At first, readers will cheer Frances’s obstinacy, expressed through martyr-like outburst of rebellions: “Mandatory? Says who? Who’s running this place, anyway?” Eventually, though, the sheer number of days that transpire, with “Constant Comment” (the voice in her head) and her other emotional deficiencies cropping up like a game of Whack-a-Mole, can drag the story’s momentum. But when Schmidt eventually reveals all her surprises, the novel coalesces. Rich in ideas, How to be Dead explores reincarnation and how history shapes our lives, right up to its last letter: characters from suffragettes to a Victorian life-coach breathe life into the afterlife as the Committee, a group of Frances’s previous incarnations concerned with saving “their collective life.”
These inventive, often feminist figures speak in quick-witted, soaring prose that give power to the themes and context to Frances’s outbursts. Bantering dialogue is a consistent pleasure throughout the book, and the climax, when it comes, is clever: just when readers will be sure that Frances has failed, the novel turns. From there, we learn the story of Mac (the romance), and witness a breakthrough that will ring bells of recognition—and likely trigger tears.
Takeaway: A fiery fictional take on life and death sure to engage anyone who wants to rediscover that “life is a gift.”
Great for fans of: Camille Pagán’s Forever is the Worst Long Time, Delia Owens’s Where the Crawdads Sing.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
As suggested by the title, the narrative offers an intimate glimpse into ordinary lives that of course turn out to be extraordinary in their own ways. Foster is as inclusive as he is generous with this dramatization of family history. He takes pains to show the formative impact each had on his upbringing, highlighting not just their foibles but also their strengths. Especially in the book’s focused first half, every individual backstory is one piece of a larger puzzle, coming together to paint a comprehensive picture of the author, the family, and their century.
As The Roar of Ordinary goes on, Foster delves deep into the history and politics of the Vietnam War, often laying out Foster’s opinions and convictions about what went wrong, a worthy subject for a book though here it diminishes the focus and narrative flow that he had established, though emphasis on his siblings, and on his brother Steve in particular, remains consistent. Overall, Foster succeeds in evoking a genuine regard for this ‘ordinary’ family making the best of an extraordinary century. Lovers of grand family sagas will enjoy this memoir, whose epic and ambition are laudable.
Takeaway: A memoir for readers of family sagas and war novels that is as epic as it is intimate.
Great for fans of: David Laskin’s The Family: Three Journeys into the Heart of the Twentieth Century, John Egerton’s Generations: An American Family.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B+
Both skeptics and believers will appreciate the clarity of Radcliffe’s writing, as she makes the complexities of spiritualism inviting and even addresses prankish questions like “Why don’t you [manifest] a million dollars?” Whether recounting her painful divorce or career hiccups, she painstakingly outlines how Soulwork has boosted her “resilience for the unexpected events that threaten to upend our lives” and empowered her to discover and resolve the roots of her dilemmas. Radcliffe goes into great detail about her mystical experiences, triggered by fasting, meditation, and “direct sunlight exposure,” but she does so in a relatable way that encourages readers to follow her steps for emotional recovery and manifestation of inner “bliss.”
Despite some dense material and obscure concepts, Radcliffe demystifies spiritual evolution, offering readers advice crafted to end unhealthy patterns and realign their relationship with the Universe. Individualized exercises reinforce her teachings and break down the different stages involved in Soulwork–such as making committed promises to the Universe and using music to sway emotions– to demonstrate the connection between our inner states and outer environments. Above all, Radcliffe insists that the process of spiritual transformation is always ongoing, but “when we’re willing to take on our Soulwork, the Universe is always in our corner.”
Takeaway: An inviting study of spiritual transformation for readers open to conscious effort and mystical experiences.
Great for fans of: Kavitha M. Chinnaiyan’s Shakti Rising, Anodea Judith’s Eastern Body Western Mind, Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s Rooted.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Part thriller, part graphic romance, Dark Dig pairs adventure with a supernatural twist and the possibility of soulmates as Carol and Marcus, working with the FBI and Interpol, must race to rescue their team while unraveling the secrets of the mysterious Temple of Eros. Dark Dig is in the thrall of Eros—the God, the cult, the temple, and the concept—with regular graphic sex scenes and much musing on female sexuality.
The story’s appeal is diminished by indifferent editing and the depiction of Carol, an object of fantasy celebrated for “ample” breasts and “ivory” skin, and whose May-December romance frequently throws her into the older man’s “powerful” arms. Spohn takes pains to acknowledge the harassment and double standards women face in contemporary life and throughout history, and the plot eventually centers on the organized repression of women, but scenes like the one where Carol sunbathes in a state of erotic rapture, thinking about her professor, strain credulity.
Takeaway: Greek mythology meets modern murder in this steamy mystery set on archaological dig.
Great for fans of: G.G. Vandagriff’s Murder at Tregowyn Manor, Elizabeth Hand’s Waking the Moon.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C+
Marketing copy: B
The guide is long, but it stays highly digestible, with short chapters that can be consumed while riding down an elevator, taking a break from chasing the kids, or in a more concentrated, meditative manner. That approach seems by design: Edwards’ structure allows readers to dip in and out according to their interests or needs. The guidance can be deep or breezily superficial (“buy wine that’s at least four years old”); like all good advice, it can even be irksome when she hits the right button and tells a truth you might not yet want to face. The book’s busy, with some potentially distracting elements—such as the adages Edwards calls “wisdoms” that relate to another project, unconventional hashtags, and QR codes introduced for further reading—but Edwards takes pains to expose readers to fresh ideas and possibilities beyond the purview of the average self-help book.
As Edwards introduces new habits and mindsets, helpful footnotes suggest opportunities for further research, and workbook pages encourage contemplation of the material. Her style is highly narrative, with dishy anecdotes bursting with practical advice delivered in her funny, straightforward, and entirely supportive fashion.
Takeaway: This wide-ranging, of-the-moment self-help guide urges readers to live with purpose and courage to make a difference.
Great for fans of: Shad Helmstetter’s Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It, Jon Gordon and Damon West’s The Coffee Bean.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
Turtle Tube follows the siblings’ exploration, experience, and occasional transformations throughout one day on this island, the story exhibiting clear admiration and care for issues of land management and conservation. The dialogue, blended with modest narration, carries the story along at a quick pace. Much of the plot is described through conversation that at times sounds more formal than how children speak. Reese and Dean are straightforward characters and are represented by things they are interested in (turtles, jokes, books). As the children are without supervision, their need to act independently and seek guidance is necessary and serves as an invitation to readers to explore problem-solving skills, though the conflict and its ultimate resolution are cozily minor.
The world of Erutuf, by contrast, is conceptually grand, combining fun, playful, surprising magic and a bounty of animals, though its wonders are not as thoroughly described as they could be. A map at the beginning of the novel surveys much imaginative territory that, while unexplored in this book, will likely figure into the ongoing series. Reese and Dean’s wild adventure at Erutuf National Park is sure to expand the reader’s imagination and, likely, a curiosity about animals and the world.
Takeaway: Siblings take on the adventure of a lifetime when they’re transported to a magical national park with talking animals and pirates.
Great for fans of: Piers Torday’s The Last Wild, Katherine Rundell’s The Explorer.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A
Beech delves into questions about the true value of development, especially its cultural and environmental costs. His love for Florida comes through in the detailed descriptions of the island, its beauty, and “the sound of the gulf waves mixed with the soft whistling of the trees.” The character of Simon is well-etched, as are his internal conflicts and the reason for his reclusive way of life, and the symbolism of the bridge, its nature, and its ultimate fate add depth to the narrative. The relaxed pacing is in tune with the rhythms of life on the island, with a subtle weaving of the concept of karma from the Bhagavad Gita threaded throughout the story.
Beech succeeds in bringing out the inherent conflicts between development and conservation, reinforcing the idea that much American development, as defined by the rich and the influential, is a mixed bag, not beneficial to all concerned. His treatment of these themes (and the practicalities of local politics) is nuanced yet impassioned, resulting in a novel that will engage thoughtful readers fascinated by environmental issues.
Takeaway: A thoughtful, lyric drama of coming home again—and fighting to preserve it from development.
Great for fans of: Nancy Burke’s Undergrowth, Ron Rash’s Above the Waterfall.
Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Harris’s purpose is clear: to encourage readers to adopt a new approach that deepens understanding of injustice and inequality—and fosters a commitment to eradicating them. Coined the “6As of J.E.D.I action”, this new framework urges business leaders to first question their leadership motives and eliminate their ego before attempting to respond to issues of race, acceptance, allyship, and sexism. He lays bare how many toxic leadership practices are rooted in systematic racism, inequality, and the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities and makes the case that contemporary leadership demands facing this truth and these issues with clear purpose and without fear.
“We have experienced enough of selfish and self-centered leadership,” Harris writes, and he’s direct in his criticisms of hierarchical power structures within corporations. Drawing compelling examples from Apple, Wells Fargo, and other Fortune 500 companies, Harris highlights the differences between traditional toxic leadership styles and the J.E.D.I. approach, which prioritizes an atmosphere of inclusion, humility, and collective purpose. This forward-thinking leadership guide offers clear steps to help leaders rise to the occasion of defeating toxic practices and work environments to ensure a better future for us all.
Takeaway: This impassioned guide challenges business leaders to dismantle toxic and racist leadership practices by promoting allyship, humility, and diversity.
Great for fans of: Jennifer Brown’s How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive, Jason Isaacs and Jeremy Isaacs’s Toxic Soul.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: A-
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+
Crisp prose and fascinating world building set The Black Mark apart. Save for rare instances of an info dump, the peculiarities of this fantastical Seattle and its Otherkin community (the Seattle PD’s occult division employs witches) are teased out as the story unfolds, offering a glimpse into a world much like this one–yet not. Intriguing secondary characters–Nikki and Dr. Hammersmith, in particular–add depth and provide perfect foundations upon which the main characters can develop.
Those leads, though, are promising but less assured in this first volume than the world around them. Both Alex and Finn are flawed, complex people with intricately detailed back stories and motivations. Yet it feels as though some pieces of crucial information are missing–how Alex developed her investigative skills and how Finn deals with his alcoholism, for example. Small hints are dropped about Alex’s background, but a fuller accounting would likely help connect readers more strongly to this intriguing lead. Still, this memorable debut marks the arrival of a strong new voice in the genre.
Takeaway: This promising urban fantasy debut boasts strong world building and promising characters.
Great for fans of: BR Kingsolver, Seana Kelly, Annette Marie.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Like many mothers, Beckerman is ultimately left to take care of this menagerie, and in this comic and tender account she touchingly considers what it means to have a dog and a family. Any pet lover will recognize the challenges–vet bills, urine where one does not wish there to be urine, fleas, “award-winning gas,” attempts to put a dog on a diet–and also the joys. Nothing of outsize consequence happens in this everyday story–Riley never rescues anyone from a well–and readers not fascinated by pets might wonder if much new is being said here about animal-human bonds, but the affection between the dog and his family is palpable and engaging. Beckerman is a skilled writer who paints a vivid picture of Riley and her family in crisp, memorable sentences and anecdotes that build to well-crafted punchlines.
Her thesis is fairly straightforward: We love our dogs. They love us. Sometimes they drive us crazy. Their journey towards mortality is a faster-paced version of our own. As in some parenting memoirs, moments that seem particularly resonant to the author can at times feel familiar to the reader, though Beckerman elevates the material by writing frankly about the difficult emotions that come with life transitions, such as realizing children eventually will turn to sources other than their parents for comfort. Readers who relish pet memories will be more than satisfied by Beckerman, who pulls off this shaggy dog story with aplomb.
Takeaway: Dog lovers will find laughs and heart in this suburban puppy tale.
Great for fans of: Lauren Fern Watt’s Gizelle’s Bucket List, Julie Klam’s You Had Me at Woof.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
Not just set in the past, Song of the Nile indulges in assumptions and relationship dynamics that many readers will believe should have been left there. After Aida’s initial rejection, Phares continues to turn up in pursuit of her, behaving possessively and frequently grabbing, touching, and kissing her despite her expressed refusal of consent. “You refuse me and yet your body does not,” he eventually tells her, and moments later she embraces him, “inviting his assault.” Aida, meanwhile, inevitably is enticed by the harem-owning Bedouin prince who has kidnapped her, reminding herself that he’s “A barbarian cloaked in a deceptive coat of civilisation.”
The most passionate love story in this romance is with historical Egypt. Fielding’s descriptions of the setting are detailed and lovingly rendered, at times overtaking the plot in importance. Readers will be swept away by enchantment with the desert and the culture of life along the Nile, but that beauty only makes the arrogant brutality of Phares all the more stark and shocking. This is a lovely exploration of a bygone time in a stunning land, but contemporary readers should be aware that the male hero doesn’t take no for an answer.
Takeaway: An old-school romance centered on an alpha male who sweeps an objecting heroine onto his steed.
Great for fans of: Lauren Smith’s Wicked Designs, Maya Banks’s In Bed with a Highlander.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
When democracy returned to Uruguay 1985, many with power wished to just leave the past behind, and the new government actively worked against any efforts to face the truth. Writing in “the hope that if people knew and understood what had happened and why, the mistakes of the past would not be repeated,” Bridal interweaves the personal with the geopolitical into a densely detailed narrative that centers around four different searches for disappeared children. She has created scenes, such as closed-door meetings among admirals and ambassadors, or a confrontation between a woman and the man responsible for her granddaughter’s abduction, through extensive interviews and research, connecting the tragedies in Uruguay with U.S. foreign policy. Though at times the narrative is convoluted, the stories she brings are searingly compelling and moving.
“They say that forgetting is the dark side of memory,” she writes, and though it might be easier to forget, Bridal argues that the price of doing so is much too high. Her recount viscerally explores the long-term repercussions of tyranny, violence and broken identities, and the grave questions it uncovers will leave readers with greuling food for thought.
Takeaway: A fascinating, ultimately hopeful account of the quest for justice for “disappeared” Uruguayan children.
Great for fans of: Marguerite Guzman Bouvard’s Revolutionizing Motherhood: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Gabriel Gatti’s Surviving Forced Disappearance in Argentina and Uruguay.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: B+
Rodgers sets his characters on a series of Kafkaesque espionage stages that illuminate the grimmer aspects of security services: intelligence officers discuss the death of a colleague, who had suffered an apparent mental break, with quotes from Sartre and John Lennon; Richard wanders the grotesque decadence of a high-end brothel, with "curving shapes that lent themselves to being occupied by panther-like females.” The main plot threads and the motives of the many characters can be hard to follow, and there's a bit of deus ex machina in the resolution. However, the individual scenes neatly highlight Richard, trying to remain connected to his long-dormant idealism.
Indeed, the book works especially well as a character study, as Richard gradually integrates his past and present. We learn about the hardscrabble family background that formed his politics and see how he has long been battling his disconnection from people. The pathos of his life becomes clear in a meeting with Melanie, where his reaction is less about desire than an end to his loneliness, and he "expected her to behave with more decorum," even though she is a professional rather than his girlfriend. In the end, this spy thriller’s power comes from its story of one man's quest to discover who he is.
Takeaway: Fans of spy thrillers and revolutionary politics will revel in this twisty tale of a man caught between intelligence agencies.
Great for fans of: Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Len Deighton.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: B

Conflicted Faith offers helpful paraphrases of Donne’s 17th century verses, which can be archaic in language and at times challenging for the contemporary reader to parse. The commentary is almost line-by-line, taking sections of each poem and reading them in light of the personal conflict that the poem expresses, and Seel closes each study with a modern poem, reflection, or hymn that parallels that sonnet’s theme. Some readers may wish for more background on the literary scholarship about Donne, at least as a guide for further exploration of the poetry.
Seel’s commentary originated from his own experience mentoring others through their faith journeys, and readers will feel almost as though they are reading along with him, listening to stories and engaging in introspection under a wise advisor. Conflicted Faith also delves deep into scripture as Seel explores wide ranging doubts and conflicts in faith–both scriptural encouragements as well as examples of paragons of faith who also faced struggles with God. This grounds the poems, as well as provides avenues for profound reflection, especially for believers. Donne is a sage teacher, and Seel is a discerning guide to these enduring—and still gripping—sonnets.
Takeaway: Christians seeking to grow in their faith or looking to explore John Donne’s Holy Sonnets more deeply will find this commentary invaluable.
Great for fans of: Philip Yancey’s A Companion in Crisis, Lina AbuJamra’s Fractured in Faith.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-
Westhoff’s ability to craft compelling point-of-views from opposing characters is his strong left hook, the skill that makes his work stand out. The cast of characters in The Color of Greed include sociopathic henchmen, an eager shaman-in-training, clever scholars and average Joes alike, plus that ethical geologist, who, notably, is the only one written from the first-person perspective. That immersive, engaging characterization—plus the urgent hook of a world reeling from climate change—makes this volume inviting even to readers who missed the first book. Westhoff’s depiction of Canadians moving to Antarctica via airship because of land issues is both darkly comic and subtly distressing, and he’s skilled at depicting individuals attempting to negotiate factions, right down to the gossip and infighting among the Nomidar tribe.
The book’s most compelling element, though, is Westhoff’s approach to environmentalism and a long-term view of a world ravaged by climate change: the Earth’s hemispheres have been divided by a “hurricane belt,” ocean levels threaten farmland, and companies and governments who see extractive iridium mining as a solution. Westhoff pits that thinking against the Nomidar’s perspective without resorting to cliché or didacticism, staking a fine middle ground in a climate-fiction genre that too often indulges both.
Takeaway: Climate fiction fans will relish this near-future thriller that pits corporations against an Antarctic tribe.
Great for fans of: Christopher Brown’s Tropic of Kansas, Kim Stanley Robinson.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Dunlap runs the short-story format through the wringer by offering a variety of storytelling approaches and playful experiments, switching between first and third-person narrators, disrupting the narrative timeline of some pieces by flashing forward, writing in dialect and exploiting the possibilities of footnotes, and crafting some abbreviated entries that run three pages or less and will strike readers, based on their inclinations, either as energizing and enigmatic or cryptic and abrupt.
Whatever the length, Dunlap’s male characters tend to be more detailed and multi-dimensional than his female ones. While readers looking for nuanced depictions of sex and romantic relationships may be disappointed, Dunlap’s mischievousness, sardonic humor, and unabashedly masculine point of view complement the stories’ raw, passionate nature. (Sometimes too raw, as with the muddy ford described as “iwde and wet in an almost sexual sense.”)Themes of sex, betrayal, revenge, and death resonate, and the continual focus on these them makes the stories that diverge, such as “Unearned Intimacy,” a thought-provoking meditation on race and communication, and “Baby and Black Crows,” a sweet tale of a gay couple contemplating having children, all the more refreshing and memorable. Dunlap winks at humanity’s foibles and revels in its sins.
Takeaway: Readers up for a bawdy romp through the rougher edges of the human experience will appreciate this collection’s candor and irreverence.
Great for fans of: Barry Hannah, Donald Barthelme.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
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