, including Asumi, whose baffling past left her orphaned and traumatized in an internment camp. The story takes a while to get going,but once enough clues have dropped the suspense is powerful, though Costanzo doesn’t avoid the feeling of the infodump when explaining the Beings, and readers might find the ending overly ambiguous.

The 1950s backdrop helps build the slow tension, as the cast works within both the limits of technology and the geopolitical reality. However, the heart of the story is in its characters and their emotional depths: Frank’s rational mind is tempered by compassion for a lost soul who reminds him of his own past, Bobcat’s blunt demeanor comes with sharp intelligence and a fierce desire for justice, and inquisitive Kate holds her own as a character with agency, sometimes helping and sometimes at odds with Frank. Readers will be left questioning the possibility of life in other parts of the universe as well as our own purpose on Earth.

Takeaway: This ‘50s SF mystery offers slow-burning suspense, an otherworldly journey, and compelling characters.

Great for fans of: Douglas E. Richards’s Unidentified, Michael C. Grumley’s The Desert of Glass.

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

Click here for more about Geodysseus

Author of a dozen novels, Burke presents a triumphant romance-adventure amid Civil War strife in this engaging unofficial sequel to Mark Twain’s classic. Seven years after Tom Sawyer abandoned Becky Thatcher, his childhood sweetheart, he stumbles back into her life. Now a spy, Tom finds her downtrodden yet plucky, determined to protect her father from arrest for treason. When an anonymous enemy frames her father, Becky and Tom set out to absolve him. But Becky’s would-be fiancé, Union Captain Alfred Temple, interrupts, hellbent on marrying her against her will. As Becky and Tom’s mutual passion rebounds, they discover a sinister war scheme and other surprises connected, as in Twain’s work, to American life and its spirit.

Burke proves adept at romantic tension as Tom and Becky alternately resist and bask in their attraction to one another. Tom embodies his nation’s ideal hero—roguish, tender, and willing to surrender her love to Alfred if that guarantees her safety. Likewise, Becky’s uncertainty about Tom’s loyalty creates a delicious struggle against her instinctive desire. Due to a blow on the head, Tom is almost as uncertain as Becky; he’s fighting to regain his memories throughout most of the novel. Touches of humor, such as when Becky persuades him to dress as a midwife to avoid soldiers’ scrutiny, spark laughter. The resulting interplay between suspense and romance is polished in every way except occasional missing punctuation.

A self-described history geek, Burke is aTwain expert who based the story’s central turmoil on Confederate conspiracies in Missouri. (Twain himself, of course, penned a pair of Tom Sawyer sequels, too.) Trips through a brothel, an Underground Railroad hideaway, and the innards of a steamboat offer vivid, well-researched settings. Invisible-ink messages smuggled by unwitting conspirators and heroes disguised as villains provide juicy twists. This swashbuckling adventure will win the hearts of Twain fans and period romance and adventure readers alike.

Takeaway: Readers of historical adventures and romance will adore this exuberant sequel to Mark Twain’s classic.

Great for fans of: Mark Twain, Sandra Merville Hart’s A Stranger on My Land.

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

Click here for more about Tom Sawyer Returns

High school freshman Nick Simonson can’t catch a break. Six months ago his dad died, and he’s already fallen into a pattern of not doing homework, stealing from stores, and tagging with his best friend Grady. Things go from bad to worse, and Grady dies in an accident, and Nick has to decide what kind of man he wants to be. Written in crisp, short sentences (“I hate English. But I like writing in my journal because we can say whatever we want”) that power a fast-moving plot and come straight from Nick’s journal, Russ Thompson’s (Knocked Down) compact novel—the sixth in his Finding Forward series—packs an emotional punch, deftly exploring the complexities of teenage emotions and highlighting the importance of having adults advocate for you.

Telling the story through Nick’s journal allows Thompson to demonstrate the power of writing, reflection, and understanding one’s feelings. Since it offers a whirlwind story that builds tension in just over 100 pages, Overspray’s sequence of events–especially the tragedies that pile up in Nick’s life–can at times feel driven by the plot rather than organically occurring in the narrative, and the story doesn’t allow time to show Nick putting in the work that eventually turns his life around. The journal itself is, in many ways, the heart of that work, though, and thoughtful readers should be able to fill in the gaps.

Pacing choices aside, Overspray succeeds as an approachable and likely interesting book for reluctant teen readers who would also like their life’s problems and their emotions to be taken seriously. The supportive network of adults in Nick’s community who come together for him as he strives to be a better student don’t overshadow his triumphs, but rather encourage him in his endeavors. Ultimately an ode to what society can do for its young people, Overspray will win the hearts of teen readers and keep them engaged in reading as well as in their communities.

Takeaway: Fast-paced and resonant, Overspray will interest reluctant teen readers looking to be entertained and taken seriously.

Great for fans of: Cecily Wolfe’s That Night, Alyssa Wilde’s Crash Course.

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

Click here for more about Overspray

Set in Philadelphia in the late 18th century, as the nascent United States is on the cusp of ratifying the Constitution, this engaging historical romance follows three British teens as they seek to make lives for themselves in the new world. But the old ways still have their power, as young Elisabeth finds that her English father disapproves of the pair of scrappy young Scots, David and Liam, she meets on the Industry, the ship in which they crossed the Atlantic. After a few years of American striving, the trio connects again but faces issues of class, religion, and politics as they find a way to share their lives, especially the potential couple Elisabeth and David. David’s present as an indentured servant doesn’t impress her father—and whose past might split them apart.

Graham (A Thimbleful of Honor among other historical romances) vividly renders the sweeping tale, capturing the flavor of the distant American past with memorable detail and convincing, pleasing dialogue: “Don’t call me darling. You never did before. It begs the question if you’re certain to whom you are speaking.” Highlights include the first Fourth of July, Philadelphia’s first manned balloon launch, and scenes in Benjamin Franklin’s print shop, which is, as David attests, “a never-ending round of mindless work that begins again as soon as it’s finished.” As she establishes the social and political milieu, and offers welcome detail about her characters’ jobs and the everyday life of the early Republic, Graham’s narrative momentum never gets bogged down.

Readers who appreciate the complexity of history will welcome Graham’s clear-eyed treatment of slavery, indentured servitude, and issues of class. A twist of inheritance in the final chapters involving a founding father might strain reader credulity, but the romantic storytelling is rooted in the actual facts. Sweeping over almost a decade of American life, Voices Beckon offers a winning romance against a finely realized backdrop that will appeal to lovers of history.

Takeaway: A sweeping early American romance, set in a vivid Philadelphia at the dawn of the republic.

Great for fans of: Alyssa Cole, Donna Thorland.

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

Click here for more about Voices Beckon

Rosch’s macabre and accomplished new novel focuses on the troubled soothsayer Casey Banks, who can see into the immediate future by inducing hunger followed by immense binge-eating and a purge. When Casey’s love interest, Lylian, commits murder, he puts himself into harm’s way to protect her and her young daughter to make up for the future he could not predict. With the introduction of a shadowy organization wanting to replicate his strange powers, Future Skinny has no shortage of twists to keep the tension fresh.

Continuing the proud tradition of stories of troubled fortune tellers, Rosch (But I Love You) invents a fresh–albeit upsetting–method of prognostication, with an anorexic-bulimic medium gorging for a glimpse of what’s to come. He leaves nothing to the imagination when depicting Casey putting away a whole bag of tortilla chips, a sixteen-inch sausage pizza, an entire chocolate cake, a double Philly cheesesteak burger, and so much more. The intensity with which Rosch focuses on these images and others, unabashed and unafraid, will please readers who prefer their fiction to break ground and boundaries, even at the expense of taste, though it goes without saying that others will balk at the depiction of a psychic using self-harming methods to increase the accuracy of readings.

Rosch’s prose is bold and brisk, attentive to telling details, high emotions, and violations to both body and spirit: “The sour mix of take-out, sex, bleach, and human sweat has been evicted. The metallic stench of blood and gunpowder reign supreme.” The dialogue slices, and playful, searching “interview” transcripts plumb Casey’s mind in fleet, engaging chapters. With its back and forth timelines, shadowy organizations, and troubled romance, Future Skinny finds Rosch committing whole-heartedly to his premise, building a pained, twisty, yet fascinating story that builds to setpieces–like the dinner party where “Nearly every North American meat dish is represented on the table”–with jolting surprises.

Takeaway: This inventive, defiantly not-for-everyone thriller ties seeing the future to an eating disorder.

Great for fans of: William Grehsam’s Nightmare Alley, John Layman and Rob Guillory’s Chew.

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

Click here for more about Future Skinny

In this wise and funny memoir, Sheridan, author of the Franco crime novels, offers incisive sketches from a life of “a relentless Jersey boy” who leaves the working-class world of the Shore and the Turnpike for a degree in finance, then lights out for film school and Hollywood as “a 25-year-old dude raised on hip-hop, mafia movies, and all things bro culture.” There, he interns on Mad Men, whips up “script after script, following patterns of distraction and delusion” he recognizes from his father; dabbles in standup comedy; pours himself into screenplays that get some heat but languish unproduced; and eventually, after much frustration, embraces novel-writing instead. Along the way, he gets married (wedding song: “Thunder Road,” naturally), becomes a father, and faces a traumatizing incident from his youth.

With a wicked wit and a welcome sense of play, Sheridan proves an assured, insightful storyteller, one with a comic’s sense of timing and how to upend a cliché—he’s especially funny analyzing his early screenplay projects and digging into Jersey stereotypes (“where people tawk the way they tawk, grab forks from the draw.”) But he’s also frank and engaging on serious topics, most urgently his account of enduring a shocking assault in the woods at age 12. That incident, Sheridan writes, split his life in two, and reverberations from it can be felt throughout I Love You, I’m Proud of You. Also movingly handled: the slow-dawning realization that he was not going to “come from nothing and make it on Wall Street AND Hollywood all by himself! All before he’s 30!”

Despite its core of trauma and disappointment—at one point, when a deal finally goes through but without him, he calls himself “the sacrificial lamb”–the memoir is a charmer, offering laughs and heart and hard-won wisdom as it charts a cocksure yet anxious young man’s path toward maturity, parenthood, and satisfaction as a teacher and coach. It’s about not getting what you want but still being blessed.

Takeaway: A touching, often hilarious memoir about not quite making it in Hollywood but still making a life worth celebrating.

Great for fans of: Mike Edison’s You Are a Complete Disappointment, Gary Shteyngart’s Little Failure.

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

Click here for more about I Love You I'm Proud of You

Odishelidze (Pay to the Order of Puerto Rico) makes an economic, political, and historical case for a change in Puerto Rico’s status from what he describes currently as a “colony” of the United States. Fundamentally, he believes that Puerto Rico should either become a state in the U.S. or gain independence–arguing that its current status only serves wealthy corporations and well-to-do Puerto Ricans, and he sees the issue as particularly urgent given the geopolitical threat posed by China in its Belt and Road Initiative to create an uninterrupted global trade route.

Odishelidze, a longtime resident of the island as well as someone, has actively lobbied Congress for Puerto Rico’s decolonization, and demonstrates a keen eye for the economic gains that could result from a change in Puerto Rico’s status, specifically citing the example of Hawaii as a case for the benefits of statehood. He includes relevant data to bolster his points and draws on historical documents and memos as well. Some readers may find sections including excerpts from the Congressional Record and photos of the author with political figures distracting, but despite a surfeit of previously published material Odishelidze convincingly maintains his core geopolitical contention that Puerto Rico is strategically valuable to the United States.

Odishelidze acknowledges that his time spent lobbying Congress may have made him cynical about what it takes to get legislation passed, but he never loses focus of the benefits the United States and Puerto Rico might accrue if the island at long last was granted the sovereignty of statehood, including the opportunity to develop economic drivers. He’s realistic about issues of ideology and politics and addresses in depth the practical implications of the choice that the U.S. faces. Whatever the future of the island may be, Odishelidze makes it very clear that stasis is not a winning option for anyone.

Takeaway: An enlightening, persuasive case for changing the status of Puerto Rico.

Great for fans of: Ed Morales's Fantasy Island, Nelson Denis's War Against All Puerto Ricans.

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

Click here for more about America's Last Fortress

The compelling first installment in Davidson’s dystopian cyberpunk series follows Joshua, a young man who relies on his extraordinary abilities—like enhanced senses and lightning reflexes—to survive. A cutthroat gang leader working for an illegal arms dealer, Joshua has eked out a dangerous life for himself while being pursued by the Nevada State Military Zone (NSMZ), who have determined Joshua to be an escaped experiment from the NSMZ lab. Desperate to bring back such a critical piece of government property, the NSMZ begin a tense game of cat-and-mouse against the backdrop of a dystopian, impoverished America.

Davidson’s prose is gritty and atmospheric, with sharp dialogue and a jaded, lived-in narrative voice: “It would have been picturesque if it weren’t for the bodies,” Davidson writes, after a striking description of an abandoned church. The fallen futuristic world of Zero-Day is convincingly detailed: government surveillance technology is embedded into citizens; video games give people new identities; and the remnants of the old United States are a battleground for the disenfranchised. Populating it are a cast of well-drawn characters, primarily Joshua, a calculating anti-hero gang leader who governs with impunity. Kevin, Joshua’s best friend and weapons designer, finds new life in the Virtual as a dashing elven hero, while Shelby, another of Joshua’s allies and fellow gang member, is a cunning hacker who guides Joshua through an unforgiving underworld.

Davidson gives similar color to the NSMZ agents in this suspense-driven story: agent Meriwether is cool and detached, relying on Southern charm to get what she wants, and Agent Farrell is dogmatic, ready to mindwipe his enemies at any opportunity. Readers will be keen to immerse themselves in this realistic, dark world, and Zero-Day will appeal to fans of hard boiled science fiction thrillers. Davidson writes with a frenetic, engaging energy that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Takeaway: The start of an engaging and gritty cyberpunk series set in a convincing and frightening future U.S.

Great for fans of: Matthew A. Goodwin’s Into Neon, D.L. Young’s Cyberpunk City series.

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

Click here for more about Zero-Day: A Cyberpunk Action Adventure

This spectacular standalone fantasy from the prolific Hunt (author of the Dynamacist Trilogy among others) bursts with epic battles and avid romance. Sir Ezra’s life has come to be defined by a single moment from eleven years in the past. After defending his Queen and murdering her would-be assassins, including her powerful husband, he is banished in a ploy to assuage the Queen’s enemies who would otherwise seek retribution. The sacrifice costs him dearly. He must leave behind the Queen, whom he secretly, desperately loves. But that’s not his only secret: He’s an Elysian Bell, which means he possesses a special ability that causes him to vibrate and ring when he experiences profound love or raging anger. Now, to his shock, Ezra’s banishment has been overturned, and he returns to the capital where he must fight to protect his Queen from those who seek her death.

Ezra is an honorable and courageous hero who leads the charge as the plot unravels thrilling twists and dynamic action sequences, but many supporting characters also shine in the spotlight. Hunt proves adept at developing character through symbols, as Ezra’s physical and emotional armor protect the fallen knight against his feelings. His passion for the Queen shines not only in his heroic zeal to keep her safe, but through his emotions as an Elysium Bell. The Queen, who harbors her own secret, also proves to be engagingly complex, as is Sir Marigold, a valiant female knight and friend of Ezra.

Hunt weaves in bloody battles alongside the lyrical declarations of love in order to create a balanced, appealing adventure. As Ezra struggles to unravel the inner mysteries of his beloved Queen, he also must come to understand his own desires. Fantasy fans looking for epic battles and a dose of romance will enjoy meeting Ezra and his Queen.

Takeaway: Lovers of fantasy and romance will enjoy this adventure led by dynamic characters and thrilling battle scenes.

Great for fans of: N. K. Jemisin, Shane Silvers.

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

Click here for more about Bed of Rose and Thorns

Hyland paints a sympathetic portrait of both the third president’s last years as the patriarch of Monticello and the extended family that carried on his legacy, as well as a spirited defense against accusations of Jefferson’s sexual exploitation of Sally Hemings–Hyland argues that 2021 DNA testing suggests that Jefferson’s brother Randolph or “two wayward nephews, Peter and Samuel Carr as the true candidates for a sexual relationship with [Hemings].” Jefferson’s last years were marked by struggles in his family, as relations faced abusive spouses, financial disaster, and even murder charges against those nephews. There were also triumphs, such as the establishment of the University of Virginia. Hyland particularly focuses on the lives of two of Jefferson’s trusted grandchildren, Thomas Jefferson Randolph and Ellen Randolph Coolidge, who sought to rescue their grandfather’s patrimony and secure his legacy.

While telling a mostly chronological biography of Jefferson’s last years, Hyland at times approaches the topic thematically, which might on occasion prove disorienting for readers not already familiar with the basic chronology, though welcome portraits and images help establish personalities and places. Defending Jefferson against the Hemings accusations, Hyland discredits the origin of the story as “invented by the fractured psyche of an alcoholic hack journalist” and appeals to trust in this Founder’s decency, insisting that the “allegation of sexual misconduct is contrary to Jefferson’s refined and reticent nature toward women.”

Hyland ties historians’ acceptance of the Hemings accusations to a broader concern with “critical race theory.” (He acknowledges that his source on the subject of CRT comes from conservative activist Christopher Rufo.) Hyland’s narrative is most compelling when he tells of the love between Jefferson and his grandchildren, from charming correspondence between a president and his granddaughter about sleeping in, to advice for his young grandson about books. The reader can feel the family's care for each other, and Hyland stirs sympathy for their travails, during Jefferson’s life and in the later battles to keep Monticello and protect a legacy.

Takeaway: A study of Thomas Jefferson’s later years, family, and legacy as well as a dismissal of the Sally Hemings accusations.

Great for fans of: Jonathan Sistine’s Thomas Jefferson: The Failures and Greatness Of An Ordinary Man, Fawn M. Brodie’s Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History.

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

Click here for more about THOMAS JEFFERSON FAMILY SECRETS

Wombats might seem like fantastic creatures. About the size of a four-year-old child, these Australia natives look like an improbable yet adorable mash-up of a bear and a rodent, making them a perfect character for a children’s story. In Rippy’s sweet, playful picture book for young readers, a little girl named Cindy befriends one of these curious marsupials when he wanders into her yard during a rainstorm. Cindy and her mother lure the animal to their porch and out of the downpour by offering him carrots, and they give him cozy blankets to sleep on. Mr. Wombat is so comfortable that returns to his bed every night and eventually builds a permanent home beneath the family’s tool shed.

Simple and straightforward, this touching tale offers plenty of opportunities for children and adults to experience genuine empathy. Cindy’s father speculates that Mr. Wombat got lost during the storm because of his advanced age. “He is very old, Cindy,” he tells his daughter. “I am happy that he is safe and that you gave him carrots to eat.” Each night, Cindy tells Mr. Wombat she loves him: “Carrots and kisses, good night, Mr. Wombat, I love you.” This cute, silly refrain is rooted in genuine concern for the wombat’s well-being, which will inspire kids to look at the world around them with care and compassion.

Rippy’s illustrations are colorful and comforting, showing Cindy and her parents interacting peacefully with the calm, cat-like wombat. The family smiles while feeding and petting Mr. Wombat amid bucolic farm scenes, which feel nostalgic and welcoming enough to make readers want to join the marsupial on his cozy pallet. A self-proclaimed outdoorsman and animal lover, Rippy shares a gentle appreciation for the natural world. That impulse is contagious, as is the desire to make some amazing new animal friends.

Takeaway: In this sweet, playful picture book a little girl named befriends a wayward wombat.

Great for fans of: John Butler’s Can You Cuddle Like a Koala?, Jackie French’s Diary of a Wombat.

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

Click here for more about Goodnight, Mr. Wombat

In the fourth entry in the Julia Fairchild series, Peterson delivers an intricate, conversational mystery with a missing heir, a slew of suspects, and a medical bent appropriate to the hero. Julia, a doctor and amateur sleuth in the Pacific Northwest, gives her new friend Sophia a ride home after a charity gala. But when they find Sophia’s boyfriend, Jay, dead on the floor, Julia can’t help but get on the case. With the help of a nephew on the police force and a lawyer boyfriend, Julia tracks down Jay’s missing half-sister—but is she a suspect or another victim? Julia must put the pieces together and catch the killer before they kill again. And the next target could be Julia herself.

One Will Too Many is a refreshingly no-frills whodunit, stripped of the cute gimmicks of many cozies or the suspenseful action of a thriller, though Julia relishes her peppermint tea and throwing a log into the fireplace. Peterson tells much of the story through dialogue, a sequence of conversations between Julia and her contacts as she teases out clues, motives, and her latest findings. That talk is engaging, and Julia’s clever piecing together of the crime a pleasure, though the narrative’s not particularly urgent–besides having been “practically there when it happened,” Julia doesn’t have a clear compelling reason for cracking this mystery herself. In this outing, she’s somewhat subdued as a character, despite a fascinating career and a love triangle that’s mostly on the backburner.

That said, Peterson brings satisfying detail to Julia’s “serious sleuthing,” with the medical expertise of Julia and her colleagues coming into play more than once, and the niceties of inheritance law and the distilling of grog providing a basis for surprises. This unadorned mystery with a clever protagonist will bring readers on a twisty journey through inheritance law.

Takeaway: A cozy mystery that avoids the quaint, this refreshing change of pace finds a doctor investigating murder.

Great for fans of: Kelly Oliver, Jonathan Gash.

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

Click here for more about One Will Too Many

In the first of Hopkins’s (The Offering) The Possum Gap Novels series, three women’s lives are thrown together in the aftermath of a shocking crime in small town Kentucky. Teenage sex trafficking victim Charlie Baker escapes her captor during a violent shootout and finds refuge in the home of Lucinda Coblentz, a kind Amish woman. As town sheriff Sadie Mills investigates the crime, Charlie’s presence in the tightly knit Amish community becomes increasingly difficult to conceal. Relationships among the communities of Possum Gap are tested as the three women struggle with the decisions they must make.

The story is told from the perspectives of Charlie, Lucinda, and Sadie in alternating chapters, allowing readers to get to know more about each of these well-drawn characters: Charlie’s tragic backstory, Lucinda’s struggle to balance her own judgment with her community’s religious restrictions, and Sadie’s difficult relationship with her teenage daughter. The shared narration does not interfere with the plot’s clarity or momentum, and while at times the characters rush toward major decisions, the story’s quick tempo and surprising twists make the book hard to put down. Christian spirituality influences elements of the story, but the narrative is also gritty and even shocking at some points, with instances of violence and frank references to sexual abuse.

Hopkins’s descriptions of the rural Appalachian setting are vivid and have the ring of authenticity, attentive to both beautiful mountain landscapes and impoverished living conditions. Her depiction of the different communities within Possum Gap–law enforcement, Amish, and backwoods family clans–is similarly thoughtful and detailed. The main players reflect the values and experiences of their backgrounds, but they are not static or stereotypical, instead displaying their own unique personality traits and perspectives. This exciting psychological thriller adds a human dimension to a hard-nosed crime story.

Takeaway: Readers who relish strong female leads will enjoy this suspenseful but nuanced crime novel.

Great for fans of: Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series, Vannetta Chapman’s Shipshewana Amish Mystery series, Chris Offutt’s The Killing Hills.

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

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